LITERATURE AND SCIENCE OF ENGLAND. 55 



III. Nor let any one be startled if the first name 

 that presents itself is that of William Pryh»^e: for 

 although 



Rege sub Augusto fas sit laudare Catonem, 



I am not about to speak of him as the enemy of 

 royalty and prelacy, or even in his other character as 

 the castigator of the stage. I look upon this as a very 

 inferior part of a very extraordinary character, and as 

 in some measure belonging to the age rather than to 

 the man. I look upon him as the great historical 

 lawyer of his time; as acquainted, perhaps, beyond 

 all his contemporaries with the constitutional law of 

 England; as a man of immense industry; as the 

 devoted investigator of our diplomatic antiquities; 

 and as one who preferred a dark chamber in the 

 Tower before the most sumptuous and lightsome 

 apartment. I look upon him with great respect as a 

 man who has rendered accessible to the public much 

 of the contents of that great national repository of 

 records, and who has incidentally thrown light upon 

 almost every subject of English historical inquiry. 

 Prynne we may peculiarly claim as our own, for he 

 was born at the little village of Swainswick; his 

 mother Avas the daughter of Sherston, the first mayor 

 of Bath under the charter of Elizabeth ; he was the 

 recorder ; he was twice chosen Member of Parliament 



