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Stream, being a little below the Mill have several Bridges to go over to their Groves. Over against it stands Katherine Hall, the New Buildings of which are some of the goodliest in Cambridge. By it, the Printing Room, which is about 60 foot long and 20 foot broad. Six Presses. Had my Cousin Hull and my name printed there. Paper windows, and a pleasant Garden along one side between Katherine Hall and that. Had there a Print of the Combinations. As came Homewards, saw Audley Inn, or End. I can't tell which is the right name. 'Tis a stately Palace. Din'd at Safron-Walden : went out and saw the Safron Roots, which are Ten Shillings a Bushel, about an Acre might yield an hundred pounds and more. Were just dugg up to be planted at Abington, a little place not far off. Have a fair Church. I writt out the Lord Audley's Epitaph. Went into the Vault and saw the Earl of Suffolk's Coffin, who died January last : stands on Tressels, and may see it in the outside at the Grate. Outside is black Velvet, and a small plate of Copper, telling time of his Death rest is garnish'd. Lodg'd at Hockerred, pertaining to Bishop-Stafford. In the even, Mr. Sam. Mather and I viewed Trisday's Well and Castle Hill. Set out on Satterday, about 4 mane, breakfasted at Epping. Got to Mr. Croper's about Eleven aclock. He keeps a Coffee House. While Mr. Mather read the Votes I took Thorsday's Letter and read the News of Boston, and then gave it Mr. Mather to read. We were surpris'd with joy. At Change Capt. Hutchinson shew'd me Capt. Byfield's Letter, which comes by Toogood. They had the News on Change that day we went to Cambridge.*

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[Sunday,] June (read July) 7.—At night about 10 aclock, a great fire breaks forth in Mincing Lane. I was hardly asleep between 10 and 11, before there was a sad Alarm and Noys of Carrs to carry away Goods. A woman lately brought to Bed was fain to be remov'd to another House. I went and sat a little while with Mr. Mather, in Fan Church Street.

[Monday,] July 8.-Went with Mr. Brattle and swam in the Thames, went off from the Temple Stairs, and had a Wherry to wait on us: I went in in my Drawers. I think it hath been healthfull and refreshing to me.

The joyful news was, of course, the revolution at Boston and the downfall of Andros. Nathaniel Byfield's account thereof was licensed June 27, 1689, and printed at once by Ric. Chiswell, in London. It is printed in "Andros Tracts," vol. i.

[Tuesday,] July 9.-Cousin Brattle, his wife and Daughter, Mrs. Shinkfield, Mr. Crossman, were invited to Dinner by Cous. Hull. Afterward, He and I went to Stepney, saw Thomas Saffin's Tomb, one end of it joins to the wall. 50s was given for the Ground. 'Tis a very large burying-place. Were to be ten buried this night: we saw several Graves open and the Bones thick on the Top. Saw a Bowling Green where is 3 or 4 sets of Bowls. The Lord help me aright to improve my Flesh, Bones, and Spirits, which are so soon to become useless, and it may be expos'd in one part or other of God's creation.

Wednesday, July 10th-Between 12 and 1 it grows very dark, thunder, Lightening and Rain, much like a N[ew] E[ngland] Thunder Shower: but the Thunder not so sharp.

[Friday,] July 12.-This day two stood in the Pillory before the Royal Exchange for speaking against the Government. Shears was one. They were exceedingly pelted with dirt and Eggs. Another, that stood for forgery, had none thrown at him that I took notice of. Cousin Hull startled me again this day in the even, saying with a concern'd Countenance there was bad News for me, which was, that my Suit of Cloaths was in danger of being Moth-eaten. Treated John Rawson at the Clubb to day. He belongs to the Pearl Frigot, a 5th Rate, 30 odd Guns.

Monday, July 15th.-I rid to Tyburn, and saw Eighteen Persons, 16 Men and 2 Women, fall. They were unruly in the Prison, which hasten'd the Execution. Din'd in Great Russell Street, view'd the House and Walks of Lord Montague: then ridd to Hemsted. Montague House makes a goodly Shew that way. Hempsted is a most sweet and pleasant place for Air and shady Groves. Bought the Gazett there. From thence ridd to Highgate, which is about a Mile. There drank at the Crown, and then came home by Islington. Then went to the funeral of Mr. Loves, formerly an Assistant to Dr. Owen. Was buried in a Grave near the Dr.'s Tomb. A pretty many Men and Women there. Was carried from Armorer's Hall in Coleman Street to the new burying Ground.

[Tuesday,] July 16.-Saw London Artillery Company pass by about 2 aclock. Most had Buff Cloaths and Feathers in their Hats. Marched 5. 6. 7. and Eight in a Rank. The Pikes. Had Musick besides the Drums.

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Autograph Letters.

No. VIII.

HE following autograph letter from James, Duke of York (afterwards James II.), to the Prince of Orange, is in the possession of Mr. Bennett, Bull-street, Birmingham :—

May 26, 1675- DEARE NEPHEW,

Having so good an opportunity of writing to you as this of the bearer, Captain Dolman, I would not lett it passe without making use of it to assure you of the continuance of my kindnesse to you, which you shall finde upon all occasions. I shall now say no more to you, this bearer being able to informe you of all the newes this place affords, but againe to assure you that you shall ever find me to be

y' most affectionate Uncle

JAMES. Superscription: "For my deare nephew, the Prince of Orange." Sealed with the Royal seal and tied with silk bands.

Collectanea.

ODD SUPERSTITIONS.-A number of odd superstitions still survive among the classes most frequently brought into contact with our policecourts. Such an instance was presented at the Southwark Police Court lately in the case of a gentleman who had intermarried with one lady and subsequently loved another too well for his happiness and fair fame. In the ardour of his passion he is said to have married the latter, neglecting to make known to her the fact that his first wife was alive. When it was pointed out to him that he had committed the offence called bigamy, he seems to have set up the defence that his former marriage was illegal, since the ring used at the wedding ceremony was made of brass; and this view of the case appears to have been taken by the first wife herself, as well as by her brother, who appeared to testify to it in the court. Whether or not Frederick (such is the too ardent lover's name) really acted in good faith remains to be investigated at the next Old Bailey sessions, where his proceedings will form the subject of some further inquiry. But the belief to which he referred that a marriage ceremony is illegal if a gold ring is not used-is probably not at all uncommon. No doubt there are many worthy matrons within the metropolitan area who would feel a far deeper pang at discovering that their wedding-rings were of brass than if they had on one and the same day spilt the salt, left the knives crossed on the table, neglected to throw a severed lock of hair into the fire, sneezed without saying "God bless you," or looked at the full moon through glass.-St. James' Gazette.

Reviews.

The Handbook to the Roman Wall, by J. COLLINGWOOD BRUCE, LL.D., F.S.A. (Andrew Reid, Newcastle-on-Tyne), of which a third edition has been lately published, will be welcomed as a guide to tourists traversing the barrier of the Lower Isthmus. The Wall of Hadrian, which stretches from the estuary of the Tyne to the waters of the Solway Firth, is one of the grandest monuments of the Roman occupation remaining in England. The discoveries that have been made during explorations of the Wall at various times have been described by Dr. Bruce in the pages of his little guide-book with a minuteness perhaps scarcely to be expected in a work of this character. This great fortification consists of three parts: (1) A stone wall, with a ditch on its northern side; (2) An earth wall, or vallum, south of the stone wall; (3) Stations, castles, watch-towers, and roads for the accommodation of the soldiery who manned the wall, and for the transmission of military stores. These lie, for the most part, between the stone wall and the earthen lines. The whole of the works extend from one side of the island to the other in a nearly direct line, and in comparatively close companionship. The stone wall and earthen

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rampart are generally within sixty or eighty yards of each other. The distance between them, however, as Dr. Bruce tells us, varies according to the nature of the country. In one instance, they approach within thirty yards of each other, while in another they are half a mile apart. Both works are, however, so arranged as to afford each other the greatest amount of support which the nature of the country affords. The stone wall extends from Wallsend on the Tyne to Bowness on the Solway, a distance of about seventy-three miles and a half. The earth wall falls short of this distance by about three miles at each end; not extending beyond Newcastle on the east side, and Dykesfield on the west. In no part of its course is the wall entirely perfect, and therefore it is difficult to ascertain what its original height has been. At distances along the line, which average nearly four miles, stationary camps were erected. These stations were little military cities, suited for the residence of the

chief who commanded the district, and provided secure lodgment for the powerful body of soldiery he had under him. All the stations seem to have been provided, after the usual method of Roman castramentation, with at least four gateways; and in some of the best preserved stations, the main streets leading from the four gateways, and crossing each other at right angles, may be discerned. In the course of excavations which have at different times been carried out during surveys of the wall, or in digging in its vicinity, numerous antiquities have been found; the most important being altars, dedicatory slabs, and centurial stones. Many of these objects are depicted in the pages of the work before us. At the station of Castlesteads several valuable altars and other antiquities have been found, most of which have been carefully preserved on the spot by the present proprietor, Mr. George J. Johnson. The most remarkable of these is the altar of Jupiter, a representation of which, by the kindness of our author, we are enabled to give (see ante, p. 106). Two other figures found at this spot-the one representing Fortune, and the other a priest vested in his cope, and holding an incense box in his hand-are reproduced on the opposite page.

Historical Richmond. By EDWIN BERESFORD CHANCELLOR. Bell & Sons, 1885.

IN a volume of some 280 pages, Mr. Chancellor has brought together a vast amount of information relating to Richmond, personal as well as historical. The Old Palace and the various historical events connected with it are here fully described; and in the accounts of the Park, the Green, the theatre, and the fashionable mansions by the river side, an interesting description is given of the Richmond of bygone days. The book has the advantage of a capital index, and it is illustrated with facsimiles of several old engravings. Some of the buildings which are here depicted and described have already passed away, and in their place new buildings have sprung up. The general aspect of the town, in fact, has been greatly changed within the last century; so that any attempt to preserve a record of its former condition is doubly welcome. For the information contained in the book before us, our author has drawn largely upon MSS. and rare books in the British Museum, the Bodleian and other public libraries; and considering that he is but a youth-scarcely seventeen years of age-the use that he has made of the material at his command is deserving of the highest credit.

The Visitations of the County of Somerset, in the years 1531 and 1573. Edited by FREDERIC WILLIAM WEAVER, M.A. In the collection of pedigrees which make up the volume before us, a large amount of information is here printed for the first time, and its usefulness is enhanced by indexes of names and places. Several valuable pedigrees, chiefly from the Visitation of 1591, are incorporated in the work.

Le Monde Chinois. Par PHILIPPE DARYL. Paris: Hetzel, 1885. IN this little work, which is one of Hetzel's capital series La Vie partout," M. Philippe Daryl has succeeded in compressing into a handy volume an immense amount of information about the Celestial Empire, and placing that country, which is apt to hold in our imaginations the place of a marvellous dreamland, upon a footing of reality which brings home to our mind the vast importance of the Flowery State. The author treats in a clear and succinct, yet by no means dry or unreadable way, of the sovereign, the government, the industries, education, art, history, religion and philosophy, language, literature and music, society, finances,

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