Replies to Minor Queries.
Lord Richard Christophilus.—CH. (Vol. ii., p. 130.) will probably find as much information as he requires, if he can consult a small volume in the British Museum (catalogued under the head of "Isuf, Bassa,") of which the title is—
"A True Relation of the Conversion and Baptism of Isuf, the Turkish Chaons, named Richard Christophilus, 8vo. Lond. 1684."
Also, in the Bodleian Catalogue, under the head of "Bassa (Isuf)," CH. may find—
"The History of Isuf Bassa, Capt.-General of the Ottoman Army at the Invasion of Candia. 8vo. Lond. 1684."
In reference to the former of these volumes, there is a note in the Fasti Oxonienses, ad ann. 1683, v. Thom. White, of which the following is a copy:—
"Quære, if Tho. White, Lecturer of S. Andrew's Holborn, published an Epistle to the Reader of 'A True Relation of the Conversion and Baptism of Isuf, the Turkish Chaons, named Richard Christophilus, in the presence of a full congregation, Jan. 30, 1658, in Covent Garden, where Mr. Martin is Preacher. Lond. 1658. 8vo.' Kenneth." (Athenæ Oxon. ed. Phil. Bliss, 1820, vol. iv. Fasti, coll. 392, 393.)
J. SANSOM.
Poker.—Among the muniments of the corporation of Bodmin is a certificate of the mayor and burgesses respecting the claims of the inhabitants of the town to take wood in Dunmere Wood, belonging to the Priory of Bodmin. The language of it seems to throw light on the origin of the word pocarius, or poker, which has been so often noticed and discussed. (Antè, Vol. i., pp. 185. 218. 236. 269. 281. 323. 369.) The passage also illustrates the Hook or Crook privilege, which has been already satisfactorily explained. The date is A.D. 1525:
"We say, and for truth testify that the wood called Dynmure Wood, was ever open and common to all burgesses and inhabitants of Bodmin till now of late, as well for all manner kind of their beasts to common therein, as to have their burden wood, to bear and carry away upon their backs, of lop, crop, hook, crook, and bag wood; ... always reserving to the Prior the stems of the trees for their fuel and building."
(See the Bodmin Register, collected by the Rev. John Wallis, of Bodmin, and printed at Bodmin, 1827-1838, p. 303.)
I presume that bag wood is such wood as can be cut with a hook or crook, and bunched. In another nearly contemporary petition (Ibid. p. 306.), the same identical privilege is described by the townsmen as a right to lop and crop with a hook and crook, and to carry away on their backs, and "none other ways." This explains the former passage, and shows that the wood was probably carried away on the back in a bag.
The woodward, who carried a bill for such purposes, would also carry a bag, or poke, and might therefore be very appropriately called a poker.
It will be seen in Halliwell's Dictionary, verb. "Bag" and "Bagging," and in the Hereford Glossary (London, 1839), verb. "Bag," that bagging is sometimes used to signify cutting; and, more particularly, cutting for burning.
I mention this, because it may be thought pertinent to the present inquiry; but as this use of the word has been plausibly supposed to be derived from the Welsh Bach, a hook, it seems to have nothing to do with a poke.
E. Smirke.
Querela Cantabrigiensis (Vol. ii., p. 168.).—J.M.B. inquires whether anything is known of the authorship of the Querela Cantabrigiensis? The tract in question appears to have been "written by Bruno Ryves," the author of Mercurius Rusticus, and some few other treatises, in connexion with which it is commonly bound. Ryves is described by Watt as "a loyal divine," who was "born in Dorsetshire," and "died 1677." His Querela was first printed at Oxford in 1646. There was a second edition in 1647.
In case J.M.B. do not himself intend to send out a new edition of this tract, it is to be hoped that his Query may induce some one else to do so. Indeed, a reprint of several similar pamphlets and short treatises, belonging to the same period, might be brought out with great advantage at this crisis. The series might begin with
"The Answere of the Vice-Chancellour, the Doctors, both the Proctors, and other the Heads of Houses in the Universitie of Oxford:
"(Agreeable, undoubtedly, to the joint and uniforme opinion of all the Deanes and Chapters, and all other the learned and obedient Cleargy in the Church of England:)
"To the humble Petition of the Ministers of the Church of England, desiring Reformation of certaine ceremonies and abuses of the Church. At Oxford: Printed by Joseph Barnes, and are to be sold in Paule's Church Yard, at the sign of the Crowne, by Simon Waterson, 1603."
J. Sansom.
"One Bell" (Vol ii., p. 166.)—In the sixth edition of the Book of the Church (I believe references are also given in all editions since the first), Southey gives us his authority for this, "Strype's Cranmer, p. 266. (edition of 1694.)" The passage occurs in book ii. chap. 26.: "The Duke of Somerset's death." I quote it from the reprint by the Ecclesiastical History Society (vol. ii. p. 345.):
"He (Somerset) is generally charged for the great spoil of churches and chapels; defacing ancient tombs and monuments, and pulling down the bells in parish churches, and ordering only one bell in a steeple, as sufficient to call the people together, which set the commonalty almost into a rebellion."
R.B.
August 12.
Fabulous Account of the Lion (Vol. ii., p. 142.).—Jarltzberg is right in supposing that this is given by Philippe de Thaun. It is, however, of older date. Turner (History of England during the Middle Ages, vol. iv. chap. iv. p. 209.) gives part of a Latin version of it from the "Physiologus" of a certain Theobald. The "Physiologus," which is in substance the same as the "Bestiary" of Philippe de Thaun, occurs, according to Mr. Turner's account of it, in MSS. of the eighth or ninth century. Anglo-Saxon versions of "The Whale and the Panther" are in the Codex Exoniensis. In the works of Hildebert, who died Abp. of Tours 1134, a poem called "Physiologus" is printed, which appears to be the same as that ascribed by Turner to Theobald. The fable and application of the Lion are the same as those given by Turner, with very trifling variations.
Among the poems ascribed to Abp. Hildebert is an "Epitaphum Magistri Theobaldi," who, I conjecture, is the same Theobald as the supposed author of the "Physiologus." It is rather long; but there is nothing to identify Theobaldus except the word "Dervensis." What place this indicates I know not.
"Hoc vivente, locus Dervensis floruit, isto
Sublato, marcet nominis hujus odor."
Opera Hildeberti, p. 1322., Paris, 1708.
In the Opera Hildeberti there occur some verses on the symbols of the Evangelists. I subjoin them: though it is perhaps hardly worth while to print any more on this subject.
ON THE SYMBOLS OF THE EVANGELISTS.
"Matthæum signat vir, bos Lucain, leo Marcum, Ales discipulum qui sine sorde fuit.
"Matthæo species humana datur, quia scripto Indicat et titulo quid Deus egit homo. Os vituli Lucam declarat, qui specialem Materiam sumpsit de cruce, Christe tuâ. Effigiat Marcum leo, cujus littera clamat Quantâ surrexit vi tua, Christi, caro. Discipulum signat species aquilina pudicum, Vox cujus nubes transit ad astra volans. Christus homo, Christus vitulus, Christus leo, Christus Est avis, in Christo cuncta notare potes. Est homo dum vivit, bos dum moritur, leo verò Quando resurgit, avis quando superna petit."
Hildeberti Opera, Paris, 1708, p. 1318.
B.F.
Pomfret on the Thames (Vol. ii., p. 56.).—In a former number N. required to be informed where the Pons fractus, or Pountfreyt super Thamis, was situate, from whence several documents were dated by Edward II. This question has puzzled many learned antiquaries, and I do not think has ever been properly resolved. Both Pons fractus and Pountfreyt occur in Rymer's Foedera, tomus iii., p. 904. Lond. 1706. If you will permit, I would hazard the conjecture that it was Kingston Bridge. Till within the last two centuries, the only bridges across the Thames were London and Kingston; and the latter in the thirteenth century appears to have been in a ruinous condition. And I find in Rot. Litterar. Clausar. anno 7 Hen. III. (A.D. 1223) memb. 4. p. 558. "de ponte de Kingeston," that Henry de St. Alban, and Matthew, son of Geoffry de Kingston, are directed to repair the bridge, date Wednesday, Aug. 9, 1223 and there is also a recurrence to the same subject, memb. 15. p. 579., dated on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 1223. I would therefore ask, with submission to those who may be better informed, whether the bridge, though ordered to be repaired by Henry III., may not have remained in such a dilapidated state in the time of Edw. II., that it may then have been styled "Pons fractus?"
¶.S.
Walrond Family (Vol. ii., p. 134.).—Among my very numerous Notes relating to the several families of this name, I find only the following which appears likely to be of any interest to your correspondent in connection with his Query.
"Mrs. Ureth, daughter of Lieut.-Col. Walrond, was married to James Huish, Esq. of Sidbury, co. Devon, on the 25th July, 1684."
But it is probable that in so numerous a family there was more than one colonel at that time. Your correspondent is, no doubt, aware that Burke's Landed Gentry states the names of the wife and children of Colonel Humphrey Walrond, and that the monument of Humphrey Walrond, Esq., who died in 1580, in the church of Ilminster, co. Somerset, exhibits his coat armour quartering Polton, Fissacre, and Speke, and impaling Popham and another coat, viz., Per fesse indented quarterly or and sable, in each quarter an annulet counterchanged. This coat of arms I shall be glad if your correspondent will enable me to assign to its proper family.
S.S.S.
Armenian Language (Vol. ii., p. 136.).—Jarltzberg may refer to two works printed at the press of the Mechitaristican Society at Venice; 1. Quadro della Storia Letteraria di Armenia, 1829; and 2. Quadro delle Opere di Vari Autori anticamente tradotte in Armeno, 1825. He may also, perhaps, be interested by another little work, printed at the same place, 1825, entitled, A brief Account of the Mechitaristican Society, founded on the Island of St. Lazaro, by Alexander Goode; in which work it is stated (p. 26.) that "by Lord Byron's assistance a grammar of the Armenian and English languages was composed by the Rev. Dr. Aucher;" and that "this reverend gentleman has likewise compiled, with John Brand, Esq., of the University of Cambridge, a dictionary of the Armenian and English languages."
All these works are in the writer's possession and shall be lent to Jarltzberg if he wishes to see them, and is not able to find them in any library near him.
M.D.
Genealogical Query (Vol. ii., p. 135)—Sir Philip Courtenay, first of Powderham Castle, fifth son of Hugh, the second of that name, Earl of Devon, by Margaret de Bohun, grand-daughter of King Edward I., married Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Wake of Bisworth, co. Northampton, son of Hugh, younger son of Baldwin Lord Wake, and had issue three sons and two daughters, of which Margaret was married to Sir Robert Carey, of Cockington, Knt. See Cleaveland's History of the Family of Courtenay, pp. 265. 270.
S.S.S.
Richard Baxter's Descendants (Vol. ii, p. 89.).—Your correspondent W.H.B., who wishes for information respecting the descendants of the celebrated Richard Baxter, describes him to have been a Northamptonshire man; now this (supposing the Nonconformist divine of that name is meant) is a mistake, for he was, according to his own account, a Shropshire man. In a narrative of the most memorable passages of his life and times, by himself, and published soon after his death under the title of Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, 1696, he says,
"My father's name was Richard (the son of Richard) Baxter; his habitation and estate at a village called Eaton Constantine, a mile from the Wrekin Hill, and above half a mile from Severn River, and five miles from Shrewsbury in Shropshire. A village most pleasantly and healthfully situate. My mother's name was Beatrice, the daughter of Richard Adeney of Rowton, a village near High Encall, the Lord Newport's seat, in the same county. There I was born, A.D. 1615, on the 12th of November, being the Lord's Day, in the morning, at the time of divine worship, and baptized at High Encall the 19th day following: and there I lived from my parents with my grandfather till I was near ten years of age, and then was taken home."
He was married on Sept. 10, 1662, to a Miss Charlton. They had no children. The only descendant of Richard Baxter known to his biographers, was his nephew, William Baxter, a person of considerable attainments as a scholar and an antiquary. He was born in Shropshire in 1650. He published several works, and kept an academy for some years at Tottenham Cross, Middlesex, which he gave up on being chosen master of Mercer's School, London, where he continued for twenty years, and resigned a short time before his death, which took place in 1723.
Baxter makes mention, at the close of his own Life and Times, of one Richard Baxter, a Sabbatarian Anabaptist, and says of him, "that he was sent to gaol for refusing the oath of allegiance, and it went for current that it was I."
H.M. Bealby.
North Brixton.
Duresme and Dunelm (Vol. ii., p. 108.).—Three successive bishops, Morton, Cosin, and Crewe, took the signature of Duresme after their Christian names. Three successive bishops, Barrington, Van-Mildert, and the present occupant of the see, have taken the signature of Dunelm. I think, therefore, J.G.N. is mistaken in saying that the Bishops of Durham have assumed the French and Latin signatures alternately.
E.H.A.