It has been generally supposed, that an honorary freeman can neither transmit his franchise to his fons, nor confer it upon his apprentices.

The form of the oath, on the admiffion of a freeman of Newcastle, concludes with an expreffion that seems to imply that every burgess is bound to a perfonal defence of the town.

It is usual, on admiffion, to present the mayor or alderman who admits, with a filver penny.

By the charter of the 42d of Elizabeth, March 22, 1600, it was ordered that burgesses should be admit ted by the mayor and burgesses, or common-council, whereof the mayor and fix aldermen were to be seven.

By the charter of King James I. 1604, all customs, rights, and liberties of the town of Newcastle, held by former charter or prescription, were confirmed to it.

The following passage occurs in the ordinary of the bakers and brewers, dated September 28, 1579. Every brother was enjoined to live in the town of Newcastle, and "continue therein as a burgefse of the fame towne, to watch and ward, and beare scott and lott as other burgesses of the fame towne ought to doe."

No freeholder in Newcastle has a right to vote for a member of parliament for that town, as such, unless he be also a free burgess thereof; neither have they votes for representatives for the county of Northumberland; so that by far the greater number of the inhabitants cannot be faid to be represented in parliament.

The odium anciently entertained against the Scottish nation, and which hardly yet has fubfided among

the

the vulgar, must be referred to as one of the leading reasons, why so few of the present inhabitants of Newcastle enjoy the franchise of that town. There is a clause in the ordinary of almost every company, that no Scotsman born should be taken apprentice; and it is highly improbable that any of that once hoftile people would, at least before the time of King James I. be admitted to a freedom of the town, either after refiding any time in it, or on the payment of a fine: which seem to have been the ancient terms of admiffion.

Form of a Freeman's Oath---from an old copy.

Newcastle upon Tyne---You swear that you shall from henceforth hold with our fovereign Lady the Queen's Majesty that now is, and with her heirs and fucceffors, kings and queens of England, against all persons to live and to dye and maintain the peace and all the franchises of this town of Newcastle upon Tyne, and be obedient to the mayor, aldermen, sheriff, and all other the officers of the fame. And their council keep. And no man's goods avow for yours, unless he be as free as yourself and of the fame franchise: and you shall observe and keep to the best of your power all the lawful ordinances made by common confent on high court days: and all other things shall you do that belong to a freeman of the faid town. So help me God.

"Nov. 13th, 1704, John Wheatley, cordwainer, was this day admitted and sworn a free burgess of this corporation, before the right worshipful Thomas Wass, efq. mayor, and stands charged with a mufquet in defence of the fame."

Particulars concerning the Corpus Christi Plays, As performed by the trading companies of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Whatever relates to this subject (says Warton in his History of Poetry) is extremely interesting, as these miracle plays were the first and earliest of our dramatic exhibitions.

These appear to have been acted in the open air, in what is called in some places the Play-Field, or in fome spot calculated to shew the performance to the greatest crowd of spectators. They are reported to have been many of them very indelicate and obscene. They were not without their use, however, not only in impreffing on the rude minds of an unlettered people the chief histories of their religion, but alfo in foftening their manners, at that time very gross and impure; "creating insensibly," says Mr Warton,

a regard for other arts than those of bodily strength and savage valour."

In the ordinary of the coopers occurs the earliest notice of any of the Corpus Christi exhibitions in Newcastle upon Tyne. They are mentioned alfo in most of the other companies, as our readers will observe; it is, therefore, unnecessary to repeat here the different parts they had to perform.

I know not (fays Brand) when this kind of entertainment began. The Chester plays appear to have been written in the year 1328.

Weaver, in his Funeral Monuments, informs us, that about the beginning of the reign of king James these Corpus Christi plays were finally suppressed in all the towns in the kingdom.

The

The various branches of TRADE and MANUFACTURES, carried on in Newcastle and its extenfive liberties.

This department claims a large proportion of our work, and highly merits our chief regard. In general, to use the words of Faujas Saint Fond, member of the National Institute of France, "Newcastle is fituated on the beautiful river Tyne, which is frequently covered with vessels, and bordered on the right and left with manufactures of every kind, down as far as its mouth which is about ten miles from the town. This charming river is rendered highly interesting by the number and variety of these nurseries of manufactures. On the one hand, are seen brickfields, chymical works for making red and white lead, vitriol, &c. On the other, manufactories in iron, lead, &c.

"This multitude of establishments, rising opposite to one another, diffuses every where so much activity and life, if I may use the expreffion, that the age is agreeably aftonished, and the foul feels a lively fatisfaction in contemplating such a magnificent picture. Humanity (continues this great philosopher,) rejoices to see so many useful men finding ease and happiness in a labour (viz. the coal trade) which so extensively contributes at the same time to the enjoyments and comforts of others; and in the last result, to the agrandizing and enriching of the government, which watches over the fafety of the whole. Compare this honourable industry with that disgraceful indolence, and distinguishing misery which are to be seen in Roman Catholic countries, where pernicious laws permit a great portion of the population to be buried in monaftic institutions; and it will foon be discovered how much government and religion influence the happiness of mankind.

The numerous coal-mines," adds Saint Fond, "in the neighbourhood of Newcastle, form not only immense magazines of fuel for the rest of England, but are alfo the fource of an extensive and profitable foreign commerce.

"Vessels loaded with coal, for London and the various ports of England, fail daily from hence.

"Befides this commerce, the navigation which refults from the working of the coal-mines, gives an incalculable advantage to the British navy. The coal-trade forms a great nurfery of feamen; and in times of war, many coal veffels have been armed as letters of marque, and done much injury to the common enemy. In this practical fchool of feamanship, men accustomed to every kind of danger are to be found.

"The celebrated Cook begun his naval career as a failor in the coal trade. His enterprising and active genius foon raised him to the command of a veffel. He afterwards purchased a ship on his own account, and displayed fo much skill and courage in the midst of the greatest danger, when he as it were subdued the elements; and although young, acquired a very high reputation among his brother feamen. He afterwards entered into the royal navy, when he received from the British government that encouragement which he so justly merited. This astonishing navigator, failed three times round the world, and enriched geography, natural history, and navigation, with great and valuable discoveries. The modest habitation