most complete edition of this work, with considerable additions and improvements, is that of Strype, in two very large volumes folio, 1720; which was reprinted in 1755, still im→ proved. The subsequent compilations of the accounts of London-those of Hatton, Seymour, and Maitland, are founded on Stow's Survey.

3. The only other work published in our author's life-time, was that entitled, Flores Historiarum, or Annals of England, from the time of the Ancient Britons to his own; which was merely an abstract of his larger work, stiled,

4. "The Chronicle, or History of England;" which work entire was considered by the bookseller to be too extensive a speculation, at that particular time, on account of the recent publication of Holinshed. This production was published from his papers after his death by Edmund Howes, in one folio volume, and which is commonly known by the name of Stow's Chronicle. It was printed in 1615, and 1631, in black letter.

5. But even this publication is said not to contain the whole of that far larger work which Stow left prepared for the press. This

might possibly be the Chronicle of Reyne Wolf mentioned by Nicholson, and which Stow was engaged to publish by archbishop Whitgift. The MS. here alluded to, came into the possession of sir Simon Dewes; and was subsequently obtained by the earl of Oxford.

According to Mr. Howes, Stow always protested never to have written any thing, either for malice, fear, or favour, nor to seek his own particular gain, or vain glory; and that his only pains and care was to write the truth." Agreeably to this statement, it is commonly allowed, that Stow surpasses all preceding chroniclers in judgment, as well as in industry, nor has his honesty ever been questioned.

1

KNOLLES.

RICHARD KNOLLES, was born in Northamptonshire, and educated at Oxford, where he entered in 1560, took his degrees in arts, and was elected Fellow of Lincoln College. He was subsequently master of a free school at Sandwich in Kent; where he died in 1610.

Knolles is chiefly known to posterity by his "General History of the Turks, from the first beginning of that Nation, to the rising of the Ottoman Family," &c. 1610. This history has been continued by several hands. One continuation was collected from the dispatches of sir Peter Wyche, knight, ambassador at Constantinople, and extended from 1623 to 1677; but the best is that of Ricaut, consul of Smyrna, from the year 1623 to 1677. Lond. 1680, folio. It begins from a period earlier than that at which Knolles terminates. In

his preface to the reader, Ricaut observes that, "the reign of sultan Amurat, being imperfectly wrote in Knolles's History, consisting for the most part, of abrupt collections, he had thought fit, for the better completing the reign of that sultan, and the whole body of our Turkish history, to deliver all the particular transactions thereof with his own pen."

As a specimen of the manner of this historian, I select his account of the siege of Jeru salem, in the beginning of the first volume.

The governor of Jerusalem understanding, by his espials, of the proceedings of the Christians, had before their approach, got into the city a great gar rison of right valiant soldiers, with good store of all things necessary for the holding out of a long siege. The Christians with their army approaching the city, encamped before it on the north; for that towards the east, and the south, it was not well to be besieged, by reason of the broken rocks and mountains. Next unto the city lay Godfrey the duke, with the Germans and Lorrains; near unto him lay the earl of Flanders, and Robert the Norman; before the west gate lay Tancred and the earl of Tholouse: Bohemund and Baldwin were both absent; the one at Antioch, the other at Edessa. The

Christians thus strongly encamped, the fifth day after gave unto the city a fierce assault, with such cheerfulness, as that it was verily supposed, it might have been even then won, had they been sufficiently furnished with scaling ladders; for want whereof, they were glad to give over the assault and retire. But within a few days after, having supplied that defect, and provided all things necessary, they came on again afresh, and with all their power gave unto the city a most terrible assault, wherein was on both sides seen great valour, policy,, and cunning, with much slaughter; until that at length the Christians, weary of the long fight, and in that hot country, and most fervent time of the year, fainting for lack of water, were glad again to forsake the assault, and to retire into their trenches: only the well of Siloe yielded them water, and that not sufficient for the whole camp; the rest of the wells, which were but few, being before by the enemy either filled up, or else poisoned.

Whilst the Christians thus lay at the siege of Jerusalem, a fleet of the Genoese arrived at Joppa: at which time also a great fleet of the Egyptian sultan's lay at Ascalon, to have brought relief to the besieged Turks in Jerusalem; whereof the Genoese understanding, and knowing themselves too weak to encounter them at sea, took all such things out of their ships as they thought good, and so sinking.