Some of the above autographs are fine specimens of the writing of the period.

We are then presented with Posthumus, or the Survivour, a treatise which occupies twenty-one pages; and from page 22 to the end, page 59, we have the "Five-and-twenty Considerations" alluded to, dated 1641, and apparently "signed, James Louth." At the end of Posthumus, or the Survivour, is the following, in the autograph of Sir Toby Matthew, and an impression of his seal in red wax :

The seal bears a Lion Rampant in the first and fourth quarters, and three Chevrons in the second and third.

N.B.-These extracts were selected hastily and at random, and convey only a very imperfect idea of this curious manuscript, containing, as it does, a great variety of entertaining conferences, with parties well known in the history of the time, with several interesting historical facts, anecdotes, &c. &c.

It is in fine preservation, being as fresh and clean as when first written, and was for many years in the possession of a highly respectable Roman Catholic family in Cork, being, as is supposed, a sort of heirloom in the family.

The MS. was most probably written by some amanuensis or secretary, but whenever the name of Sir T. M. Occurs it is in his own autograph, except in the above attestation. Sir Toby Matthew was the author of some works mentioned by Lowndes, who tells us that " an account of him will be found in Wood's Athen. Oxon.," and that "several of his letters are in the Cabala and the Scrinia Sacra."Vide Lowndes' Bibliographer's Manual, p. 1238.

Sir Tobie Matthew was well known in the literary, political, and so-called religious world, and was, as before stated, the eldest son of Dr. T. Matthew, Archbishop of York.

Since the foregoing was in type, the following has been extracted from a fine copy of Wood's Athena Oxoniensis, kindly lent from the valuable and extensive library of the Ven. S. M. Kyle, LL.D., Archdeacon of Cork :

"Tobie Matthew, the eldest son of Dr. Tobie Matthew, Archbishop of York, by Frances his wife, daughter of William Barlow, some time Bishop of Chichester, was born in Oxon, and matriculated there in 1589. He became a noted orator and disputant, and taking his degree in Arts, travelled into various countries. At his return he was taken into the acquaintance of Sir Francis Bacon, and between them there passed divers letters, which, if collected, might make a pretty volume. At length leaving the Church of England by the persuasion of Father Parsons,* the Jesuit, he entered into the society, but whether he took orders, is to me yet uncertain. Afterwards growing famous for his eminency in politics, he came into England upon invitation, and on the 10th Oct., 1623, received the honour of knighthood from his Majestie, for his great zeal in carrying on the Spanish match to be had with Prince Charles. At which time not only the King, but the chief of his nobility and others at Court, had a high value for him he was also highly valued by the Earl of Strafford, with

*See his conferences with Father Parsons, page 26, &c. This must be what he meant by saying, page 208-" King James was pleased to put a visible marke of particular honour upon me."

whom he went into Ireland, that his advice and counsel might be used. He was greatly hated by the Presbyterians, and more especially by Prynne, who said that he was sent into England by Pope Urban VIII., with whom he was in much esteem, to reconcile England to the Church of Rome, in which work he, as they further say, received a pension from Cardinal Barberini, &c. &c. &c."

Then follows a list of his works, amongst which was one in praise of Lucy Countess of Carlisle, for which Sir John Suckling brought him into the poem called the Session or Court of Poets,

thus:-
:---

"Toby Matthews
what made him there?
Was whispering nothing in somebody's ear,
When he had the honour to be named in Court,
But, Sir, you may thank my Lady Carleil for 't."

He concluded his last day at Gaunt, in Flanders, on the 13th Oct., 1655. On his coffin was a leaden plate, with this written thereon: "Hic jacet D. Tobias Matthew."

Wood's Athen. Oxon., 1721, vol. ii. pages 194, 195.

*This he most strenuously denies in page 8, of Posthumous, stating, "I never knew anie one in my whole life who lived in obedience under this Crowne, who receaved pension or profitt from anie foreign Prince in the world. And let God be good to my soul when I shall dye, as he knows I speak nothing but truth."

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This work contains upwards of forty documents respecting Shakespeare and his family, never before published, besides numerous others indirectly illustrating the Poet's biography. All the anecdotes and traditions concerning Shakespeare are here, for the first time, collected, and much new light is thrown on his personal history, by papers exhibiting him as selling Malt, Stone, &c. Of the seventy-six engravings which illustrate the volume, more than fifty have never before been engraved.

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