In our previous list an error occurred, which we would wish to correct. The last letter of Henry VIII. was addressed to the Grand Master Pierre Du Pont, and not to Nicholas Cotoner, who ascended the Maltese throne in 1663. The translation of H. M.'s congratulatory letter to Du Pont, on his election, we trust you have already received. We referred in our former Note to a letter of Charles II., under date of "the last day of November, 1674," and since that came to our observation we have seen an exact copy bearing the autograph of the king. This circumstance leads us to inquire at what period, and with what English monarch, the custom of sending duplicate letters originated? In the time of James II. it would appear to have been followed, as one of H. M.'s letters is thus marked in his own handwriting.

We would state, before closing this Note, that the letters of James II. are the earliest in date of any English royal letters filed away at this island which are countersigned, or bear the address of the Grand Master at the foot of the first page, on the left-hand side, as is customary in writing official letters to government officers at the present time.

Will any of your correspondents kindly inform us with what English monarch the custom

originated of having his letters countersigned by a minister, and of placing the address within the letter, as is the case in those of James II. to which we have just referred?

William Winthrop.

La Valetta, Malta.

Footnote 7:[(return)]

Robert Spencer, second Earl of Sunderland, K.G., was principal Secretary of State during the latter years of Charles II. and the whole reign of James II., and as such, when countersigning a royal letter, he placed at the end of his signature the letter P.

Prince Charles' Attendants in Spain (Vol. ix., p. 272.).—In a small 4to. MS. in my possession, entitled "A Narrative of Count Gondomar's Proceedings in England," is the following list of "The Prince's Servants" who accompanied him in his Journey into Spain:

"Master of the Horse, Lord Andover.
Master of the Ward, Lord Compton.
Chamberlain, Lord Carey.
Comptroller, Lord Vaughan.
Secretary, Sir Francis Cottington.
Gentleman of the Bed-chamber, Sir Robert Carr.
Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber

Sir William Howard,
Sir Edmund Verney,
Sir William Crofts,
Sir Richard Wynne,
Mr. Ralph Clare,
Mr. John Sandilaus,
Mr. Francis Carew.
Gentleman Usher of the Privy Chamber, Sir John North.
Gentlemen Ushers of the Presence

Mr. Newton,
Mr. Young,
Mr. Tyrwhitt.
Grooms of the Bed-chamber, five.
Pages, three.
Chaplains, two."