most profitable for all Warriners and such as delyght in this kind of Sport and Pastime. Made by L. M.

London. Printed by John Wolfe, and are to be solde by Edward White, dwelling at the Little North Dore of Paules, at the Signe of the Gunne. 1590."

This curious Tract is in black letter, but appears to want something at the end.

7 "A SHORT TREATISE OF HUNTING.

Compyled for the Delight of Noblemen and Gentlemen, by Sir Thomas Cockaine, Knight. Imprinted at London, by Thomas Orwin, for Thomas Woodcocke, dwelling in Paules Church Yard, at the Signe of the Black Beare. 1591."

This Tract has a hound engraved on wood in the title page. It is inscribed by the Author "To the Right Honorable and my singular good Lord, the Earle of Shrewsburie."

8. "AN APPROVED TREATISE OF HAWKES AND HAWKING.

Divided into Three Bookes.

The first teacheth how to make a shortwinged Hawke good, with good conditions.

The second how to reclaime a Hawke from any ill condition.

The third teacheth Cures for all known Griefes and Diseases.

By Edmund Bert, Gentleman.

London. Printed by T. S. for Richard Moore, and are to be sold at his shop, in S. Dunstans Church Yard. 1619."

This Tract is inscribed

"To the Right Honourable Henry, Earle of Oxenford, Viscount Bulbecke, Lord Sanford and Scales, and Lord Great Chamberlaine of England."

9. "THE VAULTING MASTER.

Or the Art of Vaulting reduced to a Method comprized under certaine Rules, illustrated by Examples, and now primarily set forth by Will. Stokes.

Zenoph. de magisterio equitum.

Juniores persuadendi sunt ut in equos insilire discant: tandem vero jure meraberis si quem adhibueris magistrum seu præceptorem.

Printed for Richard Davis in Oxon. 1652."

To this singular and curious Tract, a head of the Author, by Glover, is prefixed, which is not in the Cracherode collection.

Beneath the portrait are these lines:

Ingeniosa tibi VIVAM manus edidit UMBRAM,
VERUM HOMINEM MOTUS te probat esse tuus.
Sed tam motu agili, tanta vertiginis arte,
Extemplo specium te per utrumque rotas.
Corpore sub ficto mihi SPIRITUS esse videris,
Aut corpus CHYMICA SPIRITUALE manu.
Nullam sentit equus MOLEM tuus, impiger omnes
Pervolitas partes nec mora pondus habes.

This gentleman and his book seem to have been the prototypes of Mr. Astley and his performances at Westminster Bridge. He is represented as leaping over three horses, and as performing various acts of equestrian skill and activity.

His book is inscribed

"To the truly noble Gentleman,

Mr. Henry Percy,

Master of the Horse to the Prince his Highnesse."

THE KING'S PAMPHLETS.

THE British Museum can hardly be said to possess any literary treasures of greater curiosity and value than this collection of Tracts, usually designated by the name of the King's Pamphlets. . I find the following account of them in a paper annexed to the first folio volume of the manuscript index, which seems to have been printed with a view of promoting their sale at some subsequent period.

"A Complete Collection of Books and Pamphlets Begun in the year 1640 by the special command of King Charles I. of blessed memory, and continued to the happy Restauration of the Government, and the Coronation of King Charles II.

There hath been very much money disbursed, and great pains taken, and many hazards run in making an exact collection of all the Pamphlets that were published from the beginning of that long and rebel-parliament which began Novemb. 1640, till his late Majesties happy Restauration and Coronation, consisting of near thirty thousand several sorts, and by all parties.

They may be of very great use to any gentleman concerned in publick affairs, both for this present and after ages, there being not the like

in the world, neither is it possible to make such a collection.

The collection contains above two thousand bound volumes, all of them uniformly bound, as if they were done at one time, and all exactly marked and numbered.

The method that has been observed, as time and such punctual care was taken, that the very day, is written upon most of them when they

came out.

The catalogue of them, fairly written, is in twelve volumes in folio, and though the number of them be so great, (when the books are set in their order, according to the mark set upon each of them) the smallest piece, though but one sheet of paper, being shewn in the catalogue, may be found in a moment; which method is of singular use to the reader.

In the whole are contained near one hundred several MS. pieces that were never printed, all or most of them on the King's behalf, which no man durst then venture to publish without endangering his ruine. But the peruser now may, by them, be let into the knowledge of many occurrences in those times, which have passed hitherto unobserved.

This collection was so privately carried on, that it was never known that there was such a

* Sic.