13. Vauxhall Gardens. A curious and highly interesting description of this popular place of amusement, "a century ago," was printed in 1745, under the title of A Sketch of the Spring-Gardens, Vaux-hall, in a letter to a Noble Lord, 8vo. My copy is much at Mr. Cunningham's service for any future edition of his Handbook.
Edward F. Rimbault.
DEVOTIONAL TRACTS BELONGING TO QUEEN KATHERINE PARR.
In your Number for August 10th, I observe an inquiry regarding a MS. book of prayers said to have belonged to Queen Katherine Parr. Of the book in question I know nothing, but there has lately come into my possession a volume of early English printed devotional works, which undoubtedly has belonged to this Queen. The volume is a small duodecimo, bound red velvet, with gilt leaves, and it has had ornamental borders and clasps of some metal, as the impressions of these are still distinctly visible upon the velvet covering. The contents of this volume are as follows:
1. "A sermon of Saint Chrysostome, wherein besyde that it is furnysshed with heuenly wisedome and teachinge, he wonderfully proueth that No man is hurted but of hym-selfe: translated into Englishe by the floure of lerned menne in his tyme, Thomas Lupsete, Londoner, 1534."
At the bottom of this title-page is written, in the well-known bold hand of Katherine Parr,—"Kateryn the Quene, K.P.," with the equally well-known flourish beneath.
2. "A svvete and devovte sermon of Holy Saynet Ciprian of mortalitie of man. The rules of a Christian life made by Picus, erle of Mirandula, both translated into Englyshe by Syr Thomas Elyot, Knyght. Londini, Anno verbi incarnati MDXXXIX.
3. "An exhortation to yonge men, &c., by Thomas Lupsete, Londener, 1534.
4. "A treatise of charitie, 1534.
5. "Here be the Gathered Counsales of Sainete Isidorie, &c., 1539.
6. "A compendious and a very fruitful treatise teaching the waye of dyenge well, written to a frende by the floure of lerned men of his tyme, Thomas Lupsete, Londoner, late deceassed, on whose sowle Jesu have mercy. 1541."
Almost all these treatises are printed by Thomas Berthelet. I know not if any of these treatises are now scarce. On the fly-leaf opposite the first page we find the following scriptural sentences, which are, in my opinion, and in that of others to whom I have shown the book, evidently written by the hand of the queen.
It will be only necessary to give the first and last of these sentences: