"done fome things concerning fome whom. "he accounted his friends, which fome men "would not have fcrupled at; and God "knows whether he was repaid again with "the like kindness and felicity." Lord Strafford, in the first speech which he made as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to both Houses of Parliament of that kingdom, amongst other excellent advice which he gave them, fays, 1 "Divide not nationally betwixt English "and Irish. The King makes no diftinction "betwixt you, reputes you all without pre judice, and that upon full and true grounds, "I affure you, his good and faithful fubjects; "and madness it were then in you to raise "that wall of feparation amongst yourselves. "If you fhould, you know whom the old 66 proverb deems likeft to go to the wall; and "believe me England will not prove the "weakeft. "Chiefly beware of divifions in your coun«cils, for divifion confines always upon ruin, leads ever to fome fatal precipice or "other. Divide not between Proteftant and "Catholic, for this meeting is merely civil, "religion GG 3. "religion not at all concerned one way or "other. In this I have endeavoured to give you fatisfaction both privately and pub lickly; and now I affure you again that "there is nothing of religion to be stirred in "this Parliament. For believe me, I have a "more hallowed regard for my mafter's ho"nour than to profane his chair with un"truths, fo as if any after all this fhall again ૯ fpring this doubt amongst you, it is not to "be judged from hardness of belief, but much "rather from a perverfe and malevolent fpirit, defirous to embroil your peaceable proceedings with party and faction; and I "truft your wifdom and temper will quickly "conjure all fuch forth from amongst you. "Take heed of private meetings and con"fults in your chambers, by design and privily aforchand to combine how to difcourfe " and carry the publick affairs when you "come into the Houfes. For befides that they are in themselves unlawful, and punish"able in a grieyous measure, I never knew "them in my experience to do any good to "the public or to any particular man. I "have often known them do much harm to "both." PRINCE PRINCE RUPERT. "THE Prince Elector went not home fo "foon as I wrote in my laft; he stayed for "the ten thousand pounds her Majefty was દ pleased to give him*. Both the brothers went away unwillingly, but Prince Rupert "expreffed it most; for being a hunting he "wifhed that he might break his neck fo that "he might leave his bones in England." Mr. Gerard to Lord Strafford, 1633, O&ober 9. SIR DUDLEY DIGGES, in his fpeech at a conference between the two Houfes of Parliament, faid finely of the common law of England, Ingrediturque folo, et caput inter nubila condit. What tho' it walks the earth with folemn tread, * Proceedings in the Irish House of Commons, 1798. The Committee ordered the report of the Duke of Mecklenburg's penfion to be brought up! દર "The laws of England," added he," are "grounded on reafon, more ancient than "books, confifting much in unwritten cuf"toms, and fo ancient, that from the Saxon "times to those of the Danes, notwithstand❝ing the injuries and ruins of time, they "have continued in moft things the fame *." "The Chronicle of Litchfield, fpeaking of the tyranny of the Danes, fays, Tunc jus fopitum erat in regno, leges & confuetudines Angliæ, Sopita erant, prava voluntas vis & violentia "regnabant, potius quam judicia vel juftitia. "Yet by the bleffing of God, a good king (St. Edward) did awaken those laws, or, as "the old words are, excitatas reparavit, repa"ratas decoravit, decoratas confirmavit, which "word confirmavit fhews that good King Ed"ward did not give thofe laws which Wil"liam the Conqueror, and all his fucceffors "fince that time, have fworn unto." * In confequence of the connection between the Saxon and the English law, Dr. Rawlinfon left a fum of money to establish a profefforfhip of the Saxon language at Oxford.. It has been, for these last two years, held with great credit by the ingenious Mr. Mayo, Fellow of St. John's College, SIR SIR EDWARD COKE. ECHARD fays, that "this great lawyer loft ❝f his preferment by the fame means by which " he got it, by his tongue. His recefs," adds he," was far from being inglorious; "and he was fo excellent at improving a dif grace, that king James used to compare "him to a cat, that whatever happened would "always light upon her fect." Finding a cloud at court, he met with fair weather in the country, where he fo efpoufed the cause of the people, that in fucceeding parliaments the prerogative felt him as its most able and active oppofer. We are told that the Duke of Buckingham would have restored him, if he would have given a gratuity, but he answered, “A 66 judge ought not to give nor take a bribe." He was an upright judge, and an able arguer. His usual saying was, "Matter lies in a little room;" an aphorifm not often put in practice by the advocates of our times, who feem to wish to make an impreffion upon their hearers Non vi, fed fæpe cadendo. COUNTESS |