this mode of argument, that it does not require every parti cular to be substantiated, in order to justify the conclusion to which each contributes its measure of evidence. Withdraw five out of ten of such coincidences, and the force of the remaining five will be undiminished. Independently, too, of their validity as evidence of the truth of the narrative and the veracity of the historian, they shed new light and beauty on the sacred record, Simply considered as Biblical illustrations, therefore, the Author's labours are highly interesting and valuable. We earnestly recommend him to prosecute the investigation still further for this purpose. The multiplication of examples may not be needed for the completeness of the argument; but it would afford a rich gratification to the students and lovers of holy writ. By so extending the work, and by reconsidering his first section, he would greatly enhance its value. We see a volume announced by the same Author, in which the Veracity of the Gospels and Acts is established by a similar process of argument; but it has not fallen into our hands.

Art. V. The Last of the Plantagenets: an Historical Narrative, illustrating some of the Public Events, and Domestic and Ecclesiastical Manners, of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries. Second Edition. 8vo. pp. 408. Price 12s. London. 1829.

THIS is an extremely well conceived and well wrought legend

of the olden time. The interest of romance has seldom been more happily combined with the verisimilitude of history, The supposed auto-biographical narrative is assigned to Richard Plantagenet, the son of Richard III., and the last of his race, who is said to have survived till the reign of Edward VI. The character of the aged and illustrious Chronicler is admirably sustained; and it is difficult to withhold our credence or our sympathy from the touching recital of his fortunes. At least, we must confess that, on closing the volume, we found the illusion long resting upon our minds, that we had been conversing with a veritable personage of real historical substance; and we are not sure, whether the touching story of King Richard's death, and sympathy with his innocent and unfortunate offspring, may not have wrought more powerfully upon our feelings in favour of the much traduced monarch, than even Mr. Sharon Turner's clear and dispassionate vindication of his character. We do not imagine, however, that the Writer has aimed at producing this impression, or that the volume has been composed with any other object than that of illustrating the manners and customs of the times. In this he has, we

think, completely succeeded. He is evidently well versed in that species of lore which forms the quarry of his materials, and must have had the command of a rich and curious library. That he has not read for the purpose of making a book, but that the book has grown out of his reading, we infer from certain unequivocal indications of his being on the easy terms of familiar acquaintance with the worthies of other days. Thus, he often contents himself with a hint or passing allusion, where a novice in these matters would have made a display of black-letter learning. It seemeth to us, also, that he must have visited with the zeal of an antiquary, yet with somewhat of a poet's enthusiasm, the localities which he describes. Altogether, the volume has afforded us far more substantial gratification than we often derive from works of light reading. It displays more of imagination than we look for in an antiquary, more knowledge than is usual in a writer of tales, and is stamped with the genuine mark of a correct and elegant taste. But, lest our readers should suspect the correctness of this decision, we shall enable them to judge for themselves by a few extracts. specimen of topographical illustration, we take the description of Bosworth Field.

We approached near unto that fatal plain which was full soon to become the field of battle. It appeared to me upon that most memorable night, and on the morrow, when I might still more duly mark that which I shall now depict, as a spacious tract of open, uneven, and uncultivated country, somewhat of a round, or oval, shape; being perchance of about two miles long, and one broad. From the red cofour of the earth thereof,-too soon, alas! to be dyed with a deeper stain of sanguine by the blood of a Sovereign,-the field was called Redmoor Plain; and on the south-western side, it was bounded by a rivulet called Tweed, which glided through a valley between the camps of the opposing armies, and supplied them both with water; thus recalling unto my mind our Lord's words, that "God doth send his rain alike upon the just and on the unjust." Unto this streamlet, flowed the narrow, marshy channel of a fair spring, which rose upon á mound named Aymon-hill on the East, and formed a little square and obscure font, surrounded by dank mould and mosses: but yet I truly protest unto them that shall hereafter read my story, that to me, that small well is venerable as the Fountain of Jacob was to the men of Israel; since it was there that King Richard drank his last earthly draught, and gave unto its friendly waters some sparkles of his own immortality. The rustic who now points out in that desolate field the spot of the last battle between the contending Houses of York and Lancaster, still calls it " King Richard's Well;" and many of the country hinds yet love to drink thereof, whilst they turn them away from the Tweed; which they declare hath unto this day a stain of the blood of the fallen running in its streams.

When we arrived at this place, the last dim rays of the setting

moon were cast upon the camps and mounds of the two armies: those of Harry Tudor being erected close to the Tweed, which he had lately crossed, and somewhat North-west of King Richard's well, at the foot of Aymon-hill. His tents of striped green and white; his broad banner, pitched beside his own pavilion, bearing a red fiery dragon, fairly wrought upon green and white sarcenet, to commemorate his vain boast of descent from Cadwallader, the last of the British Kings; and his soldiers, clad in white coats and hoods, were all faintly visible through the pale moonlight, until they were at last obscured by the mist which came on so thickly on the morning of the day of battle. As I have since learned, his bulwark encompassed some seven acres of the field, and his whole power, together with that led over to him by the treacherous Stanleys, who as yet seemed to adhere unto the King, hath been truly computed at full 15,000 men; albeit the unfaithful chroniclers of the victor would fain have it believed, that his triumph was wrought almost without an army. The camp and fortifications of King Richard, to which I was conducted, were fixed at Stapleton, some eleven miles from Leicester, and nearly two from the enemy, on certain rising grounds, called the Bradshaws; whence we might well behold the plain of Bosworth, and to which no adversary could approach unseen. The royal defences and camp spread over eighteen acres; and were formed of two lines, having a wondrous mound of earth, three hundred yards long, cast up behind them.

"Whilst I gazed on these things, and marvelled greatly as to why I was brought thither with such haste and contrivance, we entered the camp, and passed through the long lines of tents striped with the York liveries of crimson and blue, until we came to the Royal Pavilion, which stood in the centre, having upreared beside it the King's standard of azure and red sarcenet in quarters; bearing the fleurs-de-lys of France and the lions of England, richly wrought thereon in goldsmiths' work of beaten metal. The tent itself was of a large square form, with a sloping roof, all being made of crimson and blue canvass, and surmounted by divers little gilded pensils and the King's badges: such as the golden cross and crown, for the blessed St. Edward the Confessor; the red and ermine chapeau, with the golden lion of England; the lily of France; the golden greyhound of Wales; the Irish harp; and the oak-branch for the Dukedoms of Gascoyne and Guyon. On the top in the midst were a stately imperial crown, and the King's peculiar badge of a silver boar, with tusks and bristles of gold. The liveries of the soldiers in this camp were also chiefly white, having the holy cross in red upon their breasts; though others were dressed in the colours belonging to their leaders, or in habits of coarse cloth strengthened with iron-plates, or arming-doublets of iron and leather, with sleeves of chain mail, and stout helmets and leathern hose also strengthened with iron. Their weapons were divers kinds of swords and bows, spears and lances, bills and sharp blades set upon staves; with iron and leaden maces, quarter-staves, and heavy flails, not less destructive, and of still greater power. But all this I say, I beheld more perfectly upon the morrow.' P. 13-16.

Chapter IX. describes an English Feast of Lanthorns,'

which brings before us a curious scene in London of the olden time.

When we had passed through the dangerous darkness and solitude of the Strand, I could not but marvel at the glorious and sudden light which burst upon us as we issued from the Northernmost side of Powle's Church; though we had afar off seen its ruddy reflection upon the night-skies. It was, perchance, about nine of the clock and a sweet midsummer even, when we entered the street of the WestCheap, and beheld such a blaze of light as seemed to betoken no less than that London was enwrapped in a flood of fire which almost turned the night into day. Every man's door shewed like some rural tabernacle, being shadowed with green birch, long fennel, St. John's wort, orpin, white lilies, and such like, garnished upon with garlands of beautiful flowers. There were, also, many lamps of glass, with oil burning in them all the night, some being hung upon branches of iron curiously wrought, which held hundreds lighted at once and made a most goodly show: beside which, there were multitudes of flaming cressets hung up in the streets, and huge lanthorns, or iron grates with fire, fixed on the ends of long staves and carried about on men's shoulders, or held by them standing at the several lanes and passages.'

As he spake, were heard the trumpets and merry music of the City Waits, with the heavy tread of a large body marching towards us; whereupon word was given that all who came but as gazers should stand by, for that the great procession of the night was close at hand. Firstly, there came a party of watchmen bearing iron cages of fire upon staves, each designated by a painted badge, and followed by a man with a skin wallet, having therein a light, and pitched ropes to serve the cresset. Then came a wondrous pleasant noise of Minstrels, and the City Waits, in their coats of tawny frieze, playing most rarely on crowds, rotes, shawms, dulcimers, sackbuts, and the like; the which were followed by morris-dancers, clothed in antic dresses, making good pastime, sword-players brandishing their weapons, and trumpeters on horseback. Next after them came part of the City Watch, ordered and trained by divers ancient soldiers of skill to be Captains and officers over them; and in truth they were a right gallant troop, there being of them a great number and diversity; as pikemen in bright corselets or burgonets, billmen in Almaine-rivets and aprons of mail, gunners with harque-bushes, halberdiers, and archers in coats of white fustian, signed on the back and breast with the arms of the City, their bows being bent in their hands, and a sheaf of arrows hung at their sides. The Constables of London followed these, in bright armour, some being overgilt, and cloaks of scarlet with gold chains; each one also being attended by his henchman, his minstrels, and his cressetlight.

It will not be questioned by any, that all this stately array brought with it no little press of the gazing and shouting multitude, the which in truth came with such a mighty rush, that I was suddenly separated from Master St. Leger, and borne forward with the train whether I

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would or no. I felt much disquieted at this, albeit I could neither withstand the force of the crowd, nor return to my conductor; whereupon resigning myself to be carried along with it, I beheld this stately March pass through its whole progress, from the upper end of WestCheap down to the Stocks-market and Cornhill, by the Leaden-hall to Aldgate, and through Fen-church-Street and Gracious-Street, back unto the Conduit in Cheap. Through all this journey, however, I found him who had watched us from Charing still at my side, as if protecting me from the crowd, for he was a stout fellow enough; at which I marvelled and somewhat forethought myself for having taken him for a knave. Howbeit, I was fretful and much wearied when we returned to the West-Cheap, where the procession passed by us for the last time; and where the careless speech of the rude crowd seemed greatly to disquiet my spirit and kindle mine anger, especially against one clownish fellow who had thrust himself somewhat before me, as we stood in front of the press, and talked without ceasing in a loud and brawling voice.

"Now, my masters," said he, boisterously pushing about him, as the City Constables disappeared, "mark ye all well, I pray you; for now cometh the best o'the shew; these varlets in the say jackets of black and white, be the footmen, officers, and torch-bearers of the Lord Mayor, the worshipful Sir Henry Colet, Knight. There, ye may see, are his morris-dancers;-there his lusty giant, Corinæus, the ancient Trojan, carried by six stout men ;-and there be his three most goodly pageants of a Ship, and an Olifaunte, bearing a tower on his back and merry bells therein, and there, too, is a great Red Dragon to betoken the King's Grace, for he is a most loyal gentleman. In midst of all you may note the Sword-bearer, riding in a wondrous fair armour; and next after him, well mounted on that stout roan, the Mayor himself in passing rich clothing.-There you see, too, his twain henchmen following on great stirring horses; and then come the Sheriffs' Watches, of good shew, but not like my Lord's :-howbeit you can mark that each hath his giant clothed like a Saxon or a Norman, with his liverymen, lights, and minstrels. Look you now, fellows, there, that is Master John Percivall, one of the Sheriffs; and do but -note what a fair pageant he hath in that Castle, so thickly set with the King's arms and devices. And there again, is Master Hugh Clopton, the other Sheriff, with a like goodly and loyal pageant of a Crown in a Hawthorn-bush carried by an Angel, to denote how the princely Henry was crowned on Bosworth-field, what time the foul tyrant and crooked usurper, Richard Plantagenet, was slain."

At these most evil slanders cast upon my father by one of such base degree, I could suppress mine anger no longer, but smote him a fierce blow on the mouth which had uttered them, and then hastily snatching from him the staff wherewith he was pointing, I forthwith struck him to the ground: passionately exclaiming, as I spurned him with my feet,-"Thou liest! dog that thou art, thus to rail upon so worthy a Prince; who lived like a noble Sovereign, and died like a valiant lion: thou liest in thy throat to call him foul tyrant and crooked usurper!" p. 123-127.