Notes and Queries, Number 212, November 19, 1853

"Semper sub sextis perdita Roma fuit."W. S. G.

Newcastle-on-Tyne.

Zend Grammar.—The following fragment on Zend grammar having fallen in my way, I inclose you a copy, as the remarks contained in it may be of service to Oriental scholars.

I am unable to state the author's name, although I suspect the MS. to be from a highly important quarter. The subject-matter, however, is sufficiently important to merit publication.

"The Zend, of disputed authenticity, and the Asmani Zuban, a notoriously fictitious tongue, compared."

"It is well known that Sanscrit words abound in Zend; and that some of its inflexions are formed by the rules of the Vyacaran or Sanscrit grammar.

"It would therefore seem quite possible that by application of these rules a grammar might be written of the Zend. Would such a composition afford any proof of the disputed point—the authenticity of the Zend?

"I think it would not, and support my opinion by reasons founded on the following facts.

"The Asmani Zuban of the Desstù is most intimately allied to Persian. It is, in fact, fabricated out of that language, as is shown by clear internal evidence. Now the grammatical structure of this fictitious tongue is identical with that of Persian: and hence by following the rules of Persian grammar, a grammar of the Asmani Zuban might be easily framed. But would this work advance the cause of forgery, and tend to invest it with the quality of truth? No more, I answer, and for the same reason, than is a grammar of the Zend, founded on the Vyacaran, to be received in proof of the authenticity of that language."

Kenneth R. H. Mackenzie.

The Duke's first Victory.—Perhaps it may interest the future author of the life of the Duke of Wellington to be informed of his first victory. It was not in India, as commonly supposed, but on Donnybrook Road, near Dublin, that his first laurels were won. This appears from the Freeman's Journal, September 18th, 1789, where we learn that in consequence of a wager between him and Mr. Whaley of 150 guineas, the Hon. Arthur Wesley walked from the five-mile stone on Donnybrook Road to the corner of the circular road in Leeson Street, in fifty-five minutes, and that a number of gentlemen rode with the walker, whose horses he kept in a tolerable smart trot. When it is recollected that those were Irish miles, even deducting the distance from Leeson Street to the Castle, whence the original measurements were made, this walk must be computed at nearly six English miles.

Omicron.

Straw Paper.—Various papers manufactured of straw are now in the market. The pen moves so easily over any and all of them, that literary men should give them a trial. As there seems considerable likelihood of this manufacture being extensively introduced, on account of the dearness of rags, &c., it is to be hoped that it will not be improved into the resemblance of ordinary paper. Time was when ordinary paper could be written on in comfort, but that which adulterated Falstaff's sack spoiled it for the purpose, and converted it into limed twigs to catch the winged pen.

M.

American Epitaph (Vol. viii., p. 273.).—The following lines are to be seen on a tombstone in Virginia:

"My name, my country, what are they to thee?What whether high, or low, my pedigree?Perhaps I far surpassed all other men:Perhaps I fell behind them all—what then?Suffice it, stranger, that thou see'st a tomb,Thou know'st its use; it hides—no matter whom."W. W.

Malta.

Queries

LAURIE (?) ON CURRENCY, ETC

I have before me a bulky volume, apparently unpublished, treating of currency and of many other politico-economical affairs; the authorship of which I am desirous of tracing. If any reader of "N. & Q." can assist my search I shall feel greatly obliged to him.

This volume extends to 936 closely printed pages, and is altogether without divisions either of book, chapter, or section. It has neither title-page, conclusion, imprint, or date; and my copy seems to consist of revises or "clean sheets" as they came from the press. The main gist of the work is thus described, apparently by the author himself, in a MS. note which occupies the place of the title-page:

"It is here meant to show that in civilised nations money is an emanating circulable wealth and power, without which individuals cannot go on in improvement on independent principles. It resolves wealth into the forms most conducive to this object, and prepares for the highest services both individuals and communities."

The book, however, is extremely discursive, and no small portion of it is devoted to foreign politics. Thus, of the "Eastern Question," the author disposes in this fashion:

"Austria, to answer its destination, ought to comprise Wallachia, Bessarabia, Moldavia, and, following the line of demarcation drawn by the Danube, the whole territory at its debouchment.... Turkey cannot regard the sacrifices proposed as of much importance, when such security as that now in contemplation could be obtained. The whole strength of her immense empire is at present drained to support her contest on this very barrier with Russia. But that barrier, it is evident, would this way be effectually secured: for Austria has too many points of importance to protect, to dream of creating new ones on this feeble yet extended confine of her domains."—Pp. 835, 836.

From internal evidence, the book appears to have been written between 1812 and 1815. It is printed in half-sheets, from sig. A to sig. 6 B, and three half-sheets are wanting, viz. E, 5 Q, and 5 R. In place of the last two, the following MS. note is inserted:

"The speculations in the two following sheets included views that related to the disorganised state of Turkey, and the unhappy dependence of the Bourbon family; which are now, from the changes which have taken place, altogether unfit for publication."

The sole indication of the authorship which I have observed throughout the volume lies in the following foot-note, at p. 893.:

"This is all that seems to be necessary to say on the subject of education. In a treatise published by me a few years ago, entitled Improvements in Glasgow, I think I have exhausted," &c.6

The only treatise with such a title which I find in Watt's Bibliotheca Britannica is thus entered:

"Laurie, David. Proposed improvements in Glasgow. Glasg., 1810, 8vo.—Hints regarding the East India Monopoly, 1813. 2s."

My Queries then are these:

1. Is anything known of such a treatise on "circulable wealth," &c., as that which I have named?

2. Is any biographical notice extant of the "David Laurie" mentioned by Watt?

I may add that the volume in question was recently purchased along with about 1000 other pamphlets and books, chiefly on political economy: all of which appear to have formerly belonged to the late Lord Bexley, and to have been for the most part collected by him when Chancellor of the Exchequer.

E.

Old Trafford, near Manchester.

"DONATUS REDIVIVUS."

Can you, or any of your correspondents, give me any information relative to the history or authorship of the following pamphlet?—

"Donatus Redivivus: or a Reprimand to a modern Church-Schismatick, for his Revival of the Donatistical Heresy of Rebaptization, in Defiance to the Judgment and Practice of the Catholick Church, and of the Church of England in particular. In a Letter to Himself. London, 1714."

The same tract (precisely identical, except in the title-page) is also to be found with the following title:

"Rebaptization condemned. Wherein is shown, 1. That to Rebaptize any Person that was once Baptiz'd, even by Laymen, in the name of the Sacred Trinity, is contrary to the Practice of the Catholick Church in all Ages. 2. That it is repugnant to the Principles and Practice of the Church of England. 3. The Pernicious Consequences of such a Practice. By the Author of Plain Dealing, or Separation without Schism," &c. London, 1716.

I am aware that, according to Dr. Watt, the author of Plain Dealing was Charles Owen, D.D., but he makes no mention of Donatus Redivivus, and I am unable to discover any account of Dr. Charles Owen or his writings elsewhere. There appears to have been a reply to Donatus Redivivus, purporting to be from the pen of a Mrs. Jane Chorlton. This I have never seen, and have only learned of its existence from a subsequent pamphlet with the following title:

"The Amazon Disarm'd: or, the Sophisms of a Schismatical Pamphlet, pretendedly writ by a Gentlewoman, entituled An Answer to Donatus Redivivus, exposed and confuted; being a further Vindication of the Church of England from the scandalous imputation of Donatism or Rebaptization. London, 1714."

The dedication of this last tract begins as follows:

"To the Reverend Mr. L—ter, and the Demi-reverend Mr. M—l—n

"Gentlemen,

"This letter belongs to you upon a double account, as you were the chief Actors in the late Rebaptizaton, and are the supposed Vindicators of it, in the Answer to Donatus: a Treatise writ in Defence of the Sentiments of the Church, which you father upon a Dissenting Minister, and disingenuously point out to Mr. O–n by Name," &c.

The point which I wish particularly to ascertain is, whether Dr. Charles Owen was really the author of either of the tracts I have mentioned; and if so, who he was, and where I can find an account of him and his writings.

Ἁλιεύς.

Dublin.

Minor Queries

Henry Scobell.—Henry Scobell, compiler of a well-known Collection of Acts, was for several years clerk to the Long Parliament. I should be glad to learn what became of him after the dissolution of that assembly.

A Leguleian.

The Court House.—This place is situated in Painswick, in Gloucestershire, and has been described to me as an old out-of-the-way place. Where can I meet with a full description of it? Is the tradition that a king—supposed to be either the first or second Charles—ever slept there true?

F. M.

Ash-trees attract Lightning.—Is it true that ash-trees are more attractive to lightning than any others? and the reason, because the surface of the ground around is drier than round other trees?

C. S. W.

Symbol of Sow, &c.—A sow suckled by a litter of young pigs is a common representation carved on the bosses of the roofs of churches. What is this symbolical of?

F. G. C.

Ottery St. Mary.

Passage in Blackwood.—

"I sate, and wept in secret the tears that men have ever given to the memory of those that died before the dawn, and by the treachery of earth our mother."—Blackwood's Magazine, December, 1849, p. 72., 3rd line, second column.

Will some of your readers give information respecting the above words in Italic?

D. N. O.

Rathband Family.—Can any of your readers assist me in distinguishing between the several members of this clerical family, which flourished during the period of the Commonwealth, and immediately preceding? From Palmer's Nonconformist Mem. (vol. i. p. 520.), there was a Mr. William Rathband, M.A., ejected from Southwold, a member of Oxford University, who was brother to Mr. Rathband, sometime preacher in the Minster of York, and son of an old Nonconformist minister, Mr. W. Rathband, who wrote against the Brownists.—I should feel obliged by any information which would identify them with the livings they severally held.

Oliver.

Encaustic Tiles from Caen.—In the town of Caen, in Normandy, is an ancient Gothic building standing in the grounds of the ancient convent of the Benedictines, now used as a college. This building, which is commonly known as the "Salle des Gardes de Guillaume le Conquerant," was many years ago paved with glazed emblazoned earthenware tiles, which were of the dimensions of about five inches square, and one and a quarter thick; the subjects of them are said to be the arms of some of the chiefs who accompanied William the Conqueror to England. Some antiquaries said these tiles were of the age of William I.; others that they could only date from Edward III. I find it stated in the Gentleman's Magazine for March, 1789, vol. lix. p. 211., that twenty of the tiles above spoken of were taken up by the Benedictine monks, and sent as a present to Charles Chadwick, Esq., Healey Hall, Lancashire, in 1786. The rest of the tiles were destroyed by the revolutionists, with the exception of some which were fortunately saved by the Abbé de la Rue and M. P. A. Lair, of Caen. What I wish to inquire is, firstly, who was Charles Chadwick, Esq.? and secondly, supposing that he is no longer living, which I think from the lapse of time will be most probable, does any one know what became of the tiles which he had received from France in 1786?

George Boase.

P.S.—The Gentleman's Magazine gives a plate of these tiles, as well as a plate of some others with which another ancient building, called "Grand Palais de Guillaume le Conquerant," was paved.

Alverton Vean, Penzance.

Artificial Drainage.—Can any of your correspondents refer me to a work, or works, giving a history of draining marshes by machines for raising the water to a higher level? Windmills, I suppose, were the first machines so used, but neither Beckmann nor Dugdale informs us when first used. I have found one mentioned in a conveyance dated 1642, but they were much earlier. Any information on the history of the drainage of the marshes near Great Yarmouth, of which Dugdale gives passing notice only, would also be very acceptable to me.

E. G. R.

Storms at the Death of great Men.—Your correspondent at Vol. vi., p. 531., mentions "the storms which have been noticed to take place at the time of the death of many great men known to our history."

A list of these would be curious. With a passing reference to the familiar instance of the Crucifixion, as connected with all history, we may note, as more strictly belonging to the class, those storms that occurred at the deaths of "The Great Marquis" of Montrose, 21st May, 1650; Cromwell, 3rd September, 1658; Elizabeth Gaunt, who was burnt 23rd October, 1685, and holds her reputation as the last female who suffered death for a political offence in England; and Napoleon, 5th May, 1821; as well as that which solemnised the burial of Sir Walter Scott, 26th September, 1832.

W. T. M.

Hong Kong.

Motto or Wylcotes' Brass.—In the brass of Sir John Wylcotes, Great Tew Church, Oxfordshire, the following motto occurs:

"IN . ON . IS . AL."

I shall feel obliged if any one of your numerous correspondents will enlighten my ignorance by explaining it to me.

W. B. D.

Lynn.

"Trail through the leaden sky," &c.—

"Trail through the leaden sky their bannerets of fire."

Where is this line to be found, as applied to the spirits of the storm?

R. C. Warde.

Kidderminster.

Lord Audley's Attendants at Poictiers.—According to the French historian Froissart, four knights or esquires, whose names he does not supply, attended the brave Lord Audley at the memorable battle of Poictiers, who, some English historians say, were Sir John Delves of Doddington, Sir Thomas Dutton of Dutton, Sir Robert Fowlehurst of Crewe (all these places being in Cheshire), and Sir John Hawkstone of Wrinehill in Staffordshire; whilst others name Sir James de Mackworth of Mackworth in Derbyshire, and Sir Richard de Tunstall alias Sneyde of Tunstall in Staffordshire, as two of such knights or esquires. The accuracy of Froissart as an historian has never been questioned; and as he expressly names only four attendants on Lord Audley at the battle of Poictiers, it is extremely desirable it should be ascertained if possible which of the six above-named knights really were the companions of Lord Audley Froissart alludes to; and probably some of your learned correspondents may be able to clear up the doubts on the point raised by our historians.

T. J.

Worcester.

Roman Catholic Bible Society.—About the year 1812, or 1813, a Roman Catholic Bible Society was established in London, in which Mr. Charles Butler, and many other leading gentlemen, took a warm part. How long did it continue? Why was it dissolved? Did it publish any annual reports, or issue any book or tract, besides an edition of the New Testament in 1815? Where can the fullest account of it be found?

Will any gentleman be kind enough to sell, or even to lend, me Blair's Correspondence on the Roman Catholic Bible Society, a pamphlet published in 1813, which I have not been able to meet with at a bookseller's shop, and am very desirous to see.

Henry Cotton.

Thurles, Ireland.

Minor Queries with Answers

"Vox Populi Vox Dei."—Lieber, in the last chapter of his Civil Liberty, treating of this dictum, ascribes its origin to the Middle Ages, acknowledging, however, that he is unable to give anything very definite. Sir William Hamilton, in his edition of the Works of Thomas Reid, gives the concluding words of Hesiod's Works and Days thus:

"The word proclaimed by the concordant voice of mankind fails not; for in man speaks God."

And to this the great philosopher adds:

"Hence the adage (?), 'Vox Populi vox Dei.'"

The sign of interrogation is Sir William Hamilton's, and he was right to put it; for whatever the psychological connexion between Hesiod's dictum and V. P. V. D. may be, there is surely no historical. "Vox Populi vox Dei" is a different concept, breathing the spirit of a different age.

How far back, then, can the dictum in these very words be traced?

Does it, as Lieber says, originally belong to the election of bishops by the people?

Or was it of Crusade origin?

America begs Europe to give her facts, not speculation, and hopes that Europe will be good enough to comply with her request. Europe has given the serious "V. P. V. D." to America, so she may as well give its history to America too.

Americus.

[As this Query of Americus contains some new illustration of the history of this phrase, we have given it insertion, although the subject has already been discussed in our columns. The writer will, however, find that the earliest known instances of the use of the sayings are, by William of Malmesbury, who, speaking of Odo yielding his consent to be Archbishop of Canterbury, A.D. 920, says: "Recogitans illud Proverbium, Vox Populi Vox Dei;" and by Walter Reynolds, Archbishop of Canterbury, who, as we learn from Walsingham, took it as his text for the sermon which he preached when Edward III. was called to the throne, from which the people had pulled down Edward II. Americus is farther referred to Mr. G. Cornewall Lewis' Essay on the Influence of Authority in Matters of Opinion (pp. 172, 173., and the accompanying notes) for some interesting remarks upon it. See farther, "N. & Q.," Vol. i., pp. 370. 419. 492.; Vol. iii., pp. 288. 381.]

"Lanquettes Cronicles."—Of what date is the earliest printed copy of these Chronicles? The oldest I am acquainted with is 1560, in quarto (continued up to 1540 by Bishop Cooper). Is this edition rare?

R. C. Warde.

Kidderminster.

[The earliest edition is that printed by T. Berthelet, 4to., 1549. The first two parts of this Chronicle, and the beginning of the third, as far as the seventeenth year after Christ, were composed by Thomas Lanquet, a young man of twenty-four years of age. Owing to his early death, Bishop Cooper finished the work; and his part, which is the third, contains almost thrice as much as Lanquet's two parts, being taken from Achilles Pyrminius. When it was finished, a surreptitious edition appeared in 1559, under the title of Lanquet's Chronicle; hereupon the bishop protested against "the vnhonest dealynge" of this book, edited by Thomas Crowley, in the next edition, entitled Cooper's Chronicle, "printed in the house late Thomas Berthelettes," 1560. The running title to the first and second parts is, "Lanquet's Chronicle;" and to the third, "The Epitome of Chronicles." The other editions are, "London, 1554," 4to., and "London, 1565," 4to. We should think the edition of 1560 rare: it was in the collections of Mr. Heber and Mr. Herbert. In this work the following memorable passage occurs, under the year 1542:—"One named Johannes Faustius fyrste founde the crafte of printynge in the citee of Mens in Germanie."]

"Our English Milo."—Bishop Hall extols in his Heaven upon Earth the valour of a countryman in a Spanish bull-fight (see p. 335., collected ed. Works, 1622). Of whom does he speak?

R. C. Warde.

Kidderminster.

[If we may offer a conjecture, in the passage cited the bishop seems to refer to that "greatest scourge of Spain" Sir Walter Raleigh, and not so much to a bull-fight as to the Spanish Armada. The bishop is prescribing Expectation as a remedy for Crosses, and says, "Is it not credible what a fore-resolved mind can do—can suffer? Could our English Milo, of whom Spain yet speaketh, since their last peace, have overthrown that furious beast, made now more violent through the rage of his baiting, if he had not settled himself in his station, and expected?" Sir Walter's "fore-resolved and expectant mind" was shown in the publication of his treatise, Notes of Directions for the Defence of the Kingdom, written three years before the Spanish invasion of 1588.]

"Delights for Ladies."—I lately picked up a small volume entitled—

"Delights for Ladies; to adorn their Persons, Tables, Closets, and Distillatories, with Beauties, Bouquets, Perfumes, and Waters. Reade, practise, and censure." London, Robert Young. 1640.

Who is the author of this interesting little work? Some one has written on the fly-leaf, "See Douce's Illustrations of Shakspeare, vol. i. p. 69., where there is a reference to this curious little book;" but as I cannot readily lay my hand on Douce, I will feel obliged for the information sought for from any of your valued correspondents.

George Lloyd.

Dublin.

[The author was Sir Hugh Plat, who, says Harte, "not to mention his most excellent talents, was the most ingenious husbandman of the age he lived in. In a word, no man ever discovered, or at least brought into use, so many new sorts of manure." The Delights for Ladies first appeared in 1602, and passed through several editions. Douce merely quotes this work. Plat was the author of several other works: see Watt and Lowndes.]

Burton's Death.—Did Burton, author of Anatomy of Melancholy, commit suicide?

C. S. W.

[The supposition that Robert Burton committed suicide originated from a statement found in Wood's Athenæ, vol. ii. p. 653. (Bliss). Wood says, "He, the said R. Burton, paid his last debt to nature in his chamber in Christ Church, at or very near that time which he had some years before foretold from the calculation of his own nativity; which, being exact, several of the students did not forbear to whisper among themselves that, rather than there should be a mistake in the calculation, he sent up his soul to heaven through a slip about his neck."]

Joannes Audoënus.—I shall be obliged by any notices of the personal or literary history of John Owen, the famous Latin epigrammatist, in addition to those furnished by the Athenæ Oxonienses. Wood remarks, that "whereas he had made many epigrams on several people, so few were made on or written to him. Among the few, one by Stradling, and another by Dunbar, a Scot," I have met with one allusion to him among the epigrams of T. Bancroft, 4to., Lond. 1639, signat. A 3.:

"To the ReaderReader, till Martial thou hast well survey'd,Or Owen's wit with Jonson's learning weighed,Forbeare with thanklesse censure to accuseMy writ of errour, or condemne my Muse."

As translators of Audoënus, Wood mentions, in 1619, Joh. Vicars, usher of Christ's Hospital school, as having rendered some select epigrams, and Thomas Beck six hundred of Owen's, with other epigrams from Martial and More, under the title of Parnassi Puerperium, 8vo., Lond. 1659. In addition to these I find, in a catalogue of Lilly, King Street, Covent Garden, No. 4., 1844:

"Hayman, Robert. Certaine Epigrams out of the First Foure Bookes of the excellent Epigrammatist Master John Owen, translated into English at Harbor Grace in Bristol's Hope, anciently called Newfoundland, 4to., unbound; a rare poetical tract, 1628, 10s. 6d."