Minor Queries with Answers.
Marquis of Granby.—In a late number of Chamber's Journal it is stated that there are eighteen taverns in London bearing the sign of the Marquis of Granby. How did this sign become so popular and which marquis was it whose popularity gained him immortality; and when lived he?
J. M. Wharton.
[This sign is intended as a compliment to John Manners, commonly called Marquis of Granby, eldest son of John, third Duke of Rutland, who appears to have been a good, bluff-brave soldier—active, generous, careful of his men, and beloved by them. Mr. Peter Cunningham (Handbook, p. 398., edit. 1850) informs us, that "Granby spent many an happy hour at the Hercules Pillars public-house, Piccadilly, where Squire Western put his horses up, when in pursuit of Tom Jones." He died, much regretted, on October 19, 1770, without succeeding to the dukedom.
"What conquests now will Britain boast,
Or where display her banners?
Alas! in Granby she has lost
True courage and good Manners."
His popularity is shown by the frequent occurrence of his portrait as a sign-board for public-houses, even of late years; a fact which at once testifies in favour of his personal qualities, and indicates the low state of our military fame during the latter half of the last century.]
"Memorials of English Affairs," &c.—Can you inform me who was the author of a folio volume entitled—
"Memorials of the English Affairs; or an Historical Account of what passed from the beginning of the Reign of King Charles I. to King Charles II. his happy 'Restauration;' containing the Public Transactions, Civil and Military, together with the Private Consultations and Secrets of the Cabinet. London: printed for Nathanael Conder, at the Sign of the Peacock in the Poultry, near the Church, MDCLXXXII."
I have never seen any other copy than the one in my possession.
L. R.
[This work is by Sir Bulstrode Whitelocke. The edition of 1682, possessed by our correspondent, was published by Arthur, Earl of Anglesea, who took considerable liberties with the manuscript. The best edition, containing the passages cancelled by the Earl, is that of 1732, fol. "This work," says Bishop Warburton, "that has been so much cried up, is a meagre diary, wrote by a poor-spirited, self-interested, and self-conceited lawyer of eminence, but full of facts." At p. 378. (edit. 1682) occurs the following entry:—"From the council of state, Cromwell and his son Ireton went home with Whitelocke to supper, where they were very cheerful, and seemed extremely well-pleased; they discoursed together till twelve o'clock at night, and told many wonderful observations of God's providence in the affairs of the war, and in the business of the army's coming to London, and seizing the members of the house, in all which were miraculous passages." To this sentence in the copy now before us, some sturdy royalist has added the following MS. note:—"Whitelocke reports this of himself, as being well pleased with it; and the success of their villany they accounted God's providence!">[
Standing when the Lord's Prayer is read.—On Sunday, January 8, the second lesson for morning service is the sixth chapter of St. Matthew, in which occurs the Lord's Prayer. When the officiating clergyman began to read the ninth verse, in which the prayer commences, the congregation at Bristol Cathedral rose, and remained standing till its conclusion. Is this custom observed in other places? and (if there is to be a change of position) why do the congregation stand, and not kneel, the usual posture of prayer in the Church of England?
Cervus.
[The custom, we believe, is observed in the majority of churches. The reasons for standing rather than kneeling seems to be, that when the Lord's Prayer comes in the course of the lessons it is only read historically, as a part of a narrative, which indicates that the whole sacred narrative should be treated, as it was anciently, with the like reverence. The rubric says nothing about sitting; standing and kneeling being the only postures expressly recognised. In the curious engraving of the interior of a church, prefixed to Bishop Sparrow's Rationale upon the Book of Common Prayer, 1661, there is not a seat of any kind to be seen, pews not having become at this time a general appendage to churches; probably a few chairs or benches were required for the aged or infirm.. The only intimation of the sitting posture in our present Common Prayer-Book occurs in the rubric, enjoining the people to stand when the Gospel is read, which Wheatly tells us was first inserted in the Scotch Common Prayer-Book. See "N. & Q.," Vol. ii., pp. 246. 347.]
Hypocrisy, &c.—Can you inform me with whom originated the following saying: "Hypocrisy is the homage which vice renders to virtue"?
A. C. W.
[The saying originated with the Duke de la Rochefoucault, and occurs in his Moral Maxims, No. 233.]