Rise and Growth of the First Church of God described (London, 1683, Oct.)," Mr. James Rudyerd contributed two letters, one about "The Multiplying of Mankind till the Flood," the other, concerning "The Multiplying of the Children of Egypt." There were also two other members of this family who contributed to the early literature of the Protestant religion. One Edmund Rudyerd, the minister of Utoxiter, who wrote in the year 1615, "The Thunderbolt of God's Wrath against Hard-hearted and Stiffenecked Sinners; or, an Abridgement of the Theater of God's fearfull Judgments executed upon Notorious Sinners;" dedicated to "the Right Worshipfull and Worthy Knights, Sir Vincent Corbet, Sir Francis Newport, &c., and to the Worshipfull and dearly beloved in the Lord Thomas Rudyerd, Esquire, &c. :" which work was published for Thomas Pavier, 1618. The other was Mr. Thomas Rudyerd, a friend and adherent of the celebrated William Penn, who wrote a pamphlet in defence of Quakerism and the principles advocated by the founder of Pennsylvania, entitled "The Barbican Cheat discovered; or, Injustice arraigned: being a brief and sober Disquisition of the Procedure of the Anabaptists' late erected Judicature in Barbican. London, the 28 of the moneth called August,

1674. With some Observations upon the pretended Account thereof in their Pamphlet, term'd The Quaker's Appeal Answered.' By Thomas Rudyerd. Prov. xviii. 17.- He that is first in his own cause seemeth just, but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.''

It was from this gentleman that descended that ingenious man, Mr. John Rudyerd, who, degenerated in circumstances but not in intellect, planned and erected the Eddystone Lighthouse, A.D. 1708; a fabric admirably adapted to resist the element it was intended to oppose, in which it was eminently successful, having stood the test of nearly fifty years, and weathered many a storm of the deep waters, until destroyed by fire on the 2d of December, 1755.

son.

To return, however, to Benjamin the third He was born on St. Stephen's day, 26th of December, 1572, and was educated at the public school of Winchester. He was afterwards sent to St. John's College, Oxford; but it does not appear upon any authority how long he stayed at that university, or whether he took a degree: though Anthony Wood, in his "Athenæ Oxoniensis," mentions him among the celebrated writers and eminent men which that seat of learning had produced. The words of Wood are, "Whether he took a degree it appears not;

however, by the polite learning he attained to there, and by his conversation with learned men in the great city, he became an accomplished gentleman and an excellent poet; and was held in high value by the great men of his age for his ingenuity, especially by John Hoskins, sen., Richard Martin, John Owen the epigrammatist, Ben Jonson, &c. &c., the last of whom hath an ingenious epigram to him."

It is, however, reasonable to suppose that he was removed from Oxford at an early age, as his family intended him for the study of the law; for which purpose he was entered of the Middle Temple three years afterwards, as appears by the following extract from the Register of that honourable Society:

"18 Aprilis, 1590.

"M. Benjamin Rudierd, filius tertius Jacobi Rudierd, de Winchfield, in Com. Souham, et nup. de novo Hospitio Gen., admissus est in Societate Medii Templi General."

And after a period of ten years he was called to the bar, October 24th, 1600.

While keeping his terms, Rudyerd was chosen by the brethren of his Inn to record their gallant adventures during one of their Christmas festivals. The reader is no doubt aware, that the festivities of that season were celebrated with the greatest

magnificence in ancient days, not only in London but in most great cities,

"With pomp, and feast, and revelry,

With masque and antique pageantry."

The house of every nobleman or gentleman had its sovereign elected for these sports, under the title of the Lord of Misrule, a personage whose origin is lost in the obscurity of years. Every parish had also its ruler of sports with the same title.

The Lord Mayor of London and the Sheriffs were not behind-hand in these jocularities; and, besides a fool, they had each a sovereign of mummeries on their establishment. His reign began on All-Hallow's Eve. Even royal authority afterwards sanctioned the use of these officers, whose posts always continued until the eve of the Purification. During the entire period of their sway, Stow says, there were "fine and subtle disguisings, masks, and mummeries."

King Edward VI. appointed one George Ferrers to hold the office; he was a poet, lawyer, and historian, and was the first styled "Lord of the Pastimes." Even the great lawyers of Lincoln's Inn doffed their sober habits at Christmas; they, too, had a king of Christmas-day, with his attendants, who presided in their hall: and so

earnest were they in these matters, that they elected another officer on Candlemas-day, who presided with attendants in a similar manner, and was styled "King of the Cockneys."

The Middle - Temple lawyers, not to be outdone by their learned brethren of Lincoln's Inn, elected a Prince of Christmas so late as the year 1635. This personage (always one of their society) dined with them in their hall, having eight attendants. He was seated under a cloth of state, and served with great attention. This pro tempore prince was invariably introduced at the royal court, attended by maskers, servants, &c., in most splendid procession, where each performer recited some complimentary poem, written by the greatest wits of the day, in praise of the king or queen's royal family.

Herbert, in his "Antiquities of the Inns of Court and Chancery," speaking of the entertainments given by the members, informs us, at page 248, that in the Middle and Inner Temple halls were held several of the great feasts and hospitable Christmassings of ancient times. One of these is described by Gerard Leigh, in his "Accidence of Armory." The hero on this occasion was Dudley, earl of Leycester, who, with the romance of his mistress, styled himself Palaphilos, prince of Sophie. He was entertained