which, together with upright wheels, would entirely do away this sink ing (not forgetting, but like her, to proportion our breadth to our weight), particularly when we contemplate their general use to all descriptions of carriages, by which the roads throughout the kingdom, even in the rainiest season, would be hard, and free from ruts, like a garden walk. (This would be greatly assisted by the plan proposed by the ingenious Mr. Collinge, of making the road a perfect flat, and repairing it all over equally when wanted, instead of raising it in the middle, which not only tends to the overturning of carriages, but is avoided by every driver, to the great detriment of the sides.) Adding to this the immense saving, by their keeping the roads in constant repair, their adoption would in my humble opinion, turn out of the greatest public advantage."

STAGE COACHES.

"I think we cannot help perceiving the absurdity of the present construction of stage coaches, in which appears to be combined every arrangement to endanger the lives of passengers, to fatigue the horses, and cut up the roads. In the first place, the shortness of their carriages causes almost the whole of their weight to be pulled over the fore-wheels, which is more and more so, the faster they travel, thereby giving the high end a tendency to kick up, the hind wheels scarcely bearing any weight (in comparison to the fore ones), one of which receiving a sudden jerk, or elevation, from a stone or other inequality in the road, naturally and suddenly throws the centre of gravity over the opposite fore

wheel, by which the stage coach is consequently overturned. This evil of the short carriages is doubly increased by the high loading; thus are the lives of the passengers endangered. From the before mentioned cause (the weight being pulled forward) the fore wheels are pressed so forcibly into the ground, particularly in bad weather, that they are in a continual hole, while the hind ones, capable of taking the greatest weight, has the least; which, added to the immense fric tion from dished wheels, before explained, together with the present favourite system of curtailing their height, and of oblique traction, nearly doubles the draught. Thus are the horses punished, whose latent strength, forced out by the application of the whip, are soon rendered fit only for the dogs. From one of the last mentioned causes (dished wheels), comes the almost, I may say, impassable state of the roads, for each pebble which should tend to harden and consolidate the road, is broken, pulverized, and at last reduced to little else than clay, which being again acted on by the same destruc tive cause, is absolutely ploughed up into furrows, like a ploughed field; thus are the roads injured."

COURT OF KING JAMES.

JAMES I. was the first royal patron of the English turf, and under his auspices our racing concerns assumed that regular public arrangement which they have ever since preserved. Gaterley, in Yorkshire, had previously been the chief place of meeting, but James either commenced the grand establishment at Newmarket, or made such additions as soon rendered that noble and unequalled piece of turf the head quarters of horse coursing. We can do no less than pay a due attention to the memory of our first and great patron, although it were to be wished that we could say more in favour of his character; but both good and bad examples are necessarily instructive, and to conceal them, either of the one sort or the other, is to forego one grand mean of instruction. The following extract we make from a last year's reprint of "The Court and Character of King James;" by Sir Anthony Weldon, an eye-witness of what he relates, Sir Anthony having been in place near the person of the King. This book affords us the satisfaction of being able to exult in the moral improvement of our country, in the comparison of former wretched times, however fashionable it may be to degrade and cry down the present.

The following curious adventure occurred at Madrid, in the first embassy which King James sent to Spain, announcing his accession to the English Crown:

"The Embassador had his reception with as much state, as his entertainment with bounty, the King defraying all charges, and they were detained at their landing longer than ordinary, to have VOL. III. N. S.-No. 13.

provisions prepared in their pas→ sage to Madrid, with all the bounty was possible, to make the whole country appear a Land of Canaan, which was in truth, but a wilderness.

"In their abode, there, although they gave them rost-meat, yet they beat them with the spits, by reporting that the English did steal all the plate, when in truth it was themselves, who thought to make hay while the sun shined, not thinking ever more to come to such a feast, to fill their purses as well as their bellies, (for food and coyn, are equally alike scarce with that nation), this report passed for currant, to the infinite dishanour of our nation, there being at that time the prime gallantry of our nation.

"Sir Robert Mansel, who was a man born to vindicate the honour of his nation as his own, being Vice-Admiral, and a man on whom the old Admiral wholly relyed, having dispatched the ships to be gone the next morning, came in very late to supper; Sir Richard Levison sitting at the upper end of the table among the grandees, the Admiral himself not supping that night, being upon the dispatch of letters, the table upon Sir Robert Mansel's entrance offered to rise, to give him place, but he sate down instantly at the lower end, and would not let any man stir, and falling to his meat, did espy a Spaniard, as the dishes emptied, ever putting some in his bosome, some in his breeches, that they both strutted, Sir Robert Mansel sent a message to the upper end of the table to Sir Richard Levison, to be delivered in his care, that whatsoever he saw him do, he should desire the gentlemen and grandees to sit quiet, for there B

should

should be no cause of any disquiet; on the sudden Sir Robert Mansel steps up, takes this Spaniard in his armes, at which the table began to rise; Sir Richard Levison quiets them, brings him up to the end amongst the grandees, then pulls out the plate from his bosome, breeches, and every part about him, which did so amase the Spaniard, and vindicate that aspersion cast on our nation, that never after was there any such sillable heard, but all honour done to the nation, and all thanks to him in particular.

"From thence, next day they went for Madrid, where all the royal entertainment Spaine could yield was given to them, and at the end of the grand entertainment and revels, which held most part of the night; as they were all returning to their lodgings, the street being made light by white wax lights, and the very night forced into a day, by shining light, as they were passing in the street, a Spaniard catcheth off Sir Robert Mansel's hat, with a very rich jewel in it, and away he flies; Sir Robert not being of a spirit to have any thing violently taken from him, nor of such a Courtlike complement, to part with a jewel of that price, to one no better acquainted with him, hurls open the boot, follows after the fellow, and some three gentlemen did follow him, to secure him, houseth the fellow in the house of an Algnarel, which is a great officer, or Judge in Spaine; this officer wondring at the manner of their coming, the one with his hat, and sword in his hand, the other with all their swords; demands the cause. They tell him; he saith, surely none can think his house a sanctuary, who is to punish such

offenders; but Sir Robert Mansel would not be so put off with the Spaniard's gravity, but enters the house, leaving two at the gate, to see that none should come out, while he searched; a long time they could find nothing, and the Algnarel urging this as an affront, at last, looking down into a well of a small depth, he saw the fellow stand up to the neck in water; Sir Robert Mansel seized on his hat, and jewel, leaving the fellow to the Algnarel, but he had much rather have fingered the jewel, and his gravity told Sir Robert Mansel, he could not have it without form of law, which Sir Robert dispensed with, carrying away his hat and jewel, and never heard further of the business; now the truth was, the fellow knew his Burrough well enough, as well as some thieves of our nation, after they have done a robbery, would put themselves into a prison of their acquaintance, assuring themselves none would search there; or rather as our Recorders of London, whose chief revenue, for themselves, and servants, is from thieves, whores, and bawds, therefore this story cannot seem strange in England."

The mad and romantic project of the visit to the Spanish Princess, by Prince Charles, accompanied by the favourite profligate, Buckingham, occasioned certain comical adventures, in which we find Buckingham and the English Embassador to the Spanish Court, Lord Bristol, were of opposite parties, the latter being too profound an intriguer for the noble Duke.

"The Spanish match, having been long in treaty, and it being suspected now, that the Spaniard did juggle with this State in this, as they formerly did in a match with that brave Prince Henry, and in

truth,

truth, in all other things wherein any negotiation had been, only feeding the King with fair hopes, and fair words, yet foul deeds. Whether the King suspected any such matter, or any whimsey came in the brain of this great favorite and Prince, to imitate the old stories of the knights errand, but agreed it was (it should seem) between the favorite and the Prince only (no one other so much as dreaming of any such adventure) except Cottington, who also accompanied them, that the Prince must go himself into Spain: away they went under the borrowed names of Jack and Tom Smith, to the amazement of all wise men, only accompanied with Cottington, and some one or two more at most, taking their way by France; had the ports laid so, that none should follow them, or give any notice to the French Court, till they might get the start, &c. yet their wisdoms made them adventure to stay in the French Court, and look on that lady whom he after married; and there did this Mars imitate one of Prince Arthur's knights, in seeking adventures through foreign Princes' territories ; 1st beheld this French beauty Mars vidit visamq; cupit potiturq; cupita; as in our discourse will afterward appear; from thence away to Spain; but as the journy was only plotted by young heads, so it was so childishly carried, that they escaped the French King's curriers very narrowly, but escape they did, and arrived safely in Spain their wished port, before either welcome, or expected, by our Embassadors, or that Statę.

"Yet now must the best face be put on, at all hands, that put their grandees to new shifts, and eur Embassador the Earl of Bristol

to try his wit, for at that time was Sir Walter Aston also Embassador at Spain; in all occurrences Aston complyed with the Prince and Duke, Bristol ran counter; and the Duke and Bristol hated each other mortally.

66

Bristol had the advantage of them there, as having the much better head-peece, and being more conversant and dear with that state, wholly complying with them, and surely had done them very acceptable services (and in this very treaty was one of the pack) Buckingham had the advantage of him in England (although the King did now hate Buckingham, yet was so awed that he durst not discover it.) Then Buckingham had all interest in his successor by this jour ny, so that he laid a present and future foundation of his succeeding greatness.

"For all his power and greatness, Bristol did not forbear to put all scorns, affronts, and tricks on him, and Buckingham lay so open, as gave the other advantage enough by his lascivious carriage and miscarriage. Amongst all his tricks, he plays one so cunningly, that it cost him all the hair on his head, and put him to the dyet; for it should seem he made court to Conde Olivares L. a very handsome lady; but it was so plotted betwixt the lady, her husband, and Bristol, that instead of that beauty, he had a notorious stew sent him, and surely his carriage there was so lascivious, that had ever the match been really intended for our Prince, yet such a companion, or guardian, was enough to have made them believe he had been that way addicted, and so have frustrated the marriage, that being a grave and sober nation, Buckingham of a light and loose behavior; B2

and

and had the Prince himself been of an extraordinary well staid temper, the other had been a very ill guardian unto him.

"But now many Lords flockt over, and many servants, that he might appear the Prince of England, and like himself, though he came thither like a private person, many treaties were, sometimes hope, sometimes dispair, sometimes great assurance, then all dasht again, and how ever, his entertainment was as great as possible that state could afford; yet was his addresses to, and with the lady such, as rendred him mean, and a private person, rather than a Prince of that state, that formerly had made Spain feel the weight of their anger, and power; and was like a servant, not a suiter, for he never was admitted, but to stand bare head in her presence, nor to talk with her, but in a full audience with much company.

"At last, after many heats and cools, many hopes and dispairs, the Prince wrote a letter to his father of a desperate dispair, not only of not injoying his lady, but of never more returning, with this passage, You must now, Sir, look upon my sister and her children, forgetting ever you had such a son, and never thinking more of me.

"Now the folly of this voyage, plotted only by green heads, began to appear, many shewing much sorrow, many smiling at their folhes (and in truth glad in their hearts), and however the King was a cunning dissembler, and shewed much outward sorrow, as he did for Prince Henries death, yet something was discerned, which made his Court believe little grief came near his heart, for that hatred he bare to Buckingham long

L..

(as being satiated with him) and his adoring the rising sun, not looking after the sun setting, made the world believe he would think it no ill bargain to loose his son, sa Buckingham might be lost also, for had he not been weary of Buckingham, he would never have adventured him in such a journey, all his courtiers knew that very well.

"And for a further illustration of his weariness of Buckingham, it appeared in the Parliament before, when the King gave so much way to his ruine, that Buckingham challenged him that he did seek his ruine, and being generally held a lost man, the King to make it ap pear it was not so, and that the King durst not avow his own act, brought him off from that Parlia ment, but Buckingham hated the King ever afterwards.

"The reason the King so hated Buckingham was, (besides his be ing weary of him and his marriage, after which the King's edge was ever taken off from all favorites; yet this had so much the over-aw ing power of him, that he durst not make shew to affect any other; there was one Juniossa, a Spanish Embassador extraordinary here, being an old soldier, and a gallant fellow, thought that Buckingham did not give that respect to him, was due to his own person, or to the person of so great a King, whose person he represented; Juniossa did as much scorn and slight Buckingham, and the Prince, who he found wholly governed by Buckingham; for now Buckingham had found by many passages, the King's desire to be rid of him, he made court to the Prince, and so wrought himself into his affection, that Damon and Pythias were not more dear to each other, which by

no