Mr. Whitehead and I both for the first and second; and you may depend upon it that, if I can procure you any more subscriptions, I will, but my interest and acquaintance is very small, for I go little abroad. The aforesaid friends send their humble service to you. I did not receive your Answer to Sir Isaac Newton,* which we should be glad here to see. I dare not be so bold as to beg the favour of a few lines sometimes from you, because I do not deserve it; but, if you please to try me, I hope you will not find me tardy any more.

"Your obliged humble servant, THO. DOUGHTY." "DEAR SIR, Wispington, Sept. 16, 1738. "I have, perhaps, trespassed too much upon your patience in not returning the paper sooner; but I was willing to try all my friends, to get as many subscriptions as I could, wherein also I was pretty much assisted by Mr. Sturdivant, Mr. Carr, and Mr. Bradley; whereby I have succeeded pretty well, and I hope to your satisfaction, which would be a pleasure to me to serve you in so good a cause wherein you are engaged, and who have been so good a friend to me, and to every one to whom you can do a kindness; and therefore it is a duty which affords me great delight to be any way in the least serviceable unto you.

"I am very much your obliged humble servant, T. DOUGHTY."

[1738.]

"I received some time ago your Answer to Neal,' which has given me much pleasure, as it will, I hope, to all your friends; and satisfaction to all others that are not prejudiced. There were seven volumes of it disposed of, which at 6s. per volume, come to two guineas, which I have sent you by an ingenious young minister, Mr. Bushey, Curate of Minting. I had not time to write by him, though this may come to you sooner than he does. I received also the 6th and 7th volumes of Dr. Moss's Sermons, which I have yet by me, because without any order to dispose of them; though I have a shrewd guess, or a good hope, who they are for. If you have any other books to send hither at any time among your friends, I hope you will direct them to me, who shall take a pleasure to dispose of them according to your order, and to return you the money for them. I suppose you received mine about these books which are come for me and my neighbours, though I have not heard since from you; yet I hope that I have not so much forfeited your favour by my great neglect formerly, but that you will be so kind as to write to me sometime again, and that perhaps shortly. Our friends here send their service to you. Your most obliged, &c. THO. DOUGHTY." "DEAR SIR, Lady-day, 1739.

"I am ashamed to be taxed again, and that deservedly, of the same crime, of being so bad a correspondent to so good a friend; but yet, I hope, I shall grow better; but dare not promise too much, for fear of failing again. I am very glad however to hear from you, of your welfare, and of your ways; that you continue in the same road, of doing kind offices, and pro

moting good works, wherein you may be sure I will assist you as much as I can, particularly in getting subscriptions to Dr. Warren's Sermons. I have scarce seen any of my friends since, but Mr. Sturdivant; he and I design to subscribe. I do not question but the Sermons are very good ones. I suppose the author was a Fellow of Queen's, and Preacher of Trinity Church in Cambridge, whom I have several times heard preach, to my great satisfaction; yet I think the price is set too high upon them, as 6s. stitched. I believe if they were delivered bound at that price, there would be many more subscribers for them; however, I shall procure as many as I can at our Visitations.

"We have lost our good old friend Wr. Whitehead, who was buried about six weeks ago. He died of a mortification in one foot, which got into his body, and killed him. I heartily wish all health and happiness to you and Mrs. Grey, to whom my humble service, and to my old friend Dr. Warren; and believe me, dear Sir, to be yet your sincere friend, and most obliged humble servant, THO. DOUGHTY." [1739.]

"DEAR SIR, "I am afraid that you have thought me long in answering yours; but I was forced to stay till the Visitations, where I tried all my friends that were likely to subscribe, and have staid so long since to speak to one or two that were not there, and went purposely yesterday to wait upon one. Yet, notwithstanding my great desire to serve Dr. Warren, and all the pains that I have taken about it, I can get him but two or three subscriptions, viz. that of Mr. Sturdivant, Mr. Bradley of Bullingbrook, Mr. Bertram of Langton, with my own. We desire to have them sent us bound, and if that cannot be afforded at 10s. the two volumes, we are willing to give more; however, we think that they may be bound better and cheaper at London than here. If you please you may direct them for me, and I will take care to dispose of them, and return the money for them. 1 beg your pardon for the mistake I made in my last, for it was but 10s. for the books stitched in your first letter; so that, how I came to make that mistake I know not. If you think fit to put out another Answer to Mr. Neal, you may depend upon me to get you what subscriptions I can, though I doubt they will be but few, from the trial that I have made of my friends in this case; though perhaps some of them will be more willing to subscribe to a book of yours than to this; however, you may be sure, that I will do my best to serve you in that, or in any other good office that you may please to put me upon, as I am highly bound to do from the great friendship that you have always shewn me, and from the many good offices that you have done me; for all which I shall ever be, dear Sir, your obliged humble servant, THO. DOUGHTY." Aug. 23, 1739.

"DEAR SIR,

"I thank you for the favour of your last, which gave me great pleasure to hear again from you. Soon after I wrote last, I received Dr. Warren's books, and have disposed of them, and got

the

the money for them. I desire you would enquire and let me know where I am to pay it, and also what I am to pay for four sets; for I have forgot whether they were to be 10s. or 10s. 6d. a set. I received also a note with them from Mr. James Bettenham, charging me with Ss. for binding them, which I would pay him if I knew how to send it, but he does not tell me where he lives, which I desire you would acquaint me with. I shall be very thankful for your Review of Neal's History;' and beg one for my friend Mr. Sturdivant, who will be as glad of it as I, and is as deserving of your favours, for he was very helpful to me in getting subscriptions to your last volume. I am sorry for your great loss in so good a friend as Mr. Baker; and for the nation's loss in so learned and good a man. My best respects from, dear Sir, "Your most obliged humble servant, THO. Doughty.". " DEAR SIR, Sept. 20, 1743.

Though I believe that you are a letter or two in my debt; yet I am so much indebted to you upon many other accounts, that I am glad of this opportunity of writing by my friend, and of the present occasion of writing; viz. to let you know that the Club of Clergy meeting at Horncastle is desirous to subscribe to your Hudibras.' If you please to send theirs, together with Mr. Sturdivant's and Mr. Carr's, along with my books, I shall take care to get the money of them, and send it with mine the first opportunity. When the book is published, and the hurry of it a little over, then, I hope, you will be at leisure to write oftener to your friends, of which none will be more glad to hear from you than, dear Sir, your humble servant, THO. DOUGHTY."

From THOMAS HAY, Lord Viscount of DUPPLIN *. "REV. SIR, Conduit Street, May 15, 1739. "You took the trouble of subscribing for me to Mr. Taylor's Lysias, and you sent me a written receipt. The receipt I have mislaid and cannot find, nor do I remember how much I paid; I beg therefore that if you can recollect the sum, you will get another receipt from Mr. Taylor, that I may pay the remainder of the money, and get the book. I beg pardon for giving you so much trouble. If I remember right, the receipt was sent me into Yorkshire, and I have lost it in removing. Dr. Sanderson's, which came at the same time, I have.

"I beg my compliments to the Master and all friends. I am glad Mr. Taylort is going to undertake Demosthenes; for it is an author worthy the labours of so judicious a critick. 1 am, Sir, Your most obedient servant, DUPPLIN."

*Afterwards the celebrated Earl of Kinnoul, and Embassador at several Foreign Courts. He died s. p. Dec. 29, 1787.

+ Afterwards the Rev. Dr. Taylor, the learned Greek Scholar, Chancellor of Lincoln, &c.; of whom see "Literary Anecdotes,” vol. IV. p. 662. From

From CHARLES GRAY*, Esq.

"DEAR SIR, Colchester, Jan. 29, 1715. "I wish it was in my power to convince you (in a better manner than by the small present that now waits upon you) how truly sensible I am of the honour you did me at Cambridge. This little deed, I must own, I have long looked upon as a curiosity, as well for the particularity of its contents, as for its fairness and antiquity. I have not yet met with any circumstances whereby to determine the exact age of it; but by the character, I take it to be about the time of Richard the First. The lands might probably lie in Essex, as the deed was found among the writings of the Essex estates of the De Veres Earls of Oxford. The name of the principal party being exactly the same as yours, and the arms of the family so fair upon the seal, I imagined it to be as valuable to you as to any body, and therefore it is now very much at your service. The Christian name of.... de Villicis, and the surname of William...., the next witness but one to him, I am not antiquary enough to make out; but beg the favour of you to tell them me, that I may insert them in the copy of the deed which is by me. The MSS. now before you are of a much nobler kind, as being of more general use; and it is great pity but that, while they are in so able hands, such of them should be methodized and transcribed as might serve for a Supplement to Rymer's Fœdera, and for the Illustration of our English History.

"The private history of families relating to their pedigree and descent, I think (with you), has also its uses; especially in the discovery of inheritances, that might otherwise be lost. The vanity attending it is indeed very often ridiculous enough; but when a man has the good sense not to value himself upon it, and the good luck to be valued for it by others, there is then no harm in it that way.

"Rapin has mentioned somewhere, that those of our name came from Gray, a town in the Franche Comté, and had probably honours and lands given him by the Conqueror, or his immediate successors, among other Normans and Frenchmen, who made the possessions of the former inhabitants their prey. It is a wonder people should plume themselves on their descent from these soldiers of fortune, whose possessions at home cannot be supposed considerable, and whose first acquisitions here were little better than plunder.

"It is certain, however, that several noble families of our name appeared very early, and that they have continued pretty prolific, there being great numbers of them all over the kingdom, both in high and low life. Hitherto I have been negligent enough in my enquiries about these matters, and have not examined whether my own descent be from those heroes De Gray * M. P. for Colchester in 1741, and in many subsequent Parliaments. See the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. III. p. 160.

in France, or any humbler strain. I only to know that my greatgrandfather lived at or near Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, and had several sons: the eldest of them (from whom I am descended) married a daughter of Sir E. Payton's brother of Warwickshire, by which alliance I am now become the nearest related to that good family. Any thing farther of my Wellingborough friends I have not heard, but possibly among your own family or some of your namesakes you may have found some notices of them; and if it should so happen that they should shew me a relation of the worthy gentleman to whom I am writing, I am sure that would give me a sensible pleasure: but whether that be so or not, I shall always be, with great affection and respect, dear Sir, your obedient humble servant, CHARLES GRAY.

"Be so good to present my humble services to Mr. Baker, and the rest of our friends."

From GEORGE GREY*, Esq. of Southwick.

"DEAR BROther,

Nov. 29, 1776.

"I received the favour of yours, and return you thanks for paying the money so punctually. I would gladly get my whole Pedigree from the Heralds' Office, and add those that are wanting, if I knew what the charge and method would be, there being four or five generations wanting.

"As to your law case, I think the best way is to exhibit a Rule against the Tenant for not setting forth your tithes, and that the Exchequer is the best Court to proceed in. I do not think that the Prebendal modus will prevail. The Landlord, being a Parliament-man, may insist on privilege, so do not make him a party.

"I wrote you word that I could get Gibson's Codex for three guineas; but the binding is extraordinary, and perfectly fresh, and cost 15s. The person will not part with it under 31. 15s. Pray is it worth that price; and are there any hopes of reprinting it? for I have the use of a set, and may keep it ten or twelve years, if I live so long. I have not yet seen any of Mr. Bennet's books; will send you the second part of Presbyterian Prejudice,' &c. My wife and son join with me in service to yourself, sister, and pretty niece. I am your most affectionate brother and humble servant, G. GREY." March 14, 1726-7,

"DEAR BROTHER, "I have sent you an account of Mr. Bennet's book, the Reformatio Legum,' printed in the same year with Sparrow's Col

*This gentleman, a younger brother of Dr. Zachary Grey, was a Counsellor at Law; and had a residence both at Southwick and Newcastle upon Tyne. He married, in 1712, Alice daughter of James Clavering, of Greencroft, Esq. by whom he had two sons, the eldest of which (George Grey, Esq.) is noticed in p. 316.-The Counsellor died May 24, 1772, æt. 91; his wife, Dec. 26, 1744, t. 63. See in Mr. Surtees's History of Durham, vol. II. p. 19, a Pedigree of the Greys.

lection,