fented a facred Drama before him, which was quite a novelty in Germany. It contained the Adoration of the Magi, and the Massacre of the Innocents by Herod. One ceremony the English observed in this Council, which had, perhaps, been better omitted,-the celebration of the Anniversary of the Canonization of Thomas à Becket, an arrogant infolent Prelate, who defied the laws of his Country and the King of it. "This Archbishop," fays L'Enfant, in his Hiftory of this Council, was canonized in 1173, " and has been ever looked upon by the Ro"mish Church, if not as a martyr for the Faith, "as a martyr for her pretenfions. I do not, " however, think that his canonization could "have been grateful to this Council.”

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HENRY THE SIXTH.

[1422-1461.]

"THIS Prince," fays Hollinfhed, "(befides "the bare title of royaltie ́ and naked name of "King,) had little appertaining to the port of a "Prince. For (whereas the dignitie of prince"dome ftandeth in fovereigntie) there were of "his Nobles that imbecilled his prerogative by "fundrie practifes, fpecially by main force, as seeking

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"feeking either to fuppreffe, or to exile, or to "obfcure, or to make him awaie; otherwife "what fhould be the meaning of all those 66 foughten fields moft miferablie falling out "both to Prince, Peere, and People, as at St. "Alban's, at Bloreheath, at Northampton, at "Banberie, at Barnet, at Wakefield, to the effu"fion of much bloud, and putting on of manie

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a plage, which otherwise might have been "avoided."

SIR JOHN FORTESCUE, Knt.

CHANCELLOR AND CHIEF JUSTICE TO HENRY THE SIXTH.

HAD M. Necker and M. de Brienne looked into a book written by this great and honest Lawyer, intitled, "Of Abfolute and Limited "Monarchie," they would have there feen predicted, what, unluckily for them and the Kingdom, happened, by the measures which they fuggefted in hopes of gaining fome money for their diftreffed and impoverished Sovereign. "The "Realme of France," fays Fortescue, "gyveth "never freely, of their own good will, any fub

fydie to their Prince; because the Commons "thereof being fo poor, as they may not gyve any thing of their own goods; and the Kyng "there

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"there afkyth never fubfydie of his Nobles, for "dreade that yf he chargy'd them fo, they "would confedre with the Commons, and perad"venture put him down."

"The poor man had been styred thereto by "occafion of his povertie for to get good; and "the riche men have gone with them, because "they would not be poor by lofyng of their

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goods. Tralie it is like, that this land (that "of France) fchuld be like unto the land of "Boeme (Bohemia), where the Comons for "povertie rose upon the Nobles, and made all "the goods to be common. Item, It is the Kinge's "honour, and alfo his office, to make his realme "riche, and yt is dishonour, when he hath a poor "realme; of which men will fay, that he reygneth

upon beggars, yet yt war much gretter dyf"honour, if he founde his realme riche and then "made it poor; and also it were gretely agenste "his confyence, that ought to defend them and "their goods, if he take from them their goods "without lawfull caufe. From the infamie "thereof God defend our King, and gyve him grace to augment his realme in richess, welth, "and profperite, to his perpetual laude and "honour!"

JOHN DE LA POLE,

DUKE OF SUFFOLK.

THE following Letter, preferved by Sir John Fenn, in his very curious Collection of the "Pafton Letters," will fhew that homage which vice is obliged to pay to virtue; and that earnest defire which even the moft profligate perfons are animated with, that those who are dear to them may escape the fnares and temptations into which they themselves have fallen.

THE COPIE OF A NOTABLE L'RE WRITTEN BY THE DUKE OF SUFF' TO HIS SONNE GIVING

HYM THEREIN VERY GOOD COUNSEIL.

"My dere and only welbeloved Sone I be"feche oure Lord in Heven ye maker of alle "the world to bleffe you and to fende you eu'

• grace to love hym and to drede hym to ye "which as ferre as a Fader may charge his "child I bothe charge you and prei you to sette "alle your fpirites and wittes to do and to knowe "his holy Lawes and Comaundments by the "which ye fhall w' his grete m'cy paffe alle y

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grete tempeftes and troubles of y1s wrecched "world, and y' alfo wetyngly ye do no thyng "for love ner drede of any erthely creature y "fhuld difplefe hym. And y' as any Freelte

"maketh

"maketh you to falle befecheth hys m'cy foone "to calle you to hym agen w' repentaunce fatif"faccōn and contricon of youre herte never "more in will to offende hym.

"Secoundly next hym above alle erthely thyng to be trewe Liege man in hert in wille "in thought in dede unto y Kyng oure alder "moft high and dredde Sou❜eygne Lord, to "whom bothe ye and I been fo moche bounde "too, Chargyng you as Fader can and may " rather to die yan to be y contrarye or to "knowe any thyng y' were ayenste ya welfare

or p'fp'ite of his most riall p'fone but y' as "ferre as youre body and lyf may strecthe ye ❝ lyve and die to defende it. And to lete his "Highneffe have knowląche y of in alle y "hafte ye can,

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Thirdly in ye fame wyfe I charge you my "Dere Sone alwey as ye be bounden by y ❝com'aundement of God to do, to love to "worfhepe youre Lady and Moder, and also y* ye "obey alwey hyr com'aundements and to beleve hyr councelles and advises in alle youre werks 66 ye which dredeth not but fhall be beft and "treweft to you. And yef any other body "wold ftere you to y contrarie to flee y " councell

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