"To Robert Eslakby, the King's almoner, in money received by him from Henry Somere, clerk, to be distributed amongst certain religious persons [priests,] to celebrate one thousand masses for the salvation of the soul of Richard the Second, late King of England, deceased, whose body is buried at Langeley, by the command of our Lord the King aforesaid,16. 13s. 4d."

It may be conjectured that the last quoted entry about the number of priests, paid to celebrate masses for the salvation of Richard's soul, shows neither whether it was remorse, hypocrisy, or piety which dictated this solemnity. It was, at all events, the manner of the age for the reigning party to be wondrously considerate concerning the welfare of the souls of their predecessors, even while, it may be surmised, there was extreme satisfaction that they were out of the way.

Before leaving Richard's Issue Rolls, it is not unimportant to take notice of some entries, which, as Mr. Devon correctly remarks, show that the making of gunpowder, or rather its use in England for the purposes of war, has generally been assigned to a later period than is intimated by these documents. In the first of this king's reign are these entries.

"To John de Arundell, in money paid to him by assignment made this day in discharge of 234/. 19s. 4d. due upon an account made with him at the Exchequer of account for the wages of himself, his knights, esquires, archers, cross-bowmen, cannoneers, and engineers with him, and remaining as well in the town of Southampton as in the King's castle at Corf, for the safe custody thereof, at different times. By writ, &c.,2341. 19s. 4d.

"To John Lincoln, in money received by him from William Walworth and John Philippot, received to purchase and provide 300 quarters of wheat, 200 quarters of beans, 60 casks of wine, one cask of oil, 100 chaldrons of sea coals, 10,000lb. of iron, one barrel of brass, two horse-mills, 1000 planks for wainscoting, 20,000 nails, two carts, six horses, with harness for the same, two pipes of powder, 40 war slings, 10,000 quarrells, 200 bows, 700 quivers of arrows, and 200 lances, for defending and fortifying the castle and town of Cherburgh, in Normandy, as appears by bill, &c.,-666l. 13s. 4d.

We must go over the next three reigns more rapidly, for our limits are nearly exhausted. This, however, is the less to be regretted, since, wherever we have extracted-and in doing so, our anxiety has been to present variety-sufficient evidence is afforded of the nature and the value of the editor's selections. It is at the same time but justice to him and to our readers when we mention, that the troubles which arose out of the factions to which Henry the Fourth's reign gave birth-that the glorious career of Henry the Fifth, especially in his foreign military exploits, and that the long and eventful reign of Henry the Sixth, must have furnished many occasions for the most interesting and curious description of entries made in these Issue Rolls. These successions of events the editor

has ably traced, and from the records belonging to them he has judiciously selected, and very variously extracted. A few examples must, however, suffice in our pages.

Here is an entry which refers to the death of Hotspur.

To divers messengers and couriers sent to all and singular the counties of England, as well with writs for proclamation to be made within the said counties, of the death of Henry Percy, together with other rebels, slain in the battle fought between the King and the said rebels on the part of the said Henry Percy, near Shrewsbury; and of the capture of Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester, in the said battle; as also with other writs directed to each keeper of all passage boats whatsoever, in all the ports of England, to prohibit the passage of all persons whomsoever, until otherwise thereon they should receive command from the Lord the King and his Council. In money paid to them by the hands of John Skelton, clerk, for their wages and expenses,-57. 10s."

Our remaining extracts are confined to the captivity in England of James, son of Robert the Third, King of Scotland, which extended to nearly eighteen years. In the entries before us there is sufficient to show the progress of the treatment which he received during that long period. He seems at first to have been committed by Henry IV. to the Tower.

"To Richard Spice, deputy constable of the Tower of London. In money paid to him, by assignment made this day, in discharge of 59%. 13s. 4d., which the Lord the King, with the assent of his Council, commanded to be paid him for the expenses of the son of the King of Scotland, John Toures, William Seton, John Gaffard, and Master Dankirton, chaplain, being under the custody and governance of the said Richard within the Tower aforesaid, from the 6th July last past, &c. By writ, &c.,54l. 6s. 5d."

After several years captivity within the walls of this fortress, he was removed in 1407 to the Castle of Nottingham, along with the son of Owen Glendower.

66

To Richard, Lord de Grey, the King's chamberlain. In money paid to him by the hands of Richard Maydeston, for the support of the King of Scotland, Griffin, the son of Owen Glendourdy, and other prisoners, in his custody. By writ, &c.,-781. 13s. 4d." [Also other payments appear on this Roll upon the same account.]

On the death of Henry IV. King James is again confined in the Tower, with many of the Scotch nobility.

·

"To Richard Threll, esquire. In money paid to his own hands, for the expenses of the King of Scotland, the Earl of Fyth,' and other prisoners within the Tower of London, being there at the King's costs, immediately after the discharge of Robert Morley, chevalier, late keeper of the Tower aforesaid, as appears by the parcels of the said Richard, delivered to Lord Thomas, Earl of Arundell and Surrey, Treasurer of England, and to the Chamberlains of the Receipt of the Exchequer, remaining in the hanaper of this term,-31. 17s."

He seems after this to have been bountifully supplied.

"To Sir John Pelham, knight, to whom the present Lord the King, on the 22nd February last past, committed the custody and governance of James, King of Scotland, during the pleasure of the said King; and in consideration thereof there was granted yearly, by letters patent, &c., to to the said John, 7007. yearly for support of the said King in food, clothing, and other necessary things, incumbent for him, so long as the said John should have the custody and governance of the said King, at certain places which between the King's Council and the aforesaid John should be agreed upon. In money paid to him by assignment made this day, in discharge of 4211. 2s. 11 d., paid for this his allowance, as well rateably from the aforesaid 22nd February last past, unto the last day of March next following, for 37 days, the last but not the first day included, as for the terms of the Nativity, Saint John the Baptist, and Saint Michael, last past. By writ, &c.,-4217. 2s. 11d."

He was afterwards removed to Windsor Castle, and allowed a great deal of freedom, till the commencement of the wars of Henry V. in France, when he was once more lodged in the Tower. In the latter part of this reign, however, he accompanied the English monarch to France, having been provided with necessary apparel.

"To James, King of Scotland. In money paid to him, by the hands of divers persons, as well for armour and other preparations for his person in the war, as for horses, tents, banners, and divers other things provided and purchased for him and other men attending him by order of the King's Council, upon his departure to foreign parts to go to the King's presence. By writ, &c.,-42l. 6s. 8d.”

When Henry V. died, James was again consigned to the Tower; but the renewal of negotiations for his freedom soon accomplished that desirable event. This was in 1423, upon delivering several Scottish nobles as hostages for the payment of a very large sum of money. Reference is made to these hostages in this entry.

"Peter Cawode, esquire, ordered and appointed by the King's Council for the safe conduct of divers hostages of James, King of Scotland, from the Tower of London to the city of York, and there to deliver them to Sir Richard Nevyll. In money paid to his own hands, in advance, for divers costs and expenses by him incurred in going, tarrying, and returning upon the business aforesaid,—13l. 6s. 8d."

James was escorted to York by knights, esquires, &c., to the number of one hundred and sixty persons, the expenses of which progress, of course, fell upon his own kingdom, and would be charged upon the head of the hostages,-all which was the fruit of the treachery of Henry IV., who made him prisoner during the existence of a truce.

We once more recommend the volume, in which these and numberless other events, persons and particulars, are noticed and elucidated, to the patronage of the public, especially of all profound students of British history, and to every one that possesses a library of any considerable pretensions in this country. We hope Mr. Devon has not yet concluded his valuable labours in this walk of literature.

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ART. VI.-Col. Crockett's Exploits and Adventures in Texas: wherein is contained a Full Account of His Journey from Tennessee to the Red River and Natchitoches, and thence across Texas to St. Antonio ; including his many Hair-breadth Escapes; together with a Topographical, Historical, and Political View of Texas. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. London: Kennett. 1837.

THERE is more fun, wit, apt description, romantic adventure, pathos, and real instruction within the boards of this duodecimo of about a hundred and fifty pages, than is to be gathered from the cream of many goodly octavos of high pretension. Colonel Crockett is a sly satirist also, who never loses an opportunity of having a fling at "the Government" of the United States, by that appellation generally meaning, it would appear, the late President. Others of the same school of American politics, are constantly coming in for their share of chastisement and waggish sarcasm. These are points, however, that, except as exemplifying the Colonel's taste and style of humour, concern not us. We, therefore, must regard the work in its most general and attractive character; viz., as one of the most amusing pieces of autobiography that is anywhere to be met with.

The Colonel's talents have before this time been much admired on this side of the Atlantic, where one of his works was re-published some years ago, and extensively read. The art which he possesses in handling weighty or trifling matters, his sagacity, his sound sense, the happiness of his allusions and illustrations, his peculiar ease, in the use of Yankee dialect, have deservedly secured for him great popularity, and excited much laughter far beyond the boundaries of the United States, and in regions where the subjects discussed could not of themselves, and without such recommendations or enticements, have produced any considerable interest.

In the present work, the Colonel shows that he was so amazed at his wide-spread fame and popularity, and so proud at the thought that old England should have bought up his "Eccentricities," that he resolved to write more. He at the same time has philosophised on his good luck in such a sage manner, that we must give a sample of it. "It is," says he, "a huckelberry above my persimmon to cipher out how it is with six months' schooling only, I, David Crockett, find myself the most popular book-maker of the day; and such is the demand for my works, that I cannot write them half fast enough, no how I can fix it." "It is a true saying, that no one knows the luck of a lousy calf." Again, "I have been told that there was one Shakspeare more than two hundred years ago, who was brought up a hostler, but finding it a dull business, took to writing plays, and made as great a stir in his time, as I do at

present; which will go to show, that one ounce of the genuine horse sense is worth a pound of your book learning any day, and if a man is only determined to go a-head, the more kicks he receives in his breech the faster he will get on his journey." The Colonel begins with politics and accounts of electioneering affairs, in which he, for a time, took an uncommon and immediate interest. The success of his first canvass is admirably described.

Well, I started off to the Cross Roads, dressed in my hunting shirt, and my rifle on my shoulder. Many of our constituents had assembled there to get a taste of the quality of the candidates at orating. Job Snelling, a gander-shanked Yankee, who had been caught somewhere about Plymouth Bay, and had been shipped in the west with a cargo of cod fish and rum, erected a large shantee, and set up shop for the occasion. A large posse of the voters had assembled before I arrived, and my opponent had already made considerable headway with his speechifying and his treating, when they spied me about a rifle shot from the camp, sauntering along as if I was not a party in the business. There comes Crockett,' cried one. Let us hear the Colonel,' cried another: and so I mounted the stump that had been cut down for the occasion, and began to bushwhack in the most approved style.

"I had not been up long before there was such an uproar in the crowd that I could not hear my own voice, and some of my constituents let me know, that they could not listen to me on such a dry subject as the welfare of the nation, until they had something to drink, and that I must treat 'em. Accordingly I jumped down from the rostrum, and led the way to the shantee, followed by my constituents, shouting, Huzza for Crockett,' and Crockett for ever!""

They enter the shantee, when the Colonel calls for a quart of the best. But Job," the crooked critur," points to a board on which were chalked, "pay to-day and trust to-morrow." Money in the west, in those times, was the shyest thing in "all natur," and particularly shy with the candidate who had called for the rum.

"The voters, seeing my predicament, fell off to the other side, and I was left deserted and alone, as the Government will be, when he no longer has any offices to bestow. I saw, plain as day, that the tide of popular opinion was against me, and that, unless I got some rum speedily, I should lose my election as sure as there are snakes in Virginny, and it must be done soon, or even burnt brandy wouldn't save me. So I walked away from the shantee, but in another guess sort from the way I entered it, for on this occasion, I had no train after me, and not a voice shouted Huzza for Crockett.' Popularity sometimes depends on a very small matter indeed; in this particular it was worth a quart of New England rum, and no more.

"Well, knowing that a crisis was at hand, I struck into the woods with my rifle on my shoulder, my best friend in time of need, and as good fortune would have it, I had not been out more than a quarter of an hour before I treed a fat coon, and in the pulling of a trigger, he lay dead at the root of the tree. I soon whipped his hairy jacket off his back, and