May 21. Mr. Whiston of Cambridge has lately printed a book upon the Revelation of St. John. I am told he is of opinion there, that the world will be at an end about nine years hence, when there will be a great eclipse of the sun. The bishop of Worcester of the same opinion. Before which time the bishop thinks Rome is to be burnt. Grounding his opinion upon some places in the Rabbis. The Jews all of this opinion, as I hear. May 31. In Bodley's archives1 is a letter in MS. of Queen Mary to cardinal Pole, which here follows: Reverendissimo Dão Legato Compatri meo. Digna Patre tanto salutatione premissa, Agnosco plurimum debere me reuerendissime sanctitati vestre, cum iucundis de literis mihi a vobis ad Ampthille regiam traditis, tum (vel maxime) quod summo meo oblectamento, regis regineque parentum (quorum vtriusque salutem regum ille supremus quam diutissima felicitate dignetur) menstruo conuictu vestro dudum beneficio mihi frui licuerit. Una vero me interim (alioqui felicissimam) torquebat visende sanctissime paternitatis vestre negata occasio, que si votis respondisset meis, cum sancta vestra benedictione humillime petita, merita in me vestra meosque frequentia (quibus licuisset) gratijs rependissem. Id quoniam mihi quantumvis desyderanti coram assequi tum temporis non obtigit, quod mei jam officij superest, vestram istam benedictionem non nisi omni cum observantia mihi nominandam mitissima implorans, celsitudinem vestram maiorem in modum obtestor, ut cepto erga me animi candore perpetuo sit. Ita 1 Arch. A. 87. (quod multis alijs nominibus debeo) obnixius mihi orandum erit, vt incolumitatem vestram Britanne rei publice nedum mihi Deus optimus maximus longissime protrahat. Hertleburye. "Tis the original, under her own hand. Tua spuālis filia MARIA PRINCEPS. María Princeps June 3. In the Bodlejan library, among the MSS. in Mus. num 235,1 are the Epistles of St. Paul, &c. printed in an old black letter, in 12mo. which was queen Elizabeth's own book, and her handwriting appears at the beginning, viz. August. I walke many times into the pleasant fieldes of the holy scriptures, where I plucke up the goodliesome herbes of sentences by pruning: eate them by reading: chawe them by musing: and laie them up at length in the hie seate of memorie, by gathering them together: that so having tasted thy sweetenes, I may the lesse perceave the bitternes of this miserable life. The covering is done in needle work by the queen (then princess) herself, and thereon are these sentences; viz. on one side, on the borders: CELVM PATRIA. SCOPVS VITAE XPVS. CHRISTVS VIA. CHRISTO VIVE. In the middle an heart, and round about it, ELEVA COR SVRSVM IBI VBI E. c. (i. e. est Christus.) On the other side, about the borders, BEATVS QVI Now num. 242. DIVITIAS SCRIPTVRAE LEGENS VERBA VERTIT IN OPERA. In the middle a star, and round it * VICIT UM NIA *E. C. * PERTINAX VIRTVS June 4. In Bodley's archives, B. 94, is a MS. primer, curiously illuminated, which was formerly queen Mary's, and afterwards prince Henry's. 'Twas given by Rich. Connock, Esq. auditor general, sollicitor, and of his highness council of revenue, Jul. 7, anno regni regis Jacobi 13, 1615. Just at the beginning of the Psalms is the following passage, written by queen Mary's own hand, viz. Geate you suche ryches as when the shype is broken may swyme away wythe the master, for dyverse chances take away the goods of fortune, but the goods of the soule, whyche bee only the trewe goods, nother fyer nor water can take away. Yf you take labour and payne to doo a vertuous thyng, the labour goeth away and the vertue remaynethe. Yf thoroughe pleasure you do any vicious thyng, the pleasure goeth away and the vice remaynethe. Good madame for my sake remembre thys. Your louyng mystres MARYE PRINCESSE. June 8. 'Tis said that the king of France used to lye with the dauphin's wife, and for the expiation of so great a sin, the pope, by way of penance, injoyned * I think for Elizabetha Captiva, vel Elizabethæ Captivæ, she being then, when she worked this covering, a prisoner, if I mistake not, at Woodstocke. him to extirpate the protestants in France, which is said to be the occasion of their persecution. July 5. When Mr. Barnes presented his Edward III. (which cost him above 600 libs. in all) to king James, (to whom he dedicated it.) his majesty was pleased to talk very freely and kindly to him, and there is no doubt had given him preferment if the troubles had not followed immediately, or if my lord Sunderland had acted fairly. ANACREON, LVII. v. 915. (Translated by Joshua Barnes.) Bring me a bottle brisk and true Bring me, bring me, quickly, lad, Now reache the bowle: to five of wine, Give me the liquor, and from hence King Charles II.'s Riddle. What's that in the fire, and not in the flame? What's that in the master, and not in the dame? What's that in the courtier, and not in the clown? What's that in the country, and not in the town? R. Aug. 5. There is come into the publick library1 the original MS. of The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety, written by the author of the Whole Duty of Man. The donor, Mr. Keble, a bookseller in London, near Temple-bar. Dr. Aldrich, dean of Christ Church, has been shewed the book, to know whether he could tell the hand. He replyed, that he was of opinion that 'twas not the author's own hand, but copyed by bishop Fell with a disguised hand. I have carefully examined it, and find bishop Fell's hand in several places; which I know to be his from its being exactly the same with what I have seen of his hand before. Particularly in the title-page, The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety is added by him, in room of Duty lost in Disobedience, which is struck out. There is also there struck out, A practical Treatise, written by the Author, and for it only added, Written by the Author. Indeed by comparing these hands together they will appear to be the same, by the turn of the letters; though we cannot from hence gather that bishop Fell was author. Nor indeed do I think he was, it seeming rather to have been a club of learned and pious persons, such as the bishop, Dr. Hammond, the lady Packington, &c. Happening to shew Mr. Barnes the MS. copy above mentioned, of the Decay of Christian Piety, he presently told me he had a paper written with archbishop Sancroft's own hand, which he thought resembled very much the hand of the said book. This he brought the next day, and comparing it with the book, we found several letters written the same way, the same distance as to lines, &c. And accordingly we concluded that they were done by the same per 1 Its present place is MSS. Bodl. 21. |