MINOR QUERIES.

MS. Book of Hours.—In the sale catalogue of the library of John Bridges, of Lincoln's Inn, February, 1725, is entered Lot 4311:—

"Missale quondam Henrici VII., regis Angliæ, ut ex ipsius autographo in codicis initio patet, pulcherrime illuminatum, et inconibus fere 80 exornatum. In pergameno, et ornatissime compact."

It appears, from Wanley's Diary (MS. Lansd. 772.), that this volume, which he calls a Primer, was purchased for the Earl of Oxford (for 31l. 10s., as I learn from a priced copy of the catalogue), and was highly valued. To judge from the above description, it must have been a very beautiful book; and as it does not seem to be at present among the Harleian collection of MSS. in the British Museum, I should be glad to learn into whose hands it has fallen. It is not the celebrated volume of Hours known under the name of the Bedford Missal, since that was purchased by Lord Harley of Lady Worseley, and is now in the possession of the Rev. Mr. Tobin;—nor is it the book of Hours in the library of the Duke of Devonshire (described by Dr. Dibbin in the Bibl. Decameron, vol. i. p. 155.), which contains the autograph notes of Henry VII.;—nor is it the similar volume formerly in the libraries of George Wilkinson, of Tottenham Green (sold in 1836), and the Rev. Will. Maskell, and now MS. Add. 17,012. in the British Museum, in which are seen the autographs of Henry VII. and his Queen, Henry VIII., Catherine of Aragon, and others;—nor is it the beautiful volume of Hours executed for René d'Anjou, and subsequently presented to Henry VII. by his chaplain George Strangeways, Archdeacon of Coventry (now in the British Museum, MS. Eg. 1070.);—nor, lastly, is it the book of Hours in the collection of George III. (No. 9.), which contains the autograph writing of Henry VIII.

F.M. B.M., Feb. 19. 1850.

Bess of Hardwick.—Elizabeth, or Bess of Hardwick, celebrated for her distaste for celibacy, makes a considerable figure in the histories of the Cavendish family, who in some degree owed their greatness to her judicious purchases and careful management of their Derbyshire estates.

It appears, from the Derbyshire Visitations, that she was one of the daughters of John Hardwick, of Hardwick co. Derby, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Leake, of Hasland co. Derby, and that John Hardwick died 19 Hen. VIII.

Can any of your readers inform me of the pedigree of this John Hardwick?—what arms, crest, motto and quarterings he made use of?—what persons now living are descended from him?—and what became of his estates?

I presume that your typographical arrangements do not admit of the insertion of a regular pedigree; but the descents may be stated as in Burke and similar Books.

GULES

Cæsar's Wife..—"NASO" wishes to know where the proverbial saying, "Cæsar's wife must not even be suspected," first occurs.

Minar's Books of Antiquities.—Can any one conversant with the works of Cardinal Nicolas de Cusa inform me what author he quotes as "Minar in his Books of Antiquities," in what language, and where existing? De Doctâ Ignorantiâ, I. i. cap. 7.

A.N.

Proverb against Physicians.—"M.D." wishes to be informed of the earliest writer who mentions the proverb "Ubi tres Medici, duo Athei."

Compendyous Olde Treatyse.—In Ames's Typographical Antiquities, vol. i. p. 405. (ed. Herbert), is described a work, printed by Rycharde Banckes, some time between 1525 and 1545, entitled, "A compendyous olde treatyse shewynge howe that we ought to have the Scripture in Englyshe, with the Auctours." 12mo. 18 leaves. This copy belonged to Herbert himself, and was probably obtained at the sale of Thomas Granger, in 1732. Any information as to its wherabout at present, or the existence of any other copy of the above tract, would confer a fabour on the inquirer.

F.M.

The Topography of Foreign Printing Presses.—I have often been at a loss to discover the locality of names which designate the places where books have been printed at Foreign presses; and "when found" to "make a note of it." I was therefore pleased to find in No. 16. p. 251., by the reply of "R.G." to Mr. Jebb, that "Cosmopolis was certainly Amsterdam," and that "Coloniæ" signifies "Amstelædami." And I will take the liberty of suggesting that it would be an acceptable service rendered to young students, if your learned correspondents would occasionally communicate in the pages of your work, the modern names, &c. of such places as are not easily gathered from the books themselves.

P.H.F.

Cromwell's Estates.—In Carlyle's edition of Cromwell's Letters and Speeches, there is a note (p. 75. vol. iv. of the 3rd ed. 1850) containing a list of the estates which the Protector owned at the time of his death, as follows; there being, besides Newhall, specified as "in Essex," five, viz.—

"Dalby,

Broughton,

Burleigh,

Oakham, and

Egleton."

of which the editor has ascertained the localities; and six, viz.—

£s.d
Gower, valued at47900 per an.
Chepstall valued at54973
Magore valued at44800
Sydenham valued at312196
Woolaston valued at664166
Chaulton valued at50000

of which, he say, "he knows nothing."

It would surely be a proper, and, one might hope, an attainable object of inquiry, to search out these unplaced estates of the great Protector, and give them a local habitation in modern knowledge. This is precisely one of the kind of queries which your publication seems best fitted to aid; and I therefore submit it, in the hope of some discoveries, to your correspondents.

V. Belgravia, Feb. 18, 1850.

What are Depinges?—In the orders made in 1574 for regulating the fishery at Yarmouth, the Dutch settlers there are "To provide themselves with twine and depinges in foreign places." What are Depinges?

J.S.B.