bizpo de spalatro;" meaning the famous Marc Antonio de Dominis, who had come to this country and had been made Dean of Windsor by James, and whom Gondomar tempted back to Rome, where he perished in the dungeons of the inquisition. There is much information respecting Captain North and the River of Amazons; and commendations of Gondomar's conduct with regard to Sir Robert Naunton, whose dismissal from the post of secretary of state, he had procured by his influence with James. There is also a long memorial from Charles Neville, the attainted and last Earl of Westmoreland, (the sixth Earl,) to Philip IV., in which he petitions for a pension on account of the services he had rendered to the Spanish monarchy, and which he enumerates at length. Of this Earl's history few or no traces exist in the possession of his lineal descendant, the Earl of Abergavenny, the head of the Neville family. According to Rushworth, vol. I. p. 34, "Gondomar used all possible methods to weaken this nation, for he caused ordnance and other warlike provision to be conveyed from England to furnish the Spanish Arsenals, and procured underhand the sending of Sir Robert Mansel into the Mediterranean to destroy the Algerines, which secured the Spanish coast and shipping, and diverted to another use that money and strength which should have been employed for the defence of the Palatinate." All these circumstances are here explained, and Sir R. Mansel's despatch to Philip IV. is included. The collection even includes the letter of Philip IV written immediately on his father's death, to inform Gondomar of it, dated the same day, March 31, and another highly complimentary to Gondomar on his services to Philip III. requesting him to continue in the office of Ambasador to England, and appointing him "Consejero de Guerra," by which title he is always afterwards addressed. This letter appears to have accompanied Gondomar's new credentials to the English court. The letters of the Archduke Albert, and after his death, from his widow the Infanta Donna Isabel, contain information and instruction for Gondomar's conduct during Lord Digoy's embassy to Vienna, and visit to the army under the Duke of Bavaria; with accounts of the proceedings under the Duke and Gonsalvo de Cordova up to the raising of the siege of Frankenthal, &c. &c. It is from these events that the great subsequent changes which took place in this country may be dated; for on Lord Digby's return in November 1621, the Parliament, which had previously been adjourned to February in the next year, was immediately summoned, when Lord Digby gave an account of his proceedings to the House, with a demand for money on the part of James, to enable him to fulfil the engagements entered into by Lord Digby. This debate caused the famous Remonstrance and Protestation on the part of the Commons, which ended in the dissolution of the Parliament and the arrest of the five members, (Sir Edward Coke, Pym, &c.) It was then began the open contest between prerogative and the liberties of the subject, which, after a long struggle, terminated in the Revolution and the final overthrow of the Stuarts. It will be seen that a volume of more importance to the History of this country has seldom occurred for sale, and it ought to have a place in one of our great national repositories. The whole Collection are in Spanish except Sigismund's letter to Gondomar, and a few of Philip IV. to James I., which are in Latin; a language Gondomar chiefly used in communication with James, to flatter his well-known pedantry. 97 JEWEL OFFICE ROLL. "Anno regni Regis Caroli secundoNew yeares gifts given by the kinges Matie. to those persons whose names hereafter doe ensue the first day of January, the yeare above written,"—and on the reverse, "New Yeares F Giftes given to the king's majestie," &c. THE ORIGINAL This roll contains the account of the sums given by the nobility and gentry, with the gifts given to them by the king. It is written on both sides; on the first "Summa totalis of all the guilt plate given away in new yeares giftes as above said, and bought of John Aston his Maties. Goldsmyth, amounteth to vim. vijc. xv. oz. iij. dwts;" then follow, "gifts given by his Matie, and delivered at sundry times from the foure and twentieth of June, 1626, until the ffoure and twentieth of June, 1627," consisting of plates and jewels, mostly presented to Ambassadors. The roll is signed by Charles I. and by Sir Henry Mildmay, Knt. Master and Treasurer of His Maiesties Jewells and Plate, Ry. Wrighte, Cleric. Jocal., Fra. Lupton, Edward Aston, Carew Hervey. The giftes to the king amount in money to 39217. 8s. 4d. paid into the hands of Sir Edmund Hewney, Knt. with other gifts of Gloves, Sweetmeats, &c. This account is signed in the same manner. 98 MEMOIRS OR REFLECTIONS UPON THE REIGNE OF KING CHARLES THE FIRST. Of Government, as examined by Reason, Scripture, and the Law of the Land; or, True Weights and Measures between Sovereignty and Liberty. MANUSRIPT, large folio, very neatly written, and ruled with red lines, 12/. 12s. At the end of these important Memoirs is the following note:"I am deeply sensible how unfitt this Treatise is to be made publick, having character'd great Familyes, and some Councells too freely in it; but it was an Errour in Judgement, as beleaving, ye unparallell'd Faylers in Councells, and miscarriages in Conducts of this tyme could never have been rightly understood, unless ye Instructed and managing persons in it had bin truely described. Flattery I have used to noe one person; Envy or Ill-will, I am assured, I had to none: Folly I have shewed perhaps too much, but Sincerity throughout: soe guilty I stand in mine own opinion of Indiscretion by this Freedome, if I had designed it for ye press, yt I recommend itt rather to ye Fire; and yet I think so well of its Trueth, yt I would have it stand amongst my Bookes. If any Friend reade it, I had rather, He should judge mee for my Faylings and Errours, then mistake either person, or Business upon any Creditt I may find wth him. C. W. Aug. 28. 1679." 99 Remembrances for Order and Decency to be kept in the Upper House of Parliament by the Lords when his Majesty is not there, leaving the solemnities belonging to his Majesties coming to be marshalled by those to whom it more properly appertains. MANUSCRIPT, written in 1707, 8vo. in old morocco binding, The standing orders of the House of Lords at that time. 100 The Standing Orders of the House of Lords, &c. 14s. A MANUSCRIPT, similar to the above, 12mo. very neatly written, and bound in old red morocco, with the royal arms on the sides, 10s. 6d. This copy appears to have belonged to Lord Blantyre, whose autograph, dated 1710, is on the title. 101 An Autograph Letter of EARL MOUNT ALEXANDER to the Earl of Lauderdale, dated "Dublin, Nov. 1662," with the seal of his arms in fine preservation, 10s. 6d. In this letter the writer promises to observe the Earl's commands "concerning Mr. Mosely," and returns thanks for a place conferred upon his uncle Alexander, which he had solicited "when he waited upon the Earl at Hampton Court," and he also requests the Earl's favour in a business" in my lady Randola her hands." 102 An Autograph Letter of JOHN NAPIER to the Earl of Lauderdale, dated from "Holyrud-house, Agust the 9, 1665," 18s. The writer of this letter was killed at Soleby fight. In it he is very prodigal of protestations, and of devotion to the Earl's interests. 103 An Autograph Letter of CHARLES SEATON, EARL OF DUNFERMLINE, Lord Privy Seal under Charles II. in 1671, to the Earl of Lauderdale, dated Feb. 28, 1671, with the seal of his arms in good preservation, 17. 1s. Charles Seaton, second Earl of Dunfermline, who in the beginning of the civil troubles engaged with the Covenanters, was one of the committee of Parliament in 1640; and one of the Scotch commissioners appointed to treat with the king for peace, and was appointed privycounsellor for life by the Parliament, in 1641. He was also one of the Committee of Estates, from 1644 to 1646; but returned to his allegiance, and was appointed Lord Privy-Seal by Charles II. in 1671. He died in 1674. The letter requests the Earl of Lauderdale to assist in establishing his rights. Has made several applications to the Lords of the Treasury, without success; they daily pass signatures in favour of the Vassalls, and the compositions are so inconsiderable that his rights will not be worth looking after. 104 An Autograph Letter of the celebrated General THOMAS DALYELL (Dalziel) dated “Liethe the 27th of Xembr. 1666," 31. 3s. There is a good summary of this famous man's history under the portrait of him engraved by Vandrebanc, "General Thomas Dalyell, who served Charles II. at the battle of Worcester, and thereafter being taken prisoner by the rebels, after long imprisonment made his escape out of the tower of London, went to Muscovy, where he served the Emperor of Russia as one of the generals of his forces against the Polanders and Tartars, till the year 1665, when he was recalled by King Charles II., and thereafter did command his majesty's forces at the defeat of the rebels at Pentland Hills in Scotland, when his majesty had any standing forces in that kingdom, till the year of his death, 1685." There is a very curious account of him by Swift in the Memoirs of Captain John Creichton, and he is also introduced in "Old Mortality," where Sir W. Scott has given his rebuke to the Duke of Monmouth after the battle of Bothwell Bridge. There is another curious anecdote of him given in Sir John Dalrymple's Memoirs. The letter is addressed to the Earl of Lauderdale respecting the equipments of the King's troops in Scotland. 105 An Autograph Letter from Sir Arthur Forbes to the Earl of Lauderdale, dated "Dubline, this 26 Juli, 1671," with the The letter states that "the ould bushop of Klothore is noue aprothing his end," and that the bearer, his son, has a suit to his majesty, and the writer requests the Earl's influence in the case. He has sent the particulars to Sir Robert Murray with "the deying requestes of thi good ould man." 106 DUCHY OF LANCASTER. Copies at length of the Conveyances and Agreements between the Duchy, Viscount Gallway, the Earl of Verney, &c. with respect to the Honor of Pontefract, with descriptions of that Honor, and of the Honors of Clare and Mandeville, and accounts of the Quit Rents, and other profits and emoluments of the said Honors, and of the perquisites belonging to the Bailiff of the Duchy. MANUSCRIPT, containing 180 pages, very neatly written, 4to. halfbound, 31. 13s. 6d. It is well known that of the vast stores of information contained in the Records of the Duchy of Lancaster, less use has been made by Topographers than of any similar source, principally owing to the shameful confusion in which the deeds themselves remained till the time of the late Mr. Russell. This fact renders copies of any of them of more value. Besides the deeds above named, there are included a description of that part of the Duchy which lies in the County of Norfolk, in which with other emoluments commonly enjoyed by the Lessees of the rest of the Duchy, are comprehended the wrecks of the sea, &c. held together under the same lease, "Lord Verney has not this lease:" a description of Old Coat Stirrup, near Blithe, in Yorkshire: an Appendix containing an abstract of the leases last granted (down to 1742), of the premises before mentioned: and accounts of the courts held at Hedingham Sible in 1766 and 1767. On the margins of the MS. are remarks on the capabilities of improvement. It seems to have been written about 1770, when Mr. Russell was so active in reforming the abuses which existed in the management of the Duchy Estates. 107 REPORTS ON ENGLISH AFFAIRS, from 1735 to 1750, made by a French Spy, employed at the instance of M. de Chauvelins, Keeper of the Seals to the French King, by the Count de Broglio, the Duke of Mirepoix, and other French Ambassadors to England. MANUSCRIPT, folio, very neatly written, 21.2s. The author of this MS. has, in his introduction, detailed his qualifications for the dangerous service of a spy, as unblushingly as his prototype, the memorable John Ker of Kersland, Esq. For thirty years he was established in this country as a merchaut of note, was a member of most of the Clubs, and intimate with the greatest merchants and manufacturers of the kingdom," je fus toujours regardé jusqu'en l'année 1750 sur le pied d'un bon Anglois,-mais les Ambassadeurs etoient les seuls qui savoient mes vrais sentimens la-dessus." At last he was suspected, and his person and papers seized in Nov. 1750, by order of the Duke of Bedford, then Secretary of State. The materials for these Memoirs escaped the search, and he was liberated after a fortnight's confinement. The first two memoirs are on the public funds and Bank of England, apres quoi je me proposois de donner un troisieme, dans lequel jaurois indiqué des moyens propres à humilier les Anglois." In this third memoir is embodied an interesting personal narrative of his adventures, and of his intimacy with Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Sir Jannssen, Sir Peter Delmé, Daniel Hays, David Bosanquet, and other great mercantile personages. 108" Lettres écrites depuis mon depart de Vienne le 14 Avril, 1774." MANUSRCIPT, very neatly written, folio, vellum, 16s. The correspondence of a young foreigner during his travels in Italy and England, addressed to his family at Vienna. He appears to have been a young merchant of the name of Wiriot, travelling for improvement, and his letters contain many curious remarks on commercial affairs at that time, with tables of coins, exchanges, &c. some of the letters are in Italian and German. FOREIGN HISTORY. GENERAL, 109 CHRONIQUE OU HISTOIRE GENERALE. MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, of the Fourteenth Century, folio, comprising 466 pages, in fine preservation, 81. 8s. "Lauise de faire ceste compilac'on fu la grant Instance dun grant baron de france lequel come il eust desir de sauoir en quel temps auoient este li prophete nostre seigneur et ly philosophe des paians Il pria le compileur que il luy faist aucue œuve la plus breue q' il pouvroit par laquele il pouvoit auoir cognissace aucune des chos dessus d'tes. Enseignant la succession des temps et la nessance des Royaumes et les faiz plus mūrillens qui sont avenu es diuers lieus des le comecemt du monde jusq'au temps de maintenant." The History is brought down to the year 1340, and one of the latest accounts is "DE LA MORT DE HUE LA DESPENSIER DANGLETERRE." There is no author's name to be discerned, but the writer mentions among his authorities "frere vincent de beaunes," (Vincentius Bellovancensis,) and "frere martin." The MS. is on very fine vellum. The heads of each chapter are written in red. 110 Istoria Politica de' Regni di Europa, estratta dall' Istoria Generale di Puffendorf e Lenglet. Estratti dall' Istoria Generale di Puffendorf con le aggiunte di Martiniere. Trattato IstoricoPolitica de i Regni d'Asia che ancora sussistono, estratto dai libri di M. Bumzen La Martiniere. Istoria Politica dell' Imperio Germanico e delle case Elettorali e de Ducati, Contee, Vicecontee, Langraviati, Margraviati, Burgraviati, Marchesati, &c. estratta da Puffendorf, Lenglet, Martinière, &c. MANUSCRIPT, neatly written. 5 vols. 4to. 17. 5s. |