ne aes 
Extras from the Port-folio of a Man of Letters. 
BR. JOHN TAYLOR, AUTHOR OF THE 
HEBREW CONCORDANCE. 
ROM an original l:tter of his, writ- 
ten fourfcore years ago, it appears 
that he was then minilter of a fimall con- 
gregation of Diffenters, at Kirkftead, in 
Lincolnfhire, and that he lived at a little 
diftance from this place, which he de- 
{cribes as a fmall pleafant village, near 
the navigable river which runs between 
Bofton and Lincoln. His falary there was 
fo {mall that his circumftances were very 
firait, fo that he was under the neceffity 
of teaching a fchool, and of applying to 
his friends to recommend f[choiars to him. 
At this time, it appears that he had been 
engaged in making a concife abridgement 
of Henry’s Expoftion, but he was fo 
poor that he could not buy that work, and 
he complains that it was at a ftand be- 
caufe h* could no longer borrow it. He 
tells his friend, that he had gone as far as 
the Prophecy of Jonah, and intended’ to 
finith the whole, as foon as he could pro- 
cure the remaining volumes of Henry, and 
publith it in as a cheap a form as p:ffible, 
for the ufe of families. Query, whether 
he ever completed the undertaking, and 
what became of the manufcript, which 
certainly was never publifhed. 
In this leiter, he gives his correfpon- 
dent fume advice in the choice of books 
(according to his reque) particularly 
with a view to the knowledge of Scripture, 
and recommends Pool’s Annotations, and 
Prideaux’s Connexion, to be read with di- 
ligence, in preference to the reading a 
multiplicity of authors. 
Fis cor:efpondent having mentioned to 
him the divifions in London about the 
Salters-Hall controverfy, he writes as fol- 
lows :—‘* As to the unhappy differences 
among the London minifters, I think I 
fhould not have fubfcribed had I been 
among them; becaufe I am not fatisfed 
that it isa means faoctified and appointed 
of God for either finding out or aicertain- 
ing the truth. On the other hand, I am 
fure it has been grievoufly abufed from 
the firft times of Chriftianity, to the di- 
viding of Chriitians, and the deftroying 
that love and mutua! forbearance which is 
the diftinguifhing character of our holy 
religion, and the only bottom upon which 
the tranquillity of the church can be 
rightly fetiled. 
From this letter, and efpecially from 
the ppeltee now quoted, it js preity evi- 
dent that the writer at that time had not 
adopted thofe heterodox opinions for which 
he was afterwards fo much diftinguifhed. 
The letter is dated, April 29, 1724, 
and was addreffed « "To Mr. Fhomas 
Jobnfon, at Mr. Brookfbank’s, merchant, 
in London.’ This was the gentleman 
who -uilt the honfe at Hackney, lately 
called the New College, and now entirely 
demolifhed. Mr. Johnfon gave it to the 
prefent poffeffor. Sie: 
Copy of a warrant of Henry VI, to the 
Keeper of the Wardrobe, for equipping a 
borfe for Sir Philip Dimmack, Champion 
at the enfuing Coronation. Auno, 1430. 
From the Original among the Cotton Ma~ 
aufcripts in the Britifh Mufeum. 
Henri, &c. a re ame clerc Robert 
Rollefton, garden de mre grande gardee 
robe faluz. Monflrez as a nous & a nre- 
counfail mre ame Efquier Philipp Dyms 
-mok coment fes aunceftres dont memoir 
ne court ont efte accuftumes de faire cer. 
tains fervices es folempnitees de les coro. 
nacions de noz nobles progenitours roys 
dengleterre avant ces heures; aflavoir deltre 
arma le jourdela coronacon & mount fur 
un dexftre, & outre ce faire et excere’ tout 
ce gue as ditz fervices app tient p’ignantz 
les tees a ycelies accuftumes. $i nous le 
lavis & affent de nmtre coun{ail volons & 
vous mandons gen countre le jour dentre 
coronacon facez ordenner trappures & 
autres chofes en ce cas accuftumes & les 
deli'vera dit Philipp par man’e com ilad 
efte deli’ve a fes auncefires as graundes - 
garderobes de noz ditz progenitours en- 
contre ciele folempnitee aiint ces heures. 
Et volons ge ceftes noz l"res vous en forent 
garraunt & q par ycelles vous en aicz due 
allouance on vie a corte donn, &c. le 
quart iour de Novembre lan de itre regne 
oy tifme. 
Sembles res (mi utatis muitnieis) prient 
faites au maiftr’ de noz chivau!x pur 
faire deliv’rance dun dexitr. 
It’ une autre Ire an fergeant de nre 
armurie pur luideliv’er armure p mau’e,&c. 
(Signed) Fy ptot 
He Gltobelire J. Bathon 
W. Lendon S. Denelm 
J. Ebor Cant’. 
Henry, &c. to our beloved clerc, 
Robert Rolleiton, keever of our. gieat 
wardrobe, greeting, , Whereas our be 
Sciop. 
loved Efquire Philip Dymmok has cert...’ 
3H2 ; ed 
