nic friars and the Franciscans, that certain of the Dominics, thinking by subtle sleight to work in the people's heads that which they durst not achieve with open preaching, devised a certain image of the virgin so artificially wrought, that the friars, by privy gins, made it to tir, and to make gestures, to lament, to complain, to weep, to groan, and to give answers to them that asked. Insomuch that the people therewith were brought in a marvellous persuasion; till at length the fraud being espied, the friars were taken, condemned, and burned at Berne, the year above-mentioned, 1509.

This frivolous dispute was agitated with great violence, during several years, and engaged the attention of the whole christian world. The above narrative presents a favourable specimen of Fox's ability as an historian: for, in general, he is a weak and prejudiced writer. It was objected by his adversaries, to the first edition of his "Acts and Monuments," that it contained several accounts of martyrdoms of persons, who were found to be living some years after its publication; and the objection, it should seem, was not wholly without foundation,,

Several other works of inferior note were likewise published by Fox; among which ought to be mentioned "The Four Evangelists, in the Old Saxon tongue, with the English thereunto adjoined," 1571, 4to.

HOLINSHED.

RAPHAEL HOLINSHED, famous for the Chro nicles which go under his name, was descended of a family which lived at Bosely, in Cheshire; but both the place and time of his birth, as well as most other circumstances of his life, are unknown. According to some accounts he was a clergyman; while others make him steward to Thomas Burdett, of Bromcote, in the county of Warwick, esq. Of the time of his death we are also ignorant; but it appears from his will, prefixed by Hearne to his edition of Camden's Annals, that it happened between 1578, and 1582.

In the compilement of his Chronicles, Holinshed had several coadjutors. Of these, Harrison was bred at Westminster school, whence he was removed to Oxford, and subse

quently became chaplain to sir William Brooke, by whom he was preferred. He died in 1593.

Another contributor was Hooker, (uncle to the celebrated author of Ecclesiastical Polity,) who was born at Exeter, about 1524, was educated at Oxford, afterwards travelled into Germany, and at Cologne took a degree in law. He next went to Strasburg, where he studied divinity under the famous Peter Martyr. On his return to England, he settled in his native place, where he became a citizen of conside ration, and was returned member for the parliament held at Westminster, in 1571. He died in 1601; and was the author of several works, in addition to his contributions to the Chronicle in question.

Of Boteville, another of his coadjutors, we know nothing, except that Hearne stiles him"a man of great learning and judgment, and a wonderful lover of antiquities." Several others lent their aid, as R. Stanihurst, Abraham Flemming, John Stow, &c.

These Chronicles were first published at London, 1577, in two volumes, folio; and afterwards, 1587, in three; though the two first are commonly bound together. In this second edition, several shects in the second and third

volumes, which had given offence to Eliza beth and her ministry, were omitted'; these have been since reprinted apart, under the title of "Castrations."

The first volume commences with "An Historical Description of the island of Britain, in three books, by William Harrison;" which is followed by "The History of England, from the time that it was first inhabited, until the time that it was last conquered," by R. Holinshed. The second volume contains "The Description, Conquest, Inhabitation, and troublesome Estate of Ireland, particularly the Description of that Kingdom," by Richard Stanihurst:-"The Conquest of Ireland, translated from the Latin of Giraldus Cambrensis,' by John Hooker, alias Vowel, of Exeter, gent. "The Chronicles of Ireland, beginning where Giraldus did end, continued until the year 1509, from Philip Flatsbury, Henry of Marlborough, Edward Campian," &c. by R. Holinshed; and thence to the year 1586, by R. Stanihurst and J. Hooker." The Description of Scotland, translated from the Latin of Hector Boethius," by R. H. or W. R.-"The History of Scotland, containing the beginning, increase, proceedings, continuance, acts, and