that the money be made to the juft affize; to oversee the officers, and to reprimand them for any neglect or mifmanagement in their work: An Ajay-mafier, who weighs the metal, and fees whether it be ftandard: An, Auditor, who takes and makes up the accompts: A Surveyor of the melting, who is to fee the filver caft out, and that it be not changed, nor adulterated, after the Affay-mafter has made his trial, and given his fiat: A Clerk of the irons, whofe care is to fee that the iron be clean, and fit to work with: A Graver, who engraves the dyes and ftamps for the coinage of money Melters, who melt the bullion, before it comes to coining: Blanchers, who anneal, or boil and cleanfe the money Porters, to keep the gate of the Mint A Proveft, who provides for all the moneyers, and overfees them. And Moneyers, fome of whom fhear the money, fome forge it, fome ftamp or coin it, and fome round and mill it.

:

In the practice of this art are ufed many inftruments or utenfils, viz. a furnace: Crucibles or melting pots Moulds or frames for cafting the inetal into long flat bars: Models or patterns, which are flat pieces of copper, about fifteen inches long, and nearly of the thickness of the fpecies to be ftruck: A mill to prepare the lamina on thin plates of metal, and to give them their proper thicknefs, hardness, and confiftence, before they be ftruck or ftamped: Which machine confifts of feveral wheels, dented like thofe of a clock, &c. and moves two cylinders of fteel, between which the me tal is paffed to be brought to its proper thickness: It is worked with hories: A cutting inftrument fastened to the lower extremity of an arbor, whose upper end is formed into a fcrew, which, being turned by an iron handle,turns the arbor, and lets the steel well sharpened, in form of a punch-cutter, fall on the plate; and thus a piece of any fize is punched out: Files, fcales, and copper pans for blanching the blanks: A machine, compofed of two plates of fteel, in form of rulers, about

the thickness of a line, on which the legend or edging is engraven, half on the one, and half on the other, to mark the edges of the planchets, or pieces to be ftamped, to prevent the clipping or paring of the fpecies. (See the plate, fig 5.) Punchions or dyes, (fig. 6.) which are made of a good steel of a cubic form, and carrying the Prince's head, arms, legend, &c. engraved : These are alfo called matrices, because they give being to the fpecies on which they make their impreffion or image A mill or prefs, (fee fig. 1.) which the French call a balancier, whofe chief parts are a beam, a fcrew, and an arbor. The beam is a long iron bar, with a heavy ball of lead at each end, and rings, to which are fastened cords for the conveniency of the workmen, (fig. 4.) to turn it with all their force: This beam or fly is placed hori zontally over the machine, and receives the top of the fcrew, at fig. 3; fo that, by turning this beam, the arbor under the fcrew is compreffed with great force; and, as the dye or matrice of the reverfe fide is faftened to the lower extremity of this arbor, it joins upon the dye of the image fide, placed under it, (at fig. 2.) and by this means the money is coined with great exactnefs and expedition.

This machine was invented, A. D. 1553, by one Antoine Brucher, and first tried at the Louvre in Paris: The method before of punching with a hammer being neither fo neat nor expeditious.

The alloy allowed for money of the English ftandard is two carrats of filver and copper to one pound troy of gold, and eighteen penny-weights of copper to one pound troy of filver. And when the metal has been melted, and reduced as near as poffible to the thickness of the intended money, and cut out into blanks or planchets; these blanks are sent to the blanching or whitening houfe to be coloured, which is done by heating them in a furnace; and, when taken out, and cool, by boiling them fucceffively in two copper veffels with water, common falt, and tartar. When

they

they are by this means brought to the colour intended, they are turned into a copper fieve, then scoured well with fand, washed with common water, and dried over a wood fire in the fame copper fieve.

Being thus prepared and dry, the blanks are transferred to the machine, (fig. 5.) one of whofe rulers is immoveable, and ftrongly faftened with fcrews; the other is moveable, and flides on the copper-plate, by means of a handle, and a wheel or pinion of iron, the teeth whereof catch in a kind of other teeth on the furface of a fliding plate. Between thefe two plates

--

The HISTORY of ENGLAND, Throckmorton was executed on the 10th of July, 1584, after he had been fairly tried and lawfully convicted, as well by fufficient evidence of his own letters, &c. as by his own confeffion, (fee page 23.) though he was hardy enough to deny all, and proclaim his own innocence at the place of execution. But the watchful Queen and her Council were not to be impofed upon by fuch prevarications. It was manifelt, that plots were contriving on every fide to disturb the tranquillity of England, from the Scotch and French, as well as from the Spaniards. And a moft providential, I may fay a moft miraculous difcovery determined the well affected to unite in defence of their Sovereign, and their own liberties and religion.

One Chreichton, or Creighton, a Scotch Jefuit, being pitched upon as a proper incendiary on the part of Scotland, was difpatched with inftructions to inform the malecontents of both kingdoms, that the Pope, Spaniard, and the Guifes, had confederated to exert their utmost power to dethrone Elifabeth; and utterly to difinherit the King of Scotland, from the fucceffion to the crown of England, as an open favourer of herefy: To marry the captive Queen Mary to fome catholic Nobleman of England; and to engage the catholics of England to chufe him, fo married,

(Page 17, Vol. VII.) continued. King of England, to be confirmed by the Pope: And to cause the children to be born of that marriage to be declared the rightful fucceffors to the crown and kingdom of England. In his voyage, the fhip being attacked and taken by fome Dutch pirates, Creighton, dreading the confequences of a discovery, fhould his papers of inftructions, &c. be taken, tore them to pieces, and threw them overboard. But the discoverer of all fecrets,and the powerful defender of his afflicted fervants, raised a guft of wind, which blew the scattered bits of paper back again into the fhip, now in the hands of the Dutch; who, juftly fuppofing the contents to be ruinous to the ftate of England, carefully preferved every fhred, and fent them to Secretary Wade: And he, with much labour and fingu, lar skill, having joined them together again, found the contents to be as a bove, with the refolution of the Pope, Spaniard, and Duke of Guife, to invade England, for no other caufe but on the score of religion.

This mifcarriage and the news of the grand affociation, which the Earl of Leicefter at this time formed, of all degrees and conditions of men, who bound themselves by oath to prosecute to death those that should attempt any thing against the Queen, threw the Queen of Scots into great thoughts a

bout

bout her own-fafety, fhould it be proved that the had been concerned in these plots. Therefore Mary fent her Secretary Nave, with fresh proposals to Elifabeth, in order to regain her liberty. Which, however advantageous, and, it might be, acceptable heretofore, were flighted and ferved only to heighten the fufpicions entertained againft her, of being deeply confenting to, and promoting thofe plots. And it is very likely, that it was now determined to wait the first opportunity to take away her life, as Elifabeth's life appeared in danger fo long as Mary lived. For this end, we find the captive Queen taken out of the hands of the Earl of Shrew bury, and committed to Tutbury-castle, under the care of Sir Drue Drury and Sir Amias Powlet.

It was in this year the valiant and learned Mr. Walter Raleigh difcovered Virginia. He failed from the weft of England, on the 27th of April, 1584, with two fhips only, for the coaft of America; and arrived on the coast of Florida, on the 2d of July, whofe continent they discovered on the fourth of the fame month; but it was the 13th, before they attempted to land, which was firft done on the ifle of Wokoken, or according to fome accounts at the inlet near Roannock, another island now under the government of Carolina.

It was three days before any human creature appeared, when, a boat with three natives appearing on the fhore, one of them undauntedly went on board, and being prefented with a fhirt and a hat, and refreshed with wine and meat, expreffed his good liking by many figns, and with a boat load of fish, which he presently caught in fight of their ships, and divided in two parts between them on the point of land.

The good report, fpread by this means among the natives, brought them down without fear to the fea fide; amongst whom there came the King's brother, with his wife and children, who traded with them, and feafted with them both on board and afhore.

The natives called their country Wingandacoa, and their King was uam

ed Wingina; from whence our adventurers, well pleased with their discovery, returned to England about the middle of September, and gave fo advantageous an account of matters, by reprefenting the country fo delightful and defireable, fo pleasant and abounding with tall large oaks, and other timber; red cedar, cyprefs, pines, and other ever-greens and fweetwoods; for tallnefs and largenefs exceeding all they had ever heard of; and with wild fowl, fifh, deer, and other game in fuch plenty and variety, that no epicure could defire more than this new world did feem naturally to afford, and with all the neceffaries of life; of the temperature, fruitfulness, sweetness, and healthfulness of the climate, air, and foil, as if it were a real paradife; and of the tractablenefs, good difpofition, and ignorance of the natives: That her Majefty espoused the project of adding this discovery to her dominions, and, in token of her gracious intentions and good-will to forward a new settlement there, fhe changed its name into Virginia; as well, fays my author, because it was first discovered in her reign, as a virgin Queen, as because it did ftill feem to retain the vir gin purity and plenty of the firft creation, and the people their primitive innocence; for they feemed not debauched nor corrupted with those pomps and vanities, which had depraved and enslaved the rest of mankind; neither were their hands hardened by labour, nor their minds corrupted by the defire of hoarding up treasure. They were without boundaries to their lands, without property in cattle, and feemed to have escaped, or rather not to have been concerned in the first curfe, of getting their bread by the fweat of their brows; for, by their pleasure alone, they fupplied all their neceffi ties. They lived by fishing, fowling, and hunting, and cloathed themselves with the fkins of wild beafts, which they had killed; or walked naked. They lived without labour, and only gathered the fruits of the earth, when ripe or fit for use.

Some

Some time in this year alfo died, in an inglorious exile, Charles Nevil, late Earl of Westmorland, and the last Earl of that houfe; from which family, befides fix Earls of Weftmorland, there had fprung two Earls of Salisbury and Warwick, one Earl of Kent, a Marquis Montacute, a Duke of Bedford, a Baron Ferrars, of Ofley; Barons Latimers, Barons Abergavenny, one Queen, five Ducheffes; befides Counteffes, Baroneffes, an Archbishop of York, and a great number of inferior Gentlemen.

The Prince of Orange was affaffinated this year alfo, by Balthazar Gerrard, a Burgundian; and Philip his eldeft fon being in the power of the King of Spain, and educated a papist, the States conferred the government on Maurice, his fecond fon. But they were reduced to fo low a ftate, that they were obliged to feek fome foreign power to protect them from the fuperior force of the Prince of Parma. Henry the Third of France refused their offer. They then threw themselves under the protection of Queen Elifabeth.

In the mean time the Duke of Anjou dying, and the King of France having no children, the Duke of Guife, taking the advantage of the bigotry of the people, and the reformed principles of the King of Navarre, then apparent heir to the crown of France, was contriving and caballing all in his power, under the name of religion, to fecure the fucceffion to himself, in cafe of a demife. With this view the Duke entered into a league with Philip II. of Spain, who, covering his real defign with the fame religious mask, kindled a flame in France, which long confumed that kingdom.

But, before I close this year, it will but be doing juftice to Queen Elifabeth's merciful temper, to inform my readers, That notwithstanding the reftlefs difpofition of the papilts against her and her government, and the laws which enabled her to cut off all fuch recufants; we find the following tellimony of her mercy towards twenty Jefuits and one Gentleman, whom fhe, at her own charges, fent beyond fea,

into Normandy, from the Tower of Lons don, Marshaljea, and King's-Bench, as their own certificate declares.

The CERTIFICATE.

To all Magiftrates, &c. This may be to give certification, that we, whole names are here underwritten, who were embarked at the Tower-wharf, of London, January 21, 1584, were friendly and honeftly entreated, and with careful diligence fafely tranfported to the province of Normandy, Feb. 3, #584; for teftimony whereof we have hereunto fet our hands, this third day of February, 1584. after Haywood, John Hart, Will. Tedder, Arthur Pitts, Rich. Slake, Rich. Norris, Will. Bishop, Tho. Stevenson, Chrift. Thompson, John Barnes, Edward Rishton,

James Bofgrave, Samuel Comes, Will. Warmington, Will. Hartie, Will. Dean,

Robert Nutter, John Colleton, Tho. Worthington, Will. Smith, Henry Orton, Gent.

Some of which, forgetful both of their duty and gratitude, returned again, and proved as arrant traitors as any of their brethren.

the

The grand affociation did not only alarm the captive Queen, but her confederates alfo; fo that, almost despairing of fuccefs by force of arms against a nation fo ftrongly united against their pretenfions, it was refolved to go fhortest way to work, and to affaffinate Elifabeth, as the Prince of Orange had been lately served; and as a fit inftrument of fo horrid a scene, whom should they pitch upon but one William Parry, a member of the Houfe of Commons, and one greatly indebted to her Majefty for giving him his life after condemnation, for breaking into the chamber of Hugh Hare, and wounding him? He had also been her fworn fervant for several years before that time, but was now fo fpirited up by the follicitations and traitorous arguments of Cardinal Allen, Benedict Palmius, Campegius, the Pope's Nuncio at Venice, and others, confirmed with the encouragement of Ragazonius, the Pope's

Nuncio in France, and letters from the Cardinal of Como, wherein the attempt was commended, and Parry was abfolved in the Pope's name; that he was wrought upon, and agreed with one Edward Nevil, a difcontented relation to the Earl of Weftmorland, to kill the Queen, as fhe rode abroad to take the air, as ufual.

Nevil difcovered this plot and bloody intent, in hopes, as fuppofed, to fecure an intereft in the title of Lord Latimer, as next male heir to the Earl of Westmorland, the news of whofe death arrived about the beginning of this year 1585; and Parry confeffed it fully upon his examination before three Privy-counsellors, Lord Hunfden, Sir Chriftopher Hatton, and Sir Francis Walfingham; and by letters to the Queen herself, Lord-treasurer Burleigh, and to the Earl of Leicester, he acknowledged his crime, and interceeded for pardon. A few days after he was brought to judgment in Westminfter-ball, where he pleaded Guilty, declared that his confeffion was free, not extorted, yet denied his having been refolved at any time to kill the Queen. -And after fome paufe, being urged to speak if he had any thing to urge why judgment fhould not pafs upon. him, he with great perturbation, as one agitated with a bad confcience, added, I see I must die, because I was not refolved. At the gallows he boated much of his having been a faithful keeper of the Queen, because he had not killed her; and was hanged in Palace yard, Westminster, while both Houfes of Parliament were fitting in the hall, which had met by prorogation, on the 23d of November, 1584, and was their 4th feffion.

These desperate proceedings against the Queen's perfon were producuve of more fevere refolutions in this Parliament for her safety against the jefuits and priests, who ftrove continually to execute the treasonable and bloody principles and dictates of the bull of Pope Pius V, as well as against all that should aid or abet the Queen of Scots,

&c. in afferting her right to the Englih crown.

It was first declared, That they admitted, approved, and confirmed, by unanimous confent, the general or grand affociation: And then enacted, That twenty, or more Commiffioners, chofen and appointed by the Queen, fhould make inquifition concerning those who fhould endeavour to raife rebellion in the kingdom, or attempt the Queen's life, or claimed any right to the crown of England; that the perfon for whom, or by whom any attempt fhould be made, fhould be utterly incapable of fucceeding to the crown; deprived for ever of all right and title to it, and profecuted to death, if declared guilty by the twenty-four Commiffioners.

Then in regard to the jefuits, &c. it was further enacted, That within forty days all jefuits and priests should depart the land: That if any returned again after that, and ftayed there, they fhould be guilty of treafon: That if any received them wittingly and willingly, or entertained them, nourished, or helped them, fuch fhould be guilty of felony: That they who are brought up in the feminaries, if they return not within fix months after warning given, and fhould not fubmit themfelves within two days after their return to the Queen, before a Bishop, or two Juflices of the peace, they fhould be guilty of treafon. And they who had fubmitted, if they should within ten years come to the court, or nearer than ten miles of the court, that then their fubmiffion fhould be void: They who fent any money by any means to the ftudents of the feminaries, thould be guilty of præmunire. If any of the Peers of the realm, that is, Dukes, Marquifies, Earls, Vifcounts, Barons of the Parliament, fhould offend against thefe laws, he fhould be tried by his Peers. They who know any jefuits or priests to lie lurking in the realm, and within twelve days do not detect them, fhall be fined at the Queen's pleafure, and put in prifon. If any be fufpected

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to