after a proper exhortation from her parents, is conducted to the house of her father-in-law; if noble, she is carried in a litter. The bridegroom and his relations receive her at the gate of the house with four torches borne by four women. As soon as the bride and bridegroom meet, they offer incense to one another. They then enter the hall, and sit down on a new and curiously wrought mat, spread in the middle of the chamber and close to the fire; when a priest ties part of the gown of the bride to the mantle of the bridegroom: and in this ceremony the matrimonial contract chiefly consists. They offer sacrifices to their gods, and exchange presents with one another. A feast follows, of which all their friends partake, and when the guests are exhilarated with wine, they go out and dance in the open air; but the newly married couple retire within the house, in which they shut themselves for four days, spending the time in prayer and fasting. At the end of these days they are considered as man and wife, and having dressed themselves with all the ornaments common upon such occasions, the ceremony is concluded, by making presents of dresses to the guests proportioned to the circumstances of the married pair; and on that same day they carry to the temple the mats, sheets, canes, and eatables, which have been presented to the idols.

The converts to Christianity among the Congoese, in their nuptial ceremony adopt the manners of the Portuguese; but no persuasions can prevail upon the most religious Congoese Catholics to renounce the custom of keeping as many women as their circumstances will enable them to maintain. Among the Pagan natives, when a young man is resolved to marry, he sends a present to the relations of the female of his choice, accompanied by a cup of palm wine, the drinking of which is considered as a proof of approbation. He then visits the parents, and having received the bride from the hands of her nearest relation, conducts her to his own house, where she remains till he is satisfied of her industry, temper, and those other qualifications which at Congo are deemed indispensible in a wife. If after two or three years she is found deficient in any of these respects, he returns her to the parents, without being supposed to sustain any injury to her reputation: if, however, the marriage be concluded, the festival attending is made in a very sumptuous way.

(To be Resume 1.)

THE LIFE OF EDWARD LORD HERBERT, OF CHERBURY.

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

(Resumed from page 129.)

Riding thus away about twelve o'clock at night to the wood from whence I came, I alighted from my horse and rested there 'till morning; the day now breaking I got on horseback, and attended the Lord of Walden with his second. The first person that appeared was a footman, who I heard afterwards was sent by the Lady of Walden, who as soon as he saw me, ran back again with all speed; I meant once to pursue him, but that I thought it better at last to keep my place. About two hours after Sir William St. Leiger, now Lord President of Munster, came to me, and told me he knew the cause of my being there, and that the business was discover'd by the Lord Walden's rising so early that morning, and the suspicion that he meant to fight with me, and had Sir Thomas Payton with him, and that he would ride to him, and that there were 30 or 40 sent after us, to hinder us from meeting; shortly after many more came to the place where I was, and told me I must not fight, and that they were sent for the same purpose, and that it was to no purpose to stay there, and thence rode to seek the Lord of Walden; I stayed yet two hours longer, but finding still more company came in, rode back again to the Scotch quarters, and deliver'd the horse back again, and receiv'd my money and nag from Lieutenant Montgomery, and so withdrew myself to the French quarters, 'till I did find some convenient time to send again to the Lord Walden.

Being among the French, I remembered myself of the bravado of Monsieur Balagny, and coming to him told him, I knew how brave a man he was, and that as he had put me to one tryall of daring, when I was last with him in his trenches, I wou'd put him to another; saying I heard he had a fair mistress, and that the scarf he wore was her gift, and that I wou'd maintain I had a worthier mistress than he, and that I wou'd do as much for her sake as he, or any else dùrst do for his; Balagny hereupon looking merrily upon me, said, if we shall try who is the abler man to serve his mistress, let both of us get two wenches, and he that doth his business best, let him be the braver man; and that for

his part, he had no mind to fight on that quarrell; I looking hereupon somewhat disdainfully on him, said he spoke more like a Paillard than a Cavalier, to which he answering nothing I rid my wayes, and afterwards went to Monsieur Terant, a French gentleman that belonged to the Duke of Montmorency, formerly mention'd; who telling me he had a quarrel with another gentleman, I offered to be his second, but he saying he was provided already, I rode thence to the English quarters, attending some fitt occasion to send again to the Lord Walden; I came no sooner thither, but I found *Sir Thomas Sommerset with 11 or 12 more in the head of the English, who were then drawing forth in a body or squadron, who seeing me on horseback, with a footman only that attended me, gave me some affronting words, for my quarrelling with the Lord of Walden ; whereupon I alighted, and giving my horse to my lacky, drew my sword, which he no sooner saw but he drew his, as also all the company with him, I running hereupon amongst them, put by some of their thrusts, and making towards him in particular put by a thrust of his, and had certainly run him through, but that one Lieutenant Prichard, at that instant taking me by the shoulder, turned me aside, but I recovering myself again ran at him a second time, which he perceiving retired himself with the company to the tents which were near, though not so fast but I hurt one Proger, and some others also that were with him; but they being all at last got within the tents, I finding now nothing else to be done, got to my horse again, having received only a slight hurt on the outside of my ribs, and two thrusts, the one through the skirts of my doublet, and the other through my breeches, and about 18 nicks upon my sword and hilt, and so rode to the trenches before Juliers, where our soldiers

were.

Not long after this the town being now surrendered, and every body preparing to go their ways, I sent again a gentleman to the Lord of Walden to offer him the meeting with my sword, but this was avoided not very handsomely by him (contrary to what Sir Henry Rich, now Earle of Holland, perswaded him.)

* He was third son of Edward Earl of Worcester, Lord Privy Seal to Q. Elizabeth and K. James. Sir Thomas was Master of the Horse to Q. Anne, was made a Knight of the Bath in 1604, and Viscount Somerset of Cassel in Ireland.

After having taken leave of his Excellency Sir Edward Cecill, I thought fit to return on my way homewards as far as Dusseldorp; I had been scarce two hours in my lodgings when one Lieutenant Hamilton brought a letter from Sir James Areskin (who was then in town likewise) unto me, the effect whereof was, that in regard his Lieutenant Montgomery had told him that I had the said James Areskin's consent for borrowing his horse, he did desire me to do one of two things, which was either to disavow the said words, which he thought in his conscience I never spake, or if I wou'd justify them, then to appoint time and place to fight with him; having considered a while what I was to do in this case, I told Lieutenant Hamilton that I thought myself bound in honour to accept the more noble part of his proposition, which was to fight with him, when yet perchance it might be easy enough for me to say that I had his horse upon other terms than was affirmed; whereupon also giving Lieutenant Hamilton the length of my sword, I told him that as soon as ever he had matched it, I wou'd fight with him, wishing him further to make haste, since I desired to end the business as speedily as could be; Lieutenant Hamilton hereupon returning back met in a cross street (I know not by what miraculous adventure) Lieutenant Montgomery, conveying divers of the hurt and maimed soldiers at the siege of St. Juliers unto that town, to be lodged and drest by the chirurgions there; Hamilton hereupon calling to Montgomery, told him the effects of his captain's letter, together with my answer, which Montgomery no sooner heard, but he replied (as Hamilton told me afterwards) I see that noble gentleman chooseth rather to fight than to contradict me; but my telling a lie must not be an occasion why either my captain or he shou'd hazard their lives: I will alight from my horse, and tell my captain presently how all that matter past; whereupon also he relating the business about borrowing the horse, in that manner I formerly set down, which as soon as Sir James Areskin heard, he sent Lieutenant Hamilton to me presently again, to tell me he was satisfied how the business past, and that he had nothing to say to me, but that he was my most humble servant, and was sorry he ever questioned me in that manner.

Some occasions detaining me in Dusseldorp, the next day Lieutenant Montgomery came to me, and told me he was in

danger of loosing his place, and desired me to make means to his Excellency the Prince of Orange that he might not be cashier'd, or else that he was undone; I told him that either I would keep him in his place, or take him as my companion and friend, and allow him sufficient means 'till I cou'd provide him another as good as it; which he taking very kindly, but desiring chiefly he might go with my letter to the Prince of Orange, I obtained at last he shou'd be restored to his place again.

And now taking boat I past along the river of Rhine to the Low-Countrys, where after some stay, I went to Antwerp and Brussels, and having past some time in the court there, went from thence to Calais, where taking ship I arrived at Dover and so went to London; I had scarce been two days there, when the Lords of the counsell sending for me, ended the difference betwixt the Lord of Walden and myself. And now if I may say it without vanity, I was in great esteem both in court and city, many of the greatest desiring my company, though yet before that time I had no acquaintance with them. * Richard Earl of Dorset, to whom otherwise I was a stranger, one day invited me to Dorset-House, where bringing me into his gallery and shewing me many pictures, he at last brought me to a frame covered with green taffita, and askt me who I thought was there, and therewithall presently drawing the curtain shewed me my own picture, whereupon demanding how his lordship came to have it, he answered that he had heard so many brave things of me, that he got a copy of a picture which one Larkin a painter drew for me, the original whereof I intended before my departure to the Low-Countrys for Sir Thomas Lucy; but not only the Earl of Dorset, but a † greater person than I will here nominate, got another copy from Larking, and placing it afterwards in her cabinet (without that ever I knew any such thing was done) gave occasion to those that saw it after her death, of more discourse than I cou'd have wish't; and indeed I may truly say, that taking of my picture

* Richard Sackville Earl of Dorset, grandson of the treasure, and husband of the famous Anne Clifford Countess of Dorset and Pembroke. + This was certainly Queen Anne, as appears from the very respectful terms in which he speaks of her a little farther, and from other passages, where he mentions the secret and dangerous enemies he had on this account.