..

"a great light towards the true understanding "of them. Besides, it will be no little pleasure "to obferve the affinity between thofe Saxons *

* "Saxon," fays Sir John Fortefcue Aland, "is the "Mother of the English Tongue. A man cannot tell "twenty, nor name the days of the week in English, but "he muft fpeak Saxon.

"Etymologies from a Saxon original will often prefent you with the definition of the thing in the reason of the 66 name. For the Saxons often in their names express the "nature of the thing: as in the word Parish; in the Saxon "it is a word which fignifies the precinct of which the "Prieft had the care. Throne, in Saxon, is expreffed by a "compound word, which fignifies the feat of Majesty. "Death is expressed by a compound word, fignifying the feparation of the foul from the body, one of which figni"fies foul or spirit, and the other separation.”—Preface to Fortefcue on the Limited Monarchy of England.

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The Saxon language now appears likely to be cultivated with that diligence to which it is entitled, as the basis of our language, and as containing the first clements of our laws and the ground-work of our happy conftitution, in the ftatutes enacted by our free and intrepid forefathers. The late learned Dr. Rawlinfon has founded a Profefforship in the Saxon language in the University of Oxford; and the choice the Univerfity has made of a perfon of learning and ingenuity to read the lectures, will furely ftimulate the young and the ingenious to become acquainted with a language without which they cannot either fpeak or write with propriety, .or act as it becomes those who have fecured from their ancestors the nobleft bleffing that one generation can procure for another, manly and rational liberty.

" and

"and our present customs, in which matters

our Common Lawyers are generally in the "dark. You have heard me alfo mention the "Life of Sir Henry Spelman. One principal

part whereof must be to prove, what that "learned Antiquarian always infifted upon, that "this method of ftudies was the true foundation "of the Common Law, and that Coke and the "reft run into many vifible and even fcandalous errors for the want of it."-Dr. Gibson to Dr. Charlett, Sept. 17, 1700.

GONDE MAR,

THE SPANISH AMBASSADOR AT THE COURT OF KING JAMES THE FIRST.

KING JAMES took great delight in the converfation of Gondemar, because he knew how to please the King, who thought himself an excellent tutor and scholar. The Ambaffador used to fpeak bad Latin before him, in order to give his Majesty an opportunity of correcting him. Gondemar had, by bribes and pensions, paid many of the first persons about King James's court, in the interest of that of Spain; yet, to infure that interest, says Wilson," he cast out his baits not "only for men, but if he found an Atalanta, "whose

$ 4

"whofe tongue went nimbler than her feet, he "would throw out his golden balls to catch them "alfo; and in these times there were fome La

dies, pretending to be wits, (as they called them,) or had fair nieces or daughters which "drew great resort to their houses; and where

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company meet, the difcourfe is commonly of "the times (for every man will vent his paffion). "Thefe Ladies he sweetened with prefents, that "they might allay fuch as were too four in their "expreffion, to stop them in the course if they ❝ran on too fast, and bring them to a gentler pace. He lived at Ely Houfe, in Holborn; "his paffage to the Court was ordinarily through

Drury Lane, (the Covent Garden being then "an inclosed field,) and that lane and the Strand

were the places where most of the Gentry "lived; and the Ladies, as he went, knowing "his times, would not be wanting to appear in "their balconies or windows to present him their "civilities, and he would watch for it; and, as "he was carried in his litter, he would ftrain himfelf as much as an old man could to the humblest posture of respect,

"One day paffing by the Lady Jacob's house' "in Drury Lane, she exposed herself for a falu❝tation; he was not wanting to her, but fhe "moved nothing but her mouth, gaping wide open 66 upon him. He wondered at the Lady's inci

"vility, but thought that it might be happily a "yawning fit took her at that time; for trial "whereof, the next day he finds her in the fame "place, and his courtefies were again accofted "with no better expreffions than an extended "mouth; whereupon he fent a gentleman to "her, to let her know that the Ladies of Eng"land were more gracious to him than to en

counter his refpects with fuch affronts. She ❝ answered, It was true that he had purchased "fome of their favours at a dear rate, and the "had a mouth to be stopped as well as others. "Gondemar, finding the caufe of the emotion "of her mouth, fent her a prefent as an anti"dote, which cured her of that distemper."

EXTRACT FROM THE KING OF SPAIN'S LETTER TO HIS AMBASSABOR, DATED NOV' 5, 1622.

"The King my father declared at his death, "that his intention was never to marry my fifter "the Infanta Donna Maria to the Prince of હ "Wales, which your uncle, Don Baltazar, un"derstood, and so treated the match ever with "intention to delay it; yet, notwithstanding it "is now fo far advanced, that confidering all "the overtures unto it for the Infanta, it is time "to seek fome means to divert the treaty, which "I would have you find, and I will make it

"good

"good whatsoever it be ; but in all other things 66 promote the fatisfaction of the King of Great "Britain, who hath deserved very much, and it "fhall content me much, fo that it be not in "the match."

SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

"ABOUT this time," fays Wilfon," that gallant fpirit Sir Walter Rawleigh (who in his "receffes in the Tower had prefented in lively "characters the true image of the Old World) ". made acceffes to the King, whereby he got "leave to visit the New World in America; "Captain Kemish (one of his old feamen and "fervants) fhewing him a piece of ore in the "Tower of a golden complexion, (a glittering "temptation, to begin the work,) affuring him, "he could bring him to a mine in Guiana of "the fame metall: which (together with free"dome, the crown of life and being) gave rife ત to this enterprize."

The following Notices of Sir Walter Raleigh are copied from Aubrey's Biographical Notes in the Afhmolean Library at Oxford:

"He was a great Chymift, and amongst some "MS. receipts I have feen fome fecrets from ❝ him.