tion. He would, no doubt, infer that the meteor, lately feen in the Southern part of this kingdom, was the prefage of a fimilar event. It is a pity he has not the old tapefiry in the Houfe of Lords, reprefenting the difperfion of the Spanish Armada. His fouthfayers would be fure to find in it abundant omens of victory. The tapestry reprefents a feries of the events of one of the greatest and moft fortunate expeditions that ever was undertaken; The conqueft of England, in 1066, by William the Baftard, Duke of Normandy, afterwards diftinguished by the title of the Conqueror. This hiftorical monument is acknowledged, by all connoiffeurs, as contemporary with the Conqueft; and the tradition of the country in which it was found (not decreased by the lapfe of feven centuries) attributes the work to Queen Matilda, the wife of William. The tradition is, that this princefs, with the Jadies of her court, wrought the feries of the events of this memorable enterprize. If we may compare the rudenefs of the feudal times with the fimplicity of the heroic times of antiquity, we may alfo compare Matilda, who traces the conquest of England with her needle, with the Helen of Homer, who traced on canvas the exploits of the Trojans and of the Greeks before Trov.ka This tapeftry, which is 214 feet in Jength, and 18 inches in breadth, was exhibited from time immemorial, on certain days of the year, in the cathedral Achurch of Bayeux. This folemn and periodical exhibition has, no doubt, contributed to preferve the tradition refpecting the origin of this work. Latin inferiptions are placed at the head of each event; and this tapestry of Matilda may be confidered as determining certain doubtful points in hiftory, and may correct the errors, and fupply the defects, of the writers of the time. We shall give a fhort account of each of thefe events. who before this had been dispatched to the Duke with a fimilar meflage. 11. Harold, Dux Anglorum, et fur Milies equitant ad Bofhum.-Here Harold is called the Duke of the Englifh. Contemporary hiftorians fpeak of him as Duke of Weflex, and Earl of Kent. Thefe figures furnish curious obfervations relative to the coftume and manners of the times. Harold marches with a falcon on his hand, according to the custom of the great lords of the times; his dogs precede him. His beard is fhaved; but he wears muhachios, which we do not perceive in the figures of Frenchmen of the fame period. The fhort cloak attached to the right fhoulder is fuch as has formed, in all times fince, the drapery of heraldry. III. Ecclefia.-After Harold had arrived at Botham, a fea-port belonging to that prince, he and his fquire proceed to church, to pray for a happy paffage. It is to be obferved, that trees rudely drawn, edifices, and drapery, form the partitions between the different parts of the hiftory, in the fame manner as in the antient bass relievos. IV. Hic Harold mare navigavit.Harold and his fuite, previous to embarking, partake of a collation. Several of them drink out of large horns, whofe ufe is very antient. Harold's people enter the boat to embark, having with them the falcons and dogs of their mafter. V. Et velis, vento, plenis venit in terrâ Widonis Comit.-This Guy was Count of Monthien; and Harold is compelled by the form to land upon his coaft. The fhip has but one maft; and a great number of bucklers are ranged round the deck, in the fame manner as we fee in the paintings of the Herculaneum; so long is it before antient cuftoms are effaced. VI. Harold.-Harold in his boat advances to the fhore to fpeak to Guy, whom he fees there. The barbarous wrights of nations of that time do not afford him much confolation on this accident. 1. Rex. Edward, feated on his throne, commands Harold to depart for Normandy, to announce to Duke William, that he has named him as fucceffor to the English throne. Duke William was the near relation of the King of England. The latter was already affured of William's intention to accept the crown, by the meaus of Robert archbishop of Canterbury, VII. Hic apprehendit Wido Haroldum.-Harold is no fooner landed, than he is feized by two armed men by the orders of Guy. The Count is on horfeback, having n no other arms than a large fword in his hand. We know not what could be the ufe or occafion of a horn, which hangs from the fad dle, 1138 Queen Matilda's Tapestry-Archdeacon Dodwell. [Dec. dle, with the point downwards. A guard of four horfe follow him, armed with fwords, lances, and bucklers which laft are decorated with emblems, which, however, are not to be taken for armorial bearings, fuch as are now in ufe. In the 11th century, thefe emblems were devices of the particular warriors; but were not yet become the hereditary enfigus of families, as they were in the following century. 2 min Bob je gument zinplnetsh ista ing The friendship of Bishop Mofs and Archdeacon Dodwell commenced, it is believed, when they were chaplains of Bishop Sherlock, and continued till the death of the Archdeacon; the epitaph on whom in Salisbury cathedral, where they were both canons refidentiary, was written by the Bishop, who, in the preface to the eight volumes of Sermons by his uncle Dean Mofs, is defcribed as his third brother's fon*, a promifing youth, a ftudent at Cambridge," to whom he left the bulk of his fortune." Befides the fingle fermons enumerated in your VIII. Et duxit eum ad Belfem et ibi eum tenuit.-Guy on horfeback, with a falcon on his finger, conducts him prifoner to Belfem. This Belfem is Baurain le Chateau. His pr 380, he printed "A Charge to the precede the Count. Harold is horfeback with a falcon on his finger. His attendants are on foot, guarded by foldiers. IX. Ubi Harold et Wido parabolant. At this placeGuy and Harold cometoan explanation. It is probable that Harold here lates to Guy, that he is an Amballador of the King of England; and that Guy propofes to him to treat of the ranfom to be paid for his being fet free. Guy is feated on a kind of throne, with a fword in his hand. X. Ubi Nuntii Willielmi Ducis venerunt ad Widonem.-William Duke of Normandy, informed of the purport of Harold's embally, and being made acquainted with his captivity, difpatched meffengers to the Count of Ponthieu, to require the release of his prifoner. Guy wears a coat of mail, and has a battle-axe in his left hand. The ambaffadors have landed; and, while they open their commiffion to the Count, a valet holds their horfes by the bridle. The valet is a dwarf, whofe name, Turold, is written over his head. It was a cuftom of that time, in the courts of great Lords, ufe dwarfs for valets or pages. Dominichino has placed dwarfs in the fuite of the Emperor Otho; and Raphael has done, the fame in a feries of paintings of the hiftory of Conftantine. (To be continued in our Supplement.) Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Col. chefter, occafioned by the uncommon Mortality and quick fucceffion of Bifhops in the See of London, at a Vifitation holden in May 1764;" and twenty years before, an admirable tract in defence of Bp. Sherlock's c celebrated "Tryal of the Witneffes of the Refurrection of Jefus." This tract was intituled, "The Evidence of the Refurrection cleared from the Exceptions of a late Pamphlet, intituled, The Refurrection of Jefus confidered by a Moral Philofopher, in Anfwer to the Tryal of the Witneffes, &c. London, printed for John and Henry Pemberton in Fleet-fireet, 1744." Price 2s. It af terwards appeared with the following title: "The Sequel of the Tryal of the Witneffes of the Refurrection; ; being an Answer to the Exceptions of a late Pamphlet, &c. &c. Revised by the Author of the Tryal of the Witneffes. London, printed for J. Davidson in the Poultry, 1749." price 18. 6d. It is a curious circumftance, however, that the title page alone is new; as the impreffion is identically the fame as in 1744 but the infeription figned "G. M." is oniitted in 1749. Such at least is the cafe with regard to the two copies of this tract now before me. The epitaph on his friend, above referred to, is as follows: " M. S. GULIELMI DODWELL, S. T. PRIME Hujus eclefiæ canonici refidentiarii, bac Archidiaconi Berkenfis, et parochia de Shottefbrook cum Waltham, in agro Berkenfi, rectoris, nec non de Bucklebury in eodem comitatu vicarii : “Mr. Charles Moss, then (1728) the? mafter's Sizar, of Gonvile and Caius col lege." Qui fidei defenforis ftrenui et doctiffimi, paftoris in ecclefiâ vig lantiffimi, concionatoris eloquentiffimi, officiis egregiè et feliciter perfunctus. Morbo tandem diuturno confectus, obiit die 23 Octobris, Anno Christi 1785, ætatis fuæ 77." As the catalogue of the Archdeacon's Publications, given in p. 33 of your volume for 1786, and thence tranf planted into the fecond edition of "Biographia Britannica," pp. 327, 328, is incomplete, it may be of fome ufe to furnish your readers with one more exact, arranged in chronological order. 1743. Two Sermons on the Eternity of future Punishment, in Anfwer to Whifton; with a Preface. Orford. 1744. Vifitation Sermon on the Defireableness of the Chriftian Faith, pubJifhed at the Request of Bishop Sherlock. Oxford. 1745. Two Sermons on a Rational Faith. Oxford. 1745. Sermon on the Practical Influence of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Oxford. 1745. Differtation on Jepthah's Vow, occafioned by Romaine's Sermou on that fubject. London. 1748. Practical Difcourfes (14) on. Moral Subjects, Vol. I. London. A Dedication to his Patron Arthur Vanfittart, Efq. of Shottefbrook, precedes a mafterly Preface of confiderable length, ftating the great Duties of Morality, &c. 1749. Vol. II, containing 14 more; and preceded by a Dedication to Bp. Sherlock, whole" unfolicited teftimony of favour" to him laid him "under perfonal obligations. Such a teftimony from fuch a Patron, and the obliging manner of conferring it, added much to the value of the favour itfelf." London. 1749. Free Anfwer to Middleton's Free Inquiry, &c. London. 1750. Allize Sermon on Human Laws. Oxford. 1751. Reply to Toll's Defence of Middleton; Anfwer to Middleton's Vindication; and a Preface on the Credibility of Miracles, occafioned by the two previous Questions. London. 1752. Sermon on St. Paul's Wilh. Oxford. 1754. Two Sermons on Superftition. Oxford. 1755. Aflize Sermon on the equal and impartial Difcharge of Juftice. Oxford. bus Letter to the Author of Con on the Act to prevent Clandeftine Marriages with a Polifeript occafioned by Stebbing's Enquiry into the annulling Caufes, &c. London. This Letter" by a Country Clergyman" was known, at the time, as Dr. Dodwell's, and is registered in p. 141, col. 1, of your volume for 1755; and in that for the preceding year notice is taken, in p. 145, of the "Confiderations." 1756. Two Sermons on the Doctrine of the Divine Vifitation by Earthquakes. Oxford. 1758. Affize Sermon on the Falle Witnefs. Oxford. 1758. Sermon at the Meeting of the Charity Schools. London. 1760. Two Sermons on a particular Providence. Oxford. 1760. Sermon before the Sons of the Clergy. London.. 1764. Charge to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Berks. London. 1767. Sermon at the Confecration of Bishop Mofs, in 1766. London. 1767. The Sick Man's Companion: or the Clergyman's Affiftant in vifiting the Sick; with a Differtation on Prayer. London. 1767. The Prayer, on laying the Foundation Stone of the Salisbury Infirmary, fubjoined to Dean Greene's Infirmary Sermon. Salisbury. 1768. Infirmary Sermon. Salisbury 1802. The eldest Son of this profound Theologift permitted the Three Charges on the Athanafian Creed," in confequence of the request of fome Oxford Friends, to fee the light. They were accordingly printed at the Univerfity Prefs; and most affuredly contribute, as the Author expreffes himself in his fecond page, to obviate all real miftakes, to filence all wilful inifreprefentations, to remove prejudices, to confirm the faith of others, and to vindicate our own fincerity in the profesfion of it" and it was confidered by him as not unfeafonable or unufeful to review and juftify that which is called the Athanafian Creed; not, we well know, as compofed by him whofe name it bears, but as explaining the doctrine which he fo ftrenuoully maintained." This publication cannot but afford the e molt ample fatisfaction to every honeft inquirer after truth, and contains, in a finall compafs, a clear and judicious vindication of this part of our Liturgy. On this occafion your readers 3 readers may alfo be referred to your vo- Mr. URBAN, Norwich, Nov. 24. Dec. 16. SHOULD be much gratified by an appeal to your very numerous, and particularly medical readers, whether any of them have verified the common notion of fhort fight being relieved by age? I am one of thofe unfortunate fufferers, who, fo far from being pitied, are generally accufed of affected blindnefs. If relieved by age, is it to be accounted for by a letlened fecretion of the aqueous humour of the eye diminifhing is convexity, and thereby its refractory power? Does fhort fight A with concern I read your corre depend on a fuperabundance of that pondent's letter, giving an account of the very indifferent manner in which this most beautiful part of the fervice is performed within the walls of the farfamed Minfter of York. There are certainly perfons who "To the church repair, Not for the fervice, but the mufic there;" that, provided due attention is paid to this object, would remain to pray." I am happy to fay there is no ground of complaint on this head at Norwich cathedral ; "Where the prgan, full and clear, With loud hofannas charms the ear;" and, I hope, has an effect on the heart. I fubjoin a hymn compofed by Dr. Burney, with which we have lately fluid, or on an increafed convexity of the other parts of the organ? MYOPS. Dec. 16. Mr. URBAN, been frequently favoured on the Sab-I bath day: Again the day returns of holy reft, Which, when he made the world, Jehovah bleft, [ceafe, When, like his own, he bade our labours And alt be piety, and all be peace. While impious men defpife thy fage decree, From vain deceit and fatfe philofophy; Let us its wifdom own, its bleffings feel,Receive with gratitude, perform with zeal. Let us devote this confecrated day, To learn his will, and all we learn obey; In pure Religion's hallow'd duties fhare, And join in penitence, and join in prayer. So thall the God of Mercy, pleas'd, receive, That only tribute man has pow'r to give, So fhall he hear, while fervently we raise Our choral harmony in hymns of praife. Father of Heaven ! in whom our hopes confide, [guide; Whofe pow'r defends us, and whofe precepts In life our guardian, and in death our friend, Glory fupreme be thine 'till time shall end. Yours, &c. D. Mr. URBAN, Dec. 16. T has often appeared to me very extra ordinary, that not one of the editors of the different editions of Gray's celebrated elegy has ever taken any notice of the of the feventh itanza, in ufing the word evident mistake there is, in the fecond line furrow instead of barrow; Their furrowoftthe ftubborn glebe has broke, which undoubtedly should be, Theirbarrowoft the ftubborn glebe hasbroke; the harrow being the implement by which the clods of the earth are braken, and the furrow the ftate in which the ground is laid by the plowing of it. Perhaps this hint may be attended to in fome future edition of that beautiful poem. Yours, &c. S. C. INDEX INDICATORIUS. X. V. would be much obliged to any of our learned correfpondents for fome ac count of an old manfion, called Speke, in the township of Speke, about 9 miles South of Liverpool, fituate almoft on the margin of the river Merfey; which appears to have fion of fome perfon of eminence. Many been either a religious houfe, or the mana in the neighbourhood with to have fome account of it, with refpect to its age, ufe, and former owners. Dr. Whitaker of Lancashire is fuppofed to be the most likely perfon to give good information. 224. Life of Geoffrey Chaucer, the early English Poet;, including Membir's of his near Friend and Kinfman, John Duke of Lan 1 cafter: with Sketches of the Manners, OpiEnions, Arts, and Literature, of England, in the Fourteenth Century. By Wm. Godwin. CHAUCER fixed and naturalized the genuine art of poetry in our ifland. But, what is most memorable in his eulogy is, that he is the father of our language, the idiom of which was, by the Norman Conqueft, banished from courts and civilized life, and which Chaucer was the first to restore to Literature and to the Mules. No one man in the hiftory of human intellect ever did more than was effected by the fingle mind of Chaucer." Pref. 'P. vii. · Mr. G's object is, "to produce an interefting and amufing book in modern English, enabling the reader, who might fhrink from the labour of maf tering the phrafeology of Chaucer, to do juffice to his illuftrious countryman. The full and complete life of a poet would include an extenfive furvey of the manners, the opinions, the arts, and literature, of the age in which the poet lived. The biography of Chaucer will be the picture of a certain portion of the literary, political, and domeftic hiftory of our country." (pp. viii. ix.) He apologizes for this change of his ftudies. It was his purpofe to produce a work of a new fpecies, Antiquities having been too generally regarded as the produce of men of cold tempers and fterile imaginations; writers who, by their phlegmatic and defultory induftry, have brought difcredit union a fcience which is, perhaps, beyond all others, fraught with wifdom, moral infruction, and intellectual improvement." (p. x.) He charges Mr. Tyrwhitt with confulting only other biographers, and extracting from Rymer's MSS. in the British Mufeum. Mr. G. has been lets copious on the last fifteen than on the preceding years of Chaucer's life. The ample furvey of what occurred before he was 57 years of age fecin fufficient for the purpofe; nor is it likely that his mind underwent any eflential revolutions after that period. His "bookfeller affured him, that two volumes in quarto were as much as the publick would allow the title of his book to authorize." He has been conftrained to omit the Analyfis of the Canterbury Tales, and the Gent. Mag. December, 1803. may endeavour to trace the defcent of them through preceding and contemporary authors. This part of his work has already been moft ftudied and illuftrated; and the edition of Mr. Tyrwhitt, though the production of fuch an Antigudry as has been above defcriled, has enough of judgment and knowledge to form fome excufe for the writer who declines to re-comment on fuch a work. (p. xiv.) The appendix confilts of extracts from public records at length, immediately from the originals. “The only document here given, of which, for reafon's not necessary to be mentioned, I was unable to obtain a fight, is the teftimony of Chaucer in the caufe of Scrope and Grofvenor, printed at the end of vol. I. and which forms the fubftance of a diflertation prefixed to that volume." In the differtation, p. xx, we are told, that, on stating his defire to examine this document to Francis Townfend, efq. Windfor Herald, he, with great liberality, undertook to procure, and soon after tranfmitted to him, a copy. Though the Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries obligingly favoured me with a copy of Chaucer's leafe, from a plate engraved by Dr. Richard Rawlinfon, and depofited in the Library of the Society*, he, at the fame time, informed me, that 1 could not be permitted to fee the engraving." The copy, however, led to the original in the archives of the Deán and Chapter of Westminster, whence a few errors are here corrected. Thefe are, once fupplying et between the fhillings and pence, leaving alique pri- . vilegia inftead of aliquem privilegia, &c. petentem, and inferting flops improperly. There is fomething fingular in the referve exercifed with refpect to a mew of the originals of these two do-cuments. But, Mr. G. acknowledges, few private collectors did not fee, in the illuftrations of English hißory and Englith literature, here propofed to be made, a fufficient motive to part with their treasures, for a fhort time, out of their hands. He was therefore obliged to yield to an affiduous and almoft daily attendance at the British Mufeum." |