collection of ancient inscriptions and marbles, most of them part of the Arundelian collection; the rest of them being since given by Mr. Selden and Sir George Wheeler.

"The library-keeper is elected and admitted to his office after the same manner as the proctors are chosen and admitted to their office, by delivering the keys of the library into his custody; only the candidates must submit themselves to the examination of the curators: both the electors and the person elected must take the proper oaths directed in the Bodleian statutes. This library is open on all days of the year, besides Sundays, Christmas-day, and holidays, from eight o'clock in the morning to eleven, and from two in the afternoon to five, from Easter to Michaelmas; and the other part of the year from one till four o'clock, unless on Saturdays, when it is only open till three o'clock in the afternoon, for the sake of cleansing it.

"Neither the librarian nor his deputy may, on any pretence whatsoever, carry in any candle or fire, on pain of perpetual amotion; and the keeper ought not to be absent from thence above a day and a half, on pain of 20s. to be lopped off from his salary, for the increase of books.

"Besides the yearly salary of 20 nobles, arising out of the ancient benefaction of King Henry the Fourth, and to be paid by the proctors out of the University treasury, the chief librarian received 33l. 6s. 8d. expressed in the deed of Bodley's gift, at the stated feasts of the Annunciation and Michaelmas, or within thirtythree days after, by equal payments. There is moreover the sum of 87. allowed to some honest poor person, being a servant to the chief librarian, to sweep the library, and to cleanse the books, desks, seats, windows, &c. and to ring the bell, and lock the door, &c.

"Herein is also kept an iron chest, with three locks thereon, for the keeping of all such money as shall be paid thereunto, which ought to be within three days after the receipt thereof; and the keys placed in the custody of the vice-chancellor and proctors, and to be delivered up to their successors on to their successors on quitting their office.

"No one has the privilege of studying herein, besides doctors or licentiates in some one of the three faculties; batchelors of divinity, masters of arts, batchelors of law or physick; batchelors of arts of two years standing, and students in the civil law after three years standing in the University, if they be fellows of any college, and attending the law lecture, and be approved of by the professor; the sons also of barons in the upper house of Parliament. But before any person be

admitted

admitted to study herein, he ought to take the statutable oath before the vicechancellor; and if any one should be so impudent as to study or remain here without taking this oath, he incurs one day's imprisonment and a pecuniary mulct; but the congregation of masters have power, upon humble request made, to indulge this privilege to any foreigner coming hither for the sake of study.

"The library-keeper, in buying all books, is to follow the advice of the curators; and no book ought to be bought in any faculty without the approbation of the professors in each faculty, to be had in writing either before or after such purchase of book or books, and these books so bought to be presented to the curators at the next visitation, with the price thereof.

"The librarian moreover ought to take care, that if any book or books be desired by any student, or recommended by him, the titles thereof be immediately writ down in a book for this end; that upon advice with the respective professors, the book or books be bought by the vice-chancellor's consent, for the use of the students. No book ought to be delivered to any person without an entry of his name and the place of his abode in a paper-book, kept for this end by the librarykeeper, who ought every year to prepare a perfect catalogue, and deliver it to the curators on the day of visitation."

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

THE following letter, printed from the original lent to me by Mr. Richardson, is a proper introduction to the charities noticed in this work.

"GOOD BROTHER,

"Her Majesty having been pleased in the brief which she has granted for the relief of the poor Palatines, whom the French cruelties on the frontiers and other hardships on the account of their religion have driven from their own country to seek shelter here; a copy of which brief you will herewith receive, ' to recommend it in a particular manner to all the archbishops and bishops in England and Wales, to give particular directions and commands to all parsons, vicars, and curates, of the several parishes within their respective dioceses, for the advancement of that charitable work,' I send this letter to you, in obedience to her majesty's commands, hoping that it would have been otherwise superfluous for me to write to you touching this ministering to these distressed Christians: for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich: you know who hath given commandment, that he that loves God love his brother also: you know who it is that reputes himself to suffer in the person of his members, and of those more especially who are persecuted for his sake and the truth of his gospel. Whoso then hath this world's goods, and can see these our brethren, brethren on many accounts, as men, as Christians, as reformed Christians, exposed to the extremest need, and that for their stedfast adherence to the truth as it is in Jesus, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

"We do and may glory that our church has deservedly the character, not only of the bulwark of the Reformation, but of the common refuge of those that are persecuted for it; and I trust none shall ever be able to stop us in this boasting.

Let

Let me, therefore, beseech you, and require you, in the bowels of our Lord Jesus, both by word and example, to forward this great and pious design of our gracious Queen, by contributing yourself according to your power; by charging those in your parish that are rich and love much, that they be ready to give plenteously, and glad to distribute; by exhorting those that have little, to do their diligence gladly to give of that little; assuring both, that by so doing, they will gather to themselves a good reward in the day of necessity, and lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may attain eternal life.

"I shall add only one thing more, that this is one of the best methods we can take, both of testifying our sense of God's great goodness, and our thankfulness to him for it, in so wonderfully preserving to us the free exercise of our religion in its purity in this church hitherto, and of prevailing with him to continue this invaluable blessing to us and our posterity. To God's blessing and grace your person and work and labours of love are most sincerely recommended by your affectionate brother and servant, W. OXON.

"I think it would much forward this service, if you could prevail with some of the chiefest of your parishioners to accompany you when you go to collect the charity of the rest.”

CLASSES OF SOCIETY IN ENGLAND.

"The degrees of people in England are divided into five classes:

"The peers of the realm.

"The baronets and knights batchelors.

"The esquires.

"The gentlemen.

"The commoners.

"The French, you know, give the general title of Noblesse to the whole gentry; and every gentleman that has a marquisate or barony of land there, carries the title without any other prerogative: so that the French word noblesse doth not signify in English nobility, which belongs only to the princes of the blood and peers of France, as it signifies the whole peerage of England. Those peers are endowed with vast privileges; such as, not to be arrested for debt, not to be tried for murder or treason, but by their fellow-peers; and their word of honour, instead of an oath, to pass in all courts of justice.

"The

"The second degree of baronets is an hereditary title of honour, not known abroad; but that of knights batchelors for life only, as the chevaliers of the several orders of knighthood are abroad.

"An esquire is a gentleman of a good estate not otherwise dignified, and belongs to counsellors at law, physicians, and commanders in the army: for when the king grants a commission to a man to be a captain, he always calls him esquire.

"Gentlemen is the common denomination of all younger brothers, as also of attorneys, and the other lesser degrees of the law.

"The French, you know, are very fond of titles; and you have known a gentleman there to have five sons, and each of them go by the name of his farm, which he gave them for their portion, and so the name of the family is lost but here in England, give what landed estate you will to your sons, they still retain the name of the family.

"Amongst the commoners there is a degree in the country called yeomen and freeholders, who have votes in electing members of parliament, and are reckoned a degree much above the day-labourer.

"The dress of the English is like the French, but not so gaudy; they generally go plain, but in the best cloths and stuffs, and wear the best linen of any nation in the world; not but they wear embroideries and lace on their clothes on solemn days, but they do not make it their daily wear as the French do.

"Their diet is more substantial, though plainer, than that of any nation whatsoever: they do not so much affect soups, ragouts, and fricassees, as the French; but from the baronet down to the yeoman, you have always two substantial dishes, one boiled, and the other roasted; and what Don Pedro de Ronquillo, the Spanish ambassador, said of Leadenhall market in London, that there was more meat sold in it in one week than in all Spain in a year, I believe to be perfectly true; for there are few tradesmen in London but have a hot joint every day."

Tour through England, 1724.

"As of their markets and fairs, and they be of several kinds, as first, that of Blackwall-hall, is twice a week, is to be seen a sight no where to be seen in all Europe; besides such quantity of cloth brought out of the West and North parts of England. And should a stranger but once see and have a relish of our staple commodity of woollen cloth, he would stand in admiration: and I have wondered very much it hath not been taken much notice of.

"Then