THIS comes to beg of you to get somebody diligently to inquire after the character of one Mr. Bradshaw while of Christ Church in Oxford. He was servitor or amanuensis to Dr. Allestree and proved very considerable afterwards, being the Author of all the volumes of the Turkish Spy but one, and that was the first, which you remember was printed a considerable time before the rest, and not much taken notice of, till the second volume came out. The first volume was originally wrote in Italian, translated into French, and made English, and all the rest after carried on by this Bradshaw as I am undoubtedly informed: so that I think him well, worth inquiring after while in Oxford. Dr. * In the margin is the following in Mr. Ballard's hand writing, "Sir Roger Manley, Author of the Turkish Spy." The learned Mr. Baker of St. John's college, Cambridge, has written on the cover of the first volume of his copy of Athena Oxonienses, (bequeathed to the Public Library at Cambridge,) Turkish Spy begun by Mr. Manley, continued by Dr. Midgley, with the assistance of others." Midgely had only the name and conveyance to the Press, besides what books he helped Bradshaw to, which by his poverty he could not procure himself. LETTER LXXXV. Dr. WHITE KENNETT to Mr. T. HEARNE. Complete History of England. William of Wykeham, SIR, I THANK you for the good service you have done by so well preserving and transmitting to posterity the Itinerary of Mr. Leland, who was a faithful and candid writer. 'I must beg leave to convince you of one great mistake in your Preface to the iv vol. wherein, after a singular way, you represent me to be the certain author, who put it down for truth, that' William of Wickham was a Bastard. You refer to the Notes on the Life of Hen. iv. in the first of the three Volumes of A Complete History of England. And upon that supposition of my writing that note, you enlarge in words that are at best uncharitable and unbecoming. But I would only set you right in the matter of fact, that you may take a proper and public occasion to correct the mistake of it, a justice, Sir, due to the world, if not to me. I do assure you, I was not the author, publisher, or reviser of that volume, or of any note or line in it; as any one of the booksellers could have informed you, if you had inquired after truth, and avoided that party where it is seldom to be found. I do again forgive the hard and false reflexions you have made upon me without. any cause but my having been formerly your friend, and shall only recommend you to truth and charity as the best guide to your labours, which I pray God to prosper. On Sunday night last I received a letter from you concerning some words in my. Preface to the IVth Volume of Mr. Leland's Itinerary... VOL. I. I do not in that place say that you are the author of the note in the Complete History of England, (as 'tis called) which makes William of Wickham to be a Bastard. On the contrary, I rather insinuate from a passage in your Life of Sommer, that it is not likely you should be the Author." I never took the Church of England to be a Party, and therefore if I espouse the Doctrines she maintains (as I hope I shall always do) and happen to write any thing in behalf of her, or of any of her friends, I think 'twill be very impraper (not to say uncharitable) to censure me as striking in with, or writing on purpose to serve, a Party. And whereas you add a party where truth is seldom to be found, I must own to you that I think there is more truth on the side you have left, and now call a party, than on the other to which all the Dissenters are joined and linked in interest. And withall, Sir, I will take the liberty of declaring to you, that I am in all respects so far from being partial, that as no favour or kindnesses have moved me hitherto to write any thing contrary to justice, truth, and conscience, so I am resolved for the future (and I hope God will bless my resolution) to keep strictly and religiously to the same principles, and to be drawn from them by no secular consi◄ derations whatsoever. I will deal very honestly in the affair that hath occasioned your letter, and I will in my Review signify to the world that you say you are not the author of the note about William of Wickham, and this I will do (if you will give me leave) in your own words. I shall always have a due sense of gratitude for the kind and friendly offices you formerly did for me, and upon that account I subscribe my On Monday last I was at the Cot ton Library, in order to give you what satisfac tion I can in answer to your last. tions relating to Kent begin thus: The observa Grenewiche |