As we last week called attention to the _Three Treatises by John
Wickliffe_ just published by Dr. Todd of Dublin, we may very properly
record the sale by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson on Tuesday the 8th of
this month of a MS. volume containing twelve treatises (which are all
said to be unpublished) written by John Wickliffe and Richard Hampole.
The volume, a small 8vo., was of the fourteenth century, with a few
leaves supplied by a hand of the sixteenth, and contained "A Tretis on
the Ten Heestis (_i.e._ Commandments), A Prologue of the Paternoster,
'Here suen dyverse chapitris excitynge men to hevenli desijr,' the
Councell of Christ, Off vertuous pacience, Wickliffe's Chartre of
Hevene, The Hors or Armour off Hevene, the Name off Jhesu, The Love of
Jhesu, Off verri Mekenes, Off the Effect off Mannes Will, Of Actif Liif
and Contemplatif Lyf, The Mirrour of Chastitee." It was purchased by
Bumstead of Holborn for 11_l._ The next lot in the same sale was the
original manuscript Diary, extending from October, 1675, to September,
1684, of Annesley Earl of Anglesey, Lord Privy Seal in the reign of
Charles II., which was purchased by Boone, it is believed on commission
for the British Museum, for the sum of 12_l._ 10_s._
The _Athenæum_ of Saturday last publishes some inquiries from Mr. Payne
Collier connected with the manuscript play by Anthony Mundy, which forms
the subject of SIR F. MADDEN'S interesting, communication in our present
number. Mr. Collier is about to edit the drama in question for the
Shakspeare Society; and the object of his paper, which well deserves the
attention of our readers, is to obtain information respecting two
wizards or magicians who figure in it, the one named John a Kent, and
the other John a Cumber, who must formerly have been popular heroes, and
been recorded in ballads and chapbooks which have now entirely
disappeared. We call attention to these inquiries with the view of
giving additional publicity to them, and in the hope of procuring from
Mr. Collier some Notes respecting these old world heroes, of one of
whom, John a Kent, some particulars are to be found, we believe, in
Coxe's _Monmouthshire_.
The obituary of the past week contains the name of one of the most
distinguished historical writers of the present day, the Rev. Dr.
Lingard. An able and zealous champion of the Church of which he was so
eminent a member, his tolerant spirit and independent principles show
that of Dr. Lingard may be said, what was applied with admirable
propriety to his co-religionist, the late learned librarian at Stowe, by
Sir James Macintosh, that he was
"True to his faith, but not the slave of Rome."
The sale of M. Donnadieu's valuable collection of Autographs will
commence on Tuesday next, and occupy five days. The Catalogue, which has
been prepared by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson with their usual care, is
itself a very interesting document. Our limits will not of course admit
of our specifying a tithe of the curious and valuable articles which are
now to be brought to the hammer: but as specimens of the richness of the
collection, we will point out a few which are of importance, as
illustrative of English history. Lot 165, for instance, is _Charles I.'s
Marriage Contract with the Infanta of Spain_, a document of the highest
value, but which has not, we believe, as yet been printed either
accurately or entirely. Lot 184 is a most interesting letter from
_Charles II. to his Sister the Duchess of Orleans_, written from
Canterbury the day after he landed at Dover; while Lot 661 is a most
pathetic _Letter from the Duke of Monmouth to the Earl of Rochester_,
entreating his intercession with James, and written five days before his
execution. Lot 254 is _The Original Warrant to the Lord Mayor of London,
directing him to proclaim Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector of the
Commonwealth of England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Dominions thereto
belonging_; and Lot 500, a _Warrant of the Privy Council of Lady Jane
Gray_, is a document of the highest importance, as proving (what has
been doubted) that the Council of Lady Jane Grey did actually perform
official acts as a Council. These of course are among the gems of the
collection; but in the whole thousand lots there is not one but is of
interest.
CATALOGUES RECEIVED.--J. Sage's (4. Newman's Row, Lincoln's Inn Fields)
Miscellaneous List for July, 1851, of Valuable and Interesting Books; T.
Kerslake's (3. Park Street, Bristol) Catalogue of Books lately bought.