and received of him the sum of twenty shillings; that his wife saw Ratford again after the sickness, and a se cond time after the Duke and Duchess of Albemarle were dead. A woman swore, that she saw him on the day his wife (then called Duchess of Albemarle) was put into her coffin, which was after the death of the Duke, her second husband, who died Jan. 3, 1669-70, And a third witness swore, that he saw Ratford about July, 1660. In opposition to this evidence it was alleged, that all along, during the lives of Duke George and Duke Christopher, this matter was never questioned, that the latter was universally received as only son of the former'-and that this matter had been thrice before tried at the bar of the King's Bench, and the defendant had had three verdicts.' · A witness swore, that he owed Ratford five or six pounds, which he never demanded ;'-and a man who had 'married à cousin of the Duke of Albemarle, had been told by his wife, that Ratford died five or six years before the Duke married.' Lord Chief Justice Holt told the Jury, if you are certain that Duke Christopher was born while Thomas Ratford was living, you must find for the plaintiff. If you believe he was born after Ratford was dead, or that nothing appears what became of him after Duke George married his wife, you must find for the defendant.-A verdict was given for the defendant, who was only son to Sir Thomas Clarges, Knight, brother to the illustrious Duchess in question, who was created a Baronet, October 30, 1674, and was ancestor to the baronets of his name." Both the Dukes of Albemarle were interred in Henry the Seventh's Chapel, in Westminster Abbey, new vault," near the tomb of Queen Elizas in a beth, in the north aisle : but their monuments (erected in pursuance of the will of Duke Christopher,) stands against the back of the stalls, at the east end of the south aisle. It is composed of white and dove coloured marbles; but though designed by Kent, and executed by Scheemakers, it possesses little merit. From an elevated basement, or pedestal, projecting circularly, rises a lofty rostral column, surmounted by the arms, supporters, and coronet of the deceased. This column is turned to the spectator nearly in a line with the diagonal of its capital, so that the prows of the Roman vessels, which appear to intersect the shaft, are shewn in full relief. On the left of the column, is an upright statue of General Monck, the first Duke, in plate armour, but without a helmet. A long cloak hangs loosely from his shoulders, and in his right hand is a baton; he wears a cravat of point lace, and, below it, the Collar of the Order of the Garter. On the right is a mourning female, sitting, and leaning upon an oval medallion of Duke Christopher, who is also distinguished by a pendant George. The accessory ornaments are military weapons, grouped; and palm-branches entwined by a riband. An inscription, on the lower part of the base, records the names of the executors, but there is no epitaph for either of the Dukes. THE BOOK OF SPORTS. This is the appellation usually bestowed on a Proclamation of Charles the First, reciting a former Proclamation of King James, his father, for permitting his subjects to have their accustomed lawful Recreations on Sundays and Holidays, which the Precisians and Puritans of the day were then endeavouring to suppress. The great change that our National manners has undergone since the period of the Reformation, is scarcely in any thing more apparent than in our present mode of keeping the Sabbath, and it will excite surprise in many, to be made acquainted with the Sports formerly allowed, even by our Protestant Kings, to be exercised on that day. The causes for this permission are stated in the Proclamation. "By the King. "Our dear Father, of blessed memory, in his return from Scotland, coming thro' Lancashire, found that his subjects were debarred from lawful Recreations upon Sundays, after Evening-prayers ended, and upon Holydays; And he prudently considered, that if these Times were taken from them, the meaner sort, who labour hard all the week, should have no Recreations at all to refresh their spirits. And after his return, he further saw, that his Loyal Subjects in all other parts of his Kingdom, did suffer in the same kind, tho' perhaps not in the same degree; and did therefore in his Princely Wisdom, publish a Declaration to all his loving Subjects, concerning Lawful Sports to be used at such times, which was printed and published by his Royal Commandment, in the year 1618, in the Tenour which hereafter followeth, "By the King. "Whereas vpon Our returne the last yeere out of Scot land, Wee did publish Our pleasure touching the recreations of Our people in those parts vnder Our hand: For some causes Us thereunto moouing, We have thought good to command these Our directions then giuen in Lancashire with a few words thereunto added, and most applicable to these parts of Our Realmes, to be published to all Our Subjects. "Whereas We did iustly, in Our Progresse through Lancashire, rebuke some Puritanes and precise people, and tooke order that the like vnlawful cariage should not bee vsed by any of them hereafter, in the prohibiting and vnlawful punishing of Our good people for vsing their lawful Recreations, and honest exercises vpon Sundayes and other Holy dayes, after the afternoone Sermon or Seruice: Wee now find, that two sorts of people wherewith that Countrey is much infested, (Wee meane Papists and Puritanes) haue maliciously traduced and calumniated those Our iust and honourable proceedings. And therefore, lest Our reputation might vpon the one side (though innocently) haue some aspersion layd upon it, and that vpon the other part, Our good people in that Countrey bee misled by the mistaking and misinterpretation of Our meaning: We haue therefore thought good hereby to cleare and make Our pleasure to bee manifested to all Our good People in those parts. “It is true, that at Our first entry to this Crowne, and Kingdome, Wee were informed, and that too truly, that Our County of Lancashire abounded more in Popish Recusants than in any Countie of England, and thus hath stil continued since to Our great regreet, with little amendment, saue that now of late, in Our last riding through Our said County, Wee find, both by the report of the Judges, and of the Bishop of that diocesse, that there is some amendment now daily beginning, which is no small contentment to Vs. "The report of this growing amendment amongst them, made Vs the more sory, when with Our owne Eares Wee heard the generall complaint of Our people, that they were barred from all lawful Recreation, and exercise vpon the Sundayes afternoone, after the ending of all Diuine Seruice, which cannot but produce two euils: The one, the hindering of the conuersion of many, whom their Priests will take occasion hereby to vexe, perswading them that no honest mirth or recreation is lawful or tollerable in Our Religion, which cannot but breed a great discontentment in Our peoples hearts, especially of such as are peraduenture vpon the point of turning; The other inconuenience is, that this prohibition barreth the common and meaner sort of people from vsing such exercises as may make their bodies more able for Warre, when Wee or our Successors shall haue occasion to use them. And in place thereof sets vp filthy tiplings and drunkenesse, and breeds a number of idle and discontented speaches in their Ale-houses. For when shal the common people haue leaue to exercise, if not vpon the Sundayes and Holidayes, seeing they must apply their labour, and winne their liuing in all working dayes? "Our expresse pleasure therefore is, that the Lawes of Our Kingdome, and Canons of our Church bee as well observed in that County, as in all other places of this Our Kingdom. And on the other part, that no lawful Recreation shall be barred to Our good People, which shall not tend to the breach of Our aforesaid Lawes, and Canons of Our Church: which to expresse more particularly, Our pleasure is, That the Bishop, and all other inferior Churchmen and Churchwardens, shall for their parts bee carefull and diligent, both to instruct the ignorant, and conuince and reforme them that are misled in religion, presenting them that will not conforme themselues, but obstinately stand out, to Our Iudges and lus |