PRE FAC E. IEWING, as we have done, fince the conclufion of our VI first volume, a confiderable increafe of the public favour, it would ill become us to remain filent, on entering into another year, accompanied by approbation and fuccefs. Our fupport has been derived from a fubject," in which we are all interested, whether confidered as citizens of the world, as members of a particular community, or as beings who occupy the foremost station in the scale of animated nature. By exhibiting a collective display of the memorable tranfactions of preceding ages, it furnishes examples for our own conduct, without the hazard of actual experience; and, by bringing to our view the good effects which have refulted from wifdom and virtue, as well as the pernicious confequences of folly and vice, it teaches us what to pursue, and what to avoid. Our paffions take part in the narration; we are alternately foothed into complacency, diffolved into pity, and roused into refentment." We burn with ardour to emulate the different individuals who have fhone on the theatre of human life; and, when truth and impartiality guide the pen, the banquet cannot be infipid. So much in favour of the general tendency of our defign; which, indeed, we have already enforced, but in different words. In the execution of it, we have not only felected remarkable circumstances from the remoteft periods of antiquity, but have been careful also in culling the most interesting occurrences of modern date. To prove this, we refer to our Review of Historical Books; where, among a variety of valuable new publications, will be found, in the fecond volume, A comprehenfive view of Mr. Bruce's celebrated Travels into Abyffinia; which is greatly fuperior to any Abridgment hitherto offered, in a more expenfive form; as it, in general, not only contains the exact words of the author, but impartial criticisms, tending to elucidate the subject. The Biography, which we have felected, it is prefumed, has proved of use and importance; and the Natural and Philofophical Hiftory, having been taken from the first fources, will not be found of lefs confequence and utility. The National Hiftory, for the year 1790, will be written by a gentleman of eminence in the literary world; whofe knowledge of politics and hiftory, is at least equal to the abilities of those who have conducted the Annual Regifters, with fo much credit to themselves, and advantage to the public. VOL. III. A The The other departments of our plan-though of inferior importwill nevertheless be continued with all that care and difcernment which have marked our preceding labours-and which muft, in fome degree, have been meritorious-or we fhould have experienced that fate which has befallen fome of aur cotemporaries. Our Correfpondents, we are happy to obferve, have continued to increase; and there seems to have been fuch a laudable zeal of rivalfhip among them, that we hardly know which moft to commend. As fcarcely a fingle piece has been rejected, we must confign them to their own innate conviction for the reward due to their fervices; for our own parts, we owe them grateful acknowledgments, which we will endeavour to communicate by a strict attention to their future. favours. We have already paffed through the celebrated pieces of English Hiftory, by fir Thomas Moor and lord Bacon; and are now arrived to the more modern, though not less valuable labours of Hume. After pursuing his volumes to the reign of Elizabeth, we intend to give a new hiftory of the important tranfactions which occurred during the life of that princefs; many dark and mifrepresented paffages in which have been confiderably enlightened by several recent publications, and of which we purpose to avail ourselves, however. great the expence, or difficult the enterprize. ΤΗΣ EXTRACTS FROM SIR JOHN FENN'S ORIGINAL › LETTERS. [Continued from p. 436.3 HENRY VI.-LETTER XXXI. R To William Wayte. IGHT faithful and well-beloved brother William Wayte, I commend me to you, as the Lord may to his tenant, praying you effectually to recommend me to my fingu lar good mafter and yours, excufing me that I write not to him, for I dare not envolde [involve] me in the fame; and as for tidings here, I certity you that all is nought, or will be nought; the king borweth [bor The whole of this familiar letter, wherein the writer mixes politics and pleafantry, is not entirely explicable; nor can the date be exactly afcertained; I have ventured to date it between 1450 and 1454. The affillance offered by the princes here named related to our wars in France. John Hody was chief juftice of the King's Bench, but I do not understand what is here related. roweth his expences for Chrifimas; the king of Arragon, the duke of Milan, the duke of Oftrich, the duke of Burgoyn [Burgundy] would have been affiftant to us to make a conqueft, and nothing is anfwered nor agreed in manner, fave abiding the great deliberation that at the last fhall fpill all together, &c. The chief juice hath waited [expected] to have been affaulted all this fev'night nightly in his houfe, but nothing come as yet, the more pity, &c. An oyer and determiner goeth into Kent, and commiffioners my lord the duke of York, Bourchier, my mafter, that will not come there de proditionibus, &c. but Kent By what is mentioned of the commissions going into Kent to try thofe guilty of trea fons, &c. (if these were for that purpose) it appears as if it was not a great while after Cade's rebellion; and the duke of York be ing one of the commiffioners, muft haye been greatly in favour of the rebels, as lis friends were faid to have stirred up the in furrection, prayeth them to hang no men when they come. Sir Other tidings as yet can I none tell you, fave Ulvefton is fteward of the Middle Inn, and Ifley of the Inner Inn, because they would have offices for excufe for dwelling this time from their wives, &c. Thomas Todenham loft his primer at the Tower-hill, and fent his man to feek it, and a good fellow wished it in Norfolk, fo he would fetch it there, &c. * Men ween that Norfolk men were hardier than they be. God grant, and at the reverence of God help too that an outas (outery) and clamour be made upon the lord Scales, praying him for weal of the country, neither fuftain nor help him nor Heydon in no wife, and that ye cry upon my master and yours that he obey not the certiorari as yet, as you may fee by his letter from my mafter rudely and in hafte by me endited, of which I pray excufe, &c. And pray Blake to do Swaffham men fay fomewhat to the matter. I weet well Todenham and Heydon will not come there at this time, as it is verily reported, &c. "Mitte fapientem, &c." Brayn and I fhall be with you on Saturday next at even with the grace of Jefu, to whom I betake you. In hafte at London the 2d day of January. By +J. BOCKING. It feems as if some robuft exercifes had been performed on Tower-hill, wherein the Norfolk men did not exert themfelves in a manner that was expected from them. + J. Bocking was one in the houshold of fir John Faftolf. (a) On the back of the above indenture in a more modern hand is written, "Themarriage wthyn mentioned never toke effect for the fame Elizabeth was after first married to Robt Ponyngs arm, and then to fr George Browne knyght." I thought this draught of a marriage fettlement too curious to be omitted, particularly as I have been requested by fome perfons of confiderable NUMBER XLVII. Marriage articles betwixt Agnes Pafton, &c. on the one part, and William Clopton, efq. on the other part (a). THIS indenture, made betwixt Agnes that was the wife of William Pafton, John Pafton her fon, and William § Clopton, efq. on the John Damme on the one part, and other part, witneffeth that accord is taken atwyn (between) the faid parties, that John Clopton, fon and heir of the faid William Clopton, by the grace of God fhall wed Elizabeth the daughter of the faid Agnes, for which marriage the faid Agnes, &c. fhall pay to the faid John Clopton four hand of lawful money of England, hundred marks (2661. 135. 4d.) in and over that (befides) if the faid marriage be holden with the faid Agnes, the faid Agnes fhall bear the coftages thereof the day of the wedding, with fuch chambering as fhall be to the pleasure of the faid Agnes; and the faid William Clopton fhall do (take care that) his foeffees make a lawful estate to the faid William of lands, tenements, rents, and fervices to the yearly value of 407. over all charges borne, to have and hold to him (for the) term of his life without impeachment of waste, the remainder thereof to the faid John and Elizabeth, and to his heirs male of her body law. fully begotten, without impeachment of wafte, within twelve days after the faid wedding. eminence in the law to publifh every cir cumftance that might throw light upon legal forms, or upon the legal transactions of the times here treated of, John Damme was a burgefs in parliament for the city of Norwich, and likewife recorder. The Cloptons were a family of confequence. This word is here used in a good fenfe, and probably means joyous entertainment and feafting-but it may mean certain expences to be borne, or goods, &c. to be bought on this occafion. And |