In Nelson's History of Islington, there are some interesting particulars respecting Sir John Spencer. It appears that he was a citizen and clothworker, alderman of the city of London, sheriff in 1583, and elected lord mayor at Michaelmas, 1594. He was possessed of much public spirit, loyalty, and patriotism; and in 1603, he lodged and splendidly entertained, at his town residence in Crosby-square, the French ambassador, the marquis Rosney, (afterwards duke of Sully,) and all his retinue. This eminent citizen died March 30, 1609. His funeral was attended by thousands of persons; and three hundred and twenty poor men had each a basket given them, containing "a blacke gown, four pounds of beef, two loaves of bread, a little bottle of wine, a candlestick, a pound of candles, two saucers, two spoons, a black pudding, a pair of gloves, a dozen of points, two redherrings, four white-herrings, six sprats, and two eggs.' Sir John Spencer is said to have died worth £800,000, including £130,000 in bonds; and this immense wealth, coming into the possession of lord Compton by his marriage with Sir John's only daughter, is said to have distracted his lordship. A pleasant anecdote is related of this match, which places the character of queen Elizabeth in a very amiable light. Sir John Spencer was so much incensed with the elopement of his daughter, who had gone off with lord Compton, that he totally discarded her, until a reconciliation took place by the interposition of queen Elizabeth. To effect this, a little stratagem is said to have been resorted to. When the matrimonial fruit was ripe, the queen requested that Sir John would, with her, stand sponsor to the first offspring of a young couple, happy in their love, but discarded by their father: the knight readily complied, and her majesty dictated his own surname for the Christian name of the child. The ceremony being performed, Sir John assured the queen, that, having discarded his own daughter, he should adopt this boy as his son. The parents of the child being now introduced, the knight, to his great surprise, discovered that he had adopted his own grandson; who ultimately succeeded his father in his honours, and his grandfather in his wealth. * Winwood's State Papers, Vol. III. p. 136. "THE DESATIR." In the course of the year 1819, a book was brought to this country from India, called "The Desatir, or Sacred Writings of the Persian Prophets." The title, "Desatir," signifies "Regulations;" and this work purports to be a collection of the writings of the Persian prophets, from Mahabud to the fifth Sasan, fifteen in number, of whom Zerdusht, or Zoroaster, is the thirteenth. Sasan the Fifth lived at the time that Cherroes, king of Persia, ravaged Palestine, and was guilty of the most dreadful cruelties against the Christians. Heraclius marched against him, and took from him the holy cross. 66 This book is by some persons called an imposture, and orientalists are divided in opinion as to its authenticity; but that a work, accounted sacred by the ancient and modern Persians, to which the Arabic name Desatir" has been usually given, once existed, there can be no doubt; reference having been made to it by several Persian writers. It is equally certain, that one copy, at least, of the Desatir must have been extant in the year 1624; an author of that period having quoted from it several passages. Sir William Jones, one of the most accomplished scholars, and a profound orientalist, sensible of the value of this singular relic of antiquity, employed, but without success, the most diligent research to discover a copy. Whether the one accidentally found since his death, and which has been presented to the public, be, or be not authentic, is therefore the only question; and, notwithstanding the doubts urged against it, after the most strict examination of its external and internal evidence, it has been received as authentic by some of the most eminent oriental scholars in India. The marquis of Hastings, in his address at the visitation of the college of Fort William, in the year 1816, after congratulating the literary world on the recovery of a work which had for some time been lost, speaks of it in the following terms: "The Desatir, which purports to be a collection of the elder Persian prophets, will be peculiarly an object of curiosity with the learned of Europe, as well as of this country; for it is unquestionably the only relic which exists of the literature of that period of Persian history which is familiar to us from its connection with the history of Greece." The language of the Desatir is asserted to be the ancient Persian, the knowledge of which is lost, and which, but for the translation and commentary of the fifth Sasan into modern Persian, could not have been understood. Although the latest of the Persian prophets mentioned in the Desatir lived upwards of three centuries before the Christian era, yet several passages in it bear a strong and extraordinary resemblance to passages in the scripture, and a striking allusion to the doctrine of Christianity, and the events connected with their propagation. The following reference to our Saviour is found in the commentary of Shet Sasan the First. For some established a code of laws among the Shudyars (Jews), and sought pre-eminence among that class. Thereafter, there was a man who called them all unto him, and said: I am the son of Yesdam.' At length they slew him, and thereafter his religion was published; and, at the present day, the Rumis are of his faith." The following allusions to a future state of rewards and punishments are not less remarkable: "The raptures thence arising, no transport of the lower world can equal, the tongue cannot express, nor the ear hear, nor the eye see such ecstasy. "Mezdam separated man from the other animals by the distinction of a soul, which is a free and independent substance, without a body, or any thing material; indivisible, and without position, whereby he attaineth the glory of angels. "If he doeth good in the elemental body, and possesseth useful knowledge, and acts aright; when he putteth off the inferior body, I will introduce him into the abode of angels, that he may see me with the nearest angels. And every one, according to his knowledge and actions, shall assume his place in the regions of intelligence, or soul, or heaven, or star, and shall spend eternity in that blessed abode. "If a man be possessed of excellent knowledge, yet follows a wicked course of action, when this vile body is dissolved, he doth not get another elemental body, nor doth his soul get admittance into the upper abode. But, far from the happy abode, and from Mezdam and the angels, and from a material body, he broileth in tormenting flame, and this is the most horrible stage of hell. "The Lord of Being created his servant free: if he doeth good he gaineth heaven; if evil, he becometh an inhabitant of hell. "Stand in dread of guilt, and deem the smallest offence great, for a slight ailment becometh a dreadful disease. Be not without hope of his mercy." Prophet Jyafram. Light of lights! The Being, from whose light the abode of lights has derived its light! "Lord of lords!" Prophet Shet Shakil. Light of lights! Lord of eternity and the revolution of time! From thee is eternity without beginning, and to thee is eternity without end." Prophet Yasan. "Light of lights! Mover of what revolveth! The angels labour in vain to attain the comprehension of thy grandeur. "And those who are saved remain in heaven for everlasting; the guilty in direful hell.” Prophet Siamek. "And remove from me all evils both of soul and body. Bless us and purify us." Prophet Jemshid. My light is on thy countenance. Mezdam?' say 'How should I know a god, whom I never saw."" Zirtusht, or Zoroaster. "How can we know that a prophet is really called to his office? By his knowing that which others do not know, and by his giving you information regarding your own heart, and by his not being puzzled by any question that is asked, and that another cannot do what he doeth, namely, miracles." 66 Sasan the Fifth. There is one who seeketh me, and findeth me not. And there is one who doth not know of my existence. All know me according to the capacity of their understandings; something they know, and something they imagine." "L'ERZOM VEDAM.” IN 1778, a book was printed at Paris, intitled "L'Erzom Vedam," containing the exposition of the opinions of the Indian priests and philosophers, and said to be translated from the Sanscrit, by a Brahmin. It was said in the preface that the work was originally among the papers of M. Barthelemy, a member of council at Pondicherry; that M. Moldave brought a copy of it from India, and presented it to Voltaire, who sent it, in 1761, to the library of the king of France. Voltaire had been informed, that the chief priest of Cheringham, distinguished for his knowledge of the French language, and the services he had performed for the India Company, was the translator of the Erzom Vedam, and appears to have believed it an authentic work. M. Anquetil du Perron was of the same opinion. M. Sonnerat, however, seems to have detected the error; and describes the Erzom Vedam as not genuine, but the composition of a missionary at Masulipatam, sous le Manteau Bramé. Mr. Ellis has since ascertained, that the original of this work still exists among the manuscripts in the possession of the Catholic missionaries at Pondicherry, which are understood to have belonged originally to the society of Jesuits. FABLE IN MILTON'S LIFE REFUTED. It is related of Milton, who, in the bloom of youth, was extremely beautiful, that, wandering one day, during the summer, far beyond the precincts of his University, into the country, he became so heated and fatigued, that he fell asleep at the foot of a tree, where he had reclined to rest himself. Before he awoke, two ladies, who were foreigners, passed by in a carriage. Agreeably astonished at the loveliness of his appearance, they alighted, and, having admired him (as they thought, unperceived) for some time, the youngest, who was very handsome, drew a pencil from her pocket, and, having written some lines upon a piece of paper, put it with a trembling hand into his own. Immediately afterwards they proceeded on their journey. Some of his acquaintance, who were in search of him, had observed this silent adventure, but at too great a distance to discover who was the person so highly favoured. Approaching nearer, they saw their friend, to whom, being awakened, they mentioned what had happened. Milton opened the paper, and, with surprise, read these verses from Guarini, Madrigal xii. ed. 1598: Occhi! stelle mortali! Ye eyes! ye human stars! ye authors of my liveliest pangs! If thus, when shut, ye wound me, what must have been the consequence if ye had been open?' |