ISLE of WIGHT, 
436 
In the reign of Edward III. the abbot was a man of great 
confequence, being (tiled by that monarch cuflos infulee, 
or land-warden of the ifland, as appears by warrant-dill 
extant, which is add refled to him as fuch, and wherein 
he is directed to put every thing into a proper date of de¬ 
fence againd any foreign invafion. 
The trade and commerce of this ifland, in its kind, is 
by no means inconfiderabie. It pays to government not 
lefs than thirty thoufand pounds a-year. But the nature 
of it is fuch, that, of all other, perhaps, it requires the 
feweft hands in proportion to the value of the concern. 
A farmer, a mealman, or a maltder, may be in as large a 
way as a manufafturer of cloth or hardware, but yet one 
of the fird-mentioned can manage his bufinefs with a tenth 
part of the afliflance which the others want. This in 
Lome meafure accounts for the inhabitants of the place 
not being more numerous. The trade of the ifland con- 
fids chiefly of dealings in corn and wool. Of the for¬ 
mer, perhaps, more is produced on this fpot than on any 
fpot of ground of like extent in his majefty’s dominions. 
It is in a manner the granary of the wedern cdunties, and 
the chief refoarce of government-contrafts for wheat, 
malt, flour, and bifcuit. The quantities of corn exported 
either in grain or in flour are very large, which creates a 
principal part of that employment which is found for 
(hipping and the mills, at which large quantities of wheat 
are manufactured. There are no lefs than eight or nine 
water-mills for this purpofe within about a mile of the 
town ,of Newport, befides many others, fome of which 
will grind and drefs from eighty to one hundred quarters 
a-week. From thefe flour is exported to Ireland and the 
wedern counties of England. At times, when expor¬ 
tations abroad are allowable and profitable to the mer¬ 
chant, he naturally looks to the market of Newport for a 
fupply, at which there have been fometimes feen two 
hundred waggons in one day laden with thole valuable 
articles of wheat and barley; but of late years the cuflom 
of felling by fample only has much prevailed. There are 
two other commodities which feem to have as good a title 
to the rank of natural curiofities, as to be confidered as 
commerce. Thefe are, copperas-dones, and white fhining 
fand. The former are gathered up in heaps on the fouth 
lhore, and occaflonally lent to London, See. for the pur¬ 
pofe of producing the feveral fpecies of vitriol. The 
latter is dug out of fome very valuable mines, which are 
the property of David Urry, efq. near Yarmouth; and 
from thence lent to London and Bridol for the ufe of the 
glafs-manufactories. 
This little ifland, fo fertile in mod things, has by no 
means been without her contributions to the republic of 
Britifn literature. Sir John Cheke, Dr. Thomas James, 
and the learned and ingenious Dr. Hooke, were natives of 
the Ifle of Wight. Thefe having been already introduced 
to the reader in their refpedtive places in the alphabet, 
W'e fhall conclude with a few anecdotes of the Rev. Henry 
Cole, LL. and D.D. dean of St. Paul’s, &c. This gen¬ 
tleman was a native of Godlhill; and, after the ufual 
courfe of education at Wykeham’s lchool, Winchelter, 
was admitted of New College, Oxford. He there com¬ 
menced bachelor in the civil law in the year 1519, and 
doftor in the fame faculty in 1540. A great part of this 
interval was fpent in Italy, and other parts abroad, which 
he judged mod proper to perfeCt him in the walks of 
fcience, and the knowledge of the world. On his return 
he was ciiofen warden of his maternal college, obtained 
fome good preferments, and was generally confidered as 
very refpeCtable and eminent in the line of his profeflion. 
Leland, the antiquary, makes very honourable mention 
of his abilities; and in one of Afeham’s letters there is a 
hand fome compliment paid to his learning and polite- 
nefs: “ I mud he totally deditute of thefe qualities myfelf 
(lays that elegant writer) if I did not both love and ad¬ 
mire them in you.” This letter is without a date, a cir- 
.cumltance which we mention, becaufe Dr. Cole’s public 
3 
character was not always of the mod uniform tenor. It 
had doubtlefs been more happy for his fame, had he lived 
in times when political inferefts were lefs fluctuating. 
His qualifications and profpeCts led him to take an aCtive 
part in mod of the changes of thofe very unfettled times. 
When the doctrines of the reformation (more anciently 
thofe of Wickliflre) began fird to revive in England, he 
drenuoudy oppofed them both from the pulpit and the 
prefs. Meanwhile, as the court of Henry (for reafons 
univerfally known) grew daily more cool to the fee of 
Rome, and the people dill cooler to her extravagant cor¬ 
ruptions, the doctor affumed a milder tone, went often to 
hear Peter Martyr preach, and exprelted a very great re¬ 
gard for him. He alfo acknowledged Henry’s fupremacy 
in the church, and in his fucceflor’s time (Edward VI.) 
he went fo far as to communicate with the reformers, and 
his pulpit founded high of their doCtrines. But in the 
reign of Mary his views of things were totally altered, and 
his zeal returned to its old channel. It was now that he 
was honoured with his doCior’s degree in divinity, and 
made dean of St. Paul’s, with a long et extern of other lu¬ 
crative pods and preferments. It was doubtlefs a mark 
of the edeem in which his abilities were held, that he was 
chofen to maintain a public difputation at Oxford againd 
Cranmer and Ridley ; and, when the former was deltined 
to the dake for herefy, Cole preached and publilhed the 
execution-fermon. In (hort, he feems to have been at 
this time a leading man of a very leading party, as may 
farther appear by a Angular anecdote, which, as it con¬ 
cluded his popularity, may alfo conclude this abridge¬ 
ment of his memoirs. Mary, the royal midrefs of his 
fortune, was determined, it feems, to aft the fame fatal 
tragedy among her protedant fubjefts in Ireland as Ihe 
had already done at home in Smithfield. For executing 
this purpofe her commiflion was made out, and who 
Ihould have the care of it but her trudy and well-beloved 
Dr. Cole! He undertook the charge; and in the pro- 
grefs of this bufinefs, making fome little day at Chefler, 
he was waited on by the mayor of that city. In the 
courfe of the converfation which pafled between thefe 
two, the doftor was fo full of his commiflion, that he 
could not forbear, as we fay, to let the cat out of the 
bag: “ I have that with me,” faith he, producing a little 
box from his portmanteau, “ which will lalh the heretics 
of Ireland.” His hodefs, a Mrs. Edmonds, had the 
good luck to overherr this; and being more than half a 
heretic herfelf, and having a brother of that profeflion in 
Dublin, Ihe became much troubled ; and, taking her op¬ 
portunity whild the dofiorwas gone down to compliment 
his woi'lhip the mayor to the door, die dept into the 
dean’s apartment, took out the commiflion, and put a 
pack of cards into the box in its room. The doflor, 
having completed his civilities, returns to his chamber, 
and puts lip his box without the lead fufpicion of what 
had happened. Soon after he fet fail for Dublin, where 
he arrived December 7th, 1558. Being introduced to 
lord Fitzwalter (then lord-lieutenant) and the privy 
council, he began with a fpeech in form to fet forth the 
nature of his bufinefs, and then delivered in his box with 
due ceremony. “ What -have we here?” fays his lord- 
Ihip at the opening: “ this is nothing but a pack of 
cards.” It is not eafy to conceive the doctor’s feelings at 
the ridiculous figure he now made. He could only fay, 
that a commiflion he certainly had, but who had played 
him this trick he could not tell. “ Why then, Mr. Dean,” 
fays his lordfhip, “you have nothing to do but to return 
to London again, and get your commiflion renewed, 
whild we in the mean time Ihuffle your cards.” This 
farcadic advice the do6tor, no doubt with infinite chagrin, 
was obliged to take, though at fo difagreeable a feafon of 
the year; but, whild all this was about, meeting with 
contrary winds and other vexatious delays, behold the 
queen died, and fo the bufinefs came all to nothing. It 
is laid, moreover, that queen Elizabeth was fo well plea fed 
with 
