every rank and order of men. Though he was snatched away in the early prime of life, he had the felicity to die in the height of his popularity and fame, and before he had experienced any of the miseries which awaited most of the branches of his family.

The following extract from the concluding part of a letter in the Hardwicke papers, written to Sir Thomas Edmondes, then Ambassador at the Court of France, will attest the friendly frankness of his character.

The former portion of the letter contains private instructions respecting a treaty of marriage, then pending, between Prince Henry and the second daughter of the French King, Louis XIII.

"Lastly, concerning your owne business, you may be assured that althoughe I were not caried with any particular affection, but onely with the desyre I have the State should be well served, I would deale for you as soone as for any other. But as matters goe now heere, I will deale in noe businesses of importance, for some respects: yett I will promise thus much, that if your name be called in question, as a man fitt for any of these places, you may be sure of my best approbation. Thus wisshing you well, I rest your good friend.

Richmond, this 10 September, 1612."

F. HENRY P.

This is likely to have been one of the Prince's latest epistolary communications, as the date is not quite two months before his decease.

0

ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΟΝ ΔΩΡΟΝ. Or his Majestie's Instructions to his dearest Sonne, Henry the Prince.

At London, imprinted by Felix Kyngston, for John Norton, according to the copie printed at Edinburgh, 1603.

Small 8vo. 95 leaves.

10809

As this book is not of unfrequent occurrence, a short notice of it may be sufficient. By Hume, by Andrews, and by other writers of distinction, it has been noticed with approval and commendation. A dedicatory sonnet from the royal author to his eldest son has been reprinted, for its merit, in Percy's Reliques of early English Poetry, who says-it would not dishonour any writer. The King addressed a prefatory epistle to the Prince, in which he thus speaks, with much good sense, and great solemnity and earnestness.

"Being borne to be a King, ye are rather borne to onus than honos: not excelling all your people so farre in rank and honour, as in daily care and hazardous pains-taking, for the dutifull administration of that great office that God hath laid upon your shoulders. I have divided this treatise into three parts: the first teacheth you your dutie towards God as a Christian: the next, your dutie in your office as a King: and the third informeth you how to behave yourself in indifferent things, which of themselves are neither right nor wrong, but according as they are rightlie or wrong used; and yet will serve, according

to your behaviour therein, to augment or impaire your fame and authoritie at the hands of your people. Receive, and welcome this booke then, as a faithfull precepter and counseller unto you. And I charge you, as ever ye thinke to deserve my fatherlie blessing, to followe and put in practise, as far as lieth in you, the precepts hereafter following. And if ye follow the contrarie course, I take the great God to record, that this booke shall one day be a witness betwixt me and you; and shall procure to be ratified in Heaven, the curse that, in that case, here I give unto you. For I protest before that great God, I had rather not be a father, and childlesse, than be a father of wicked children."

The Earl of Buchan stated, in Dr. Anderson's publication entitled The Bee, that in the year 1599 King James presented to his friend, the Earl of Marr, for the future use of his pupil, Prince Henry, the Basilicon Doron, which contains many excellent advices to a 'prentice-king of Britain, and among others, one that if it had been remembered, would have saved the royal family from exile and destruction. His Lordship alludes to a special caution on Marriage, contained in the second book.

"I would rather (says the King) have you to marrie one that were fully of your own religion: her rank and other qualities being agreeable to your estate. For although that, to, my great regreate, the number of princes of power and account, professing our religion, be but very small; and that therefore this advice seemes to be the more straite and difficile: yet ye have deeplie to weigh and consider upon these doubts, how ye and your wife can be of one flesh, and keep unitie betwixt you, being members of two opposite churches. Disagreement in religion bringeth ever with it disagreement in manners: an

the dissention betwixt your preachers and hers, will breed and foster a dissention among your subjects, taking their example from your familie: besides the perill of the evil! education of your children. Neither pride you, that ye will be able to frame and make her as ye please. That deceived Saloman, the wisest King that ever was: the grace of perseverence not being a flower that groweth in our garden."

Observation and experience confirm the true wisdom contained in these paternal admonitions. It appears however, from an address to the reader before this English edition in 1603, that the work was by no means intended for general circulation from the press.

"Amongst the rest of my secret actions (says the monarch) which have (unlooked for of me) come to publick knowledge, it hath so fared with my Βασιλικόν δῶρον, directed to my eldest Sonne; which I wrote for exercise of my own ingene, and instruction of him who is appointed by God (I hope) to sit on my throne after me. I thought it no waies convenient, nor comely, that either it should to all be proclaymed which to one onely appertained; or yet that the moulde, whereupon he should frame his future behaviour, should, before the hand, be made common to the people, the subject of his future happie government. And therefore for the more secret and close keeping of them, I onely permitted seaven of them to be printed, (the printer being first sworn for secrecie): and these seaven I dispersed amongst some of my trustiest servants, to be keeped closelie by them, &c. But since, contrarie to my intention and expectation, this book is now vented and set foorth to the publike view of the world, I am now forced, as well for resisting the malice of the children of envie, as for the sa tisfaction of the godly honest sort, both to publish and spred the true copies thereof, for defacing of the false copies that are

alreadie spred, as I am enformed: as likewise, by this preface, to cleere such parts thereof, as in respect of the concised shortness of my stile may be misinterpreted therein."

The erudite King then enters upon a long and able vindication from the calumnies uttered against him, and particularly from the charge of nourishing a vindictive resolution against England, or at least against some principals there, for the Queen's (his mother's) quarrel. But it would extend this article too far, to go into any detail.

The French Historie. That is, A lamentable Discourse of three of the chiefe and most famous bloodie broiles that have happened in France, for the Gospell of Jesus Christ: namelie,

1. The outrage, called The Winning of S. James his streete, 1557.

2. The constant Martirdome of Annas Burgæus, one of the K. Councell, 1559.

3. The bloodie Marriage of Margaret, Sister to Charles the 9, anno 1572.

Published by A. D.

All that will live godlie in Jesus Christ, shall suffer persecution. 1 Tim. iii. 2.

Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Man. 1589.

4to. pp. 84.