STATE PAPERS RELATING TO ENGLISH IIISTOIly.

SINCE official attention has first been turned to the subject of ote Public Records, (now, perhaps, some farty or fifty year item from half a million to a million of money has been expended on the subject ; a far larger sum than has been paid for the copyrights of all the masterpieces of literature in all come tries in all ages. The result of' this enormous expenditure has been the publication of' a series of volumes, some of' them utterly useless—many of them unintelligible even to a scholar, from the barbarous uncouthness of their language—scarcely any complete, or to be looked upon as other than samples ; whilst, generally speaking, our public records are in a most discreditable stateae impossible to be read from their autography', abbeeviations, /fee, without order or arrangement to admit of refereteee, and with many of them perishing, or actually perished, undbr the very eies of the jobbers to whom the enormous sums of public money already alluded to have been paid.

'l'o what ramification of these wasteful jobs the volumes before us belong, we do not know, as we have never seen the former parts. All we know of them, however, we will tell. They ate pub- lished "under the authority of his Majesty's Commission ; " they are numbered Volumes IV. and V.; they contain from twelve to thirteen hundred quarto pages of letters from monarchs, ministers, and subordinate public officers or secret emplo 64,4e. specting the affairs of Scotland, and incidentally of the English Borders, during the reign of HENRY the Eighth, from 1523 Si 1546. Of course they are of the nature of raw materials;

they are incomplete in two senses—they rarely finish the narrative of any transaction, and they are only selections from papers withia reach of the Commissioners ; whilst some of them have been pub- lished already. The members by whose imprimatur they appear, are the present Lord CANTERBURY, Mr. CROKER, and Mr. HENRY HOHHOLISE. It cannot be supposed, however, that these gentle- men, with their multifarious avocations, have found time to read the documents published; still less that they have examined the voluminous masses in the State Paper Otlice, Chapterhouse, Bd. tish Museum, and other sources from which the contents of the volumes are selected. The real editor is ROBERT Lereov, their Secretary ; who appears to have discharged the circumscribed duty devolved upon him with judgment, taste, and acumen.

Whether the duty of persons employed to examine and arranre our national archives should consist in publishing bodily any part of them, may well, however, admit of question. To the public at large, or even to the studious part of the public, such books are useless, They take too much of a lifetime to read ; for, saying nothing of their dryness, we see that little more than twenty years of a single reign occupies two immense volumes, although the documents relate to only one, and that a very subordinate branch of the events of the period. An historian of common merit is not the product of every age: when he appears, he may be ex- pected to examine original archives if conveniently arranged and of easy inspection to any one ; ILIA a selection of printed don- mauls will scarcely answer his purpose, from their obvious incom- pleteness. The only persons to whom these volumes, the best of the class that we have seen, will afford any pleasure, are a few antiquarians and such like,—very amiable and harmless person', no doubt, but not to be gratified at so large an expenditure of the public money.

Had common sense, and, which is much more wanting in the Record Commissions, eotnmon honesty, been engaged upon the subject, the course adopted would have been clear and simple Armed with the sine qua non of sufficient authority, and having ascertained the diffe.rent Record-offices, the Commissioners would have put themselves in communication with their acting officers, and learnt from them the general nature and chronology of the documents in their custody,—in other words, whether they were legal, ecclesiastical, or political, the periods of time over which they extended, with their respective dates. And if', as would have been the case, some officers were found incapable of' answering, here would have been a detection of gross negligence, and the necessity of a glancing inspection and scheduler arrangement would have been imposed upon the Commissioners. Once in Pos- session of the general view, deputies acting in conjunction with the Record-officers should have tested and extended their reports: by the same means, attested copies of a uniform character would have been taken of every document. The arrangement of the whole would then have been easy ; and a single house in London would have contained single or duplicate copies of the national archives. All that it would have been necessary to print, would have beet a report of the Commissioners, which, if properly done, must have embodied a précis of the documents; catalogues raisonoh grows"."1 of the atehives, so as to indicate what would be found in them ; together with popular specimens of the most striking—au elaborate and extended revietv, To have done this, would have occupied I. a few vans without costing one tithe of what has been ex- pended : and yet tour national records are useless, perishing, and

&graceful to the country.

Quitting this, we will come to _the contents of the volumes before us; which commence with Scottish affairs ten years after the battle of Paden, where JAMES the Fourth fell; and close with the murder of Cardinal BEATOUN, during the infancy of MARY Queen of Scots, and four years after the death of her father. 3 Anus the Fifth. The general character of the int..r- mediate period is familiar ito the eadif Hustg, who, in his history of HENRY the Eighth, has described h! It in a few pages. The Secrtish nation was divided into two tilt:thins, the French and the Errlish. At the head of the former, till the young King got possession of his authority, was ALBANY the Regent, with such nobles as he could gain over. The Queen Mw her, MARGARET, sister to HENRY the Eighth—fickle, foolish, extravagant, and cor- rupt—was the rerson of highest rank among the English faction, but her desultory efforts were seconded and steadily supported by a numerous body of the nobility and gentry. When JAMES the Fifth, assisted by his friends, got possession of his crown, the same intrigues went on with scarcely a change in direction; the object of France and England being to excite Scotland respectively to make war and peace. On the death of J Amigs, the main struggle was for the hand of the young Princess. These things Hume saw from the authorities before him ; but he could not see, what Mr. TYTLKR, consulting these very documents, saw and stated in the fifth volume of his History of Scotland—the cause of these factions, and the evils they produced; which arose from the corruption of the Scotch nobility by the gold of England. There is still extant, as we stated in our review of TYTLER's volume, a list of the pensions paid by Lord DACRE, the crafty and politic Warden of the Borders, to void .us persons, from the Queen Dowager downwards; and two nobles at least. ANGUS and BOTHWELL, from personal injuries and the promise of a consideration, undertook to do homage to Ilssrus as King of Scotland, and to assist his claim by their forces if he invaded the kingdom. Mr. TYTLER also distinctly and convincingly showed the privity of the English Council, and even of HENRY, to the murder of Cardinal Beatoom. And these are the broad historical points elucidated by the bulky volumes before us.

It must, however, be admitted, that they throw strong light upon the manners of the age, the characters of its leading actors, and the estimation in which the " Border theves " were held by their contemporaries, as well as the mode in which they were dealt with when caught. Many of the letters, though rather minute and particular, are good specimens of plain manly English —Shaksperian, minus the poetry. Considerable interest is also attached to many of the writers; and the topics they write upon are curious, though almost mean-looking to modern eyes.

Thus, Lord CAssELLEs cannot set off on an embassy to England without 100/.; which Queen MARGARET sends to a-lt of Nourotn, who was in command at Newcastle. The same head of the HOWARDS, writing to solicit CittnowELL's good offices for the ap- pointment of Captain of Berwick, clinches sundry flatteries with

the naked offer of 1,000 marks—" And, good Mr. Secretory, 1

shall not fayle to gyff von a 1,000 markes for the same, bringing yt to pass." Various officers of the Borders are minutely estimat-

ing the cost of a few troopers; and DACRE himself deems it need- ful to correspond with WOLSEY touching 4s. 4d. a day to the chief officer of the artillery, with this minuteness—

Pleas it your Grace also, where Richard Canditihe, who has the charge of the Kings ordinaunce iii thes parties is capitein of 100 posture in Ilerwik,

and has his wagies for the same afire by daye, like as other capiteins has ; the said Richard Candiahe cannot be content without that he have wages for 5 penionnes horsemen, to adwate upon hym, besides the said 100 gonnors, like as he has had by my Lorde Lieutenaunt warraunt at his pleasure ; as appereth in the book whiche Robert Lorde delivered unto me at his departure. Anil 110 there woll no lease pleas hyin for his entertaignenient then ti• 4,1 by daye. And when I diechargied many others, 1 disehargied the said 5 persoeues, thinking that 4' by daye shuttle serve hym, acing that the last yere he was content with 18d by daye. And so the said Candishe has made me plain sualwere that without that he have, aswell wagiea for his said 5 men, as for hym self, he woll not remaigne here. Wherfore I beweelle your Grace, that the said Caodishe maye knowe your pleasure in writing by expresse wordes. The said Candishe canes sore upon me for money for reparation of the ordinaunce, and I have made hym aunswere agein that 1 have none to deliver Into hym. The said ordinannee is all lade tip in suertie, albeit a pane of it is not covered; wherfore 2 chades, like penteses, must be made for covering of the same. Undre cortection of your Grace I think it good that your Grace shuttle senile dotvne one substantiali clerk to take thaccomptes, aswell of the said Candishe and of Pawne for the Kinges vitales, as also for vieuyng off all the gonnours that is in Herwik : and fur thes reasons ensueing : Furst, the said Candishe ham received 7 or 800X ; and if his accompt be takin here, it wolhe for the Kinges advantage; remembring that here, where the warkes is done, they may he sene, and he chekt ; and above, can no man click hym; wiled)), lie may inaike his hook as he woll.

One of the principal correspondents is Master MAGNUS, HENRY'S Ambassador at Edinburgh ; whither NORFOI.K. its he informs WoLsmr, is "very joyful ' to hear that he is going, that he may, besides other contingent advantages "as a prest, gif the Quene some holsorne eounsell for thordring of her own living ;" which seems to have been of the loosest. The envoy appears to have justified the choice on public grounds; for his intelligence was good, his bribes were liberal, and his letters are clear and characteristic. OLSEY writes with a certain degree of amplitude; which he might put on for ecclesiastical dignity, but it looks more like a disguise than a dress. Queen MARGARET, both in the report of others and under her own hand, comes out very indifferently.— greedy, intriguing, stirring after things beyond her capability, en- deavouring toaccomplish herdouble purposes by tricks, and so great a liar, that her brother, bluff HARRY, significantly writes to her, "either your state often varveth, or els 'hinges have not been well understrande and declared?' Her language, too, was as bad as her matter—neither Scotch nor English, but a vile compouod of both. HARRY himaelf, however, is the most marked awl characteristic penman. No mean cultivation, strong natural selise, and a stronger self-will, are everywhere conspicuous; but lie seems, so far as we have gone, to have been above both passion and poli-h. History tells us that he could display anger; but lie w is too high, too absolute, and too much accustomed to personal deference from everybody, princes as well as subjects, to be moved in writing, un- less it was to wonder. His style has the same marks, strong but not choice, as if he could ennoble diction as well as nien. Here is a letter of his to MARGARET, in reply to one of her perpetual themes, want of money.

" Right Excellent, and NoVe Princesse, our derest Foster, in our moast harty maner We C01111111ende Us unto Voile. Advertising the same, III4C ‘te Ij4ve reeeyved your letters of the 180, of July, einiteyning aswell the 1.-eeipt of rims sent unto Voile liy Sir Ad ■an Otterburti Knight, as a eertoin di.couis it Ye «hold be greotcly indebted uppon certain occasions, in y am- arid let •, fivd ; for the diacharge wherof Ye repine out avde and o---i,onee. Derest suster, We doubt not but Ye do° both consiare, howe that out of meat noble memory advaunctal You to the marine of the Kiiigitt Mat Realme, Who right nobly endued Youe with rentee and po-sessiotis Its lyve in your honour and estate, and that 'We must nedes, reading your said letters, aswell h mervayl that Ye shuld be soo fsrre behinile the halide, as that Ye shuld make suche allegations for an apparance of the same, n tholighe the cause therof had sprung of Us and our Realtne. liViiiehe for answer bathe made Us to eignifie at this tyme unto Youe, that albeit We doo in barn. esteem Youe as our natural and loving mister, and will in all th nges and at all tytnes BOO use Youe, having Noche consideration in our prove linges as apperteynetti ; yet ‘Ve desire Youe net tiler to I Woke that We wohl (I.-berme, uppon sot, light a grourele, any suche nntoble some of money, ne that We trot I w illingly here, that Ye our sister shahl eyther have soli forte implegied your honour withobt consideration for the redemption of the same, or alleage unto Us, for a rause thereof, that tldng whiche canne towardes Us be imputed no cause ot iache in- convenience. For, if We shold first atlinytt that by the -,vorres Ye have sus- tined sonime damtnage, Ye most arsecte the blame therof to that pole whiche was thoccaaion of the same ; that is, to Dim, who being your notoral *mine, and our nephieu, enforced Us sundry wares thereinto tOr the defence of our subgiettes; and yet, asferre as We could lerne, delte none titherwiar with Vote in all that tyme, tlienne it bream a noble Prince and a loving smite to ,kale with his naturall mother and faithfull satigiett. And, as coneertivng your pre- paration,: for the emended entrevien, We thilike that We had Voile in sue-he retnenibranee again-t the same, as Ye might have been sufficiently furnished without further excessyve ehardge. And yet We coasi,lre agotn, th it in cam Ye had in dede made surhe preparations as Ye speake tut, the natures of the same were not smile, hat they might ether ha re,toled again to the owners, or naive be kept to don suche servire het oftre, as the ellardge of the same, devided in to sevet all tyines, shall appere but ordynary. Whet tor We must conclude that, as our nature is frank tad playne, Roo We jiwee in the won- blable ; and, as cur Ilan& is liberall, sot) it giver h not but ia a ineosure, and that, with juit consideration ; and therfore de-ire You in thu,u limier to typist! Your- self, and to-esteme I's towartles You as We be, that is. a loving and he tile brother, grating no lot thee norm Us, thenne Ye may conveniently with sour honour, and We semblably adinytt without thempeellement of greater thingee. Wherunto in cace Ye shall eonforine Yourseffii. Youo not hnt We "ail, like a he into brother, have Your' in suche remembrance front qui to rpm: as We maye conveniently, as Ye shall not have cause to thinke We have not that estimation of Youe that appertt.yneth. Right Excellent and Noble."

We noted lately, in discussing the laws of romance, that no- thing is romantic with which we are familiar. The forays of the Border have been sung in verse and glorified in tale; blit see how the heroes were estimated by contemporaries. The following is from NIAGNUS.

."I'llere hath not hene seen soe grete an :wise afore (at Ni weastle) and sot good apperaunee of gentilmen ; all men using they'll s dyes inuoste loady to obbey to the Kingges !awes and hit high conintaundements, insomyehe that nue Man was in ti-re to complaint., hor to geve evidence ayeinste the thieves and inalefaetoura; wherof there was putte tuexecution 10 persons, many of thayin of the grete surnames and hedesinen booth of Tyndaill and iliddesdaile; tree of the Fenwikkes, diverse other of the Siviftehouse, Pottes, Raulles. and Retie- lees, did suffer. Suche a thing bath not bene seen at mine assise in those partes afore; as I am sure the Kingges said Justices wall shewe unto your saide Grace."

This is from Lord DACRE; which, besides its list of Border names famous in story, indicates in the escape of Mr.GRAME, that the friends of the " thieves" were active and numerous, and had interest in various quarters.

"And SOO, according to my eaid warnyng, I beganne the same court and session upon the sante Fridave, and contynued about the same unto the Mon-

daye at night following. And of the eanie 21 jemmies ther were raste at the WaldenCuurte upon Satturday 5, and at the sessions upon Monday 3, that is to say, two Armistrungem, two Iladringtuns, one Itoutlege, one Taillour, one Hillman, and one Ashbrig, being the principall bUI1111MCS of this &itchier; whiche were put to execution aecordinglie. And the reate ar repryed to the next quarter sessions, which I shall hold immediatlie aftur Ester weke. Ther was one of the said offendours that was delyvered unto the Shiref, named Riche Grante, being the moost principall person and hedes- man of all this Bourdour, and maried with the Ar tranges, that I took for betrasing of me and my company to the said Armistranger, when I burned the Debatable gra.und ; indicted of treason for the same cause: whome I purposed shuld have bene banged drawne and quartered for his detestable offence, albeit upon Sondaye last about noone the wide Riche Grame was autfred to escape out of tile Kinges said castill of Carlisle. The manour of his escape, by theism) nation of sundry personnels exannyned afore me, and other Juatice of Peas, is this : the said Riche Grime goyng towns' up and downe within the said by the cornmauedement of the Under Shiref Syr William Musgrave, eon of the said Sir Edward, yevia to the gayollour; howbeit that he was delyvered sufficiently irned; and the yates and a pryvey posterne towards, the teildes standing oppen, lapp out at the said yates and positive, where he (amid a man with a led hors rerlye to receive hyin •' and sots he roode awaye wythout any pursuyte. I have warnell a session to hold in Carlisle upon Satturdaye east, to thintent that the escape snaye be inquyred upon, for the Kinges advantage and the condigne iunysh- anent of the same. I assure your Grace, thoughe 1 duo write at this tyme but barely in this mattier, it is one of the mooste oppen and shamefull mattiers that haith bene sene in then parties; like as your Grace shal knowe inoore plainlie in breif true. And trulie moore bartne is like to ensue upon it, for I fere that all his freindes shall goo into Scotlaund with hym, and take his part. I truste that grete puisuete sbalbe made to the Kinges Iliglines and your Grace for a pardon for the escape; and if any pursuyt be made, I be..iehe your Grace to suffer none to passe, unto suche tyme as your Grace be fully advertised of the veraye treuth of the :nattier, conscidring that the traitour is indicted of such a treason, wbiche is aecompted to be highe treason, and fon shaniefullie escaped out of the innerwarde of the Kinges c,tiIl, of the dailight, at oppen yates, and a pryvey posterne in the utterwarde, whiche haith not berm accustomed to he oppen, but at tyroes necessarie."