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ther, came hither, and brought with him a very large urn, very perfect, of a dark colour, with a patera of the fine red earth, which stood as a cover upon the mouth of the great urn. These are fine things; and with them, I think, I have finished my harvest, and have had a good one this summer; and it is time to finish my Letter. All health and happiness attend you. Mr. Creyk returns his love and service to his dear Brother.-I am, dear Sir, your very affectionate humble servant,

"DEAR DRUID,

CYNGETORIX." Feb. 17, 1724-5.

"If you conveniently can, I wish you would meet me at Lord Hartford's to-day, where you are always welcome, and after dinner we shall go all together to the Mitre: but, if this does not well suit with you, I will come to you about 12 o'clock, having something to say to you from Lord Brooke ; nothing concerning the engine; but, if you have got an opinion upon the paper I left with you, I desire you will bring it with you to Lord Hartford's if you can come there, because I would send it to Lord Brooke by to-morrow's post, and at the same time an account of something else which I am to discourse with you upon. WINCHILSEA." "MY DEAR Doctor, Eastwell, Oct. 18, 1725.

"Four months absence, and leave a friend in doubt all that time whether you was dead or alive! was that right? You may excuse yourself by telling me that your time was wholly taken up in search of Antiquities, and in making such discoveries as will not only be a public benefit to all lovers of Antiquity and History, &c. and a particular pleasure to me (I am sure nobody more). I confess, when I consider how fully you must have been employed, in travelling, viewing, examining, drawing, and writing, it was not reasonable to expect Letters ;-but why not a few lines to acquaint me of your health and return? Till Lord Hartford informed me of his seeing you at the Mitre, and a Newspaper of the same post telling you are chosen a Censor of your College (which I congratulate) I knew not what was become of you. I am glad you are returned, and well. - Mr. Creyk is your humble servant, and congratulates your safe return. "I am, dear Sir, your most humble servant, WINCHILSEA

"MY GOOD DOCTOR, Knowsley, Dec. 12, 1725. "I never designed to buy any more of the things you mention; being satisfied, God be thanked, with what I have, not only in such things, but in every thing else. All that I wish for is, that we may in safety enjoy what we have, which at present we are in no danger of losing. I have given orders to Mr. Edward Stanley, of Hare-court, Temple, to pay you for the figure whenever you send it to him; and he will take care to convey it hither. If I had not your word for the goodness of it, I would not meddle with it; but, since I have that, I shall seek no further satisfaction. I am glad you are approaching nearer to us; but

*The famous old Tavern in Fleet-street, where the Society of Antiquaries originally met; and where the Royal and Antiquarian Societies long held their convivial associations.

cannot

cannot help wishing you had been still nearer. I make my life as easy as I can to myself and all my neighbours, and so am resolved (to manage wisely the last stake) at least as far as my poor understanding will give me leave. I am glad to find you agree with me that a country life is the most innocent, as well as the most satisfactory, especially for one that has seen so much of the bustling part of the world. I have no list, of what you desire; but, as soon as I have one, you shall have it. I forgot in my Letter to Mr. Gale (to whom pray give my hearty service) to mention Cumberland, for we can see Black Coume, which is in that county. I find (and am glad) you design to oblige the world further with your pleasing and useful labours; and you' can none more than your very hearty friend,

"SIR,

"I have orders from Lord Derby to pay you gure in Brass of a Venus and Cupid; and will, wait on you this afternoon about five; and am,

DERBY." Dec 15, 1725. £.100, for a Fifor that purpose, EDW. STANLEY." Dec....

1725.

SIR, "I have, since I received your Letter, had an opportunity to give a good character, as I know you deserve, and not only for your learning, to the Duke of Rutland; and, though I find that my Lord Howe † and family are used to one much nearer them, yet I gave the same character of you to him. I have, since you were at Wilton, where you will always be welcome, had come over the last eight load of Antiquities. Dr. Mead did not know where to place the two large Statues he had, and therefore has sold them to me. I have also the fine carved Marble Urn which you drew when he had it. I was glad to hear, by Mr. Gordon, that you were so well settled; who am your humble servant,

PEMBROKE ." Wilton, Oct. 13, 1726.

"SIR, "I must first tell you, from the Ladies, that they are much pleased with their Letters, and I thank you for mine, and shall be glad to see your Book; pray bid my porter send it to me with the four I have marked with a cross in the inclosed Print. I desire that you will buy them; and if any are not bound, only . have them stitched, that I may the sooner have yours. I hope Mr. Gale (with my service to him) is perfectly well again. And my service to Mr. Anstis, and tell him that I shall be glad to sce him well at London, though without the Medal, which I desire him to keep. When I pay for these books, I must remember that I forgot the last digging at Stonehenge.

"I am your humble servant,

PEMBROKE." Eastwell, Sept. 30, 1726.

"DEAR DR. STUKELEY, "This morning, at five minutes before six, I performed the doleful office of closing the eyes of my dear Lord Winchilsea, who died of the iliac passion, of which he had been ill since Sa

*James Stanley, tenth Earl of Derby; see vol. 1. p. 298. + Emanuel Scrope, Lord Viscount Howe; of whom see before, p. 30. Thomas Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery; see before, p. 22

turday

turday last. I shall leave this dismal place after I have performed my last duty of burying his Lordship; and beg you will let me hear from you in town. I know not whether you know my direction; at Mr. Doughty's, in King-street, St. Anne's, Westminster.—I am, dear Sir, your most humble servant, J. CREYK." "WORTHY SIR, Feb. 2, 1726-7.

"I was really at a loss to know what was become of you, till I received the account you were pleased to give me of it. Since you resolved to leave the town, and retire altogether into the country, I am glad you have fixed on so pleasant a place, and country, as that you are now in; and where I hope you will meet with all the content you proposed to yourself in it. My niece Payn, and her family, will have a sensible benefit by it; for indeed so I account it, in our present state of life, to have a Friend and Physician within call, upon occasion, upon whom one may entirely depend. Though I have no fear that this removal will abate your love of Antiquities, yet I doubt it will hinder your usual search after them; and that we must be content with your account already published of your Travels in England, without expecting any new increase of the like curious remarks. I believe I once acquainted you that I had been endeavouring to gather a perfect Collection of our English Money, of all metals, from the Conqueror to the present times. I am almost perfect from King Henry VII. (inclusive); but want several of the more antient Reigns. If it should lie in your way to meet with any of them, and you would be so kind as to think of me, I would most thankfully receive them at any reasonable rate you could get them for me. I have some of William the Conqueror, Henry II. Edward 1. II. and III. Henry IV. Henry V. Henry VI. and Edward IV. None of any others before Henry VII.-You will have the goodness to excuse this liberty, and impute it to the desire I have to finish a Collection intended for the use of the publick, when I myself must have done with it.I am, with all respect, good Sir, your faithful and assured friend and servant, W. CANT.*" April 20, 1727.

"SIR,

"I am obliged to you for your agreeable Letter; and the concern you express for the loss of Lord Winchilsea cannot but be pleasing to me; for I should have been very sorry that you, for whom he had a just value, should not have grieved with the rest of his friends; and I think I may call the whole world so, for sure he had no enemy, nor was he one to any body. By his will he left me his Imperial Medals, and his Sark Antiquities;-what he wrote upon them is in the possession of Mr. Creyk; — whether he will publish them or not I do not know ;-he has the disposal of every thing ;-he has promised me the refusal of the Athenian Medals, and some of the Books. I have seen Baron Clerk several times; he seems very sorry that he missed of you as he passed through Grantham. I will send you the Prints of

* Dr. William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1715 to 1737.

the

E. OF OXFORD AND ABP. WAKE TO DR. STUKELEY. 785

the Sark Antiquities, and, if I can, that of my Cup: It is engraving, but not yet finished, though I expect it every day.

"Since I wrote my Letter, the print of my Cup is come home, so that I will send it to you by the first opportunity, being glad to have any thing in my power by which I can oblige Doctor Stukeley, to whom I am a very humble servant, HARTFORD." "SIR, Dover-street, Nov. 30, 1728. "The Bookseller you employ, Arthur Bettesworth, sent to me the other day, to know if I had any thing to send down to you; which I was very glad of, for I had forgot the name you mentioned to me at Grantham. I have sent him your Book of Roads, for the use of which I return you many thanks. I have likewise sent you two sets of the Prints of my Lamp. I think it is a curious piece of Antiquity. I have it at Wimpole. Two Prints of Mr. Prior; they are not to be sold; the Plate is mine: two Prints of Sir Hugh Middleton: two Prints of Mr. Bagford. The Bishop of Chester (Dr. Gastrell) is graving for me by Mr. Vertue, which I shall send you when finished.

“The Prints, though trifles, I hope you will accept from me, though but a small mark of the esteem I have for you.

"Did Mr. Wanley ever shew you some curious Egyptian Antiquities I have? If you have not seen them, I wish you did. When I had the pleasure of your company at Grantham, you mentioned in discourse somewhat relating to the number of Crosses set up in memory of Queen Eleanor, and mentioned where an account was wrote of them, and the places; there is a dispute about them, what number, and the places. I do not remember any account of them but in old Weever. I shall be glad to know from you at your leisure your thoughts upon this. "I am, Sir, your most humble servant,

"GOOD SIR,

OXFORD *."

Nov. 4, 1729.

“I am sorry you came at so unlucky a time to the Bp. of Lincoln; but, as his stay at Lincoln will be very short, so I hope a few days will put a full end to your trouble, and fix you in the legal possession of your Church at Stamford. I am much pleased that your lot is fallen in a place so desirable to you, and where you will have the opportunity of doing much, in quality of Physician, both to the bodies and souls, not only of your parishioners, but of your friends and acquaintance round about you. I hope God will long continue your life and health to enjoy your new settlement. It is all I can now do at the end of life; and, as I am very sincere and hearty in it, I hope you will accept of it as a true token of the esteem and friendship with which I am, good Sir, your very affectionate brother and servant, W. CANT.” "GOOD SIR, Feb. 19, 1729-30.

"I am glad to hear you are already settled in your parish at Stamford. The place itself is so fine, and its situation so conve

Edward Harley, Earl of Oxford, D. C. L. &c. the munificent Founder of the Harleian Library. He died in Juue 1741. 3 E

VOL. II.

nient

nient for you, that I hope you will find as much pleasure to yourself, as I persuade myself you will do service to the Church of God in it. What observations you make in reading the Holy Scriptures I hope you will take care to preserve, for the benefit of the world, as well as for your own use: but, as some of the instances you mention have exercised the pens of some of the most learned men, I should advise you, before you come to a final resolution upon them (at least before you publish your thoughts upon them) to communicate your observations to some of your friends, who are both capable of examining them, and will be so faithful to you as to deal freely with you concerning them. This will both secure you from any great mistakes, and render your remarks most useful and valuable when they come abroad into the world. I am, with great truth, good Sir,

W. CANT." Feb. 13, 1732-3.

"Your very loving friend, "SIR, "There was, a year or so ago, in digging or ploughing, found a parcel of old Coins in your neighbourhood, which a gentleman, who is a Virtuoso in those matters, having heard of, hath desired me to make inquiry after. If, therefore, you know of any such, or there are any to be found, I shall give a handsome reward for the same to the finders; and if you can direct me where to make inquiry, you will oblige, &c. WESTMORELAND *." "Ditton, Jan. 4, 1744-5.

"I give you a great many thanks, dear Doctor, for your Letter, and shall be very glad of a continuation of your thoughts concerning the weddings on the mount; for I am really in earnest about it, and have thoughts of doing something of that kind. I was in hopes you would have been in town before now, and then I might have had the pleasure of seeing you here during these holidays, with your facetious friend Swiney, who is here, and desirous to be remembered to you.

"This has been a very mild season; and, though it is in the middle of winter, yet the flowery banks are in the greatest perfection of beauty, so that it is not possible to look at them without imagining that one sees at the same time Hebe the Goddess of Youth crowned with garlands of them. You remember her figure is in the cieling of my hall at Boughton, which figure some Philosophers imagine was formed there by the steams of your toasts daily repeated there, and ascending from the table towards the heavens; which, if they had not been stopped by the cieling, would have formed a better or finer constellation than that of Andromeda; but, not being able to make their way through the roof of the Hall, they condensed themselves into the figure of Hebe in the cieling. MONTAGU †." "DEAR DOCTOR, London, Jan. 29, 1744-5. "I am the worst Literary Correspondent in the world, and I should almost as soon choose to go to be hanged as to write a *Thomas Fane, twelfth Earl of Westmoreland, died in 1736. John, the second Duke of that name. See vol. 1. p. 480.

Letter;

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