might be reckoned to occupy another, and back again from the flags to the vegetable mould. “It is obvious (fays he) how the old heaps of flags from the iron furnaces decay, and at laft produce vegetables, which cannot be afcribed folely to a black mould carried thither by the wind. The fame may perhaps happen with the natural flags in the open air." Other naturalifts have verified this conjecture. All lavas are found to be decompo fable by long expofure to the air, fooner or later according to the antiquity of iron and calcareous earth they contain, and according as their fufion was more or lefs complete. Sir William Hamilton has concluded that they gain only one or two feet mould in 100 years; from which, and Roupero's calculations, extravagant ideas have been formed of the duration of the world; but all these are found, when properly examined, to be built on a false foundation. (8.) LAVAS, VAPOURS AND COLD PRODUCED BY OLD. Sir William Hamilton informs us of a curious fact relating to a lava in the island called Lacco. Here is a cavern fhut up with a door; and this cavern is made ufe of to cool liquors and fruit, which it does in a short time as effectually as ice. Before the door was opened, he felt the cold on his legs very fenfibly; but when it was opened, the cold rushed out fo as to give him pain; and within the grotto it was intolerable. He was not fenfible of wind attending this cold; though upon Mount Etna and Vefuvius, where there are caverns of this kind, the cold is evidently occafioned by a fubterraneous wind: the natives call fuch places ventaroli. From old lavas there also frequently happens an eruption of noxious vapours called mofetes. These likewife break out from wells and fubterraneous places in the neighbourhood of a volcano before an eruption. Our author tells us, that the vapour affects the noftrils, throat, and stomach, just as the spirit of hartfhorn or any ftrong volatile falt; and would foon prove fatal if you did not immediately withdraw from it. Thefe mofetes, he fays, are at all times to be met with under the ancient layas of Vefuvius, particularly the great eruption of 1631. covering large tracts of land; from whence it is cut, and carried, for making the walls, vaults, and upper ceilings of houses. It is a very soft kind of ftone, extremely advantageous for thefe purposes, on account of its little weight, and be ing eafily cut into any form. The inhabitants of Umbria and other parts of Italy dig with very little labour various fubterranean excavations for the keeping of wines and provifions of different kinds. Mr Kirwan is of opinion, that the lavas ought to be diftinguished from the other volcanic productions. All lavas, according to him, are magnetic, give fire with fteel, are generally of a granular texture, and fufible per fe. They may be reduced to three varieties, viz. the Cellular, the Compact, and the Vitreous. The cellular appear to have undergone only the firft degree of fufion, being juft mollified and heated fufficiently to expel the fixed air contained in the argillaceous particles. Hence they abound in small cavities arifing from the expanfion of that air after it had recovered its elaftic ftate; and thus they are often fo light as to float upon water, and have been mistaken for pumice ftones. They are of black, grey, brown, or reddish colours: and their cavities are even filled with cryftallizations. Of this kind is Cronstedt's fecond fpecies, the millstone of the Rhine. Thefe contain from 45 to 50 per cent of filiceous earth; from 15 to 20 of iron; four or five of pure calcareous earth; the remainder being argillaceous. The compact lavas have undergone a more perfect degree of fufion, though even these are not deftitute of cavities. They contain finer cryftals, or fuch as are more completely vitrified than the former; they have a black or brown colour; but ftill their fracture is obfcure and not glaffy. Their conftituent parts are the fame with the prece ding ones; the ufual fluxes attack them with difficulty, and the fufible salt of urine has fcarce any power over them. The vitreous lava has been more completely melted, and forms vitrifications of different colours, generally black or afh coloured, but rarely blue or greenish. A fpecies of this was analyfed by Mr Bergman, as has been already mentioned, and afforded 49 per cent. of filex, 35 of argillaceous, 4 of calcareous earth, and 12 of iron. Another fpecimen from the Lipari islands afforded 69 parts of filex, 20 of argillaceous earth, and 9 of iron. This kind of lava melts by itfelf with great difficulty. The black agate of Iceland belongs to this fpecies, as does alfo the harder fort of pitch-ftone, which gives fire with fteel. This ftone is of various colours, grey, green, black, red, or brown; has a glaffy appearance, being compofed of femivitrified fubftances, and melts eafily per fe. It contains 65 per cent. of filex, 16 of ar. gillaceous earth, and four of iron; 14 parts were diffipated in the analyfis made by Wiegleb, as Mr Kirwan afferts. The beds of lava are deepest and narroweft near the crater, and broader and fhallower as they advance, unless fome valley intervenes. Pumice ftones lie at a ftill greater diftance: and from these observations, fays Mr Kirwan, extinguished volcanoes may be traced. Cronstedt conjectured that there might be a kind of circula. tion among the different earths, from the vegetable mould, which he fuppofed to occupy one extreme, to the flags or volcanic productions, which (9.) LAVAS, VAST QUANTITIES OF, THROWN OUT BY VOLCANOES. The quantity of lava thrown out from volcanoes is prodigious. After the great eruption of Etna in 1669, Borelli went from Pifa to Sicily to obferve the effects of it. The matter thrown out at that time amounted to 93,830,750 cubical paces; fo that, had it been extended in length upon the surface of the earth, it would have reached more than four times round the whole earth. All this matter, however, was not lava, but confifted alfo of fand, ftone, gravel, &c. The laya he computed at 6,300,000 paces, which formed a river, according to our author, fometimes z miles broad; but according to others it was 6 or 7 miles broad, and fometimes 20 or 30 yards in depth. Sir William Hamilton informs us, that the lavas of Etna are very commonly 15 or 20 miles in length, 6 or in breadth, and to feet deep. The moft confiderable is fcarce less than 30 miles long and 15 broad. The moft confiderable lavas of Vefuvius do not exceed 7 miles in length. The fame author, however, tells us, that the lava which ilued from Vesuvius in 1767, 'was fis miles long, of Maine, and 40 W. of Mans. Lon. O. 42. W. tuo in breadth, and in most places 60 or 70 feet Lat. 48. 7. N. deepa In one place it 'had run along a hollow LAVAMUND, a town of Germany, in Carioway made by currents of rain not less than 200 thia, on the Drave, a bishop's see ; 24 miles E. of feei deep and roo wide; and this vatt hollow it Clagenfurt, and 40 W, of Marburg. Lon. 15.18. "had in one place filled up. He says, he could not E. Lat. 46. 44. N. have believed that so great a quantity of matter LAVAMUNTER ABEN, a mountain of Carincould have been thrown out in such a short time, thia, 4 miles N. of Lavamund. if he had not examined the whole course of it LAVANDULA, LAVENDER: a genus of the himself. Even this quantity, however, great as angiospermia order, belonging to the didynamia it' is, appears very trilling in comparison of that class of plants: and in the natural method rank. "thrown out in Iceland in the year 1983, which ing under the 42d order, Verticillata. The calyx covered a space of ground 90 miles in length and is ovate, and a little dentated, supported by a 42 in breadth, to the depth of more than ioo feet. 'bracten or floral leaf; the corolla is refupinated; Dr Van Troil, in his Letters on Iceland, tells us, the ftamina within the tube. , that he and his companions travelled over a tract of 1. LAVANDULA DENTATA, the dentate-leaved lava upwards of 300 miles in length: and in 1728, fechas, hath a woody ftalk, branching on every we are told that an eruption of lava took place, fide three or four feet high ; leaves deeply indeni. which continued for two years to run into a greated in a pinnated manner; and the branches terlake, which it almost filled up. As the lavas are minated by scaly four-cornered spikes of powers, thrown out from the volcanoes in the highest de. appearing moft part of summer. See N° 3. gree of ignition, it may easily be fuppofed that 2. LAVANDULA SPICA, the lavender spike, bath such vast bodies will retain their heat for a long a fhort thrubby ftalk, rising two or three feet high; 'time. It would indeed be well worth observing, small spear-shaped entire leaves ; and from the ends what length of time is required to cool a lava per of the branches, numerous, long, erect, naked fectly; as from thence we might in some measure spikes of small ringent flowers, of different colours judge how far those philosophers are in the right, in the varieties. The varieties of this are comwho argue concerning the length of time required mon narrow-leaved lavender, with blue flowers, to cool an ignited globe of the fize of our earth and with white flowers; broad-leaved lavender ; or larger. Sir William Hamilton tells us, that in dwarf lavender : all of them flowering in July, April 1971, he thrust sticks into some of the cre. This species is the common lavender; but the narvices of the lava which had issued from Vesuvius row-leaved variety, with blue flowers, is the fort in October 1769, and they immediately took fire. usually cultivated for its flowers, for medicine, &c. On Mount Etna, 1769, he observed the lava that 3. LAVANDULA STOECHAS, or French lavender, had been disgorged three years before to smoke hath a fhrubby very branchy stalk, rifing two or in many parts. No particular observation, how- three feet high ; very narrow, spear-shaped, pointever, hath been made in what proportion the heat ed, hoary leaves, opposite ; and all the branches of lavas is gradually loft. terminated by short bufhy spikes of purple flow. (10.) LAVAS, Uses of. Sir William Hamilton ers in June and July; succeeded by feeds in Au. informs us, that the lava of Etna and Vesuvius gust. There is a variety with white flowers.--All are much the fame, but those of Etna rather black. the forts are propagated plentifully by Nips or cuter and more porous than those of Vesuvius. Some tings of their young shoots in fpring. In March or kinds of lava take a fine polish, and are frequently April, take off a quantity of Nips or cuttings, from manufactured into boxes, tables, &c. In Naples, three or four to fix inches long; strip off the unthe inhabitants commonly make use of it for pav. der leaves ; then plant them in a fhady border, 4 ing the streets, and even the subterraneous cities of inches asunder; give a good watering, repeat it Pompeii and Herculaneum have been paved with occasionally in dry weather, and the plants will the same subftance. A fine large cubic piece of be well rooted in summer, and each become a Java is preserved in the hall of the British Mu- good plant fit to be transplanted into any place feum. , that is, September or LAVACCHIO, a town of Italy, in the depart, removing them, if poftible, with balls of earth; ment of Panaro, and district and late duchy of and if intended to plant them for use, set them in Modena. rows two or three feet asunder, and two feet LAVADERO. See LAVATORY, N° 2. distance in each row: if any are designed for (1.) LAVAGNA, a river which rises in the the shrubbery, they should be ftationed bogly Appenines, about 10 miles E. of Genoa, and runs at good distances near the front. The DENTAinto the sea near Lavagua, N° 2. TA species, being tender, should be potted to (2.) LAVASNA, a sea-port at the mouth of the move to thelter in winter. The LAVANDULA above river, 14 miles WNW, of Brugneto. STOECHAS is also often raised from feed, lown (1.) LAVAL, a town of France in the dep. of in March or April, in a bed of light earth. The Lozere, 9 miles NW. of Langogness. two latt fpecies are proper both for the kitch(2.)LAVAL; a city of France, capital of the dep. en.garden, for medicinal and other family-uses; of Maine, containing about 24,000 souls. It has and to plant in the pleasure ground to adorn the a confiderable trade in linens of all kinds, which front of Imall fhrubbery compartments, where are manufactured' in it; and the quarries near it they will increase the variety very agreeably; and afford green and black marble, veined with white. are finely scented aromatics, both when growing, It is feated on the Maine, 15 miles S. of the town and their flowers when gathered, especially thofe of a of the LAVANDULA SPICA, which are in great esteem for putting among cloaths, and for diftilling and other economical ufes. The flowers of this fpecies are gathered for ufe in July, which being, the time of their perfection, cut off the fpikes clofe in a dry day, and tie them in small bunches for ufe. Thefe and the fummits are in a very eminent degree cephalic and nervine. They are given in palfies, vertigos, lethargies, tremors, and fuppreffion of the menftrual evacuation. The compound fpirit diftilled from them is famous in thefe and many fimilar cafes. The diftilled oil is particularly celebrated for deftroying the pediculi inguinales, and other cutaneous infects. If foft Ipongy paper, dipt in this oil, either alone or mix-, ed with oil of almonds, be applied at night to the parts infected, the infects will certainly, fays Geof froy, be all found dead in the morning, LAVANGE, one of the Virgin Islands. LAVAN SANDS, fands on the N. coaft of Wales, between Anglefey and Caernarvonshire. (1.) LAVANT, or LEVANT, a river of Suffex, which, contrary to most other rivers, is very low in winter, but in fummer often overflows its banks. At Chichester it abounds with fine lobsters. It runs into the fea about 5 miles below Chichester. (2.) LAVANT, a river of Germany, in Carinthia, which runs into the Drave at Lavamund.. (3.) LAVANT SEE, a lake of Germany, in Stiria. LAVARDENS, a town of France, in the dep. of Gers, 74 miles NNW. of Auch, and 134 SSE. of Condom. LAVARDIN, a town of France, in the dep. of the Sarte; 8 miles NW. of Mans. LAVATER, John Cafpar, the celebrated phyfiognomift, was born at Zurich, in 1740. He ftudied theology, but without making himself mafter of the learned languages, which he often re gretted afterwards. He was first appointed preacher to the Orphan-house, and afterwards, in 1778, deacon and paftor of the principal church of St Peter at Zurich, in which office he continued till his death, labouring zealously by his example, as well as by preaching, writing and exhortation, to recommend to others thofe Chriftian principles and moral virtues, which he himself entertained and practifed. In his peculiar religious tenets, though he might appear whimsical and even heretical to many, yet he was followed and idolized by thoufands; and was the centre of what fome ftyle "an invifible church, whofe members, extending from Naples to Copenhagen, never failed to entertain the higheft refpect for their founder and prophet." Thefe peculiar opinions are to be found in his vari ous works; particularly in his View of Immortality; his Pocket Bible; his Meffiab; his Pontius Pilate; his treatife on Miracles; his Sermons on the Existence of the Devil; his Vifions; and his Obfervations on Important Paffages in the Evangelifts; along with many other curious and interefting remarks, which evince a deep penetration into the human heart, and a prodigious knowledge of mankind. In politics as well as in religion, he maintained a constant truggle against every kind of tyranny and intolerance: and his integrity was fo undaunted, and his philanthropy fo unbounded, that he thought no facrifice too great to accomplish any object that tended to promote the good of his fellow-creatures. He is faid to have wrote 3000 letters and notes annually, befides those he dictated to his fecretary. For a long time, too, he kept a Journal, of which above 50 copies were made out, and sent to his principal partizans abroad, who dispersed copies of them among their friends. The evangelical doctrine and duty of brotherly love were always the chief fubjects of these apoftolical epiftles. In the midst of these various and inceffant labours, he found time to compofe his treatise on Phyfiognomy a work which has rendered his name univerfally known throughout Europe and America. He was accidentally led to turn his attention to the expreffion of human fentiment and character, in the va ried conformation of the countenance, head, and other parts of the human frame; in the complexion, temperament, habitual motions and attitudes, &c. He perceived that in all thefe, not only tran fient paffions, but even the more permanent qualities of character, are often very diftinctly expreffed. He carried his obfervations on this fubject much farther than any other phyfiognomist on record had ever before attempted to advance. Suc cefs inflamed his imagination, and he became an enthufiaft in this his favourite study. The opinions and theory which he published upon it were a medley of judicious obfervations, ingenious conjectures, and fanciful reveries. The novelty as well as mystery of the subject attracted the public attention. Every, perfon was eager to learn to read his neighbour's heart in his face. In Swit zerland, Germany, France, Britain, and N. America, vaft numbers became paffionate admirers of Lavater's theory. His books, published origi➡ nally in the German language, were multiplied by many editions, and repeated tranflations into French, English, &c. They were everywhere read, admired and, studied, with a confiderable degree of that enthusiasm with which they were com pofed. Phyfiognomy was poken of as a science almost susceptible of mathematical certainty, and as capable of endowing man with a degree of omnifcience, fufficient to enable him to pry into the hearts and intentions of his fellow mortals. Yet fo variable is public opinion, that, notwithstanding the labours of Dr Hunter and Mr Holcroft, the phyfiognomical writings of Lavater, have been fince treated with a degree of neglect, that falls fhort of doing justice to their real merits. Still, however, Lavater retained great numbers of difciples; and was vifited and admired by travellers from all parts of Europe. His private life was fimple, regular, and pious. His wife became as zealous a phyfiognomift as himself. He rofe early, and feldom took breakfaft till he had earned it by performing fome literary task. He finished his courfe as he began it, by a zealous oppofition to tyranny. The conteft, in which he and his friend Fufeli, the celebrated English painter, engaged, when he was a youth, in oppofition to the venality of M. Grebel, bailiff of Gruningen, and which ended in branding that magiftrate with infamy, is ftill remembered by many. And while the Helve tians were trembling under the oppreffions of the French proconfuls, Rapinat, Schaumburg, and their affociates, who, protected by the director Reubel, tyrannifed over the brave Świfs, Lavater wrote his celebrated Appeal to the French Govern ment, a ment, and preached the rights of his countrymen, fed. Every part of him bespeaks the man of geeven while the sword of vengeance was hanging' nius, but not of that fiery and uncontroulable geover him: Nor did he defiit, till he was torn nius, which has often led him to advance extraor. from his congregation, as a preacher of fedition dinary and indefensible opinions in his works.and anarchy. He was sent to Schaffhausen as an. His fermons are more followed than those of the hoftage, but returned foon after, without any in. most popular among the other preachers, though terruption, through the French army. His death they are seldom carefully laboured compofitions, happened in consequence of some wounds which and not always very orthodox. The pathos of his he received from a Swiss soldier, when Zurich was voice, action, and elocation, captivates those who taken from the Austrians and Ruffians, by Gen. are not able to judge of any other merit.-On my Maffeoa, in autumn 1799. During the storming' walking out with him, almoft all those who met of Zurich by the French republicans, when eve- us accosted him with the greatest respect ; and ry thing was in the utmost confufion, and the Ruf- many killed his hand with a kind of filial reverence. fian general bimself knew not which gate led to It is indeed inconceivable what numbers of persons the Austrian camp, a time of danger, when eve-' of all ranks, both citizens and strangers, apply to ry prudent person kept at home, Lavater boldly, him to be judge of their controverfies. When one but rafhly, ventured out, amid ft swords, muskets, fees the number of affairs he is almost conftantiy and men of blood; dared his fate, and received immersed in, one is surprised how he can find time his mortal wound from a Swiss on whom he had to write.-What he has written upon miracles hereformerly conferred several benefits. The fanati- tofore I do not know, as I have not read all his cism of party zeal ftimulated this ungrateful vil writings; but it is certain, that at present he does lain, in the heat of action, to commit this hor not affirm, either that he ever did, or ever fax tid deed. Lavater, however, recovered to ap: a miracle: All he contends for, which the pearance, and perhaps might have recoveted com. warmest opposer of miracles will not contest with pletely, had he' not brought on a relapse feve. him, is, that men of uncommon powers can do ral months afterwards, by attending the execu- things, which those of common powers cannot, tion of a spy, who was shot by the French, and and which appear contrary to the ordinary course by exposing himself above an hour to the cold air. of nature." His a&tive mind allowed him to take no repose till LAVATERA, in botany, a genus of the poly. within a few days of his death, which happened 'andria order, belonging to the polydelphia class of on the last day of the 18th century, or, according plants, and in the natural method ranking under to other accounts, on the ad day of the 19th, in the 37th order, Columnifera. The exterior calyx the both year of his age. His character, drawn is double and trifid; the arilli ot feed-coats are vein a masterly manner while he was alive, by pro- ry many and monospermous. There are feveral feffor Meiners, has been lately published in his fpecies, most of them herbaceous flowery annuals, Letters on Switzerland; from which we shall give or fhrubby perennials, growing erect from 2 or 35 a short extract :- Lavater (says he) is one of the to 8 or to feet high, garnithed with large roundfew men whom I have been acquainted with, who ish, heart-shaped, and angular leaves, and quiais little solicitous to hide his faults, and ftill less quepetalous flowers of the mallow kind. They anxious to make his merits known. With regard are easily propagated by feed in the open ground to his moral character, it is impossible to speak in the spring ; and thrive best when they are lowa too highly of it, as his very opponents allow that where they are designed to remain. The lavater3 his life and manners are blameless.. A 'warm de- tribe affect a warm sandy situation and foil, is fire to advance the honour of God, and the good which they will sometimes continue to exhibit of his fellow-creatures, is, without a doubt, the their beauties for many years; but in general they principle feature in his character, and the leading are short-lived, continuing only 2 or 3 years ; this motive of all he does. Next to thefe, his charac. renders them peculiarly eligible to be scattered teristic virtues are, an indefatigable placability, plentifully in a newly made frubbery; they will and an inexhauftible love for his enemies. I have add warmth to young plants, and will die away often heard him talk of the talents, merits, and themselves before the spaces they occupy will be good qualities of his opponents, with the same required by the surrounding thrubs. warmth as if he had been talking of the virtues of * LAVATION. *. ' (lavatio, Latin.] The act his greatest friends. Nay, 1 have been a witness to of washing.–Such filthy ftuff was by lewd loose his excusing his enemies, and uttering wishes for varlets sung before the chariot on the folemn day their welfare, in such a manner, as to me, carried of her lavation. Hakervill . riot the smallett mark of affectation along with it. (1.) * LAVATORY. n. S. (from lavo, Latin.] I am persuaded, that these sentiments coft him ve- A walh ; something in which parts difeased are rylittle, and are more the fruit of his nature, than washed, Lavatories, to wash the temples, bands, of any troublesome exertion. Not a blameable wrists, and jogulars, do potently profligate, and word, not a fingle expresion of impatience of the keep off the venom. Harvey. numbériels afflictions he has struggled, and has fill (2.) LAVATORY, or LAVADERO, a name given to struggle with, ever escaped him in my presence. to certain places in Chili and Perú, where gold is On the contrary, he is persuaded, that all these got out of earth by walhing. M. Frezier gives as trials are for his good, and will terminate in his the following defcription of the lavatories of Chihappiness. Of his talents and merits of all kinds li:They dig deep into the earth, in places he speaks much more modestly than his admiters. wherein they have reason to expect gold; and, to -lo all my conversations with him, I found few facilitate this digging, turn a stream of water fymptoms of the secret vanity of which he is accu« upon the spot, loofening the earth as much as pol able fible all the time, that the current may have the greater effect, and tear up the earth more ftrongly. When they are got to the earth they want, they turn off the stream and dig dry. The earth that they now get, is carried on mules, and difcharged into a bafon, made fomewhat in the manner of a smith's bellows; into which a rivulet runs with rapidity, diffolving the parts of the earth, and carrying every thing away with it, excepting the particles of gold, which, by their great weight, precipitate to the bottom of the bason, and mix with fine black fand, where they are almoft as much hidden as they were before in the earth. Sometimes they find very confiderable pieces in lavatories, to the weight of 24 ounces each.-There are feveral lavatories, where they find pepitas, or pieces of virgin gold, of a prodigious fize. Among others, they tell of one that weighed 512 ounces, bought by the count de la Moncloa, viceroy of Peru. About 30 miles E. of Coquimbo, are the lavatories of Andacoll, the gold whereof is 23 carats fine. The works here always turn to great profit, excepting when the water fails.-The natives maintain that the earth is creative, that is, it produces gold continually; because, after having been washed 60 or 80 years, they find it impregnated afresh, and draw almoft as much out of it as at firft. LAVAUR, a town of France, in the dep. of the Tarn, and late province of Languedoc, on the Agout; 18 miles NE. of Toulouse, and 20 NW. of Caftres. Lon. 1. 52. E. Lat. 43. 40. N. (1.) LAUBACH, a river of Germany, in Carniola, famous for producing the largest craw-fish in Europe. (2.) LAUBACH, a handfome and ftrong town of Germany, in the circle of Auftria, and in Carniola, with a bishop's fee, a caftie, and very handfome houses; feated on the above river. Lon. 14. 52. E. Lat. 46. 20. N. (3.) LAUBACH, a town of Germany, in the circle of the Upper Rhine, and principality of Solms Laubach; 16 miles ESE. of Wetzlar, and 40 NE. of Mentz. Lon. 26. 39. E. of Ferro. Lat. 50. 22. N. (4.) LAUBACH, a town of France, in the dep. of Mont Tonnere, and ci-devant duchy of Simmern, formerly in the palatinate of the Rhine; 2 m. N. of Simmern, and 37 W. of Mentz. LAUBAN, or LUBAN, a town of Lufatia, on the Quiefs, furrounded by a wall and fome baftions. It has a confiderable trade in linen and woollen cloths. In 1427 and 1431, it was laid wafte by the Huffites. It lies 62 miles E. of Drefden, and 72 NNE. of Prague. LAUBIES, a town of France, in the dep. of the Lozere, 12 miles N. of Mende. LAUCHA, a town of Upper Saxony, in Thuringia, 6 miles ESE. of Nebra, and 6 NW. of Naumburg. LAUCHSTADT, a town of Upper Saxony, in Merfeburg, 4 miles W. of Merfeburg, and if E. of Querfurt. (1.) LAUD, William, Abp. of Canterbury, in the 17th century, was born at Reading in 1573, and educated in St John's college, Oxford, of which he was afterwards a fellow. In 1610, he went into orders. In 1611, he was elected pre. fident of St John's college; but his election being VOL. XIL PART II difputed, K. James confirmed it. The fame year he was fworn the king's chaplain. In 1621, he was nominated bishop of St David's; and in 1628, bishop of London. In 1630, he was elected chan- / cellor of the university of Oxford. In 1633, he attended the king into Scotland, and was fworn a privy counsellor for that kingdom. During his stay in Scotland, he formed the resolution of bringing that church to an exact conformity with the church of England. In the fame year, he fucceeded Abp. Abbot in the fee of Canterbury; and foon after came out the king's declaration about lawful sports on Sundays, which the archbishop was charged with having revived and enlarged, and that with the vexatious profecutions of fuch clergymen as refufed to read it in their churches. In 1634-5, he was put into the great committee of trade and the king's revenue; on the 4th of March following, he was appointed one of the commiffioners of the treafury; and on the 6th of March 1635-6, he received the staff of the lord high treasurer of England: To prevent the printing and publishing what he thought improper books, he procu red a decree to be paffed in the ftar-chamber, on the 11th of July 1637, whereby it was enjoined that the mafter-printers fhould be reduced to a certain number, and that none of them should print. any books till they were licensed, either by the archbishop, or the bishop of London, or fome of their chaplains, or by the chancellors or vice-chancellors of the two universities. A new parliament being fummoned, met on the 13th April 1640; and the convocation the day following; but the commons launching out into complaints against the archbishop, and infifting upon a redress of grievances before they granted any fupply, the parliament was diffolved on the 7th of May. The convocation, however, continued fitting; and made 17 canons, which were fupposed to be formed under the immediate direction of the archbifhop. In the beginning of the long parliament, he was attacked on account of thofe canons; and they being condemned by the house of commons on the 16th of December 1640, "as containing many things contrary to the king's prerogative, to the fundamental laws and ftatutes of this realm, to the rights of parliament, to the property and liberty of the fubject, and tending to fedition, and of dangerous confequence;" he was, on the 18th of December, accufed by the commons of high treason, and sent to the Tower. Being tried be fore the house of lords, for endeavouring to fubvert the laws, and to overthrow the Proteftant religion, he was found guilty, and beheaded on Tower-hill on January 10th following, in the 728 year of his age. This learned prelate, notwithftanding his being charged with a defign to bring in Popery, wrote an answer to Dr Filher, which is esteemed one of the beft pieces that has been printed against that religion; and when he was privately offered a cardinal's hat by the Pope, he refufed it, faying, that "fomething dwelt within him, which would not fuffer his compliance, till Rome was other than it is." He was temperate in his diet, and regular in his private life; but his fondness for introducing new ceremonies, in which he showed an indifcreet zeal, his encouraging of sports on Sundays, his illegal and cruel feverity 2999 in |