Replies to Minor Queries.
Speculum Christianorum, &c. (Vol. v., p. 558.).—In case no fuller information should be forthcoming on this tract, allow me to refer Mr. Simpson to Ames's Typographical Dictionary, p. 113., where is an account of what is apparently another edition of the above, printed by William Machlinia, or Macklyn, about the year 1480. The title runs thus: Incipit liber qui vocatur Speculum Xpristiani. It is a short exposition of the common topics of divinity of that time, for the most part in Latin, but there is some English which is chiefly in rhyme. The first English lines are—
"In heauen shall dwelle alle cristen men
That knowe and kepe goddes byddynges ten."
At the end, after—
"Explicit liber qui vocatur speculū Xprīani, Sequitur exposicio oracionis dominice cū quodam bono notabili et septē capitalia vicia cū aliquibus ramis eorū."
Afterwards—
"Sequuntur monita de verbis beati Ysidori extracta ad instruendū hominē qualiter vicia valeat euitare et in bonis se debeat informare."
The whole concludes with this colophon:
"Jste Libellus impressus est ī opulentissima Ciuitate Londoniarum per me Willelmum de Machlinia ad instanciam necnon expensas Henrici Vrankenbergh mercatoris."
The author is said to be John Watton in the Catalogue of MSS. in England and Ireland, C.C.C., Oxon. n. clv. p. 53.
J. Eastwood.
Smyth's MSS. relating to Gloucestershire (Vol. v., p. 512.).—A querist writes to know where any of these may be seen.
The original manuscript (three vols. folio) was given to the library of the College of Arms, through the hands of Sir Charles Young, by the Rev. R. W. Huntley of Boxwell Court, about 1835, who became possessed of it by a legacy from a descendant of Mr. Smyth. There is another copy in the "Evidence Room," at Berkeley Castle; and another in the library of Smyth Owen, Esq., a descendant from the author, at Condover Hall, Shropshire. There is another copy in the possession of the Hon. Robert Berkeley at Spetchley Park, Worcestershire. And an imperfect copy was sold at the sale at Hill Court, Gloucester, in 1846. It was bought by a bookseller for Mr. Pigott of Brockley; it was resold in 1849, but to whom I could never find out. This last is also in three vols.; two of these match in the binding, but the third does not: the leather of this odd vol. is thickly studded with the portcullis. The imperfection of this set consists in being unfinished in many parts. Mr. Huntley's is considered the first copy of that at the castle; and that at Condover was probably Mr. Smyth's own. The Hill Court copy seems to be about the same date.
The Abstracts and Extracts of these MSS. as published by Fosbroke in 1821, are but a tantalising meagre sample of the very rich store of genealogical and historical information which the originals contain.
H. T. Ellacombe.
Clyst St. George, Devon.
M. Barrière and the Quarterly Review (Vol. v., pp. 347. 402.).—As I see that J. R. (of Cork) has resumed his correspondence with "N. & Q.," I beg leave to call his attention to his statement, and to my inquiry under the above references: any one or two instances of what is stated to be "so frequent" a practice will suffice.
C.
"I do not know what the truth may be" (Vol. v., p. 560.).—The lines run thus in the Lay of the Last Minstrel, Canto II. 22.:
"I cannot tell how the truth may be,
I say the tale as 'twas said to me."
J. Eastwood.
[J. M.—D. P. Waters—Naso—L. X. R.—W. J. B. S.—B. R. J.—Mary, &c., have also furnished us with Replies to this Query.]
Optical Phenomena (Vol. v., p. 441.).—You have not yet published any satisfactory reply to the optical Query of N. B., at p. 441. of the present volume. I apprehend there is not much difficulty in finding the solution. I attribute the phenomenon to the refraction of light through a stratum of air that is more dense than the surrounding air. Every solid is coated by such a stratum. This is the well-known fact of adhesion
alluded to by Liebig, in his Letters on Chemistry, 1st series [2nd edit. by Gardner, p. 16.]
C. Mansfield Ingleby.
Stoup (Vol. v., p. 560.).—In answer to the inquiry of Cuthbert Bede, I beg to inform him that an exterior stoup, in excellent preservation, is to be found on the outer wall of the south porch of Hungerton Church, Leicestershire. The inquiry confirms the belief I have always entertained, that examples of exterior stoups are rarely met with in the ecclesiastic architecture of England.
Kt.
Aylestone.
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (Vol. v., p. 532.).—The note which appears in p. 532. has induced me to look out a rare old printed copy of "The Quack Doctor's Speech," which is in my possession, and which was spoken by the witty Lord Rochester, in character, and mounted on a stage; it is altogether a very humorous and lengthy address, partaking of the licence of language not uncommon to the courtiers of that period, abounding in much technical phraseology, and therefore unsuited for an introduction into your pages in extenso. The titles assumed, however, are in character with the pretensions claimed by virtue of being the seventh begotten son of a seventh begotten father; and may perhaps prove an interesting addition to the collection of instances recorded by your correspondent Henry Edwards:
"Gentlemen,
"I, Waltho Van Clauterbauck, High German Doctor, Chymist and Dentrificator—Native of Arabia Deserta, Citizen and Burgomaster of the City of Brandipolis—Seventh son of a Seventh son, unborn Doctor of above sixty years' experience, having studied over Galen, Hypocrates, Albumazer, and Paracelsus, am now become the Æsculapius of this age. Having been educated at twelve Universities, and travelled through fifty-two Kingdoms, and been Counsellor to the Counsellors of several grand Monarchs, natural son of the wonder working chymical Doctor Signior Hanesio, lately arrived from the farthest parts of Utopia, famous throughout all Asia, Europe, Africa, and America, from the Sun's oriental exaltation to his occidental declination, out of mere pity to my own dear self and languishing mortals, have by the earnest prayers and entreaties of several Lords, Dukes, and honourable Personages been at last prevailed upon to oblige the World with this Notice, &c. &c.
"Veniente occurrite morbo—Down with your dust.
Principiis obsta—No cure no money.
Querenda Pecunia Premium—Be not sick too late.
"You that are willing to render yourselves immortal, Buy this pacquet, or else repair to the sign of the Pranceis, in Vico vulgo dicto Ratcliffero, something south-east of Templum Dancicum, in the Square of Profound Close, not far from Titter Tatter Fair; and you may hear, see, and return Re-infecta."
Kt.
Aylestone.
At my father's school was a Yorkshire lad, who was to be educated classically, because he was intended for the medical profession. The cause assigned was, that "he was the seventh son of a seventh son;" and the seventh son of a seventh son "maks the bigg'st o' doctors."
C. C. C.
The Number Seven (Vol. v., p. 533.).—Mr. Henry Edwards is quite right in his conjecture that the number seven, so often used in the Old and New Testament, is generally put to mean "several," "many," or an indefinite number. Hence the number seven was esteemed a sacred, symbolical, and mystical number. There were seven gifts of the Holy Ghost, seven days in the week, seven sacraments, seven branches on the candlestick of Moses, seven liberal arts, seven churches of Asia, seven mysterious seals, seven stars, seven symbolic trumpets, seven heads of the dragon, seven joys and seven sorrows of the blessed Virgin, seven penitential psalms, seven deadly sins, seven canonical hours, &c. &c.
"Septenarius numerus est numerus universitatis," says J. de Voragine. See also, Bede, Duranti, and Rhabanus Maurus, on the mystical explanation of this number. A curious French MS. belonging to the latter part of the thirteenth century has a singular illustration of the number seven. It is a miniature: a wheel cut into seven rays, and composed of seven concentric cordons. The rays form seven compartments, divided into as many cordons, containing in each cordon one of the seven petitions of the Lord's Prayer, one of the seven sacraments, one of the seven spiritual arms of justice, one of the seven works of mercy, one of the seven virtues, one of the seven deadly sins, and one of the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Ceyrep.
Commentators (Vol. v., pp. 512. 570.).—The original verses are Young's:—
"How commentators each dark passage shun,
And hold their farthing candle to the sun.
The Love of Fame, Satire vii.
L. X. R.
Banning or Bayning Family (Vol. v., p. 536.).—This surname is traced in Ireland on record from the time of Richard II., while the native annalists represent it with that Milesian prefix which old Alvary so ingraciously attaints—"O datur ambiguis." These annalists mark Patrick "O'Bainan" Bishop of Connor in 1152, and Gelasius "O'Banan" Bishop of Clogher in 1316. The records that I have alluded to spell the name "Bannyn," or "Banent." In 1620 Creconnaght "Bannan" was seised of lands in Ulster; and in the army raised for the service of King James, while in this country in 1689, William Bannan was a quartermaster in Colonel Nicholas Purcel's regiment of
horse. I have reason myself to know that two families of "Banon" still exist here.
John D'Alton.
Dublin.
Tortoiseshell Tom Cat (Vol. v., p. 465.).—I always thought the tortoiseshell tom cat was an animal of very rare occurrence; but I was not aware, until I read the Note of your correspondent W. R., that it was unknown in natural history. The late (and highly respected) Mr. John Bannister, familiarly called "Jack Bannister," wrote, more than forty years ago, a humorous and witty jeu d'esprit on this subject: this was composed for his "Budget," a species of entertainment from which the late Mr. Matthews took the idea of his "At Home;" an entertainment exhibiting a most extraordinary range of talent, and must be fresh in the memory of most of your readers. It supposes the auctioneer, "Mr. Catseye," in the Great Room in "Cateaton Street," and opens thus:
"Oh! what a story the papers have been telling us
About a little animal of wond'rous price;
Who but an auctioneer would ever think of selling us,
For two hundred yellow-boys, a trap for mice?"
&c. &c.
Having, humorously described the company assembled, and enlarged on the "beauty and rarity" of the animal, it thus concludes:
"Now louder and warmer the competition growing,
Politeness nearly banished in the grand fracas;
Two hundred, two hundred and thirty-three—a-going!
Gone! Never cat of talents surely met avidly such éclat!
E'en nine or ten fine gentlemen were in the fashion caught as well,
As ladies in their bidding for this purring piece of tortoiseshell.
And the buyer bore him off in triumph, after all the fun was done,
And bells rang, as if Whittington had been Lord Mayor of London;
Mice and rats flung up their hats, to find that cats so scarce were,
And mouse-trap makers raised their prices cent. per cent.!"
M. W. B.
A Tombstone cut by Baskerville (Vol. v., p. 209.).—A correspondent complains that on visiting Edgbaston Church he was unable to obtain a sight of the tombstone, which he much wished to see. Since I read his Note, I have met with the following, which I copy from Pye's Modern Birmingham, 1819. After speaking of a monument in Handsworth Church, Birmingham, to the late Matthew Boulton, the writer proceeds:
"The other is a humble tombstone, remarkable as being one of the last works cut by his own hand, with his name at the top of it, of that celebrated typographer, Baskerville; but this, being neglected by the relations of the deceased, has been mutilated, although the inscription is still perfect, but so much overgrown with moss and weeds, that it requires more discrimination than falls to the lot of many passing travellers, to discover the situation of this neglected gem. To those who are curious it will be found close to the wall, immediately under the chancel window. This precious relic of that eminent man is deserving of being removed at the expense of the parish, and preserved with the greatest care, withinside the church.... There is only one other of his cuttings known to be in existence, and that has lately been removed and placed withinside the church at Edgbaston—"
Which is subsequently thus described:
"There was in this churchyard a gravestone cut by the hands of the celebrated typographer Baskerville, which is now removed and placed withinside the church. The stone being of a flaky nature, the inscription is not quite perfect, but whoever takes delight in well-formed letters, may here be highly gratified; it was erected to the memory of Edw. Richards, an idiot, who died 21st September, 1728, with the following inscription:—
'If innocents are the favourites of heaven,
And God but little asks where little's given,
My great Creator has for me in store
Eternal joys; what wise man can have more?'"
I am sorry I cannot just now give any further information, but hope this Note will be new to some of your readers, and interesting to all.
Este.
Shakspeare, Tennyson, &c. (Vol. v., p. 492.).—The editorial note has supplied the Latin parallel, but not "the origin and reason of the idea." This Koenig's note to Persius (I. 40.) will do:
"Nascentur violæ; Hoc inde videtur natum esse quod veteres tumulos mortuorum sparsis floribus et corollis solebant ornate; pertinebat hoc ad religionem manium, qui, ut putabatur, libationibus annuis, coronis, floribus, cet. delectabantur."
This is the first step. Further:
"Beatissima mortui conditio, cui vel natura ipsa inferias agat, floribus in tumulo sponte nascentibus, videtur indicari."
Lastly:
"Videtur quoque privata nonnullorum opinio fuisse, cinerem in flores mutari, idque contingere non nisi probis ac pulchris (Anthol. Lat.); ex fabulis heroum in flores post mortem mutatorum fortasse nata."
This last, and deepest thought, is that seized on by Shakspeare and Tennyson. Koenig gives many parallels.
A. A. D.
Rhymes on Places (Vol. v., pp. 293. 374. 500. 547.).—The following rhymes (if so they can be termed) respecting the exploits of a certain giant named Bell, and his wonderful sorrel horse, whose leaps were each a mile long, are, or were a few
years since, prevalent in this neighbourhood among the inhabitants of the villages therein mentioned. The legend has been noticed by Peck:
"Mountsorrel he mounted at,
Rodely[[10]] he rode by,
Onelept[[11]] he leaped o'er,
At Birstall he burst his gall,
And Belgrave he was buried at."
Leicestriensis.
Footnote 10:[(return)]
Now Rothley.
Now Wanlip.
The following I had years ago from a Buckinghamshire gentleman:
"Tring, Wing, and Ivinghoe,
Three dirty villages all in a row,
And never without a rogue or two.
Would you know the reason why?
Leighton Buzzard is hard by."
J. Eastwood.
Birthplace of Josephine (Vol. v., p. 220.).—Mr. Breen's able and interesting Note seems to establish beyond dispute that Josephine was born in St. Lucia, and not, as is commonly supposed, in Martinique.
But can Mr. Breen, or any other of your correspondents, speak to this still more curious Query, whether or no she had African blood in her veins? I heard it confidently asserted lately by a gentleman of high standing on this island, who has business relations with Martinique, that such was the case, and that either the grandmother or great-grandmother of the Empress was a negress slave. He had the fact, he said, on good local authority, and appeared satisfied in his own mind of the truth of the statement. The sudden and surprising elevation of her grandson gives some interest to the inquiry.
A. Ker.
Antigua.
The Curse of Scotland (Vol. i., pp. 61. 90.; Vol. iii., pp. 22. 253. 423. 483.).—
"There is a common expression made use of at cards, which I have never heard any explanation of; I mean the nine of diamonds being commonly called the Curse of Scotland.
"Looking lately over a book of heraldry I found nine diamonds, or lozenges, conjoined, or, in the heraldic language, Gules, a cross of lozenges, to be the arms of Packer.
"Colonel Packer appears to have been one of the persons who was on the scaffold when Charles the First was beheaded, and afterwards commanded in Scotland, and is recorded to have acted in his command with considerable severity. It is possible that his arms might, by a very easy metonymy, be called the Curse of Scotland; and the nine of diamonds, at cards, being very similar in figure to them, might have ever since retained the appellation."—Gent. Mag., vol. lvi. p. 301.
"I cannot tell whence he learns that Colonel Packer was on the scaffold when King Charles was beheaded."—Ibid., p. 390.
"When the Duke of York (a little before his succession to the crown) came to Scotland, he and his suite introduced a new game, there called Comet, where the ninth of diamonds is an important card. The Scots who were to learn the game, felt it to their cost: and from that circumstance the ninth of diamonds was nicknamed the Curse of Scotland."—Ibid., p. 538.
"The nine of diamonds is called the Curse of Scotland because it is the great winning card at Comette, which was a game introduced into Scotland by the French attendants of Mary of Lorraine, queen of James V., to the ruin of many Scotch families."—Ibid., p. 968.
The explanation supplied by the game of Pope Joan is doubtless the correct one.
Goodluck.
Waller Family (Vol. v., p. 586.).—Francis Waller, of Amersham, Bucks, grandfather of Edmund Waller the poet, by his will, dated 13th of January, 1548-49, entails his mansion house in Beaconsfield, and other estates in Bucks, Herts, &c., on the child of which his wife Anne is "now pregnant," with remainders to his two brothers, Thomas and Edmund, in tail, with divers remainders over, to Francis Waller, son of his brother Ralph Waller, and the heirs of his "sister Pope" and his sister Davys. The lady in question was of the Beaconsfield branch of the Wallers, and great aunt to the poet. (From the family muniments.)
Lambert H. Larking.
"After me the Deluge" (Vol. iii., pp. 299. 397.).—The modern, whoever he may be, can only lay claim to reviving this proverb of selfishness, which was branded by Cicero long ago:
"Illa vox inhumana et scelerata ducitur, eorum, qui negant se recusare, quò minùs, ipsis mortuis, terrarum omnium deflagratio consequatur, quod vulgari quodam versu Græco [Ἐμοῦ Θανόντος γαῖα μιχθήτω πυρί] pronuntiari solet."
This passage occurs in his treatise De Finibus, III. xix., vol. xiv. p. 341. Valpy's edition, 1830.
Mackenzie Walcott, M.A.
Sun-Dial Motto (Vol. v., p. 499.).—Y. is informed that Hazlitt, in his Sketches and Essays, has an essay on a sun-dial, beginning with these words:
"Horas non numero nisi serenas, is the motto of a sun-dial near Venice."
In La Gnomonique Pratique of François de Celles, 8vo., there is pretty long list of Latin mottos for sun-dials, but I do not find the above amongst them. It scarcely reads like a classical quotation.
Robert Snow.
Lines by Lord Palmerston (Vol. i., p. 382.; Vol. ii., p. 30. Vol. iii., p. 28.).—In Vol. i., p. 328., Indagator inquired whether there was any
authority for attributing to the late Lord Palmerston the beautiful lines on the loss of his lady, beginning,—
"Whoe'er like me his heart's whole treasure brings."
Indagator says they have been supposed to be Hawksworth's and S. S. S. (Vol. ii., p. 30.) that they have been also attributed to Mason. I can state, from the best authority, that they are Lord Palmerston's. My authority needs no extrinsic confirmation, but I may as well observe that Indagator has himself sufficiently disposed of Hawksworth's claim, as his wife was still alive when the lines appeared; and the conjecture of S. S. S. is obviously a confusion of Lord Palmerston's lines with those of Mason's (whose wife died at Bristol), beginning—
"Take, holy earth, all that my soul holds dear."
But another of your correspondents, A. B. (Vol. iii., p. 28.), or your printer, has made a mistake on this point which I cannot account for. A. B. says that he inquired after the author of the lines beginning—
"Stranger, whoe'er thou art that viewest this tomb;"
and this statement is headed with a reference to Indagator's inquiry about Lord Palmerston, to which it had no reference whatsoever. I do not remember to have seen A. B.'s inquiry, but it assuredly has nothing to do with Indagator's which I have now set at rest.
C.
Indian Jugglers (Vol. iv., p. 472.).—In looking over some former Numbers I find an inquiry under this head. N. will find a full account of some of these wonderful and apparently inexplicable performances in the Dublin University Magazine. I have not a set to refer to, but the papers appeared about three or four years ago.
Este.
Sons of the Conqueror (Vol. v., pp. 512. 570.).—I believe after all that Sir N. Wraxall is right. According to the old chroniclers, three members of the Conqueror's family met their death in the New Forest.
1. Richard, his second son, is said to have been killed by a stag in the New Forest when hunting, and to have been buried at Winchester in the choir of the cathedral there.
2. Henry, youngest son of Robert, Duke of Normandy, and grandson of the Conqueror, was accidentally slain in the New Forest.
3. William Rufus, third son of the Conqueror, fell in a similar way and in the same place.
J. R. W.
Bristol.
Saint Wilfred's Needle (Vol. v., pp. 510. 573.).—A very interesting account of this curious crypt beneath the central tower of Ripon Cathedral will be found in a pamphlet published twelve years ago, entitled "Sepulchri a Romanis Constructi infra Ecclesiam S. Wilfridi in civitate Reponensi Descriptio Auctore Gul. D. Bruce. London 1841." A copy is in the library of the Society of Antiquaries, and another in the British Museum.
D. W.
Frebord (Vol. v., p. 440.).—It may possibly assist the inquiries of your correspondents Spes and P. M. M. to be informed that the right of Frebord belongs to many estates in the midland counties. In some instances in Leicestershire the claim extends from the boundary hedge of one lordship to the extent of twenty-one feet over the land of the adjoining lordship; it is here understood to represent a deer's leap, and is said to have been given with the original grant of the manor, in order to secure to the lord a right to take the deer he happened to shoot when in the act of leaping from his domain into his neighbour's manor.
Kt.
Aylestone.
Royd (Vol. v., p. 571.).—The meaning of this word may be further illustrated by reference to Swiss etymology and history. The great battle of Naefels (April 9, 1388) is celebrated on the first Thursday of every April, on the spot where the fiercest part of the struggle took place. Mount Ruti, the meadow where the liberators of Switzerland met, on the lake of the Four Cantons, and opposite Brunner, is called the Rutli: both words being derived from a common root of common use in the formation of names in German Switzerland, Ruten-defricher, "to clear;" or, Ruthen, "to measure, gauge;" in short, "prepare for clearing;" whence, perhaps, our Ruthyn and Rutland.
H. P. S.
Spy Wednesday (Vol. v., p. 511.).—Your correspondent Mr. Chadwick is informed that the Wednesday in Holy Week, i. e. the Wednesday before Easter Sunday, is called Spy Wednesday. The term has its origin in the fact, that Judas made his compact with the Sanhedrim upon that day for the betrayal of our Blessed Saviour. See Matthew, xxvi. 3, 4, 5. 14, 15, and 16.
Ceyrep.
Book of Jasher (Vol. v., pp. 415. 476. 524.).—Hartwell Horne, in his Introduction (vol. ii. part ii. pp. 132-138. ed. 1839), has with much diligence exposed both Ilive's original forgery (1751) and the "unacknowledged reprint" (1829). He adds:
"There is also extant a Rabbinical Hebrew Book of Jasher printed at Venice in 1625, which is an explanation of the histories contained in the Pentateuch and Joshua. Barlocci, in his Biblioth. Rabbinica, states that it contains some curious but many fabulous things; and particularly that this book was discovered at the time of the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in a certain place, in which an old man was shut up, in whose possession a great number of Hebrew books were found, and among them the Book of Jasher; which was first carried into Spain, and preserved at Seville, whence finally it was taken to Naples, where it was first published."—Vol. iii p. 934.
Is this the work published at New York in 1840? I suppose so: at least, if "Prof. Noah" has been reproducing the Bristol Book of Jasher (1829), he can claim but little of the justice and perfectness of his great namesake.
A. A. D.
Stearne's (not Hearne's) Confirmation and Discovery of Witchcraft (Vol. v., p. 416.).—Of this tract, inquired after by Mr. Clarke, and which is certainly one of the most extraordinary of all the treatises on Witchcraft, the only copy I ever saw is the one I possess, and which I have fully described in the notes to Pott's Discovery of Witches, printed for the Chetham Society, p. 4. The Rev. Author was no theorist, but a thoroughly practical man; having been an agent in finding and bringing to justice 200 witches in the eastern counties. He has the subject so perfectly at his fingers' ends, and discusses it so scientifically, that Hopkins sinks into insignificance by the side of him. Pity it is that such a philanthropic individual should have had occasion to complain: "In many places I never received penny as yet, nor any am like, except that I should sue!!"
Jas. Crossley.
Lines on Chaucer (Vol. v., p. 586.).—The lines should be quoted:—
"Britain's first poet,
Famous old Chaucer,
Swan-like, in dying
Sung his last song
When at his heart-strings
Death's hand was strong."
They are taken from Hymn cxxiii. of Hymns and Anthems, London, C. Fox, 1841.
Γ.
Fairlop Oak (Vol. v., pp. 114. 471.).—Your correspondents J. B. Colman and Shirley Hibberd will find much information relative to this oak and the fair in a work with the following title:
"Fairlop and its Founder, or Facts and Fun for the Forest Frolickers. By a famed first Friday Fairgoer; contains Memoirs, Anecdotes, Poems, Songs, &c., with the curious Will of Mr. Day, never before printed. A very limited number printed. Tobham, Printed at Charles Clark's Private Press. Fairlop's Friday, 1847."
J. Russell Smith, 30. Soho Square, had several copies on sale some time back.
S. Wiswould.
Boy Bishop at Eton (Vol. v., p. 557.).—The festival of St. Hugh, Bishop (Pontificis) of Lincoln, was kept on November 17.
For "Nihilensis," in the "Consuetudinarium Etonense," should be read "Nicolatensis," as it stands in a Compatus of Winchester College, of the date 1461: the Boy Bishop assuming his title on St. Nicholas' Day, Dec. 6, and then performing his parody of Divine Offices for the first time; St. Nicholas of Myra being, according to the legend, the patron of children.
It is singular that, whereas, as in other foundations, the Feast of the Holy Innocents was appointed for the mummeries of the Boy Bishop at Winchester by the founder, it was forbidden at Eton and King's, although the statutes of the latter were borrowed almost literally from those of Wykeham. It would therefore appear that there was some local reason for the exception.
Mackenzie Walcott, M.A.
Plague Stones—Mr. Mompesson (Vol. v., p. 571.).—I should be sorry that anything inaccurate was recorded in "N. & Q." respecting so eminently worthy a person as the Rev. William Mompesson, Rector of Eyam during the time that it was scourged by the plague in 1666, when, out of a population of only 330, 259 died of the disorder. Mr. M. himself did not fall a victim, as J. G. C. states; but his wife did, and her tomb remains to this day. He was, indeed, an ornament to his sacred profession. He not only stood by his flock in the hour of their visitation, but he obtained such an influence during the panic that they entirely deferred to his judgment, and remained, as he advised, within the village. He preached to them on Sundays in the open air from a sort of natural pulpit in the rock, now called Cucklet Church; and he established the water troughs, or plague stones, into which the people dropped their money, in payment for the victuals that were brought to them from the surrounding country. When in reward for his devotedness the Deanery of Lincoln was offered him, he generously declined it in favour of his friend Dr. Fuller, author of the Worthies of England, who thus obtained the appointment. Mr. Mompesson was subsequently presented to the living of Eakring in Notts, where he died in 1708.
There has recently been discovered on the moor near Fullwood, by Sheffield, a chalybeate spring, which flows into a small covered recess formed of ashlar stone, and this stands just as it did when the wretched inhabitants of Eyam, believing the water to have sanatory virtues, came to drink of it, until a watch was placed on the spot by the Sheffield people, and they were driven back to their infected homes.
Alfred Gatty.
Raleigh's Ring (Vol. v., p. 538.).—Sir Walter Raleigh's ring, which he wore at the time of his execution, is, I believe, in the possession of Capt. Edward James Blanckley, of the 6th Foot, now serving at the Cape of Good Hope. It is an heirloom in the Blanckley family, of which Captain Blanckley is the senior representative, who are directly descended from Sir Walter, and have in their possession several interesting relics of their great ancestor, viz. a curious tea-pot, and a state paper box of iron gilt and red velvet.
A Descendant of Sir Walter's.
Pandecte, an entire Copy of the Bible (Vol. v., p. 557.).—Your correspondent C. H. has noticed this word; I send you a short account of the Irish MSS. in the Bodleian Library, which I laid some time ago before the Royal Irish Academy, and which is printed in their Proceedings, vol. v. p. 162. I have there noticed a curious work by Oengus Cele De, or Oengus the Culdee, a writer of the eighth century, in which the word Pandecte (or, as the Irish scribe spells it, Pantecte) is used in the same sense as that in which Alcuin employs it, for the Bibliotheca, or Bible of St. Jerome.
I have marked the passage, pp. 9, 10. of the enclosed paper, which if you think it worth while you may insert. But perhaps it may be enough to refer your readers to the above-mentioned volume of the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy.
Jas. H. Todd.
Trin. Coll. Dublin.