Minor Queries with Answers.
Books burned by the Common Hangman.—
"Historia Anglo-Scotica: or an Impartial History of all that happen'd between the kings and kingdoms of England and Scotland from the beginning of the Reign of William the Conqueror to the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, &c., by James Drake, M.D., 8vo., London, 1703."
Of this work it is said, in a note in the Catalogue of Geo. Chalmers' library (fourth day's sale, Sept. 30, 1841), that—
"On June 30, 1703, the Scotch parliament ordered this book to be burned by the hands of the common hangman, and that the magistrates of Edinburgh should see it carried into effect at eleven o'clock on the following day."
Will any correspondent of yours furnish me with some notice of Dr. Drake, the author, and also explain the ground of offence upon which his book was condemned? I confess to be unable to discover anything to offend; neither, as it seems, could Mr. Surtees, for he says:
"I quote Drake's Historia Anglo-Scotica, 1703, a book which, for what reason I never could discover, was ordered to be burned by the common hangman."—History of Durham, vol. iv. p. 55. note l.
Any notices of books which have been signalised by being subjected to similar condemnation, would much interest me, and perhaps others of your readers.
Balliolensis.
[The ground of offence for burning the Historia Anglo-Scotica is stated in The Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, vol. xi. p. 66., viz.: "Ordered, that a book published by the title of Historia Anglo-Scotica, by James Drake, M.D., and dedicated to Sir Edward Symour containing many false and injurious reflections upon the sovereignty and independence of this crown and nation, be burnt by the hand of the common hangman at the mercat Cross of Edinburgh, at eleven o'clock to-morrow (July 1, 1703), and the magistrates of Edinburgh appointed to see the order punctually executed." It would appear from the dedication prefixed to this work, that Drake merely pretended to edit it, for he says, that "upon a diligent revisal, in order, if possible, to discover the name of the author, and the age of his writing, he found that it was written in, or at least not finished till, the time of Charles I." But he says nothing more of the MS., nor how it came into his hands. A notice of Dr. Drake is given in Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary, and in the preface to The Memorial of the Church of England, edit. 1711, which was also burnt by the common hangman in 1705. See "N. & Q.," Vol. iii., p. 519.]
Captain George Cusack.—It appears by an affidavit made by a Mr. Thomas Nugent in the year 1674, and now of record in the Exchequer Record Office, Dublin, that—
"He, being on or about the 20th of September preceding in London, was by one Mr. Patrick Dowdall desired to goe along with him to see one George Cusack, then in prison there for severall hainous offences alleadged to have beene by him committed, which he could not do by reason of other occasions; but having within two or three days afterwards mett with Mr. Dowdall, was told by him that he had since their last meeting seene the said Cusack in prison (being the Marshalsea in Southwark) with bolts on, and that none of Cusack's men who were alsoe in prison were bolted:"
that on the 11th of November Cusack was still in restraint, and not as yet come to his trial:
"That there were bookes written of the said Cusack's offences, which he heard cryed about in the streets of London to be sold, and that ye generall opinion and talke was that the said Cusack should suffer death for his crimes."
By a fragment of an affidavit made by a Mr. Morgan O'Bryen, of the Middle Temple, London, it appears that this man was a Captain George Cusack, who, I presume, was a pirate. May I take leave to ask, are the above-mentioned books in existence, and where are they to be found?
James F. Ferguson.
Dublin.
[In the British Museum is the following pamphlet:—"The Grand Pyrate: or the Life and Death of Captain George Cusack, the Great Sea-Robber, with an Accompt of all his notorious Robberies both at Sea and Land; together with his Tryal, Condemnation, and Execution. Taken by an Impartial Hand." London, 1676, pp. 24. 4to.]
Sir Ralph Winwood.—I am particularly desirous of obtaining some information respecting
Sir Ralph Winwood, private secretary to James I., and should feel much obliged if any of your numerous correspondents would favour me with anything they may know concerning him, or with the titles of any works in which his name is mentioned.
H. P. W. R.
[Biographical notices of Sir Ralph Winwood will be found in Biographia Britannica, Supplement; Lloyd's State Worthies; Wood's Athenæ; Granger and Chalmers' Biographical Dictionaries. Sir F. Drake's Voyage, by T. Maynarde, is dedicated to him. Letters to him from Sir Thomas Roe, in 1615, 1616, are in the British Museum, Add. MS. 6115. fol. 71. 75. 146. And a letter to him from Sir Dudley Carlton will be found in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. lvii. p. 143. The Diaries of the time of James I. may also be consulted; a list of them is given in "N. & Q.," Vol. vi., p. 363.]