Queries.
Reading edition
EARL OF LEICESTER'S PORTRAIT, 1585.
There is at Penshurst, among many other interesting memorials of the Dudleys, an original portrait of Elizabeth's Earl of Leicester, with the following painted upon it: "Robert, E. of Leicester, Stadtholder of Holland, A.D. 1585." After this comes the ragged staff, but without its usual accompaniment, the bear. Under the staff follow these enigmatical lines, which I request any of your correspondents to translate and explain. I send you a translation in rhyme; I should thank them the more if they would do the same: as to explanation, the longer the better.
"Principis hic Baculus, patriæ columenque, decusque, Hoc uno, ingratos quo beet, ipse miser." This ragged staff by Leicester's potent hand, Brought succour, safety, to this threaten'd land: One thing alone embitters every thought, He to ungrateful men these blessings brought.
Now for a word of commentary: and first as to "Stadtholder of Holland, A.D. 1585." The good woman who showed the picture informed us that it was painted by order of the stadtholder, and presented to Leicester; if so, there would have been a jussu provinciarum fœderatarum depictus, or something of that sort; but no such compliment was to be expected from the Dutch, for they hated him, complained of his conduct, memorialised the queen against him: see the pamphlets in the British Museum, 4to. 1587, C. 32. a. 2. But though it was most unlikely that the Dutch or their stadtholder should have presented this picture to Leicester, it well accorded with Leicester's vanity and presumption, and still more with that vanity and presumption as displayed in his conduct as commander-in-chief of the forces in Holland, to call himself The Stadtholder, and to order his painter to put that title under his portrait.
The verses may now be referred to in support of this view of the subject. Leicester therein represents himself as unhappy, because he had bestowed blessings on the ungrateful Dutch.
In conclusion, take the following full-length portrait of Leicester's indignation (Leicester, a Belgis vituperatus, loquitur):
"This ragged staff my resolution shows, To save my Queen and Holland from their foes: Still deeply seated in my heart remains One cause, one fruitful cause, of all my pains; 'Tis base ingratitude—'tis Holland's hate. My presence sav'd that country, chang'd its fate. But the base pedlars gain'd my sov'reign's ear, And at my counsels and my courage sneer; They call me tyrant, breaker of my word, Fond of a warrior's garb without his sword. A servile courtier, saucy cavalier, Bold as a lion when no danger's near, They say I seek their country for myself, To fill my bursting bags with plunder'd pelf; They say with goose's, not with eagle's wing, I wish to soar, and make myself a king. Dutchmen! to you I came, I saw, I sav'd: Where'er my staff, my bear, my banner wav'd, The daunted Spaniard fled without a blow, And bloodless chaplets crown'd my conquering brow. Dutchmen! with minds more stagnant than your pools, (But in reproachful words more knaves than fools), You will not see, nor own the debt you owe To him who conquers a retreating foe. Such base ingratitude as this alloys My triumph's glory, and my bosom's joys."
V. T.
Tunbridge Wells.
EARLY USE OF TIN.
Mr. Layard, in his work upon Nineveh and Babylon, in reference to the articles of bronze from Assyria now in the British Museum, states, that the tin used in the composition was probably obtained from Phœnicia; and, consequently, that that used in the Assyrian bronze may actually have been exported nearly three thousand years ago from the British Isles.
The Assyrians appear to have made an extensive use of this metal; and the degree of perfection which the making of bronze had then reached, clearly shows that they must have been long experienced in the use of it. They appear to have received what they used from the Phœnicians. When and by whom was tin first discovered in our island? Were the Celtic tribes acquainted with it previously to the arrival of the Phœnicians upon our shores?
It is said that the Phœnicians were indebted to the Tyrian Hercules for their trade in tin; and that this island owed them its name of Baratanac, or Britain, the land of tin. Was the Tyrian Hercules, or, as he was afterwards known and worshipped, as the Melkart of Tyre, and the Moloch of the Bible, was he the merchant-leader of the first band of Phœnicians who visited this island? When did he live?
G. W.
Stansted, Montfichet.
ST. PATRICK—MAUNE AND MAN.
Amongst the many strange derivations given of the name of Mona or Man (the island), I find one in an old unpublished MS. by an unknown author, of the date about 1658, noticed by Feltham (Tour through the Isle of Man, p. 8.), on which I venture to ground a Query. The name of the island is there said to have been derived from Maune, the name of the great apostle of the Mann, before he received that of Patricius from Pope Celestine.
I may as well notice here that amongst the many ways in which the name of this island has been pronounced and spelt, that of Maun seems to have prevailed at the period of the Norwegian occupation. On a Runic monument at Kirk Michael, we have it very distinctly so spelt.
With regard to the name Mona, applied both to Man and Anglesea, I have little doubt we may find its root in the Sanscrit man, to know, worship, &c., whence we have Manu the son of Brahma, Menu, Menes, Minos, Moonshee, and Monk. The name Mona would seem to have been applied to both islands, as being specially the habitation of the Druids, whose name probably came either from the Celtic Trow-wys, wisemen, or the Saxon dru, a soothsayer, very close in signification to the Sanscrit mooni, a holy sage, learned person. As connected with this idea I may ground another Query: Might not these two Monas, the abode of piety and wisdom, be the true, μακαρων νησοι, the Fortunatæ Insulæ of the ancients?
J. G. Cumming.
Castletown.
PASSAGE IN BINGHAM.
Mr. Richard Bingham, whose new and improved edition of his ancestor's works is now printing at the Oxford University Press, would feel sincerely obliged to any literary friend who should become instrumental in discovering the following passage from one of the sermons of Augustine:
"Non mirari debetis, fratres carissimi, quod inter ipsa mysteria de mysteriis nihil diximus, quod non statim ea, quæ tradidimus, interpretati sumus. Adhibuimus enim tam sanctis rebus atque divinis honorem silentii."
Joseph Bingham (b. x. ch. v. s. 11.) cites those words as from "Serm. I., inter 40. a Sirmondo editos," which corresponds with Serm. V. according to the Benedictine edition, Paris, 1689—1700, tom. v. p. 28.; but no such words occur in that sermon. The passage is daggered by Grishovius, who first gave the citations at length; neither has Mr. R. Bingham hitherto been able to meet with it, though a great many similar desiderata in former editions he has discovered and corrected.
An answer through "N. & Q." will oblige; still more so if sent direct to his present address, 57. Gloucester Place, Portman Square, London.
Mr. Bingham would also be glad to be informed where Athanasius uses the term διάκονος, generally for any minister of the church, whether deacon, presbyter, or bishop? Joseph Bingham (b. ii. ch. xx. s. 1.) cites the tract Contra Gentes, but the expression is not there.
The earlier a reply comes the more acceptable will it be.
57. Gloucester Place, Portman Square.