PASQUIN AND MARFORIO.

THE Spectator was not the first Englishman who adopted these Roman Personages as the vehicles of his satire. In the reign of Elizabeth they were made the sole interlocutors in a dialogue against Puritans, there called Martinists. The Tract, which is probably very scarce, has this quaint title.

"The Returne of the renowned Cavaliero Pasquill* of England, from the other side the Seas, and his meeting with Marforius at London upon the Royall Exchange.

"Where they encounter with a little houshold talke of Martin and Martinisme, discovering the scabbe that is bredde in England and conferring together about the speedie dispersing of the golden Legende of the Lives of the Saints."

T

Beneath this is a device cut in wood, of a Caduceus, with Mottos; and below, these words.

"If my breath be so hote that I burne my mouth, suppose I was printed by Pepper Allie. Anno Dom. 1589." 4to. 16 leaves.

The squibs affixed to the Statue of Pasquin, are usually termed Pasquills, but here that

So called throughout.

name

..

name is given to him. Pasquill gives this ac count of himself, correspondent to what is elsewhere given.

"If any desire to know what I am, tell him that I was once a Barbour in Rome (as some report) and everie chayre in my shop was a tongueful of newes. Whatsoever was done in England, Fraunce, Germanie, Spaine, Italie, and other countries was brought to me. The high and secrete matters of Lordes, Ladies, Kings, Emperours, Princes, Popes, and Monarchs of the world, did ring everie day as shrill as a bason about my doores. In memory whereof, as Mercurie turnd Battus to a stone for bewraying his theft, it is thought that one Pope or other, mistrusting the slipprines of my toung, blest me into a stone to stoppe my mouth. Others affirme that the Cittie of Rome, to requite mee with honour when I dyed, erected me a little monument of stone, with a bodie, heade, and hands thicke and short, answerable to my stature, and set it up in the open streete, where I assure you I have stoode manie yeeres in the rayne, my face is so tand with the Sunne, and my hyde so hardened with the wether, that I neither blush when I byte any man, nor feele it when any man byteth me.

"MARFO. I wonder how you wer able to continue there? PASQ. To heare every mans talke that passed by, was better then meate and drinke to me. In steede of apparre'l, in Summer, E e 4 I wore

I wore nothing but paper lyueries, which manię great men bestowed upon me to their great cost; in winter, I care for no colde, because I am a stone."

Of the Roman collection of Pasquills I have spoken above. We see here how soon they were imitated in England. This Tract also is in Mr. White's Collection.

RICHARD

RICHARD CROMWELL.

ACCIDENT has put me in possession, of what may be termed, a State Paper, and which I think sufficiently curious for a place in this work. It is the formål and authentic abdication of the supreme authority by Richard Cromwell, and eminently exhibits his extreme imbecility of mind, and contrast of his character with that of his father Oliver. My paper seems, however, to be imperfect, being only a loose single sheet, which I literally transcribe, but in which, mention is made of a Schedule of Richard's debts, which, according to what here appears, was printed along with it.

"His Late Highnes's LETTER to the PARLAMENT of ENGLAND

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Shewing his Willingness to Submit to this Present Government: Attested under his Owne Hand, and read in the House on Wednesday the 25th of May 1659.

I have perused the Resolve and Declaration which you were pleased to deliver to me the other night, and for your Information touching

what

what is mentioned in the said Resolve; I have caused a true State of my Debts to be transcribed, and annexed to this Paper, which will shew what they are, and how they were contracted.

As to that part of the Resolve whereby the Committee are, to inform themselves how far I do acquiesce in the Government of this Commonwealth, as it is declared by this Parliament; I trust my past Carriage hitherto hath manifested my acquiescence in the will and disposition of God, and that I love and value the Peace of this Common-Wealth much above my own concernments; and I desire that by this a measure of my future deportment may be taken, which through the assistance of God shall be such as shall bear the same witness, having I hope in some degree learned rather to reverence and submit to the hand of God, than to be unquiet under it: And (as to the late Providences that have fallen out among us) however in respect of the particular Engagements that lay upon me, I could not be active in making a change in the Government of these Nations, yet through the goodness of God I can freely acquiesce in it being made, and do hold myself obliged, as (with other men) I expect Protection from the present Government, so to demean myself, with all peaceableness under it, and to procuré to the

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