the King's Records, and in the Coucher books of monasteries; yet still ventring not far from the shore. At last waxing more able through use, I tooke heart to put forth and dive into the deep among the mere Saxon monuments of my worthily respected kinsman Sir H. Spelman, my honourable friend Sir Rob. Cotton, and of our Libraries in Cambridge. So far about went I for a guide, who now (thanks be to God) am able to lead others a neerer way. There also I found, well recorded, Í all manner of humane learning, which I leave for others, or for another time, but I could not so pass by these ancient testimonies of the religion of this land.”*

According to the account which L'Isle gives in his preface, he had intended the publication of other Saxon works. In one place, after stating what he had already done, he adds, "As I mean to do, ere long, (if it may be accepted,) a part of the Bible which our Saxon ancestors left us in their own tongue." And elsewhere, after telling us what "good Master. Fox" had already set forth, (the Saxon Gospels,)" by the grace of God I meane, ere long, to let the world know what is more remaining, as more I have seene, both in our Universitie Libraries, and that of Sir Robert Cotton." In another place we are told, "we lacke but a Grammar, which our Saxon ancestors neglected not, as appears by that of this Ælfricus, yet extant in many faire-written copies. The like if we had for the language of our time, it would give us occasion, either in wording or sentensing, the principall parts thereof, to looke backe a little into this outworne dialect of our forebeers; which England hath kept best in writing, Scotland in speech. I speake not, I wish not this to the end we should again call this old garbe into use; but to holde where we are, without borrowing when we need not; and that, whoso will, may the more easily come to the understanding these so venerable handwritings and monuments of our owne antiquity, without which we can neither know well our laws, nor oure histories, nor our owne names, nor the names of places,

# Preface to Treatise on the Old and New Testament, 1623.

† Ibid.

and bound markes of our country, so fitly given by the Saxon."*

The works promised by L'Isle he never lived to publish. But it would appear from a MS. in the Bodleian Library, that he had prepared for publication "The Saxon English Remains of the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Job, and other portions of the Old Testament of the version of Abbot Ælfric," which he had accompanied with an English translation.† He also prepared for the press another work, which received the imprimatur of the licenser of the Cambridge press, and, according to some, a copy of it was printed. This work was the "Saxon English Psalter, to preserve the memory of our mother Church and Language, and to further the study of our Antiquities and Lawes; out of MSS. most anciently remaining still in the University Library, and that of Trinity and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge: Taken and fitted with the phrase of our time, not as a new English translation, but as the oldest of all, to th' aforesaid end, received and made known by W. L., late of the King's, there." To this were added, "Certain Prayers of the Saxon times, taken out of the Nune's Rules of St. James' Order, in Benet College Library."‡ In the year 1638 appeared (as is supposed) a second impression of the "Treatise on the Old and New Testament," with the title, "Divers Ancient Monuments in the Saxon Tongue," &c.; but, from a careful collation of the two works, it will be evident that the edition of 1638 has merely a new titlepage.§

The labours of L'Isle seem again to have revived the study of the Saxon tongue amongst us. We have seen with what patient industry he set about, and the circuitous route by

* L'Isle's Preface.

† MS. in Bib. Bodl. Laud. E. 33. 100.

Ibid. D. 85. Wanley, 100, 101.

Wanley, Cat. Anglo-Saxon MSS.

L'Isle also published a translation of Du Bartas in four books 4to, 1637. And many years afterwards appeared "A History of some parts of the Bible, with Meditations and Prayers in Verse," said to be by him, 4to, 1658. As he died in 1637, he could not have been employed by Archbishop Parker to edit and publish Saxon monuments, which has recently so often been asserted.

which he gained, a sufficing knowledge of it. But whoever acquired a knowledge of that language at the period of which we are writing, must have adopted a similar plan, as we find in the case of Sir Henry Spelman, who did not learn Saxon until a late period of life. We are informed by his biographer, that, "finding many of our laws since the Conquest, and that many obsolete terms in our Latin historians, were Saxon, he despaired of accomplishing his work (the Glossary) for want of understanding the language." And again, "The language at that time was not to be learnt without great difficulty. Little assistance was to be expected from conversation in a study which few people in that age regarded. Nor had he the directions either of grammar or dictionary, as we are at this day accommodated with both, very accurate in their kinds.* However, he set in earnest about it, and though, I think, he never thoroughly conquered it, yet (under so many inconveniences) it is a greater wonder that he attained so good a knowledge, than that he did not make himself an absolute master of it." And, speaking of the reasons which led him to found the Saxon lecture at Cambridge, his biographer continues:-"The revival of the old Saxon tongue ought to be reckoned a good piece of service to the study of Antiquities. He had found the excellent use of that language in the whole course of his studies, and much lamented the neglect of it, both at home and abroad; which was so general that he did not then know one man in the world who perfectly understood it. • Paulatim (says he) ita exhalavit animam nobile illud majorum nostrorum et pervetustum idioma; ut in universo (quod sciam) orbe, ne unus hodie reperiatur, qui hoc scite perfecteve calleat; pauci quidem qui vel exoletas literas usquequaque noverint.' Hereupon he settled a Saxon lecture in the University of Cambridge, allowing L.20 per annum to Mr. Abraham Whelock, who tells us, (Ded. ad Thom. Adamsium ante Bedam,) that, upon his advice and encouragement, he spent

Alluding to Hickes's Grammar and Somner's Dictionary.

† Bishop Gibson's Life of Sir H. Spelman, prefixed to his Collection of Spelman's English Works.

the best part of seven years in the study of that language. This stipend was intended to be made perpetual, but both he and his eldest son dying in the compass of two years, and the civil wars breaking out, and their estates also being sequestered, the family became incapable of accomplishing that design. Nor, indeed, was that a time for settlements of this kind, when such a storm threatened the Universities, and the revenues which belonged to them.”*

After he had acquired a tolerable knowledge of Saxon, he commenced the publication of his Glossary. One or two sheets were printed off as a specimen, and, receiving the approbation and encouragement of his literary friends, he proceeded in the work. Although not immediately connected with our subject, the history of this book satisfactorily shows that very little encouragement was given to such studies at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Having prepared the first part of his Glossary, "he offered the whole copy to Mr. Bill, the King's printer, desiring in return only L.5 in consideration of his labour, and that in books." But the bookseller declined the offer, "knowing it to be upon a subject out of the common road, and not likely to prove a saleable work." Sir Henry therefore published it at his own cost; and, eleven years after this, we learn that the greater part of the impression of the first part (extending from A to L)

* Gibson's Life of Sir H. Spelman, prefixed to his English Works, Ed. 1723. "Through the kindness of our registrary, the Rev. Jos. Romilly," says Mr. Kemble, "I am enabled to give the following account of the manner in which this lecture was meant to be established. The Vice-Chancellor and the Master of Trinity were to have presented Mr. A. Whelock to the vicarage, etc. of Middleton, which was to be conveyed to them by Sir H. Spelman in trust for that purpose. This vicarage was always to be in the gift of the two trustees, who, upon a vacancy, were to present their vicar to Sir Henry's descendant, and, if he neglected to admit the presentee within four months, the Bishop was to do it for him. The vicar was to deliver annually two lectures-one on Saxon Learning, the other on the Old Church History and Creed of England. Sir H. Spelman's letter to Whelock, dated 1640, states, that the Bishop of Ely and the Archbishop of Armagh had warmly espoused the scheme. Together with this letter is a draught of the conveyance intended. But the whole matter seems to have had no result, for our records say nothing of any grace on the subject: and probably the allowance mentioned above by Bishop Gibson was afterwards made by Sir Henry, on failure of his original plan." -Kemble's Letter in Michel's Bibliotheque AngloSaxonne, 9, 10.

remained unsold, till, in 1637, two booksellers took it off his hands. But this discouragement did not relax his labours, and, as if foreseeing the value with which posterity would view them, he continued amassing materials for illustrating the civil and ecclesiastical history of his country. In 1639, the first volume of his Collection of English Councils, embracing the period from the planting of Christianity to the Norman Conquest, was published. He had also made collections for continuing the work from that epoch to the time of Henry VIII., and which, in a second volume, with additions by Stephens and Sir W. Dugdale, were published under the superintendence of the latter in 1664. A third volume, continuing it to his own time, was originally intended.

It appears from Gibson's Life that we owe to Sir Henry Spelman the original suggestion of the "Monasticon Anglicanum," and that he furnished a part of the materials for that work. "He was also a great favourer of Sir W. Dugdale, who had been introduced to him by Sir Simon Archer. At that time Mr. Dodsworth (who was greatly assisted by Sir Henry) had got together a vast collection of records relating to the foundation of the monasteries in the Northern part of the kingdom. Sir Henry thought these might be improved into a Monasticon Anglicanum, and, lest the design should miscarry by Mr. Dodsworth's death, he prevailed upon Mr. Dugdale to join him in so commendable a work, promising to communicate his transcripts of Foundation Charters belonging to several monasteries in Norfolk and Suffolk. For his further encouragement, he recommended him to Thomas, Earl of Arundel, then Earl Marshal of England, as a person well qualified to serve the King in the Office of Arms. Accordingly, upon his character of him (seconded by the importunity of Sir Christopher Hatton) he was settled in the Herald's Office, which gave him an opportunity to fix in London, and from the many assistances there, to compile the laborious volumes which he afterwards published."† Such

* Gibson's Life of Spelman, prefixed to his English Works. † Ibid.