ber, 1699, and duly enrolled in Chancery. It was considered at the time that this scheme would have been advantageous to the company, by affording it the means of discharging heavy debts with which it was encumbered; but the result proved that this calculation was erroneous. The scheme nearly annihilated the whole of the company's funds: the annuity was too large; it was gradually reduced to 18 per cent., but was found to be still too heavy. In 1745 the company was obliged to stop, and afterwards to apply for the aid of parliament, and in 1764 an act was passed to enable it to extricate itself from its difficulties by means of a lottery. We are enabled to state, through the courtesy of Mr. Barnes, the clerk to the Mercers' Company, that the last bond was paid off in the year 1801, and that Dr. Assheton's scheme was then finally closed. Dr. Assheton was the author of the following works:-1. "Toleration disapproved and condemned, by the authority and convincing reasons of,-I. King James and his Privy Council, Anno reg. II. II. The Honourable Commons in their votes, &c., Feb. 25, 1662. III. The Presbyterian Ministers in the City of London, met at Sion College, Dec. 18, 1645. IV. Twenty eminent divines, most (if not all) of them members of the late Assembly. Faithfully collected," &c., Oxford, 1670, 4to. He published a second edition, with his name, at Oxford in the same year, with a preface on the nature of persecution in general. Again in 1671. Another edition was printed in 1736, 8vo. 2. "The Cases of Scandal and Persecution, being a seasonable inquiry into these two things: I. Whether the Non-conformists, who otherwise think subscription lawful, are therefore obliged to forbear it, because the weak brethren do judge it unlawful? II. Whether the execution of penal laws upon dissenters for non-communion with the Church of England be persecution, &c., wherein they are pathetically exhorted to return into the bosom of the Church," &c., London, 1674, 8vo., and 1676, 8vo. 3. "The Royal Apology, or an Answer to the Rebel's Plea, wherein are the most noted anti-monarchical tenets," &c., London, 1684, 4to., and 1685, 4to. 4. "A seasonable Vindication of their present Majesties," London. 5. "The Country Parson's Admonition to his Parishioners against Popery," &c., London, 1686, and 1689, 24mo. 6. "A full Defence of the former Discourse against the Missionary's Answer, being a farther examination of the pretended infallibility of the Church of Rome," 1688. This piece also bore the title "A Plain Man's Reply to the Catholic Missionaries," &c. 7. "A Discourse against Blasphemy," 1691, and London, 1694, 16mo. 8. "A Discourse against Drunkenness," 1692. 9. "A Discourse against Swearing and Cursing." The last three pieces were written by command of William and Mary, and sold for 2d. that they might be generally read. 10. "Directions in order to the suppressing of Debauchery and Profaneness," 1693. 11. "A Conference with an Anabaptist." 12. "A Discourse concerning a Death-bed Repentance." 13. “A Theological Discourse of last Wills and Testaments," London, 1696. 14. "A seasonable Vindication of the Blessed Trinity," 1679. 15. "A brief state of the Socinian Controversy," &c., London, 1698. 16. "The Plain Man's Devotion," 1698. 17. "A Full Account of the Rise, Progress, and Advantages of Dr. Assheton's Proposal (as improved and managed by the Company of Mercers) for the benefit of Widows of Clergymen, and others, by settled Jointures and Annuities at the rate of 30 per cent.," &c., London, 1699, 1700, 1710, 1711, and 1713, 12mo. 18. "A Vindication of the Immortality of the Soul and a Future State," London, 1703, 8vo. 19. “A Brief Exhortation to the Holy Communion," &c., 1705. 20. "A Method of Devotion for sick and dying Persons," &c., London, 1706. 21. "The Possibility of Apparitions," 1706, 16mo., published anonymously. 22. "Occasional Prayers from Bishop Taylor," &c., London, 1708. 23. "A seasonable Vindication of the Clergy," &c., London, 1674, 1676, 8vo., and 1709. 24. " 'Directions for the Conversation of the Clergy, collected from Bishop Stillingfleet; with three Sermons," London, 1710. 25. "The Judgment of King Charles I. concerning religious Episcopacy, Reformation, and the rights of the Church," London, 1676, 8vo. (Biographia Britannica, edit. Kippis; Wood, Athena Oxonienses, edit. Bliss, iv. 606-608; Watts, Life of Dr. Assheton; Herbert, History of the Companies of London, i. 238.) J. W. J. ASSHOD ('Ao@тos, or 'Aσúτios), the name of several lords and kings of ARMENIA Who belonged to the dynasty of the Pagratidæ. This dynasty was of Jewish origin; but after having settled in Armenia, about A.D. 600, the members of it adopted the Christian religion, and several of them became conspicuous in Armenian history in the seventh, eighth, and ninth centuries. One of them, Asshod, surnamed Medz, or the Great, succeeded in re-establishing the kingdom of Armenia, the fate of which, after the overthrow of the Arsacidæ, has been shortly told in the life of Artasires, king of Armenia. Descendants of the Pagratidæ are still among the first nobility in Georgia, and some of the adjacent Russian provinces south of the Caucasus; others, the descendants of the kings of Georgia, which was united with Russia in 1801, have been received among the Russian nobility; and the Russian princes Bagration are also descended from the Pagratidæ. Several of the Pagratidæ were called Asshod, the principal of whom are : ASSHOD, the son of Piurad, lord of Armenia. Gregory, lord of Armenia, a vassal of the Arabs, perished, after a reign of twenty- | patricius or lord of Armenia (A.D. 743), and four years, in a battle with the Khazars, who he held the government for fifteen years. invaded Armenia in A.D. 683. He was a He was a faithful friend of the Arabs; but good and wise man; but after his death civil he incurred the hatred of the ambitious and troubles broke out, which lasted two years; quarrelsome nobles, who caused a revolt, till Asshod, the son of Piurad, succeeded in made Asshod their prisoner, and put his eyes putting himself at the head of the govern- out (A.D. 758). Sempad, the son of Asshod, ment in 685. He assumed the title of Patri- was placed on his father's throne, but was cius, which among the Armenians signified killed by the Arabs in the same year. Asshod as much as lord or regent, and which we also survived his misfortune during fourteen years, find annexed to the name of several Arme- and died in A.D. 772. (Saint-Martin, Ménians who, without being sovereign lords, moires, &c. sur l'Arménie, vol. i. pp. 342, belonged to some of the great Armenian &c. 419, 420.) W. P. families. One of these was Joannes Patricius, a good Armenian historian. Asshod conferred upon his brother, Sempad, the dignity of Sbarabied, or generalissimo. This title, as well as that of patricius, was introduced among the Armenians by the Arsacidæ. The public offices to which the titles belonged were afterwards abolished by the Sassanidæ ; but the Armenian nobles who had held those and other high offices, which seem to have been hereditary dignities, preserved the corresponding titles in their families till the titles were formally renewed by the first lords and kings of the dynasty of the Pagratidæ. Asshod was acknowledged as vassal prince of Armenia by the khalif, 'Abdu-l-málek, on condition of paying an annual tribute. This annoyed the emperor, Justinian II., who sent an army into Armenia, in A.D. 686, for the purpose of compelling Asshod to recognize the supremacy of the Greek empire. While the Greeks entered the northern part of Armenia, the Arabs, under one Mohammed, invaded the southern part both armies ravaged the country and plundered its inhabitants. Asshod intended to submit to Justinian; but it seems that he did not carry on his negotiations with secrecy, for he was suddenly attacked by Mohammed in A.D. 690, and was slain in a battle with him in the same year. Mohammed penetrated as far as the Caucasus, but was afterwards driven out by Leontius, the Greek commander-in-chief, who established the authority of Justinian II. in Armenia, and the adjacent Caucasian countries. The chief source from which this account, as well as those of the following biographies of the Asshods, is taken, refers to the works of Joannes Patricius, Faustus Byzantinus, Chamcham, and other Armenian historians hitherto not translated into any of the European languages, either ancient or modern. (Saint-Martin, Mémoires, &c. sur l'Arménie, vol. i. p. 338, &c.; Theophanes, p. 303, ed. Paris.) W. P. ASSHOD, the son of Wasag, a Pagratide, became lord of ARMENIA under the following circumstances. During the civil troubles which preceded the fall of the Umeyyides and the establishment of the Abbasides in the khalifate, Asshod, a powerful noble, persuaded Merwán, the last Umeyyide, to appoint him ASSHOD Í., surnamed Medz, or the Great, the first king of ARMENIA of the dynasty of the Pagratidæ, and the restorer of the Armenian kingdom, was the son of the sbarabied, or generalissimo, Sempad, who was put to death by the Arabs in A.D. 856, because he refused to adopt the Mohammedan religion. Asshod having succeeded in seizing the government of Armenia, showed so much wisdom and moderation that he won the hearts of the people and the nobles, and his fame as an excellent governor became soon known among the Arabs. Armenia was then still a province of the empire of the khalifs, with a separate administration; but the power of its native governors was greatly checked by the authority of an Arabian governor-general, whose title in Armenia was Osdigan. The khalif Al-mutawakkel 'Alá-l-lah was so satisfied with the conduct of Asshod, that he withdrew his governor-general, and put in his stead a military governor, whose business was limited to the inspection of the Arabian garrisons in some of the Armenian fortresses. The name of this governor was 'Ali Ibn Yáhin, a Mohammedan, but a native of Armenia, who did much good to his country. The khalif also conferred on him the title of amíru-l-omrá, or prince of the princes, and allowed him to enjoy complete independence on condition of paying an annual tribute (A.D. 859). During several years Asshod governed his dominions in peace, and was actively occupied in healing the wounds which Armenia had received by so many wars and rebellions. His principality comprised the northern part of Armenia, and he usually resided in the fortress of Ani, though sometimes also at Kars and Eraskawors. He gave his daughters in marriage to the most powerful among the Armenian nobles. His principal vassals were Terenig Gregory, prince of Wasburagan, and chief of the powerful clan of the Ardzrunians; Shabuh, or Sapor, prince of Sber, a Pagratide; Wasag Gapur, prince of the Siunians; Isshkhanig, prince of Sisagan; and, in later times, Adernersch Curopalates, king of Georgia, and the king of Colchis, whose name is not mentioned. In A.D. 861, Northern Armenia was invaded by Jaháb, the Arabian governor of Southern Armenia; but he was defeated and driven back by Asshod and his brother Apas, who held the office of sbarabied. In the be- | ginning of the year A.D. 862, Al-mutawakkel was slain; and his successor, Al-muhtadí, a just and religious prince, showed his regard to Asshod by allowing several Armenian nobles, who were captives of the Arabs, to return into their country. These nobles were the remainder of a great number of distinguished Armenians, who were seized by order of the intolerant and cruel Almutawakkel, as early as A.D. 855 and 856, and many of whom, as well as Asshod's father Sempad, were put to death, because they would not embrace the Mohammedan religion. Some of them had actually been circumcised; but, contrary to the severe law of the Mohammedans, Al-muhtadí allowed them also to return and to re-enter the Christian church. Asshod was no less esteemed by the Khalif Al-mu'tamed, the successor of Al-muhtadí, who, in A.D. 885, sent an ambassador extraordinary, named Isá, into Armenia, to present a royal diadem to Asshod, who was crowned as an independent king by Isá in his fortress of Ani. The Emperor Basil I., the Macedonian, also recognized Asshod as an independent king, and concluded a treaty of alliance with him. The kingdom of Armenia was thus re-established by Asshod I., four hundred and fifty-seven years after the deposition of the last Arsacide, Artasires, in A.D. 428. About A.D. 886, Asshod subjugated a considerable tract along the southern side of the Caucasus, and appointed his son Sempad viceroy of the new province. In A.D. 888, Asshod went to Constantinople on some business, which is not mentioned, and was received with great honour by the Emperor Leo the Philosopher. Asshod remained at Constantinople till 889, when he returned to Armenia; but he died suddenly on the frontiers of the province of Shirag, just when he was going to enter his kingdom. He left four sons, the eldest of whom, the above-mentioned Sempad, became his successor. (Saint-Martin, Mémoires, &c. sur l'Arménie, vol. i. p. 348, &c.) W. P. ASSHOD II., surnamed ERGATHI (he who is of iron), king of ARMENIA, the son of Sempad, and the grandson of Asshod I., ascended the throne in A.D. 914, in which year Sempad was put to death by the Arabs, who had made him prisoner in the preceding year. The Arabs ravaged Armenia in a dreadful manner, and killed many of the people on account of their religion. Asshod, and his brother Apas, took up arms, and during ten years they made a guerilla war upon the Arabs, without being able to drive them out. Asshod was crowned about A.D. 915, by Adernerseh, king of Georgia, and Kurken, king of the Abghazes. The custom of receiving the crown, or, more correctly, the royal diadem, from the hands of other kings, either liege lords, peers, vassals or captives, or their delegates, was an old custom in the East, of which we find many traces in the early history of the Armenians, Parthians, and later Persians, and their transactions with the Romans and Greeks. During that long war Armenia was exposed to such horrors that the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenneta resolved to put an end to it. For that purpose he requested Nicolaus, the patriarch of Constantinople, to write to John, the Armenian patriarch who had taken refuge at the court of Adernerseh, king of Georgia, and to request him to do his best to form an alliance between the Armenians, the Georgians, and the Abghazes. The emperor promised to aid them with sufficient forces if they would make a common attack upon the Arabs (920). Upon this Asshod went to Constantinople, where he was well received (921). During his absence a singular circumstance occurred which greatly contributed to help Asshod to the throne of his forefathers. There were several nobles in Armenia who took the part of the Arabs against their own countrymen. Having been treated by the Arabs with haughtiness and ingratitude, they collected an army, fell upon the Mohammedans, and drove them out of Armenia, being assisted by those of their countrymen who were on Asshod's side, and whose assistance they were obliged to seek in this dangerous undertaking. When the news of these events reached Constantinople, the emperor, who knew that the Arabs, who had an active commander called Yusuf, would soon return with greater forces, put Asshod at the head of a Greek army. Asshod soon appeared on the Armenian frontier, and took possession of his kingdom without any resistance, everything being prepared for his reception. Yusuf, however, soon repaired his losses: he proclaimed another Asshod, the son of Shapuh, and first cousin of Asshod Ergathi, king of Armenia, and supported him with all his forces. A long war ensued between Asshod Ergathi and Asshod the rebel, who at last succeeded in making himself independent in Southern Armenia; his capital was Towin. His success was due to his own valour and to a rebellion of Apas, the brother of Asshod Ergathi, who however was finally compelled to implore the mercy of his brother. About A.D. 923, Yusuf, the Arabian general, revolted against the Khalif Al-muktader, but was defeated and carried to Baghdad. Asshod concluded a treaty with his successor, which gave so much satisfaction to the khalif, that he conferred upon Asshod the title of Shahanshah, or king of kings, by which he meant that he considered Asshod to be the first in rank among the petty kings in the Caucasian countries. The Greek name for Shahanshah would have been "king of kings" (Baσiλèvs Baoiλéwv), the ancient appellation of the Persian kings; but the pride of the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenneta would not allow him to give that title to a king of Armenia. As Shahan 66 | W. P. shah is rendered in Armenian by Ark'-haïts | Kakig I., the successor of his brother Semark’haï, which is evidently corrupted from pad; and Kurken, who became king of the Greek ̓́Αρχων τῶν ̓αρχόντων, the em- Albania. (Cedrenus, vol. ii. pp. 654-656, peror availed himself of that circumstance, ed. Paris; Saint-Martin, Mémoires, &c. sur and called the Armenian king apxwv Tŵvl'Arménie.) ἀρχόντων, which henceforth was the title ASSHOD IV., king of ARMENIA, the segiven by the Greek emperors to the kings of cond son of King Kakig I., who died in A.D. Armenia. Asshod II. Ergathi died A.D. 928; 1020. Kakig had appointed his eldest son John his successor was his son Apas. (Constantine to succeed him; but as John showed timidity, Porphyrogenneta, De Administrando Imperio, Asshod caused a revolt, seized the greater c. 43, 44, &c.; De Ceremoniis, c. 48; Saint-part of Armenia, and laid siege to Ani, where Martin, Mémoires, &c. sur l'Arménie, vol. i. John resided. The contest was terminated p. 359, &c.) W. P. by the mediation of the Sbarabied, or geneASSHOD III., surnamed OGHORMAZ, or the ralissimo, Wasag, a descendant of the ArsaCompassionate," king of ARMENIA, was the cidæ, Peter the patriarch of Armenia, and son of king Apas, and nephew of Asshod III.; several of the most powerful lords. It was he succeeded his father in A.D. 952. Without agreed that both the brothers should have the having any particular talent for war, Asshod title of king, but that John should have Ani raised Armenia to a high degree of power: the and the country of Shirag, and Asshod the kings and princes of Georgia, Wasburagan, remainder of the kingdom; and that Asshod Kars, Albania, several Mohammedan emirs, should succeed John in case he should be the and the Armenian lords, without exception, re- survivor. John was soon afterwards involved cognized him as their liege lord. Asshod did in a war with the king of Georgia, by whom much for industry and trade; he had received he was made prisoner; but he obtained his a careful education, and he showed his love liberty after having ceded some districts to for the fine arts by building many beautiful the conqueror. In 1021 the Turks Seljuks public edifices. His capital, Ani, was much em- appeared, for the first time, in Armenia, and bellished by him. Those who wish to get infor- committed such dreadful ravages, that Senek❜mation about the remains of ancient buildings harim, king or prince of Wasburagan, ceded and towns, and other Armenian antiquities, his territory to the Emperor Basil II., from will find some very good accounts in the fear of those barbarians. The emperor inTravels of Dubois de Montpéreux in the demnified him with a small territory on the Caucasian countries, which were lately pub- Euphrates. The Turks, however, were afterlished at Paris, and which is a much better wards defeated, and compelled to retreat by book than the Travels of Dr. Koch, of Jena, Wasag. The division of Armenia between in the same countries, published in 1843. the brothers, and the inroads of the Turks, In 961 Asshod gave the town of Kars and its appeared to the emperor a favourable opporterritory to his brother Mussheg, who reigned tunity for conquering Armenia. He first atover it with the title of king, and whose tacked John, who was supported by George I., descendants remained in the possession of it king of Georgia, a Pagratide; but they were for a considerable period. In the same year, both defeated by the Greeks, and, George (961) Seif-ed-dáulah, a Hamdanite, and lord having fled beyond the Caucasus, John subof Aleppo and Mesopotamia, which he had mitted to the emperor, and received his dotaken from the khalifs of Baghdâd, threatened minions as a vassal state of the Greek empire. to invade Armenia, unless Asshod would pay The Greeks maintained their authority in him an annual tribute; but the Armenian Armenia only for a short time. It appears king refused it haughtily, and advanced upon that Asshod submitted likewise to the emSeif-ed-daulah, who was entirely defeated and peror. Asshod IV. died in 1039, leaving a lost part of his territory. The Khalif Al-muti', son, Kakig II., a boy of fourteen, who had or rather his all-powerful vizír, the amíru- no sooner been proclaimed king than he was l-ómrá, Mu'izzu-d-dáulah, was so pleased surprised and imprisoned by his uncle John, with the defeat of a rebel by the Armenians, who united Asshod's inheritance with his that he wrote a flattering letter to Asshod, kingdom of Ani. (Cedrenus, vol. ii. pp. 701, styling him Shah-Armen, or independent 711, 718, ed. Paris; Saint-Martin, Mémoires, king of Armenia, and presented him with a &c. sur l'Arménie, vol. i. pp. 366, &c.) W. P. royal diadem. Asshod made another still more glorious campaign against the Mohammedans in Syria, in 974. The Mohammedans were at war with the Greek emperor, John Zimisces, called Chemesshgig by the Armenians, who invited Asshod to make common cause with him; and it is said that the Armenian auxiliaries fought with great distinction, and returned home victorious and laden with booty. Asshod died in A.D. 977, leaving three sons: Sempad II., his successor; ASSIGNIES, JEAN D', a learned Cistercian monk, descended from a noble family of Hainault, was born about the year 1562. He was sub-prior of the monastery at Cambron, and in 1618 became abbot of the Cistercian monastery at Nizelle, in Brabant. He died on the 22nd of May, 1642. His principal works are, 1. "Vies des Personnes illustres en Sainteté de l'Ordre de Cîteaux," 2 vols., Douay and Mons, 1598, 1606, 4to. 2. "Antidotum salutare contra morbos pes tiferos malæ linguæ," Antwerp, 1633, 8vo. A French translation of this work by himself was afterwards published at Douay. 3. "Fasciculus Myrrha," Douay, 1630, 4to. 4. “Allumettes vives pour embrazer l'ame à la hayne du peché et l'amour de la vertu, par la considération de la passion de Jésus Christ, distinguées en xxi exercises," Douay, 1629, 12mo. 5. “Vie et Miracles de SaintMartin de Tours," Douay, 1625, 8vo. 6. "Coffret Spirituel rempli d'Epistres melliflues de S Bernard, et d'un petit traité du vice de propriété monastique composé par J. Trithemius: le tout mis en nostre vulgaire par J. d'Assignies," Douay, 1619, 12mo. 7." Bourdon des Ames dévotes et ambitieuses de cheminer avec répos et conscience au pelerinage de ceste vie, dressé sur les avis de Louys de Blois," Douay, 1634, 12mo. 8. "Le Paradis des Prières, &c., extraites des œuvres spirituelles du vénérable Louis de Bloys," Saint Omer, 1617, 12mo. 9. "Directoire; ou, Instruction pour dévotement s'acquitter de l'office divin," &c., Mons, 1609, 12mo. 10. "Doctrine spirituelle enseignant le moien de se perfectionner en la vertu," Douay, 1630, 16mo. A list of several other works of minor importance, consisting for the most part of translations, is given by Visch, who states that Assignies left behind him many works in manuscript, which are preserved in the libraries of Cambron and Nizelle. (Visch, Bibliotheca Scriptorum ordinis Cisterciensis, 174, 175, edit. 1656; Foppens, Bibliotheca Belgica, i. 556; Duthillœul, Bibliographie Douaisienne, 126, &c.) | edition was published in 1701. ASSI'SI, ANDRE'A DI, called L'INGEGNO, an Italian painter, born at Assisi, about the middle of the fifteenth century; he is called also Andrea di Luigi, but his real name, in the old form, appears to have been Andrea di Aloisi. Von Rumohr, in his Italian researches, has shown Vasari's account of this painter to be a tissue of errors; and Lanzi and other writers have been led likewise into error by it. Vasari says that AnJ. W. J.drea was the best scholar of Pietro Perugino, and, in his school, the rival of Raphael; that he assisted Perugino in many of his works, but suddenly became blind when assisting him in the Sistine chapel; and that Sixtus IV., out of compassion, granted him a pension for life, which he enjoyed until his eighty-sixth year. Of all these facts one only is not certainly untrue, and that is, that he assisted Perugino in his works, which may be the case, but he was certainly not the scholar of that painter, for he was contemporary with him, and of about an equal age, and from the style of his colouring was, in the opinion of Rumohr, very probably the scholar of Niccolo Alunno. That he was not the fellow scholar of Raphael is evident, from the fact that he was an established master at the time that Raphael was born. There is a document extant respecting the payment he received in 1484 for painting a coat of arms for the townhouse of Assisi; this is the only authentic work of his known. The Sibyls and Prophets, in fresco, in the Basilica of Assisi, erroneously ascribed to him, were painted towards the close of the sixteenth century by Adone Doni. ASSIGNY, MARIUS D', or D'ASSIGNY, a clergyman of the Church of England, was born in the year 1643. His name indicates that he was of French extraction, and it appears that he took his degree of B.D. at the University of Cambridge, in the year 1668. In Woodham Walter Church, Essex, there is the following epitaph: :-"Here lieth the body of the Rev. Marjus D'Assigney, B.D., who died Nov. 14, 1717, aged 74. He translated Drelincourt's Christian Defence against the Fears of Death, 6th edition, London, 1709." Beyond this nothing is known of his life. His other works are, 1. A translation of Pierre Gautruche's "Histoire Poëtique," under the title "The Poetical Histories, being a compleat collection of all the stories necessary for a perfect understanding of the Greek and Latin Poets... Written originally in French by P. Galtruchius: now Englisht and enricht with observations concerning the Gods worshipped by our ancestors... Unto which are added Two treatises [by D'Assigny]; one, of the curiosities of old Rome... the other containing the most remarkable hieroglyphicks of Ægypt," London, 1671, 8vo. This work, which is dedicated to Sir Orlando Bridgman, keeper of the great seal, was very popular. The eighth Regarding L'Ingegno's blindness, if not altogether an error, it could not have happened before 1511, twenty-seven years after the |