Minor Queries with Answers.
Bunyan's Descendants.—As a recent Query respecting John Bunyan may lead to some notices of his descendants, perhaps I may be informed in what edition of his works it is stated that a branch of his family settled in Nottingham? for I find in the burgess-roll of that borough that George Bunyan was entered freeman in 1752. William Bunyan, lieutenant in the navy, 1767; Thomas Bunyan, hosier, 1776. In event of the above story being verified, a pedigree may possibly be extracted hereafter from the parish registers of the town. As far as my own examination goes, the editions in the British Museum afford no corroboration to what I have heard.
Furvus.
Plumstead Common.
[We have been favoured with the following article on this subject from George Offor, Esq., of Hackney:
"Where are John Bunyan's Descendants?—It is natural to inquire after the ancestors and descendants of great men, although experience proves that intellectual greatness runs not in blood, for earth's great and most illustrious sons descended from and left descendants who merged among the masses of her little ones. Of his ancestors Bunyan boasted not, but pleaded with the readers of the first edition of his Sighs from Hell, 'Be not ashamed to own me because of my low and contemptible descent in the world.' From the life of the great dreamer, appended to my second edition of Bunyan's works (Blackie, Glasgow), it appears that he left three children: Thomas, a valuable member of his church; Joseph, who settled in Nottingham; and Sarah. Joseph is named by one of Bunyan's earliest biographers, who told his father that 'a worthy citizen of London would take him apprentice without money, which might be a great means to advance him; but he replied to me, God did not send him to advance his family, but to preach the Gospel.'
"The Rev. J. H. A. Rudd of Bedford and Elstow has most kindly searched the registers of Elstow and Goldington, and has discovered some interesting entries; and, as his numerous engagements will permit, he will search the registry of the parish churches in Bedford and its vicinity. Information would be most acceptable relative to Bunyan's father and mother, his two wives, and his children, John, Elizabeth, and Mary, who died in his life-time; and also as to Joseph. If your correspondent Furvus would search the registers at Nottingham, he might discover some valuable records of that branch of the family. Bunyan is said to have been baptized about 1653; and in the Elstow register it appears that his daughter Mary was registered as baptized July 20, 1650, while his next daughter, Elizabeth, is on the register as born April 14, 1654, showing the change in his principles, as to infant baptism, to have taken place between those periods. The family Bible given by John Bunyan to his son Joseph, now in my possession, confirms the statement verbally communicated to me by his descendant Mrs. Senegar, that her great-grandfather Joseph, having conformed to please his rich wife, was anxious to conceal his affinity to the illustrious tinker. The registers contained in it begin with Joseph's son Thomas and Susannah his wife, and it is continued to Robert Bunyan, born 1775, and who was lately living at Lincoln. I should be most happy to show the Bible and copies of registers in my possession to any one who will undertake to form a genealogy."
George Offor.]
Epigram on Dennis.—
"Should Dennis publish you had stabb'd your brother,