Page images
PDF
EPUB

his body was found entire, and solemnly translated to Canterbury. The King and Queen, and an incredible multitude of persons following the procession from London. A long narrative of the event is amongst the Harleian MSS.

When King Edmund was cruelly slain by the Danes in 870, his head was carried by the infidels into a wood, and thrown into a brake of bushes; but being afterwards discovered, it was deposited with the royal remains at Hoxon, which were soon afterwards conveyed to Bury St. Edmunds, and there honourably interred. Fifty-seven years rolled on, when his body was taken up by order of the good Bishop of London; on which occasion, says the author of Britannia Sancta, "his body, to the admiration of all, was not only found entire, and without any blemish of corruption, much more like to one lying in a sweet sleep than one dead; but also his wounds were found all closed up, and his head united to the rest of his body, only a slender mark remaining like a red thread around the neck, testifying their former separation." Yours, truly,

A BOOKWORM.

ARMS OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

Southwick, near Oundle,
Feb. 27th, 1852.

SIR,-The accompanying woodcut, taken from

Mannin, the Isle of Man, Mana, or Mona, may be thus divided, Man-n-in. Persian, māna, a sect of the Magi. Sanscrit, māna, to investigate, seek or desire knowledge, to give knowledge, to respect, revere, worship. A. Saxon mont-ige, Mona insula; monige, monitiæ; monigean, monere, to teach, instruct, &c." Gaelic, man-ach, a monk.

And lastly, let us not despise tradition, however absurd it may at first sight appear.

Among a few legends, I have been told one, probably imperfectly, by a lady; viz. “A man was thrown from the top of a mountain in Mona; and was afterwards, sometimes seen as a sheep in the plain below, sometimes as a goat." Will any person of Mannin veg veen do me the favour of giving the complete legend; with any other legend respecting the peopling of their island? It may throw more light on the peculiar occupation of the Magi. Your's truly,

T. R. BROWN.

G. W. fears, with regret, that the "PUNCH" Artist, to whom his learned Correspondent's sketch was forwarded to copy, has been more humourous than correct in its transfer.

DANIEL O'ROURKE.

Gesenii Monumenta
Phoenicia, Tab. 23, fig.
59, has induced me to
send you a description
The first time I read it was in T. C. Croker's "Fairy
of the remaining figures Legends," which appeared in 1825, 3 vols. small 8vo.;
of the precious frag-but what the editor or writer calls a compressed edition,
ment, and the history forms a volume of "Murray's Family Library,” and was
written underneath published in 1834. At page 134 of this latter edition
the story commences, as if narrated by Daniel himself,
and the writer says, "I knew the man well,-an old
man was he at the time he told me the story, and it was
on the 25th of June, 1813, that I heard it from his
own lips."

There is a sort of mystery attached to this legend or story, as to the authorship of it, that requires some clearing up.

them.

the stone

All this seems very circumstantial, but it is somewhat singular that this same story, with very slight variation, is to be found in the 18th volume of Dr. Anderson's Bee," for January, 1794, p. 338, the party communicating it, saying, "The inclosed is genuine, and I honour the lady who had the merit of putting it in writing."

The upper part of contained, probably, the infant Jesus and his mother Mary. Immediately beneath her feet is the figure here described; and below it is an ox at his manger; and underneath the feet of the ox, an ancient writing, of which the following is the meaning. The illuminated star (spica Virginis) of Virgo led" the Magi slowly to the inn filled within, and in the court-yard, with crowds of people. Arriving at the mean cattle-stable, the Magi were." The names of the three chiefs of the Magi in the place of the erasions? From a Mukatteb inscription I get the name of one of them, viz. "Nathan Hafi, the Grandfather."

66

Now what can the three legs, with the man's head in the middle denote, but the three chief's of the Magi? And how is it that the people of Mona adopted it as their peculiar coat of arms, if a portion of that sect did not establish themselves, after the nativity, in the isle of Mona? The passage in Matt. ii. 12, does not militate against the idea.

Let us now take that most valuable auxiliary, Etymology, in order that we may further elucidate the subject.

There is also some account of its previous publication, communicated in the 34th volume of the "Dublin University Magazine," p. 202, but not having the volume at hand, I do not recollect the particulars, my chief object being to refer to Prior's "Memoir of the Life of Burke," third edition, 1839, at p. 100 of which we are distinctly told that Mr. Doyle, a surgeon, of Dublin, was the author of Daniel O'Rourke's Dream.

Now it is right that the real author should not be deprived of the merit of a story, which has even been translated into French, and published in the "Magasin Pittoresque" for 1843, with two humorous wood cuts.

Oak House.

A.

FOR MARCH, 1852.

[ocr errors]

66

He,

LANCASHIRE AND THE HISTORIC SOCIETY OF TRADESMEN'S TOKENS. CHESHIRE.-T. M. considers the Rev. Dr. Hume's Dublin, March 5th, 1852. "attack upon him ("Current Notes," for February, SIR,-I was much pleased with the observations p. 10) to be "most unfair and uncalled for." which appeared in the last number of your Current however, admits the accuracy of Dr. Hume's statement, Notes, (p. 11) by your intelligent Correspondent, Mr. and withdraws his charge of the unacknowledged approBoyne of Leeds, respecting the tokens issued by trades-priation of his communication, although he questions men in the seventeenth century. But as he states that the Rev. Gentleman's taste or temper in accusing him My copy," writes the only instance with which he is acquainted of one of want of patience or civility. bearing the Arms of the Commonwealth is that which T. M. "does not contain the pages which were foryou have engraved to illustrate his paper, it is evident warded to you by Dr. Hume, and you have sent on to that Mr. Boyne cannot have seen Dr. Aquilla Smith's me. How, therefore, could I overlook pages which do Catalogue of the Tradesmen's Tokens current in Ireland not exist in my copy? Now, suppose no such pipe between the years 1637 and 1679 which was printed in ever existed, but in the fumes of my brain (for I some1849 in the 2nd part of the 4th volume (Svo.) of the times have strange fancies), and that I, in a hoaxing Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, for on the humour, transferred it to paper, and transmitted it to very same page in which John Whittle's issue is enuyou. I say, again, suppose that no such inn ever existed merated, a token for the County of Kerry issued by T. S. at Fulham as the Golden Lion-would not I have an is mentioned as bearing "The Commonwealth Arms." everlasting laugh at the learned Doctor Hume, and the From my own collection I can give another instance, Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, and inscribed on both sides A. CORKE. FARTHING.

years

The list of Irish Tokens formed by Lindsay in 1839 amounts to only 195; while that published ten afterwards by Dr. Smith extends to 552;-and I would respectfully call Mr. Boyne's attention to it.

Your very humble servant,

K. L.
Southwick, near Oundle,
Feb. 27th, 1852.
SIR,-Finding by Mr. Boyne's communication in
your Current Notes, that Tradesmen's Tokens are worth
collecting, I beg to send for your acceptance five dug up
in my own gardens. You may make what use you
please of them.

Yours truly,
T. R. BROWN.
IOHN. EATON. OUNDLE (dug up in my garden at
wick by myself.)
IAMES MEAD, 1667 (an Angel) IN TENTARDEN. HIS

HALFPENY.

[ocr errors]

Willis's Current Notes?" And would it not make as

good a story as Bishop Heber's, or James Smith's hoaxes
upon the venerable Gentleman's Magazine,' or Dr.
Maginn's Correspondence with the trusty Times;' or
Hook's political information to the Morning Post;' or
the recent Roman Bridge affair, and Lord Goring's
cobbler's bill, about his corns, in the York papers? Look
to this, Mr. Willis; and don't encourage men to try
of Corres-
and defend themselves at the expense your
pondent."

66

T. M.

TOBACCO.-The charge made against the Historical Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, by your correspondent T. M. in your "Current Notes" for January (p. 5), induced me to refer to the former numbers, of which, as I do not possess a complete set, I will thank you to forward me a copy of the Collected Edition you have South-announced. But, as by looking over the numbers which I have, I find that T. M. (see Current Notes" for Feb. 1851, p. 13), is curious upon the subject of smoking and tobacco, I send you the following extract from an old miscellaneous manuscript book which came into my possession a few years since at Gloucester, and has the dates 1699 and 1703, with the names Bubb or Butt and Richard Smith in it- but part of which is written in a much earlier hand.

IOHN COVITER (Coat of Arms) GROCER. IN. WYE, 1662,
And two German Counters.

Dug up in my garden at Woodchurch, near Tenterden, Kent, by myself.

G. W. sincerely thanks his Correspondent, and with his permission will consider these tokens at Mr. Boyne's service should he wish for them.

[blocks in formation]

"I was tempted to smoke no tobac
And to smoke.

"When the (HOLY) Angel (SPIRIT) torn'd I
Discorst on to the other

I told him that I

Did think not to smoke no more
Tobacko nor drink no more Alle
And I have. I hope the Lord
Will forgive me, as he told the
Spirit blind me, and ever since
I have been tempted to smoke and
Not to smok. The Angel Spirit
Is you when I do smok no tobac
But when I do he comes to me
Again and I am tempted to smok."

[blocks in formation]

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHEST PRICE EVER PAID for a Volume?—In the course of my reading lately on Bibliography, I observe that at the sale of the Duke of Roxburgh's Library in May, 1812, the first edition of the Decamerone of Boccaccio produced the enormous sum of £2260. In the Catalogue the work is entitled"Boccaccio il Decamerone. Fol. M. G. Ediz. Prim. Venet. Valdarfer, 1471."

It was bought by the Duke of Marlborough, and again sold by public auction from his Library, by Mr. Evans, Pall Mall, in June, 1819, for the large price of £918. 15s. In that Catalogue it is entitled

"Boccaccio il Decamerone, (Venezia), per Christoful Valdarfer di Ratispona, MCCCCLXXI.'

At this time it was purchased by Mr. Longman, apparently for Lord Spencer, in whose library it is said at present to be. A note to the above Catalogue mentions that, "notwithstanding the publicity of the extraordinary sum which this book produced at the Roxburgh Sale, all researches throughout Europe to procure another copy have proved entirely fruitless. This volume still continues to be the only known perfect copy of this edition, and is, in all probability, the only copy which will ever be offered for public sale. Its unparalleled rarity, however, is not its only recommendation, as it contains many important readings which have not been followed in any subsequent edition."

If any of your learned correspondents could give us additional information as to this rare and apparently valuable volume, it would be doubtless interesting to Bibliographers. Has any volume ever brought a higher price, or any work even in a series of volumes?

It is most probable that the other copies of this Edition have fallen under the ban of the Pope.

W. B. M.

JAMES SMITH. The mention of this gentleman by your Correspondent J. in your " Current Notes" for January (p. 7), reminds me that no author in the English language ever received so high a remuneration per line" for his verses as James Smith. Longman's famous payment to Moore of a guinea a line for "Lalla Rookh" is as nothing to it, for Mr. Strachan, the King's printer, was so pleased with an epigram by Smith of eight lines, that he actually, in a codicil to his will bequeathed him £3000, or £375 per line.

R. S.

O. SMITH! The name of the "far famed Ruffian of the Adelphi," as your Correspondent, Mr. John Smith, in your Current Notes for January last, p. 7, is pleased to style a gentleman of quiet habits and literary tastes, whose real Christian names, are Richard John-the O

[blocks in formation]

SIR,-I thank you for amending the errors and omissions about the Bawdrick, though at the cost of publishing to all the world that "my writing is indistinct." I also thank your Strood Correspondent for his extract from an old Churchwarden's book, bearing on the item Baldrick.

I would request the favour of any of your readers who have access to old parish accounts, to publish, through the medium of your "Current Notes," (pace tuâ) any entry relating to that item, or to the “ Wheles of ye Belles."

It is a desideratum in Campanalogical history, when and by whom the ingenious and beautiful Bell-wheel now in use was first introduced. In some retired villages, and indeed very generally in Dorsetshire, the half wheel may still be found. Bells so hung and rung, are said to be with a Dead Rope." The Bell can only be "set" one way, and changes could not be rung on the system now practised, viz. changing the position of each bell at every half pull.

66

The mention of this original sort of wheel may induce some of your readers to wend their way into the Bellchambers in their neighbourhood, and, regardless of the filthy state in which most will be found when they get there, they will, perhaps, crawl under the bells (minding their heads), and hunt out and report if they meet with any clappers hung with Bawdricks and Busk Boards, obliging many others besides your scribbler. H. T. E.

Feb. 26, 1852.

THE UNION JACK.

SIR, I have met in some collection of National papers with an account of the formation of our British Union Jack; but the book has altogether escaped my memory. Can you or your readers kindly name it, to yours, &c. H. M.

London, Feb. 17, 1852.

PILLAR PRINT OF OLIVER CROMWELL.

very

ROMAN REMAINS AT ASHTEAD, Surrey.

A Subscriber writes-"I am not aware that this lo

cality has
received

from Mr.
Roach

SIR,-All I can tell your correspondent, "A Young Print and Portrait Collector," in reply to his inquiry, p. 7, in your "Current Notes" for January, is, that I hope I may congratulate him on the possession of a valuable and historically interesting engraving. Horace Walpole mentions it as in " Dugdale's Ori-Smith, the gines Juridiciales," and describes it as "a large emble-eminent matic sheet print of Oliver Cromwell, whole-length, in Antiquary armour, with variety of devices and mottoes."-Proof. Granger describes it thus: "Oliver Cromwell standing with a book in his hand betwixt two pillars; various emblems. Faithorne, sc. sh." And Granger adds: "I do not remember to have seen more than two proofs of this fine print. Mr. Walpole had one, and Mr. Gulston another. Mr. Bull has the original drawing. The face was altered to that of King William."

A manuscript note upon my interleaved copy of Granger, which you may remember I purchased of you, states that," Caulfield had not less than ten or twelve of this print, but in consequence of the size they were mostly damaged: Coram had a tolerable good one which he sold to Mr. Townley for thirty guineas." Caulfield, who was a well known print dealer, says in his "Calcographiana," (1814), "The late Mr. Bull shewed me Faithorne's original drawing, from which he engraved the print, and a most brilliant proof impression; from him I also learnt the face was afterwards altered to that of William III., in which state, however, I never saw it." He describes the print as "Oliver Cromwell standing between two pillars, inscribed the EMBLEM OF ENGLAND'S DISTRACTIONS AS ALSO HER ATTAINED AND FURTHER HAPPINESS:' large sheet,;" and values the print at no less a sum than £36. This was all very well for a dealer's valuation; however, if your correspondent will refer to the records of the Strawberry Hill Sale, he will find in the Sixth Day's Sale of the Prints, (18th June, 1842), that mentioned by Granger, Lot. 761. Oliver Cromwell, whole-length, in armour, standing between two columns, and otherwise surrounded by a variety of allegories and emblematic devices, entitled, THE EMBLEME OF ENGLAND'S DISTRACTIONS, AS

best

in fact our authority upon Roman mainsthat atten

re

tion which

of

I am convinced it deserves. The arch of a small window on the North side Ashtead Church is turned with Roman tiles, and a variety interesting fragments have been found in the vicinity-particularly

of

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

portions of a Hypocaust, of one of which you have a
representation half the size of the original-the subject
F. K.
is evidently a wolf attacking a stag."

ALSO OF HER ATTAINED AND FURTHER EXPECTED
FREEDOME AND HAPPINESS: sheet, extra rare ;" which
Mr. Evans, (a dealer also), then secured for £7 15s.
The discrepancies between the two Inscriptions appear
to me to be worthy of remark, and if both have been
correctly copied, with what has been stated respecting
the appropriation of the head to William III., would
shew that the plate had been altered more than once."
The original plate is supposed to have been engraved by
Faithorne, while a prisoner in London (for his adherence
to the cause of Charles I., and to have been so favourably
received by the Parliamentary party as to have occa-
sioned his liberation; and the alteration of the head is
attributed to his son, William Faithorne, who was an
engraver also.

Mr. Willis.

A COLLECTOR.

THE DEVONSHIRE COLLECTION.

Castle, 16th January, 1852.

SIR,-I rather think the Devonshire Collection is either at the Duke's residence at Chiswick or Chatsworth. But your correspondent, (who signs himself A Young Numismatist," p. 95, of your "Current Notes" for December), would be best answered if inquiry were made at the fountain-head; for a more amiable or kinder-hearted nobleman does not exist, than his Grace the Duke of Devonshire. Is your correspondent quite sure, however, that the Collection is Numismatic? I know the Duke of Devonshire has an invaluable Collection of Antique Gems, both Cameo and Intaglio. Your obedient Servant,

Mr. Willis.

B.

[ocr errors]

ROWLAND HILL AND THE PENNY POSTAge.

Bristol, 5, Lodge Street,
February 26th, 1852.

SIR,-Seeing that the inquiry made by your Correspondent, I. E.,. and which appeared in your "Current Notes" for January last, p. 6, in a paragraph entitled, Rowland Hill and the Penny Postage," has not been answered in the "Current Notes," for this month, I will inform you that the traveller mentioned in that paragraph was not Rowland Hill, but Coleridge. The fact was mentioned by Mr. Commissioner Hill (brother to Rowland Hill), in the last of two lectures, which he gave at the Bristol Philosophical Institution, on the evening of the 29th ultimo, "on Postal Arrangements," which I attended. An extract of the Lecture is to be found in the Bristol newspapers, and especially in the Times and Gazette, from which I copy the portion which has reference to the " "Inquiry:"

"Many instances were related of the uselessness of the Post-office of those days to the poor; and the Lecturer took occasion to remark how often we were wrong and selfish in measuring any expense by our shillings and pence, forgetting that these nothings to us were pounds to the poor. Amongst other instances he referred to one mentioned in the Autobiography of Coleridge, who, whilst travelling, observed the postman offering a letter to a poor woman, urging upon her the necessity of taking it in, as it was evidently from her son. The poor woman refused; she could not afford it; but Coleridge charitably paid the shilling for her, and the postman left, when the woman expressed her grateful thanks, but was sorry he had wasted the shilling, for it was only a blank sheet addressed by her son, as a means of informing her he had reached his destination safely. Hundreds of such expedients were then employed, nor could it be wondered at."

If this communication can be of any use for your "Current Notes," it will give great pleasure, Sir, to Your subscriber,

BISHOP GIBSON.

F. S. DONATO.

London, Feb. 11, 1852.

SIR,-I will be much obliged to any of your correspondents who can inform me to whom Edmund Gibson, the Bishop of London, and a great authority on ecclesiastical laws, was married? and, if possible, the date of such marriage. The biographies of him which have fallen under my notice, have named no domestic circumstances but those of parentage and infancy. I think he died in 1745.

Your obedient servant,

GENEALOGIST.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

This word, thus written, is a charm for fever or ague, still used by some superstitious persons; it was invented by Basilides, of Alexandria, in the beginning of the 2nd century, to signify the 365 divine processions which he invented, (see Moreri); the value of the letters according to the Greek numbers, make 365 thus:

A. B. P. A. E. A. 2. Abraxas.

1. 2. 100. 1. 60. 1. 200. 365. Abraxas was a deity adored by the author, and was the root of his charm, as the more mysterious they were the more serviceable they were considered.

The mode of cure described in these verses, viz.
Inscribes Chartæ quod dicitur Abracadabra
Sæpius, et subter repetes, sed detrahe Summam,
Et magis atq. magis desint elementa figuris
Singula qua semper capies, et cætera figes
Donec in augustum redigatur Litera Conum.
His lino nexis collum redimere memento.
Talia languentis conducent vincula collo,
Lethalesq. abigent (miranda potentia) morbos.

ARCHEOLOGY.-Numerous Archæological Societies now exist in different parts of England, of a local character, as in Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex, Cheshire; and from the Councils of which some printed volumes of Transactions have issued, as appears by occasional references in the public prints. If any of your corresG. W.'s Correspondent will find it stated in Faulk-pondents have the means of supplying, through your ner's History of Fulham, that "the Bishop died at "Current Notes," a list, or short account of the titles Bath, September 6, 1748, aged 79, and was buried at and number of volumes published, it would not only be Fulham. He married the sister of the wife of Dr. interesting, but a very useful contribution to the current Bettesworth, Dean of the Arches, who died suddenly knowledge of the day, and by the publicity promote in her chair, December 28, 1741, and by whom he had their sale, for we folks in the South know but little of several children." what is doing in the North, East, or West. S. E.

« PreviousContinue »