Notes and Queries, Number 03, November 17, 1849

Mr. Editor,—I am induced to mention the following misstatement in Herbert's edition of Ames' Typographical Antiquities, enlarged by Dibdin, not by its importance, but by its supplying an appropriate specimen of the benefits which would be conferred on bibliography by your correspondents complying with Dr. Maitland's recommendations.

"Mr. Bindley," says Dibdin, "is in possession of the original impression of Borde's Boke of the Introduction of Knowledge, which was successively in the collection of West and Pearson. This copy, and another in the Chetham Library at Manchester, are the only ones known with the following imprint: 'Copland in Fletestrete, at the signe of the Rose Garland.' In the Selden Collection, in the Bodleian Library, and in the copy from which Mr. Upcott published his reprint, we read on the recto of the last leaf, 'Imprented at London in Lothbury ouer agaynste Sainct Margaryte's Church, by me Wyllyam Copland.'"

The copy in the Chetham Library, now lying before me, corresponds with the description of the latter impression. Dibdin's mistake perhaps originated in the last page of the work preceding Borde, which is bound up with four other works, having the following: "Imprinted at London in Fleetestrete by Henry Wykes."

This volume contains—

"The Choise of Change: Containing the Triplicitie of Diuinitie, Philosophie, and Poetrie, Short for memorie, Profitable for Knowledge, and necessary for Maners; whereby the learned may be confirmed, the ignorant instructed, and all men generally recreated. Newly set forth by S.R., Gent and Student in the Universitie of Cambridge. Tria sunt omnia. At London, Printed by Roger Warde, dwelling neere Holborne Conduite, at the sign of the Talbot, An. Dom. 1585."

These letters, S.R., are the well known initials of Samuel Rowlands, who appears to have been a Welshman, from his love of Triads, and from the dedications found in this the rarest of his works, and those described by Mr. Collier in his Catalogue of the Bridgewater House Collection. In the same volume is comprised a tract by Greene, with a copy of which Mr. Dyce could never meet, entitled The Royal Exchange, printed in 1590.

T. JONES.

NOTES FROM FLY LEAVES, NO. 3

The following lines are copied from the fly leaf of a copy of the Necessary Doctrine and Erudition. Are they original?

Anno Dni md 47E PDavyd's seat vnto the we comendSalomon's wysdome god the sendIohnes valiauntnesse in the resteTheys iij in oon be in thy brest.A Description of a Kyng after ScriptureProv. 21 The hart of a kyng is in goddes handeSap. 6 The strengthe of a realme ys a ryghteouse kyngDeut. 17 The kyng ought to kepe hym in the bandeReg. 20 Of the lawe of God the same readyngeProv. 20 Kyngs be happye in mercy doyng3 Reg. 3 Askynge wysdome of god omnipotentTo discerne good from an evyll thyngProv. 25 Take away vngodlines from the KyngAnd his seat shall be stablyshed with ryght judgmetLet vs pray for the Kyng and hym honourEDWARD the sext our earthlye socour God save ye Kyng.

ABDICATION OF JAMES II

Mr. Editor,—The recent publication of Macaulay's History of England, and the fresh prominence given thereby to the occurrences of the Revolution of 1688, have induced me, joined to a wish for the success of your happily-conceived work, to send you the following "Note." It was drawn up by the late Sir Harris Nicolas, and printed in the Proceedings of the late Record Commissioners. As, however, only fifty copies were printed for the use of the Commissioners, and a copy is rarely met with, perhaps this Note may have sufficient novelty for insertion. Sir Harris Nicolas, as editor of the Proceedings of the Privy Council, would doubtless, had that work been continued to 1688, have used the MSS. if attainable.

"Notice of manuscript in the possession of the Rev. Sir Thomas Miller, Bart., containing the original Minutes of the Assembly of Peers and Privy Councillors that met at Guildhall, upon the flight of James II. from London.

"Extracts from Memorandum of a MS. in the possession of the Rev. Sir Thomas Miller, Bart. shown to Mr. Cooper, Secretary to the Record Commissioners, to Sir Harris Nicolas, and to Mr. Hardy, in May, 1833, at Sir Thomas Miller's lodgings in the Edgeware Road.

"Immediately after the flight of James the Second from London, on the 11th of December, 1688, a tumult arose among the citizens which created considerable alarm; and with the view of preserving the peace, of imparting public confidence, and of providing for the extraordinary state of affairs, all the Peers and Privy Councillors then in the vicinity of the metropolis assembled at Guildhall. Of this important Assembly Bishop Burnet's notice is very brief, and it would appear from his statement that it was called by the Lord Mayor.5 A more full account of the Convention is, however, given in the Memoir of James the Second published by Dr. Clarke: 'It seems, upon the King's withdrawing from London, the lords about town met at Guildhall to consult what was fit to be done. They looked upon the present state of affairs as an interregnum, that the government was in a manner devolved upon them, and were in great haste to make a present of it to the Prince of Orange.'6 Other acts of this Assembly are then mentioned; and its proceedings are among the most interesting and important events in English history, not only from their forming a precedent in a conjuncture of affairs for which no express provision is to be found in the constitution, but from the first regular offer of the throne to the Prince of Orange having emanated from this Convention. No Record of its proceedings has, it is presumed, been hitherto known to exist; and the fact that so valuable a Document is extant, cannot be too generally stated, for it is obvious that it has high claims to the attention of historians.

"Sir Thomas Miller possesses the original Minutes of this Assembly of the Peers in the handwriting of a Mr. Glyn, who acted as secretary. His appointment to that situation is also preserved; and, as it is signed by all the Lords who were present, it affords evidence of the names of the Peers who took part in the business of the Assembly, and contains a very interesting collection of autographs.

"The MS. itself is a small folio, but not above fifty pages are filled. It comprises the period between the 11th and the 28th December, 1688, both days inclusive, and appears to be a perfect Record of every act of that memorable Assembly. The indorsement on the cover merits notice: it states with singular minuteness the precise hour of James's abdication, namely at one in the morning of the 11th of December, 1688."

Sir Thomas Miller also possessed a manuscript, containing an "Account of the Earl of Rochester, Captain Kendall, and the Narrator's Journey to Salisbury with King James, Monday, Nov. 19. to Friday, Nov. 23. 1688, inclusive."

In connection with this subject, it may be noticed that there is no entry of any payment in the Issue Books of the clerks of the Pells between Tuesday, 11th December, and Monday, 24th December, 1688. J.E.

[Perhaps some of our correspondents could inform us where the MSS. in question are now deposited.]

OPINIONS OF WRITERS ON ENGLISH HISTORY, NO. 1

"Oh, do not read history, for that I know must be false."—SIR ROBERT WALPOLE.

Sir,—I have, from time to time, made a few notes on our historical writers—rather I should say the conflicting opinions of critical writers on their relative value, and the dependence to be placed on them as historical guides. They are so opposite, as would in a great measure confirm the opinion of the celebrated statesman above quoted. I send, as a specimen, the opinions upon Burnet, and should its insertion in your "NOTES AND QUERIES" be deemed advisable, I will from time to time send others which I have in my note-book.

M.

Burnet, "A good historian and an honest man."—Lord Brougham.

"The History of his Own Times, which Burnet left behind him, is a work of great instruction and amusement.... His ignorance of parliamentary forms has led him into some errors, it would be absurd to deny, but these faults do not detract from the general usefulness of his work."—Lord John Russell.

"The most partial, malicious heap of scandal and misrepresentation, that was ever collected for the laudable design of giving a false impression of persons and things to all future ages."—Lord Dartmouth: note in Dr. Routh's edition.

"A rash and partial writer."7– Macaulay.

"It is a piece of justice I owe to historical truth to say, that I have never tried Burnet's facts by the tests of dates and of original papers, without finding them wrong."—Sir J. Dalrymple.

"Burnet had all the merits and all the faults of an ardent, impetuous, headstrong man, whose mind was honest, and whose objects were noble. Whatever he reports himself to have heard or seen, the reader may be assured he really did hear and see. But we must receive his representations and conclusions with that caution which must ever be observed when we listen to the relation of a warm and busy partizan, whatever be his natural integrity and good sense."—Smyth's Lectures on Modern History.

"His history is one which the present editor (Dr. Routh) truly says will never lose its importance, but will continue to furnish materials for other historians, and to be read by those who wish to derive their knowledge of facts from the first sources of information. The accuracy of his narrative has often been attacked with vehemence, and often, it must be confessed, with success, but not so often as to overthrow the general credit of his work."—Quarterly Review.

"Rarely polished, I never read so ill a style."—Swift.

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S DOMESTIC ESTABLISHMENT

Your readers may be curious to see a list of the persons composing the domestic establishment (as it may be called) of Queen Elizabeth in the middle of her reign, and an account of the sums of money severally allowed to them out of the privy purse of the sovereign. The payments will seem remarkably small, even allowing for the great difference in the value of money then and now. What that difference may be, I am not prepared to say; and I will venture here to put it as a "Query," to be answered by some competent person who may read this "Note." I have seen it stated by more than one writer, that the difference in the value of money at the end of Elizabeth's reign was at least five times, i.e. that one pound then would go as far as five pounds now; but I am not aware of the data upon which the calculation was made. I apprehend, besides, that the difference was greater in 1582, to which what follows applies, than afterwards, and I should be glad to have the matter cleared up. The subsequent account is indorsed in the hand-writing of Lord Burghley, Lord Treasurer, in these words:—"1582. The payment of the Ladies of the Privy Chamber;" but it applies also to the gentlemen.

8 The names are spelt precisely as they stand in the document itself.

The above 673l. 6s. 8d. was the whole sum paid out of the privy purse; but it is to be borne in mind that these persons were allowed diet and lodging in the Court, so that, after all, the payments were not quite as insignificant as they may at first seem. Whatever also may have been the case with the ladies, it is certain that the gentlemen had other sources of emolument derived from the Crown, such as monopolies, valuable grants of royal domains, leases of customs, &c., which altogether made up an ample income. Sir Christopher Hatton, for instance, could not have built Holdenby out of his 50l. a year as Gentleman of the Privy Chamber.

ANTIQUARIUS.

EXTRACTS FROM PARISH REGISTERS OF EAST PECKHAM, KENT

Sir,—In my commonplace book I find the following notes, being extracts from the ancient Registers of East Peckham Church, Kent, which have never (I believe) been published, and which may perhaps be of service to the historian or antiquary.

1637. This yeare was the Communion-table rayled in by the appointment of Dr. Ryves, Dean of Shorham Deanery, and Chancellor to the most Reverend Father in God, William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, who commanded this uniformity to be general throughout the kingdom.

1638. This time of lent being to be kept holy by fasting and abstinence from flesh, notwithstanding Sir Roger Twisden, Knt and Baronett and Dame Isabella his wife, being both very sick and weake, in my judgement and opinion [are] to be tolerated for the eating of flesh.

FRANCISC. WORRALL, Vicar.

A similar entry occurs for the three following years.

1648. Upon the third of June the following Infants all born in the parish of Brenchley were baptized in this parish Church, by an order granted from Sir John Sedley, Knight and Baronett, Sir John Rayney, and Sir Isaac Sedley, Knights:—

"Whereas complaints have often been made unto us by many of the principal inhabitants of the Parish of Brenchley, that they having desired Mr. Gilbert, minister of the said Parish, to baptize their children, and according to the Directorie offered to present them before the Congregation, he hath neglected or refused so to do; whereby divers infants remain unbaptized, some of them above a year old, expressly contrary to the said Directorie.

"We do therefore order that the parents of such children do bring them unto the Parish Church of East Peckham, where we desire that Mr. Topping, minister of the said Parish, would baptize them according to the sayd Directorie, they acquainting him with the day they intend to bring them beforehand.

"Dated ye 25th of May 1648.

"JOHN SEDLEY.

"JOHN RAYNEY.

"ISAAC SEDLEY."

The last extract may illustrate the progress of Anabaptism, under the Parliamentary rule, and serves by way of curious sequel to the preceding excerpta.

In a window of the same church I observed this inscription:—"Here stoode the wicked fable of Mychael waying of [souls]. By the law of Qvene Elizabeth according to God[s] Word is taken away."

C.F.S.

PAWNBROKERS' THREE BALLS

Mr. Editor,—The Edinburgh Reviewer, cited by your correspondent Mr. W.J. Thoms, seems to have sought rather too far for the origin of a pawnbroker's golden balls.

He is right enough in referring their origin to the Italian bankers, generally called Lombards; but he has overlooked the fact that the greatest of those traders in money were the celebrated and eventually princely house of the Medici of Florence. They bore pills on their shield, (and those pills, as usual then, were gilded,) in allusion to the professional origin from whence they had derived the name of Medici; and their agents in England and other countries put that armorial bearing over their doors as their sign, and the reputation of that house induced others to put up the same sign.

H.W.

THE LIONS IN THE TOWER

Mr. Editor,—Some one of your readers may be interested in knowing that there was a royal menagerie in the Tower of London in the reign of Edward III. In the Issue Roll of the forty-fourth year of his reign, 1370, there are five entries of payments made to "William de Garderobe, keeper of the king's lions and leopards" there, at the rate of 6d. a day for his wages, and 6d. a day for each beast.—pp. 25. 216. 298. 388. 429.

The number of "beasts" varied from four to seven. Two young lions are specially mentioned; and a "lion lately sent by the Lord the Prince from Gascony to England to the Lord the King."

Φ

[Our correspondent's NOTE is an addition to what Bayley has given us on this subject; who tells us, however, that as early as 1252, Henry III. sent to the Tower a white bear, which had been brought to him as a present from Norway, when the Sheriffs of London were commanded to pay four pence every day for its maintenance.]

NOTES ON AUTHORS AND BOOKS, NO. 1

THE "BIBLIOGRAPHIE BIOGRAPHIQUE."

A lover of literature, and aspiring to promote its extension and improvement, I sometimes form projects for the adoption of others—sensible, be it also said, of the extent of my own engagements with certain learned societies.

One of these projects has been a tabular view of the literary biography of the British Islands. In the midst of my reflections on the plans of Blair, Priestly, Playfair, Oberlin, Tytler, Jarry de Mancy, &c. I received a specimen of a Bibliographie biographique, by Edouard-Marie Oettinger, now in the press at Leipzic.

As books multiply, the inexpediency of attempting general bibliography becomes more and more apparent. Meritorious as are the works of Brunet and Ebert, and useful as they may be to collectors, they are inadequate to the wants of men of letters. Henceforth, the bibliographer who aims at completeness and accuracy must restrict himself to one class of books.

M. Oettinger appears to have acted on this principle, and has been happy in the choice of his subject—

"The proper study of mankind is man."

The work is comprehensive in its object, judicious in its plan, accurate in its details, as far as the specimen proceeds, and an unquestionable desideratum in literature.

Ainsi, vive M. Edouard-Marie Oettinger! Vive la Bibliographie biographique!

BOLTON CORNEY.

FORM OF PETITION

When a Petition ends with "Your Petitioner shall ever pray, &c." what form of words does the "&c." represent?

B.

QUERY AS TO NOTES—GREENE OF GREEN'S NORTON

Mr. Editor,—I congratulate you on your happy motto, but will you give your readers the results of your own experience and practice, and tell them the simplest mode of making Notes, and when made, how to arrange them so as to find them when required?

I have been in the habit of using slips of paper—the blank turn-overs of old-fashioned letters before note paper came into fashion—and arranging in subjects as well as I could; but many a note so made has often caused me a long hour's looking after: this ought not so to be; pigeon-holes or portfolios, numbered or lettered, seem to be indispensable.

Has any reader a Note whereby to tell who are the present representatives of Greenes of "Green's Norton?" or who was "Richard Greene, Apothecary," who was living 1770, and bore the arms of that family?

H.T.E.

[Our answer to our correspondent's first Query is, send your Notes to us, who will print and index them.—ED.]

BUSTS OF CHARLES I. AND JAMES I.—ANCIENT TAPESTRY

1. Where is now the bust of Charles I., formerly in Westminster Hall, and engraved by Peter Mazell, for Pennant's London, in which engraving the bust is attributed to Bernini, though Vertue thought differently? (See Dallaway's Walpole, 1826, ii. 109.)

2. Also, where is the correspondent bust of James I., formerly at Whitehall, of which there is an engraving by N. Smith?

3. What has become of the tapestry of the reign of Henry VI. which formerly adorned the Painted Chamber in the ancient Palace of Westminster? It appears that it remained in one of the lower apartments from the time when it was taken down in 1800 until the year 1810; that it was then sold to Charles Yarnold, Esq., of Great Helen's, Bishopsgate Street, for 10l. After his death in 1825, in the auction of his collection at Southgate's (June 11. that year, lot 238), it was sold as "Seven pieces representing the Siege of Troy, for 7l. to Mr. Matheman." Who was Mr. Matheman? and what has now become of his acquisition?

Another piece of tapestry in Mr. Yarnold's possession, but it may be presumed in far better condition, was bought by Mr. Teschmaker, his executor, for 63l. This was described as "The Plantagenet Tapestry, in fine preservation, containing 23 full-sized portraits of the different branches of the Houses of York and Lancaster: among the most prominent are Margaret of Anjou; Cicely, Duchess of York; the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard III.; Edward of Lancaster, Henry VI.; Earl of March, son of Richard (Duke of York and) afterwards Edward IV.; Henry VII.; Clarence [?] Duke of York," &c. This description raises one's curiosity greatly, and query, has this tapestry been elsewhere described? At the meeting of the Archæological Association at Warwick in 1847, it was supposed to have come from St. Mary's Hall, Coventry; but that idea seems to have arisen merely from its similarity of design to the tapestry which is now there.

N.

ORIGIN OF EPITHET "FACTOTUM."

Sir,—The following expression in Cavendish's Life of Wolsey, p. 42.—"He was Dominus fac totum with the king"—seems to point us to some ecclesiastical origin for the derivation of our familiar word "factotum." Does any one know the precise whereabouts of such a phrase in the Ancient Service books?

C.F.S.

INSCRIPTION ON ANCIENT ALMS-BASINS

Mr. Editor,—In the parish church in which I officiate are preserved four ancient and curious alms-basins, of latten; They appear to be of Flemish workmanship, and, from inventories of the church goods, made at different times, we may gather that they were given for their present use during the seventeenth century. They represent:—1. The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian; 2. The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin; 3. The Temptation in Eden; and 4. The Spies bearing the Grapes. Around each of these subjects is a legend in foreign characters, "DER. INFRID. GEHWART." I have submitted this inscription to antiquaries and German scholars in vain; it still remains a puzzle. It has been suggested that it may have been only an arbitrary mark of the maker. Is this probable? If not, will you, or one of your readers, give the interpretation to

CLERICUS?

Nov. 8, 1849.

[We have much pleasure in inserting the foregoing QUERY, and trust that many of our correspondents will follow the example of Clericus, by furnishing us with copies of the inscriptions on any ancient church plate in their possession, or which may come under their notice. A comparison of examples will often serve to remove such difficulties as the present, which perhaps may be read DERIN FRID GEHWART, "Therein Peace approved;" Gewären being used in the sense of Bewähren, authority for which may be found in Wackernagel.]

NOTES OF BOOK SALES—CATALOGUES, ETC

It is our purpose from time to time to call the attention of our book-buying friends to the approaching sales of any collections which may seem to us to deserve their attention; and to any catalogues which may reach us containing books of great rarity and curiosity. Had we entertained no such intention we should have shown our respect for the memory of that intelligent, obliging, and honourable member of the bookselling profession (to whom a literary man rarely addressed a QUERY, without receiving in reply a NOTE of information worth preserving), the late Mr. Thomas Rodd, by announcing that the sale of the first portion of his extensive and valuable stock of books will commence on Monday next, the 19th instant, and occupy the remainder of that week.

The following Lots are among the specimens of the rarities contained in this portion of Mr. Rodd's curious stock:—

189 ACTS OF PARLIAMENT, Orders, Declarations, Proclamations, &c. 1657 to 1660, the original Papers and Broadsides collected and bound in 1 vol. calf 1657-60

*** This very important volume contains the Acts, &c. during the period intervening between Scobell's Collection and the recognized Statutes of Charles II. As the laws during this period have never been collected into a regular edition, a series of them is of the greatest rarity.

194 ÆSOP, FABLES, TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH WILLIAM CAXTON, curious wood engravings black letter, VERY RARE, imperfect, old russia EMPRYNTED BY RICHARD PYNSON (NO DATE)

*** This edition is altogether unknown and undescribed. The present copy commences with signature C1, and extends to sig. S(v) in sixes, on the reverse of which is the colophon, with Pynson's device underneath. It wants sheets A and B, and E (iiii).