one knight more, let it not be Pembroke, he is not fit for it. Consider him as a lord, and none of the wisest lords neither; and then consider how many wiser and fitter persons we have for parliament men than ever a lord of them all; and what a brand it will be to us and our country to chuse a lord-such a lord! and surely, unless you are fools and madmen, you will not chuse him. Again, consider him as a lord; and so he is no free-born commoner, and so not capable of our election. Is there not an act against kings and lords? If there is, then let us have no lords, unless you intend to have a king too. "Let us be wise; we may see a design in this lord as plain as the nose on his face. He was always false; false to the king that loved him; false to the lords that sat eight years with him; and do you not think he will be false to the commons too? I warrant you. Is not Michael Oldsworth, this lord's man, a parliament man? Are not his and other lords' sons parliament men? If he get in too, the time will come when the house of commons will be all lords, and lords' sons, and lords' servants; and then lords will be voted up again; and king be in request again; which, if we live to see again, we have spun a fair thread! "If all this which I have said be true, (as it is impossible it should be otherwise,) why should we not look on this turncoat lord as a cheat-as one that comes to betray and undo the free-born people-and switch him out of the country? 66 I have done. If we must chuse a knight, let him not be a lord. We do not read in all the Scripture of any lord was ever chosen knight of the shire for Berkshire. But rather let us chuse none at all, and unanimously petition the parliament to dissolve, that the representative may succeed; and none but ourselves have any share in the gubernation and government of this commonwealth." The reply of Pembroke to this harangue is managed with no small address; and though overcharged with quibbles and conceits, is highly amusing for the vein of arch drollery which runs through it. "GENTLEMEN, "It was not the old fashion to make speeches before you chose your knights; but I hope you like it the better for not being old. I am sure I do. Give us old fashions again, and we must have king and lords, our old religion, and old laws, and a hundred things older than Adam. hate any thing that's old, except it be an old man; for Adam was an old man, and so am I, and I hate myself for being an old man; and, therefore, will love you if you'll make me a new knight. The gentleman that spake before me, I know not where to have him. He is an individuum vagum. He is angry the representative goes not on-he is angry the parliament goes not off. He is angry I am a lord-he is angry I would be none. He is angry I seek to be your knight-and he would have me of that sort of seekers which neither seek nor find; and he concludes I am not to be chosen, because no free-born commoner. I fear he is a Jesuit by his subtle arguments; but though I have no logic, I hope I have reason, to answer him, and satisfy you. I answer I am a free-born commoner. All these three words fit me. First I am 'born,' Else how came I hither into the world? I am free.' My accounts for the last year's expence came to six and twenty thousand pounds-that's fair, you'll say; and when you have chosen me your knight, I'll carry you, every mother's son, the whole county, into Wiltshire; and we'll be merry, and hunt and hawk, and I'll be as free as an emperor. So I am free born. I am a commoner.' Have I been so often at common councils and common halls, to be accounted no commoner? Are not the lords all turned a grazing? Was not I a common swearer before I went to lectures, and a common sleeper ever since? And am not I chancellor of Oxford, where all are commoners? So I am a commoner. I am no lord. If I am, why should I come hither to be knight of your shire? But though I am a lord, is not Fairfax so? and yet he is a parliament man. And is not Bradshaw lord president? But I am no lord; for I am for the parliament. I am for voting down the house of lords. And to tell you the truth, I never loved the king since he was dead; and those are lords that go in black for him; but I keep my old blue still, and my diamond hat-band, though the crown jewels are sold; therefore, you may chuse me well enough. You must chuse me ; Why came I hither else? Why did Cromwell bid me come hither? And I bid my steward come hither to lay in provision, and gather voices. If my steward's bill be right, every throat that votes for me costs me twenty pounds. "Chuse me, if you would have a representative. I, that have been lord of Pembroke and Montgomery, two counties, may well represent one. "Chuse me, if you would have no representative, for I'll do and vote what you list; and so, chusing me, you chuse yourselves so that whether you would have a representative or no, the best way is to chuse me. "But let me tell you, by the way, now the parliament has fallen into the happy way of making acts of parliament, let them continue This is one of the advantages you have by losing the king. You may have an act of parliament for what you please; and that's better than an ordinance, and lasts longer; for an ordinance of parliament was good no longer than this parliament, which, though it last for ever, an act lasts longer, because that lasts for ever, whether the parliament lasts or no. For my religion, Who questions it? I never changed it: I was for bishops when there were bishops, and I was for visitors when there were none. It is well known I am an independent, and had been so twenty years ago, had it not been for Michael Oldsworth, and will be as long as the parliament please. I have been an old courtier, and that's an old court, and the highest court; and old courtiers always love to follow new fashions. That religion is in fashion now. "I am chancellor of Oxford, which is hard by; therefore choose me. Some of you have sons and cousins there; all that are akin to any that give their voices for me, shall be heads of colleges, and canons of Christ Church, though there be a hundred of them: the rest of you shall have the leases of all the university lands amongst you. What! am I not chancellor ? "The place I stand for, is knight of the shire; none but kings can make knights: make me your knight-you are all kings, and it will be an honour to me, and to my posterity, to have it recorded, I was the first lord that was knighted by so many kings. "I know now you cannot but chuse me: I knew so before I came hither; and therefore I thank you before hand, and invite you home. "I will conclude with that very exordium wherewith a famous gentleman, that was of this parliament, concluded his speech upon the like occasion-' Behold your knight!' CHURCHILL. THE following tributes to our great English satirist, Churchill, are preserved among the manuscripts of the Rev. Wm. Cole at the British Museum. They appear to have been copied from the Cambridge Chronicle, and other prints, about the time of the poet's death. I. Churchill no more! O, cruel Death! 'twas hard We should not thus bewail the fatal doom, II. "He's gone! great Churchill's gone! 'tis true, III. "Prose-driving dunces, waddling fools in rhyme; SELLING ONE'S BODY. THE following curious letter was found among the papers of Mr. Goldwyr, a surgeon, of Salisbury. To Mr. Edward Goldwyr, at his House in the Close, of Salisbury : Sir, Being informed that you are the only surgeon in this city (or county) that anatomises men, and I being under the unhappy circumstance, and in a very mean condition, would gladly live as long as I can; but, by all appearance, I am to be executed next March, having no friends on earth that will speak a word to save my life, nor send me a morsel of bread to keep life and soul together until that fatal day: so, if you will vouchsafe to come hither, I will gladly sell you my body, (being whole and sound), to be ordered at your discretion; knowing that it will rise again at the general resurrection, as well from your house as from the grave. Your answer, sir, will highly oblige. Fisherton-Anger Gaol; Oct. 3a, 1736. N Yours, &c. JAMES BROOKE. SAILORS' LETTER. WHEN Louis XVIII. under the title of Count de Lille, sought the protection of the British shores, he landed at Yarmouth, from the Freya, Swedish frigate. The British sailors of the Majestic rowed him ashore; and the Count, grateful for the attention shewn to him, left a purse of fifteen guineas for the tars to drink his health. When the officer announced the present to the men, they would not touch a farthing of it, but immediately held "a talk" on the subject, when they resolved to send a letter to Admiral Russell, expressive of their sentiments on the occasion. The following is a literal copy of this singular relic of naval literature and magnanimity: "Please your Honour, "Majestic; 6th day of Nov. 1807. "We holded a talk about that there £15 that was sent us, and hope no offence, your honour. We do'nt like to take it, because, as how, we knows fast enuff, that it was the true king of France that went with your honour in the boat, and that he and our own noble king, God bless 'em both, and give every one his right, is good friends now; and, besides that, your honour gived an order, long ago, not to take any money from no body, and we never did take none; and Mr. Leneve, that steered your honour and that there king, says he wont have no hand in it, and so does Andrew Young, the proper coxen; and we hopes no offence, so we all one and all, begs not to take it all. So no more at present From your honour's dutiful servants, "ANDREW YOUNG, Coxen. JAMES MANN LEWIS BRYAN JAMES LORD JAMES HOOD W. EDWARDS THOMAS LAURIE THOMAS SIMINERS THOMAS KESANE SIMON DUFT W. FAIRCLOUGH JOHN CHERCHIL JACOB GABRIEL WILLIAM Muzzy." |