Quadrupeds" was begun in 1785, the prevailing excellence of the cuts of which, for the correct delineation of the animals, and the natural character of the incidents, and the back- grounds, greatly surpass anything of the kind that had previously appeared. He not only excelled in representing Nature, but in conveying a moral by the tasteful combination of striking and pointed incidents, each animal forming the most prominent point in a picture of various subjects. In 1791 he commenced his "History of British Birds," which crowned his fame, with the cuts of which nothing of the same kind that wood engraving has since produced can bear a comparison. Mr. Jackson asserts that

"They are not to be equalled till a designer and engraver shall arise possessed of Bewick's knowledge of nature, and endowed with his happy talent of expressing it. Bewick has in this respect effected more by himself than has been produced by one of our best wood engravers when working from drawings made by a professional designer, but who knows nothing of birds, of their habits, or the places they frequent; and has not the slightest feeling for natural incident or picturesque beauty.-No mere fac-simile engraver of a drawing ready made to his hand, should venture to speak slightingly of Bewick's talents until he has both drawn and engraved a cut which may justly challenge a comparison with the Kyloe Ox, the Yellow-hammer, the Partridge, the Wood-cock, or the Tame Duck."

A host of artists was created by the example and success of Bewick in the North of England; among whom Nesbit and Clennell are distinguished, the latter having mastered the representation of water which the reviver of the art of wood engraving never accomplished. Several eminent professors of the art have also arisen in London. Of Mr. Harvey, as a designer, we have already had honourable mention. Thompson is another whom our author ranks in the first rank. But to Mr. Jackson's interesting volume, the illustrations of the doctrines and criticisms advanced being numerous and in themselves for the most part master-pieces, we must direct our readers for his notices of living wood-engravers as well as many other points which we have either altogether overlooked or but very slightly touched.

238

1. Plumpton Correspondence.

ART. IX.

Edited by TH. STAPLETON, ESQ. F.R.S. 2. King Henry the Eight's Scheme of Bishoprics. London: Knight. 1839.

3. The Parliaments and Councils of England, from the Reign of William I. to the Revolution in 1688. London: Murray. 1839. ALTHOUGH there be no similarity in the design and character of these publications,-no direct connection, and no sameness of matter or manner, yet they may be joined together as we have now done, on account of the light which each of them throws upon the usages, the thoughts and employments of Englishmen in the days of our forefathers, and at distant and distinct eras in the national history. A very few preliminary remarks or some extracts will sufficiently explain and exhibit the nature and contents of each, and satisfy our readers that they contribute some valuable as well as interesting materials to those documentary remains to which the researches of recent and living antiquaries have been and are so worthily directed.

The Plumpton Correspondence, consisting of "a Series of Letters, chiefly Domestick, written in the Reigns of Edward IV., Richard III., Henry VII., and Henry VIII.," has been published at the instance of the Campden Society of Antiquaries. The manuscript belongs to Peregrine E. Towneley, Esq., and is well worthy of being thus multiplied on account of the views which it enables the reader to obtain of the social and domestic manners of our ancestors.

The Plumptons could trace their family back to a more remote period than many who pride themselves on the antiquity of stock, -viz., to the Norman Conquest, very shortly afterwards having their seat at Plumpton, which is in the vicinity of Knaresborough. The family seems to have been distinguished not only by the consideration which several of its members commanded in consequence of eminent alliances, but by the part they took in public affairs. Their estates were ample and their bearing knightly. The battlefield can number some of them among its heroes,-the scaffold among its victims; for in troublous times they did not keep aloof, nor refuse joining in the strifes of parties and factions. But as it is to two or three of the documents here published, that are of purely a domestic or social character that we are about to invite attention, it becomes unnecessary to glance more particularly than we have done at the notices of a political and public nature that here and there peep out in the course of the Correspondence. The first letter which we transcribe presents a matter-of-fact specimen of the private affairs of a squire in the fifteenth century, and of the management and anxieties of a country gentleman's steward:

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"Unto my worship full master Sir William Plompton knight.

Right worshipfull maister, I recommend me unto you, praying you that you will cause the clothe that the wooll was packed in for to come againe with the shipp, for I borrow it wheare that ye saw that I borrow it; of that of your servants aforetime I have borrowed two packclothes and other geare, which they had never againe : letting you understand that I have given the shipman of his hier x, and he for to have his whole payment, when he deliver the goods which he received, which is xxxiijs iijd. Whearfore I pray you that ye see he be content of the said some, for I am nott in store att this time of money for to gett your harvest with, withoutyn I might gett it of your tenaunts, or ells for to take of your shepe silver, and that I were right lothe for to do-letting you witt alsoe that I have bene in the Peake and there I cannott gett no money of Harry Fulgiam, nor of John of Tor, nor no other that owes you, but if I shold take of your cattel, and soe I think for to do: for I have no oxen to gett your corne with, nor none I cannott gett carryed, for every man is soe busie with their owne: for whether is so latesum in this cuntrey, that men can neither well gett corn nor hay-letting you witt that your tenant Nichole Bristow hath not gotten but xii foder of hay, and it is nought good, and the corneland is overflotin with waterletting you witt that I have gotten the hay in Hesththorne meen that was left after Lammas day, as ye commanded me for to do-letting you witt that I have a counterpais wheith of the wheight stone that the wooll was weyed with, and that ye se that the stone be kept that the shipman brings, Also letting you witt that I delivered the shipman viij paire of blanketts, that is not in the bill indented, and a hanging of old linen cloth that the coverletts are trussed in-letting you witt that I was on St. Lawrence day att Melton with iiij of your shepe to sell, and could sell none of them, but if I would have selled xx of the best of them for xiijd a peece, and therefore I sold none-letting you witt that I sent unto you with William Plumpton and with William Marley vli, and also xxvs which was borrowed of Bryan Smith, which I must pay againe, and therefore I am not perveyed of money for to gett your harvest with-also that you gar the malt be windowed, or it be laid in any garners, for ells there will brede wyvolls in it, for I could nott gett it windowd before it went to the ship, because that I could not gett no helpe, and therefore I upheaped with a quarter, xxi quarters for xx quarters; and also six of our cheeses hase two markes that I know be the best of them. Noe more I write to you at this time but that the holy Trinity have you ever in his keeping. Written in hast by your servant THOMAS BILLOP at Kinalton, the munday afore St. Bartholemew day, 9° Edw. 4.

"(21st. Aug. 1469.)"

To Sir Robert Plumpton-knight, the son of the former worship, full master, the following is written by one of the race, who may also be set down as a limb of the law, so dextrous and cunning is he in schemes, and so characteristic the spot from which he writes :

"In my humble and most hartyest wyse I recommend me unto your

good mastership, and to my singuler good lady. Sir yt is so that certaine lovers and frinds of myne in London hath brought me unto the sight of a gentlewoman, a wedow of the age of xl yeres and more, and of good substance; first, she is goodly and beautyfull, womanly and wyse, as ever I knew any one, none other dispraysed; of a good stocke and worshipful. Hir name is Agnes. She hath in charg but one gentlewoman to hir daughter, of xii yer age. She hath xx marc of good land within iij myle of London, and a ryall maner buylded therupon, to give or sell at hir pleasure. She hath in coyne in old nobles, cli-in ryalls, cli-in debts, xll-in plate cxli, with other goods of great valour; she is called worth mii beside hir land. Sir, I am bold upon yor good mastership, as I have ever bene; and if yt please God and you that this matter take effect, I shalbe able to deserve althings done and past. She and I are agreed in our mynd and all one; but hir frinds that she is ruled by, desireth of me xx marke jointor more than my lands come too; and thus I answered them saying, that your mastership is so good master to me, that ye gave to my other wyfe xii marke for hir jointor in Stodley Roger, and now, that it wyll please your sayd mastership to indue this woman in some lordship of yours of xx marke duryng her lyfe, such as they shalbe pleased with; and for this my sayd frinds offer to be bounden in m1i.' Sir, uppon this they intend to know your pleasure and mynd prevely, I not knowing; wherefore, I humbly besech your good mastership, as my especyall trust is and ever hath bene above all earthly creatures, now for my great promotion and harts desire, to answer to your pleasure, and my wele and poore honesty; and I trust, or yt come to pase, to put you suertie to be discharged without any charg; for now, your good and discret answere may be my making. For, and she and I fortune by God and your meanes togyther, our too goods and substance wyll make me able to doe you good service, the which good service and I, now and at all tymes, is and shalbe yours, to joperde my life and them both. Sir, I besech your good mastership to wryte to me an answere in all hast possible, and after that ye shall here more, with Gods grace, who preserve you and yours in prosperous felicyte longtyme to endure. Wrytten in Furnywall Inne in Olborn, the ij day of march 1496. Your humble servant, "(2 March 1496-7.) "ED. PLOMPTON."

Sir Robert seems to have been put to sad strast, at various times, for want of the needful, having got himself strongly entangled in law suits and other expensive transactions. His "entirely and right hartily beloved wife, Dame Agnes," participated of course in his cares; she also appears to have been much entrusted in the case of difficulties. But Agnes predeceased the worthy knight; nor was it long ere he solaced himself with another helpmate, a daughter of Lord Neville. Still his embarrassments continued as we learn from the letter next to be quoted :

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"To Sir Robart Plompton, kt. be thes letter delivered.

Sir, in the most hartyest wyse that I can, I recommend me unto you. Sir, I have sent to Wright of Idell for the money that he promyst you,

and he saith he hath it not to len, and makes choses (excuses) and so I can get none nowhere. And as for wood, ther is none that will bey, for they know ye want money, and without they myght have it halfe for noughte, they will bey none; for your son, William Plompton, and Thomas Bickerdyke hath bene every day at wood sence ye went, and they can get no money for nothing-for tha will bey none without they have tymmer tres, and will give nothinge for them: and so shall your wood be distroyed and get nought for it. Sir, I told you this or ye went, but ye wold not beleve me. Sir, I have taken of your tymmer as much as I can get of, or Whitsonday farme forehand; and that is but little to do you any good, for ther is but some that will len so long afor the tyme. And your Lenten stoufe is to bey, and I wote not what to do, God wote, for I am ever left of thes fachion. Sir, ther is land in Rybston feild, that Christofer Chambers wold bey, if ye will sel it; but I am not in a surety what he will give for it. But if ye will sel it, send word to your son what ye will doe, for I know nothing els wherwith to help you with. Sir, for God sake take an end, for we are brought to begger staffe, for ye have not to defend them withall. Sir, I send you my mare, and iijs iiijd by the bearer herof, and I pray you send me word as sone as ye may. No more at this tyme, but the Holy Trenyttie send you good speed in all your matters, and send you sone home. Sir, remember your chillder bookes. Be your bedfellow,

The last letter that we transcribe is to the son of the harassed Sir Robert, and who, we may safely conjecture, loved good cheer and patronised the pastimes and sports of the "fine old English gentleman," rather than the dangers of war, the turmoil of politics, or the crooked ways of the law :

"To my Cossin Plompton this be delivered. "Cossin Plompton, I hartily recommend me unto you. The cause of my wryting to you is, for that Roger Ramy said to me, he thought ye would aboute Low sonday be at Thornhill. Ye shall come to a old howse cleane downe, and as yet litle amended; but ye shall be very welcome, as I can think. I wold be sorry that ye shoold take paine, and I not at home when ye come. To-morrow begging thursday, I must of force ride to Tankerslay, viij miles hence, and mete my Lord of Shrewsbury, who will be thear tomorrow by ij of the clock, and se a showt at a stage, as my keeper hath sent me wourd. And of monday, tewsday, and wedsday, theare is apoynted a great number of gentlemen to mette at cocks at Sheifeild, whear I intend, God willing, to be, and every night will ly at Tankerxlay; see it will be friday or I come to Thornhill, which is the xviij (xiiij) of May. Wherefore, I desire you either put of your comming to that day, or take so much paine to come the viij myles to Tankerxlay, whear I have no lodging, but you shall have the best bed the keper haith; and ye shall se a polard or tow, both rid and falow, and se all our good coxs fights, if it plese you, and se the maner of our cocking. There will be Lanckeshire of one parte, and Derbeshire of another parte, and Hallomshire of the third parte. I perceive your cocking varieth