ORIGIN OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND. 329 The company was enabled by this act to purchase lands &c. unlimitedly, and to enjoy the other ufual powers of corporations, and their stock was to be transferrable. They were reftricted from borrowing more than 1,200,000l. except on parliament funds, and from trading in any merchandize, except in bills of exchange, and in bullion, and in the fale of such goods as were the produce of lands purchafed by the corporation; and all bills obligatory under the feal of the faid corporation were made affignable by indorsement. The charter of incorporation was executed in July 1694, which directs that there be a governor, deputygovernor, and 24 directors; and specifies the qualifications of voters, and of directors, together with other regulations which have been further amended and enlarged by fubfequent ftatutes. The bufiness of the Bank is for the most part that of dealing in bullion of gold and filver, difcounting bills, advancing money to the public on the credit of acts of parliament, circulating their own notes, &c. and Exchequer bills for the government; befides the management of those funds which are immediately under its care, and which constitute a principal part of the national debt. The confiderable wealth of this establishment, the punctuality of its offices, and the admirable regularity observed in every part, have defervedly gained and retained the confidence of the nation. The chief of thefe offices is the head cafhier's, which has been fo long fupported by the gentleman of whom we have spoken, and which, in confequence, has rendered his name fo popular and BE LOVED. Curious FACTS and ANECDOTES. Ir is to the luxury of the old Romans that we owe many of the delicacies that now abound in Europe. Lucullus, VOL. I. No. 7. U u when when he returned from the Mithridatic war, introduced cherries the first time into Italy, from Cerafus, a city near Sinope, on the Euxine fea. There were alfo brought into Italy, about this period, many other curiofities of fruits, flowers, and plants, from Greece, Afia, and Africa; apricots from Epirus, peaches from Perfia, the finest forts of plumbs from Damafcus and Armenia, pears and figs from Greece and Egypt, citrons from Media, and pomegranates from Carthage. All these were foon brought to perfection in Italy. Turkey or Guinea cocks were brought first into England in the 15th of Henry VIII. It was much about the fame. time that pippins were brought from beyond fea by Leonard Mafcall of Plumfted in Suffex. In 1578 apricots were brought from Italy; and that country alfo gave England melon feeds in the reign of James I. About the fame period, the large fine pale gooseberry was brought from Flanders, with fallads and cabbages. It was not till the æra of the Restoration that afparagus, artichokes, lemons, oranges, and cauliflowers, were known in England. It is fomewhat remarkable, that Queen Elizabeth was the first person in England who wore filk stockings. They were prefented to her by a Mrs. Montague; and thenceforth, fays Dr. Howell, fhe never wore cloth ones any more. The art of knitting filk stockings by wires or needles was first practifed in Spain; and 28 years after it had been imported into England, Mr. Lee of Cambridge invented the engine or steel loom, called the stocking-frame, by means of which England was enabled to export great quantities of filk ftockings to Italy and other parts. Mr. Lee taught his art in England and France, and his fervants did the fame in Spain, Venice, and Ireland. The use of coaches was introduced into England by Fitz-Alan, Earl of Arundel, A. D. 1580. At first, they were drawn by two horfes only. It was Buckingham, the favourite, COACHES FIRST USED IN ENGLAND, &c. 331 favourite, who (about 1619) began to have them drawn by fix horfes, which, as an old hiftorian fays, "was wondered at as a novelty, and imputed to him as a maftering pride." Before that time, ladies chiefly rode on horseback, either fingle, on their palfreys, or double, behind fome perfon, on a pillion. In the reign of Edward III. the Lord Chief Juftice of the King's Bench had a falary of no more than 661. 13s. 4d. per annum; and the ordinary judges of that Bench, and of the Common Pleas, had only 401. each per annum. The annual allowance of Henry IV.'s confeffor was higher. It was 69l. 10s. 6d. It was in the year 1573, Queen Elizabeth created the Earl of Shrewsbury, Earl Marshal of England during life, with a falary of only 20l. per annum. Her secretary for the French tongue, Thomas Edmonds, Efq. was treated more generously. His falary was 661. 13s. 4d. and the fame with that of the Chief Juftice. A fhort time after King James I. came to the throne of England, he took it in his head one day to go and hear causes in Westminster-hall, in order to fhew his great learning and wisdom. Accordingly, being feated on the bench, a cause came on, which the counsel, learned in the law, fet forth to fuch advantage, on the part of the plaintiff, that the fagacity of the Royal Judge foon faw the juftice of it fo clearly, that he frequently cried out, "I'fe ken the matter unco weel! The gude mon is i' the reeght! the gude mon is i' the reeght! He mun ha' it! he mun ha' it!" The Plaintiff's counsel having ended, his Majefty was for determining the caufe immediately, and was much offended, after fo plain a state of the matter, that the Judges of the Court fhould defire him to hear both parties before he paffed judgment. At length, curiofity to know what could be faid in fuch a cafe, rather than any refpect to the rules of the Court, made him defer his decifion; but the Defen dant's counsel had fcarce began to open their caufe, when his facred Majefty appeared greatly discompofed, and was fo puzzled as they proceeded, that he had no patience to hear them out, but starting up in a paffion, cried, "I'íe hear na mair: ye're au knaves aleeke! Ye gi' each other the lee, and neither's i' the reeght." C.C. F Account of the ever-memorable and Extraordinary Confpiro, called the GUNPOWDER PLOT, with fome Curious Partculars of thofe Wonderful Characters, who had planned, but happily failed in, the Execution of this furprizing Scheme. Of all the astonishing events in English history, that of the Gunpowder Plot, which took place in the reign of King James I. (1604-5), is scarcely to be paralleled; whether we confider the inftruments, the means employed, or the end propofed, it is doubtlefs one of thofe infernal fchem which no one could fuppofe human nature, in its most depraved ftate, could either devise or execute. This memo rable confpiracy contains at once a fingular proof both of the strength and weaknefs of the human mind, its widef departure from morals, and most steady attachment to religious prejudices. The papifts had expected great favou and indulgence upon the acceffion of James, the fon Mary Stuart; but when they found that he ftrictly executed the laws enacted against them, and perfevered in all the ftifled vigorous measures of Elizabeth, furprife and rage the foft dictates of humanity, and in the bafe thoughts of revenge, they forgot the real duties of Chriftianity. Robert Catesby, of Ashley, in the county of Leicester, gentleman of good property and eftimation, and fo falc nating in his manner as to poffefs every one who knew him with a moft extravagant liking of his company, Cated ACCOUNT OF THE CONSPIRATORS. 333 tated a most surprising method of revenge, and communi cated his intentions to Thomas Piercy, a defcendant of the illustrious house of Northumberland, and his most particular and intimate friend. Piercy, in a fally of paffion, propofed affaffinating the king, on which Catesby took the opportunity of revealing to him a more fecure and extenfive plan of treafon. "In vain," cried he, "would you put an end to the king's life: his children would fucceed both to his crown, and to his maxims of government. In vain would you extinguish the whole royal family, the nobility, the gentry, the parliament, are all infected with the fame herefy. To answer any good purpose, we must at one blow deftroy the king, the royal family, the lords, the commons, and involve all our enemies in one common ruin. Happily, they will be affembled on the first meeting of Pa:liament, and afford us an opportunity of a glorious revenge. A few of us may run a line below the hall in which they meet, and chufing the very moment when the king makes his fpeech to both houfes, confign over to destruction thofe determined foes to all piety and religion; while the impious inhabitants, meditating perhaps new perfecutions against us, fhall pafs from flames above to flames below, there for ever to endure torments due to their crimes. The glorious catastrophe may easily be laid at the door of the puritans." This fpeech had the defired effect, Piercy was charmed with the project, and it was agreed between Catelby and Piercy to intimate this fcheme to a few other chofen friends, particularly to John Wright, one of the first persons to whom Catesby entrusted the fecret, and to Thomas Winter, a difcontented Catholic, who had thoughts of quitting England for ever, and had retired himself to his brother's houfe, in the country, till fuch time as a convenient opportunity should offer for that purpose. He was twice fent for by Catesby to come with all poffible speed to London. |