Replies to Minor Queries.
Bishop Frampton (Vol. iii., p 261.).—For some account of this excellent man, see chapter xxxi. of Mr. Anderdon's Life of Bishop Ken, where are given some very interesting letters, that are printed from the MSS. in the possession of Dr. Williams, Warden of New College, Oxford. Frampton appears to have been at one time chaplain to the British Factory at Aleppo. Mandeville, in the Dedication prefixed to his Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem, makes honourable mention of him, and attributes the highly creditable character of the society to the influence of that incomparable instructor. When the funeral procession of Christian, Countess of Devonshire, halted at Leicester, on the way to Derby, a sermon was preached on the occasion by Frampton, who was then chaplain to the Earl of Elgin, the Countess's near relative. In sending these scraps, allow me to express the hope that Mr. Evans has not laid aside his intention of favouring us with a Life of Frampton.
E. H. A.
[We cordially join in the wish expressed by our correspondent, that the Vicar of Shoreditch will before long favour us with the publication of the manuscript life of this amiable prelate, written, we believe, by his chaplain. It appears to us doubtful whether the bishop ever published any of his sermons, from what he states in a letter given in the Appendix to The Life of John Kettlewell. "I have often," he says, "been in the pulpit, in season and out of season, and also bold and honest enough there, God be praised; but never in the printing-house yet; and believe I never shall be." The longest printed account of this deprived bishop is given in Rudder's History and Antiquities of Gloucester; and no doubt many particulars respecting him and other Nonjurors may be found in the Rawlinson MSS. in the Bodleian Library.]
Parochial Libraries (Vol. vi., p. 432; Vol. vii. passim).—At Dunblane the collection of books bequeathed by the amiable Leighton is still preserved. At All Saints, Newcastle-on-Tyne, I once saw, among some old books in the vestry, a small quarto volume of tracts, including Archbishop Laud's speech in the Star Chamber, at the censure of Bastwick, Burton, and Prynne. It had been presented by the Rev. E. Moise, M. A., many years lecturer of that church.
The old library at St. Nicholas, Newcastle-on-Tyne, contains many curious books and MSS., particularly the old Bible belonging to Hexham Abbey. This library was greatly augmented by the munificent bequest of the Rev. Dr. Thomlinson, rector of Whickham, prebendary of St. Paul's, and lecturer of St. Nicholas, who died at an advanced age, in 1748, leaving all his books to this church. In 1825 Archdeacon Bowyer presented a series of lending libraries—ninety-three in all—to the several parishes in the county of Northumberland.
They are in the custody of the incumbent for the time being. Lastly, there is a very valuable library at Bamburgh Castle, the bequest of Dr. Sharp: the books are allowed to circulate gratuitously amongst the clergy and respectable inhabitants of the adjoining neighbourhood.
E. H. A.
The Honourable Mrs. Dudleya North died in 1712. Her choice collection of books in oriental learning were "by her only surviving brother, the then Lord North and Grey, given to the parochial library at Rougham, in Norfolk, founded by the Hon. Roger North, Esq., for the use of the minister of that parish, and, under certain regulations and restrictions, of the neighbouring clergy also, for ever. Amongst these there is, in particular, one very neat pocket Hebrew Bible in 12mo., without points, with silver clasps to it, and bound in blue Turkey leather, in a case of the same materials, which she constantly carried to church with her.... In the first leaf of all the books that had been hers, when they were deposited in that library," was a Latin inscription, setting forth the names of the late owner, and of the donor of these books. (Ballard's Memoirs of British Ladies. 8vo. 1775, p. 286.)
Anon.