The manuscript from which this tract is reprinted is, like most of the treasures of the Bridgewater Library, wonderfully clean and in good order. It is entirely in the Autograph of Francis Thynne, and was evidently written purposely for the great Lord Chancellor Egerton, and bears his arms emblazoned on the title-page. Master Speight most probably got _his_ copy of Animadversions in a more humble form. In conclusion may I remark that, as usual, the green silk ribands, originally attached to the vellum and gold cover, are closely cut away, probably for the purpose of being converted into shoe-ties, which Robert Green informs us was the usual destination of those appended to presentation copies, hinting at the same time that they were generally the only solid advantage gained by the dedicatee from the honour done him. LIST OF THYNNE’S WORKS 1. The perfect Ambassador, treating of the Antiquity, Privileges, and Behaviour of men belonging to that Function. 12mo, 1651 & 1652. (This was first published in 1651 under the title “The application of certain histories concerning Ambassadors and their functions.” The title-page only is new. MS. note by Bliss. British Museum, 8005--a.) 2. Annals of Scotland, in some part continued from the time in which Ra. Holinshead left, being an. 1571 unto the year 1586. London, 1586. fol. 3. “There are also the catalogues of the Protectors, Governors, or Regents of Scotland during the King’s minority, or the minority of several kings, or their insufficiency of government. There are also the catalogues of all Dukes of Scotland by creation or descent, of the Chancellors of Scotland; Archbishops of St Andrews and divers writers of Scotland.” _A. a’ Wood._ 4. Catalogue of English Cardinals set down in R. Holinshed’s Chronicle at the end of Q. Mary. 5. “A Discourse of Arms,” dated “Clerkenwell Grene, 5th of Jan., 1593.” MS. in the College of Arms. 6. “Catalogue of the Chancellors of England.” MS. in the Bridgewater Library. 7. “Collections for the History of England.” MS. in Bridgewater Library. 8. Animadversions on Speight’s Chaucer, MS. in Bridgewater Library. 9. Several Collections of Antiquities. Notes concerning Arms, monumental Antiquities, &c. MS. Cotton’s Lib. Cleopatra, C. 3. p. 62. 10. A discourse of the duty and office of a Herald of Arms, ad. 1605. MS. Bib. Ashmol. n. 835. 11. Missellanies of the Treasury. MS. 1599. 12. Matters concerning Heralds, and Tryal of Armes and the Court Military. MS. Bib. Ashmol. 12 (printed in Hearne’s Collection of Curious Discourses). 13. Names of the Earls Marshall of England, A.D. 1601. MS. Bib. Ashmol. 1374. 14. Epitaphia. Sive monumenta Sepulchrorum Anglici et Latini quam gallice. MS. “In the castrations to Hollingshed’s Chronicles are the four following discourses by this Author, which were suppressed from political motives, they have been added to the late quarto Edition.” 15. The Collection of the Earls of Leicester, compiled in 1585.