fined in the borough gaol of Liverpool, on a fictitious charge of debt, for the purpofe of preventing their efcape-that is to fay, of preventing them from availing themfelves of their freedom, and leaving, if they chofe, his fhip. This circumstance having reached the ears of Mr Rofcoe, that diftinguished friend of every thing which touches the interefts of humanity, and, above all, of oppreffed men, inftantly repaired to the fpot, and put in bail for the defendants, as they were called. But this coming to the knowledge of the pretended plaintiff, the Portugueze captain, he attempted a refcue, and tried to take his fuppofed debtors by force out of the prifon. He furrounded the gaol with an armed mob, having first fent an order by his attorney for their release. But the keeper, greatly to his credit, protected the unfortunate men, and told them they might remain where they were, notwithstanding their difcharge had been notified by the perfon at whofe fuit they were arrited. Mr Rofcoe attended a meeting of the Magiftrate and Recorder; when an inquiry took place into the cir cumitances of the cafe; and in confideration of the Portugueze captain having acted from ignorance and evil advice, it was agreed that he fhould only pay cofts, and leave the men unmolefted: Eight of them immediately entered into the King's fervice; and the ninth, from infirmity, was taken on board a private vefic). They were all first-rate feamen; and it was on this account that fuch exertions had been used to retain them in the Portugueze veffel.

The Report concludes with a statement of the funds; which, though they have not rapidly increafed, have nevertheless been fufficient to meet the expenditure of the year. We can only repeat our former wifhes on this head, that an Inflitution deferving fo well of every rational and humane perfon, fhould meet with ample encouragement, and be enabled to extend its difinterested efforts for the improvement and happinefs of mankind.

ART. X. The State Papers and Letters of Sir Ralph Sadler, Knight-Bannerct. Edited by Arthur Clifford, Esq. To which is added, a Memoir of the Life of Sir Ralph Sadler; with Historical Notes, by Walter Scott, Esq. 2 Vol. 4to. Edinburgh, 1809. pp. 1401.

THERE

HERE are few historical documents more interesting than letters of eminent men regarding the affairs in which they were actively engaged. They have this advantage over regular histories, that they make us acquainted with many particulars

which history is too dignified to record; and they also afford nearer and more familiar views both of characres and events. Epistolæ,' says B-con, magis in proximo et magis in proximo et d vivum negotia solent representare, quam vel annales vel viæ.'

The value of such letters, however, must greatly depend up on the times and airs to which they relate, and the talents and functions of their writers. In these respects, the letters before us have very considerable claims to attention. The times in which Sadler ved were fruitful of great events; the transactions in which he was engaged were important; and he was himself greatly distinguished both among the wise and the brave.

Of this eminent person we are here presented with a biographical account, from the distinguished pen of Mr Scott, who also appears in the character of annotator upon his correspondence. And of this account it is necessary, for the sake of understanding the letters, that we should begin by taking some notice.

He was born at Hackney, in Middlesex, in the year 1507, From his father, who, though a genleman by birth, served a nobleman in the capacity of steward, he acquired, what in that age was not very common, a talent for keeping accounts; and, having been fortunately introduced to the family of Cromwell Earl of Essex, was made secretary to that nobleman during the period of his favour with Henry the Eighth. In this situation, he was fortunate enough to attract the notice of the King, by the thinges which he writ touchinge matters of state;' and was accordingly taken into his service, where he was successively promoted to be cierk of the hamper, gentleman of the privy chamber, and secretary of state. His emoluments kept pace with his honours; for he appears to have shared largely in those ecclesiastical spoils which his master seized alongst with the supremacy.

. During the course of these preferments, the talents of Sadler were frequently employed to promote Henry's views in Scotland; and the experience which he acquired in its affairs under that mo ṇarch, recommended him to similar negotiations under his successors. His first mission was in 1537, his second in 1539, and his third in 1541. On all these occasions, his object was to endeavour to detach King James V from his connexion with France; and, in this object, it is known he was uniformly unsuccessful.

Of the disastrous events which followed in Scotland, it is not necessary for us to inform our readers. The untimely death of James opened the way to a new and important proposal on the part of Henry. Its object was to provide for the union of the two. crowns, by a treaty of marriage between his son Edward, and the infant daughter of the deceased monarch; and Sadler was again, employed, in 1549, to conduct this memorable negociation. He

performed

performed his part with equal prudence and skill; but the vio lence of Henry, the intrigues of the queen-mother, and the distractions and national hostility of the Scots, concurred to defeat the proposed alliance. The worthy ambassador seems to have been very ill at his ease during this residence; and, after concluding a treaty, which was almost immediately broken, was obliged to repair for safety to the castle of Tantallon, from whence he departed for England, extremely well pleased to get rid of a people whom he describes as more malicious than the Turk. I. p. 346.

When the Protector Somerset invaded Scotland in 1547, Sadler accompanied him as treasurer-general to the army; and greatly distinguished himself, both for valour and conduct, in the memorable battle of Pinkie. He rallied the English cavalry, when about to be routed by the Scotish spearmen; and, as tradition goes, seized, with his own hand, the royal standard of Scotland. For these services he was made a knight-banneret on the field of

battle.

The rank,' says Mr Scott, whom the lovers of chivalry will be glad to hear on this subject, to which he was thus raised, may be called the very pinnacle of chivalry. Knight-bannerets could only be created by the King himself, or, which was very rare, by a general vested with such powers as to represent his person. They were dubbed before or after a battle, in which the royal tandard was displayed; and the person so to be honoured being brought before the King, led by two distinguished knights or nobles, presented to the Sovereign his pennon, having an indenture like a swallow's tail at the extremity. The King then cut off the fished extremity, rendering the banner square, in shape similar to that of a baron, which, thereafter, the knight-banneret might display in every pitched field, in that more noble form. If created by the King, the banneret took precedence of all other knights; but, if by a general, only of Knights of the Bath and Knights Bachelors. Sir Francis Brian, commander of the light horsemen,, and Sir Ralph Vane, lieutenant of the men at-arms, received this honour with our Sir Ralph Sadler, on the field of Pinkie. But he survived his companions; and is said to have been the last knight-banneret of England. Vol. I. p. 20-1.

During the odious reign of Mary, Sadler lived in retirement; but, on the accession of Elizabeth, he again appeared at courtwas admitted into her favour-and employed in her service all the rest of his life. The state of affairs in Scotland, at this time,' occasioned a new call for his services in that country. The Protestants had lately taken arms against Mary of Guise the Queenregent, and her French auxiliaries; and applied to Elizabeth for assistance. Their application was favourably listened to; and Sadler was despatched to Senland, under colour of a commission

to adjust some Border disputes, but in reality for the purpose of privately negotiating with the Reformers, and stimulating their resistance with supplies of money. When it was at last deter mined to assist them with an army, he was associated with the Duke of Norfolk to conclude a formal treaty preparatory to its march; and, having afterwards joined this army before Leith, as sisted at the famous treaty concluded at Edinburgh in July 1560. Some time after this, he was made chancellor of the dutchy of Lancaster; and, still advancing in power, was, in 1568, chosen one of the commissioners whom Elizabeth appointed to sit is judgment at York, upon the charges against the fugitive Queen of Scotland. He was also one of the commission which afterwards sat at Westminster for the same purpose: and it is sufficiently remarkable, that Mary was thus arraigned before the very man who, twenty-five years before, had employed all his address to obtain her as a Queen for England, and who offered to bestow Elizabeth, by whom she was now held captive, upon the son of the Scotish regent, in order to obtain her father's acquiescence in that proposal.

The rebellion of the Earls of Westmoreland and Northumberland, in the following year, again called Sadler into the field, a treasurer to the army. In 1571, he was appointed, with others, to examine into the treasons of his former coadjutor the Duke of Norfolk; and we find, from a letter in Murdin's Collection, that it was to him the Duke entrusted the deliverance of the 'har-tie, repentable, and pitiful lamentation,' by which he sought to move Elizabeth to clemency. In this collection, we also find two curious letters, written by Sadler in 1573, about a most false and sedicious boke,' which he transmitted, in great pertur bation, to the council, wishing that he were also able to send the wicked aucthor. We are not learned enough to know any thing of the boke,' which so much alarmed the old statesman; and Mr Scott gives us no assistance.

The Earl of Shrewsbury having, in 1584, been permitted to resign his charge of guarding the Queen of Scotland, that trust was for some time devolved upon Sir Ralph Sadler. He soon became disgusted with a situation which the unceasing suspicions of his Sovereign made both irksome and dangerous; and, after many lowly solicitations, was, in the beginning of 1585, allowed to transfer his unhappy captive to her last and harshest keepers. In 1587, after the axe of the executioner had at length freed Elizabeth of her hated rival, the hoary Sadler was once more sent to Scotland, fifty years after his first mission to that

country,

country, in order, says Mr Scott, to assist in dissuading James from taking any measures to avenge the death of his mother.' He died soon after his return, in the eightieth year of a life occupied to its utmost day in affairs of state; and, together with the honours of his name, bequeathed to his family a greater portion of wealth than any commoner of England could then boast of possessing.

Some of Sadler's panegyrists have quaintly contrasted the littleness of his person with the greatness of his performances.' Little as he was, however, he appears to have been a great proficient in the chivalrous exercises of his time; bold in the fieldand, in the conduct of public affairs, not less prudent than skilful. In parliament he spoke with clearness and strength, but always on the side of the court. He was in all respects, indeed, a very prudent and prosperous person. He saw,' says Lloyd, the interest of the state altered six times—and died an honest man, the crown put upon four heads-yet he continued a faithful subject; religion changed, as to the public constitution of it, five times yet he kept the faith."

་

Besides his great fortune, we learn from the same quaint biographer, that Sir Ralph bequeathed three thinges to his descendants; 1st, All letters that concerned him since of years, filed: 2d, All occurrences since he was capable of observation, registered: 3d, All expences since he lived of himself, booked. His descendants, we trust, have been more careful of his real, than of his literary property. For the second, and most valuable of these records, it seems, is irrecoverably lost; and of the first, all the original letters that concerned his three first embassies to Scotland (the greater part of which have been previously published) have somehow escaped from the family repository; while we have reason to think that the remainder is far more imperfect than it was in the days of its author.--Of the present collection, however, such as it is, it is now proper that we should give our readers some account. It consists of four separate sets of letters, relating almost entirely to the affairs of Scotland. The first, on the negotiation for disuniting that kingdom from France, and for the family alliance with England; the second, on the Scotish reformation; the third, on the rebellion in the north of England in 1569; and the last on the subject of Queen Mary.

I. The letters relative to the negotiations in 1539-40, and those in 1543, occupy about 350 pages of the first volume; but as the whole of these were published at Edinburgh, so far back as 1720, and have been repeatedly scrutinized by all our ablest historians,

Fuller's Wortbies, art. Saller.