the parliament the year after, he was of the committee for drawing up the articles of impeachment against the duke of Buckingham. He had the principal share, too, in all the previous steps which led to the famous "Petition of Right;" but the particulars of his public character are well known. In 1643, he obtained the post of keeper of records in the Tower. On the usurpation of Cromwell, he retired from public affairs, confining himself almost entirely to literary pursuits. He died in 1654. The following is a list of his works. 1. A Treatise of the Civil Government of our Island before the coming in of the Nor mans; written in 1606. 2. Jani Anglorum Facies altera. 3. England's Epinomis. These two last tracts were both printed in 1610, Svo. The former was translated into English by Dr. Adam Lyttleton, author of the Anglo-Latin, &c. Dictionary, with copious notes, under the name of Redman Westcot, Gent. Lond. 1683, folio. They contain many curious remarks upon the English history, relative to the Norman government. 4. De Duello; or, Of Single Combat. 5. Notes and Illustrations on the First Eighteen Songs in Michael Drayton's Polyolbion, 1612, folio. 6. The Titles of Honour. On this book, bishop Nicholson remarks, that, " as to what concerns our nobility and gentry, all that come within either of those lists, will allow, that Mr. Selden's Titles of Honour,' ought to be perused for the gaining of a general notion of the distinction of a degree, from an emperor down to a country gentleman." 7. Notes on the De Laudibus Legum Angliæ of sir John Fortescue, and on sir Ralph Hengham's Sums, 1616, Švo. 8. Idolatry of the ancient Syrians, 1617. The Latin title is, De Diis Syris Syntagmata duo. This treatise was written as a commentary upon all the passages of the Old Testament where.mention is made of any of the heathen gods, as Bel, Asteroth, &c. and consequently, besides the Assyrian, gives an account of the Arabian, Egyptian, Persian, African, and European idolatry. 9. A Dissertation upon the State of the Jews, formerly living in England, 1617. This is contained in Purchas's Pilgrimage. 10. The History of Tithes: sub Tenore Verborum sequente, 1618. Having in this book denied the divine right of the clergy to tithes, they were naturally much alarmed, and a complaint was preferred to the king, who was likewise so incensed, that the author was prosecuted in the High-commission-court, and obliged to acknowledge in a solemn manner, that he had been guilty of a fault in publishing that history. The book was likewise suppressed, and he was prohibited from printing any thing in its defence. 11. The history of Eadmer, 1623. The Latin title is, Spicilegium in Eadmeri seu Libros Historiarum; and consists of explanatory notes upon that author. The laws of the Conqueror in this book, Dr. Nicholson observes, are wretchedly translated. These, however, were afterwards published more correctly by sir Henry Spelman. Dr. Brady also published them with an English version, in his Introduction to the Old English History. But the last edition is that of Dr. David Wilkins, in his edition of the Anglo-Saxon Laws. 12. Commentaries upon the Arundelian Marbles, 1628. Sir Robert Cotton, as is well known, had brought these monuments of antiquity, the year before, from Constantinople, and placed them in his house and gar dens in the Strand. But on their removal to Oxford, considerable errors were discovered in Selden's account of them. A new and more correct edition therefore was printed of this book, by order of the university; and a third edition has been since published by Michael Mattaire. 13. De Jure Naturali et Gentiam, juxta Disciplinam Hebræorum, 1634. 14. Uxor Hebraica; sive de Nuptiis et Divortiis ex Jure civili, id est divino et Thalmudico veterum Hebræorum; libri tres. First published in 1646. 15. A Defence of the King's Dominion over the British Seas, 1636. 16 A Discourse concerning the Rights and Privileges of the Subjects, in a Conference desired by the Lords, and had by a Committee of both Houses in the year 1628. 17. The Privileges of the Baronage of England, when they sit in Parliament, 1628. 18. A brief Discourse concerning the Power of Peers and Commoners in Parliament in point of Judicature, 1628. 19. De Anno Civili et Calendario Judaico, 1644. 20. Fleta seu Commentarius Juris Anglicani sic nuncupatus, 1647. 21. De Synedriis et Præfecturis Hebræorum, 1650. 22. A Preface to the Decem Scriptores Anglicana; containing an account of those writers, with Remarks upon their respective Histories, in, folio, 1652. These ten writers are: 1. Simeon Dunelmensis, obiit 1150. 2. John Hagulstand, Hen. II. R. 1 3. Richard ditto, 1190. 4. Serlo, 1160. 5. Ailredus Rivalensis, 1166. 7. John Brompton. 8. Gervase Dorobensis, 1200. 9. Thomas Stubbs, 1360. 10. William Thorne, 1880. To which is added, 11. Henry Knighton, 1395. 23. Vindicia secundum Integritatem Existimatonis suæ, &c. Several pieces were also published after his death; but they are not of great consequence; and as the genuineness of several of them has been doubted, they deserve not a particular enumeration. I shall therefore observe only, that an edition of his works was published by |