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Particulars of St. James's, Clerkenwell, and Prior Wefton. 501

lution; as much as I can make out of it, it is a kind of invocation to St. Ni cholas. While taking the infcription, I was informed, that in a certain room in Mr. B's houfe the death-warrant for the decollation of K. Charles 1. was figned. Of this houfe, Weever, in his Funeral Monuments," p. 430, fays,

his time, and that alliteration only was ufed. Nor will it require arguments to Thew that rhime, in its progrefs from the Italian monks of the fixth and feventh centuries, could not reach Wales till a late period. In Scandinavian poetry rhime is quite unknown till the twelfth century; and all barbaric countries are very tenacious of ancient cuf-"within the clofe of this nunnery (now toms. Nay, the rhimes of the mock Taliefin, &c. are exactly of the fame form (not couplets, but continued ftrings of rhimes) with thofe of pieces which Mr. Evans afcribes to the fourteenth century! The mode of repeated rhimes is clearly artificial, and late; and any one, verfed in the literature of the middle ages, muft infer thefe pieces to be pofterior to the twelfth century Difference of dialect Mr. Evans takes for a proof of antiquity, while it may depend on their being written in North or South Wales, or in Cornwall. It was quite the fashion, in the middle ages, for the bards to affume the names and charafters of renowned perfons in their poems; and to this we muft afcribe the mock Offian, without rhime, and the ridiculous mock Welch bards of the fixth century, with rhime!

Mr. URBAN,

PHILISTOR.

Camden Areet, Iflington,

May 15.

ON the taking down the ancient priory and late parochial church of Saint James, Clerkenwell, which the labourers have been for fome time paft, and are at prefent, employed upon, I have been almoft a daily attendant, in hopes, if any thing curious or worthy of remark fhould occur, it might not pafs unnoticed. That part in which divine fervice was lately performed, viz. the pews, flone, brick, lead, iron, glafs, &c. has been fold for about 8251.; the other part, anciently called the Old Veftry, as the leaft decayed, is as de cently fitted up as poffible for prayer and preaching till the church is re-built. 'The bells were first removed, which, after fome enquiry, I found were placed in a back-yard behind Mr. Blackorow's houfe; and, as I thought fomething remarkable might be on them, having belonged to fo ancient a fabric, I applied, and had admition to the part where they were depofited; one of them only can be deemed of antiquity, and may be well thought, by the infcription on it (fee plate 1. fig. 1), to have be. longed to the nunnery before its diffo

called Clerkenwell Close) is a spacious
fair house, built of late by Sir Thomas
Challoner, knight, deceafed;" which
name (fuppofed a fon of the former,
but without the title) is found in the
lift of thofe who figned the warrant for
his execution. On Monday, April 27,
I attended a gentleman of Iflington to
obferve the removing the monument of
Sir William Wefton, the laf Lord Prior
of St. John of Jerufalem, and, after
great labour of the workmen in remov.
ing the carved fione ornaments, duft,
and rubbish, the lead coffin was difco.
vered, which was deposited within a
few inches of the furface. under a stone,
on which was laid the emaciated figure,
as reprefented in the plate, fig. 2; the
form of the coffin was as drawn, fig. 3,
and on the breast part was a cross raised
in the lead, as reprefented. On raifing
the cover, the skeleton appeared, but
without any appearance of its having
been wrapped in cerecloth, or habit of
his order, nor did it feem at first that
even any embalment had been used,
but, on a more careful inspection, there
was found a quantity of a dark-coloured
mucilaginous fubftance between the
thighs and lower parts of the body, of
an unctuous feel, but quite inodorous
the bones were laid in the faime order
as when the corpfe was depofited in the
lead coffin, which did not appear had
ever been inclofed in one of wood; the
fingers and toes were fallen off, but the
other parts retained their proper fituz.
tion, and fome teeth remained in each
jaw. On measuring the skeleton, it
was exactly fix feet in length, wanting
one inch. The broken fragments of
the monument, with the figure, are rei
moved to the quadrangle, one fide of
which is a part of the ancient cloister of
which I fent you a drawing, and which
appeared in your vol. LV. p. 935.

Mr. URBAN,

Yours, &c. MATTHEW SKINNER, June 11. A WRITER, who ftyles himself A Conftant Reader, p. 410, in fom obfervations on a Differtation concerning the authenticity of the Parian Chro

nicle, lately published, feems to diflike the fcheme of detecting fuppofititious books, forged infcriptions, and pious frauds, merely because it has a tendency to "give us an unfavourable opinion of mankind;” that is, he would rather be impofed upon, than detect a cheat; he would fooner fuffer a thoufand culprits to escape, than bring them to a fair and open trial. This wonderful benevolence, if it is not weakness and folly, is an encouragement to knaves and impoftors, who are always ready to take advantage of the lenity and credulity of mankind. It is abfolutely neceffary for the welfare of fociety, that frauds of every kind should be detected and expofed. To prefume that the chronicle of the Arundelian marbles is a fraud, would be begging the queftion. But, if I am not deceiv. ed, the author of the Differtation abovementioned has proved that its origin is extremely fufpicious.

It would be impoffible, in a few pages of your Magazine, to exhibit a view of his arguments in their FULL FORCE; yet, I think, it may be agreeable to fome of your learned readers to know upon what grounds the authenticity of this celebrated infcription is difputed.

Having given us a general account of the marbles, their arrival in England, and their prefent fituation, the author of the Differtation obferves, that his DOUBTS, refpecting the authenticity of the Chronicle, faid to have been written 264 years before the Chriflian æra, arife from the following confider

ations:

1. The characters have no certain or unequivocal marks of antiquity.-They arc, he fays, plain and fimple in their form, and fuch as an ordinary ftone cutter of the prefent age would probably make, if he were employed to cngrave a Greek infcript on, according to the alphabet now in ufe. A fac fimile is annexed.

2. It is not probable that the Chro nicle was engraved for PRIVATE USE. -This point is attempted to be proved by fhewing, that it is utterly improbable that any one would have engraved a fyftem of chronology on ftone at a time when the common mode of writing was on parchment, or paper made of the Egyptian papyrus.

3. It does not appear to have been engraved by PUBLIC AUTHORITY.The author of the Chronicle, it is ob. ferved, fpeaks in the first perfon fingu

lar, and does not mention the leaft circumftance relative to the history of Paros.

4. The Greek and Roman writers, for a long time after the date of this work, complain that they had no chro. nological account of the affairs of ancient Greece,-This pofition is confirmed by the teftimony of Julius Africanus, Juftin Martyr, Plutarch, Josephus, Varro, Diodorus Siculus, and others.

5. The Chronicle is not once mentioned by any writer of antiquity.This argument, as it is prefented under different views by the author, and freed from all objections, is markably ftrong, if not decifive.

6. Some of the facts feem to have been taken from authors of a later date. In feveral paffages, we confess, there is an appearance of imitation, or a ftronger refemblance than fuch as may be fuppofed to arife from accident.

7. Parachronisms appear in fome of the epochas, which we can fcarcely fuppofe a Greek chronologer in the CXXIXth Olympiad would be liable to commit.

8. The hiftory of the discovery of the marbles is obfcure and unfatisfactory.-The first oftenfible poff ffors feem to have been knaves and cheats. And, as to the Chronicle itself, it is found-nobody can tell us WHEN WHERE.

or.

Laftly, The literary world has been frequently impofed upon by fpurious books and infcriptions; and therefore, fays the author of the Dilfertation, we fhould be extremely cautious with regard to what we receive under the yenerable name of Antiquity.-This point is illuftrated by a great variety of examples, and very properly expofes the forgeries which have disgraced the republick of letters in ancient and modern times. Yours, &c. O. X.

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A Subfcription for the Repair of Lichfield Cathedral enforced. 503

The Rev. Mr. S. PEGGE's Letter to the Rev.
CHARLES HOPE, Minifter of ALL
SAINTS, Derby, relative to the Subfcrip-
tion now in agitation for the Reparation, Sc.
of the Cathedral Church of LICHFELD.
"DEAR SIR,

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S the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield are at this time promoting a fubfcription throughout the diocese of Libfield and Coventry, with the approbation and good wifhes of the Honourable and Right Reverend the Bishop, for the purpofe of making certain repairs, alterations, decorations, and improvements, in the Cathedral of Lichfield, it may not be improper to inquire into the ground and foundation of fuch their application, and to fhew, in few words, that it is a

requifition neither unreasonable nor novel.

ers made a yearly payment to the Cathedral for the fuftentation and maintenance thereof; this went under the name of Pentecostals, or Whitfun Frthings, because ufually paid at that feafon of the year; and, in the cafe of Lichfield in particular, was termed Chad-Pennies, or Chad-Farthings; the Cathedral there being dedicated to St. Chad, and put under his more immediate patronage and protection.

"This payment of Pentecoftals, Sir, or Chad-Farthings, the Bishop, John Hacket, probably had in his eye, when, after the horrible havock and devaftation committed in in the Cathedral of Lichfield by the Oliverians, he, at the Restoration, fent about his circular letters to the Clergy and Gentlemen of his Diocefe, to beg money for the reparation, beautifying, and reftoring of his Church to its priftine fplendor. Thefe letters fucceeded admirably, and certainly are a fair precedent for the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield to follow in the prefent exigence, as it may ferve to convince every one, that it is no novel or unreasonable mode of raising money which they are pursuing, but that they may have the example and fanétion of former times, and confequently Gentlemen and others may be induced by it to contribute the more liberally. I am, Sir, Your a ectionate brother, And most obedient fervant, SAMUEL PEGGE.

"The fabric of this Cathedral, Sir, is ancient and elegant, inferior to very few in this kingdom; but, by length of time, and through the inability of the Dean and Chapter, who have but a fcanty fund for its fupport, is grown much out of order, and in fome parts ruisous. One material inconvenience, to mention no others, nor the want of a general repair, attends it, which is, that the congregation, by reafon of the fmallness and incommodioufnefs of the choir, are obliged to remove, whenever there is a fermon, into the nave or body of the church; Whittington, May 10. a circumstance very awkward, difagreeable, and troublesome.

"The Dean and Chapter, Sir, have no fund, as was observed, adequate even to the common and neceifary reparation of their Cathedral, and much lefs competent for undertaking a work of fuch magnitude as that now intended, which, according to the esti

mate of Mr. James Wyatt, the Architect, amounts to the fum of 5950% and upwards.

"Now, Sir, in regard to the step which the Dean and Chapter are taking, of foliciting donations from the Clergy and Laity of the Diocefe, for the purpofe of gaining aid and affiftance towards accomplishing the arduous and neceflary and honourable enterprize, it may be observed, that at the foundation of this Cathedral in the middle of the feventh century, the Cathedral was efteemed to be the Meber Church of the whole Diocese, and that the Parochial Churches were altogether dependent upon it; that the Clergy, who then refided with the Bishop, iffued from the Cathedral to ferve and officiate at the feveral Churches

in the Diocese, and that the Diocefe for that reafon was commonly called Parochia, as if the few Parish Churches exifting in thofe times were to be confidered as but fo many Chapels of Eafe to the Cathedral. Hence it came to pafs, that, for many ages after, the Country congregations made annual proceffions to the Cathedral as to their Mother Church, that the parochial Clergy fetched the Chrifin from thence, and that their parishion

Mr. URBAN,

June 10.

MR. Lindley, in his late work, in

very

tituled, “Vindiciæ Priestleianæ,” addreffed to the Students of Oxford and Cambridge; alarmed at the favourUndergraduate, and unanimoufly afcribed able reception of a pamphlet, figned the to Dr. Horne; hath entered the lifts in behalf of his friend Dr. Prieftiey, and attempted to expofe the weakness and futility of his antagonist's arguments. With a zeal and energy worthy of a bet. ter caufe, he invites the ftudents of thofe celebrated feminaries to emancipate them. felves from the tyranny of custom and prejudice, to affume the privilege of thinking for themselves on the unfpeakably momentous fubject of religion. As he and his friends have the fingular and exclufive talent of unlocking the fenfe of the facred fcriptures, and pushing theit enquiries with fuccefs into the throne o God, they entreat them to drink deeply of the dregs of Socinianifin, and to degrade their Saviour to a level of a finful man. It is devoutly to be wished, that young men, deftined to the miniftry, will be cautious of adopting the wild chimeras and whimfical reveries of thele modern reformers, who diftort, mutilate pervert the word of God, who from an intrepid

intrepid fpirit of novelty, and an intemperate thift of fame, forget with what awful diffidence it becomes them to reafon on the ways of an infinite being to his dependent creatures. If a writer, poffeffed of profound and well digefted learning, accurately verfed in thofe ftudies more immediately connected with theology, hath defended, with invincible frength of reafoning, the fublime doc. trine of the redemption of man by the blood of Chrift, he is accufed by Mr. Lindfey of being of a gloomy fuperftitious turn of mind, of having exhibited an harsh and deformed picture of human nature. The reader will be furprifed when informed, that the Writer alluded to by this hardy champion of Socinianifm, is the truly learned and pious Bifhop Butler, who, in his immortal work of the Analogy of natural and revealed religion, hath fhewn in the clearest manner, from a variety of texts, that Redemption is not a mere figure of fpeech in accommodation to Jewish notions, but the exact accomplishment of the prophecies concerning the propitiatory facrifice of Chrift. The learned Prelate hath founded his arguments on the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Author of which hath declared, that the legal facrifiees were allufions to the great and final aronement to be made by the blood of Chrift, and not that this was an allufion to thofe. This doctrine, the main pillar in the grand structure of Chriftianity, is defcribed in fuch ftriking colours by St. Paul, that Dr. Priestley, with the most daring effrontery, hath afferted, that the Apoftle argues inconclusively. To Tuch wretched expedients, unworthy of a Scholar and a Divine, is this adulterator of the Gospel reduced. Another reason why Mr. Lindfey is fo much dilpleafed at Bishop Butler is, that he has faid that analogy leads us to expect myfteries in religion; myfteries! furely you were dreaming, good Bishop. Thele harp-fighted critics know of no myfteries in religion; the Almighty hath revealed himself in a peculiar manner to them; they can comprehend the heighth, breadth, and depth of the divine Majefty. A late ingenious Writer, who acknowledged that he had long entertained prejudices against Chriftianity, afferts, in the moft unqualified language, that they who deny the vicarious atonement of Chrift, might equally deny that Thucydides wrote the hiftory of the

Sqame Jenyns, Efq;

Peloponnefian war.

He faw that doc. trine enforced by the Apostles with a clearness and precifion, which nothing but a blind deliberate obftinacy could refift. If Dr. Prieftley had more maturely weighed the nature and defign of Chriftianity, the prefs would not have laboured fo often with his productions. Dr. Horfley, perfectly acquainted with the character and difpofition of the man, and that he was poffeffed of an incurable itch of writing, proved, to the fatisfac tion of the learned world, that his op ponent was a fhallow dabbler in eccleaftical antiquity, and fuperficially ac quainted with the Greek language. It is a mortifying reflection to the Soci nians, that Dr. Horfley owes his preferment to the unfolicited recommendation of a great Law officer. His admirable defence of the efstablished religion against the feeble attacks of the Diflenters hath defervedly ranked him among the first fcholars of the age. Let the Яtudents of Oxford and Cambridge efleem it their highef honour to be the difciples of a Butler, an Hofley, and a White, whofe writings reflect a lufire on the prefent age, and will be tranfmitted with applause to the lateft pofterity. The tithes, which Pricftiey and his followers fo anxiously defire, will continue among the established Minifters of the Gofpel; whilft the Diflenters, though protected by the mildeft government that ever exifted, muft bawl for confcience fake against every member of the Church of England. Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

CLERICUS.

June 10. Send you the extract from Leland's Collectanea, Vol. I. p. 233. edit. 1774, referred to by your correfpondent,

P. 395.

Fulco (Fitzwarin) primus, had fys funnes, Fulco, William, Garine, Philip, John, and Alane.

John, fun to King Henry, and Fulco fell at variance at cheftes, and John brake Fulco hed with the cheft borde; and then Fulco gave him fuch a blow that had almost killed him."

John feems never to have forgiven this blow, as he deprived him of the title to Whitington, gave from him the gover norfhip of the Marches, and endeavoured to have him killed, or get him into his power, but at last pardoned and employed him in Ireland, where he did noble feats." Many more particulars are to be found in the volume above-mentioned, PP. 234-5, & feq. Yours, &c. W.H.

Mr.

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