of Rome hath no jurifdiction in England. That the laws of the realm may punish chriftians with death, for heinous offences. That it is lawful for chriftian men, at the command of the magiftrates, to wear weapons, and ferve in the wars.

38. That the goods of christians are not common, yet that almsgiving is every man's duty, according to his ability.

39. That as vain and rash fwearing is forbidden by Christ and his apostle St. James, fo when the magiftrate requires, a man may teftify upon oath in a caufe of faith and cha rity, fo it be done in juftice, judgment, and truth.

By thofe articles, being the confeflion of faith of the church of England, and a fummary of her doctrine, not only the epifcopal government is retained, but alfo fuch rites and ceremonies as are appointed by the church, for decency's fake, are allowable. Such as the ufe of the furplice, the bowing and kneeling before the altar, the fign of the cross at baptifm, and a few others. But these extrinfecals proved such a stumbling-block to fome of the reformed party, as made at least a rent in the church: who rather than comply with thofe ceremonies, feparated themselves from the church, keeping her fundamentals, but renouncing both her discipline and rites. These were called Diffenters, or Nonconformifts, Puritans or Separatifts; fome of them Prefbyterians, fome Independents, and others Anabaptifts; all of them making a great party.

The most confiderable are the Prefbyterians, fo called from their ecclefiaftical government by prefbyters, or elders. These come nearest in point of doctrine to the church of England.

The Independents, or Congregationalists, are fo called, because each congregation amongst them governs itfelf independently from all others.

The Baptifts or Anabaptifts, from their re-baptizing as many as come into their communion, who were baptized in their infancy. For they are against pedo-baptisin, or baptizing of children.

Thefe fects however agree in fundamentals with all the proteftant churches, but come nearest to the Calvinifts. It is true, they use no liturgy, as the Calvinists do, but only extemporal prayers; the very Lord's prayer being difufed amongst them, which is not fo amongst the Calvanists.

Befides thefe ft&s aforefaid, there is another particular fect, I mean thofe called Quakers, from their former way of quaking and groaning in their meetings, when they waited for the fpirit. They are a fort of enthufiafts, that pretend to infpiration. It is true, they own the Trinity, and that the writers both of the Old and New Testament were infpired. But they reject all ministerial ordinances, use no facrament, and pretend to a light within that leads them into the way of truth.

In civil matters they will have all men equal, and think all oaths unlawful. Therefore they only ufe yea or no, to affirm or deny a thing. They ridicule the civility of the hat, and their way is to thou all men without diftinction, the prince as well as the cobler. The plural number, when we speak to one, is to them a great folecifm. And whereas most names of days and months are of pagan origin, they never name thenf but thus, as the day called Tuesday, the month called January. They affect plainness in their garb; but in the way of trade, in which they thrive prodigiously, they are as fubtle

as any.

I come now to the Roman Catholicks, commonly called Papifts, and by the law Popish Recufants. There are diverfe laws in force against them, but feldom put in execution. If they could but keep within bounds, and behave themfelves peaceably, they need not fear to be molefted by fo gentle a government.

CHAP.

CHAP. IX. Of the Genius, Temper, Virtues, Vices, Diet, and Diverfions of the English.

THE natives of England, taking them as they come out of the hands of heaven, or as nature formed them, are brave, generous, fincere, modeft, lovers of freedom, averfe to tyranny, devout, benevolent, compaffionate, open-hearted, far from treachery or malice; their judgments are found, and they bring arts and sciences to the greatest perfection: So that I must agree with Miffon, a native of France (who refided here, and was well acquainted with the feveral nations of Europe) who fays of the English, that they are active, robuft, courageous, thoughtful, devout, lovers of the liberal arts, and as capable of the fciences as any people in the world; and though they had their faults, he was fatisfied from feveral years experience, that the more strangers were acquainted with the English, the more they would love and efteem them; concluding his account of them in a kind of rapture, viz. "What brave men do I know in England! What moderation! What generofity! What uprightnefs of heart! What piety and charity! There are in England perfons that may be truly called accomplished; men who are wifdom and goodness itfelf; if we may fay fo much of any thing befides God Peace and profperity be eternally to England.'

On the other hand it must be acknowledged, that the English are frequently paffionate, melancholy, fickle, and unfeady, one moment applauding what they deteft the next; and their good nature, for which they are fo eminent, lays them open to a thoufand misfortunes: they know not how to deny any thing they are preffed to do, though intirely against their judgment and inclinations: they are apt to look upon others as fincere and upright in their intentions as themselves, which makes them by no means a match for those that are thoroughly verfed in the arts of tricking and evasion.

The nobility and gentry are too often inftructed in their infancy, by thofe who have opportunities of making the first and most lafting impreffions on them, that their blood diftinguishes them from mortals of an inferior rank; that they are in a manner of another fpecies, and confequently have a right to treat the lower clafs of men with contempt and infolence. And from fome few inftances of this kind foreigners have applied the fame character to the English as is given of the Portuguefe, viz. "That the nobility think themselves gods, and require a fort of adoration; that the gentry afpire to equal them; and the common people difdain to be thought inferior to either."

But the English nobility and gentry oftener mifcarry through an excess of goodnature, than by their pride or vanity; which is the rock on which the Portuguefe fplit. In the bloom of youth they are ufually brought up to town, replenished with every thing that can give delight to the fons of men. Here they meet with many of their own clafs ready to initiate them in every vice and folly of the age and though they are naturally ever fo well inclined, few have the refolution to refift the importunities of those who already make part of the beau monde. To thefe they refign their understandings, as well as virtue; wine, women, and play, alternately employ their time.

The merchants and principal tradefmen, the yeomanry and great farmers, are for the most part a fair, honeft, and industrious people; and this part of the nation is certainly the happiest. Every man here, if he understood his true intereft, would wish with the wife man in facred writ, "That heaven would neither give him poverty nor riches." For what is there 'defirable in life that thefe men want? They have houfes, horfes, fervants, &c. but no ufelefs ones; none that are unprofitable to themfelves or the commonwealth their time is employed in merchandise, trade, husbandry, or manufactures,

that daily bring in an increase of wealth to the kingdom, as well as to their own families; they undergo no more labour or hardship than what is conducive to their healths, and to create them an appetite to their food; and they have time enough to recreate and refresh themfelves when the business of the day is over.

But the clergy of the church of England feem to be the most unhappy men that ever were dedicated to the priesthood: they have a multitude of profeffed enemies, as papists, and diffenters of every denomination; they are hated and reviled by men of no principles, who are not a fmall tribe in that land of liberty; and they have fcarce any refpect paid them by the majority of their own communion, for reafons which I do not care to mention, though not all of them peculiar to the English parochial clergy.

I proceed now to take a view of the lower class of people; namely, inferior tradesmen and mechanicks, cottagers, labourers, and fervants. There are few countries where these kind of men enjoy a greater fhare of freedom than they do here, yet too often behave themselves arrogantly and infolently towards their fuperiors. Many of them entertain a notion that the liberties and privileges of Englishmen entitle them to be faucy. In the city of London, and other populous trading towns, they generally get a good livelihood, eat and drink well, and on Sundays and holidays, when they are not engaged in bufinefs, appear very well cloathed; and, in their own phrase, look upon themselves to be as good as the best, that is, deserve to be treated with respect.

Cottagers in the country are not altogether fo infolent; they have fuch poor wages, and depend fo entirely on the gentlemen and farmers, that they are ready to pay their masters the respect that is due to them.

As to menial fervants, they are become the general plague of the nation, both in town and country; they are not to be corrected, or even fpoke to, but they immediately threaten to leave their fervice, and are not afhamed to abuse those from whom they receive their bread, and perhaps lift up their hands against them.

The legislature has provided abundance of excellent laws for maintenance of the poor, and manufactures fufficient to employ them all; and yet, by indolent management, few nations are more burdened with them, there not being many countries where the poor are in a worfe condition. And one great caufe of their increafe is, that a poor man, though he has conftant work, does not earn more than four or five fhillings a week (except in London, and fome other great trading towns) which will barely purchase bread and cheese, and clothes for his family; fo that if he falls fick or dies, his wife and children infallibly come to the parifh for relief, who allow them a fmall pittance, or confine them in a workhoufe, fo as juft to keep them from starving, which drives the greatest number rather to feck their bread by begging.

CHAP. X.-f the English Way of Living, as to Lodging, Food, Raiment, and Fewel, Exercifes and Recreations, Festivals and Fafting-days, and fome particular Customs. Their Computation of Time.

THEIR houfes have lightfome ftaircafes, lofty ceilings, clofets in moft rooms, and fafh-windows as high as the ceiling; and though not gaudy, yet richly and commodiously furnished.

In point of diet, the English live moft upon butcher's meat, as the most proper nourifhment for this country; and roots and herbs are ufed only as a fupplement. They are indeed great flefh-eaters, and that without kitchen fophiftry; plain-boiled, roafted, or baked, being the general way of dreffing it. French foups and kick-fhaws, venifon, fifh, and fowl, are feldom eaten but by the better fort. In paftry-work, but chiefly

venison

venifon-pafties, they excel all nations. Their variety of puddings, and on Chriftmas holy-days their rich plum-porridge, Christmas-pies, and brawn, are properly English dishes, hardly known to other nations.

It is not many years fince a little bread ferved their turn, and fome I have known who fcarce did eat any.

Though malt-drink be their ufual liquor, yet vast quantities of wines are confumed here, notwithstanding the dearness of them by reafon of the duty: and wine is commonly drank here without water. Late in the afternoon, or evening, is the time usually affigned to take a chearful glafs; though they have a generation of whetters, who go to the tavern before dinner, and whet away their ftomachs.

In London they meet their acquaintance regularly almoft every evening, drink a pint, or perhaps a bottle, to every man's fhare, and part in good time. The fame method almost the gentlemen obferve in the country, only instead of drinking at taverns, they vifit one another in the afternoon at their own houfes.

For fineness of colour, ftrength, and palatablenefs, they have beer and ale not inferior to wine; but rather too quick and malignant in their operation.

Formerly they used to eat three or four meals a day, and fupper was the best meal : now a breakfast of coffee, tea, or chocolate, with bread and butter, a flesh dinner, and a spare fupper, is the common practice.

Coffee and tea, two fober liquors, are of common ufe in England, and take off people very much from drinking of thofe diftilled ftrong liquors, which are apt to confound and diforder the brain: but punch is much used, as well on land as by feafaring men.

The use of tobacco is very univerfal, and indeed not improper for fo moist a cli

mate.

For raiment, the common wear amongst the men is plain cloth and drugget, without any thing of coftly ornament. But the fair fex fpares for nothing to make the best appearance, the beft able in the richest filks of 8 or 10l. a yard, with all the fet-offs that art can poffibly invent.

England is too temperate a country to use stoves, as in cold climates: a chimney-fire, of wood or pit-coals, is much better, and apt to chear up the fight.

From thefe neceffary things to human life, I proceed to the English exercises and recreations.

I pass by fuch as are common with other nations, as hunting, hawking, fowling, fifhing, fhooting with bow and arrows, dancing, mufick, ftage-plays, &c.

Playing at mall, fo frequent in France, is out of date in England; and playing at tennis, much disused.

But bowling is very much in vogue, for which there are bowling-greens kept very neat, peculiar to the English. And fo is the recreation of paddock-courfes, horfe

races,

A fport of late years become univerfal: fcarce a county in England but has its stated times and places for racing in fpring and autumn, at which most of the gentlemen of the feveral counties refpectively affemble. Those that are fond of this diverfion are extremely nice in the breed of their horfes, and have imported the horses of feveral countries in order to mend it. The gentry and nobility affemble at Newmarket in September and October annually, to partake of this diverfion; when the king gives a plate to be run for and I may venture to say, that there is not in Europe to be feen fo many fine horfes together as is met with on this occafion in the plains of Newmarket. Here the world feems to be very much upon the level, no-body wear fwords, men of all degrees converfe freely together, bet and lay wagers without ceremony. It is not uncommon to run for a thousand pounds at a time, and the bets frequently amount to many thoufands. Here is a four-mile and fix-mile courfe on a level heath of excellent turf, without hedge or tree to interrupt the fight, the laft half mile of the courfe only being upon a gentle afcent. It is very

VOL. 11.

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entertaining

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races, cock-fighting; and with the common people leaping, wrestling, bear-baiting, bull-baiting, prizes, cudgels, foot-ball in frofty weather, and throwing at cocks about Shrovetide. Amongst which, the races fhew the wonderful swiftnefs of English horses; cock-fighting, the courage of their cocks; bear and bull-baiting, that of their dogs; and prizes, the dexterity and courage of fome men in the ufe of weapons.

The mufical way of ringing the bells is alfo peculiar to the English, whence this island is called in French, l'ifle fonnante, the ringing ifland.

I come now to give account of the English feftival-days, particularly the holidays at Christmas, Eafter, and Whitfuntide. The first continue in a manner from Chriftmasday, December 25, to Twelfth-day, January 6, being days of entertainment among friends and relations, in which also the landlords feat their tenants. This is done with great profufenefs, and not without immoderation. As for the holidays of Eafter and Whitfuntide, they are each of three days continuance.

They have alfo publick days of rejoicing, upon a civil account: particularly his majefty's birth-day, proclamation day, and coronation-day, when the Tower guns go off, the bells ring, and the night is illuminated with candles and bonfires. The fifth of November, being gun-powder treafon-day, is also a thanksgiving-day, for the wonderful deliverance of King James I. and the parliament then fitting, at the point of being blown up by popish confpirators, as it is recorded.

The city of London has a particular day of rejoicing, viz. the 29th of October, which they call lord mayor's fhew; when the new lord mayor enters upon his office. with the ufual folemnity.

Those are the fet days for publick rejoicings. But many focieties and companies likewise have their feafting-days: and in private families, efpecially of the better fort, it is ufual to celebrate their birth and wedding-days with their most intimate friends.

As to fafting-days, the Church of England has indeed appointed Lent, as a particular time of fafting and humiliation before God for their fins, but not to abstain from flesh all that time. A moderate diet, of any fort of food, is allowed. However, many members of the Church of England abstain from flesh on Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent. But Good-Friday particularly is obferved with fafting, till the evening.

The 30th of January, being the day on which King Charles I. was put to death, is appointed by law to be devoutly obferved with fasting, in deteftation of that act, and to deter pofterity from the like attempt. The 2d of September, being the day when the city of London was burnt, in the year 1666, has been yearly obferved, as a fast ever fince, by the citizens thereof; and the ministers of those churches that were burnt down, ufed a particular form of prayer on that day. To deprecate God's judgments, and implore his mercy, the fovereign appoints folemn fafts, when he thinks proper.

To fpeak of the particular customs of the English, I shall begin with Valentine's-Day, Feb. 14, when young men and maidens get their feveral names writ down upon fcrolls

entertaining to fee how thefe fine creatures ftretch up this little hill with a fwift but regular motion, while the whole field is laying wagers on one fide or other, and endeavouring to get in to fee the end of it; and fo extremely well matched they often are, that the prize is carried but by the length of a horfe, or per haps by his head, the judges who are to decide it being placed at a proper ftation to take the niceft view. In cudgel playing each party takes a ftick as big as an ordinary cane, with a basket-hilt, or guard, to fave his right hand, and endeavours to break his adverfary's head; though he hits him a hundred blows on the body or legs, this is of no moment provided his head be fafe; but the leaft blood drawn, or rafure of the skin about the head or face, carries the victory to him that occafioned it by his cudgel.

of