Minor Notes.
Bothwell's Burial-place.
—Bothwell was imprisoned in Seeland, in the castle of Draxholm, now called Adelersborg, near the town of Holbek. He died there, and was buried in the neighbouring village church of Faareveile, where I in vain have searched for this tomb or coffin. An old coffin, half opened, standing between several other old coffins in a vault below the floor of the church, certainly was said, according to tradition, to contain the body of Bothwell, but no inscriptions or other signs proved the truth of it.
J. J. A. WORSAAE.
Handel's Organ at the Foundling Hospital.
—It is generally understood that the organ in the chapel of this Institution was the gift of Handel. That great musician conducted a concert of sacred music upon the opening of the chapel in 1749, and superintended the annual performance of his oratorio, "The Messiah," from 1751 to 1759. In his will he left to the charity "a fair copy of the score, and all its parts," of the same oratorio; which score is still preserved, and has furnished the editor of the new edition, lately produced by the Handel Society, with several new and important readings.
Dr. Burney, in his "Sketch of the Life of Handel," prefixed to his Account of the Commemoration, 4to., 1785, says, "The organ in the chapel of this [i.e. the Foundling] hospital was a present from Handel." But how are we to reconcile this statement with the following, which I find in the European Magazine for February, 1799:
"Handel did not give the organ to the Foundling Hospital. It was built at the expense of the charity, under the direction of Dr. Smith, the learned Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, who added demitones, &c., and some of the niceties not occurring in other organs."
EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.
Correction to the "Oxford Manual of Monumental Brasses."
—Permit me to correct an error in the above carefully compiled and useful manual. On p. 15. of the "Descriptive Catalogue" a brass is described, No. 32. of their collection, to "Edward Peach, 1439;" no place is mentioned in connexion with this brass. The notice should stand thus:
"1839. Edward Peach, S. Chad's (R.C.) Church, Birmingham.
[+]
"Hic jacet dmus Edwardus Peach quondam rector istius ecclesie qui obiit die Nativitatis Beate Marie Virginis Anno Domini milessimo DCCCXXXIX," &c.
The brass is so well designed and executed, that it might easily pass for an old example. By some error "sācte" has been printed for "Beate," "millessimo" for "milessimo," and "CCCC" for "DCCC" in the Oxford version of the inscription.
W. SPARROW SIMPSON, B.A.
Milton's Rib-bone.
—In Vol. v., p. 275., mention is made of Cromwell's skull; so it may not be out of place to tell you that I have handled one of Milton's ribs. Cowper speaks indignantly of the desecration of our divine poet's grave, on which shameful occurrence some of the bones were clandestinely distributed. One fell to the lot of an old and esteemed friend, and between forty-five and forty years ago, at his house, not many miles from London, I have often examined the said rib-bone. That friend is long since dead; but his son, now in the vale of years, lives, and I doubt not, from the reverence felt to the great author of Paradise Lost, that he has religiously preserved the precious relic. It might not be agreeable to him to have his name published; but from his tastes he, being a person of some distinction in literary pursuits, is likely to be a reader of "N. & Q.," and if this should catch his eye, he may be induced to send you some particulars. I know he is able to place the matter beyond a doubt.
B. B.
Pembroke.