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rior Knights, and at that age were qualified to receive the order.

These Knights, who first appeared about the 11th century, flourished most in the time of the Crusades. The feudal Lords, who led their vassals under their banner, were called Knights Bannerets. The right of marching troops under their own colours was not the consequence of their Knighthood, but their power.

The great privilege of Knightood was neither civil nor military, with respect to the State, but consisted wholly in the part assigned them in those sanguinary sports, called Tourfor neither a Bachelor nor naments; Esquire was permitted to tilt with a Knight.

Various orders of Knighthood were at length instituted by sovereign Princes: the Garter, by Edw. III. of England; the Golden Fleece, by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy; and St. Michael, by Louis XI. of France. From this time antient Chivalry declined to an empty name; when Sovereign Princes were established, regular Bannerets were no more, though it was still thought an honour to be dubbed by a great Prince or victorious Hero; and all who possessed arms without Knighthood, assumed the title of Esquire.

There is scarce a Prince in Europe that has not thought fit to institute an order of Knighthood; and the simple title of Knight, which the Kings of England confer on private subjects, is a derivation from antient Chivalry, although very remote from its source. W.R.

I

Mr. URBAN,

Dec. 1. SHALL be obliged if you will insert a few remarks upon the Report lately delivered by the Earl of Sheffield respecting the Tax on Foreign Wool, being anxious that the erroneous grounds upon which that Report rests, should be known.

Lord Sheffield lays great stress upon what he terms the small official value exported in Woollen Manufacture, and which he considers greater, than the declared value. I conclude that there can be no other official value than that made to Parliament by the Inspector General of Imports and Exports of Great Britain, and this value is the same as that de

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Lord Sheffield states the tax imposed on the importation of Wool into France at 10 per cent. on the value, which would average four pence per lb.; in this he is equally erroneous. The tax is,

60 francs for 100 Killograms on washed fine Wool, or two pence halfpenny per lb.

20 francs for 100 Killograms on unwashed fine Wool, or one penny per lb. 15 francs for 100 Killograms on washed inferior Wool, or three farthings per lb. 5 francs for 100 Killograms on unwashed inferior Wool, or one farthing per lb.

The Woollen Manufactures of France enjoy a bounty on the exportation of their goods, which is equal to four pence per lb. on fine cloth, and three pence per lb. on inferior cloth. Such is the difference in the policy pursued by France from that adopted by Great Britain.

Besides a tax of six pence per lb. imposed upon the importation of Wool, of every quality, coarse as well as fine, the English Manufacturer is obliged (instead of receiving a large bounty), to pay another tax of one half per cent. on the value of his goods when exported.

Lord Sheffield appears anxious to undervalue the importance of the Woollen Trade of this Country, and compares the amount now exported

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Impolicy of Tax on Foreign Wool.

with the exportations early in the last century. He admits an increase of four millions since that period; the real increase is about six millions, viz. The official value of Woollen

goods exported from 1816 to 1819, averaged annually ...£8,903,086 Deduct the annual amount ex

ported early in the last century, as stated by Lord Sheffield

Increase..

.....2,883,543

£6,019,543

I think it can be shewn, in a salisfactory manner, that the quantity of Wool grown in the United Kingdom is not now so great as it was at the period to which his Lordship refers; it is probable that the quantity of land which has of late years been put under the plough, may have diminished the produce of Wool. The growth of the United Kingdom is supposed to be 600,000 packs. In a Book published early in the last century, entitled, the "Golden Fleece," the growth is estimated at 800,000 packs. An answer to that pamphlet was published in 1737, which states the produce at 573,000 packs, the medium betwixt them will be probably correct, which exceeds the quantity now grown about 86,000 packs. The value of Wool annually imported before the tax was imposed, was 2,500,0007. so that with a decrease of 86,000 packs of Wool, produced in this country, there is now an exportation of Manufactured Woollens equal to the full amount of all the Wool imported; and about three millions five hundred thousand pounds sterling derived from foreigners for labour and profit.

Another argument advanced by Lord Sheffield is, that the introduction of foreign coarse Wool debases the character of our Manufactures. I by no means admit that it is debased by the mixture of foreign coarse Wool, but, if that were the case, the same reason ought to prevent the use of coarse Wool grown in this country. A little reflection must convince every one, that coarse fabricks are as necessary to the poor as fine are required for the rich; and if the introduction of foreign coarse Wool, enable the manufacturer to supply the lower classes of society with warm cloathing, so necessary in

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this climate, at a low price, their comforts are materially increased but if the object expected by the advocates of this tax had been attained, the price would have been so high, that many would have been unable to procure it. The agriculturists must, however, be now convinced, that the price of their Wool can never be improved by this tax. Wool has gradually fallen in price, and the assertion made by Merchants will be found correct, that without a supply of foreign Wool untaxed, upon the same terms at which it can be procured by foreign manufacturers, the English must be undersold in foreign markets; and without foreign trade, the English Wool, the growth of which still far exceeds the quantity wanted at home, must continue to be depressed. This tax has given an impetus to foreigners, which it is probable no measure which can now be adopted will check; they are sending cloth, not only to the markets in Europe, but to North and South America, and China ; it will not be long ere the East India Company will find themselves supplanted, by the sale of Woollens taken by

Americans direct from Flanders. The East India Directors are as much interested in the repeal of this tax, as the Manufacturers. Even in Spain a project is submitted, by the Committee of Finance, to prohibit the introduction of all foreign manufac tures, the principal raw material of which is produced in that country; thereby compelling the Spaniards to work up their own Wool. Their manufactures are now in a very flourishing state, and protected by heavy duties on the importation of Woollens. During the reign of Charles V. and Philip II. Spain was the most considerable Manufacturing country in Europe: she not only supplied her own inhabitants with cloathing, but carried on an extensive foreign trade in cloth and other articles manufactured from Wool. The decline of her manufactures, and with them the decline also of the high rank she held amongst the nations of Europe, may be traced to her conquests in America; the attention of her people and government having been withdrawn from her internal resources, and transferred to the Mines of Peru, which

for

cutors will have very little trouble," and therefore usually rewards them with a ten or twenty pounds legacy, from which is to be deducted Gavernment duty. It is upon this ungenerous principle I am now addressing you, to point out the injustice of persons placing the whole of their fa

for a time enriched Spain, but eventually enervated and destroyed her spirit and power, and with them her manufactures and commerce, which give strength and stability to an empire. It is probable, that by the renewed vigilance of her Government, her Manufactures will again revive; and if the present System of the En-mily concerns in the hands of others glish Government is persevered in, and the Manufacturers are borne down, not only by taxes which fall alike on all classes of society, but by taxes on raw materials, which fall exclusively on Manufactures, we may consider their decline certain, and with them, probably, the decline and fall of the power and prosperity of Great Britain.

It is evident from Lord Sheffield's Report, that in point of revenue, the tax has not answered the expectation of Government. It was estimated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer at 300,000l.; and, according to the importation of Wool, even as stated by Lord Sheffield, it will not produce half that sum. As, therefore, it has disappointed the hopes of those at whose suggestion it was imposed; as, instead of improving the price of English Wool, it has caused considerable depression, and still greater depression on the Continent; as, instead of raising 300,000l. to the public revenue, it will scarce produce 100,000l.; it is surely desirable to check the evil ere it be too late, and repeal a tax fraught with so much distress to a large, industrious, and useful class of his Majesty's subjects. If Ministers are not yet convinced of its impolicy, and still persist in waiting till they think sufficient time has elapsed to shew its effects, they can only gain that experience by the loss of this once flourishing trade. Yours, &c. JAMES BISCHOFF.

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under such circumstances; the consequence of which is, that very many renounce the executorship immediately upon the death of the testator; and administration, with the testator's will annexed, is then granted to the next of kin, and the property frequently falls into the hands of those persons who ought not to have had the management of it. I have heard some persons allege, that leaving families the executors or trustees cannot expect much as a legacy for their trouble; it is, in my opinion, the strongest argument for their being most amply rewarded in taking the management of children and their property (very probably for many years) under their care and superintendance. The law does not permit an executor or trustee to charge one shilling for their trouble or loss of time, although he neglects his own affairs and business to attend to that of others. I knew a person who had 50%. left him for his trouble as executor, and considering the testator's property I considered it very suffi-、 cient; but the same person assured me at the year's end, that if he could have foreseen the trouble he should have had, and the great neglect he was obliged to submit to in his own business, he would not have undertaken the executorship, if the testator had left him 1007. In another in. stance a person of considerable property left his two executors only twenty pounds each, who well-knowing they should not be allowed to charge for their loss of time, &c. immediately placed the testator's affairs in the hands of a Solicitor, who very soon afterwards brought in a bill amounting to upwards of 100l. against the testator's estate, and was justly entitled to the same, for the law allows executors and trustees to employ Solicitors, (but they must not be remunerated for their own trouble) as settled by Lord Chancellor Thurlow, in the cause, Macnamara v. Jones, Dickins's Reports, vol. II. p. 587.

Some

Some years ago, a person of fortune bequeathed to an officer in the army (no ways related to him) a legacy of 5000l. and appointed him, with two other gentlemen, executors, and a handsome gratuity for their trouble. The officer in the army being unacquainted with such matters, applied to his brother, a professional man, to attend for him with the other executors in conducting the business. After the same was finally settled, and the officer received his legacies, he enquired of his brother what he was indebted to him for his trouble; the latter replied twenty pounds; the officer desired to have his bill, which was accordingly done, leaving several items without any charge open to his brother's generosity. The officer shortly after sent a draft to his brother for the twenty pounds, and a desire to have a receipt for the same. The consequence was, the brothers have never been upon friendly terms since.

These occurrences, Mr. Urban, are given with a view to shew to the numerous readers of your excellent Magazine, the impolicy of appointing improper persons executors and trustees, as well as not remunerating them for their trouble.

It is very common in making wills, for the testator to appoint persons executors and trustees without having previously applied to them for their sanction; the consequence of which is, that upon the death of the testator, the persons so appointed have declined being executor or trustee, and Bills in Chancery have frequently been filed on that occasion, to the very great injury of the testator's estate.

Mr. URBAN,

MENTOR.

Oct. 20.

YOUR Correspondent "J. F."

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(Parti. p. 607.) complains of “unfounded aspersions cast upon a very respecteble body of individuals, in a Letter under the signature of a Country Rector;" and Notator (Part ii. p. 98. b.) "reprobates" the language of that letter as 66 intemperate.' On perusing the communication, which has given so much offence, I can discover nothing which requires alteration, unless it be a single word, "the holy business of Dissent;" as Johnson has said that "Bolingbroke was a holy man," and the inspired writers themselves do not disdain occasionally to

use the strong figure of irony; but, perhaps in this instance, it might as well have been avoided.

It is often said, that "those whose windows are made of glass, should be careful how they throw stones." The complaint of "unfounded aspersions cast upon Dissenters," is no very wise introduction to the accusation, which presently follows, that " many of the sons of the Establishment grasp at the honours" of the Church, "giving their consciences and integrity in exchange!" Such gross calumny were best answered perhaps by silent contempt.

If reason is against a man, it is commonly said and seen, that the man will be against reason. When I observed, that "men of impure, opiniative, unsubdued minds, will op. pose the Gospel," I spoke of the common principles of insubjection and disobedience, with which the minis ters of Christ have to contend in many who adhere to the Church, as well as lament in those that leave it.

Your Correspondent" wishes I had allowed, that there might be some integrity among those who approved not of an Establishment." I am not aware that I ever impeached or questioned their integrity. To their own Master, the common Lord and Saviour, they stand or fall; and may He, who died for all, have mercy on all ! But as for integrity, what the world generally deems such, it should be remembered that Paul had the same integrity, when he persecuted the Church, as he had afterwards, when he preached the faith, which once he destroyed; that is," he verily thought with himself, that he ought to do" what he did. But it is an awfully momentous consideration, that for what he thus did in sincerity of error, he calls himself chief of sinners. Better information led him to Christ, and better information did it meet with the same ingenuousness and willingness to admit the truth, as it did in Paul; better information, a deep and sound knowledge of the holy Scriptures, as they were received and interpreted by the primitive Churches, and a correct view of those Churches, would lead every Dissenter to the truth of Christ, as it is taught in those Scriptures; as it was held by those Churches, and as it is taught in the Church of England,

which is built on the model of those Churches, was founded in the days of the Apostles, and, as is highly probable, by St. Paul himself.

Our Lord said to his Apostles, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you," (John xx. 21.) "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations;-and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world," (Matth. xxviii. 19, 20.) "Obey them that have the rule over you," the Apostle says," and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls" (Heb. xiii. 17). Here, as we conceive, is an "establishment," which is not "antichristian;" to which we apprehend obedience is due, whether it may, as in the first ages, be opposed and persecuted by the powers of the world; or whether, as in all Christian countries from the days of Constantine, it is incorporated with the state, and honoured and protected by it.

But no! if I rightly comprehend the Dissenter's logic, the moment the civil power interferes, it is our duty to

withdraw from the Establishment." Here then is a case in point, which admirably illustrates one of those maxims which I quoted, though my friend is pleased to call them "trumpery anecdotes." The maxim is this: to oppose the Church, though we believe it to be right be cause it is established. For so said the Dissenter of note, whose aphorism was alleged: "If our religion were established, I would be on the other side." It is never too late to learn wisdom; and here we learn something new and wonderful, that a duty, which we owe to God, ceases to be a duty, if man also sees fit to injoin it! The law of God commands us not to rob, not to murder; to honour the King, and to be subject to the higher powers. The very same things also are injoined by the laws of the land; how wisely, may be questioned; since these civil enactments must compel 66 a very respectable body of individuals," if they act in consistence with their principles, to withhold their obedience. But here, I am sure (to adopt the expression of the Roman moralist) "bonitate naturæ peccabunt;" they will be loyal and obedient in spite of their principles.

I hope, Mr. Urban, defensive egot ism is sometimes pardonable. My sole aim and study is to do my duty,

in the station where Providence has placed me, neither slothfully, nor obtrusively. When so employed, a Dissenting Minister has thundered in my ears, "Sir, you yourself know there are many things false in the Book of Common Prayer." One within the pale of the Church, Clericus Ecclesiæ Anglicana, as he styles himself, has, without good reason, extolled Dissenters, and very unjustly censured, in many weighty matters, his brother Clergymen. And now the Dissenter J. F. at the very moment when he declares "it is not his inclination to asperse Clergymen," has the assurance to hurl at them this sweeping charge, that "many" of them" grasp at the honours of the establishment, giving their consciences and integrity in exchange; lius non tangere clamo." Whether an injudicious friend, or an open enemy, brings accusations, which I believe to be equally severe and unjust, while I have a heart to suggest, and a hand to write, it shall be my endeavour to refute and repel them. In defending the truly Apostolical Church of England and her ministers, I am confident I defend the best interests of my country. I know I maintain the cause of God and of Christ; one of whose appointed ministers, however unworthy, I have the honour to be, and

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A COUNTRY RECTOR.

Mr. URBAN,

Queen-sq. Bloomsbury, Dec. 20. N Rastel's Chronicle, I. vi. under

the Life of Edward III. you will find the following curious paragraph:

"About the 19 yere of this Kynge, he made a solempne feest at Wyndesore, and a great Justes and Tournament, where he devysed, and perfyted substanegally, the order of the Knyghtes of the Garter; howe be it some afferme that this order began fyrst by Kynge Richarde, Cure de Lyon, at the sege of the citie of Aires, whereof in his great necessyte there were but twenty-six Knyghtes that fyrmely and surely abode by the Kynge, where he caused all them to were thonges of blew leyther about their legges. And afterwards they were called the Knyghtes of the blew thonge."!

Winstanley in his Life of Edward III. says, that the original Book of the Institution deduces the inventor from King Richard I. and that it owed its pomp and splendour to Edward III.

W. R.

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