Nicolson's MS. collections relative to ancient neighbouring families, written in 1675.Next adjoining Squire Browham, ancient heir male of all the Squire Browhams of Browham Hall, in Westmoreland, built him a very fine house at Scales, and lives there," &c. He married the heiress of the Lamplughs, and was succeeded by his grandson, John Brougham, of Brougham, Scales Hall, and Highhead Castle, in Cumberland, the latter property coming by his mother, the heiress of the Richmonds. John Brougham died 1756, and was succeeded by Henry Brougham, his brother, whose son Henry was father to the present representative of the family, Henry Lord Brougham and Vaux, ex-Chancellor, &c. His Lordship's grandmother was sister to Robertson the historian.

The panoramic views from the towers and the terrace over the richlywooded and picturesque neighbourhood embrace also many objects of great historic interest: the more ancient fortress of Brougham Castle, in ruins, forfeited in King John's stormy reign, and subsequently a favourite residence of the Cliffords, Earls of Westmorland; the druidical circle of May burgh, of such uncertain and remote antiquity; the moated mound called "King Arthur's Round Table;" the village of Clifton, celebrated for the skirmish interwoven by Sir Walter Scott into the charming romance of Waverley; Clifton Hall, an old border tower; Yanwath Hall, also embattled, and with two towers; Penrith, with its ruined castle, Beacon Hill, and Giant's

Gravestones; the Countess's Pillar, where the celebrated Anne, Countess of Dorset, Pembroke, and Montgomery, the heiress of the Cliffords and the Vescis, so well known for her reparation of her castles, even during Cromwell's lifetime, and her subsequent stern answers to the political application from the corrupt court of Charles II, last parted with her good and pious mother.

These are a few, hastily enumerated, amongst the many scenes and objects of interest which present themselves within view from the leads of this favoured mansion; and when we remember that the hall, as before stated, stands upon the Roman station from which its name is derived; that the family have been here located from the time of the Heptarchy; that the various buildings show remains of architecture, from the ponderous Norman workmanship, through successive centuries, to the renovations of the present day; and, in addition to this, that the domain is in the far-famed county of Westmorland, and within a bowshot of Cumberland, and surrounded by scenery scarcely equalled, certainly not excelled, whether we take the rich home views or the more distant serrated ridges of its mountain horizon,

it must be allowed that, either in historic or romantic interest of situatic, scenic beauty of locality, or picturesque character of the edifice, Brougham Hall has few rivals. Faithfully yours, GEO. SHAW.

St. Chad's Uppermill,
Saddleworth, Manchester.

WHEN we suspended the consideration of this subject in our last Magazine, we must admit that we were unacquainted with the merits of a very elaborate and judicious performance, published in 1845, and entitled "THE ANNALS OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE, by Christopher Anderson," in two volumes octavo. This work is composed on a plan so comprehensive, and is animated by a spirit so discriminative,

with an aim so constantly directed to its main argument,-the display of God's Providence in conducting the Holy Scriptures into the hands of the English people, that it must not only be ranked highly as a critical performance, but it should be commended to the attention of a much wider circle than even that of theological criticism. It has a general interest, and is well worthy of general perusal, as being in

fact the religious history of England in one of its most important divisions. With so masterly a performance the disjointed compilations of Strype will scarcely bear any comparison. But still, if in the way of chronological annals, or as a body of materials, the latter are admitted to our shelves, and even in new editions to our presses, they ought, in the hands of a competent Editor, to be made in some measure to reflect the light which is thrown forth by modern works so able as this. And here we must remark that, though there are some references in the Ecclesiastical History Society's edition of the Life of Cranmer which may make the reader imagine that Mr. Anderson's work has been consulted, on looking a little further he will find they are references at second hand from the Parker Society's edition of Cranmer's Works.

It was our intention to have brought under one view the several documents relative to Richard Grafton's concern in the publication of the Bible in England, which are preserved in the Cottonian volume Cleopatra E. v., having perceived that the old narrative of those transactions given by Foxe, and retailed by Strype and other authors, was incomplete and in some points inaccurate, and that neither Dr. Dibdin in his edition of Ames's Typographical Antiquities, nor the author of the "Historical Account of the English Versions of the Scriptures prefixed to Mr. Bagster's Hexapla New Testament, had supplied this deficiency.

But on referring to Mr. Anderson's Annals of the English Bible we find that he has at length performed what so many of his predecessors had attempted only in part. He has fully availed himself of the valuable materials which they had partially disregarded or negligently employed; and he has, in the cause of truth, paid honour where honour was due, at the same time ever referring all things to the directing Providence of the Most High.

Had we not found this task already performed, we were certainly prepared to have ascribed a larger share of merit than is awarded by Mr. Anderson to Richard Grafton, who, previously being a merchant of London (a grocer,—or GENT. MAG. VOL. XXIX.

dealer in merchandise in gross), after he had undertaken the production of the Bible, in partnership with Edward Whitchurch, from that time devoted himself exclusively to the art of printing, then in its infancy in England, and for the purpose of completing the great Bible of 1538 brought over from Paris both types and paper, presses and workmen, with which he carried on the same operations in London for many years after. Mr. Anderson (vol. i. p. 583) says of Grafton and Whitchurch, that they may be regarded throughout the whole affair as resembling only the hewers of wood and drawers of water in ancient time;" but in a previous passage he has admitted that "the former enjoyed the high honour of embarking almost his all in the undertaking, for neither Cranmer,* nor Cromwell, nor the King, ever contributed one farthing of the expense; and a contemporory and personal "friend of Grafton,† in the epistle prefixed to his Chronicle, attributed to him a somewhat more zealous part than that of the mere trafficker.

"The Bible in English, that valuable jewell, we have by his travyle, first with his charge and attendaunce procuring the translation thereof, then sundrie times

* Mr. Anderson has shewn that "So far from Cranmer having the slightest connexion with this undertaking, or exerting himself' for this book, as Mr. Todd has imagined, his letter, in its proper connexion, [. e. as written on the 4th August, 1537,] clearly shows that it came upon the writer in the way of delightful surprise. No doubt he had wished for a Bible; but, after vainly toiling with his coadjutors as to the New Testament, he now very candidly acknowledges that the present production was literally beyond their power as a body of men." In the letter referred to, Cranmer prayed Cromwell to obtain the King's licence that Grafton's Bible might be sold and read of every person, "until such time that we, the bishops, shall set forth a better translation, which, I think, will not be till a day after domesday." Mr. Ander. son adds, that "From inattention to his own language, the position of Cranmer has very frequently been misstated by our ablest writers." Vol. i. p. 577.

+ Thomas N. probably Thomas Newton of Cheshire. Dibdin's Ames, iii. 428. ↑ The literary labour was performed by

3 C

copying the same out with his own hande, and, thirdly, printing it in Fraunce with his great expense and perill, when the rage of those holy fathers which then envyed Christian men's Christianity, not only would not suffer it to be done in England, but also procured the same, beyng printed, to be attached in Fraunce and openly burned, himselfe hardly escaping with his life. Not discouraged herewith, but still caried with zeale to doe good, he attempted to woorke againe, and to God's great praise, and to the edification of Christes Church, performed it." (Dibdin's Ames, iii. 428.)

This, however, may perhaps be the representation of a too partial friend: Grafton's own letters certainly seem to be mainly prompted by his commercial interests; whilst the profane language which he was induced to use in flattery to Cromwell is justly stigmatised by Mr. Anderson as "betraying his ignorance of the truth, and the value of the truth, contained in the Bible."

But, though we find all Grafton's letters have been introduced by Mr. Anderson, there is one of them treated in a manner for which we cannot fully account. It is the same which we noticed in our last number, and which is printed in the Appendix to Strype's Life of Cranmer, No. XX. In Mr. Anderson's copy of this, there are five passages omitted, and among them is the first half of the very passage which we cited last month, an omission which conveys a different meaning to the portion that is left. It is very true that the worthy Printer's style is rather prolix, and this may have induced the author to make some omissions, with the view of rendering the remainder clearer; but such a course is liable to many objections, and many

John Rogers, the first Protestant martyr under Mary; but the translation pre. viously made by William Tyndale was used as far as it extended, after which as. sistance was derived from that by Coverdale. See Anderson, i. 569. The name of Rogers was not announced; but the assumed name of Thomas Matthew was placed in the title-page, though his own initials I. R. occur in some parts of the volume.

*"for those most godly pains the Heavenly Father is bound, even of his justice, to reward you with the everlasting kingdom of God."

Moost humbly besechynge your Lordship to understond that accordynge as your comyssyon was by my servaunt to sende you certen bybles, so have I now done, desyrynge your Lordship to accept them as though they were well done. And where as I wryt unto your Lord

ship for a prevye seale, to be a defence unto the enemyes of this byble, I understonde that your Lordshipes mynde is that I shall not nede it. But now, moost gracyous Lorde, for as moch as this worke hath bene brought forthe to our moost great and costly laboures & charges, which charges amount above the some of ve li., and I have caused of these same to be prynted to the some of xv bookes complete. Which nowe, by reason that of many this worke is highly commended, there are that will and dothe go about the pryntynge of the same worke agayne in a lesser letter, to the entent that they may sell their lytle bookes better-chepe then I can sell these gret, and so to make that I shall sell none at all, or elles verye fewe, to the utter undoynge of me your oratour, and of all those my credytours that hath bene my comforters and helpers therin. And now this worke thus set forthe with

great stodye and laboures shall soche persons (moved with a lytle covetousnes to the undoynge of other for their awne pry. handes, in which halffe the charges shall vate welthe) take as a thynge done to their not come to them that hath done to your poore oratour. And yet shall they not do yt as they fynde yt, but falsefye the texte, that, I dare saye, looke how many sentence sare in the byble, even so many fautes and errours shalbe made therin. For their sekyng is not to set it out to Goddes glorie, and to the edefyenge of Christes congregatyon (but for covetousnes) and that maye apere by the former bybles that they have set forthe, which hath nether good paper, letter, ynke, nor correctyon, and evyn so shall they corrupt this worke, and wrapp yt up after their fassyons, and then maye they sell yt for naught at their pleasour. Ye, and to make yt more trewer then yt is, therfore Douchemen, dwel

+ i. e. against.

This is still the technical word for type, and is foolishly altered in Strype's Cranmer to "letters."

lynge within this realme, go about the pryntynge of yt, whiche can nether speke good Englyshe, nor yet wryte none, and they wilbe bothe the prynters and correctours therof, because of a lytle covetousnes, that wyll not bestowe xx or xl li. to a learned man to take payne in yt to have yt well done. It were therfore (as your lordship dothe evydently perceave) a thynge unreasonable to permyt or soffer them (which now hath no soche busynes) to enter into the laboures of them that hath had bothe sore trouble and unreasonable charges. And the truthe is this, that if yt be prynted by any other before these be solde (which I thynke shall not be this iij yere at the least,) that then am I your poore oratour utterly undone.

Therfore by your moost godly favour, if I maye obtayne the kynges moost gracyous priviledge that none shall prynt them tyll these be solde, which at the least shall not be this iij yere, your lordship shall not fynde me unthankfull, but that to the uttermost of my power I wyll consyder yt, and I dare saye that so will my lorde of Cantourburye, with other my moost speciall frendes. And at the least God will loke upon your mercifull heart that consydereth the undoynge of a poore yonge man. For truly my whole lyvynge lyeth herupon; which if I maye have sale of them (not beynge hyndered by any other man) yt shalbe my makynge and welthe, and the contrary is my undoynge. Therfore most humbly I beseche your lordship to be my helper herin, that I maye obtayne this my request. Or elles, yf by no meanes this pryvyledge maye be had (as I have no dout thorow your helpe yt shall) and seinge men are so desyrous to be pryntynge of yt agayne to my utter undoynge, as aforsayde; that yet, for as moche as it hathe pleased the kynges highnes to lycence this worke to go abroade, and that it is the moost pure worde of God, which teacheth all true obedyence, and reproveth all scismes and contentyons. And the lacke of this worde of the Allmightie God is the cause of all blyndenes and supersticion, yt may therfore be commaunded by your lordship, in the name of our most gracyous prynce, that every curat have one of them, that they maye learne to knowe God, and to instruct their parysshens. Ye, and that every abbaye shuld have vj to be layde in vi severall places,† that the whole covent and the Altered by Strype to "made," and so left by his recent editor.

† Perhaps this scheme did not originate with Grafton, but it was just the plan that was adopted. By the royal injunctions issued in 1538 every curate was directed to provide, before the feast of Christ

Such is the sole result of the editor's (pretended) "verification," to tell us that where Strype printed "which" the writer wrote "that :" but what becomes of the performance when, on referring to the original, we find it is not "that," and is "which?" The presumption is strong that the editor's "verification," after all, was not with the Original," but with the Parker Society's copy, where the reading is "that" in lieu of Strype's "which."

66

This presumption is confirmed by a more striking variation which soon after follows. Strype, Anderson, and Mr. Cox (the Parker Society's editor) have this passage," my lord of Canterbury said the tidings thereof did him more good than the gift of 1,000l." but the words of the original are "then the gyfte of ten thousand pounde." Is not this a clear proof that no one has really verified" the original since Strype first made the mistranscription? Since our last, we rejoice to find that in this argument for the purgation of Strype we have a coadjutor of no less ability than the librarian of Lambeth Palace: who has addressed to the British Magazine "Remarks on the first volume of Strype's Life of Archbishop Cranmer, recently published by the Ecclesiastical History Society." There is something in Mr. Maitland's good humoured but caustic criticism which ought to have greater effect than our own dull lucubrations.

The documents which he has been led to examine are naturally those which he has nearest at hand, namely, such as are contained in Archbishop Cranmer's own register. "Indeed (as Mr. Maitland remarks) it must be obvious to every one possessing the least knowledge of the subject that in editing Strype's Life of Cranmer that Register was before, and above, all other sources of information to be consulted, and this, not only because Strype makes so many extracts from it, and references to it, but because the documents and matters of history which he derived from it form the most important and best authenticated part of his work. In fact, the Memorials, deprived of what they owe to the Register, would be lamentably

* Works of Archbishop Cranmer, p. 346, note.

diminished in bulk, and still more in value; and to edit them without reference to that volume is like omitting the part of Hamlet, a thing not to be excused unless it has been done by particular desire' of the patrons, vicepatrons, council, and subscribers."

Mr. Maitland, after expressing himself very decidedly on "the notorious laxity and inaccuracy with which Strype made his extracts," distinctly states that, notwithstanding the assertion of the Editor, that The documents contained in the edition of A. D. 1694 have been verified, as far as it has been possible," and notwithstanding the notorious fact that of late years the archiepiscopal registers have been accessible to all literary men, still, to the best of his knowledge, "no application was ever made for access to the Register on account of this publication."

This, however, will not now much surprise our readers, as we have hitherto searched in vain for proof of a single visit to the Manuscript Room of the British Museum.

But when Mr. Maitland proceeds to shew his examples of "Strype's loose, inaccurate mode of copying, and his great liability to mistake," the Subscribers to the Ecclesiastical History Society, if they really care for anything further than filling their shelves with a certain number of volumes uniformly bound, will, we think, be ready to demand that the first volume of Strype's Life of Cranmer should be re-edited.

In almost every extract which Strype made from the register there are continual errors, materially affecting the sense, sometimes arising from contractions having been misunderstood, and sometimes evidently from haste, a second inspection having been intended but never paid. In various instances Strype himself noticed defects, but too readily ascribed them to the original register, instead of his own imperfect transcripts, which had possibly been made some years before he worked them up; and yet none of these unaccountable blots have provoked the

† As punctare for præsentare, ultime for legitime, partialiter for præsentialiter (the last error accomplished by the new editor), &c. &c.