The following alludes to a singular custom formerly observed by the Lord Mayor of London, but which, I presume is now omitted. Every Lord Mayor gave, in the course of bis Alayoralty, “a gilded spoon to most of his Company, and at a solemne feast each guest gives him 4 or 5l. or more towards his charge.

EPIG. 22.

TO A PARDON BUYER.

The Pope gives thee a sweeping indulgence,
Bụt thou must give him good store of thy pence:
So my Lord Mayor gives spoons all guilded oer,
Receives for each foure or five pounds therefore.

The City now makes a large allowance, as inuch, I believe, as 80001. to each Lord Mayor, for the maintenance of his state and dignity,

EPIG. 35.

TO SIR PIERCE PENNY-LESSE.

Though little coyne thy purse-lesse pocket lyne,
Yet with great company thou art ta’en up,
For often with Duke Humphrey thou dost dyne,
And often with Sir Thomas Gresham sup.

Note on the above,

“He walks out his dinner in Paules, and his supper in the Exchange.”

The

K 3

u. The aisles of St. Pauls Church were then the fashionable City walk.

EPIG. 46.

POPERIES PRINCIPAL ABSURDITIES,

Of all the hoodwinkt trickes in Popery,
This is the lamentablest foppery,
When God is made to speake and to command
Men in a tongue they doe not understand,
And men commanded are to sing and pray
To such fond things as know not what they say;
And these men having madly, sadly prayd,
Themselves doe not know what themselves have said.

Note on the above.

“ In Papisticall Churches they both read the Scripture, and sing and pray to images, and all in Lattaine."

One more specimen may suffice,

EPIG. 114.

10 MY HONEST BED-FELLOW, THC PRIVATLY

CHARITABLE DISCREETLY BENEFICIAL MASTER
EDWARD PAYNE, MERCHANT OF BRISTOLL.

Piein is Greeke to drinke, Pain French fur bread,
With Paine God says with these we shall be fed,
Yet without Payne many these needfulls gaine,
Only by thanking God and Master Payne.

JOHN

JOHN HEATH.

THE following rare Tract will conclude my Selection of this kind :

Two CENTURIES OF EPIGRAMMES. Written by John Heath; Bachelour of Arts, and Fellow of New Colledge, in Oxford.

London. Printed by John Windet. 1610.”

These Epigrams are incribed “To the Vertuous Gentleman, M. Thomas Bilson, sole Sonne to that Reverend Father, the now L. Bishop of Winchester.”

The following complimentary lines to the Author deserve preservation :

Jocos, delitias, sales, lepores
Salsos, imocuos, graves, pudicos,
Vis libro pariter videre in uno ?
Heathi centurias legas, legendo
Jocos, delitias, sales, lepores,
Salsos, innocuos, graves, pudicos,
In libro pariter videbis uno.

Casta placent ? castus liber iste. Jocoso i jocosus.

Innocua ? invenies. Relligiosa ? dabit.
Oh quot habes ipsis Musis et Apolline digna !

Ob quam multiplices, parve libelle, sales !

EPIG. 9.

IN LIBRUM $ UUM.

My booke it must please all, or some, or none,
And one of these three it needs must embrace,
It cannot possible please every one;
And for ta please none thats a maine disgrace,
Yet for my will, what ere of it become,
I rather would, it should please noņe than some,

EPIG, 5.

It must be questioned in philosophy,
Whether the sight thats resiant in the eye,
Be first by sending out these radiant streames,
Or els by taking in reflexed beames.
Might I, with my poore skill, resolve the doubt,
I should determine 'twere by sending out.
So nimbly doe we others faults discrie,
So blind we are wlien we looke inwardly.

T. DECKER,

THE Dramatic Works of this Author have been meutioned in their place. This Tract, the description of which follows, is curious in itself, and of such rarity as to merit a place here.

The reader will find some account of it in the Prolegomena to Steevens's edition of Shakspeare. That Critic has given as a specimen, the chapter which instructs a Gallant how to behave himself in a Playhouse.

The following is the Title ;

Printed at London, for R: S. 1609."

The reader will, I hope, be entertained with the following chapter, which instructs, a Gallant “ how to behave himselfe in an Ordinary.”

CHIAP. 5. How a Yong Gallant should behave himselle ist

an Ordinary. First having diligently enquired out an ordipary of the largest reckoning, whither most of