all suspicion, (and so some say already,) say a new lesson, for fear of whipping. But it may be such an opportunity they may go without, since the most submissive papers were precensured by the committee ' modest refusals,' who yet showed so much favour as to receive them, and return them up.

"Hotham preached a notable sermon against it, upon his principles, and threatened another this Sunday, but was expressly forbid; Sir Thomas swearing, into the bargain, he should never preach more. If there be a new hearing before sentence, we expect few to stand the shock; the great party laying in, during this cessation, provision of arguments to satisfy themselves in what least binding sense to engage: for my part, would I subscribe, I would do it to the full intention of the urgers, otherwise I should think myself (though possibly I might please my fancy with a negative holiness) in the briars, turn things how they will: for should I neglect to act for them when a notorious opportunity offered, and thrust itself into my hands, let me be engaged in what sense I would, I see not but they may hang me for failing to their sense; for to them I am engaged, as they think I am, and intended I should engage. Besides, should the scales turn for monarchy again, I am looked upon, for aught I know, as engaged as deeply as any other man; and whatever I may say to excuse or lessen, they have my subscription against me; they have my hand; my sense they cannot see, and a man's own word will hardly be taken so late; so that I must either work out my salvation (be it spoken without ill thought) by some notable service, or all the reservations I had in my mind will not save me from the gallows.

"These things, though they should not argue me to either way, yet I think I may look at them, and be thought ne'er the unwiser.

"I had the good fortune to be missed last time, and it may be no worse next time, which fell thus. My brother was called, and at some distance they intended to call me; but putting us all on the title of masters, my brother answered he had been named before, whereupon the second Mr. Dillingham was fairly dashed out with the next pen; that which helped, was Mr. Adams's name being twice before. I know not how I deserved this providence, unless because I went resolved to give answer in the negative; which I shall do, if I be called again.

་་

Mr. Sherman's carriage was gallant: who being desired by Willet, that pretends some friendship to him, not to give a flat No, but to ask more time, or the like, desired him to keep his kindness for those that desired it; for his part, he had had time enough to resolve himself, and hoped he should never be of other mind.

"I do not hear of any subscribers, but the named, which engaged in Bennet lecture, now like to fall flat. One remarkable thing is, that the zeal of Sir Thomas, and his manners together, took down his Majesty's picture, which would have faced the subscribers, and burnt it, or at least broke it.

"If I should be longer, Sir, I should be tedious to you, and want time to satisfy other friends which lie at me from several parts for the news of this occurrence.

"Since my last, my lord's sizer and Mr. Adams's are sick of the pox; it is thought past the worst.

As I am writing, my Lord Spencer and my Lord Gerhard lay me a strict charge to present their remembrance; and Mr. Ivington follows with his service.

"I will not subscribe, (for that word has an ill name,) but, by your permission, underwrite myself,

"Eman. Dec. 1650.

Sir, "The admirer of your worth,

S. DILLINGHAM."

A subsequent letter, dated March 23, 1650-1, in the same collection, from Henry Paman to Sancroft, shows that Sancroft's character, in early life, was what might have been guessed from his subsequent career. He says:

"Honoured Tutor,-The news from London says your business is treated, and you are given to us now upon a surer foundation than we could possibly hope to enjoy you. For when your fellowship was asked, the petitioners were answered, that they might as well think to remove a mountain as Mr. Sancroft.

I am sorry for nothing in this turn of the scale, but that this news will not be so welcome to you as to us here. But pray, Sir, be not unwilling to come amongst us again, though we be not worthy of you.

It is given out by many that you have subscribed, that it might the more powerfully prevent all malicious requests to take you from us.'

"

But Sancroft was not yet dispossessed, as appears from the following extract, from a letter written by him from Cambridge, April 22, 1651.

"For the rest, I received, this day sevennight, an order, of which I send you a copy in the next page: by which you will perceive, that Thursday come fortnight is like to put an end to my hopes, yet happily not to my fears, since some of my friends would persuade me that I may outlive that date.

I thank GoD, 1 am not much solicitous in that behalf, having long since set up my rest and so much the less, having this day received an overture of a subsistence full up to that of my fellowship, in which the employment required shall leave me too as much at liberty as I am at present.

'I long impatiently, brother, to hear of you and your affairs, and of the health and welfare of all your and my friends; to all whom, I pray, present me in particular, and be assured that I am unchangeably, unfeignedly, Your loving brother, W. S."

66

April 22, 1651.

The reader must be content with but a scanty supply of information regarding the persons and circumstances alluded to in the above extracts. The Baker MSS. at Cambridge will, probably,

at some future time, provide us with some account of these times. Meanwhile, we have only to regret that we have no Antony Wood to give us an account of Cambridge writers and Bishops, as accurate and valuable as that which we have so often referred to for information as to Oxford affairs.

Dr. Young had been Master of Jesus College since the ejection of Sterne, afterwards Archbishop of York. He had been placed there by the Earl of Manchester in 1643, but was dispossessed Nov. 14, 1650, for refusing the engagement, says Walker, though he admits that the register of this College attributes his ejectment to his not having subscribed the covenant. This Walker supposes to be a mistake, and doubtless in 1650, that would not have been the alleged ground of ejectment, though in all probability it is true, in fact, that he had not subscribed the covenant.

Of Sancroft himself we can add but little. Walker seems to have been puzzled as to how he could have remained at Cambridge so long, as to be dispossessed of his fellowship in the scene of the engagement; for of course he never could have taken the covenant, or in any way sided with the rebellion; neither can we throw any light upon this matter. Absence, or some other accidental cause may have saved him from having the covenant pressed upon him, and he may have chosen to stay at his post, as he afterwards did at Lambeth, till he was forcibly ejected. That he made no compromise of any kind with the Presbyterians, is evident from the following extract of a letter of his, bearing date July 10, 1650.

"The new nothing or Presbyterian Commencement, is over; expect no part of the history of it from me; I will never be historiographer to that faction. As I look upon that cursed Puritan faction as the ruin of the most glorious Church upon earth, (in whose faith I still live and hope to die,) so I cannot but esteem this late solemnity as a piece of their triumph over us; and my just resentment will not give me leave so diligently to attend it, as to be able to give an account of it to you or any man, any otherwise than by my grief and silence.

"There is no time, brother, in which I should not rejoice to see you, yet I am not sorry that you were not here to increase the crowd of their auditors.

"For the time of our meeting at Bury, (which Mr. Widdrington still desires, and sends you his kind remembrance in earnest of it,) let it be when you shall appoint at the carrier's return; it is vacation with us, and all weeks, and days of the week, are indifferent to us: only do you, who have business, appoint a peremptory day, when your haymaking will give you leave, and you shall infallibly find us at the Bull, at Bury, by eleven of the clock. Then I shall tell you all my condition. In the meantime, the commissioners sit this week; and what they will do, I know not. Some assure me, that Mr. Cromwell, when he was here on Saturday was sevennight, (in his passage towards the north,) told the vice-chancellor and doctors, who sneaked to the Bear to

wait upon his mightiness, that there should be no further proceedings against non-subscribers; that he had desired the committee of regulation above to petition the house, in his name, that we might be no further urged. But we know his method well enough, namely, by courteous overtures to cajole and charm all parties when he goes upon a doubtful service; and as soon as it is over to his mind, then to crush them; and that, I am confident, will be our destiny, when the Scottish affair is done to his desires and hopes.

"However, I like him worse when he is stealing of hearts with Absalom, than when he is lopping of heads like John of Leyden; accounting the devil far more dangerous in the serpent than in the lion."

He was at this time about thirty-five years of age, and was a fellow of Emmanuel. The following letter shows that his friend Dillingham had been dispossessed at the time of writing, but seems to imply that Sancroft still remained.

"Sir,—If I must not be happy in the fruition of yourself, let me not be miserable in the famine of your letters. What boots the whole troop of corns rallying into an ear, and sustained this year by as vigorous a blade, (which yet I cannot believe God has intended any other way than for a more intolerable punishment,) unless you imitate, and shock your letters into words, running upon their several lines? It was my misfortune not to find you so healthful as that we might part at a cup of wine: I wish we may meet again, though it be but in a glass of beer.

You must excuse my not takingleave of you and your chamber, for after I discovered my name out, I was as scrupulous to give offence in the College, as other whiles I have been in the town, whatever may have been discoursed by those who, it may be, persuaded me out into the world, abortive enough for any service, and in the meantime maintain their own names amongst you with less right than I might do. But I may no more speak against a Presbyterian in the College, than an Independent in the State. Something may be thought, but nothing said : perhaps others will tell you more, it is enough to me to have outlived all desire to the University; and I part as willingly with it, as I at first cheerfully embraced it.

I had no desire to see the burial of that school, though it be already up to the neck in rubbish, (and what's Oxford then?) to which I owe what I am able to read or write. I say, God bless it: let others curse it when it needs.

Sir, my service to Mr. Holdsworth, and that gentleman in Suffolk who so often took notice of me.

"July 17, 1651.

I am your
"S. D."

An amusing letter from Sancroft to Holdsworth tells us, that he did not remain many days after his friend's ejection. Writing Sept. 6, 1651, he says, "I have been turned out of my fellowship

these six weeks."

(To be continued.)

CATHEDRAL LIBRARIES.

Notes on the Cathedral Libraries of England. By BERIAH BOTFIELD. London, 1849.

In all its externals, Mr. Botfield's "Notes on the Cathedral Libraries" is very attractive. The paper, the size, the printing, are of the first quality, and the rubricated title is one which is calculated to attract alike the attention of the Bibliographer and the Ecclesiastic. We are sorry to be obliged to say that the contents of this splendid volume are very disappointing. We should not willingly criticise severely the work of an amateur, who is willing to devote his leisure and his means to promote an interest in such literary pursuits, and to convey to the world some knowledge of the treasures of our Cathedral Libraries. But on the one hand the work is offered for sale, and it is but fair that persons should be made acquainted with its real value: on the other hand, Mr. Botfield very modestly invites such remarks, by saying in his preface: -"No one can be more sensible than myself of the imperfections and omissions of a work compiled under such circumstances (those of occasional and sometimes hurried visits to the Libraries), and I shall feel deeply indebted to any one who will undertake to correct the one or to supply the other." (Pref. p. ix.)

Mr. Botfield had conceived the laudable design of making known to the public the contents of those libraries "which had hitherto been known only to such as had had access to their shelves." The design is an excellent one; but we think Mr. Botfield has failed in devising the best method for carrying it out; and has failed lamentably in the performance of it, from causes which will appear obvious, we think, to any reader of his book; but which might have been in some measure obviated had he weighed more what it was in his power to effect, and carried out his plans with more laborious and painstaking accuracy in minute details.

Mr. Botfield, it would seem, has for a period of some years been engaged in visiting our Cathedral Libraries, and there making notes of the works they contained, and of any other circumstances which interested him.

Now even in respect to the merest externals of a library, a person who publishes notes on libraries might make a useful, and in some respects an interesting, chapter, by stating the methods adopted in arranging the libraries, the mode of classing the books according to subject, or size, or alphabetical order; the principles of classification, if that of subjects was adopted; the form of the cases and shelves; the mode of marking the places and the notations used.