REPLIES.

LETTER ATTRIBUTED TO SIR R. WALPOLE.

There are many reasons, drawn from style and other internal evidence, which induce P.C.S.S. to entertain strong doubts as to the authenticity of the letter attributed to Sir Robert Walpole (and reprinted from Bankes) in No. 19. Among others it seems very unlikely that a prime minister, confidentially addressing his sovereign (and that sovereign George II.!) on a matter of the greatest import, would indulge in a poetical quotation. And it is remarkable that neither the quotation in question, not any thing at all resembling it, in thought or expression, is to be found in any part of Fenton's printed works. P.C.S.S. has carefully looked them over, in the editions of London, 1717, and of 1810 (Chalmer's Collection, vol. x.), and he cannot discover a trace of it. He had at first imagined that it might be successfully sought for in Fenton's admirable Epistle to William Lamborde (the Kentish antiquary), where there is a remarkably fine passage respecting flattery and its influences; but nothing at all like the quotation cited in the letter is to be found in that poem, which (par parenthèse) seems to have met with much more neglect than it deserves.

P.C.S.S. would further notice the great improbability that Walpole would committed himself in writing, even to his royal master, by such a display of perilous frankness, in treating of the private character and principles of his great rival. He must have been aware that the letter would, most probably, at the decease of the king (then advanced in life) have been found among his majesty's papers, and, with them, have passed into the hands of his successor, by whom it would undoubtedly have been communicated to the very individual with whom it so hardly dealt.

P.C.S.S.

COLLEGE SALTING.

The money collected at the Eton Montem, now wisely abolished, was called "salt." In the Consuetudinarium vetus Scholæ Etonensis, taken from a MS. in the library of Corpus, Cambridge, and the Harleian MS. 7044, p. 167., and printed by Professor Creasy in his Account of Eton College, p. 73. (from whose work I take the extract), the following passage occurs, under the head "Mense Januario." I would remark, that Montem was changed from January to Whit-Tuesday, about a hundred years since:—

"'Circiter festum Conversionis Divi Pauli ad horam nonam quodam die pro arbitrio moderatoris' (ex consueto modo quo eunt collectum Avellanas Mense Septembri), itur a pueris ad Montem. Mons puerili religione Etonensium sacer locus est; hunc ob pulchritudinem agri, amœnitatem graminis, umbraculorum temperationem, et Apollini et Musis venerabilem sedem faciunt, carminibus celebrant, Tempe vocant, Heliconi præferunt. Hic Novitii seu recentes, qui annum nondum viriliter et nervose in acie Etonensi ad verbera steterunt sale primo condiuntur, tum versiculis qui habeant salem ac leporem, quoad fieri potest egregie depinguntur. Deinde in recentes epigrammata faciunt, omni suavitate sermonis, et facetiis alter alterum superare contendentes. Quicquid in buccam venit libere licet effutire, modo Latine fiat, modo habeat urbanitatem, modo caveat obscœnà verborum scurrilitate, postremo et lacrymis salsis humectant ora genasque' et tune demum veteranorum ritibus initiantur. Sequuntur orationes et parvi triumphi, et serio lætantur, cum ob præteritos labores tum ob cooptationem in tam lepidorum commilitonum societatem."

It seems that "salting" was a sort of initiation, like that which prevails among our Teutonic brethren, where the "Fuchs" is raised to the sublime degree of a "Brandfuchs," "junge Bursch," "bemorstes Haupt," by successive promotions. Not improbably in after times, especially at the Universities, like "passing the Line," it admitted of being commuted for a money payment. The exact nature of the "salting" at Eton I cannot explain; perhaps your able correspondent, R.O., may afford information on this head.

C.R. SOC.

College Salting (no. 17. p. 261.).—I cannot but think that the asking for salt at the now abolished ceremony of the Eton Montem (whence also, as it is said, "Salt Hill" was named) must have been connected with the "College Salting." The salt, or money, then collected belonged, as is well known, to the head-boy who had "got Montem," as it (alas!) was called, and who was about to enter on his career (of course as a freshman) at Cambridge.

I would gladly, if permitted, draw the attention of your correspondents, who are considering the original subject, to the latter, by placing it in juxtaposition with "College Salting."

G.W.

Hamilton Terrace.

JUNIUS.

The questions asked by your correspondent "P." (No. 18. p. 172.) perplexed by their simplicity. The answer, if answer can be seriously required, was obvious. All that was ever urged in favour of every other claimant was against the claim of Sir George Jackson. Beyond this I know not what reply could be given. Emboldened by silence, "P." now proceeds (p. 276.) to adduce certain evidence which he supposes has some bearing on the question. "I possess," he says, "an unpublished letter by Junius to Woodfall, which once belonged to Sir George Jackson. My query is, 'Is it likely he would have obtained it from Junius, if he were neither Junius himself nor a party concerned?'" What can be the meaning of this, obtain from Junius a letter which Junius had sent to Woodfall? Why, it is obvious that Sir George must have obtained it as "P." obtained it—as all autograph collectors obtain their treasures—directly or indirectly, by gift or by purchase, mediately or immediately from one of the Woodfalls—probably from Henry Sampson Woodfall—probably from George Woodfall, who has recorded the fact that he lent one letter to a Mr. Duppa, which was never returned. "P." then proceeds a step further, and observes—"The manner in which Burke evades the question, as to himself being the author of Junius, makes me think two or three were concerned in these letters." Well, and it made others think so half a century or more since. The three Burkes have often been named—the Burkes again, with the assistance of Samuel Dyer: and Mr. Prior put forth a very reputable argument in favour of the claims of the Burkes, but it was delicate and died young. If your correspondent has nothing to urge in favour of this conjecture, why disinter it? "P.," however, has it in his power to do some service to the cause: let him send you, for publication, an exact copy of the Junius' letter, following carefully the spelling, the capital letters, the instructions, and even the punctuation.

Mr. John Sudlow's conjectures are still more simple. He evidently is not aware that when a public writer assumes a character he is bound to hold to it consistently; and that as "ATTICUS" was then writing on the subject of the national debt, and objecting to the financial policy of the minister, he naturally affected to be a fundholder, to be frightened, and to have, in consequence, removed his property. What a strange notion Mr. Sudlow must have of Steele and Addison, if he has read the The Spectator and The Tatler after this literal fashion. But I will not speculate on his speculations, but come to facts.

It is true that "amongst the letters attributed to Junius, and, in the opinion of Dr. Good, most certainly his production, is one signed Atticus," which your correspondent proceeds to quote, adding that it is "believed to be the first which appeared signed Atticus." This is really a little "too bad." It is known, and ought to have been known to your correspondent before he intermeddled, that Good, though he wrote so confidently in public, had "most certainly" very great doubts in private; that others who have examined the question have no doubt at all; and have, indeed, adduced such strong proofs against Good's conjectures, that the gentleman now engaged in producing a new edition of Good's work speaks, in the first volume, the only one yet published, of Good's "unhesitating affiliation" of these letters, and announces his intention of offering hereafter "strong proof" that the letters signed Poplicola, Atticus, and others, "were not written by Junius." That there may be persons who believe that the letter quoted was the first which appeared signed Atticus, I cannot deny; but all who are reasonably informed on the subject know that it is not so;—know, as stated not long since in the Athenæum, that letters signed Atticus appeared in the Public Advertizer from 1766 to 1773—possibly before and after—and that within that period there were at least thirty-seven letters published, from which Good was pleased to select four.

W.

WHITE HART INN, SCOLE.

Having an engraving of this sign, I am enabled satisfactorily to reply to Mr. Cooper's query (No. 16. p. 245.) respecting its existence. The engraving measures 17 inches and a half long, by 22 wide; it was "Published according to Act of Parliament May the 1st 1740." In the right-hand bottom corner appears "Jno Fessey Sculp.," and in the left "Joshua Kirby Delin^t." It is entitled, "The North East Side of y^e Sign of y^e White Hart at Schoale Inn in Norfolk, built in the year 1655 by James Peck, a Merchant of Norwich, which cost 1057l., humb^ly Dedicated to James Betts Gent by his most Obed^t Serv^t Harwin Martin." The sign springs on one side from a mass of masonry, and was joined to the house on the other: it was sufficiently high to enable carriages to drive under it. As it would trespass too much on your columns were I to particularise each of the figures, I will content myself with giving the printed explanation of them from the engraving, premising that each figure is numbered:—"1. Jonah coming out of the Fishes Mouth. 2. A Lion supporting the Arms of Great Yarmouth. 3. A Bacchus. 4. The Arms of Lindley. 5. The Arms of Hobart, now Lord Hobart. 6. A Shepherd playing on his Pipe. 7. An Angel supporting the Arms of Mr. Peck's Lady. 8. An Angel supporting the Arms of Mr. Peck. 9. A White Hart, with this Motto (this is the one which 'hangs down carved in a stately wreath')—'Implentur veteris Bacchi pinguisque ferinæ Anno Dom 1655.' 10. The Arms of the late Earl of Yarmouth. 11. The Arms of the Duke of Norfolk. 12. Neptune on a Dolphin. 13. A Lion supporting the Arms of Norwich. 14. Charon carrying a reputed Witch to Hell. 15. Cerberus. 16. An Huntsman. 17. Actæon [with three dogs, and this legend, 'Actæon ego sum Dominum cognoscite vestrum']. 18. A White Hart couchant [underneath appears in the engraving the artist's name—Johannes Fairchild struxit]. 19. Prudence. 20. Fortitude. 21. Temperance. 22. Justice. 23. Diana [with two greyhounds, one of whom is chasing a hare]. 24. Time devouring an Infant [with the legend, 'Tempus edax rerum,' below]. 25. An Astronomer, who is seated on a Circumferenter, and by some Chymical Preparation is so Affected that in the fine Weather he faces that Quarter from whence it is about to come." The whole sign is drawn by a scale of half an inch to a food, and most of the figures are of the size of life. On both sides of the engraving, but distinct from the sign, are seven coats of arms. Those on the right hand are: 1. Earl of Yarmouth. 2. Cornwallis impaling 1st and 4th Buckton, 2nd Unknown, 3rd Teye. 3. Castleton. 4. Unknown. 5. Mrs. Peck [these arms are wrongly blazoned by Blomefield; they are gules a fesse argent, between, in chief, two crescents, and in base, a lion passant guardant of the same]. 6. Great Yarmouth. 7. Unknown. The arms on the opposite side are: 1. Duke of Norfolk. 2. Hobart. 3. Bacon. 4. Thurston. 5. Mr. Peck impaling his wife [his arms, too, are wrongly blazoned; they should be—Or, on a chevron engrailed gules three crosslets pattee argent]. 6. Lindley. 7. Norwich.

Mr. Cooper will find a slight notice of this sign, both in Gough's Camden and in The Beauties of England and Wales; but both these are of later date than Mr. Cruttwell's Tour. I have only to add, that I should wish Mr. Cooper to see the engraving. I shall be very happy to send it by post for his inspection.

CRANMORE.

Parkership, Porkership, Pokership.—With every deference to the ingenious suggestions of Mr. Bolton Corney (No. 15. p. 218.), I think it will be found, on reference to the original documents, that "Pokership" is a misreading of the ancient writing for "Parkership." This question might be determined if any correspondent, acquainted with the present excellent arrangement of our records, could inform us whether the appointments under the old Earldom of March are extant. A large portion of Herefordshire was held under his tenure. Thomas Croft, of Croft, was, in 1473, "Parker" of Pembrugge, in that county: Rot. Parl. vi. 342. In 1485 John Amyas was, by the act of settlement made on the accession of Henry VII., continued in his office "of the kepyng of our chase of Moketree in Wigmoresland under the Erledom of Marche," and Thomas Grove "in the keepying of our chase of the Boryngwood in Wigmoresland and of the 'Poulterership' and keping of the ditch of the same."

In An Abstract of the late King's Revenues (printed 1651, 4to.) is this entry relating to Bringwood:—

"To Sir Robert Harley for keeping Boringwood alias Bringwood Forest Com. Heref. 6l. 2s. 8d. per ann., for the Pokership 30s. 5d. by the year, and for the keeping the forest of Prestwood 18s. by the year."

In a survey made of mocktree and Bringwood Forests in 1633, it is stated, that "these Forests are stately grounds, and do feed a great and large Deer, and will keep of Red and Fallow Deer two or three thousand at the least."

These enclosures were disafforested temp. Charles II., and they now form part of the Downton Castle Estate.

W.H.C.

Temple.

Porkership-Accept my best thanks for your ready insertion of my observations in No. 18.; but I regret to say that the printer has unfortunately made a mistake in one word, and that, as it mostly happens, the principal one, on which the gist of my illustration in regard to the Pokership depends. The error occurs in the extract from the Pipe Roll, where the word has been printed Parcario instead of Porcario; added to which the abbreviations in the other words are wanting, which renders the meaning doubtful. It should have been printed thus:—"Et [i+] li[b+]ae const Porcario de [h+]eford,"—being, in extenso, "Et in liberatione constat Porcario de Hereford." Showing that in early times there was a hog warden, or person who collected the king's hog-rent in Hereford. And further, Mr. Smirke's extract in No. 17. p. 269., shows that in Henry VIII.'s time the Porcarius had become Pocarius, the fee being within 1d. of the same amount as that paid in John's reign.

May I, under these circumstances, crave a short note in your next Number, correcting the oversight, so that my Porker may be set on his legs again?

P.S.—In reference to the claim, the name of the place should be Burnford, not Barnford.

T.R.F.

Spring Gardens, March 4, 1850.

REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES.

Coleridge's Christabel and Byron's Lara (No. 17. p. 262.).—What Christabel saw is plain enough. The lady was a being like Duessa, a Spenser; a horrible-looking witch, who could, to a certain degree, put on an appearance of beauty. The difference is, that this lady had both forms at once; the one in her face, the other concealed. This is quite plain from the very words of Coleridge.

The lifting her over the sill seems to be something like the same superstition that we have in Scott's Eve of St. John:—

I have no doubt that Lara is the Corsair; and Kaled Gulnare, from the Corsair: the least inspection is enough to show this. Ezzelin must also be Seyd; but that does not answer quite so well. All that there is to prepare it is, that Seyd is only left for dead, in a great hurry, and therefore might recover; and that he drank wine, and therefore might be of Christian extraction. In Lara he is described as dark; but his appearance is rather confusedly related, as if he never appeared but once, and yet Otho knows him, and he has a dwelling. The shriek is more difficult. There could be no meeting, then, between Ezzelin and Lara, because Ezzelin is surprised by meeting him at Otho's. Whether the shriek may not be owing to a meeting between Kaled and Ezzelin, is in not so clear. From the splendid description of her looking down upon him, it is not proved that she there saw him first; and Ezzelin never sees her at all there.

Nothing is more interesting than these mysteries left in narrative fictions. The story of Gertude, in that first of romances, the Promessi Sposi, is a very great instance; and the bad taste, of bringing her up again to the subject of a story by another writer, is so extreme, that I never could look into the book. That Mazoni has left the character, whom he calls the Innominato, in mystery, is historical, and not of his own contrivance.

I used to think that Scott had left the part of Clara, in St. Ronan's Well, intentionally mysterious, as to a most important circumstance; but we learn, from his Life, that he meant to have made that circumstance a part of the story, but was prevented by the publisher. It is natural that the altered novel, therefore, should retain some impressions of it. I refer particularly to the latter part of the communications between her and her brother. But the meeting between her and Tyrell in the woods, and their conversation there, I now think, forbid the reader to suspect any thing like what I speak of. In such cases I do not myself wish to know too much about the matter. Sometimes the author wishes you to have the pleasure of guessing, as I think, in Lara; sometimes he means to be more mysterious; sometimes he does not know himself. It would have been idle to have asked Johnson where Ajeet went to.

C.B.

Sir William Rider (No. 12. p. 186).—"H.F." will find some account of the acts and deeds of Sir Thomas Lake and Dame Mary Lake his wife in the 13th Report on Charities, p. 280, as to their gifts to Muccleston in Staffordshire. In the 24th Report, p. 300, as to Drayton in the same county. Dame Mary Lake was also a benefactor to the parish of Little Stanmore, see 9th Report, p. 271. See also Stow's Survey 593. (ed. 1633.)

H.E.

God tempers the Wind (No. 14. p. 211.; No. 15. p 236.).—The proverb is French: "A brebis tondue Dieu mesure le vent;" but I cannot tell now where to find it in print, except in Chambaud's Dictionary. That is why Sterne puts it into the mouth of Maria.

C.B.

Complutensian Polyglot.—"Mr. JEBB" asks (No. 14. p. 213.), "In what review or periodical did there appear a notice of the supposed discovery of the MSS. from which the Complutensian Polyglot was compiled?"

He will find an article on this subject in the Irish Ecclesiastical Journal for April, 1847; from which I learn that there was a previous article, by Dr. James Thomson, one of the agents of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in the Biblical Review, a London periodical publication. Dr. Thomson, if I understand the matter aright, professed to have found at Madrid the MSS., so long supposed to have been lost.

There is also an article on the same subject by Dr. Bowring, in the Monthly Repository, vol. xvi. (1821), p. 203.

Tickhill, God help me (No. 16. p. 247.).—Of Tickhill I know nothing; but Melverley in this county goes by the soubriquet of "Melverley, God help;" and the folk-lore on the subject is this:—Melverley lies by Severn side, where that river flows under the Breiddon hills from the county of Montgomery into that of Salop. It is frequently inundated in winter, and, consequently, very productive in summer. They say that if a Melverley man is asked in winter where he belongs, the doleful and downcast reply is, "Melverley, God help me;" but asked the same question in summer, he answers quite jauntily, "Melverley, and what do you think?" A friend informs me that the same story appertains to Pershore in the vale of Evesham. Perhaps the analogy may assist Mr. Johnson in respect to Tickhill.

Let me take this opportunity to add to my flim-flam on pet-names in your late Number, that Jack appears to have been a common term to designate a low person, as "every Jack;" "every man-jack;" "Jack-of-all-trades?" "Jackanapes;" &c.

B.H. KENNEDY.

Shrewsbury, Feb. 18.

Bishop Blaise (No. 16. p. 247.).—Four lives of the martyr Blasius, Bishop of Sebaste in Cappadocia, are to be found in the Bollandine Acta Sanctorum, under the 3rd of February. It appears that the relics and worship of this saint were very widely spread through Europe, and some places seem to have claimed him as indigenous on the strength merely of possessing one of his toes or teeth. The wool-comb was one of the instruments with which he was tortured, and having become a symbol of his martyrdom, gave occasion, it would seem, to the wool-combers to claim him as their patron, and to ascribe to him the invention of their art. See Ellis's Brand's Popular Antiquities, vol. i. pp. 29, 30; and query whether the veneration of St. Blaise by these artizans were not peculiar to England. Blasius of Sebaste is said to have been a physician; in consequence of the persecution raised by Diocletian, he retired to a mountain named Argæus, whither all the wild beasts of the country resorted to him, and reverentially attended him. But there is a legend of another Blasius of Cæsarea in Cappadocia, who is represented as an owner of herds (βουκολος), and remarkable for his charity to the poor. His herdsman's staff was planted over the spot where he was martyred, and grew into an umbrageous tree.

This variation of legends favours the idea that the cultus of Blasius was founded upon that of some deity worshipped in Cappadocia, whose rites and attributes may have varied in different localities.

C.W.G.

Sangred—Judas Bell.—"BURIENSIS" inquires (p. 124.) what sangred is. This term is noticed in Rock's Church of Our Fathers, t. ii. p. 372. In the very interesting, "Extracts from Church-warden's Accounts," p. 195., it is asked what "Judas' bell" was. I presume it to have been a bell named after, because blessed in honour of the apostle St. Jude, who, in the Greek Testament, in the Vulgate, and our own early English translations, as well as old calendars, is always called Judas, and not Jude, as a difference from Judas Iscariot.

CEPHAS.

La Mer des Histoires.—"MR. SANSOM" (No. 18. p. 286.) has inquired, What is known of Columna's book, entitled Mare Historiarum? Trithemius has made mention of the work (De Script. Eccles. DL.), and two manuscript copies of it are preserved in the Royal Library at Paris. (B. de Montfaucon, Biblioth. Bibliothecar. MSS. tom ii. p. 751. Par. 1739.) Douce very properly distinguished it from La Mer des Histoires; but, if he wrote "Mochartus," he was in error; for Brochart was the author of the Latin original, called Rudimentum Novitiorum, and published in 1475. As to the statement of Genebrard, that Joannes de Columna was the writer of the "Mater Historiarum," I should say that the mistake was produced by confounding the words Mer and Mere. Mr. Sansom may find all the information that need be desired on this subject in Quetif et Echard, Scriptores Ord. Præd. tom. i. pp. 418-20. Lut. Paris, 1719. (Vid. etiam Amb. de Altamura, Biblioth. Dominican. p. 45. Romæ, 1677; Fabricii, Bibl. Med. et Inf. Latin. i. 1133. Hamb. 1734.)

R.G.

"What are depenings?" (No. 18. p. 277.)

ED.