unfortunate Dolet, (Stephen,) who, in 1546, was executed for reputed atheism -an act rather sanctioned than reproved by Calvin, Scaliger, and De Béze-Calvin placing him on the same line as Servetus (Bayle, article Dolet). On his return from Venice, where he had been secretary to the envoy, the Bishop of Limoges printed, in 1541, at his own press in Lyons, a slender quarto volume, "De Officio Legati," &c.

And Paschalius, (Carlo

Pasquali,) a born Italian, but naturalised Frenchman, published in 1598, at Rouen, where he was Advocate General of the Parliament, a little work, of which the best edition is that of the Elzevirs, (1645, 12mo.) intituled Legatus. It has no intrinsic merit; but the author, in 1589, was sent by Henry IV. on an embassy to Elizabeth, as stated by De Thou, to solicit pecuniary aid, which he obtained-forming, consequently, another interruption in the chain of Mr. Holmes's list of Ambassadors, thus to be filled up. He (Paschalius) was afterwards employed elsewhere, particularly with the Grisons, in 1604, as may be collected from Sully's Memoires, tome v. 338. These writers, Dolet, Paschalius, &c. as was the custom, or rule of the age, referred principally to the ancients for facts and authorities, (Machiavelli is almost the sole exception,) and the sources were abundant in examples. The pages of Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Polybius, teem with prolix ambassadorial harangues-the exercise and produce of their own ingenuity, like Dr. Johnson's parliamentary discourses, when the doors were closed on reporters. Polybius, indeed, had performed the functions himself, as well as his father, Lycortas, and the "Excerpta Legationum "form part of his preserved labours. The Roman historians equally abound in relations and speeches of Ambassadors -Cineas from Pyrrhus, and Carneades from Athens, to the Senate-the elder Africanus to Syphax-Sylla to Bacchus-Titus Quintius to Greece,—all comparatively brief, not forgetting that of Popilius to Antiochus, when placed in parallel with the elaborations of their Grecian predecessors. To what, sometimes tedious extent, Homer, with other Greek and Latin poets, indulged their loquacious propensities

in this way, I need not indicate. The leading principle of our modern envoys and diplomatists, on the other hand, is the impressive lesson derived from Macchiavelli and Paolo Sarpi, "Volto sciolto, e pensieri stretti," which is equally one of the Spanish Jesuit, Gracian's precepts. Oraculo Manual y arte de Prudencia sacada de los aforismos . de L. Gracian." (Huesca, 1647, 4to.) It is also Lord Chesterfield's repeated recommendation to his son, and is, in fact, the old Simulare et dissimulare." In Plato's Convivium (edit. L. J. Rückert, Lipsiæ, 1829.) Alcibiades, in speaking of his preceptor Socrates, describes him Ειρωνευόμενος δε καὶ παίξων πάντα τε βιον πρός τους ανθρώπους διατέλει.” As disguising in playful form his real purpose, veiling his thoughts in smiles.

This thought of Mr. Holmes, I may repeat, was good, and his offering is acceptable; for history, like science, is most safely based on minute inquiry. It cannot, in fact, securely repose on other grounds; and, among the aids to the efficacy of its instructions, or developement of its lessons, the views and characters of the main agents of the events unfolded in its pages, and constituting its attributions, may well appear entitled to distinct commemoration.

"Les vrais Ambassadeurs, interprétes des lois,

Sans les déshonorer, savent servir les rois : Des souverains du monde ils sont les noeuds sacrés,

Et partout bienfaisans, sont partout revérés."

Voltaire, Tragédie de Brutus, Act v. sc. ii.

A regular treatise on the subject would necessitate a recourse to Parisian channels of information, such ""Le as 'La Chambre des Comptes,' Dépôt des Affaires Etrangerès,” and above all "Les Archives Nationales." These last are in the ancient Hôtel de Soubize, rue du Paradis, originally the residence of the Constable, Olivier de Clisson, under Charles V. in the fourteenth century, subsequently that of the House of Guise, and, in 1697, purchased by François de Rohan, Prince of Soubize-the produce of his wife's favours to Louis XIV. In 1806 Napoleon appropriated it to its present use. From these documents, it will appear that at least one female was

any of the stalls under the degree of a Baron, unlesse he be a privie counsellour, the Captaine of the Penc'onours, and the Captaine of the Garde, in regard of their attendance on our person.

That when wee, or the Prince, are present, noe man presume to put on his hatt at the sermon, but those on the stalls on the left hand, which are Noblemen, or Counsellors, and the Deane of the Chappell.

That when wee, or the Prince, are absent, as our expresse pleasure is that our Chappell be all the yeare throughly kept, both morneinge and eveninge, (with solempe musicke like a Collegiate Church,) unlesse it be at such tyme in the summer when we are pleased to spare it, soe wee will have all decent honor and order kept, and therefore, when any of the Lords of our Councell be belowe, our pleasure is, soe much respect be given unto them (beinge our representative body) as noe man presume to be covered until they shall require them, and then onely the sonnes of Noblemen, or such as serve us, and the Prince, in eminent places.

That, in all these places, both Noblemen and others use greate distance and respect to our person, as allsoe civility one to an other, and those that are young offer not to fill up the seates from those which are eyther older, or more, or Councellours, though perhapps belowe then in rancke.

These we commaund to be in every pointe imitably observed, and as wee shall take especiall notice of those which conforme themselves with care and reverence to observe our commaunds, soe we straightly charge and commaund all our officers and servants, to whom it shall belonge, to make severe examples, by punishment and open disgraces upon any such as shall violate these our direccions, without respect of persons.

best antiquaries have laboured to trace them out. The subject is one which has long engaged my attention, and I have come to a conclusion that I have discovered the course of the Iter in question. It appears in Gibson's edition of Camden thus:

ITER VII. Editio Suritana.

Iter à Regno Londinium, m. p. xcvi. sic. Edit. Aldina, exv. Edit. Simleriana, cxvi. 96.

Clausentum, m. p. xx.

Ventam Belgarum, m. p. x. Callevam Atrebatum, m. p. xxii. Edit. Aldina, Gelleu. Edit. Simleriana, Gall.

Pontes, m. p. xxii.

Londinium, m. p. xxii.

This is a circuitous route from Chichester (Regnum), viâ Winchester (Venta Belgarum), to London; and, in my opinion, proceeded through the places which are now known as Southampton (or near to it), Winchester, Odiham, Reading, and Walton-uponThames.

I believe no doubt now exists of Chichester being the Regnum of Antoninus.

Clausentum, it is universally agreed, is in the neighbourhood of Southamp

ton.

The site of Calleva has been a much more disputed point, but I feel convinced that it must be placed at Reading. The name Calleva is, in all probability, some latinized British word, which perhaps was Ceubal, a ferry, or ferry boat as I suppose from Calleva appearing so frequently in the Itinerary, it was the place where the Thames was generally passed in the British and Roman times, and consequently was a point of some import

ance.

I am confirmed in this by my opinion of the etymology of the present name, for I conclude that Reading is derived from the British Rhyd, a ford or passage of a river. I also believe that the name Calleva is still retained in Caversham, on the opposite side of the Thames.

There is scarcely any station in the Itinerary that has puzzled our antiquaries more than Pontes. I will not here state the places at which they have fixed it, but proceed at once to give my reasons for placing it at Wal

2 L

ton-upon-Thames. This Iter, having proceeded to Calleva (Reading), did not pass the Thames, but, as I sup pose, went on to some place on that river, where there was a bridge over it; and which place was, it seems to me, at Walton, for I believe the large stakes there, mentioned by Bede (some of which remained until recently), were not those with which the Britons opposed Cæsar's passage (although I believe he passed the river there), but were the remains of a bridge which the Romans subsequently erected here. Perhaps Pontem was originally expressed in this Iter, and not Pontes. The tradition of the inhabitants of this neighbourhood, is that a bridge existed here in early times.

After crossing the river here, the Iter then, in my opinion, proceeded, on the Middlesex or north side of the river, to Londinium (the City of London).

It is evident that there are errors in the numbers or distances given in this journey by the Itinerary, and I cannot help believing that one or two stations are (as we now find it written) left out of it. Under this impression I am inclined to believe that it originally stood, or nearly so, as follows (premising that in the three editions mentioned above of the Itinerary, the total number of miles is variously given as 96, 115, and 116):

Clausentum, m. p. xxx.
Ventam Belgarum, m. p. xv.
Vindonum (or Vindomis), m. p. xxi.
Calleva Attrebatum, m. p. xv.
Pontes, m. p. xxii.

Londinium, m. p. xxii.

whereas they are about fifteen Roman miles apart. The distances between Reading and Walton, and between the latter and London, certainly are not equal; but, if it be conceded that the road from Walton (Pontes), at that period, lay on the north side of the Thames, the angle which it was necessary to describe, on account of the course of that river, would go far, if not entirely, to make up the deficiency in distance.

I have placed Vindomis, or Vindonum, at Odiham, principally on account of the modern name seeming to retain something of the ancient one; but there are other reasons which induce me to entertain this opinion, although it has, with some degree of probability, been placed at Basingstoke.

I shall here leave this subject for the present, without entering more minutely into it, being somewhat anxious to see what objections are raised to the opinions I have ventured on the course of the Iter in question, and the stations upon it; and to induce those more on the spot to devote their attention to it.

I OBSERVE in the Minor Correspondence of your Jan. Number a note from A. J. K. in reply to me, respecting the derivation of the name Warwick. He has certainly drawn out a tolerable case in favour of the British word; but, nevertheless, I must still retain my opinion that it is purely Saxon, until a better definition can be given than that afforded by the Saxon Chronicle. It ought to be recollected, that the town was destroyed by the hostile incursions of the Saxons and Danes not less than five or six times, from the time of its foundation to nearly the period of the Norman Conquest; and that at each time it received a new name from the King who rebuilt it. Thus we are told by Rous, that Gutheline, a British King, founded Warwick in the Christian era, and called it CaerGuthleon, or the town of Gutheline ; and that afterwards Gwdyr, another British King, named it Caer-Gwar, very probably a misprint for Gwdr, not Guarth, &c. Camden says, that

the British word Guarth signifies a fortified inclosure on a hill; and your Correspondent infers, that, by changing the Gu into W, which it appears was the custom of those times, that the word would be rendered Warththus Warth-wic instead of Guarth-wic

-"the fortified hill-place." He, apparently, only alludes to the fortification-but I believe that it is generally understood that wyk means a town or village; and it should also be recollected, that when the British Kings rebuilt Warwick, they invariably added the word Caer, also signifying a town. Neither is it at all probable, that, if the Britons adopted the word Guarth, they would affix to it the Saxon termination wyk: they would naturally add the British word Caer, as before mentioned.

Avon is derived from the British; and, I believe, it is generally allowed that, while many of the rivers still retain their British designations, the names of villages and hamlets are in most cases derived from the Saxon. The towns were pillaged and destroy ed, and others built in their stead, to which the conquerors gave definitions in their own language; nor, in their deadly animosity to the native inhabitants, would they retain a British name for one of their newly-erected towns. I shall, therefore, certainly prefer the authority of the Saxon Chronicle to the conjecture, however plausible, of Camden, who, it will be remembered, was one of those who imagined that Warwick was the Præsidium of the Romans, although no coins or other vestiges belonging to them were ever, I believe, found in or adjoining that town. There was a military station at Chesterton, only six miles distant, which renders it highly improbable that another should be established so near as Warwick. But humanum est errare. Your Correspondent must also excuse me from adopting the inflective word Warren; for, according to its present acceptation, it signifies a flat (not a hilly) inclosure or park; and thus appears not to be at all connected with the subject under discussion.

Warwick was, however, written Werburgewic, by Beorhtwulf, King of Mercia, about the year 850; and his

charter, containing the word, is in the Textus Roffensis, (edit. Hearne,) p. 68. It appears also, by the Saxon Annals, that when England was divided into shires, the new county was written Wering-scyre. In Domesday Book it is written Warwic-scire.

Shortly after the destruction of the town by the Danes, Ethelfleda, the heroic daughter of King Alfred, (who had previously married Ethelred, one of his Generals, who had been created the first Earl of Mercia, and who died in 912,) took this town under her protection. It is recorded, "that she retained and defended Mercia with the bravery of an experienced warrior. She fortified all her towns, constructed ramparts, and entrenched camps in the most advantageous situations. She defeated the Welsh, drove the Danes out of Derby and Leicester, and compelled many of their tribes to acknowledge her authority." In 913 she laid the foundation of a castle, on a rocky acclivity, on the northern bank of the Avon; and also raised a steep and lofty mound of earth, on its western side. On this mound, which still exists, it is supposed that a fort was then erected. This noble and spirited woman died in 920. The distressed Saxons would naturally fly to this fortification for protection; and thus numerous dwellings, forming a village, or town, would speedily be erected in its contiguity. Here, I apprehend, we have the true meaning of the word Waringwic, as given in the Saxon Chronicle, viz. wæring, a mound, and wyk, a town.

At a subsequent period, viz. 1086, it is stated in the Norman Survey, that the Burgh (which Spelman says, means a fortified town) contained 370 houses. Additions were also then made to the Castle; for of thirty-six houses, which belonged to the Benedictine Abbey of Coventry, four were destroyed, to enlarge its site, by Turchil the Vicecomes; and who was then ordered to surround the town (which must have considerably increased in extent) with a ditch, erect gates, and strengthen it with a wall, portions of which still exist.

Having thus examined the etymology of the word in question, I am inclined to believe that a majority of