—— Rectory, Hereford.
Book-plates (Vol. iii., p. 495.; Vol. iv., pp. 46. 93.).
—An instance of what may be considered as an early example of a book-plate, occurs pasted upon the fly-leaf of a MS. in the College amongst Philpot's Collections (marked P. e. 15.), being an engraving of a blank shield, with a helmet and lambrequin, and a compartment for the motto; the whole surrounded by a border ornamented with flowers; altogether well engraved. The shield contains six quarterings, very neatly sketched with pen and ink; and the helmet is surmounted by a crest, also neatly sketched. In the upper part of the border, occupying a space evidently intended to be filled up, is the autograph of "Joseph Holand;" while a similar space in the lower part contains the date of "1585" in the same hand, in which also the motto "Fortitudo mea Deus," is written within the compartment above mentioned. The following, which is a collateral proof of the age of the book-plate, is likewise an autograph title to the MS.:
"In this booke are conteyned the armes of the nobylytye of Ireland and of certeyne gentilmen of the same countrye. Joseph Holand, 1585."
This Joseph Holand was father of Philip Holand, who was Portcullis tempore James I., and Gibbon, Bluemantle, says he was a "collector of rarities."
By the kindness of an antiquarian friend I have three impressions of different book-plates of the celebrated Pepys. I am not aware that they are rare; but one is curious, as consisting merely of his initials "S. P." in ornamented Roman capitals, elegantly and tastefully interlaced with two anchors and cables, with his motto in a scroll above them.
THOMAS WILLIAM KING, York Herald.
College of Arms.
Sermon of Bishop Jeremy Taylor (Vol. iv., p. 251.).
—I beg to acknowledge the favor of MR. CROSSLEY'S communication (which, from an accident, I have only just seen) respecting a sermon of Bishop Taylor's, and to inform him that I have been intending to produce it in the concluding volume (vol. i. of the series), which will contain several small pieces. I have been aware of the existence of it from the first, the volume in question being in the Bodleian Catalogue.