who think otherwise; every man suo domino stat aut cadit; I am no man's judge." More, however, in a passage quoted from his apology by Mr. Cayley, in the strongest manner denies, that he ever inflicted any corporal punishment or torture on supposed heretics, except in two instances, one that of a child in his family, to whom he ordered the usual punishment of a child to be administered, the other that of a frantic enthusiast, who merited his chastisement by the public and infamous indecency of his conduct. "I caused him as he came wandering by my door, to be taken by the constables, and bounden to a tree in the street, before the whole town, and there they striped him with rods therefore, till he waxed weary, and somewhat longer. And of all who ever came into my hand for heresy, as help me God! saving, as I said, the sure keeping of them (and yet not so sure neither, but that George Constantine could steal away) else had never any of them any stripe or stroke given them, so much as a fillip on the forehead." As a specimen of Mr. Cayley's narrative, we shall extract his account of More's execution. "For the reasons which he gives in this letter, it was probably at More's particular request, that the following day was that fixed upon for his execution. Early in the morning of Tuesday, July 6th, 1535, his friend Sir Thomas Pope came to him with a message from the king and council, that he should suffer death on that morning before nine of the clock, and that he might prepare himself accordingly. "Mr. Pope," said Sir Thomas, "for your good tidings I heartily thank you. I have been alway much bounden to the king's highness for the benefits and honours which he hath still, from time to time, most bountifully heaped upon me. And yet more bounden am I to his grace, for putting me into this place, where I have had convenient time and space to have remembrance of my end, And, so God help me! most of all, Mr. Pope, am I bounded to his highness, that it pleaseth him so shortly to rid me from the miseries of this wretched world. And therefore will I not fail, here and also in the world to come., earnestly to pray for his grace, both added Pope, that at your execution "The king's pleasure is farther,' you shall not use many words well to give me warning of his grace's "Mr. Pope,' replied More, you do pleasure; for otherwise, at that time, had I purposed somewhat to have spoken, but of no matter wherewith his grace, or any, should have had cause to be offended. Nevertheless, whatsoever I intended, I am ready obediently to conform myself to his grace's comMr. Pope, to be a mean to his highness, mandment; and I beseech you, good that my daughter Margaret may be at my burial.' Pope, that your wife and children, "The king is content already,' said and other your friends, shall have liberty to be present thereat.' O! how much beholden then,' said More, am I unto his grace, who unto my poor burial vouchsafeth to have so gracious consideration.' "It was not without reason that Hen ry's command, he should not use many words, accompanied the message of death. He was not ignorant of More's great his authority was among the peoability as a public speaker, and how ple. He was sensible too of the provocation which he had given his prisoner ; and, judging the knight's temper by his own, he feared that he should be treated with the most vindictive and offensive freedom. But the subject on this occasion proved too good for his prince; and the circumstance only serves to add to our contempt of Henry's conduct. Pope now took leave of More, and could not refrain from tears. Quiet yourself, good Mr. Pope,' said More, and be not discomforted; for I trust that we shall once in heaven see each other full merrily, where we shall be sure to live and love together in joyful bliss eternally.' "More now put-on his best clothes: which, when the lieutenant of the Tow er saw, he advised him to take them off again, saying he was but a rascal who should have them. "What, Mr. Lieutenant,' said the knight, shall I account him a rascal who shall do me this day so singular a benefit? Nay, I assure you, were it cloth of gold I should think it well bestowed on him, as St. Cyprian did, who gave his executioner thirty pieces of gold.' "The lieutenant, however, persuaded him to rechange his dress. Yet, of the little money which was left to him, the knight sent his executioner an angel. "At the appointed time, he was conducted from his prison by the lieutenant of the Tower to the place of execution; his beard being long, says his great-grandson, his face pale and lean, carrying in his hands a red cross, casting his eyes often toward heaven. Yet his facetiousness remained to the last, of which three instances are related to have passed even upon the scaffold. On ascending this structure, he found it so weak that is was ready to fall; upon which he said to the lieutenant, I pray see me up safe, and for my coming down let me shift for myself. As Henry had so prudently imposed silence upon him at this time, More only desired of his spectators that they would pray for him, and bear witness that he there suffered death in and for the faith of the catholic church. "This said, he knelt, and repeated a psalm with great devotion; perhaps the 51st, the 56th, or the 57th. He then rose cheerfully, and the executioner asking his forgiveness, More kissed him and said thou wilt do me this day a greater benefit, that ever any mortal man can be able to give me. Pluck-up thy spirit man, and be not afraid to do thy office. My neck is very short; take heed therefore that thou strike not awry, for saving thy honesty. When he laid his head upon the block, he desired the executioner to wait till he had removed his beard, for that had never committed treaSon. So with great alacrity and spiritual joy,' adds his great grandson,he received the fatal blow of the axe; which no sooner had severed the head from the body, but his soul was ca ried by angels into everlasting glory, where a crown of martyrdom was put upon him which can never fade nor decay." The second volume of Mr. Cayley's publication, consists of the following works of Sir T. More, his Utopia, in a new translation, his history of Richard III. and his Latin poems. It is remarkable that in his Utopia Sir T. More strongly censures the sanguinary spirit of some of the English laws. The passage inay be produced as a specimen of Mr. C.'s translation. The speaker is Hythlodæus, the traveller, to the imaginary Utopia. The conversation is supposed to have taken place at the table of Cardinal Morton. "One day when I was dining with him, an English lawyer, who happened to be at table, ran out in high commendation of the severity exercised against thieves, who, he said, were then hanged so fast, that there were sometimes twenty on one gibbet; adding, he could not enough wonder, since so few escaped, that there were yet so many who were stealing everywhere, "Here I, who took the liberty of speaking freely before the cardinal, observed, that there was no reason to wonder at the matter, since this mode of punishment was neither just in itself, nor beneficial to the public. The seve rity of it is too great, and the remedy ineffectual simple theft not being so great a crime that it ought to cost life, and no punishment, however severe, being able to keep those from robbing who can find no other means of livelihood. In this,' I added, not only you English, but a great part of the world, imitate bad masters, who are readier to chastise their scholars than to teach them. Dreadful punishments are inflicted on thieves; but it were better to make good provisions that all might know how to gain a livelihood, and be preserved from the necessity of stealing and of dying for it." In the republication of the history of Richard III. we rather regret that the original orthography has not been retained. The alterations are also in a few instances more than or the graphical. Equal for instance, i is written for egall, an old English word derived from the French. The first article in the Latin poems, consists of the Progymnasmata Thomæ Mori, et Gulielmi Lilii, Sodalium, containing Latin versions, by the two friends, of a number of epigrams from the Greek anthology. In this contest of skill the knight has, evidently the advantage over the grammarian. Mr. Cayley deserves our thanks for bringing afresh to the notice of the public, a man whose memory ought never to die. He has not indeed had the fortune of discovering any new documents of importance, but he has made a diligent use of those which were previously known, and collected the information which they supply into an agreeable and interesting narrative. ART. VII. Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Sir Philip Sidney; by THOMAS ZOUCH, D.D. F. L. S. Prebendary of Durham. 4to. SIR Philip Sidney is more than our Chevalier sans peur et sans reproche, he is the Maconas of the happiest age of English literature; and himself one of the brightest stars in its galaxy of glory. Sir Henry, the father of this excellent and illustrious son, was from his infancy the companion and bosom friend of Edward the Sixth, and in his arms that innocent king breathed his last; a king, in whom original goodness was so deeply implanted, that neither his Tudor blood, nor his royal education could taint it. Upon his death Sir Henry returned to his seat at Penshurst, avoiding any participation in the dangerous projects of his fatherin-law Northumberland, by which means he was not involved in his fate. At Penshurst his eldest son was born, Nov. 29, 1554, and he named him Philip in honour of the king of Spain, bloody queen Mary's husband-never, while we abhor persecution, let that epithet be separated from her name! Under her reign he was appointed "vice-treasurer and general governor of all the king and queen's revenues in the kingdom of Ireland." Under Elizabeth, lord-president of Wales, and afterwards ford deputy of Ireland. "Nothing," says Dr. Zouch, "could be more desolate and forlorn than the state of Ireland in the middle of the sixteenth century,-a country which was inhabited by men addicted to robbery and massacre, sunk in brutality, in ignorance, and the lowest superstition." Alas! the main population of that country is precisely in the same state at this day. Sir Henry Sidney executed his office well; he was the first who caused the ordinances and statutes there to be published. "Thus he brought them out of the shadow into the sunshine; whereas formerly they were only in manuscript, scarce ever seen by one in a hundred subjected thereto. His wife, alienated from the vanities of life, by the fate of her father's family, devoted herself to the duties of her owns While Sir Henry resided at Ludlow castle, Philip was placed to school at Shrewsbury, and at the age of twelve, his father addressed to him the following interesting letter, now first published by Dr. Zouch, from the original at Penshurst. "I have reareaved too letters from French; which I take in good parte, yow, one written in Latine, the other in and will yow to exercise that practice of learninge often: for that will stand yow in moste steade, in that profession of * There is a bon Chevalier sans paour, who is a conspicuous personage in the ro rances of Meliadus Geron & Courtoys-popular books when the title was applied to Bayard. scurilitee, and bitinge woords to any man, for an wound given by a woorde is oftentimes harder to be cured, then that which is given with the swerd. Be yow rather a herer, and bearer away of other mens talke, then a be gynner or procurer of speeche, other wise yow shal be counted to delight to hear yowr self speake. Yf yow heare a wise sentence, or an apt phrase, commytte yt to yowr memorye, with respect to the circumstaunce, when yow shal speake yt. Let never othe be hard to come out of yowr mouthe, nor woord of rybaudrye: detest yt in others, so shal custome make to yowr selfe a lawe against hit in yowr self. Be modest in yche assemble, and rather be rebuked of light felowes for meden lyke shamefastness, then of yowr sad frends for pearte boldnes. Thinke upon every woorde that yow will speake, before yow utter hit, and remembre how nature hath rampared up, as yt were, the tonge with teeth, lippes, yea, and here without the lippes, and all betokening raynes or bridles, for the loose use of that membre. Above all things tell no untruthe, no not in trifles. The custome of hit is naughtie, and let it not satisfie yow, that, for a time, the hearers take yt for a truthe, for after yt will be known as yt is, to yowr shame: for ther cannot be a greater reproche to a gentellman, then to be accounted a lyare. Study and endevour yowr self to be vertuously occupied. So shal yow make such an habite of well doinge in yow, that yow shal not knowe how to do evell, thoughe yow wold. Remember, my sonne, the noble blood yow are descended of, by yowr mother's side; and thinke that only, by vertuous lyf and good action, yow may be an ornament to that illustre famylie; and otherwise, through vice and slouthe, yow shal be counted labes generis, one of the greatest curses that can happen to man. Well, my litell Philippe, this is ynough for me, and to muche I fear for yow. But, yf I shall finde that this light meale of digestione nourishe any thing the weake stomake of your yonge capacitie, I will, as I find the same growe stronger, fead yt with toofer foode. lyf that yow are born to live in. And, since this ys my first letter that ever I did write to yow, I will not that yt be all emptie of some advyses, which my natural care of yow provokethe me to wishe yow to folowe, as documents-to yow in this yowr tendre age. Let yowr first actyon be, the lyfting up of yowr mynd to Almighty God, by harty prayer; and feelingly dysgest the woords yow speake in prayer, with contynual meditation and thinkinge of him to whom yow praye and of the matter for which yow praye. And use this at an ordinarye hower. Whereby the time ytself will put yow in remembraunce to doe that, which yow are accustomed to doe in that tyme. Apply yowr study to suche houres, as yowr discrete master dothe assign yow, earnestlye and the time, I knowe, he will so lymitt, as shal be both sufficient for your learninge, and saf for yowr health. And mark the sens, and the matter of that ow read, as well as the woordes. So shal yow both enrieche your tonge with woordes, and yowr wytte with matter; and judgement will growe as years growyth in yow. Be humble and obedient to yowr master, for unless yow frame yowr self to obey others, yea and feale in yowr selfe what obedience is, yow shall never be able to teach others how to obey yow. Be curteese of gesture, and affable to all men, with diversitee of reverence, accordinge to the dignitie of the person. There ys nothing, that wynneth so much with so lytell cost. Use moderate dyet, so as,, after yowr meate, yow may find yowr wytte fresher and not duller, and yowr body more lively, and not more heavye. Seldom drinke wine, and yet some. times doe, least, being enforced to drinke upon the sodayne, yow should find your self inflamed. Use exercise of bodye, but suche as ys without peryll of your yointes or bones. It will encrease your force, and enlardge yowr breathe. Delight to be cleanly, as well in all parts of yowr bodye, as yowr garments. It shall make yow grateful in yche company, and otherwise lothsome. Give yowr self to be merye, for yow degenerate from yowr father, yf yow find not yowr self most able in wytte and bodye, to doe any thinge when yow be most mery: But let your myrth be ever void of all ANN. REV. VOL. VII. Q in Your lovinge father, so long as you lyve in the feare of God, H. SYDNEY." When Philip was fifteen, his health was in such a state that a license was obtained for him to eat flesh during Lent. Yet at this very time overtures were made on the part of his family for a marriage between him and the daughter of Sir William Cecil, which was never concluded. This same year he was admitted a member of Christ Church, Oxford, under the tuition of Dr. Thomas Thornton, who has had it recorded upon his monument that he was tutor to such a man. In 1572 a license was granted him to travel during the space of two years; Leicester, his uncle, especially recommended him to the care of the English ambassador in France; Charles IX. made him gentleman-ordinary of his chamber; this appointment is believed to have been one of the many artifices designed to conceal that conspiracy against the Protestants, which is the ineffaceable opprobrium of the French nation, and the Romish religion. On the 9th of August he was admitted to the office, and on the 24th the massacre of St. Bartholomew's day was perpetrated. Popery can never purify itself from that blood! a Sidney saved himself by taking refuge in the house of the ambassador, and lost no time in quitting a country accursed with such crime. He proceeded to Frankfort, where he lodged in the house of Andrew Wechel, the printer, and formed a friendship with Hubert Languet, then resident from the elector of Saxony. "This excellent person was born in 1518, at Viteaux, in France. Having completed his studies in his native country, he went to Italy in 1547, and was elected professor of civil law in the university of Padua. His intimacy with Philip Melancthon, the friend and companion of Martin Luther, arose from the perusal of a book written by that amiable man, whom he visited in 1549, at Wir temburgh, in Saxony, where he then publicly renounced the errors of Popery. Languet could not leave Melancthon, and Melancthon was no less charmed with Languet, whose conversation was equally instructive and delightful. He was universally admired and esteemed for his vast erudition, his capacious memory, his sagacity in discovering the real characters of men, his eloquence, the classic elegance of his language, his prudence, his temperance, the suavity of his manners, and his extraordinary modesty. No one new more intimately the political history of his own times, the tempers, the views and pursuits of all the kings and princes of Europe. He possessed the confidence of Gustavus, king of Sweden, of Augustus Elector of Saxony; and, above them all, of William Prince of Orange. These exalted personages successively employed him in several important negociations. To Thuanus, the historian, he endeared himself by his candour, his probity, his nice and exact judgment in public and private affairs, This incomparable writer, having at three days with him, and was so rivetted one time found him disengaged, spent to him by the allurements of his conversation, that he could not tear himself away from his presence. "Such was the companion, such was the friend, of Mr. Sidney. Those traces of native goodness, which he perceived in the countenance and discourse of this young man, fixed so strong and favourable an impression in his mind, that he immediately determined to solicit his friendship. On his good fortune in possessing a treasure, which he deemed inestimable, he frequently felicitated himself. "That day," he said, which I first beheld him with my eyes, shone propitious to me." His attach on ment to him suffered no abatement; his affection for him was far from being common; he deeply interested himself in all his concerns; he had no other object in view than to accelerate his advancement in learning, in virtue, in religion to render him useful to the public, and an ornament to his country. And nothing could be more honourable to a youth of the age of nineteen years, than the choice of such a companion and guide. |