a bishopric of Germany, situated in the centre of the circle of Westphalia, between the Weser and the Ems, having Minden on the east, Munster on the west, Diepholtz on the north-east, and Ravensburg on the south-west. It is about 45 miles long and 25 broad, producing some rye, several sorts of turf, coals, marble, and good pasturage. The inhabitants, who are a mixture of Protestants and Roman Catholics, breed a considerable number of cattle, especially hogs, of which they make excellent bacon and hams; but a great part of the country consists of heaths. By the treaty concluded here in 1648, the bishopric was to be an alternative between the Roman Catholics and Lutherans; and the Lutheran bishop was to be a younger prince of the house of Brunswic Lunenburg, or, on failure thereof, of Brunswic Wolfenbüttel. In consequence of this settlement, it has been twice held by a British prince since the accession of the family of Hanover. The bishop is able to raise 25,000l., his revenue being between 20,000l. and 30,000l. The chief manufactures of the country are a coarse kind of linen cloth and yarn, which are said to bring into it annually about 1,000,000l. of rix dollars. There are also some woollen manufactures in Osnaburg and Bramsche. The land-estates of the bishopric are, the chapter, the knights, and the four towns. The diets are held at Osnaburg, when called together by the bishop. The count of Bar is hereditary seneschal or steward, and president of the college of knights. The bishop is a prince of the empire; and in the matricula is rated at 6 horse and 36 foot, or 216 florins monthly, in lieu of them.

(a) This has been in fact done by Warburton; who employs Newton's mode of reasoning with equal plausibility, and perhaps superior force, to prove the identity of King Arthur and William the Conqueror. See Divine Legislation of Moses, Vol. III., Book iv., Sect. 5. To the chamber of the empire he contributes each term 81 rix-dollars, 14 kruitzers and a half.

The capital of this bishopric is

Osnabruck. It was formerly an imperial city, and one of the Hanse towns; but is now subject to the bishop, though it still enjoys many privileges, and a revenue of about 8000 or 9000 rix-dollars. It has its name from a bridge over the river Hase, or Ose, which divides it into the Old and New Towns, and stands 7 miles west of Hanover, and 30 north east of Munster, being surrounded with walls and ditches, but commanded by a mountain within cannon shot. It stands in a fine plain, and is adorned with several good buildings, and on the mountain there is an abbey. The magistracy of this city, which is re-chosen yearly on the 2d of January, is Lutheran; and the churches belong, some to the Lutherans, and some to the Papists. Both parties have the full and free exercise of their religion, whether the bishop be Protestant or Papist. The bishop's palace, called Petersburg, was built by Bishop Ernest-Augustus, brother to King George I. It is well fortified, and separated from the town by a bridge. It is a hexagon, with a court in the middle, and at each corner a turret. In the town-house are still preserved the pictures of the plenipotentiaries that assisted at the conferences there for the famous treaty of Westphalia. In the treasure of the cathedral are still to be seen some ornaments given by Charlemagne, as also his crown, which is only of silver gilt, and his comb and baton, six feet in length, both of ivory; together with other curiosities. Charlemagne is said to have erected here a school for Latin and Greek, which the Jesuits in 1625 converted into an academy. They have the best bread and beer that is to be met with in all Westphalia, and have a pretty good trade in bacon and linen; as also by brewing a palatable thick sort of beer called Lüse. This city is noted for a treaty betwixt the emperor and the king of Sweden in 1648, wherein the affairs of the Protestants were regulated, which was a branch of the treaty of Westphalia. The town, with the rest of the principality, is subject to its bishop, who is a count of the empire, and by the treaty of Westphalia must be alternately a Protestant and Papist. The Popish bishop is suffragan to the archbishop of Cologne; but the Protestant bishop is indeed a temporal prince, and always of the house of Brunswic, in consideration of the principality of Halberstadt, which was taken from this house, and conferred upon the elector of Brandenburg, Frederick duke of York, second son of his majesty George III. is the present bishop. The cathedral is in the hands of the Roman Catholics, with the church and monastery of the Dominicans in the old city, and the collegiate church of St John in the new. The Protestants are masters of the great parochial church of St Mary in the old city; and both religions have a voice in the election of the magistrates. Of 25 canons belonging to the cathedral, 18 are Roman Catholics, and the revenues of 4 more are enjoyed by the Jesuits for the support of their college; so that there are but 3 Protestant canons who have no voice in the election of the Roman Catholic bishop, when it is his turn to succeed. The bishop's palace is fortified like a castle: here it was that George I. was born on the 28th of May 1660; his father Ernest-Augustus being then bishop and prince of the place; and here also he died in the night of the 10th of June 1727, and, as some say, in the very room in which he was born. The bishopric is situated in the centre of the circle; the north part of it is marshy, but at the south extremity of it are some mountains. The inhabitants have considerable manufactures of linen, and a good breed of cattle; and of their hogs, for which they are remarkable, is made the best Westphalia bacon. Not far from this city are to be seen the ruins of an old church and castle, called Beelzebub, which some say was built by King Witekind upon his conversion; and about two miles from it lies the monastery of Rulke, on the bank of a lake so deep, that report says it could never yet be fathomed. This was the first town in Westphalia which received the Lutheran doctrine.

Osnaburg Island, one of the islands in the South Sea, discovered by Captain Wallis in 1767. It is a high, round island, not above a league in circuit; in some parts covered with trees, in others a naked rock. S. Lat. 22. 48. W. Long. 141. 34.