In his petition to the Lords from the Tower of London, he requests to have fome of the books that are at Lambeth; " for," adds he, "unless "I have books to read ere I fall asleep, and after "I awake again, I cannot fleep, nor have done

thefe dozen years. That I may hear mass, "and be bound upon my life not to speak to

him who says mafs, which he may do in the other chamber, whilft I remain within. That "I may be allowed fheets to lie on; to have li"cenfe in the day-time to walk in the chamber "without, and in the night be locked in as I am "now. I would gladly have license to send to "London to buy one book of St. Austin de

Civitate Dei, and one of Jofephus de Antiqui

"tatibus, and another of Sabellius, who doth "declare, most of any book that I have read, how "the Bishop of Rome, from time to time, hath " ufurped his power against all Princes by their unwife fufferance."

108

JOHN HEYWOOD.

"THE following hapned," fays Puttenham, " on a time at the Duke of Northumberland's "board, where merry John Heywood was al"lowed to fit, at the board's end. The Duke "had a very noble and honourable mynde al

ways to pay his debts well; and when he lacked "money, would not stick to fell the greatest part "of his plate: fo had he done some few days be«fore.

"Heywood being loth to call for his drinke fo "oft as he was dry, turned his eye towards the "cupboard, and faid, I find a great miffe of "your Grace's ftanding cups. The Duke, "thinking he had fpoken it of fome knowledge "that his plate was lately fold, faid fomewhat

fharply, Why, Sir, will not these cuppes "ferve as goode a man as yourselfe? Heywood "readily replied, Yes, if it please your Grace; "but I would have one of them stand still at my

elbowe, full of drinke, that I might not be "driven to trouble your man fo often to call for « it. This pleafant and fpeedy revers of the "former words," fays Puttenham, " holpe all "the matter againe; whereupon the Duke became

very pleasant, and dranke a bottle of wine to Heywood, and bid a cup fhould always be ftanding by him."

EDWARD THE SIXTH.

[1547-1553.]

IN the British Museum there is a large folio volume in MS. of the exercises of this excellent Prince, in Greek, in Latin, and in English, with his fignature to each of them, as as King of England, in the three different languages. Edward's abilities, acquirements, and difpofition were fo tranfcendent, that they extorted an eulogium upon them from the cynic Cardan himself, who, in his once-celebrated book "De Geni"turis," thus defcribes the young Prince, with whom he had several conversations upon the fubjects of fome of his books, particularly on that "De Rerum Varietate:"-" The child was fo "wonderful in this refpect, that at the age of "fifteen he had learned, as I was told, feven dif"ferent languages. In that of his own country, "that of France, and the Latin language, he "was perfect. In the converfations that I had "with him (when he was only fifteen years of

age) he spoke Latin with as much readiness "and elegance as myself. He was a pretty good

logician, he understood natural philofophy " and music, and played upon the lute. The "good and the learned had formed the highest

"expecta

сс

"expectations of him, from the sweetness of his difpofition and the excellence of his talents. He "had begun to favour learning before he was a great scholar himself, and to be acquainted with "it before he could make use of it. Alas the "wretched state of mortals! not only England, « but the whole world has to lament his being " taken from us fo prematurely. We owed much " to him as it was, but alas! how much more was "taken away from us by the artifice and malignity " of mankind. Alas! how prophetically did he "once repeat to me,

• Immodicis brevis eft ætas, et rara fene&us.'

"Alas! he could only exhibit a fpecimen, not "a pattern, of virtue. When there was occa"fion for this Prince to affume the King, he "appeared as grave as an old man, though at "other times he had the manners and behaviour "of his own age. He attended to the business "of the State, and he was liberal like his Father, "who, whilft he affected that character, gave "into the extreme of it. The fon, however, "had never the fhadow of a fault about him; «he had cultivated his mind by the precepts of philofophy."

Fuller, in his "Worthies," has preserved the following letter of this Prince, addreffed to Mr.

Barnaby

Barnaby Fitzpatrick, Gentleman of his Bedchamber, and who had been brought up with him. It exhibits a fpecimen no lefs of the sweetness of his temper, than of the excellence of his understanding.

EDWARD,

"We have received your letters of the eighth "of this prefent moneth, whereby we understand "how you are well entertained, for which we "are right glad; and alfoe how you have been "once to goe on pilgrimage; for which caufe "we have thought good to advertize you, that "hereafter, if any such chance happen, you shall "defire leave to go to Mr. Pickering, or to

Paris for your business: and if that will not ferve, to declare to fome man of estimation, "with whom you are beft acquainted, that as "you are loth to offend the French King be"cause you have been fo favourably used, so "with fafe confcience you cannot do any fuch

thing, being brought up with me, and bound "to obey my laws; alfo, that you had com"mandment from me to the contrary. Yet, if

you be vehemently procured, you may go as "waiting on the King, not as intending to the

abuse, nor willingly feeing the ceremonies, and "fo you look on the maffe. But in the mean "feafon regard the Scripture, or fome good "book