In "NOTES AND QUERIES" (Vol. i., p. 198.) is inserted from Chambers' Edinburgh Journal an account of a manuscript volume said to have been found on the person of the Duke of Monmouth at the time of his arrest; which was exhibited by Dr. Anster at a meeting of the Royal Irish Academy, November 30, 1849, accompanied by some remarks, which appeared in the Proceedings of the Academy, vol. iv. p. 411., and which furnish the substance of the article in Chambers above mentioned. In a subsequent number of the "NOTES AND QUERIES" (Vol. i., p. 397.), the authenticity of the volume is somewhat called in question by MR. C. ROSS, on account of certain historical entries not appearing in it, which are printed by Welwood in his Memoirs[1], and stated to have been copied by him from "a little pocket-book" which was taken with Monmouth, and afterwards delivered to the King. Dr. Anster replied to this in the Dublin University Magazine for June, 1850 (vol. xxxv. p. 673.), and showed by references to the Harleian Miscellany (vol. vi. p. 322., ed. 1810), and Sir John Reresby's Memoirs (p. 121. 4to., 1734), that more than one book was found on the Duke of Monmouth's person when captured. In the former of these authorities, entitled An Account of the Manner of taking the late Duke of Monmouth: by his Majesty's command, printed in 1685, and perhaps compiled from information given by the king himself, the following statement is made:—
"The papers and books that were found on him are since delivered to his Majesty. One of the books was a manuscript of spells, charms, and conjurations, songs, receipts, and prayers, all written with the said late Duke's own hand. Two others were manuscripts of fortification and the military art. And a fourth book, fairly written, wherein are computes of the yearly expense of his Majesty's navy and land forces."
[1] Query, what is the date of the first edition of Welwood's work? The earliest in the Museum library is the third edition, printed in 1700.
It is remarkable that the "pocket-book" mentioned by Welwood is not here specified, but it is possible that the entries quoted by him may have been written on the pages of one of the other books. Two of the above only are noticed by Mr. Macaulay, namely, "a small treatise on fortification," and "an album filled with songs, receipts, prayers, and charms"; and there can be no reasonable doubt that the latter, which is mentioned by the author of the tract in the Harleian Miscellany, as well as by Reresby and Barillon, is the identical manuscript which forms the subject of Dr. Anster's remarks.
Within a few weeks this singular volume has been added by purchase to the National Collection of Manuscripts in the British Museum, previous to which I ascertained, by a careful comparison of its pages with several undoubted letters of the Duke of Monmouth (an advantage Dr. Anster did not possess), that the whole of the volume (or nearly so) is certainly in the Duke's handwriting. This evidence might of itself be deemed sufficient; but some lines written on the fly-leaf of the volume (which are passed over by Dr. Anster as of no moment) confirm the fact beyond all cavil, since, on seeing them, I immediately recognised them as the autograph of King James himself. They are as follows:
"This book was found in the Duke of Monmouth's pocket when he was taken, and is most of his owne handwriting."
Although the contents of this volume have been already described in general terms by Dr. Anster, yet it may not perhaps be uninteresting to give a more detailed list of what is written in it:—
1. Receipts "for the stone"; "to know the sum of numbers before they be writ doun"; "pour nettoyer l'ovrages de cuyvre argenté;" "for to make Bouts and Choos [Boots and Shoes] hold out water;" and "to keep the goms well."—pp. 1-4. 8.
2. Magical receipts and charms in French, written partly in an abbreviated form, accompanied by cabalistic figures. Two of these are to deliver a person out of prison, and are no doubt the same which Sir John Reresby refers to.—pp. 5. 7. 9. 11-17.
3. "The forme of a bill of Excheng," drawn on David Nairne of London, from Antwerp, May 16, 1684, for 200l. sterling.—p. 6.