Bundles of Letters relative to Mines in England, with Instructions and Contracts in the reign of Henry VIII.

TIN WORKS.

Covenants with the Commoners for Tin Works in Devon and Cornwall, 14th of Henry VIII. 1522.

DUCHY OF CORNWALL.

Transcripts of Charters, Letters, &c. relating to the Duchy of Cornwall, and Letters and Warrants of the Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, and Earl of Chester, in Edward the Third's Time, containing Presentations to Churches, Fines, Grants, &c.

STAPLE OF CALAIS.

Accounts of the Staple of Calais in the reign of Henry VIII. and previous thereto.

JEWEL ACCOUNTS.

Jewel Accounts in the reign of Henry VIII. and before that Time.

Indenture of Annexation of Jewels to the Crown, with two Schedules annexed in King James the First's reign, containing the Jewels remaining in the Tower.

[To be continued.]

BOOKS PUBLISHED IN, SEPTEMBER, 1809.

Bathurst-A Sketch of the Ecclesiastical Establishment, in a Sermon, preached at Yarmouth. By the Rev. Henry Bathurst, LL. B. 2s.

Bayley Vacation Evenings; or Conversations between a Governess and her Pupils. Being a Series of Original Poems, Tales and Essays. By Cathe rine Bayley. 3. vol. 12mo. 10s. 6d.

Cambrian Traveller's Guide, containing the collected information of the most Popular and Authentic Writers, relating to the Principality of Wales, &c. 8vo. 7s. 6d.

Christian (The) Advocate, designed to Plead the Cause of Primitive Christianity. 8s. 6d.

Cobbett The Life of William Cobbett, written by Himself. 2s. 6d.

Cursory Remarks upon British Tactics, and on Matters relating to the De fence of the Country.

De Luc-An Elementary Treatise on Geology, determining the Fundamental Points in that Science. By J. A. De Luc, F. R. S. 8vo. 12s.

Education-The Principle of the System of Education, in the Public Schools of England, as it respects Morality and Religion, favourably but impartially considered. 2s. 6d.

Fungusiana-or the Opinions and Table Talk of the late Barnaby Fungus, Esq. 5s. 6d.

Hook-Safe and Sound, an Opera in thee Acts. By T. H. Hook, Esq. 2s. 6d. Ireland-Paganism and Christianity compared. In a Course of Lectures to

the King's Scholars at Westminster. By Jolin Ireland, D. D. 8vo. 10s. 6d. Isdell The Irish Recluse, a Novel. By Sarah Isdell. 3 vol. 13s. 6d. Jones-The History of Brecknockshire. By Theophilus Jones. 3 vol. royal 4to. 71. 9s. 6d.

Knight-An Essay on the Cultivation of the Plants belonging to the Natural Order of Proteeæ, with their Generic, as well as Specific Characters, their Sy nonyms, and Places were they grow wild. By Joseph Knight, F. H. S. 4to. 10s. 6d.

Lion (The) and the Water Wagtail, a Mock Heroic Poem, small 8vo. 5s. Mercy. A Poem on Lord Erskine's Bill for preventing Wanton Cruelty to Animals. 1s.

Patriot's (The) Looking Glass. 3s. 6d.

Porson-An Account of the Last Illness of Richard Porson, A. M. Professor of Greek, &c. &c. By James Savage. With two Plates engraven in Fac Simile of the Professor's Writing. 8vo. 1s. 6d. quarto 2s.

Robertson-A General View of the Natural History of the Atmosphere, and of its Connexion with the Sciences of Medicine and Agriculture. By Henry Robertson, M. D. 2 vol. 11. is.

Roland-The Amateur of Fencing; or a Treatise on the Art of Sword Defence, By J. Roland, of the R. M. Academy, Woolwich. 165.

Sadler-Sir Ralph Sadler's State Papers, containing his Letters and Nogocia tions with King James V, in 1540 and 1553; a Collection of curious and important Documents concerning Queen Elizabeth's private Negocia tions with the Scottish Reformers in 1559; Letters and Papers concerning the Grand Northern Rebellion in 1569; and Documents concerning the Confinement of Queen Mary in England. By Walter Scott, Esq. 2 vol. 4to. Sebright-The Art of Improving the Breeds of Domestic Animals. By Sir John Sebright, Bart. M. P. 2s. 6d.

Smyth-Facts and Observations on the Prevention, Causes, and Method of Treatment in Pulmonary Consumption. By John Smyth, M. D. 3s.

Spain-Iberia's Crisis, a Fragment of an Epic Poem, in three Parts, written in Spain, with Notes. Royal 8vo. 5s.

Wilson-The Philosophy of Physic, being a Natural History and Cure of Diseases, By the Rev. W. Wilson. 5s.

THE LIBRARIAN,

No. 17.-1st November, 1809.

THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE CONVENTUAL AND CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ELY; from the Foundation of the Monastery, A. D. 673, to the Year 1771. Illustrated with Copper Plates. By JAMES BENTHAM, A. M. F. S. A. &c. &c. Cambridge, 1771. quarto.

Res ardua, vetustis novitatem dare, novis auctoritatem, obsoletis nitorem obscuris lucem, fastiditis gratiam, dubiis fidem, omnibus vero naturam, et naturæ suæ omnia.

*

Plin. Nat. Hist. Lib. 1.

This work opens with a Dedication, contained in two pages, to the Bishop of Ely (Dr. Keene), which is followed by a List of Subscribers comprised in four more. The Preface succeeds, occupying five pages, after which follows a Table of the Contents in three. The work then com mences and extends from page 1, to 289; a List of the Plates, and directions to the Binder, then follow, and are contained in three pages. An Appendix of Charters, &c. fills 52 pages, numbered *1 to 52, and the Index consisting of 18 more, * 53 to 70, concludes the volume, Between pages 224 and 225, there is a title for the second volume, if the possessor should think proper to have this work bound in two volumes, but as it is not very bulky in one, the reader will find it more convenient in the latter form. There is also a leaf follows this second title, containing an Inventory of the jewels &c. belonging to the late priory of Ely; it is not paged, but has the signature † 2.

The Cathedral Church of Ely is allowed to be one of

the most curious monuments of ecclesiastical antiquity in this kingdom. The author, in this volume, has divided its history into five periods; the first begins with the foundation of a church and monastery at Ely, by Etheldreda, Queen of the Northumbrians, in the year 673, and shews the state of it under several Abbesses, till the destruction thereof, by the Danes in 870; the second contains the state of this church whilst in possession of the secular clergy to the year 970; the third takes in the refounding of the monastery for monks, by King Edgar in 970, with the government of it, under ten succeeding Abbots; the fourth Begins with the conversion of the Abbey into a bishoprick, by King Henry I. in 1109, and includes the succession of Bishops to the dissolution of the monastery under King Henry VIII.; and the fifth commences at the establishment of a Dean and Prebendaries by that King, in 1541, extending to the year of the publication of this History, 1771.

The temporal jurisdiction, which the Bishops of Ely have always enjoyed, is such a striking circumstance in their history, that the author has extended his inquiries on that head, and as his subject naturally led him to consider the particular modes of building used in this church and monastery, he has enlarged his reflections by some general observations and inquiries into the state of Architecture at different periods.

This work commences with an Introduction, in which is contained a general and succinct account of the advancement and progress of Christianity in this kingdom, previously to its settlement among our Saxon ancestors, at which era our history properly begins. This Introduction is divided into six sections; first, on the settlement of Christianity in Britain; second, Of the ruin of the British Church by the Saxons; third, Of the Conversion of the Saxons; fourth, the East Angles converted to Chris

tianity; fifth, Historical remarks on the Saxon churches; sixth, improvements in architecture by the Normans.

1

The particular time when the Heathenism of the Britons began to be extirpated by the preaching of the gospel has been the subject of controversy with several learned men of our own nation; among whom are Bishop God. win, Mr. Camden, Archbishop Usher, and Bishop Stillingfleet. Most of our church historians, before. Bishop Stillingfleet undertook that province of inquiry, had carried this memorable event so high as the reign of the Emperor Tiberius: an opinion by no means consonant eitherto the circumstances of the British affairs at that time, or to the scriptural account of the spreading of the gospel. Accordingly Bishop Stillingfleet resolves it into a mistake concerning the sense of a passage cited from Gildas the British Historian, whose words rightly understood, evidently place the bringing in of the gospel at a later period, namely after the triumph of Claudius Cæsar over the Britons, and before the middle of the Emperor Nero's reign, that is, between the years 44 and 61 of the christian era, during which interval Britain was reduced to a Roman Province, and a communication opened between the Roman Empire and this Island; which intercourse would naturally contribute to the extension of the gospel in these parts.

The fifth and sixth sections are on the subject of the Saxon and Norman ecclesiastical architecture. The ob. servations and historical facts given in these two sections relating to the public knowledge of ancient architecture have been always very generally and justly valued. If some part of what is taught in them was already known to some few persons of taste and curiosity, it was then first collectively communicated to the public. By what has appeared since on the same topics, it has been confirmed, illustrated and extended, but it has not been disproved or corrected. These observations have been of considerable