412 



of his execution, and not at that of his capture. But there is 

 either some inaccuracy in his account of the matter, or — which 

 is just as probable — some inaccuracy in the printed copy of 

 his Memoirs: for the carelessness with which many of these old 

 books are printed is such as exhibit too frequently alterations 

 of the meaning. "I say this," added Dr. Anster, "having been 

 astonished at the discrepancies between the printed editions, 

 for instance, of ' Spenser's View of the State of Ireland,' and 

 the manuscript copy of the work in the library of Trinity Col- 

 lege, Dublin." 



Sir John Reresby's words are : " Out of his pocket were 

 taken books in his own handwriting, containing charms or 

 spells, to open the doors of a prison, to obviate the danger of 

 being wounded in battle, together with songs and prayers." 



Barillon describes the book the same way: " II y avoit des 

 secrets de magie et d'enchantment, avec des chansons, des 

 recettes pour des maladies, et des prieres." 



In a note of Lord Dartmouth's to the modern edition of 

 Burnett's " Own Times" we have the following statement : — 

 " My uncle. Colonel William Legge, who went in the coach 

 with him to London, as a guard, with orders, to stab him if 

 there were any disorders on the road, showed me several 

 charms that were tied about him when he was taken, and his 

 table-book, which was full of astrological figures that nobody 

 could understand; but he told my uncle that they had been 

 given to him some years before in Scotland, and he now found 

 they were but foolish conceits." Mr. Macaulay, in the ac- 

 count of the Duke's capture, mentions, as taken on his person 

 " an album, filled with songs, receipts, and charms." The 

 passages which are mostjcurious in the book are those which 

 give some memorandums of his journeys on two visits to the 

 Prince of Orange, in the year previous to his last rash adven- 

 ture. His movements up to the 14th of March, 1684-5, are 

 given. The entries do not seem to be of much moment; but 

 they may accidentally confirm or disprove some disputed 



