will permit me to obferve, as it may be the only one which can diftinguish me to any advantage. My father had a great and due regard for the univerfity, as a place fet apart for promoting thofe valuable ends, which he ever had at heart, the advancement of true religion and ufeful knowledge. But by enjoying, in the earlier part of my life, the advantage and improvement of your inftitution, I received fuch ftrong impreffions in your favour as can never be effaced, and mult make what was esteem in him, duty and affection in me. The honourable station, which, by his majesty's favour, I have fome time filled in the county of Cambridge, and their unanimous voice in electing me for three parliaments their reprefentative, had before given me some connection with the univerfity; and I fhall be very happy if by this nearer relation, in which your favour has placed me, I may have more frequent opportunities of affifting in any deliberations, or concurring in any meafures which may tend to your honour or advantage. My thanks are, in a particular manner, due to you for the kind and refpectful notice you are pleated to take of my brothers. As most of them received the benefit of inftruction under your care, they have retained the fame grateful fenfe of it, which I do; and if it has been in the power of any one of them, in the courfe of his profeffi. on, to do you real and acceptable fervice, he will think himself amply repaid by this publick and obliging acknowledgment, which he has the honour to receive from you. It is my ardent with, and will ever be my earnest endeavour to promote as far as I can, all the ufeful and important ends of your inftitution; and particularly to preferve that concord and harmony among you which are ever fo favourable to the attainment of thefe ends, and fo peculiarly be come a feat of learning. By this means you will beft fecure the flourishing ftate which you have long been in, beit fupport your credit in the public eye, and molt effectually obtain, what you are doubtiefs molt ambitious of, the regard and esteem of all good men. Mr URBAN, N a collection of old fongs, entitled, is one entitled, "The bonny Earle of Murray," written to commemorate the murder of the Earl of Murray by the Earl of Huntley, and, by fome, fuppofed A to have been contemporary with the fact. The editor, however, in his introduction, fays, that he knows not any reafon for fuppofing James the It to have been jealous of Lord Murray with his queen, whofe Luve, or Gallant, Murray, in this ballad, is faid to have been. There is, however, a writer of great credit, who lived at the time when this event happened, that has given the following account of it *. Ian, with the greatest refpe&t, Mr Vice chancellor, and Gentlemen of the Senate, your molt onliged and o bedient fervant, HARDWICKE. Richmond, June 12, 1765. Publient in frequenti Senatu, 19 Juzu. [Copy.] B The feventh of February, this eire, 1592, the Earle of Murray was cruelly murdered by the Earle of Huntley, at his houfe in Dunibrifel, in FifeChyre, and with him Dunbar, Sariffe D E' of Murray. It was given out and publickly talkt, that the Earle of • Huntley was only the intrument of perpetrating this facte, to fatife the king's jealoufie of Marray, quhum the Queene more rafhely than wifely 'fome few days before had commend'ed in the king's hearing, with too many epithets of a proper and gailant man. The reafons of thefe furmifes proceedit from a proclamatione of the king's, the 13th of Marche following, inhibiteine the younge Earle of Murray to perfue the Earle of Huntley for his father's flaughter, in respect he being wardeit (imprifoned) in the cattle of Blacknee, for the fame murther, was willing to abyde a tryall. Averring that he had done nothing but by the King's majestie's commiffione, and fo wais neither airt nor pairt in the murther. To this may be added, the authority of another Scotch writer, Bp Burnet, who gives much the fame account in the hiftory of his own Times, p. 19. Eight years before that time, King James, on a fecret jealousy of the Earl of Murray, then etteemed the handfomeit man of Scotland, fet on the Marquels of Huntley, who was Ghis mortal enemy, to murder him; and by a writing, all under his own hand, he promifed to fave himself for it. He fet the house in which he was, on fire, and the Earl flying away, was followed and murdered, *Sir James Balfour, Kat. Lyon King of Arms, whofe MS of the annals of Scotland is in the lawyer's library at Edinburgh. and rumour being raised in the mean while, that the E. of Murray, was feen in the palace with Bothwell, on the night of the enterprize, the 'fame was entertained by Huntley, (who waited then at court) to make him fufpected of the king; & prevail'ed fo far, as he did purchase a commiffion, to apprehend and bring Murray to his trial. That nobleman not fearing any fuch course, was come to Duny Briffil, a house fituated on the North of Forth, and belonging to his mother, the lady Donne. Huntley, being advertised of his coming, and how he lay there fecure, accompanied only with the 'fheriff of Murray, and a few of his • own retinue, went thither and befet the house, requiring him to furrender. The E. of Murray refufing to put himself into the hands of his enemies, after fome defence made, in which the fheriff was killed, fire was fet to the house, and they within 'forc'd, by the violence of the fmoak and flame to come forth. The Earle ftaid a great space after the reft, and the night falling down, ventured among his enemies, and breaking through the midst of them, 'did fo far out-run them all, as they fuppofed he had escaped; yet fearching among the rocks, he was dif covered by the tip of his headpiece, which had taken fire before he left the house, and unmercifully 'flain. The credit of this narration is indifputable, the Abp being then on the spot, and his book published at a time when many living witnesses could have contradicted his account if it had been false. As to the king's proclamation mentioned by Balfour, it only inhibited the Earl of Murray's fon from revenging his fa ther's murder, by the murder of Huntley, till that nobleman could be brought to a legal trial. and Huntley fent Gordon of Bucquey with the news to the king.' But in order to understand this matter fully, we must go back to a confpiracy formed against the life of James the Ift, of which Abp. Spotfwood gives us this account, p. 386.Bothwell is eafily A drawn in to condefcend, and the confpiracy fo ordered, that he and his followers fhould, under night, be let in at a back paffage, that lay through the Lord Duke's ftables; and first that they fhould feize upon "the gates, take the keys from the porter, and go afterwards to the B 'king's chamber, and make him fure. When Bothwell, with his company, had entered by the way named, and was come into the inner court of the palace, James Douglas, who minded nothing but the relief of his fervants, drew a number to break open the doors where they were detained, and, by the noise thereof, all in the palace were put upon their guard. The king was then at fupper, and being told that armed men were in the nether court, leaving the rooms wherein he lodged, went up to the Tower, as a place of greater fecurity. D Bothwell having directed fome to inclofe the Chancellor's lodgings, left he fhould efcape, made towards the Queen's rooms, where he expected to find entry; and perceiving_all 'fhut upon him, called to bring fire. But e're they could find any, Sir James Sandilands, one of his majesty's chamberlains, who had fupped with. ⚫ out the palace with a number of people of Edinburgh, entering by the church of Holy Rood Houfe, did beat him and his company from the doors, and was in a pofbility of taking them all if there had been any lights, but thefe being all extinguifhed, Bothwell, with the principals of his company, made fhift in the dark, and efcaped, returning by the fame way that he had entered. In his out going he was encountered by a gentleman of the equerry, named John Shaw, whom he killed with his piftol, yet loft nine of his followers, men of fmall note, who were executed next morning." The Abp proceeds, p. 387, in this manner; The enterprize thus defeated, Bothwell went into the North, looking to be fupplied by the E. of Murray, his coufin-german; which the king sufpecting, Andrew Lord Ochiltree, was fent to bring Murray into the South, of purpose to work a reconcilement betwixt him and Huntley; but, a E F G H Having ftated thefe facts, I fubmit them to the judgement of your readers, and am Yours, &c. Quus. An Honef Man's Reafons, for declining to take part in the new Adminißration. FI could have prevailed on myself, that fyftem which I have fo heartily 332 Reafons for not taking part in the new Administration. lic benefit. I cannot, however, indulge this pleafing hope from the arrangements which are now taking place. The new minifters are proclaimed the deliverers of their country. The Influence of the favourite is to be entirely removed, and his friends to be profcribed. I will not enquire whether the favou- A rite whom they pretend to abjure, is not the great magician, who gives even the appearance of folidity to this phantom of adminiftration; neither hall I enter into an examination of the characters of the new ministry, of whom, having never mixed in thofe B diverfions to which they have given the greater part of their time, it is impo tofiible for me to fpeak knowingly.Sensible, however, themselves that the bottom of their abilities or experience is too narrow to bear them, they feek for fhelter under other names than their own, and having received the nominations of every officer from a duke who himself ftands the leaft forWard, hope to owe their fuccefs to the Patronage of men who are known to Be molt adverle. With this view they are daily promising to their adherents the approbation and fupport of fome Who have abfolutely refufed, and of D others who have not confented to an onion with their party. C Thofe who hold the two highest ftations in the law, have maft falfly Been cited, as giving fanction to a change, which in fact they have most publicly and fincerely regretted. The Marquis, the favourite of the ariny E and of the people, and another noble Lord clofely united to him in affection and in office, have, with equal injuftice, been held forth as friends to a fyftem of which they have declared their disapprobation. But these young Gentlemen, aho bave never appeared on any fage before,in order to conciliate to themfelves the good opinion of the public, have been induftrious to inform us, that they undertake the re presentation of this political drama at the particular defire of the popular Aatefman. They have circulated with Uncommon affiduity, that Mr Pitt heartily approved of the new fyftem, that he would give to it himself, and & folicit for it from his friends a cordial furoport. As I have no commerce with that gentleman, I can only judge of the part which he will take, from what I think his temper, his opinions, and his character would lead him to. Did he really approve the fyftem, to which, for the fake of procuring more H umerous fubfcriptions, they have prefixed his name, I am nerfuaded hé would have taken fome official department; that he would have nominated men, to whofe interefts he was attached, and on whofe principles and plans he could have depended; and that be- . ing fecure of anfwering his own purpotes, by accepting the forts of government, he would not have suffered. them to have dropped into the hands of a miniftry compofed of the extravagancies of youth, and of the infirmities of age. I know that another very refpectable name is held out as the fhield of Ajax, under which thefe military itatefmen are to march to conqueft: It were to be wifhed, that thofe to whom the circulation of thefe reports is committed, had been forbidden to fport with names fo near the throne, and particularly that a reftraint had been put on that infolent publication, in which it was declared, That this noble perfonage was recalled to a fecond life, by the distresses of his nephew The fingle purpafe of put-ting forward a name which muft always be treated with respect, can only be that of uniting men: The uncertainty and variety of measures which have been purfued under it, leave little room to hope for a itability of fy-' ftem, even were his life to be as long as our regards would make us with it. In whatever light, therefore, I look at this administration, whether on the hollow ground, on which they have chofen.to put themselves, the exchan ging or rather accumulating favoritilm, which they pretend to abolish → or on the motley and difcordant ages and characters, which compofe it; or on those whom, either falfely or fruitlefsly, they claim as their protectors, I am confirmed in my refolution of refufing to give it countenance or fupport. If the enmity, which the new miniftry profeffes towards Lord B is fing cere, they will be repaid in kind, and their ruin then is at the distance of a few months only; for it is not proba ble, that the man who has repeatedly broken his word of neutrality with thofe to whom he had been fo confiderably indebted, fhould keep it to thofe who declare open war with him. They cannot themselves be blind to this, but muft expect that he who re moved a well-grounded and fuccefsful minifter, to revenge the difmiffion of his brother, will not fit tamely by and fee the reft of his friends profcribed by a fet of men, who have neither po pularity nor abilities to delay their destruction, Journal of a Tour from Rotterdam through Auftrian Brabant, and Flanders. In an EPISTLE to a friend in England. (Continued from p. 287.) T% O Mecklin, next we bent our way, Arriv'd, we made but little ftay, Juft faw the church, a fine old pile Rich altars, paintings, grace each ayle. Jts candlesticks of maily plate Would make a very fine eftate. Thefe pomps of superstition feen We haften'd hungry to our inn, There, having din'd, our coachman bules, To get us in-then hie for Bruffels. Delightful city this, indeed, High rais'd, it lifts its pompous head. Its buildings, venerably fair, Are cloath'd with a majestic air, And from the verdant vale below Rife up the hill in many a row; A hill, whofe fummit yields a park ~With grateful foilage almoft dark; A moft delightful twylight scene, While round you waves th' umbrageous green, And warbling birds of various wing Ceafelefs their pretty raptures fing. From hence, where'er you turn your eyes, A laughing landscape round you lies, Such flow'ry meads and wand'ring ftreams, Such wood cloath'd-hills, in poet's dreams Amule your fancy oft, but here A real (weet existence wear. Here coaches moft fuperb you meet, Paintings and tap fry here combine We laugh'd at (pardon the recounting) A choice Mufaum here we found, Thence, turning to another part, And almoft puzzled her, to guess In many a pleafing row they ftand: But then to make amends for thefe, Honce to a Convent we retreated, There, thro' an horrid iron grate, They, like your cunning folks, who're us'd To clear themselves, before accus'd, Unafk'd, pretended high enjoyment, In Piety's reclufe employment, Rail'd at the world with afpect fable, Juft fo the fox-You know the fable. They faid, tho' Paul commended marriage He did not fingle life difparage, But tells us, in that very letter, A fingle lite is far, far better, -Thus I oppos'd her elocution ""Tis true, Ma'am, during perfecution, That fingle chriftians fight their warfare Better than those who've mates to care for, That this the true sense of that case, is Demonftrable from other places. For, fays he not (my point to carry) I will that younger women marry, Bear children, rear them up, and guide The boufe, with prudence void of pride, How then, pray ma'am, can you withstand Heav'ns fft, beneficent command, Which bids, that thofe who life receive -Should lite, in turn, to others give, In fuch a way as that decree Appoints, to bless fociety! Thus you should act, at least I ween, Be found in ufe of lawful mean, Fie, fie upon ye, girls! fuch beauties To flight important chriftian duties! Look in the glafs-thofe eyes and faces We're never made for thefe dull places. Cannot your pray'za with heav'n prevail, Unless they're offer'd in a jail? That lilly hand,—and here I try'd So monkeys, as the story tells, We would not quit it if we might.' To this the answer'd with fly grin, "Thefe bars were made to keep you out, fir "And not defign'd to keep us in, "The truth of which you need not doubt, fir." But if content ma'am, as you fay, Tho' all thefe bars were ta'en away, Here chastity would run no danger, From friend profefs'd, or utter firanger: "Well, fir, pray fet yourself at ease"We'll drop this fubject if you please”So faid, fo done, and then they brought Purfes with gold and filver wrought, Afk'd if we'd buy, we bought a fewThey thank'd us,-bowing we withdrew. (To be concluded in our next:) 384 Thoughts on Sudden Death. To a Lady. The dreadful priviledge of fudden death: Spare me a little ere 1 hence depart," And to his days he added fitteen years: He rofe, he fell-with faltering voice, he cried, Where is Amelia-tell me where?" and dieds But chiefly this-I'd with an hour to spare, And ftretch her whole devotion on the wing, A NEW BALLAD HO' the laws of Great Britain do wifely THO provide, [fupply'd, That the wants of 'fquire Ketch fhould be amply Yet I dreamt t'other night that more necks, Unto Tyburn Tree. might be ty'd The fellow that flatters to ferve his own end, The gentleman gamefter, that foars for his prey, The man that for money would cut Britain's That fees dirty fcribblers to fib for a groat, And damn his difciples-let him take a turn (child, tongue The dame scientific, neglected fo long, The witling that pilfers each hoary conceit, The |