This letter being sent, as I said, to many corporations, the several mayors sent it to my lord treasurer, who sent the following one to Hereford, tho' he sent no one to any other place. Sir, Aug. 1st, 1713. I received yesterday your letter, with the enclosed treasonable paper, directed to you by the post, of which you have exsprest so just a detestation as was very much to the satisfaction of the queen, when I laid your letter before her majesty. It tis plain to be a villianous designe of a faction to create a disturbance in the kingdom, ffor there are many letters, word for word the same, and the same hand, all put into the general post-office in one night, this day sevennight, several of which are returned hither. You will see by this dayes gazett the methods that are taken ffor makeing a discovery. I heartily thank you ffor the zeal you have shewen ffor the publick peace, and shall be very glad of any opertunity to demonstrate the great regard I have ffor your city, and the perticular esteem where with I am Your most humble servant, OXFORD. Aug. 31. In bibliotheca collegii Lincolniensis MS. D. 35, 9, 10, Thomæ Gascoigne sa theologiæ doctoris Oxoniensis Dictionarium Theologicum, sive veritates collectæ ex sa scriptura et aliorum sanctorum scriptis in modum tabulæ. iibus voluminibus chartaceis, in f. quorum primum continet paginas 680, 2dum paginas 693. In hoc opere multa libere dicta reperire est contra corruptos ecclesiæ mores: et historica quamplurima intertexta, præsertim de factis et dictis memorabilibus regum et episcoporum Angliæ, haud alibi temere reperienda. Hujus operis a se compositi meminit author in testamento suo quod extat in registro cancellarij universitatis Oxon. Sept. 7. Copy of an original letter in the hands of Rich. Rawlinson, M. A. relating to the bells of Bristoll. An. 1643. To the right honble our very good lord, the lord Right Honble, Upon receipt of your lordship's letters, by which you make claime to the bells of this cittie, as generall of his majestie's artillary, we doe humbly conceive, that yf any such forfeiture were incurd (as is pretended) yet by agreament on his majesties parte when his forces entred, it was in effect condiscended unto, that there should noe advantage be therof taken, but that all things should continue as formerlie, without prejudize to any inhabitant. And the bells of each church being (as your Lordship well knowes) the proper goods of the parishioners, are not at our disposall, neither have we to doe with them. All which we humblie submitt to your lordships better judgment, and taking our leaves doe rest Your honors most humbly at commandment, Humph. Hooke, Major. George Knight, Alderm. Sir, Sept. 11. To Mr. B. Willis. I have returned your paper, compared with our Bodley copy. I know of no more lists at present that are for your purpose. Your coyn (that was found at Gloc. hall, and which you gave me) of Jupiter Acræus, is not contemptible. Yet 'tis doubtfull whether it be genuine. However I have seen those of it that are really genuine. And particularly amongst those given us by consul Raye. I wish in your travells that you would always observe the circuit of churches. And my reason is this, because in the decrees of pope Nicolas 'tis ordained that a bigger church should contain in cumpace forty paces; a chapell, or lesser church, thirty paces. Such observations may conduce something to the ascertaining of the antiquity of such churches, as are of no bigger a cumpace; but I think there are few such. Other observations of the same kind might be made from the decretals. 'Tis certain in old times, churches were very small. And this was in imitation of the first mother church with us, Glastenbury. This was made of rods, and so were many others. And such churches they generally covered with reeds. When stones came to be in fashion, they used lead. We may trace the progress in our historians. But I have not time to say more. I am, Sir, Your ever obliged humble servant, Oxon, Sept. 11th, 1713. THO. HEARNE. Sept. 15. Andrew Horne, in his Mirrour of Justices, observes, (p. 50 b) that in old time the irons to be put upon prisoners was not to weigh above 12 ounces. Sept. 24. Yesterday morning, at eight a clock, died my best friend and patron, Francis Cherry, esq. at his house at Shottesbrooke, in Berks, being about 48 years of age. His distemper was an ulcer in the kidneys, and he was taken extremely ill the Saturday immediately before. This person (who was formerly gentleman-commoner of Edmund hall in Oxford) was eminent for piety, virtue, and learning. Soon after the revolution in 1688, he became intimately acquainted with the famous Mr. Henry Dodwell, with whom he afterwards studied several years, and by that conversation improved himself in learning to such a degree as to be well versed in most of the ancient Greek and Latin authors, as well human as divine. He assisted Mr. Dodwell in many of his writings, and particularly in that elaborate and immortal work De Cyclis Veterum, which the author hath gratefully dedicated to Mr. Cherry. He was so conscientiously religious as not to be drawn from his duty by any secular interests whatsoever. For which reason he was an equal sufferer with Mr. Dodwell, and continued firm in his loyalty to the last. During his prosperity he performed many signal instances of charity; yet with the greatest prudence and discretion, and with exemplary modesty, endeavouring, by all means possible, to conceal his name. But tho' he desired that his name upon that account might not be made use of, yet this must be remembred of him, that 'tis to this gentleman's liberality that the writer of these matters owes his education, he having maintained him for some time, not only at school and in his own house, but for several years in the university, even 'till such time as he took the degree of master in arts, all at his own proper expense. During his adverse fortune (for a great many troubles fell upon him some years before he died) he still persisted in the exercise of piety and virtue, and was not at all ruffled or discomposed, but appeared chearfull, and behaved himself with admirable courage, patience, and humility, not speaking the least ill word of any, even the most implacable enemy, he being indeed always noted for his singular good nature and extraordinary sweetness of temper. He was buried in Shottesbrooke church-yard, Friday night, Sept. 25.1 1 So I learn from a letter I had from a friend, which says, "He was buryed privately last Friday night in the corner, an "obscure place in the church-yard, next the vestry; he desireing 66 so in his life time." Hearne wrote thus of his friend Mr. Cherry, in a letter (which however he never sent) to sir Philip Sydenham, Novemb. 1713: "Since my last, I have lost the very best friend I had in the "world, Mr. Francis Cherry, of Shottesbrooke, at whose expences 66 I was educated both at schoole and in the university, and I was "likewise for some time instructed by himself (and by Mr. Dod"well) in his own house. He died of an ulcer in the kidneys, at"tended with a coma or lethargick distemper, in the 48th year of "his age, on Sept. 23d last. He had ordered his funeral, in a 66 letter to his good lady, written some time before, without date. "He desired to be buried privately, that none should be invited to "his funeral; to be carried to his grave by four of the poorest of her tenants, assigning them a gratuity; to have no atchieve. ments, escutcheons, or pall; to be buried in the church-yard "of Shottesbrooke, near the vault (which is in the church) "where his father lyeth, (by word of mouth, as near as could be to that part of the chancel where Mr. Dodwell lyeth, which "fell out to be the same place). All which was performed on "the 25th of the same month, at 10 clock in the evening. He "farther ordered to have a brick work of two or three foot in "height raised over him, and a plain black marble laid upon it, "without any arms, name, or other inscription, but this which "followeth : 66 "The year to be inserted. Thus this excellent gentleman, |