Sir William Dugdale, Garter King-of-Arms, of Blyth Hall in Shustoke in Warwickshire, a most learned antiquary, bequeathed forty-eight volumes in manuscript (forty-three folios and five quartos) on a wide range of British antiquities to be placed in the adjoining Ashmolean library. He gave them out of gratitude to and the deepest appreciation of his estimable son-in-law, Elias Ashmole, and to add to the reputation of this Museum which carries the distinguished name of Ashmole.

I make noe doubt you have receaued Mr. Howard's letter unto Sir John Trevor. Hee will be readie to doe you any seruice in that kind. I am glad your second booke of the Monasticon is at last in the presse. Here is in this citty a conuent of Black Friers, which is more entire than any in these parts of England. Mr. King tooke the draught of it when he was in Norwich, and Sir Thomas Pettus, Baronet, desired to have his name sett vnto it. I conceive it were not fitt in so generall a tract to omit it, though little can be sayd of it, only coniectur'd that it was founded by Sir John of Orpingham, or Erpingham, whose coat is all about the church and six-corner'd steeple. I receaued the bone of the fish, and shall giue you some account of it when I have compared it with another bone which is not by mee. As for Lelandus, his works are soe rare, that few private hands are masters of them, though hee left not a fewe; and therefore, that quotation of myne was at second hand. You may find it in Mr. Inego Jones' description of Stonehenge, pag. 27 having litle doubt of the truth of his quotation, because in that place hee hath the Latine and English, with a particular commendation 1 of the author and the tract quoted in the margin, and in the same author, quoted p. 16, the page is also mentioned; butt the title is short and obscure, and therefore I omitted it. 8 Not in Hamper's Correspondence of Dugdale. This letter bean the indorse in Dugdale's hand-writing--" Dec. 6, 1658, Dr. Browne's letter (not yet answered.)" 9 Qre: to ask the Docter whether ever he saw this draught.--MS. marginal Note by Dugdale in the Original. 388 MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE. [1658. Leylande Assert. Art. which being compared with the subiect of page 25, may perhaps bee De Assertione Artkuri, which is not mentioned in the catalogue of his many workes, except it bee some head or chapter in his Antiq. Britannicis or de Viris illustribus. I am much satisfied in the truth thereof, because Camden hath expressions of the like sense in diuers places; and, as I think in Northamptonshire, and probably from Lelandus: for Lambert in his perambulation of Kent, speakes but some times of Lelandus, and then quoteth not his words, though it is probable hee was much beholden unto him having left a worke of his subject Itinerarium Cantii.

I returne you humble thancks for your courteous letter and the good newes of the hopefull recoverie of Mr. Dugdale, unto whom I shall be readie in any further service, and shall, God willing, send unto him concerning the fish bone, which I have not forgott. It can very hardly fall into my apprehension how I can afford any addition unto your worthy endeavours. Notwithstanding, I have enclosed a list of such tracts of that subject which I have by mee. Most whereof I receaved from Dr. Arthur Dee, my familiar freind, sonne unto old Dr. Dee the mathematician. He lived many yeares and dyed in Norwich, from whom I have heard many accounts agreable unto those which you have sett downe in your annotations concerning his father and Kelly. Hee was a persevering student in hermeticall philosophy, and had noe small encouragement Having seen projection made, and with the highest asseverations be confirmed unto his death, that hee had ocularly undeceavably and frequently beheld it in Bohemia, and to my knowledge, had not an accident prevented, hee had not many yeares before his death retired beyond sea, and fallen upon the solemn processe of the great worke.

There are none of the Adder-beads to be met with in Ireland, that Country having no Snakes; but here is an Amulet from thence every whit as efficacious; it is near an Inch long, and of the Colour of Amber. To these may be added an Ancient Ring, which I suppose belonged to the famous Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, having his Device upon his Signet, viz. a Bear with a ragged Staff; for which see his Monument in Sir W. Dugdale's Hist. of that County: The Motto is anang apta, an agreeable Fate or Destiny, which may perhaps relate to his Martial Disposition and Victories in France: It is composed of Links of Iron or Steel very odly twisted with the Brass, on each Side of the Signet (which is of a third Metal, viz. Copper gilded) is a glassy Ruby. The Samothracians, who were noted of old for these Practices had Stars of Iron in their Rings of Gold. On one Side of the said Inscription is the old Character for Jesus; and on the other, Christ, with a Cross by each. There was a vast Variety of Rings or Amulets, which in the dark Days of Popery were eagerly sought after by poor deluded People, with different Saints upon them; but the Name of Jesus was a standing Charm, not only upon them, but even amongst the Turks, as appears by Dr. Smith's Letter, Registered in the Phil. Trans. N° 155. A Silver Talisman from the Lord Fairfax's Curiosities, on one Side is an unintelligible Character, upon the other in modern Letters L H with ☿ and Ⅱ. Another with a Globe and Cross upon one Side, and an Anchor of Hope on the other, with crooked Lines and Figures round; the former is engraved, this stamped as Money, both have a Hole punched to hang about the Neck. A third (sent me by Robert Plompton, of Plompton, Esq;) hath the Area fill'd with Planetary Characters, and this Inscription round, In Deo confido, revertentur Inimici mei retrorsum: Upon the other Side are Jupiter and Venus embracing each other, inscribed, A pavore inimici Custodi vitam meam oh tu Jehova, with ♃ and ♀ in Conjunction in ♓. The Effects formerly attributed to these Figures were altogether miraculous; the Spark, for whom this was erected, expected, by Virtue thereof, to obtain both Honour and Beauty; that with Mercury was for Success in Merchandizing and Gaming. These are engraved upon Silver; those used of old for the Preservation of Cities were Statuary Telesms made under a certain Configuration of the Heavens, the most propitious that could be for the Time and Place. The Blind and the Lame hated by David's Soul, 2 Sam. 5. 8. are by some Learned Interpreters taken for these Images. And the brazen-Serpent, which Moses (the Talisman, as those who write in Defence of the Practice, affect to call him) made in the Wilderness is said to be the first Occasion, not given, but taken, of all these Telesmatical Practices, (Gregory's Notes upon the Scripture, p. 41.) I shall conclude this Matter with a Charm, sent me by Capt. Furness, who saw it taken out of the Pocket of an Irish Soldier, who was slain in a Skirmish, notwithstanding the Protection he promis'd himself from this Billet of the three Kings of Cologn, which is thus inscribed, Sancti tres Reges, Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar Orate pro nobis nunc & in hora mortis nostræ. ""Ces Billets ont touch‚ "aux trois testes des Saints Rois a Colonge ils sont pour les Voyageurs "contre les malheurs des chemins, maux de Teste mal caduque, fievres, sorcellerie toute sorte de malefice & morte subite." To this Charm may be added another Sort of a Cheat, one Walter Freazer pretending that his Tongue was cut off by the Turks, had imposed upon most Parts of England, during his four Years Vagrancy, begging with the Account of his miserable Case writ upon his Breast, many Justices and Physicians had attempted the Discovery of the Imposture, but in Vain till Mr. John Morris of Leedes, by his assimiliating Temper (which he inherited from his Grand-Father Colonel Morris, who surprized Pontfract Castle for K. Charles I.) discovered the Cheat; and that the said Youth had learnt beyond Sea the Trick of drawing his Tongue so far into his Throat, that it appeared like a Stump only: Hereupon the said Freazer was sent first to the House of Correction, and the begging Billet deposited here by the said Mr. Morris, who was also famous for Pantomimian or Antick-Dancing, which Archbishop Usher tells us was first used at Rome, An. I P. 4579.

Letters Patents for creating Sir John Saville Knt. (the first Alderman of Leedes) Baron Savile of Pontefract. Instructions to (his Son) Tho. Viscount Savile Baron of Pontefract and Castlebarr, Lord-President of his Majesty's Conncil at Yorke. A Patent for Arms and Crest grantest to Marm. Cooke D. D. Vicar of Leedes, and Prebendary of Yorke, and his Brother Will. Cooke L. L. D. subscribed by Sir Will. Dugdale Garter, and Sir Tho. St. George Norroy. Diploma's for Degrees under the University's Seal. Other Instruments under the Hands and Episcopal Seals, of Edwyn Sandys, and Matt. Hutton, Archbishops of Yorke, Ben. Laney Bishop of Ely. Burgess-Bills under the Seals of the City of Sanct-Androis: The Burghs of Kirkealdie and Cupar, for the Hon. Colonel Charles Fairfax. (Don. Tho. Fairfax Arm.) That of Crail for Capt. Johne Heatfield, the zeir of God ane thousand ses hundreth fifty four Zeires; all in Scotland. And in Ireland, the City of Kilkenie for Sir Hen. Piers Bart. whose Present it was. A Diploma under the Seal of the Royal Company of Archers in Scotland, upon Admission of Mr. James Kitchingman, Alderman of Liege (Leedes.) Don. ejusdem Alderm.