PELL RECORDS DURING THE REIGN OF JAMES THE FIRST.

IN the ancient Pell 011ice of the Exchequer, :ire preserved, among other curious matter of a similar nature, nearly a perfect series of "Order and Issue Books " during the reign ofJ Ames the First; many of them written in that barbarous and abbreviated Latin which was used in the Exchequer business till within these few years, and whose continuance some practical Tories upheld on the principle of having ready a Land of persons who could read our ancient books of Earitus and introitus, Sus which otherwise might become an extinct art. The original records of royal payments under JAMES, if printed entire, would occupy many folio volumes. The goodly royal octavo before us consists of specimens of these pay- ments, selected by Mr. DEVON, and where necessary translated. His method is to follow the order of time. In making his selec- tions, he has endeavoured to attain as much character and variety as was practicable ; and (so far as any thing may be predicated of extracts without a knowledge of the original work) he has exe- cuted his undertaking with judgment and acumen.

Of the value of the entire series of original documents, to the antiquary, the historian, or the biographer of the time-although genius might find it more profitable to delegate the task of first examination to an inferior mind--there is no doubt whatever. For the purposes of composition, the volume of course has little use, from its necessary partial nature, and the all but certainty that many of the facts required must be omitted. As an archmo- logical curiosity it is highly valuable; and not less so as a work illustrative of many interesting matters. It indicates points of character, especially in the Sovereign whose expenditure it nar- rates; it throws a light upon many of the habits, customs, and practices of the ace, public as well as social ; it acts as a guide to the taste of the King and the Court in matters of amusement and recreation; and it will enable the economist to institute in some degree a comparison between the rates of wages and the prices of articles in those days and in ours, as well as to see the grand strides which base been since made in the remuneration of great public officers, especially in the diplomatic line. As general remarks are often better understood by particular instances, we will give a few examples of what we allude to, without much attention to malted.

The pay of soldiers does not seem illiberal, especially if com- pared with what it was in our army at the close of the last cen- tury, or indeed with what it is now, considering the difference of prices and mode of living. Lieutenants had 4s. and 2s. per day; a gunner 10d.; a common soldier 8d. Sir FRANCIS DARCY, "sent to the King of Denmark with certain horses and geldiugs," is allowed 40s. a day for himself; "for the entertainment of a Polo-. nian rider at the rate of 10s. by the day ;" and three grooms of his Highness's stables appointed to attend upon the said horses at the rate of 3s. by the day to each of them, to be defalked afterwards upon their several entertainments." One THOMAS Purr, appointed to take charge and oversight of all such hounds, greyhounds, and dogs, as shall be fit for the recreation and disport of the Prince, receives 15/. 4s. 2d. upon his wages and a fee of 3s. 4d. a day. GILES PORTER, gentleman attending the Earl of NOTTINGHAM, ambassador to Spain, as an interpreter, is paid 20s. a day. ADAM NEWTON, esquire, schoolmaster to the Prince, has 2001. a year. CHARLES GUEROLT, a Frenchman, appointed to attend the Prince and instruct him in the science of defence, 100 marks yearly. THOMAS GILES, his music-master, has the same. GEORGE MONCKGRIEF, to take charge and oversight of the Princes' hawks, 3s. 4d. a day. A breeder, keeper, and feeder of pheasants, partridges, and other fowls, at Richmond Park, gets 4s. a day; his servant 6d. WILLIAM GATACRE, esquire, fur attendance and charges in " breeding, feeding, and dieting cocks of the game, for his highness's recreation," 100 marks a year. JOHN WEBB is paid 201. for teaching the Duke of YORK tennis, " now one whole year," and "furnishing him with balls, rackets, and other neces- saries:. A gamekeeper, "preserver of the game," has 6d. a day. JAMES seems to have been liberal in accouchement fees : in May 1605, there is a writ to pay "to ALICE DENNIS, midwife, the sum of 1001. for her pains and attendance upon the Queen, as of his Highness's free gift and reward, without account, imprest, or other charge to be set on her for the same;" and in September 1606, an order of a like kind. The payments to ambassadors are very nu- merous. One of the most eminent and best known amongst them is Sir HENRRY WOTTON, ambassador to Venice: his "diets" were 31.6s. 8d. per day,-all things considered, perhaps, liberal for the time : his activity, it is well known, was great, and his despatches seem to have been frequent. There is a payment of 2006. for "intelligences, sending of letters, and other disburse- ments," for half a year. RALPH WYNWOOD, esquire, resident M the Low Countries, has 40s. a day for "diets." Lords were better paid then, as now : Lord SPENCER, "sent into the parts of Ger- many, as well to carry the order of the Garter to the Duke of Wirtembergh, as fur his Highness's service," was allowed 4/. a day. If there be an entry respecting the cook's salary, we have overlooked it ; but there is a " free gift " to that personage of 12/. 10S. JAMIE evidently was a stickler for primogeniture : his New-Years gift to the Prince of WALES was 10001.-to the Duke of YORK only 2001.

Turning from the pay of persons to the cost of things, we note an entry of 60/. for two years' washing of his Majesty's sheets. A ship of 600 tons burden costs 5,700/., being at the rate of 9/. 10s. a ton. There is 2/. 10s. paid " for carving of a lion set upon a pedestal, with a crown on the head, for the Duke of York's barge." PETER COLE, picture-maker, is paid 201. for his pains and charges in making the King's Majesty's arms in the Star Chamber; which seems a good price. The following item is cheap enough, unless JOHN DE CRETES, the Sergeant Painter. was a perfect daub-three royal portraits, in " full length and proportion," for 53/. Gs. 8d.

John de Gnu's, 120th of August 1606.-To John de Cretea, Sergeant Sergeant Painter. f Painter, in lull satisfaction and payment of his pains and charges in making of three pictures, the one representing his Majesty, the other two the Queen and the Ponce, in hill-length and propoition, which his Highness bath caused to be sent to his Ambassador resident with the Archduke of Austria, to he by him presented to the said Archduke. By a Privy Seal, dated the 20th of August 1606 £53 6 8

The payments for jewels are very numerous; but afford few or no points of comparison, as the weight, workmanship, and quality, cannot be tested or judged of. A similar remark applies to the three following items ; but the descriptions and amounts are curious.

COST OF A GeN.

cording to a note of the particulars, subscribed by Sir Thomas Chaloner, commindnient of the Prince, and sent by his Grace to the King of Denmark, together with the graving, damasking, and other workmanship of thesame, ae., Knight. By a Pricy Seal, dated 28th of May 1608 £45 Stephen Russe11,126th of May 1608.-To Stephen Russell, guninaker, for gunrnaker. f a piece, with the flask and case for the same, made by the BOOKBINDER'S HILL.

Robert Barker, leisl8th of June 1608.-To Robert Barker, his Majesty's ..Voiesty's Printer. f printer, for paper, printing, binding in vellum, and gild- ing divers treaties of the oath of allegiance, in English and Latin, with divers other books, by him delivered for his Highness's use. By a Privy Seal, dated the 8th of June 1608. £68 3 8

A DEAR SADDLE.

Edmund Palmer, for 18th March.-By order, dated the 16th March 1608. I enibroidering a sad- To Edmund Palmer, etnbruiderer to the Prince, the die fur the Prince. sum of 066/. 13s. 4d. in full satisfaction and payment for a rich saddle, with the furniture thereunto belonging, by hint made, and delivered for the use of the Prince, according to an agreement made with

him £066 13 4

Many entries fur payments on account of masques occur. Here is a bill of particulars-

To Thomas Booker, the sum of 2471. 8s., to be by him paid over unto the particular persons hereafter specified in the several sums following, by way of reward, having been employed in the late Prince's barrier s and masque-to wit : £20 0 To Master Johnson, for making the dances To Thomas Lupo, for setting them to the violins 5 0 Master Giles, fur three dances 40 0 32 0

Company of violins Thomas Lupo the elder, Alexander Chisan, and Rowland Rubidge,

violins 10 0 Thirteen holt boys 10 0 Ten singers and five players on the lute, provided by Alphonso 32 0 Two cornets 3 0 Twenty lutes, provided by Mister Johnson for the Prince's dance 40 0

Sixteen other instruments, for the satyrs and fairies 21 0-

Players employed in the barriers 15 0

For their Spanish leather boots, bought by themselves 2 8

Players employed in the masque 15 0 Foreheads and beards used in the masque 2 0 Appearing by a list thereof subscribed by Sir Thomas Chaloner, Knight, agreeably. By writ, dated 26th day of November 1610 £247 8 We might go on in this way, alternately quoting and abridging, till we had filled half a Spectator: but all our readers are not an, tiquaries; and we have said enough to mark the character and indicate the contents and uses of the volume,-which we can safely recommend to all who take an interest in its subjects. We may add, that a very elaborate index is appended to it, which is not only highly useful as a means of reterence, but will serve as a guide to those who want to dip, not read.