}

"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 refort to their houses; and where

company meet, the discourse is commonly of ❝ the times (for every man will vent his passion). "Thefe Ladies he fweetened 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 faft, 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 prefent him their "civilities, and he would watch for it; and, as " he was carried in his litter, he would strain himself 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, fhe expofed herself for a falu, tation; he was not wanting to her, but she moved nothing but her mouth, gaping wide open upon him. He wondered at the Lady's inci

vility,

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 fhe "had a mouth to be stopped as well as others. "Gondemar, finding the cause 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 "Wales, which your uncle, Don Baltazar, un"derstood, and fo 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 feek fome means to divert the treaty, which "I would have you find, and I will make it

« good

good whatfoever it be ; but in all other things 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 presented in lively "characters the true image of the Old World) "made acceffes to the King, whereby he got "leave to vifit 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 rise 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.

« him. He studied most in his fea voyages, "where he carried always with him a chest of "books, and had nothing to divert him.

"A perfon fo much immersed in action, and "in the fabrication of his own fortunes, till his "confinement in the Tower, could have but "little time to study but what he could spare in "the morning. He was no fleeper *, had a "wonderful waking fpirit, and great judgment "to guide it.

"He was a tall, handsome, and brave man; "but his bane was, that he was damnably "proud. Old Sir Robert Harley, of Bramp"ton Bryan Caftle, would fay, 'Twas a great "question which was the proudeft, Sir Walter Raleigh or Sir Thomas Overbury; but the "difference that was, was judged on Sir "Thomas's fide."

ઃઃ

In a converfation which Drummond of Hawthornden had with Ben Jonfon, the latter, fpeaking of the English Poets, faid, that "Spenfer's "stanza pleased him not, nor his matter; "the meaning of the allegory of his Fairy

Queen he had delivered in writing to Sir "Walter Raleigh; which was, that by the bleating "beast he understood the Puritans, and by the

*He allowed himself five hours to rest.

"false

"falfe Dueffa the Queen of Scots." Ben farther. obferved, "That Sir Walter Raleigh ef "teemed more fame than confcience: the beft "wits in England were employed in making his history. Ben himself had written a piece to him of the Punic war, which he altered, and "fet in his book." Works of William Drummond of Hawthornden, Fol. Edit. 1711, p. 225,

¥

A COPY OF SIR W. RALEIGH'S LETTER SENT TO MR. DUKE IN DEVON.

<6 MR. DUKE,

"I write to Mr. Prideaux to move you for "the purchase of Hayes, a farm fome time in my father's poffeffion, I will moft willingly

66

give whatsoever in your confcience you fhall "deeme it worth; and if at any time you fhall "have occafion to ufe me, you fhall find me a "thankfull friend to you and yours. I am re"folved (if I cannot entreat you) to build at "Colleton; but for the natural difpofition I

have to that place (being born in that house) "I had rather feate myself there than any

*Hayes is in the parish of Eaft Badleigh, Devon. "Sir Walter was not buried in Exeter by his father and "mother, nor at Sherborne in Dorfetfhire; at either of "which places he defired his wife (in his letter the night "before his death) to be interred. His father lived eighty years on this farm, and wrote Efquire."-Note by AUBREY.

"where