—In The Blazon of Gentrie, by John Ferne, London, 1586, it is said (p. 248.):—
"If anie personne doth give, or by his testament shall bequeth money to build a temple, the walles of a city, port, a causey, churches, &c., he maye set his armes upon the same. If so be that he did this, of his owne free will and liberalitie. But if he did the same by compulsion (beeing for that purpose set unto some mulcte or fine, for his offence, and so constrained to make his redemption by the building or repayring of the like things), he may not set his armes in such publique workes, as that bishop was, which being condemned in the Præmunire, redeemed the punishment of that offence, by the glasing of the King's College chappell windowes in Cambridge, a glasse-work of worthy admiration."
Is there any foundation for this story, and who was the bishop?
C. W. G.
The King's Standard.
—Will some of your correspondents kindly inform me where I can meet with a drawing of this standard in blazon? The Relation of the King's setting up his Standard at Nottingham: 4to. Lond. 1642, gives an engraving of the same under the title; but I cannot trace the mode in which the banner in question was coloured.
AMANUENSIS.
James Wilson, M.D.
—In 1761 James Wilson, M.D., published in two volumes, octavo, a reprint of the mathematical tracts of his then deceased friend Benjamin Robins. To them he added an appendix containing a dissertation on the controversy about the invention of fluxions, which dissertation is very little cited. He makes various statements on his own authority, describing himself as having been the friend of Brook Taylor and of Dr. Pemberton. Among other things he furnishes something which might be cited in answer to my query in Vol. v., p. 103., affirming that all Collins's papers fell into Jones's possession about the year 1708. Dr. Wilson and Martin Folkes were joint executors of Robins, as the former states. Query, who was James Wilson, M.D.? What was his probable age in 1712? What means exist for forming an opinion as to his judgment and veracity, over and above his publications as aforesaid?
A. DE MORGAN.