own information of the system being used abroad, is obscurely noticed in the dedication. "Your poore oratour (he says), accordyng to the small talente that God hath geuen hym, hath taken in hande to write of the trade and order of accomptes for marchaundize, and to the entente, it mighte bee spedely learned of all suche, as are not skilfull therin, and yet entende to trauaill in the saied facultie, hath drawen the whole course and trade therof, into a fewe tables, wherin is conteined, not onely an Inuentorie but also a Jornall and Quaterne booke, so plain and euident, that to an experte Marchaunte, thai shalbe assone knowen, as thei be read, but to suche as are not skilfull, ne able to make vp their bookes, and perfectly accompt for lacke of knowlege; he hath ioyned also to his saied tables, a certain declaration, and hath deuided it into diuers and sundry chapters, that as well the ignorant as the learned maye enioye the fruites therof. Many might haue done it better, yet haue I done my good wil, and folowed therin the most easie and best waye that euer I perceived amongest marchauntes, euen the trade (as I thinke) that is vsed in Venice and in other places, for their great occupying, very notable. And forasmuche as no gift is so riche, as that whiche doth excel in godly zeale and loue, I am the bolder to dedicate these my said tables with the declaration to them belonging, to your mastership." It may also be remarked that the preface does not announce the system as new to English merchants, neither does it state that he had been invited to instruct apprentices. It follows: "I dooe consider, gentle reader, the bounde dutie of all suche persones, as are endued with knowelege and learnyng, how muche thei are to blame, if thei dooe not willyngly, either by writyng or teachyng (hauyng good oportunitie) apply their study and whole endeuoure, to profite a common wealthe, Wherefore I beeyng enforced, partly by the loue and zeale, that I beare vnto this my natiue countrey, as also to auoide the same faulte in my self haue not ceassed to take peines herein. Neither haue I had so muche respecte, to please suche as haue perfect knowlege, in this order of accomptes (with subtle tearmes of other languages,) but rather vsed as plain and familier speache, in our owne language, as I could deuise, whereby the learners, the soner might bee instructed. And true it is, that many whiche haue liked, this my peines and diligence herein, haue required me, not onely to instructe the, but also it to further and publishe, peswadyng me, that euery good good thyng the further it goeth, the better; and that this my doyng should be as necessary vnto the worshipfull felowshippe of the Marchauntes, as either is meete or drinke to hym that dooeth thirst or hunger. I therefore weighyng with my self the greate benefite, & also quietnesse that should thereby ensue haue endeuoured (to my smale power) not onely to satisfie the request of my saied frendes, but also the greate lacke and nedefull instruccion, whiche many haue wanted in their accomptes. For emongest althynges nedefull in any nacion, touchyng worldly affaires betwene man and man, it is to be thought that true and perfect reconyng is one of the chief, the lacke wherof, often tymes causeth, not onely greate discecion, but also is an occasion of greate losse of tyme, and empouerishement of many, who by lawes, seke trial of suche thynges, as neither partie is well hable to expresse, and that for lacke of perfecte instruccion in their accompt, whiche thyng might, if that a perfecte ordre in reconyng were frequented of all men, right well be auoided. For often times the lawes is attempted of some one man against his frende or neighbour, but euen of suspicion. For that his reconynges, through want of a perfecte ordre, haue been negligently kepte, fearyng that he hath been deceiued, when that he is not throughly hable to saie (with a cleare consience) whether he haue been deceiued of any thing at all, or not. Wherefore my desire is that this my trauaill herein taken might be so beneficiall to all menne, that at all tymes eche man with other, frendly may conferre their reconynges, and therby to staie such variances as els maie ensue, the triall wherof is verie easie to suche as in their accompt and reconyng shall folowe thordre, of this my boke. In so muche, that to the willyng and peinfull man it shal be of suche force, efficasitie and vertue, that no ma shalbe hable to do other wrong, specially in any thyng that in bargainyng is ones agreed vpon. Read therefore and vse this my labour for thy commodite. I doubte not but it shalbe as profitable to thee, as to me painfull. Fare ye well." The necessary rules are set forth in eleven chapters, which define and illustrate his system, but too technical to yield an extract. A skeleton is given of his three books, distinguished as the Memorial, Journal, and Quaternund, which is preceded by a poem of eight stanzas. These require but a short specimen. An exhortation to learne sciences especially of the accompt in the Trade of marchandise. "As lacke of science causeth pouertie, Then muste we counte hym ware, discreete, and wyse, For tyme well spente to gayne and not to waste The gayne will byde, though tyme dooth passe and runne, For tyme ones loste, can not agayne be wonne." J. H. Some account of a Manuscript in Dr. Rawlinson's I see no reason why the pages of the BIBLIOGRAPHER should not be open occasionally to descriptions of manuscript as well as printed curiosities, provided the contents of such as are noticed appear interesting to the generality of readers. shall therefore, without further preface, commence by enumerating the contents of a volume bequeathed by Dr. Rawlinson of St. John's College, to the University of Oxford, and now preserved among his extensive and extremely valuable collection in the Bodleian. Mss. RAWL. POET. 108. A thin quarto, written about the year 1570, on paper, containing a miscellaneous collection of verses, songs, &c. in the same hand, and apparently used as a commonplace book by its original possessor. From folio 1 to 5 are several epigrams in Latin, transcribed from various. authors. VOL. II. RR ! authors. The first is by Sir Thomas More, although no name is subjoined to the manuscript: "Res gravis est vxor, poterit tamen vtilis esse, Si propere moriens, det sua cuncta tibi." Fol. 6. Lines to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, by Walter Haddon and Thomas Willson. Fol. 6, (b)" Epitaphiu clarissimi viri & militiss. principis Joh is nup. ducis Northumbrie." This nobleman was beheaded in 1553. Chaucer's epitaphs, as printed in Urry's Life, Sign. e ii. with the following, which I do not remember to have seen before. "Vertue flouress!ethe in Chawcere styll, Though death off hym hath wrought bys wyll." Fol. 7, and 8. Couplets, and short proverbs in meetre, English and Latin. Fol. 8, (b) Laurentij Humfredi, S. theologiæ doctor: pro R. Eliz. ad deum, precatio. Fol. 9. Short verses, of which the following will serve as a specimen : "The hunter when one bedde he doth his weried corps repose, Yet on ye woods and game theirein his mind hit alwayes [styll goes: And those wch all yeir youthe haue spent in wantones, do (When strength of bodi aige hathe tam'd,) retaine their nawghti wyll." Fol. 10-11. The figures of the following dances. "The pavyan; Turquylonye le basse; My lord of I ssex measures; Tynternell; Lorayne Allemayne; The old Allmayne; Broumswycke; the quene's Allmayne; The newe Allemayne; The longe pavian; Cycyllya Alemayne; The newe cycillia allemaine; Cycyllya pavyan, Quanto dyspayne; The nyne muses.' "The quene's allmayne. ij singles forward, cast of, a duble rownd, ij singles syde, reprynce backe twyce. A duble forward, hoppe iiij tymes." Foi. 11. (b) When shall all cruell stormes be past? Shall not your love my rigour slake? I wyll no more, whyle liffe dothe laste, Meddel. Meddell with loue, but hyt forsake, quoth he When stormes are bryme, the calme is next : Fol. 12. A song, in dialogue, beginning, Fol, 13. Short verses as at fol. 7 and 8. Fol. 13. (b)-14. Several medical and other recipes, among which this curious one: "To knowe yf a man be sycke wheather shall lyve or dye. Take great nettle and put them in the vryne of the sicke, and lett them stand all night, and yf ye herbe be grene as they were when they were put in, he shall live for yt sicknes, but yf ye herbe be deade he shall dye." Fol. 14-19. I select, as best, Several short poetical peices, of which "As bees in meadowes thicke do swarme, But, as the bees the meades forsake, So yf thy goods do chaunce to faile, "Off Wyddowers. "A wyddower who is once become, And sekes a second wyffe, Is lyke to hyme who from shyppe wracke, RR 2 In |