Queries.

CONTRIBUTORS TO "KNIGHT'S QUARTERLY MAGAZINE."

I shall feel exceedingly obliged if you or any of your correspondents will inform me who were the writers in Knight's Quarterly Magazine, bearing the following fictitious signatures:—1. Marmaduke Villars; 2. Davenant Cecil; 3. Tristram Merton; 4. Irvine Montagu; 5. Gerard Montgomery; 6. Henry Baldwin; 7. Joseph Haller; 8. Peter Ellis; 9. Paterson Aymer; 10. Eustace Heron; 11. Edward Haselfoot; 12. William Payne; 13. Archibald Frazer; 14. Hamilton Murray; 15. Charles Pendragon; 16. Lewis Willoughby; 17. John Tell; 18. Edmund Bruce; 19. Reginald Holyoake; 20. Richard Mills; 21. Oliver Medley; 22. Peregrine Courtenay; 23. Vyvyan Joyeuse; 24. Martin Lovell; 25. Martin Danvers Heaviside.

I fear I have given you so long a list as to deter you from replying to my inquiry but if you cannot spare time or space to answer me fully, I have numbered the writers in such a way as that you may be induced to give the numbers without the names, except you think that many of your readers would be glad to have the information given to them which I ask of you.

Tristram Merton is T. B. Macaulay, who wrote several sketches and five ballads in the Magazine; indeed, it was in it that his fine English ballads first appeared.

Peregrine Courtenay was the late Winthrop Mackworth Praed, who was, I believe, its editor.

Henry Nelson Coleridge and John Moultire were also contributors, but under what signatures they wrote I cannot tell.

Knight's Quarterly Magazine never extended beyond three volumes, and it is now a rather scarce book. Any light you can throw upon this subject will have an interest for most people, and will be duly appreciated by

E. H.

Leeds.

THE STATIONERS' COMPANY AND ALMANACK.

Having recently had occasion to consult the Lansdown MSS., No. 905., a volume containing documents formerly belonging to Mr. Umfreville, I observed the following:

"Ordinances, constitutions, rules, and articles made by the Court of Star Chamber relating to Printers and Printing, Jan. 23, anno 28 Eliz."

Appended to these ordinances, &c. is a statement from which I have made the following extracts:

"Viii^o Januarii, 1583.

"Bookes yeilded into the hands and disposition of the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the Mysterie of the Stationers of London for the releife of y^e poore of y^e saide companie according to the discretion of the Master, Wardens, and Assistants, or the more parte of them.

"Mr. Barker, her Ma^ties printer, hath yeilded unto the saide disposition and purpose these bookes following: viz.

"The first and second volume of Homelies.

"The whole statutes at large, w^th y^e pamble as they are now extant.

"The Paraphrasis of Erasmus upon y^e Epistles and Gospells appoynted to be readd in Churches.

"Articles of Religion agreed upon 1562 for y^e Ministers.

"The Several Injunctions and Articles to be enquired of through y^e whole Realme.

"The Profitt and Benefite of the two most vendible volumes of the New Testament in English, commonlie called Mr. Cheekes' translation: that is, in the volume called Octavo, w^th Annotacions as they be now: and in the volume called Decimo Sexto of the same translation w^thout notes, in the Brevier English letter only.

"Provided that Mr. Barker himselfe print the sayde Testaments at the lowest value by the direction of the Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers for the tyme being. Provided alwaye that Mr. Barker do reteyn some small number of these for diverse services in her Ma^ties Courtes or ... [MS. illegible] and lastlye that nothing that he yeildeth unto by meanes aforesaide be preiudiciall to her Ma^ties highe prerogative, or to any that shall succeed in the office of her Ma^ties printer."

The other printers named are, Mr. Totell, Mr. Watkins, Mr. John Daye, Mr. Newberye, and Henrie Denham.

I wish to raise a Query upon the following:

"Mr. Watkins, now Wardein, hath yeilded to the disposcion and purpose aforesaide this that followeth: viz.

"The Broad Almanack; that is to say, the same to be printed on one syde of a sheete, to be sett on walls as usuallie it hath bene."

Query 1. Is this Broad Almanack the original of the present Stationers' Almanack?

2. When was this Broad Almanack first issued?

3. When were sheet almanacks, printed on one side of a sheet, first published?

B. H. C.

P.S.—The books enumerated in this MS., under the other printers' names, are some of them very curious, and others almost unknown at the present time.

Minor Queries.

John Bunyan.—The following advertisement is copied from the Mercurius Reformatus of June 11, 1690, vol. ii. No. 27.:

"Mr. John Bunyan, Author of the Pilgrim's Progress, and many other excellent Books, that have found great Acceptance, hath left behind him Ten Manuscripts prepared by himself for the Press before his Death: His Widow is desired to print them (with some other of his Works, which have been already printed, but are at present not to be had), which will make together a Book of 10s. in sheets, in Fol. All persons who desire so great and good a Work should be performed with speed, are desired to send in 5s. for their first Payment to Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms in the Poultrey, London: Who is empower'd to give Receipts for the same."

Can any of your readers say whether such a publication as that which is here proposed ever took place: that is, a publication of "ten manuscripts," of which none had been previously printed?

S. R. Maitland.

Gloucester.

Tragedy by Mary Leapor.—In the second volume of Poems by Mary Leapor, 8vo., 1751, there is an unfinished tragedy, begun by the authoress a short time before her death. Can you give me the name of this drama (if it has any), and names of the dramatis personæ?

A. Z.

Repairing old Prints.—N. J. A. will feel thankful to any one who will give him directions for the cleaning and repairing of old prints, or refer him to any book where he can obtain such information. He wishes especially to learn how to detach them from old and worn-out mountings.

N. J. A.

Arch-priest in the Diocese of Exeter.—I am informed that there is, in the diocese of Exeter, a dignitary who is called the Arch-priest, and that he has the privilege of wearing lawn sleeves (that is of course, properly, of wearing a lawn alb), and also precedence in all cases next after the Bishop.

Can any of your Devonian readers give additional particulars of his office or his duties? They would be useful and interesting.

W. Fraser.

Tor-Mohun.

Medal in honour of the Chevalier de St. George.—It appears that Prince James (styled the Chevalier de St. George) served in several campaigns in the Low Countries under the Marquis de Torcy. On one occasion, when the hostile armies were encamped on the banks of the Scarpe, medals were struck, and distributed among the English, bearing, besides a bust of the prince, an inscription relating to his bravery on a former occasion. Are any of these now in existence? They would probably be met with in those families whose ancestors served under Marlborough.

A. S.

Robert Bloet.—Can you certify me whether it is received as an undoubted historical fact that "Robertus, comes Moritoniensis," William the Conqueror's uterine brother, was identical with Robert Bloet, afterwards Chancellor and Bishop of Lincoln?

J. Sansom.

Sir J. Wallace and Mr. Browne.—I inclose an extract from The English Chronicle or Universal Evening Post, February 6th to February 8th, 1783. Can any of your learned correspondents state the result of the fracas between Mr. Browne and Sir J. Wallace?

"Yesterday about one o'clock, Sir J——s W——e and Lieutenant B——e, accidentally meeting in Parliament Street, near the Admiralty Gate, Mr. B——e, the moment he saw Sir J——s, took a stick which a gentleman he was in company with held in his hand, and, after a few words passing, struck Sir J——s, and gave him a dreadful wound in the forehead; they closed, and Sir J——s, who had no weapon, made the best defence possible, but being a weaker man than his antagonist, was overpowered. Mr. B——e, at parting, told Sir J——s, if he had anything to say to him, he would be found at the Salopian Coffee House. An account of this transaction being communicated to Sir Sampson Wright, he sent Mr. Bond after Mr. B——e, who found him at the Admiralty, and delivered the magistrate's compliments, at the same time requesting to see him in Bow Street. Mr. B——e promised to wait upon Sir Sampson, but afterwards finding that no warrant had issued, did not think it incumbent on him to comply, and so went about his avocations.

"Sir J——s's situation after the fracas very much excited the compassion of the populace; they beheld that veteran bleeding on the streets, who had so often gloriously fought the battles of his country! The above account is as accurate as we could learn; but should there be any trivial misstatement, we shall be happy in correcting it, through the means of any of our readers who were present on the spot.

"Sir James Wallace has not only given signal proofs of his bravery as a naval officer, but particularly in a duel with another marine officer, Mr. Perkins, whom he fought at Cape François; each taking hold of the end of a handkerchief, fired, and although the balls went through both their bodies, neither of the wounds proved mortal! The friars at Cape François, with great humanity, took charge of them till they were cured of their wounds."

J. Locke.

Dublin.

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.—I should be glad if any of your correspondents would refer me to any authentic account of the death of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Queen Elizabeth's favourite. He is said by some to have been accidentally poisoned by his wife; by others purposely, by some of his adherents. This affair, though clouded in mystery, appears not to have been particularly inquired into. Likewise let me ask, on what authority is Stanfield Hall, Norfolk (the scene of a recent tragedy), described as the birthplace of Amy Robsart, the unfortunate first wife of this same nobleman?

A. S.

Abbott Families.—Samuel Abbott, of Sudbury, in the county of Suffolk, gentleman, lived about 1670. Can any of your genealogical contributors inform me if he was in any way connected with the family of Archbishop Abbott, or otherwise elucidate his parentage? It may probably be interesting to persons of the same name to be acquainted that the pears worn by many of the Abbot family are merely a corruption of the ancient inkhorns of the Abbots of Northamptonshire, and impaled in Netherheyford churchyard, same county, on the tomb of Sir Walt. Mauntele, knight, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Abbot, Esq., 1487, viz. a chev. between three inkhorns. The resemblance between pears and inkhorns doubtless occasioned the error. I believe the ancient bottles of Harebottle were similarly corrupted into icicles.

J. T. Abbott.

Darlington.

Authorship of a Ballad.—In the Manchester Guardian of Jan. 7, the author of a stanza, written on the execution of Thos. Syddale, is desired; as also the remainder of the ballad. From what quarter is either of these more likely to be obtained than from "N. & Q.?"

P. J. F. Gantillon.

Elias Petley.—What is known of the life or works of Elias Petley, priest, who dedicated to Archbishop Laud his translation of the English Liturgy into Greek. The book was published at the press of Thomas Cotes, for Richard Whitaker, at the King's Arms, St. Paul's churchyard, in 1638. Is it remarkable for rarity or merit?

J. O. B.

Wicken.

Canaletto's Views round London.—Antonio Canaletto, the painter of Venice, the destruction of one of whose most powerful works has been of late the subject of so much agitation, was here amongst us in this city one hundred years since; as seen by his proposal in one of the journals of 1752:

"Signior Canaletto gives notice that he has painted Chelsea College, Ranelagh House, and the River Thames; which, if any gentleman, or others, are pleased to favour him with seeing the same, he will attend at his lodgings at Mr. Viggans, in Silver Street, Golden Square, from fifteen days from this day, July 31, from 8 to 1, and from 3 to 6 at night, each day."

Here is that able artist's offer in his own terms, if, not his own words.

I have to inquire, are these pictures left here to the knowledge of your readers? did he, in short, find buyers as well as admirers? or, if not, did he return to Venice with those (no doubt) vividly pictured recollections of our localities under his arm?

Gondola.

A Monster found at Maidstone.—In Kilburne's Survey of Kent, 4to. 1659, under "Maidstone," is the following passage:

"Wat Tiler, that idol of clownes, and famous rebell in the time of King Richard the Second, was of this town; and in the year 1206 about this town was a monster found stricken with lightning, with a head like an asse, a belly like a man, and all other parts far different from any known creature, but not approachable nigh unto, by reason of the stench thereof."

No mention of this is made by Lambarde in his Perambulation of Kent. Has this been traditional, or whence is Kilburne's authority? And what explanation can be offered of the account?

H. W. D.

Page.—What is the derivation of this word? In the Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, edited by Dr. W. Smith, 1st edit., p. 679., it is said to be from the Greek παιδαγωγὸς, pædagogus. But in an edition of Tacitus, with notes by Boxhorn (Amsterdam, 1662), it is curiously identified with the word boy, and traced to an eastern source thus:—Persian, bagoa; Polish, pokoigo; Old German, Pagie, Bagh, Bai; then the Welsh, bachgen; French, page; English, boy; and Greek, παῖς.

Some of your correspondents may be able to inform me which is correct.

B. H. C.

Minor Queries with Answers.

The Fish "Ruffins."—In Spenser's Faerie Queene we read (book iv. canto 11.), among the river guests that attended the nuptials of Thames and Medway came "Yar, soft washing Norwitch walls;" and farther on, that he brought with him a present of fish for the banquet called ruffins, "whose like none else could show." Was this description of fish peculiar to the Yare? and is there any record of its having been esteemed a delicacy in Elizabeth's reign?

A. S.

[This seems to be the fish noticed by Izaak Walton, called the Ruffe, or Pope, "a fish," says he, "that is not known in some rivers. He is much like the perch for his shape, and taken to be better than the perch, but will grow to be bigger than a gudgeon. He is an excellent fish, no fish that swims is of a pleasanter taste, and he is also excellent to enter a young angler, for he is a greedy biter." In the Faerie Queene, book i. canto iv., Spenser speaks of

To these lines Mr. Todd has added a note, which gives a clue to the meaning of the word. He says, "Mr. Church here observes, that ruffin is reddish, from the Latin rufus." I suspect, however, that the poet did not intend to specify the colour of the dress, but rather to give a very characteristical expression even to the raiment of Wrath. Ruffin, so spelt, denoted a swashbuckler, or, as we should say, a bully: see Minsheu's Guide into Tongues. Besides, I find in My Ladies' Looking-Glasse, by Barnabe Rich, 4to. 1616, p. 21., a passage which may serve to strengthen my application of ruffin, in this sense, to garment: "The yong woman, that as well in her behaviour, as in the manner of her apparell, is most ruffian like, is accounted the most gallant wench." Now, it appears, that the ruff, or pope, is not only, as Walton says, "a greedy biter," but is extremely voracious in its disposition, and will devour a minnow nearly as big as itself. Its average length is from six to seven inches.]

Origin of the Word Etiquette.—What is the original meaning of the word etiquette? and how did it acquire that secondary meaning which it bears in English?

S. C. G.

[Etiquette, from the Fr. étiquette, Sp. etiqueta, a ticket; delivered not only, as Cotgrave says, for the benefit and advantage of him that receives it, but also entitling to place, to rank; and thus applied to the ceremonious observance of rank or place; to ceremony. Webster adds, "From the original sense of the word, it may be inferred that it was formerly the custom to deliver cards containing orders for regulating ceremonies on public occasions."]

Henri Quatre.—What was the title of Henry IV. (of Navarre) to the crown of France? or in what way was he related to his predecessor? If any one would be kind enough to answer these he would greatly oblige.

W. W. H.

[Our correspondent will find his Query briefly and satisfactorily answered by Hénault, in his Abrégé de l'Histoire de France, p. 476. His words are: "Henri IV. roi de Navarre, né à Pau, le 13 Décembre, 1553, et ayant droit à la couronne, comme descendant de Robert, Comte de Clermont, qui étoit fils de St. Louis, et qui avoit épousé l'héritière de Bourbon, y parvient en 1589." The lineal descent of Henri from this Count Robert may be seen in L'Art de vérifier les Dates, vol. vi. p. 209., in a table entitled "Généalogie des Valois et des Bourbon; St. Louis IX., Roi de France."]

"He that complies against his will," &c.; and "To kick the bucket."—Oblige T. C. by giving the correct reading of the familiar couplet, which he apprehends is loosely quoted when expressed—

or,

Also by stating the name of the author.

Likewise by giving the origin of the phrase "To kick the bucket," as applied to the death of a person.

[The desired quotation is from Butler's Hudibras, part iii. canto iii. l. 547-8.:

As to the origin of the phrase "To kick the bucket," the tradition among the slang fraternity is, that "One Bolsover having hung himself to a beam while standing on the bottom of a pail, or bucket, kicked the vessel away in order to pry into futurity, and it was all up with him from that moment—Finis!" Our Querist will find a very humorous illustration of its use (too long to quote) in an article on "Anglo-German Dictionaries," contributed by De Quincy to the London Magazine for April, 1823, p. 442.]

St. Nicholas Cole Abbey.—There is a church in the city of London called St. Nicholas Cole Abbey: what is the origin of the name or derivation?

Ellfin ap Gwyddno.

[This Query seems to have baffled old Stowe. He says, "Towards the west end of Knight Rider Street is the parish church of St. Nicolas Cold Abby, a comely church, somewhat ancient, as appeareth by the ways raised thereabout; so that men are forced to descend into the body of the church. It hath been called of many Golden Abby, of some Gold (or Cold) Bey, and so hath the most ancient writing. But I could never learn the cause why it should be so called, and therefore I will let it pass. Perhaps as standing in a cold place, as Cold Harbour, and such like." For communications on the much-disputed etymology of Cold Harbour, see "N. & Q.," Vol. i., p. 60.; Vol. ii., pp. 159. 340.; and Vol. vi., p. 455.]