on these occasions; and probably the like supposition may be made with regard to the legacies of Crowns by the Earl of Arundel, mentioned in the same place by Mr. Seldon; for if these Coronets were appropriated to the dignity of an Earl, why should he give them to his daughters and to their heirs, to be kept for ever? &c. "There is indeed another objection against the supposition that Earls had not Coronets belonging to that honour, which is, that in the Cathedral of Canterbury there is now remaining a monument, whereon John Beaufort Earl of Somerset, who died in 11 Henry IV. is represented with a coronet upon his head in the same manner as the Duke of Clarence, which your Lordship will find drawn in Sandford's Genealogical History p. 310. But then it must be here remembered, that this Earl of Somerset had been created in Parliament Marquis of Dorset; and it is particularly entered in the Rolls of Parliament, 21 R. II. n. 35, ‹ Sr Jean Beaufort Conte de Somerset feust creé en Marquis de Dorset, et ceyntuz de son espée, et un cercle mis sur son chef per le Roy en manere et forme accustomez.' So that, though he was deposed from this title by Henry IV. yet probably he might be represented as such upon this monument. It is somewhat remarkable, that in this same Parliament, and at the same time, there were several advanced to the title of Dukes; and the entries of their investitures are, le Roy ceinta le dit Duc avek son espée et mist sur son chief un cap de honour, et dignité de Duc, et prist sor homage en la manière accoustoume devant ces heurs ;' whereas, as to the Earls' made at the same time, the words only are centuz de son espée en manière et forme accustomez,' without any mention of any Circle, or cap of honour.

"I mention this in the problematical way, with power of altering my opinion if I shall be better informed; and, indeed, it would be necessary to consider, whether there be any tombs of Earls after the institution of Dukes, that exhibit their effigies with Coronets, and to consult ceremonials. As to Coronations, I have inspected several, and do not as yet meet with any till that of Queen Elizabeth, which mentions the Nobility to Viscounts inclusive, carrying Circles, or Coronets. I shall hereafter farther examine into this matter.

"But to return to this Earl of Salisbury. Sir Thomas Shirley mentions a deed dated 13 R. II. wherein he styled himself Lord of Man, and of the Isle of Weight (which latter, I find, was granted to him by Pat. 9 R. II. p. 1, m. 36); and the seal hath in the 1st and 4th quarter the Arms of Man, and in the 2d and 3rd Montagu, with a Coronet like to that of a Duke, save that between each of the leaves, that seem to resemble vine-leaves, there is a fleur de lis, and that his name is upon the inside of the coronet. There are in the Heralds' office two original deeds of this Earl, which I intend to inspect.

"I shall not give any historical relation of this Island, of its subjection to the Kings of Norway, to Kings of their own, who were homagers some time to the English, some time to the Scotch,

&c.

&c. It is certain that William Montagu, Earl of Salisbury, pretending a right by descent (as I apprehend) from Mary, daughter of Reginald King of Man, recovered the possession thereof, and was in possession in 26 E. III. (probably sooner); that about the 16 Ric. II. this Earl sold it to William Scrop. Walsing. 387. which Scrop was afterwards Earl of Wilts; and in Rot. Parl. 21 Ric. II. art. 14, the judgment against the Earl of Warwick is, that he should continue in perpetual prison without the Realm, in the Isle of Man; and thereon he was delivered to Mons. William Le Scrop and to Stephen his brother, to be kept there. This William le Scrop, Earl of Wiltshire, adhered to Richard II. and was beheaded by Henry IV. against whom the Parliament Rolls inform that King pretended a Right by Conquest, and under that title granted this Isle to Percy Earl of Northumberland, after whose forfeiture, it was by the same King given to Sir John Stanley. The Record in 15 Edw. IV. printed by Rymer, shews that, notwithstanding these grants, the family of Scrop, however, insisted upon a right to the bearing the Arms of Man. I have not, that I remember, met with any of their seals; and it is certain that the Stanleys have borne, and generally in the second quarter, the three legs; and even the younger branches, as the Lord Monteagle, &c. have done the same, which doth not seem to me to be regular in feudal arms. Though the younger children of Kings have done the same, while this Island continued in the actual possession of this Island, yet the Kings of Scotland (to whom Henry III. and Edward I. had granted scizin thereof) did grant the Isles as a title of honour, as to John Stewart, second son of Robert Duke of Albany, killed in the battle at Vernuel in 1423, who thereby bore surtout, by way of inescutcheon, the three legs. (Hist. Geneal. des Conestables, p. 225.) But Alexander, Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross, in 1437, bore for the Isles the Ship with the sails furled up. James II. King of Scotland, created his second son Alexander, Duke of Albany, Earl of March, Lord of Annandale and of the Isle of Man, who upon his seal bore the arms of Scotland, March, the legs for Man, and then Anandale. He died in 1485, leaving John his son and heir (who was Regent of Scotland), who bore the Arms in the same manner, as inay be seen in a large plate printed in Baluze, Hist. de la Maison d'Auvergne, f. 358. Upon his decease without issue, this title was granted to Henry Lord Darnley.

"I am, with all duty, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient and obliged humble servant, JOHN ANSTIS."

To Dr. WATERLAND; to be left at Mr. Warcop's, at the White Lion, near Charing Cross, Westminster.

October.., 1737.

"REVEREND SIR, "I formerly supplied Mr. John Bagford, who very well understood the nature of printing, and the materials used therein, and the History of it in this kingdom, with all the Collections I had about these matters. He was a person that had been long con

cerned

cerned in auctions, and was by the Bishop of Ely put into the Charter house, where he died, and I believe his papers may be in the hands of the Earl of Oxford. Mr. Bagford printed Proposals for publishing the Life of Caxton, wherein is a catalogue of the books printed by him, and some particulars of his life by way of specimen; and when I acquainted him that he would find in Rymer a Commission to Caxton to be Embassador to the Dutchess, he was transported with joy. Caxton himself, in one of his books, mentions many things about that Court, and if I remember aright, somewhat about printing. I have formerly consulted many of his books; and the best collection of them is certainly in the hands of the present Earl of Pembroke. I shall, without any coherence, write down what comes first to my memory.

"In the Inner Temple Library is an Argument of William Prin before a Committee of the House of Parliament, about printing, upon the behalf of the Printers at that time, wherein is as accurate an account of books printed as his clients could then furnish. This should be transcribed.

"I have myself copies at length of almost all the Patents granted to Printers. William Fanque, Richard Pynson.

Upon the Statute for dissolving Chantries, there were certificates or surveys made of them in 1 Edward VI. In that of London and Middlesex, remaining in the Augmentation-office, is, under the paroche of St. Brids in Fleet-street, Wynkyn de Worde deceassed, xii yeres past, willed and gave to the sayde churche in money to by landes with the same, and with the proffittes thereof to keep an Obite for his soule for ever, xxxvil.' His will, and probably that of Caxton also, may be found either in the Prerogative-office, or the Registry of London.

"Mr. Hearne, in his Preface to Newbrigensis, p. xxxii, mentions a book printed by Caxton in February, 17 E. IV. intituled, The Morale Proverbes of Crystyne (Qu? whether of Crystyne of Pisa, of whom I can give a long narrative. and I suppose it is, because she is called Aucteuresse), at the desire of the Erle of Ryveris; that is Antony Widville, Lord Scales and Nucells. I mention this the rather, because there is in the Library at Lambeth a book translated by this Earl; I mean the original book, wrote in such a fine Roman print letter, that it equals any print of the later ages, and hath even in the end of it the words, Thus endeth this book of the dictes and notable sayings of the Phylosophers, late translated, &c. which was fynisshed the 18 day of the moneth of November, and the seventeenth yere of the regne of Kyng Edward the Fourth,' &c. I have seen it in the black letter printed by Caxton. But what is very valuable in this MS. is the figure of that King, his Queen, the Duke of Clarence, and his children, with the effigies of that Earl in his surcoat of arms, presenting the book in a most beautiful painting, which I got drawn; but the Queen requested to have it. The Introduction is, C I, Antoene Wydeville, Erle Ryvyeres, Lord Scales, understode the Jabylee and pardon to be at the holy Apostle