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plate the starry heavens, and confider thofe glorious bodies only in respect to number, magnitude, and distance, and it can scarcely fail to convince him of the existence of an Omnipotent Being. By the late improvement of telescopes, the starry fyftem appears to be without bounds; and the greater part of these bodies not being visible to the naked eye, we may conclude that they were not made for our use, nor for the ufe of any part of our fyftem. They are undoubtedly bodies fimilar to our fun, appearing fo fmall from their immenfe diftances; for opaque bodies at that distance could not be seen by reflected light. From the uniformity of Nature, in all those parts which we have been able to examine and investigate, we may conclude, that bodies fimilar to our fun were created for the fame caufe, that of giving light and heat to the inhabitants of fyftems of planets furrounding them. We may therefore conceive the whole univerfe to be filled with created beings, enjoying the bounty of their Creator, and admiring his works. This benevolence of the Deity, in giving life to an almoft infinite number of beings, muft raife our admiration, till we are loft in contemplating his goodness. That every individual should exift under his protection and be regularly fupplied by his bountiful hand with every thing which is neceffary for enjoyment, ought to make us very humble before him. And that every being in the univerfe should be under his care, and training up here for the further enjoyment of him hereafter, is a thought which, if duly impreffed, would penetrate us with the deepeft fenfe of gratitude to our Creator, and excite us to love and obedience. The difappearance of fome ftars may be the deftruction of that fyftem at the time appointed, by the Deity for the probation of its inhabitants; and the appearance of new stars may be the formation of new systems, for new races of beings, then called into exiftence to adore the works of their Creator. Thus we may conceive the Deity to have been employed from all eternity, and thus continues to be employed for endless ages; forming new fyftems of beings to adore him; and tranfplanting those beings already formed into happier regions, where they may have better opportunities of admiring his works; and ftill rifing in their enjoyments, go on to contemplate fyftem after fyftem through the boundless univerfe."

To render this work more valuable, the author has added 51 Tables for facilitating aftronomical calculations; with precepts and examples to each. He has also given Dr. Bradley's Catalogue of 389 fixed ftars; M. de la Caille's Catalogue of 515 zodiacal (tars, and his Catalogue of 307 principal ftars; Zach's Catalogue of 381 principal ftars, and his Catalogue of the declination of 102 principal ftars; and Mayer's Catalogue of 992 principal stars. Thefe Tables and Catalogues are an invaluable treasure to the practical aftronomer.

Thus we have finished our account of this truly valuable work; a work embracing every object in aftronomy, and executed with an ability which does the higheft credit to its author. We therefore recommend it to all lovers of astronomy, as a work in which they will find theory and practice fo united, as to form a fyftem calculated to make a complete aftronomer.

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ART. V. An Hiftorical Account of thofe Parishes in the Countyof Middlefex, which are not defcribed in the Environs of London. By the Rev. Daniel Lyfons, M. A. F. R. S. and F. S. A. 4to. Il. IIS. 6d. Cadell and Davies.

1800.

THE
HE four volumes of Mr. Lyfons, containing an Account
of the Environs of London, were feverally noticed in our
first volume, p. 173; our 6th vol. p. 465; and in our 10th
vol. p. 50. The author was induced to the publication of
this additional volume from the confideration, that as the de-
fcription of fo large a part of the County of Middlesex was
comprised in his former work, and as no hiftory of that
county is extant in any perfect form, an account of the re-
maining parishes mußt of courfe be acceptable. It was an ad-
ditional incitement to his undertaking, that there exifted no
perfect account of the antiquities of the Honour and Palace of
Hampton Court, which form one of the molt prominent fea-
tures, to ufe the writer's own words, of this additional volume.
We did indeed object to the former portion of this elaborate
performance, that it must be tedious to many readers to toil
through many a long page of names, and catalogues of grave-.
ftones, which, though ufeful for the purpofe" of tracing de-
fcents and making genealogies", can certainly be deemed of no
great importance to the cause of literature, and can at best com-
municate but a partial and folitary gratification. We adhere
nevertheless to thofe praifes which we before have communi-
cated with no, feanty hand, and confirm our affertion, that
the diligence, the perfeverance, and the arrangement, which
this work exhibits, prove Mr. Lyfons to be peculiarly qualified
for the province which he has at once illuftrated and adorned.

A defcription will be found, in this volume, of twenty-two parishes; and it is alfo elegantly ornamented by feventeen plates.

The plan obferved is the fame as in the former work, to which this is a neceffary appendix. Each parish by itself is defcribed; the boundaries defined; and hiftorical, biographical, and local anecdotes interspersed.

As the account of Hampton Court forms the most material part of the publication; and as this place, according to Mr. Lyfons, has been hitherto very imperfectly defcribed, we fhall here felect our fpecimen of the method which he has thought proper to obferve. This is more peculiarly entitled to attention, because a great part of it is taken from a manuscript, of which but little has been printed.

"After Cardinal Wolfey became poffeffed of the lease of the manor of Hampton," he bestowed (fays Stow) great coft of building upon

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with rich arras, as all other were, and furnished with tall yeomen to ferve. There were fet tables round about the chamber, banquetwife covered; a cupboord was there garnished with white plate, having alfo in the fame chamber to give the more light, four great plates of filver fet with great lights, and a great fire of wood and coales. The next chamber, being the chamber of prefence, was hanged with very rich arras, and a fumptuous cloth of estate furnished with many goodly gentlemen to ferve the tables, ordered in manner as the other chamber was, faving that the high table was removed beneath the cloth of eftate toward the middeft of the chamber covered. Then there was a cupboord, being as long as the chamber was in breadth, with fix defkes of height, garnyshed with guilt plate, and the nethermost desk was garnyfhed all with gold plate, having with lights one paire of candleflickes of filver and guilt, being curiously wrought, which cost three hundred markes, and ftanding upon the fame, two lights of waxe burning as bigge as torches to fet it forth. This cupboord was barred round about, that no man could come nigh it, for there was none of all this plate touched in this banquet, for there was fufficient befides. The plates that did hang on the walls to give light were of filver and guilt, having in them great pearchers of waxe burning, a great fire burning in the chimney, and all other things neceffary for the furniture of fo noble a fealt. Now was all things in a readinefs, and fupper tyme at hand, the principal officers caufed the trumpetters to blow to warne to fupper: the officers difcreetly went and conducted these noblemen from their chambers into the chambers where they fhould fuppe, and caused them there to fit downe, and that done their fervice came up in fuch abundance both coftly and full of futtleties, and with fuch a pleasant noyse of inftruments of muficke, that the Frenchmen (as it seemed) were rapt into a heavenly paradife. You must understand that my Lord Cardinall was not yet comen thither, but they were merry and pleasant with their fare and devifed futtleties. Before the fecond courfe my Lord came in, booted and spurred, all fodainely amongst them, and bade them proface; at whofe coming there was great joy, with rifing every man from his place, whom my Lord caufed to fit ftill and keep their roumes, and being in his apparell as he rode, called for a chayre and fat down in the middeft of the high paradise, laughing and being as merry as ever I faw hym in all my lyff. Anone came up the fecond courfe, with fo many difhes, futtleties and devises, above a hundred in number, which were of fo goodly proportion and fo coftly, that I thinke the Frenchmen never faw the like, the wonder was no less than it was worthy indeed. There were caftles with images, in the fame Paul's church, for the quantity as well counterfeited as the painter fhould have painted it on a cloth or wall. There were beafts, birds, foules, and perfonages, moft lykely made and counterfeited, fome fighting with fwords, fome with guns and cross-bows, fome vaughting and leaping, fome dauncing with ladies, fome on horfes in complete harneffe, jufting with long and fharpe fpeares, with

"An obfolete French term of falutation, abridged from Bon prou vous face, i. e. much good may it do you. See Cotgrave under the word Prou. The Italians had Profaccia from Buon pro vi faccia."

many

many more devifes. Among all, one I noted was a chefse-boord, made of fpiced plate, with men there of the fame, and for the good proportion, and because the Frenchmen be very cunning and expert in that play, my Lord Cardinall gave the fame to a gentleman of France, commanding there fhould be made a goodly cafe for the prefervation thereof in all haft, that he might convey the fame fafe into his countrey. Then tooke my Lord a bole of golde filled with Ipocraffe, and putting off his cap, faid, I drinke to the King, my Soveraigne Lord, and next unto the King your master, and therewith did dryncke a good draught; and when he had done, he desired the graund maifère s pledge him, cup and all, the which was well worth 500 markes, and To caufed all the boords to pledge these two Royal Princes: then went the cups fo merrily about, that many of the Frenchmen were faine to be led to their beds. Then rofe up my Lord, and went into his privy chamber to pull off his bootes, and to fhift him, and then went he to fupper, and making a very fhort fupper, or rather a repast, returned into the chamber of prefence to the Frenchmen, ufing them fo lovingly and familiarly, that they could not, commend him too much; and whileft they were in communication, and other pastimes, all their liveries were ferved to their chambers; every chamber had a bafon and an ewer of filver, a great liverey pot of filver, and fome guilt; yea, and some chambers had two liverey pots, with wine and beere, a boule, a goblet, and a pot of fylver to drink in, both for their wine and beere; a filver candlefticke both white and plaine, having in it two sizes, and a staffe torche of waxe, a fine manchet, and a cheat loaf. Thus was every chamber furnished through the house; and yet the cupboords in the two banqueting chambers were not touched. Thus when it was more than time convenient, they were conveyed to their lodgings, where they refted that night. In the morning, after they had heard mafs, they dined with the Cardinal), and fo departed to Windfor."

"Henry the Eighth added confiderably to Cardinal Wolfey's buildings, as appears by the preamble to the act for creating the Honour of Hampton Court, which ftates, that it had pleafed the King of late to erect, build, and make a goodly, fumptuous, beautiful, and princely manour, decent and convenient for a King, and to ornate the fame with parks, gardens, and orchards, and other things of great commoditie and pleasure thereto adjoyning, meet and pertinent to his Royal Majefty." In the latter part of his reign it became one of his principal refidences,

"Edward VI. was born at Hampton Court, on the 12th of October, 1537, and his mother, Queen Jane Seymour, died there on the Her corple was conveyed to Windfor by 14th of the fame month. water, where she was buried the 12th of November. On the 8th of August, 1540, Catherine Howard was openly fhewed as Queen at Hampton Court. Catherine Parr was married to the King at this palace, and proclaimed Queen on the 12th of July, 1543: her brother, William Lord Parr, was created Earl of Effex, and her uncle, Sir William Parr, Lord Parr, at Hampton Court on the 24th of December following: the King was then about to keep his Christmas at this place; where, during the holidays, he received Francis Gonzaga, the

Viceroy

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