then they shall cause the fame paynter, or fome other the most conyng paynter that they can gete, foo oftentymes to renewe and reforme the fame picture, till it be made perfaite, and agreeable in every behalfe with the veray image and visage of the faid quene. 24. Item, The king's faid fervants by the wifeft wayes that they cann use, shall make inquifician, and enferche, what land or livelood the faid young quene hath, or fhallave, aftre the deceffe of hir mother, either by the title of jointer or otherwife, in the reame of Naples, or in any other place or contraye, what is the yerely value thereof, and whether the fhalhave the fame to hir and hir heires forever, or ells during hir lif oonly; and to knowe the fpecialties of the title and value thereof, in every behalf, as nere as they shall knowe. ANSWERS. To the 6th Article. As to thys articule, as farre as that we cun perfayve or knowe, that the faid quyn ys not paynted, and the favore of hir viafage is after hir ftature, of a verrey good compas and amyabille and fome what round and fatte, and the countenance cheirfull and not frowneynge, and Redfafte and not lizght, nor boldehardy in speche, but with a demewre womanly shamefast contenance, and of fewe words as that we coude perfayve, as we can thynke that he uttered the fewer words by cause that the quyn hir moder was prefent, the whiche had all the fayengs, and the yonge quyn fatte as demeure as a mayden, and fome tyme takkeynge with ladyes that fatte about hir, with a wonanly lawzgheynge [laughing] chere and contenance. To the 9th Article. As to thys articule, the ies of the faid quyn be of colore browne, fome what gray esfhe, and hir browes of a browne here, and very small like a wyre of here. To the zoth Article. As to thys articule, the fashion of hir nofe ys a littell rifeynge in the mydward, and a littell comeynge or bowynge towards the end, and the ys mycle lyke nofid unto the quyn hir moder. To the 13th Article. As to thys articule, we faw the hands of the faid quyn bare at thre fondry tymes, that we kyffyd bir faid hands, whereby we perfayvyd the faid quyn to be rizghte faire handyd, and accordeynge un to hir perfonage they be fome what fully and fofte, and faire, and clene skynnd. To the 16th Article. As to thys articule, the faid quynes brefts be fomewhat grete, and fully; and in as muche as that they were truffid fome what highe after the maner of the contrey, the whiche caufithe hir Grace for to feme muche the fullyer, and hir necke to be the shorter. To the 17th Article. As to this articule, as farre as that we can perfayve and fee, that the faid quyn hathe no here apereynge abowte hir lippes, nor mowthe, but the ys very clere fkynned. To the 18th Article. As to this articule, we cowde never come un to the fpeiche of the faid quyn fafteynge, wherefore we cowde nor myzght not attayne to knowliche of that parte of this articule: notwithftondeynge at fuch other tymes as we have fpoken and have had comeunicacion with the faid quyne, we have aproched as myzghe un to hir vifage as that we convenyently myzght do, and we cowde fele no favor of any fpices or waters, and we thynke verely by the favor of hir vifage clenenys of complexion and of hir mowthe, that the faid quyne ys lyke for to be of a fewit favour, and well eyred. To the 19th Article. ------We cowde not come by the parmuche as that hir Grace werithe flippers fite knowliche of hir heizghte, for as after the maner of the contrey, whereof we fawe the fashione, the whiche be of fix fyngers brede, of heizghte large, and hir foote after the propocion of the fame ys butt fmall. An ESSAY upon SHAKESPEAR'S Learning. GENTLEMEN, IT Obfcoeniq; canes, importunæq; volucres is well known that Ben Johnson had no great opinion of Shakespear's learning, and often declared in company that he was no scholar. This I can't help looking upon as the greateft compliment he could pay him, tho' it was not intended as fuch; for, if any author, by the unaffifted powers of nature, could equal, and even surpass in his writings, men of extraordinary talents, improved by ftudy, converfation, and travels, furely his genius must be allowed to be vaftly fuperior to theirs. It was justly obferved by Mr. Hales of Eton, that there is not a beautiful paffage in any of the Claffics, that might not be confronted by one from Shakespear, wherein the topic is treated as well, or in a more masterly manner. This might be proved by several instances, but by none better than the defcription given by our countryman, of the prodigies which pre- For I fear, my foul has her content so abfo. ceded the death of Cæfar, compared with This, tho' one of the most elaborate descriptions in the first of Roman poets, will, I believe, upon comparison, not be thought fuperior to that of Shakespear above cited. Terence, in one of his comedies, has introduced a successful lover, who expreffes himself in these terms: "Now is the time I could wish to die, left fome fucceeding grief should dash the transport of joy which I at prefent feel." But in how much stronger, and more pathetic terms, has Shakespear expressed the fame thought ? Were I now to die, 'twere now to be most happy; lute, unknown fate.-- OTHELLO. that which we meet with in Virgil's That not another joy, like this, fucceeds in Georgics upon the same subject. As they both contain the moft fublime ftrokes of poetry, and the most striking imagery, I believe I need make no apology for inferting them here. That of Shakespear is as follows: In the most high and palmy ftate of Rome, dead Did fqueak and gibber in the Roman streets; Stars fhone with tails of fire, dews of blood fell, Difafters veil'd the fun, and the moist star Upon whofe influence Neptune's lot depends, Was fick almoft to dooms-day with eclipse. Virgil, upon the fame fubject, expresses himself in this manner. Solem quis dicere falfum I should trefpafs upon your patience, were I to produce all the passages suggested by my memory, in which Shakespear has at least equalled the renowned authors of antiquity. I fhall therefore mention only his tragedy of Hamlet; which is allowed even by the profeffed admirers of the Claffics, to be fuperior to the Electra of Sophocles. The difpute concerning the learning of Shakespear feems to me to arife entirely from the different meanings annexed by different perfons to that word. Certain it is, that he was not a critical and accurate fcholar in the Latin and Greek, like his contemporary Johnson; but, I believe, few, who have read the works of both, will deny him to have been as knowing a man as the latter. It has indeed been objected to him, that his pieces do not discover that conduct and art in winding up a plot, which we find in those of Ben Johnson. But this objection is easily answered; Johnson, for the most part, wrote comedies, in which con› duct, incident, and intrigue, are much more requifite than in tragedies, or pieces of a mixt a mixt nature. Shakespear, however, in the Merry Wives of Windsor, the only piece he ever wrote, which can be confidered as entirely of the comic kind, has difcovered art equal to that of Ben Johnfon, or any of the antients, as that play is not inferior to the Fox, or the Silent Woman for intrigue, at the fame time, that it grately furpaffes them in humour, and vis comica. In fine, from whatever fource Shakespear derived his knowledge, he certainly knew a great deal; and, if like Homer, he was entirely indebted to nature for it, I think it rather increases, than diminishes his character. I am, Gentlemen, yours, &c. The Enchantments of Opinion. A VISION. GENTLEMEN, To the Authors of the BRITISH MAGAZINE. SOME ferious reflexions which I made a few nights ago, concerning the great influence which opinion has upon our happiness, and its power in exciting us to action, having produced the ideas which passed in my mind upon that occasion, gave rife to the vifion which I now fend you. I thought myself at the entrance of a large edifice, to which a vast number of perfons of both fexes reforted; at their entrance they drank of a cup, which was prefented to them by a perfonage of a female figure, whose beauty at first dazzled my senses; fo that I was going to follow the example of the reft, and drink of this beverage, when a perfon, who stood by in the croud, informed me that it refembled the cup of Circe, and was of fo intoxicating a nature, that all those who drank of it were ever after incapable of beholding things in a proper light. "The edifice which you behold, added he, is the temple of vanity, Opinion stands at the door, and prefents all its votaries with a liquor, which deprives them of the use of right reason, and caufes them to wander in a labyrinth of error, till death at last opens their eyes. My name is Prudence, follow me, and I'll foon lay before you the refult of all the delufions of vanity and opinion." I followed my guide without hesitation, and being directed by him, fixed my eyes upon a perfon who had just received from the hands of Opinion a golden wand, which appeared to me to glitter with diamonds and emeralds. He received it with the utmost tranfport. Hereupon my conductor exclaimed; "Unhappy mortal! the delufions of opinion operate with fuch force upon his understanding, that he receives that baleful rod as the most defirable prefent that could be made him." I hereupon interrupted my conductor, by observing that it was but natural that a perfon who had received fo rich a gift, fhould exprefs some fatisfaction. "I fee, anfwered he, that you are still subject to the delufions of opinion; the rod which that perfon has received is an emblem of power: he beholds it in the fame light that you do; but rub your eyes with this water, which has a magic power, to dispel the mists of error, and you will fee it in its proper light." I did as directed, and foon faw with furprize, the wand converted into a frightful ferpent, which with its hiffings, kept this perfon who thought power fo defirable, in conftant fear and uneafinefs. Looking another way, I perceived Opinion prefent a man of an auftere countenance, and fupercilious air, with a cap, which he received with the utmost exultation. "That cap, faid my conductor, is called the cap of fcience, obferve how elate the perfon is who wears it, and what important airs he gives himself. Repel again the mifts of error, which have returned to dim your fight; and you will behold this proud philofopher fuch as he really is." I had again recourfe to the water above-mentioned, and faw with furprize the pretended cap of science, converted into the cap of folly. Next, a croud of women votaries of vanity approached Opinion, and one of them received from her a girdle, endowed with the fame virtue which Homer afcribes to the ceftus of Venus. She to whom the girdle was given that moment first rate beauty, and was beheld with envy by all the rest. However, she went off became with with great triumph, overjoyed at having received fo precious a gift, as it was er firm perfuafion that beauty was the fovereign good of women. My conductor perceiving that I was dazzled by the fuperadded luftre of her charms, and that I feemed to think the fatisfaction fhe difcovered altogether reasonable, obferved to me, that what she thought herself fo happy in would give rife to all the misfortunes of her enfuing life, and at last bring her to a miferable death. Examine carefully that girdle, added he, and you will be convinced of the truth of what I advance." I did fo, having prepared myfelf as before, and foon perceived in letters embroidered upon the girdle, the following words, Proftitution, Intamy, Difeafe, which the mits of error had prevented the wearer from ever taking notice of. I next faw a mifer receive a treasure from the hands of Opinion ; but, upon examining as before, was furprised to find the heaps of gold changed into a small fum. "That fum, faid my conductor, is the amount of his annual expences, the remainder he only enjoys in Opinion, as it will never be of fervice to him or his." Thus you have feen, continued he, how Opinion, with its gilded rays, gives an imaginary value to objects; you fhall foon fee how all thefe delufions and enchantments are diffipated. I had not waited long when the sky lowred around; thunder was heard at a distance, and the king of Terrors himself entered. His ghaftly figure, together with the groans and cries, which were immediately uttered from all quarters, had fuch an effect upon me, that 1 fuddenly awaked in a fright. I am, Gentlemen, yours, &c. S. M. COMPENDIOUS HISTORY OF FRANCE. [Continued.] Anno THE family of Sigebert the first, 613. king of Auftrafia, being thus exterminated, the whole French empire was reunited in the perfon of Clothaire II. when he had attained the age of thirty. This prince after having facrificed to his revenge, the old queen Brunehaut, in the barbarous manner we have defcribed, feems to have depofited the cruelty of his difpofition, and bent his whole endeavours to render his fubjects happy and fecure. That he might the more effectually restrain the licence of the times, fupprefs vice, revive religion, re-establish order, and maintain tranquillity; he convoked a council at Paris, and recommended it to the prelates, to restore the ancient discipline of the church. He, by the advice of his bishops and lords, caufed the laws of the Alemanni to be digefted into a code, and erected courts of judicature in every province of his empire, vefted with their refpective privileges, which he never infringed. On the contrary, he was fo fcrupulous in preferving thefe inftitutions, that when he had actually feized Alethæus, duke of Transjurane-Burgundy, for a confpiracy against his own person, he remitted the traitor to be tried by the patliament of his own province, which condemned him to lofe his head; and the fen tence was executed accordingly. Being determined to live in peace with his neighbours, he agreed, for a fum of money, to releafe Adaloalde king of Lombardy, from the annual tribute which that nation had payed to France fince the reign of Goutran. His dominions being very extenfive, and the adminiftration of confequence very laborious, he refolved to ease himself of part of this toil, by bestowing the kingdom of Auftrafia, and all his poffeffions in Germany, with the title of king on his eldest fon Dagobert, who being very young, the father likewife accommodated him with two able minifters, namely Arnoul, bihop of Metz, and Pepin mayor of the palace in that kingdom. When he arrived at a proper age, he procured a wife for him, entertainied him magnificently at one of his palaces, and then affociated him in the government. The young prince, tho' naturally brave and enterprizing, imitated the example of his father, and approved himself much more follicitous about cultivating the bleffings of peace than making external conquests. The Gafcons having revolted, were eafily quelled without much bloodfhed: but the Saxons were not so easily tamed. Their duke Bertoalde having ftrengthened himfelf with the alliance of feveral barbarous nations, refufed to pay the tribute which had been for fome time exacted of his fubjects, by the king of Auftrafia; and Dagobert affembling an army, took the field in hope of being joined by his father's forces. Before this junction was effected, the Saxons attacked him with fuch impetuofity, that he was worsted, and obliged to take shelter in a fortified camp, after having run the most imminent hazard of his life, by the ftroke of a fword which cleft his helmet. This, together with part of the fcalp which the fword had fevered from his head, he fent to his father, as a proof that he had done his duty; and a token which he hoped would haften his march. Clothaire immediately advanced to his affistance, and found the two armies posted on the banks of the Wefer. Bertoalde, feeing him approach on the other fide, loaded him with Tuch virulent obloquy, as provoked him to a very defperate atchievement. He forthwith plunged into the river, and paffing it with his cavalry in fight of the enemy, encountered their leader hand to hand. [An. 626.] Bertoalde being flain by his fpear, he attacked the Saxons with fuch irrefiftible fury, that they were immediately broken, and routed with great flaughter. He did not long furvive this victory; but died in the forty-fifth year of his age, after a long and happy reign, during which he had acquired the love and confidence of his fubjects, who beftowed upon him the epithet of Great, and Debonnaire. His memory, without all doubt, deferves to be revered for the lenity of his government, the good order of his adminiftration, his liberality and benevolence, his temperance and piety. He was buried at St. Germain des Prez, hard by his father and mother, whom he neither refembled nor revered. Dagobert being informed of his father's decease, intrigued among the nobles of Neuftria and Burgundy fo fuccefsfully, that after a faint Atruggle, he fucceeded to the whole empire of France, in exclufion of his younger brother Charibert, who, according to the custom of the Franks, had pretenfions to one of these kingdoms. But, of his own accord, he bestowed the country lying between the Loire and the Pyrenees, upon Charibert, who affumed the title of king of Aquitaine, fixed his refidence at Thouloufe, and fubduing the Gafcons, who had fhook off the French yoke, added their country to his dominions. Dagobert began his reign by making a circuit of his dominions, to distribute juftice, and rectify the diforders committed by the nobility, who had run into great exceffes. In this expedition he acquitted himself with fo much difcernment, integrity, and refolution, that he was extolled as the best and greatest monarch that ever reigned in France. This laudable conduct, however, was not fo much owing to any innate virtue in himself, as to the prudence and good counfel of his minifter Arnoul, bishop of Metz, who had fuperintended his education. When this prelate refigned his office, and retired from the cares of the world, Dagobert being left to the inftigation of his own paffions, foon difcovered a fund of vices, which had been hitherto concealed. He had declared Paris the capital of his kingdom, and generally refided at a fummer palace called Rumilli, in the neighbourhood of that city. Here he repudiated his wife Gomatrude, fifter to his ftep-mother Suhilde, on pretence that he was barren, and efpoused one of her attendants called Nautilda. He afterwards grew enamoured of an Auftrafian lady, whose name was Ranetrude, and had by her a fon called Sigebert. But his appetite was not limited to these two females, He at one time acknowledged three wives, who bore the title of queen, and maintain ed concubines without number. He in dulged in every fpecies of debauchery; and in order to support his exceffes, raised heavy exactions from his people, whose affection towards him was foon converted into hatred and execration. Mean while, he enjoyed an acceffion of wealth and territory, by the death of his brother Charibert, whofe treasures and dominions he feized, tho' that prince had left feveral children, who now fell facrifices to their uncle's rapacity and ambition. [An. 630.] Sifenaude, a powerful lord, having revolted against his fovereign Suintila, king of the Vifigoths in Spain, engaged Dagobert to fupport him in his rebellion; and the French monarch sent an army into Spain, which enabled Sifenaude to depofe his king, and ufurp the fovereignty. During these transactions, a war broke out between Dagobert and the Sclavonians, governed by a king called Samon, who had entered their country in quality of an itinerant |