who eight years since viewed the face of the parliament's actions, and judged of their integrity, their protestations and declarations, enter tained a very charitable and honourable opinion both of them and their cause, and therein thought not too much to hazard both their lives and estates with them, who are long since sat down in the chair of repentance, having by sad experience found their large pretences to prove but the shadows of weak performances, and their greatest labours to produce no other effects than to burden this distracted nation with unheard of tyranny and miserable oppression. But they that beheld their actions, even in their primitive and best times, with a considerate and judicious eye, did easily perceive them to pursue their own ambitious ends more than the welfare of this miserable land; that they were men whose thoughts were filled with blood, and judged them through pretence of zeal to be wolves in sheep's clothing; and what better could be expected from the illegal proceedings of those men who presumed from servants to be. come masters, but that they should endeavour to bring in democracy, and abolish monarchy; their actions being altogether such as must needs produce strange effects, and set open the flood-gates of ruin to overflow this kingdom.

For my own part, I have with my utmost power and skill taken most perfect and exact notice of all their proceedings, from their first beginning of entrance into action unto this day; and therein can find nothing but a large comment upon that text of Samuel, "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft." I sat in their house of peers more than a full

year, till finding their courses to be so strangely unparliamentary, I was constrained, with divers others of the loyal nobility, to forsake the house, and repair into my country. being truly ashamed to bear any part in their rebellious enterprizes, wherein they have proceeded with such impudent violence, that they have plundered and ruined all the ancient nobility and gentry of this kingdom; fought many desperate and bloody battles against their sovereign, his children, and subjects; imprisoned his sacred person; and not only so, but, that they might out go all their predecessors in rebellion, and become unprecedented therein, they clouded the very rays of sacred majesty, in bringing the royal owner of the throne to their bar of injustice; and beyond all that, upon a scaffold, at high noon-day, in the face of the world, as a malefactor, before his court-gate, in his usual place of recreation, after a most shameful manner, by the hands of the common hangman, inhumanly murdered their sovereign, unheaded the Lord's anointed; and not contented with his blood, in prosecution of their most deadly and implacable malice, have since, to the utmost of their power, endeavoured to stain the candour of his royal name, in fixing thereon the ignominious. brands of tyrant, traitor, and murderer; styling him, in all their prints, the grand and capital enemy of the kingdom, and laying their guilt of all the blood that hath been shed upon his innocent shoulders: and beyond all this, have quite discarded, banished, and cashiered, all the royal issue, and solemnly proclaimed our present dread sovereign lord, king Charles the second,

own

and

id his princely brother the duke of ork, traitors in the usual places, to e amazementand detestation of the hole world.

And whereas there hath been of te some overtures made to me by he Henry Ireton, who styles himelf commissary-general of their rmy, whom his manners styles the arliament of England, in whose ame and for whose service he deands that I deliver up this Isle of Ian; and for a grateful acknowdgement of that service, he enages on their part that I shall have n act of indemnity for all that I ave done, and my lands to be retored to me without composition, nd upon my engagement not to opose the proceedings of the parliament in their present government, I hall peaceably and nd quietly enjoy the ame; in answer to which I declare, hat according to the dictate of my wn conscience and reason, and according unto the obligation I stood ngaged unto his majesty my late fread sovereign, as well by my common allegiance as by my more particular duty of personal service, n the beginning of these unhappy lifferences and divisions of the kinglom, I engaged myself on his maDesty's party, wherein I have constantly persevered, either in acting or suffering, until this day; concurring with those of the contrary party only in hating detestable neutrality. According to my best ability, I did diligently execute all such commissions as I did receive from his majesty; and did always use my utmost endeavour to retain the people in their due obedience unto him, as I shall ever faithfully practise towards my present sovereign, his son, holding myself bound unto him in the same bonds of allegiance and

loyalty as I was to the late king, of ever-blessed memory, his father; and do hereby declare, that I do from my very soul abhor all base compliance with any of his majesty's enemies, whether foreign or domestic: and particularly if I could endure to be treacherous, I would never do it with the prevailing party in England, whom I know to have renounced all principles of civility, honour, honesty, and conscience; and whose engagements, vows, protestations, and oaths, I would not take as security for the least atom of dust on which I tread. And I do protest, in the presence of God and the whole world, that in balance to my allegiance, honour, and conscience, I scorn their pardon in reference to any thing I have acted or shall act hereafter: and I value my estate no more than the most contemptible mote that flies in the sun.

And I do hereby declare, that, to the utmost of my power I shall faithfully endeavour to hold out this island to the advantage of his majesty, and the annoyance of all rebels and their abettors, and do cheerfully invite all my allies, friends, and acquaintance, all my tenants in the counties of Lancaster and Chester, or elsewhere, all other his majesty's faithful and loyal subjects, to repair to this island as their general rendezvous and safe harbour, where they shall receive entertainment, and such encouragement as their several qualities and conditions shall require, where we will unanimously employ our forces to the utter ruin of these unmatchable and rebellious regicides, and the final destruction of their interest both by land and sea. Neither shall any apprehension of danger, either

to

glory to be

His majesty's most loyal and obedient servant,

From Castletoun.

DERBY.

From Custletown, in the Isle of Man, July 18, 1649.

DERBY.

Letter to General Ireton, in Answer to his Summons of the Isle of Man.

Sir,

I HAVE HA received your letter with indignation, and with scorn return you this answer, that I cannot but wonder whence you should gather any hopes that I should prove, like you, treacherous to my sovereign; since you cannot be insensible of the manifest candour of my former actings in his late majesty's service, from which principles of loyalty I am no whit departed. I scorn your proffer, I disdain your favour, I abhor your treason; and am so far from delivering up this island to your advantage, that I shall keep it with the utmost of my power to your destruction. Take this for your final answer, and forbear any farther solicitation; for if you trouble me with any more messages of this nature, I will burn the paper and hang the messenger. This is the immutable resolution, and shall be the undoubted practice,

July 12, 1649.

Two Original Letters of King James

the First.

Copy of a Letter from his Majesty to the Lords, read at the Board, November 12, 1617, touching the Abatement of his Majesty's Household Charge.

LETTER I.

My Lords,

No worldly thing is so precious

as time. know what task I gave you to work upon during my absence; and what time was limited unto you for the performance thereof. This same chancellor of Scotland was wont to tell me twenty-four years ago, that my house could not be kept upon epigrams: long discourses and fair tales will never repair my estate. Omnis virtus in actione consistit. Remember that I told you, the shoe must be made for the foot; and let that be the square of all your proceedings in the business. Abate superfluities in all things, and multitudes of unnecessary officers, wherever they may be placed; but for the household, wardrobe, and pensions, cut and carve as many as may agree with the possibility of my means. Exceed not your own rule of fifty thousand pounds for the household: if you can make it less, I will account it for good service; and that

you

#you may see I will not spare mine own person, I have sent with this bearer, a note of the superfluous charges concerning my mouth, having had the happy opportunities of this messenger, in an errand so nearly concerning his place. In this, I expect no answer in word, - or writing, but only the real performance, for a beginning to relieve me out of my miseries. For now the ball is at your feet, and the world shall bear me witness, that I have put you fairly to it; and so praying God to bless your labours, I bid you heartily farewel. Your own,

LETTER 11.

JAMES R.

My Lords,
RECEIVED from you yester-

think, ever king received from his council. Ye write that the green cloth will do nothing, and ye offer ✔me no advice. Why are ye counsellors if ye offer no counsel ? An or dinary messenger might have brought me such an answer. It is my pleasure, that my charges be equally with my revenue; and it is justand necessary so to be. For this is a project must be made, and one of the main branches thereof is my house. This project is but to be offered unto you; and how it may be better laid than to agree with my honour and contentment, ye are to advise - upon, and then have my consent. If this cannot be performed without diminishing the number of tables, diminished they must be; and if that cannot serve, two or three must be thrust in one. If the green cloth will not make a project for this, some other must do it; if ye cannot find them out, I must only

Description of the Ruin at Thessalonica, or. Salonicha, called the Incantada; from Stuart and Revett's Antiquities of Athens, Vol. IV.

WE had visited such objects of

curiosity, as our inquiries

could discover at Thessalonica before we left it; but, although it was a large and populous city, said at that time to contain 100,000 inhabitants, we found the remains of only one building, the description of which we could flatter ourselves would interest the lovers of ancient art.

This is situated in the Jews quarter. Five Corinthian columns on their pedestals, support an entablature, over which is an attic adorned with figures in alto relievo; on the side next the street are a Victory, a Medea, perhaps, or a Helen, with a diadem and sceptre, a Telephus, and a Ganymede; and, next the court-yard of the Jew's house, a Bacchante dancing and playing on the flute, a Bacchus, a Bacchante crowned with vine leaves, and a Leda. It seems difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain the species of building of which this ruin once made a part: for, though the figures I have specified would seem to be proper decorations for a theatre, no traces were discovered that might confirm the opinion these figures suggested; nor does the vulgar tradition of the place afford any light that may assist our inquiries. I will, however, relate the account they