covered with escutcheons, eight wax tapers burning, and as many tall gentlemen with long black clokes attending; mum was the word, great silence expected from all that visited, for fear of disturbing this sleeping lion. And this ceremony had lasted much longer, had not one of the judges (whose name I must not mention here, lest he should incur the displeasure of the ladies) sent to disturb this pageantry. But I dare set down a mark whereby you may guess at him. It is one betwixt whom and the highway-men there is little love lost, one who thought the fellow had honour enough done him, that he was not buried under the gallows.

This story of lying in state seemed to me so improbable, and such an audacious mockery of the laws, that, till I had it again and again from several gentlemen, who had the curiosity to see him, 1 durst not put it down here, for fear of being accounted a notorious lyar.

The night was stormy and rainy, as if the heavens had sympathised with the ladies, and ecchoed again their sighs, and wept over again their tears.

As they were undressing him, in order to his lying in state, one of his friends put his hands in his pocket, and found therein the speech, which he intended to have made, written with a very fair hand; a copy whereof I have, with much cost and industry, procured, and yet do freely make it publick, because I would not have any thing wanting, in this narration.

DU VALL'S SPEECH.

I SHOULD be very ungrateful (which, amongst persons of honour, is a greater crime, than that for which I die) should I not acknowledge my obligation to you, fair English ladies. I could not have hoped, that a person of my nation, birth, education, and condition could have had so many and powerful charms to captivate you all, and to tie you so firmly to my interest, that you have not abandoned me in distress, or in prison; that you have accompanied me to this place of death, of ignominious death.

From the experience of your true loves I speak it, nay, I know I speak your hearts; you could be content to die with me now, and even here, could you be assured of enjoying your beloved Du Vall in the other world.

How mightily, and how generously, have you rewarded my little services! Shall I ever forget that universal consternation amongst you, when I was taken? Your frequent, your chargeable visits to me at Newgate? Your shrieks, your swoonings, when I was condemned? Your zealous intercession and importunity for my pardon?

You could not have erected fairer pillars of honour and respect to me, had I been a Hercules, and could have got fifty sons in a night.

It has been the misfortune of several English gentlemen, in the times of the late usurpation, to die at this place, upon the honour

ablest occasion that ever presented itself, the endeavouring to restore their exiled sovereign: Gentlemen, indeed, who had ventured their lives, and lost their estates in the service of their prince; but they all died unlamented, and uninterceded for, because they were English. How much greater, therefore, is my obligation, whom you love better than your own countrymen, better than your own dear husbands? Nevertheless, ladies, it does not grieve me, that your intercession for my life proved ineffectual; for now I shall die with little pain, a healthful body, and, I hope, a prepared mind. For my confessor has shewed me the evil of my way, and wrought in me a true repentance; witness these tears, these unfeigned tears. Had you prevailed for my life, I must, in gratitude, have devoted it wholly to you; which yet would have been but short; for, had you been sound, I should have soon died of a consumption; if otherwise, of the pox.

He was buried with many flambeaux, and a numerous train of mourners, most whereof were of the beautiful sex. He lies in the middle isle, in Covent-Garden church, under a plain white marble stone, whereon are curiously engraved the Du Vall's Arms, and, under them, written in black, this epitaph.

DU VALL'S EPITAPH.

HERE lies Du Vall: Reader, if male thou art,
Look to thy purse! if female, to thy heart.
Much havock has he made of both; for all
Men he made stand, and women he made fall.
The second conqu'ror of the Norman race;
Knights to his arms did yield, and ladies to his face;
Old Tyburn's glory, England's illustrious thief;
Du Vall, the ladies joy; Du Vall, the ladies grief.

The Author's Apology, why he conceals his Name.

SOME there are, without doubt, that will look upon this harmless pamphlet, as a libel and invective satire, because the author has not put his name to it; but the bookseller's printing his true name, and place of abode, wipes off that objection.

But, if any person be yet so curious, as to inquire after me, I can assure him, I have conjured the stationer not to declare my name so much as to his own wife; not that I am ashamed of the design, no, I glory in it; nor much of the manner of writing, for I have seen books, with the authors names to them, not much better written; neither do I fear I should be proud, if the book takes, and crest-fallen, if it should not; I am not a person of such a tender constitution:

Valeat res ludicra, si me

Palma negata macrum, donata reducat opimum.

But, upon other pressing and important reasons, though I am re

solved not to be known, yet I intend to give you some account of myself, enough to exempt me from being so pitiful and inconsiderable a fellow, as, possibly, some incensed females may endea. vour to represent me.

I was bred a scholar, but let none reproach me with it, for I have no more learning left, than what may become a well-bred gentleman. I have had the opportunity, if not the advantage, of seeing all France and Italy very particularly; Germany and the Spanish Netherlands en passant. I have walked a currant, in the hands of Monsieur Provosts, the French king's dancing-master; and several times pushed at the plastron of Monsieur Filboy le Vieux. Now, I hope, these qualities, joined with a white peruke, are sufficient to place any person hors de la porteè, out of the reach of contempt.

At my return from France, I was advised by my friends to settle myself in the world, that is, to marry. When I went first amongst the ladies upon that account, found them very obliging, and, as I thought, coming. I wondered mightily, what might be the reason could make me so acceptable; but afterwards found it was the scent of France, which was then strong upon me; for, according as that perfume decayed, my mistresses grew colder and colder.

But that, which precipitated me into ruin, was this following accident. Being once in the company of some ladies, amongst other discourses, we fell upon the comparison betwixt the French and English nations: And here it was, that I, very imprudently, maintained, even against my mistress, that a French lacquey was not so good as an English gentleman. The scene was immediately changed; they all looked upon me with anger and disdain; they said I was unworthy of that little breeding I had acquired, of that small parcel of wit (for they would not have me esteemed a mere fool, because I had been so often in their company) which nature had bestowed upon me, since I made so ill use of it, as to maintain such paradoxes. My mistress for ever forbids me the house, and, the next day, sends me my letters, and demands her own; bidding me pick up a wife at the plough-tail, for it was impossible any woman well bred would ever cast her eyes upon me.

I thought this disgrace would have brought me to my grave; it impaired my health, robbed me of my good humour. I retired from all company, as well of men as of women, and have lived a solitary melancholy life, and continued a batchelor, to this day.

I repented heartily, that, at my return from my travels, I did not put myself into a livery, and, in that habit, go and seek entertainment in some great man's house; for it was impossible, but good must have arrived to me from so doing. It was a la mode to have French servants; and no person of quality, but esteemed it a disgrace, if he had not two or three of that nation in his retinue; so that I had no reason to fear, but that I should soon find a condition.

After I had insinuated myself into one of these houses, I had just reason to expect, if I could have concealed myself from be ing an Englishman, that some young lady with a great portion should run away with me, and then I had been made for ever. But, if I had followed bad courses, and robbed upon the highway, as the subject of this history did, I might have expected the same civilities in prison, the same intercessions for my life, and, if those had not prevailed, the same glorious death, lying in state in Tangier Tavern, and being embalmed in the ladies tears. And who is there, worthy the name of a man, that would not prefer such a death before a mean, solitary, and inglorious, life?

I design but two things in the writing this book: One is, that the next Frenchman that is hanged may not cause an uprore in this imperial city; which I doubt not but I have effected.

The other is a much harder task: To set my countrymen on even terms with the French, as to the English ladies affections: If I should bring this about, I should esteem myself to have contributed much to the good of this kingdom.

One remedy there is, which, possibly, may conduce something towards it.

I have heard, that there is a new invention of transfusing the blood of one animal into another, and that it has been experimented by putting the blood of a sheep into an Englishman. I am against that way of experiments; for, should we make all Englishmen sheep, we should soon be a prey to the loure.

I think I can propose the making that experiment, a more advantageous way. I would have all gentlemen, who have been a full year, or more, out of France, be let blood weekly, or oft ener, if they can bear it. Mark how much they bleed; transfuse so much French lacquey's blood into them; replenish these last out of the English footmen, for it is no matter what becomes of them. Repeat this operation toties quoties, and, in process of time, you will find this event: Either the English gentlemen will be as much beloved as the French lacquies, or the French lacquies as little esteemed as the English gentlemen.

But to conclude my apology: I have certainly great reason to conceal my name; for, if I suffered so severely for only speaking one word in a private company, what punishment will be great enough for a relapsed heretick publishing a book to the same purpose? I must certainly do as that Irish gentleman that let a scape in the presence of his mistress; run my country, shave my head, and bury myself in a monastery, if there be any charitable enough to harbour a person guilty of such heinous crimes.

THE

ROYAL FISHING REVIVED.

Wherein is demonstrated, from what Causes the Dutch have upon the Matter ingrossed the Fishing Trade in his Majesty's Seas, wherein the Principles of all the Trades they drive in the World are chiefly founded: As also from what. Causes the English have lost the Fishing Trade, to the Endangering the small Remainder of the Trades they yet enjoy. Together with Expedients by which the Fishing Trade may be redeemed by the English; and Proposals for Carrying on so great a Work. Humbly offered to the Consideration of the King and Parliament,

London: Printed by Thomas Ratcliffe for the Author, 1670. Quarto, containing twelve Pages.

Here we are presented with the State of the Fishery in the British Seas, when King Charles II. seemed inclined to maintain the Right of his Subjects, and to protect them in the Employment of that valuable Branch of Trade. It is but short, but it methodically and rationally gives us the Advantages which the Dutch gain by that Trade, with the Reason of those Advantages: The Hinderances, which obstruct the English in the Prosecution thereof: The Means whereby the English may redeem the Fishing Trade: And so concludes with Proposals for carrying on this great Work.

ADVANTAGES the Dutch have in the fishing trade, with the

reasons them; viz.

1. Multitudes of men, above any other nation.

2. Cheapness of building all sorts of ships for this trade, above any other place.

3. Their convenient building ships for this trade, above any other place.

4. Greatness of vent in foreign trade for all sorts of commodities, returned in barter for their fish, above any other place.

5. Their excellency in packing and curing all sorts of fish (except red-herrings) above any other place.

THE REASONS.

First, Their multitudes of mariners and fishermen proceed not from the conveniency of their coasts, for all the fish they take are generally upon the coasts of England, Scotland, and the Orcades; and so might be more conveniently caught by us: Nor from the conveniency of their harbours, ours in number and excellency far exceeding theirs: But from the freedom that they give people of all nations, above any other place; whereby those people enjoying what they desire, and being kept in constant employment, are no way subject to sedition or murmur against the state; to the incomparable strengthening as well as inriching thereof.

Secondly, The cheapness of their building ships for this trade proceeds: 1. From the great quantities and cheapness of timber