Use of Tobacco before the Discovery of America (Vol. iv., p. 208.).—Sandys, in the year 1610, mentions the use of tobacco as a custom recently introduced, at Constantinople, by the English. (See Modern Traveller.) Meyen, however, in his Outlines of the Geography of Plants, as translated for the Ray Society, says:
"The consumption of tobacco in the Chinese empire is of immense extent, and the practice seems to be of great antiquity; for on very old sculptures I have observed the very same tobacco pipes which are still used. Besides, we now know the plant which furnishes the Chinese tobacco: it is even said to grow wild in the East Indies. It is certain that the tobacco plant of Eastern Asia is quite different from the American species."
This is the opinion of a botanist at once distinguished for extensiveness of research and accuracy of detail; although Mr. J. Crawford, in a paper read before the Statistical Society, on the 15th of November, 1852, seems to incline to a contrary notion. It is, however, necessary to remark that his facts tend rather to elucidate the statistics of the plant than its natural character, so that Meyen's opinion must, I think, stand good until it be disproved.
Seleucus.
Oldham, Bishop of Exeter (Vol. vii., p. 189.).—Perhaps it may help J. D. in his difficulty touching the difference between the coat of arms borne by Oldham, Bishop of Exeter, and that borne by the Oldham family at Hatherleigh, to be informed of what I believe he will find, upon inquiry, to be the fact, viz. that Laing was the original name of the present family of Oldham at Hatherleigh; and that, consequently, the arms of Laing may possibly still be borne by them.
* *
Oxford.
Bishop Hugh Oldham, B.C.L., was one of the family of Oldenham, of Oldenham, co. Lancaster, which gave for arms, Sable, between three owls arg., a chevron or: in chief, of the third, three roses, gules. Richard Oldham, Bishop of Sodor, was Abbot of Chester in 1452.
Hugh was born in Goulburn Street, Oldham, and educated at Exeter College, Oxford, and at Queen's College, Cambridge: he was Rector of St. Mildred's, Bread Street, Sept. 19, 1485; Swineshead, February 3, 1493; Wareboys, March 31, 1499; Shitlington, August 17, 1500; Vicar of Cheshunt, July 27, 1494; Overton, April 2, 1501; Canon of St. Stephen's, Westminster, 1493; Prebendary of South Aulton in Sarum, September, 1495; of Newington in St. Paul's, March 11, 1496; of South Cave in York, August 26, 1499; Archdeacon of Exeter, February 16, 1503; Chaplain to Margaret, Countess of Richmond, and Master of St. John's, Lichfield, 1495; and St. Leonard's Hospital, Bedford, January 12, 1499.
He was the founder of Manchester High School, and was consecrated between December 29 and January 6, 1504. He was a great benefactor to Corpus Christi College in Oxford; and the intimate friend of Bishop Smyth, co-founder of Brasenose College, with whom he had been brought up in the household of Thomas, Earl of Derby. He died June 25, 1519, and was buried in St. Saviour's Chapel in Exeter Cathedral.