SIR EDWARD BROUGHTON, KNT.

HORRID IMPRECATIONS.

(Extracted from the Wynne MSS.)

APRIL 12th, 1660. I, Edward Broughton, for love, in the presence of the great God of heaven and earth, who knoweth the secrets of all hearts, and the sincerity of mine at this tyme, I do, upon premeditation, and not rashly, implore the God of spirits to pour down his vengeance upon me, and my posterity for ever: not in any ordinary manner, but in the highest nature, in giving the devil power over our souls and bodyes, and that we consume upon earth, rot away alive, and be damned, and that my name and person may stinck upon earth, and molest the nostrils of men; and that I may be a fearful spectacle to all perfidious men; and that I may never walk upon the earth but with dreadful hideous shapes about me, and terrified conscience; and that I may linger, and not die, but, as Cain, may have a mark set upon me, so that men may shun me, and that I may outlive all my posteritie, and that they may be all extinct and damned, and that the devil may have a good title to my soul and body, and take possession of me here on earth, and carry me away alive; and that I may

never appeare before God but to receive that dreadful sentence, "Departe from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, to be tormented by the devil and his angels;" if I do not forbeare all rashe swearing, and all manner of drinking, and all manner of debauchery whatsoever; or if ever I am guilty of finding fault with any thing, how great a concerne soever, or small, without the knowledge, assent, consent, or advice, of Mary Wicks, my intended wife, and is to be Mary Broughton, when this shall effect; or, if she shall make any request unto me in her lifetime, it shall be of force never to be violated by me, although I surviving her, concerning body and soul, life or fortune, children or friends, how unreasonable soever or if there shall happen any difference betwixt her and me, as there hath been betwixt me and my first wife, then, if I am the cause of it, let these and all plagues imaginable fall on me, and all the plagues God can inflict; or if there should arise any quarrels, she the only cause, yett, when I remember hereof, or she these vows, I most heartily pass by, forgive, and endeavour to pacify, and use all the art imaginable to please her; and if she could impose more, I would most willingly do it, or else may all those plagues, if there were greater curses or imprecations, I heartily pray they may be all poured downe, as the rain falls on thirsty ground, and upon my posterity

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posterity for ever: and this I doe heartily and voluntarily, and with serious consideration and premeditation, having taken a long time to consider this, and now most readily sign it with my own hand, and seal it with my own seale.

EDWARD BROUGHTON.

N. B. This was a Broughton of Marchwiel, in Denbeighshire, who married the daughter of one Wicks, keeper of the gate-house in Westminster, where Broughton had been long confined during the civil wars. This marryage producing no issue, he left his estate to his wife's brother, by which means the Wicks became possessed of the Marchwiel estate, which is now the property of the Brownes, the late Charles Browne, Esq.'s mother being the sister of the late Aquila Wicks, Esq.

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.

Verses sent by Mary Queen of Scots to Queen Elizabeth, accompanied with an Adamant, in the Form of a Heart, set in a Ring.

NOR am I proud to be more hard in matter,
Than fire can temper, or than iron batter;
Nor that my spotless splendor is endowde
With a perspicuous luster am I proude:

Nor

Nor of his arte that formde me thus: nor yet
To be in shining golde so neately sett;
But that the figure of my ladye's harte,
I do resemble so in every parte,

That who could see it in her feverett brest,
Should not more plainly find it there exprest:
To each like constancy is firmely vowde,
Each with like spotless splendor is endowde;
Which, like perspicuous luster nought concealing,
Of close deceite, nor yet of double dealing;
Equal and all, and like in every parte,
Save only this, I am the harder harte.
Hence springs my second bliss, that I shall see
Soe fayre a queene, so bright a majestye,
As (having left my aire) I thought it vayne
Ever to hope to see the like
But oh, if ever my best fate would grante,
To see your harts in chayne of adamante;
Noe tide as no suspect, no emulation,

agayne.

Noe envye, hate, nor age's desolation,

Might once dissolve, then should I bee more blest
Than other stones, and dearer than the rest;
And more of price and estimation,

As I am harder than all other stone.

RECEPTION OF AMBASSADORS.

Earl of Essex in Denmark.

IN the month of May 1670, the Earl of Essex, ambassador extraordinary of England to the two crowns of the North, arriving at the Sound,

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Sound, neglected or despised the saluting of the castle of Cronenburg. The General Major Holke, who commanded, to put him in mind of his devoir, caused three cannon shot with balls to be fired at him. The ambassador found himself much offended; but Holke let him know, that he was obliged to maintain the rights of sovereignty of the King his master, who understood that one should render him upon the coasts, the respect which the King of Great Britain caused to be rendered to him upon his. The ambassador had no other satisfaction. I add hereto a particularity to be remarked, which is, the Earl, in making his entry into Copenhagen, was saluted by the artillery of the town, but the regiment of infantry of the General did not salute him; and it was said, that this was by reason of the mourning that there was for the death of the late King. He was received with an equipage of twenty coaches of six horses, all in mourning, and with two of two horses. I cannot well apprehend wherefore they would salute with cannon, and not with musket.

Ex MSS. Sir H. Sloane.

EXTRAORDINARY