Minor Queries.
Commemoration of Benefactors.
—I shall be glad to learn by what authority an office for the Commemoration of Founders and Benefactors is used in our college chapels, since this office in not found in our Book of Common Prayer. And, farther, whether the office is the same in all places, mutatis mutandis. In my own college (Queen's, Cambridge), the order of service was as follows:—The Lesson, Ecclus. xliv. (read by a scholar): the sermon: the list of foundresses and benefactors: Te Deum laudamus: proper Psalms, viz. cxlviii., cxlix., cl.: the following versicles and responses:
"V. The memory of the righteous shall remain for evermore.
R. And shall not be afraid of any evil report.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit."
Then followed an appropriate collect, introduced by the words "Let us pray;" and the office was concluded by the Benediction.
W. SPARROW SIMPSON, B.A.
Pedigree of Richard, Earl of Chepstow.
—At a recent meeting of the Kilkenny Archæological Society, there was exhibited, by permission of the Marquis of Ormonde, an original charter, under seal, of Richard, Earl of Chepstow, surnamed Strongbow, whereby he granted certain lands in his newly acquired territory of Leinster, to Adam de Hereford. The charter, which is beautifully and clearly written on a small piece of vellum, commences thus:
"Comes Ric' fil' com' Ric' Gisleb'ti omnibus amicis suis," &c.
As the usually given pedigrees (see Sir R. Colt Hoare's Tour in Ireland, Introd. p. lxxv.) make Richard Strongbow the son of Gilbert, the second son, and not Richard, the eldest son, of Gilbert de Tonbrige; query, Are we to supply "fil'" before "Gisleberti" in the charter, or are we to suppose that the second "Ric'" is a slip of the pen,—a thing, however, not likely to occur in a legal deed of so important a nature.
JAMES GRAVES.
Kilkenny.
Twenty-seven Children.
—In Colonel James Turner's defence (English Causes Célèbres, vol. i. p. 111.) he says, speaking of his wife, who was then also on trial for her life:
"She sat down, being somewhat fat and weary, poor heart! I have had twenty-seven children by her; fifteen sons and twelve daughters."
Is there any well authenticated instance of woman having had more than twenty-five children?
E. D.
Esquires of the Martyred King.
—In the Smith MSS. in the Bodleian Library, there are copies of certain petitions addressed to King Charles II., relating to a proposed Order of Esquires of the Martyred King. These forms of petition appear to have been derived ex MSS. Asm. 837.
Where is a full account of these proceedings to be found in print?
J. SANSOM.
Braem's "Mémoires touchant le Commerce."
—Having lately seen a MS., of which I subjoin the title, and not being able to discover any further account of the writer of it than what is briefly given in the volume itself, I submit my wish to know something more about the author, and his, perhaps, still inedited work, to you and to your numerous readers, both in England and in Holland (where you have an able imitator), in the hope of gaining some further information about him. The MS. is a foolscap folio, containing about 340 pages, written in a bold, open hand, and bears the following title: Mémoires touchant le Commerce que les Provinces Unies des Pays-Bas font dans les divers Endroits du Monde. At page 306. this part of the MS. ends, and is signed by "Daniel Braems," who says of himself, that he left the Dutch possessions in the East Indies in 1686, and made his Report to the States-General of what he had seen, and delivered in a written copy. Mr. Braems says farther, that he was "dernièrement Teneur-Général des Livres à Batavie, et a ramené en qualité de Commandeur la dernière Flotte des Indes en ce pays;" and that his Report, as regards East India affairs, was made "touchant la constitution des affaires dans les Indes Orientales, ainsi qu'elle estoit lorsque la ditte flotte est partie de Batavie," and was delivered in May 26, 1688. The remaining pages of the MS. are taken up with a detailed account of the ecclesiastical and civil revenues of France for 1692, and also the "estat des affaires extraordinaires" for the years 1689, 1690, 1691, 1692.
J. M.
Newspapers.
—Can any of your readers obligingly inform me when The Suffolk Mercury or St. Edmund's Bury Post commenced? The earliest number I have seen is that of "Monday, Feb. 3, 1717, to be continued weekly, No. 43. Price Three Half-pence." The next is that of "Monday, May 2, 1726, Vol. xvi., No. 52." And the latest that of "Monday, October 4, 1731, Vol. xxii., No. 40." When did it cease? Were there any other papers before 1782 printed in Bury; or including the name of that town in its title?
BURIENSIS.
Serjeant Trumpeter.
—What are the privileges of persons holding this appointment?
EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.
Lunhunter.
—What is the etymology of this surname; or rather, what is a lun? We have the analogous names Wolfhunter and Todhunter (i.e. a hunter of foxes). I am not satisfied with the origin assigned to this designation in my English Surnames. Is there any beast of prey, or of the chase, bearing the provincial name of lun?
MARK ANTONY LOWER.
Family of Bullen.
—Could any of your readers inform me what branch of the Bullen family it was that emigrated to Ireland in the fifteenth or sixteenth century, and settled at Kinsale in the county of Cork? Their genealogical history I find it difficult, almost impossible, to discover. It is thought that the first of the family who settled in Ireland was nearly allied to the lovely but unfortunate queen of Henry VIII.; and the family consequently claim kindred with our famous Queen Elizabeth, though they seem unable to trace their pedigree so as to prove it. The present representative of this old family resides at Bally Thomas, in the neighbourhood of Mallow; but, singular to say, though proud of his name and race, can give no correct history of his pedigree; in fact, nothing more than a traditionary account of it. I find, in turning over the pages of Burke's Landed Gentry, the following note appended to the pedigree of the Glovers of Mount Glover:
"This Abigail Bullen was daughter of Robert Bullen, of Kinsale, descended from the Bullen family, who came and settled in Ireland in the reign of Elizabeth, and who are stated to have been not remotely related to that queen."
Any information connected with this family I am most anxious to obtain.
E. A. G.
London.
Burnomania.
—I should be glad if any of your correspondents could favour me with the name of the author of this work: it is entitled Burnomania, or the Celebrity of Robert Burns considered, Edinburgh, 1811, 12mo., pp. 103. In his advertisement to the reader, the author says:
"Who is the author? Is he a poor man? Is he employed by the booksellers? Is he a young student? Does he write for fame? For gain? Does he wish to irritate, to offend, to indulge in a sarcastic humour? To all these questions, the answer is 'No.'"
ELGINENSIS.
Rent of Assize.
—Can you or any of your correspondents explain certain difficulties I find in a schedule of the revenues of the bishopric of Winton, sent by Thomas Cooper, the Bishop of Winton, 1587, to the Lord Treasurer: Strype's Annals, vol. iii. part 2. p. 263. Oxon, 1824?
In the first place, there appears to be some misprint, as "the whole charge or value" is put at 3114l. 0s. 5d., and "ordinary reprizes and allowances deducted" 3389l. 0s. 11d., and then "remain of rent of assize of the same bishopric" 2773l. 10s. 6d., which appears afterwards to be a misprint for 2775l., &c. What is "rent of assize?" is it the assessment of the bishopric for dues, rates, &c.? Also what is the meaning of "ob. q.," which is added after certain items?
Lastly, what is to be understood by the item "For ingrossing the great pipe," &c.? I should be much obliged by any explanation of these accounts.
H. C. K.
—— Rectory, Hereford.
White Livers.
—Can any correspondent give some information as to the popular superstition of white livers, or refer to any author that alludes to it in any way. In a recent account of poisonings in France, by a woman Named Helène Jagado, it is stated that though for a long time she was not suspected to be an actual murderess, yet "the frequency of deaths in the families by whom she was engaged excited a suspicion among the peasantry that there was something in her nature fatal to those who were near her; and they said that her liver was white, it being believed, in that part of France, that persons who are dangerous have white livers." In the midland counties there is a similar saying among the lower classes, and I have heard it said of an individual who had married and lost several wives by death, that he had a white liver. A young woman once told me that she had been advised not to marry a certain suitor, because he had a white liver, and she would be dead within a year. "White-livered rascal" is a common term of reproach in Gloucestershire. What is the origin and explanation of the supposed white liver?
AMBROSE FLORENCE.
Worcester.
Welsh Names Blaen.
—Can any of your correspondents tell the meaning of the word Blaen, which occurs so frequently in the names of places in Pembrokeshire, and perhaps other parts of Wales? Thus, there is Blaen-awen, near Monington; Blaen-argy, Blaen-pant, and Blaen-hafren, to the south of Hantwood; Blaen-yr-angell; Blaen-y-foss and Blaen-nefern near Penrydd; Blaen-dyffryn; and a great many more. It seems generally to be applied to farms.
α.
Jesuits.
—Can you give one any clue to the following line:
"Haud cum Jesu itis qui itis cum Jesuitis?"
A similar play on words was made a few years ago by an Italian professor in the university of Pisa. A large number of Jesuits made their appearance one day in his lecture room, as they believed that he was about to assail some favourite dogma of theirs. He commenced his lecture with the following words—
"Quanti Gesuiti sono all' inferno!"
When remonstrated with, he said that his words were
"Quanti—Gesu!—iti sono all' inferno!"
L. H. J. T.
"The right divine of Kings to govern wrong."
—Can any of your correspondents inform me the origin of the line "The right divine of kings to govern wrong?" It is in the Dunciad, book iv., placed in inverted commas. Is it there used as a quotation? and, if so, whence is it taken, or was Pope the original author of the lines?
SARPEDON.
[Our correspondent is clearly not aware that this line has already been the subject of much discussion in our columns. (See Vol. iii., p. 494.; Vol. iv., pp. 125. 160.) But as the Query has not yet been solved, and many curious points may depend upon its solution, we avail ourselves of SARPEDON'S inquiry to bring the matter again under the consideration of our readers.]
Valentines, when first introduced.
—The quantity and variety of Valentines which now occupy our stationers' windows suggest the Query as to their first introduction; whether originally so ornamental, and if by hand; when they first became printed, and what early specimens exist?
EXON.