WILLIS'S CURRENT NOTES: A SERIES OF ARTICLES ON Antiquities, Biography, Beraldry, Bistory, Languages, Literature, Natural Bistory, Curious Customs, Kr., SELECTED FROM ORIGINAL LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS ADDRESSED DURING THE YEAR 1855, TO THE PUBLISHER, GEORGE WILLIS, GREAT PIAZZA, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON. MDCCCLVI. Aberdeenshire benefactions, 72 Adair, Sir Rob., writer in Rolliad, 83. Adamson, Sonnet on loss of Library, Ambry in Airlie kirk, 3, 10. Colburn personalty, 84. Concordance, the earliest English, 8. Amadis de Gaule, early editions, 95-96, Constable's White Horse, 28. American Presidents, 22. 40. Assuanlee Cup, 51. Atossa, characterised by Pope, 14. Bell inscriptions, 19, 30, 85. Bell marks, 29. Best's Poems? 20; reply, 27. Biographical History suggested, 34. Black-book of Scone, 4. Blenheim palace stone, 79. Churchyards, north side unhallowed, Clever, uses of the word, 23, 38, 47. Copernicus opposed to the Bible, 88. Cur morietur Homo, etc? 44; replies, Cutler's poetry? 56; replies, 56, 66, Dante, Paradiso, quoted, 97. Edmondson's Manuscripts? reply, 47. Exeter Change? reply, 31. Feast of Tabernacles? reply, 35. Grotesque in Churches, 42. Invocation to the Virgin, 56, 63, 64, Ipswich Arms grant, 80. Madron Well chapel? 85; replies, 93, Pope's Last hours, 31. 94. Mai, Cardinal, Vatican Librarian, 31. Mary I., legend on coins, 1. Marie Antoinette, correspondence? 25. Melbourne, lines on a bed? reply, 50. Mixed Alphabets, 2. Newspaper, its universality, 71. Adair, Sir Robert, 83. Brown, James, Boston, 32. Burns' Jessy Lewars, 45. Mitford, Mary Russell, 5. Rogers, Samuel, 100. Porcelain, Chinese, 59-60. Rex Anglorum, see Schola Salernitana. Rundale land tenure ? 81. Sainthill medal described, 66. *Samian ware bowl, 21. Sardinian motto explained, 94. Shropshire belfry rhymes, 19. Strutt's Queen Hoo Hall? 8. Tiled in, origin of phrase? reply, 58. Tomb of Juliet, 14-16. Tottleben, letter respecting, 90-91. Schola Salernitana, 54, 55, 60, 73, 74, Unicorn in heraldry? 56; reply, 70. 89. Scold presentment, 98, Scotland's hills, 13. *Scottish 'yets' or gates, 61, 71. Seals, silk interwoven? reply, 48. Veritas Temporis Filia, 1. *Verona, Tomb at, 15. Victory, or Westminster Abbey ! 20. Wayside crosses ? 38; replies, 46, 47. Wigs, their disuse? 85. No. XLIX.] WILLIS'S CURRENT NOTES. (JANUARY, 1855. "Takes note of what is done- PAINTER'S PALACE OF PLEASURE. SHAKESPEARE borrowed largely from this rich storehouse of "Pleasant Histories and Excellent Novels, Tragicall Matters, and other morall Argument," for the plots of his dramas, or the enrichment of his incidents; and there are few books in early English literature, so attractive in their import, or more difficult to obtain in a clean, sound, and unexceptionable condition than the volumes under notice. A circumstance which adds to its rarity, and consequently the difficulty of obtaining the two volumes, either together, or in a co-equal condition, is the fact that each were printed at separate times. The first was printed in 1566, again in 1569, and again in 1575. The second in 1567, and again in 1580, but the title is not dated. | The Harleian copy, which is noticed in Oldys' Catalogue of that superb, nay, national library, after it was purchased by Thomas Osborne, at Gray's Inn Gate, for 13,000/., a much less sum than had been expended on the binding of a portion, was formed of the editions, vol. I. 1575, and vol. II. 1567. See Catalogue, 1744, vol. III., Romances and Novels, numb. 6375. The binding red morocco, with richly tooled corners. Whether Mr. Hans Stanley was then purchaser or not, does not appear, but he presented the work to the immortal Garrick, with these lines inscribed on the fly-leaf of the first volume From these dark Legends of a barbarous age, 'Twas thine, O GARRICK, in each lofty part, VERITAS TEMPORIS FILIA. YOUR Correspondent, M. R. C., asks why Queen Mary the First adopted this motto as a legend on her coins. adding that it was one to which Mary at no period of her life was entitled." It must not be assumed that the Sovereign ever suggests a legend for the coinage, on the contrary, she, or he, merely approves or rejects what the Master of the Mint, or the designer of the medal, under the sanction of the Lords of the Treasury, may have proposed. The legend on the shillings of her predecessor, King Edward the Sixth, is TIMOR DOMINE FONS VITE, the family motto of the Butlers, Earls of Dunboyne; and the present Earl informed the writer that one of his ancestors was Master of the Mint in the reign of that Prince, and as a record of the fact placed his own motto on the coinage. May not that of Queen Mary have had some similar origin? It is much the fashion to imagine a Popish origin for every event of Mary's reign, and Mr. Hawkins, in his Silver Coins of England, ventures on this conjectural explanation : "The motto was adopted by the persuasion of her Romish clergy in allusion to her endeavours to restore the abominations of Popery, which had been in a great degree suppressed by her predecessors." B. N. The inconsistency of this assertion will be apparent in reverting to facts. Sir James Butler, who married Joan, daughter of Pierce Butler, Earl of Ormonde, died in Jan. 1533,leaving Edmund his son and heir, ennobled in 1541 by King Henry the Eighth, as Baron Dunboyne. It is true, the armorial motto appears to be TIMOR DOMINI FONS VITE, and that legend is attached to the shillings of King Edward the Sixth, from 1547 to 1551, but not the slightest evidence is to be found that connects Lord Dunboyne with the mint affairs of either monarch, in England or Ireland, in which latter country he.seems to have been a resident, and married Julia, who after a month's marriage, was the widow of Gerald the red haired,' fifteenth baron Kerry killed in Desmond, August 1, 1550. Edward, Baron Dunboyne, was deceased in 1566. The legend on the shillings of Edward the Sixth was dexiv. 27. The editions by Henry Stephens, of Paris, being then very popular among the Reformers.-Ed. Below these dedicatory lines, Garrick, thus highly rived from the Vulgate version of the Bible, Proverbs, complimented, wrote The above lines were written by Mr. Hans Stanley, who gave me this book. D. G. Upon Mrs. Garrick's decease, the library of her husband was dispersed by public auction, when this copy was purchased by Mr. Jolley for 281. 17s. 6d., and on the 16th inst. was, in the last day's sale of his books, purchased by Mr. Lilly for 187. VOL. V. |