2B1S.N0 32., Ayo.9.'56.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



101 



LONpqN, SdTUJpiDAY, AUGUST 9, 18$6. 



IQIjSSJTBD iETTER OF GUSTAVUS ADOLFUDS IN 

 BEHALF OF PATRICK KUTHVEN. 



Such pf our re^cjerg as are Fello\ys of the So- 

 ciety of Antiquaries remember, we have no (Joubt, 

 the valuable illustrations of the History of the 

 Ruthven Family contributed by Mr. Bruce to the 

 ArcJiceologia^ vol. xxxiv., founded pn documents 

 which bad been unearthed from our varioijs Rer 

 cord Offices by the persevering and well-directe4 

 zeal of Colonel Stepney Cowell, a present repre- 

 sentative of the last male descendant of that most 

 unhappy family. 



Tp the kindness of Colonel Cowell we are now 

 indebted for the opportunity of bringing before 

 them a document recently discovered by him in 

 the State Paper Office, which document will be 

 read with great interest, recording as it does the 

 friendly intercession of Gustavus Ad()lphus with 

 Charles I. in behalf of Patrick Ruthven ; and we 

 shall be well pleased indeed, if its publication in 

 these columns should be the means of bringing to 

 light any evidence as to the results of the exertions 

 so earnestly made by the ^vyedish moparcl), that 

 Patrick Ruthven " might obtain the splendour of 

 his ancient house, and maintain the place and 

 dignityof his ancestors." 



" Gustavt^s Adplphus, by the Grace of iGod King 

 of Sweeden." 



"Most excellent and most mightie Prince, 

 Our most deare brother, Cousin and friend. 



" Your Mag* hath giuen us just occasion to re- 

 joyce at your frendship, hauing upon Our inter- 

 cession made by Our Counseller and Ambass"^ 

 Gabriel Oxgnstern some Two years agoe, in the 

 behalf of your sublet Partrig Ruthuen, promised 

 for our sake to restore him to his former condi- 

 tion. Therefore understanding that y'' Ma"" being 

 mindful of that intercession, hath not only ad- 

 mitted the said Ruthuen into Your presence, but 

 also permitted him to kisse you' kinglie hand, and 

 giuen him further hope withall, to obtaine his 

 former hereditarie Ijonp""', We could not but giue 

 you many thanks. 



" Now for as much as he hath his hope upon 

 the mutuall frendsliip and good correspondence 

 as passeth betweine You"^ Maj* an Us, thereby to 

 attaine Yqu*^ full grace, and to obtaine the splen- 

 do"" of his auncient house, and to maintaine the 

 place and dignitie of his Ancesto'■^ We againe 

 entreat You"^ Ma* most kindly to vouchsaf, as he 

 has allready felt a good foundation by the pre- 

 mices of our request, so also that now he may 

 perceiue, upon this our reiterated intercession, 

 such an encrease of Yo"^ grace, that at the last he 

 may be bound unto Yo' Ma* for ever for an ac- 



complishm*, and as it were for a new Life, by 

 Yo' munificence bestowed on his familie. Anq. 

 we assure You' Ma" that whatsoever he shall re? 

 ceiue hereupon of grace and fau'. That We will 

 so accept of, that We ourselves will endau"" upon 

 each occasion to deserue it. And he and bi^ 

 Whole familie shall without doubt for euer ac? 

 knowledge yo' grace by all thankfjulnes, praise, 

 obedience, and service, &c. Giuen in our Camp 

 at Wormdit, ^ Octob. 1627. 



" The King of Sweeden unto his most exc. 

 Ma.^ in the behalf of Pardrig Ruthen, 

 that he may enjoy the former hon" 

 and jdignitie of his predecess', ^^Oc- 

 tober, 1627." 

 (Charles 1", Re^,) 



AN OXFORD SQTJIB. 



In rummaging the old family papers of a neigh- 

 bouring " Country Squire," I lately found a large 

 collection pf literary MSS., in quantity and quality 

 amply sufficient to vindicate the aacestry pf my 

 friend from the charge of ignorance and boorish 

 habits brought by a brilliant writer against the 

 country squires of a former age. During my 

 search the following pasquinade turned up. As 

 you have invited contributions pf university 

 squihS) I do not hesitate to send it you ; for nei- 

 ther in classical Latinity nor racy humpur is it 

 inferior to any that, have yet appeared in your 

 columns. There are evidently paany sly and 

 happy hits at personal character and history to 

 which we need the key, though they almost tell 

 their own tale. All Souls, as usual in more mo- 

 dern days, comes in for its full share of envious 

 satire. It will be seen that the squib is in the 

 form of a letter, assumed to be written by Ma- 

 thew Hole, rector of Exeter College, a divine of 

 some eminence, to Sir Hans Sloane, with an ac- 

 count of the reception given by the university to 

 a Norwegian o^vl presented to them by the great 

 naturalist. 



As to its date. Sir Hans Sloane was elected 

 President of the College of Physicians in 1719; 

 Bernard Gardiner was Warden pf All Souls from 

 1702 to 1726. Between 1719 and 1726, then, this 

 effusion was put forth. 



I send it literatim as I find it ; though there are 

 a few palpable clerical errors, which I have been 

 almost tempted to cprrect. L. B. L. 



•' Viro insignissimo necnon Putrono ac Benefactori munijir 

 centis-mno Domino Hans Shane, Equiti aurato CoUegii 

 medicorum inter Londinenses Prxsidi, &fc. 



" Domine, 

 " Bubonem Norvegensera, pignus amoris tui,- avem 

 perraram perpujchramque, in quam tota stupet Academi^, 

 lEeti accepimus incolumem ac sanam. Per me igitur 



