INSCRIPTIONS IN BOOKS.

(Vol. viii. pp. 64. 153. 472.)

In the famous Rouen Missal, called St. Guthlac's book, is the following inscription in the handwriting of Robert, Bishop of London, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, who was formerly head of the monastery of Jumièges, to which the book belonged, and where, in 1053, he died:

"Quem si quis vi vel dolo seu quoquo modo isti loco subtraxerit, animæ suæ propter quod fecerit detrimentum patiatur, atque de libro viventium deleatur, et cum justis non scribatur."

John Grollier had on all his books inscribed:

"Portio mea, domine, sit in terra viventium;"

and underneath:

"Io. Grollierii et Amicorum."

Henry de Rantzan wrote a decree for his library, of which here is the fulminatory clause:

"Libros partem ne aliquam abstulerit,

Extraxerit, clepserit, rapserit,

Concerpserit, corruperit,

Dolo malo,

Illico maledictus,

Perpetuo execrabilis,

Semper detestabilis,

Esto, maneto."

See Dibdin's bibliographical works.

J. S.

Norwich.

The two following are copied from the originals written in the fly-leaf of Brathwayte's Panedone, or Health from Helicon, pub. 1621, in my possession:

"Whose book I am if you would know,

In letters two I will you show:

The first is J, the most of might,

The next is M, in all men's sight;

Join these two letters discreetly,

And you will know my name thereby.

Jas. Morrey."

"Philip Morrey is my name,

And with my pen I write the same;

Tho' had such pen been somewhat better,

I could have mended every letter."

Cestriensis.

On the fly-leaf of Theophila, or Love's Sacrifice, a divine poem by E. B., Esq., London, 1652, I find the following rare morsel:

"Mr. James Tinker,

Rector of St. Andrews, Droitwich.

"Father Tinker, when you are dead,

Great parts a long wir you are fled,

O that they wor conferred on mee,

Which would ad unto God's glory."

The subject of the above laudation flourished in the early part of the last century.

In a Geneva Bible, date 1596:

"Thomas Haud: his booke:

God giue him grace theare on to looke:

And if my pen it had bin better,

I would haue mend it euery letter.

1693."

R. C. Warde.

Kidderminster.

German Book Inscription.—You have not yet, I think, had a German book-inscription: allow me to send you the following out of an old Faust, bought last year at Antwerp:

"Dieses Buch ist mir lieb,

Wer es stielt ist ein Dieb;

Mag er heissen Herr oder Knecht,

Hängen ist sein verdientes Recht."

Underneath is the usual picture of the gallows-tree and its fruit.

Iseldunensis.