neret in 1370. In 1380/1 (not 1370/1) he had a licence to crenellate and fortify his castle of Cowling; and here it may be observed that it was scarcely necessary to give Hasted as an authority for the enamelled copper inscription with the arms of John de Cobham over the eastern entrance of the castle, as it may be seen there any day, in nearly as perfect a condition as when first put up, more than five hundred years ago. (An account of Cowling Castle and a plate of this inscription may also be found in vol. xi. of Archæologia Cantiana, p. 134.) John, Lord Cobham, died January 10, 1407/8. His wife, Margaret Courtenay, whose brass is at Cobham, had died in 1395, and their only daughter Joan, who was married in 1362 to Sir John de la Pole, had died in her parents' lifetime, about 1388, leaving an only daughter Joan, who succeeded her grandfather, and whose five husbands were (1) Sir Robert Hemenhale, who died in 1391, and was buried in Westminster Abbey; (2) Sir Reginald Braybroke (not Gerard, as stated in the biography), who died in 1405, and who was the father of Joan, the only child who survived his wife (3) Sir Nicholas Hawberk, who died at Cowling Castle October 9, 1407, and whose fine brass, together with that of Sir Reginald Braybroke, are side by side in Cobham Church; (4) Sir John Oldcastle, executed as a Lollard in 1417; (5) Sir John Harpeden, who survived his wife for twenty-four years, and was buried in Westminster Abbey in 1458. Joan, Lady Cobham, according to her brass in Cobham Church, died herself January 13, 1433/4. E. C. C. ways of doing it. The trees are given by farmers and other friends of the children and teachers sometimes the children make an expedition to the nearest wood and bring back for the school grounds saplings of elm, maple, and other forest trees. Might not a custom of this kind be introduced with advantage among the rural schools of Great Britain and Ireland? W. H. PATTERSON. Belfast. SLIPSHOD ENGLISH.-I am sorry to see that the use of slipshod English is on the increase, and that said in defence of the following paragraph in a it finds its way even into ' N. & Q.' What can be communication anent the Old Records of Ulster Office,' 7th S. iii. 414?" Information upon Irish visitations......will be found ten to twenty years ago in N. & Q.'" What J. McC. B. means to found by referring to N. & Q.' of a date between say, no doubt, is that such information will be Editor of N. & Q.' will try and help us all to ten and twenty years since. I do hope that the improve our English style. promise to be a docile scholar. For myself, I will E. WALFORD, M.A. 7, Hyde Park Mansions, N.W. CROMWELL'S PASTIMES.-In Mr. H. B. Wheatley's 'Round about Piccadilly' there is an amusing account (p. 225) of Cromwell, as follows: "After dining at the Lodge he on his return put the Secretary inside and took a fancy to drive the coach home himself. Henry Oldenburg, agent to England from Lower which on this occasion the Protector tried to drive; but, Saxony, had presented Cromwell six German horses, using the whip too freely, he irritated the spirited horses, and they ran away. He was soon dashed to the ground. and, to add to his danger, a pistol went off in his pocket as he fell." ARBOR DAY IN CANADA.-N. & Q.' has traced the history of many old-fashioned institutions, and times and days set apart for something special; In the forty-third Annual Report of the Deputybut here is something quite new, which perhaps Keeper of Public Records, Appendix, p. 50, there in time may be an old institution also. The Edu-occurs the following extract from a diary of the cation Department of Ontario has appointed a day, Swedish minister, which presents Cromwell and to be called Arbor Day. The following extract his court in what to many will be a new light :from the official regulations will clearly explain the objects of Arbor Day :— "The first Friday in May should be set apart by the trustees of every rural school and incorporated village for the purpose of planting shade trees, making flowerbeds, and otherwise improving and beautifying the school grounds. "Now that Arbor Day in spring is one of the school institutions of the province, it is desirable that the school grounds, and the outside strip in front of the school house and on the street, or road side, should be judiciously planted. Care should be taken to select the most suitable trees and shrubs for that purpose, considering the nature of the soil and the size of the school lot, &c. Flowers, too, should be provided for the beds in front of the buildings, and, if practicable, at the sides of the walks leading to the school entrances." These regulations are accompanied by very full instructions as to the kinds of trees and shrubs most suitable for transplanting, and the best times and 66 August 11. Went with Fleetword to Hampton Court, picking up Whitelock in Chelsea; eat oysters at Hampton and dined with Cromwell, Fleetwood, Whitelock, Lawrence, President of the Council, Claypole, Master of the Horse; went to the gallery to see old pictures; heard music; went into the park; killed a stag; then to bowling green and played bowls; then kissed the hand of Cromwell's wife and his daughter's face; then drank a glass of Spanish wine and returned to London, Both in going and returning an axle broke." I send you the extract, as it may interest some of your readers. SCOTT SURTEES. POET VERSUS POET.-It is sometimes too readily assumed that where two poets have expressed the same thought, in terms which bear a general resemblance, one must infallibly have borrowed from the other, either of design or unconsciously; and yet it may have happened that the later writer has in perfect good faith set forth that which to him was an original idea, the likeness to something already expressed being merely accidental. Love in absence : Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Bayly, 'Isle of Beauty.' And out of mind as soon as out of sight. Lord Brooke, Sonnet Ivi. But if the wits of poets have occasionally jumped together in accord, they have also (as the following extracts will show) justled at other times in opposition. Here then, at any rate, no suspicion of unfair agreement can exist, as the writers, so far from shedding their ink in the same cause, have tilted with their pens to maintain conflicting-In an article on Oliver Cromwell and the theories. Solitude: -- 57, Hollydale Road, S.E. WAX TAPERS USED AS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS. Cathedrals,' by CUTHBERT BEDE, Oct. 12, 1872 (4th S. x. 297), the writer incidentally mentioned a scene at St. Cuthbert's shrine, in Durham Cathedral, when the ministrant monks, being attacked at the altar by the retainers of Neville of Raby, were compelled to defend themselves with large wax tapers, with which they laid about them so effectually that they compelled their assailants to beat a retreat. History repeats itself. Here is a scene that occurred on June 9, 1887: "A strange scene was witnessed yesterday morning in the parish church of Clignancourt, one of the suburbs of Paris. Several little girls were kneeling near the altar, preparing to make their first communion, which was being administered by the parish priest. As the celebrant came up to one of the children he suddenly stopped, and, regarding her attentively for a few seconds, passed on without giving her the sacrament. The girl's mother and aunt, two powerful fish wives of Clignancourt, seeing what had taken place, instantly left their seats, and going up to the curé belaboured him most unmercifully with their umbrellas. The priest, taken aback by the violence and suddenness of the assault, fled for safety to the sacristy, followed by the beadle of the church, who tried to keep back the excited women. But his interposition was vain, for, pushing him aside, the women dashed into the vestry and renewed their chastisement of the priest. They were joined by other women, who, having nothing about them which could be converted into weapons, actually seized the long wax candles on the altar and struck the priest with them. In the mean time there was a stampede among the congregation. The children were screaming with fear, and a cry of Fire!' was raised, which caused a general rush to the door. Some of the children were hurt in trying to get out." This is a curious coincidence. Ropley, Alresford. JONATHAN BOUCHIER. S.W.S.-In Mr. Louis Fagan's account of the Reform Club, I observe that the monogram S. W.S., at one corner of the grand tessellated pavement of the hall, is assigned, at a wild guess, to William Spottiswoode! It comprises the initials of the father of Alfred Singer, Esq., whose monogram in another corner is correctly explained. This monogram of Samuel Weller Singer is familiar to the possessors of his numerous valuable reprints and editions. W. WATKISS LLOYD. "DOUBLE ENTENDRE." A scholarly correspondent, SIR JAMES A. PICTON, recently used in your columns the ill-constructed phrase double entendre. On my pointing out what I took to be We must request correspondents desiring information on family matters of only private interest, to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that the answers may be addressed to them direct. BROOKE OF ASTLEY, CO. LANCASTER.-I shall be much obliged if any of the readers of N. & Q' can supply me with the Christian names, dates of birth, marriage, and death of the children of Richard, second son of Sir Peter Brooke of Mere, by his marriage with Margaret, dau. and heiress of Robert Charnock of Charnock; and also of the children of Thomas Brooke of Astley, co. Lancaster (eldest son of the above-mentioned Richard Brooke and Margaret Charnock), and Margaret Wharton, The pedigree of this family in Burke's Peerage and Baronetage,' under "Brooke of Norton," differs in several important particulars from that contained in the Landed Gentry' (edition 1850) under "Charnock of Charnock." The following is from the 'Peerage and Baronetage':— his wife. "Sir Peter Brooke of Astley Hall and Mere, M.P. for Cheshire, 1567 [sic], who died in 1685, leaving two sons1. Thomas of Mere, ancestor of the Brookes of Mere; 2. Richard of Astley Hall, m. Margaret, dau. and heir of Robert Charnock of Charnock, Lancashire, and had with other issue-1. Peter of Astley Hall, now represented by the Townley Parkers of Cuerden Hall; 2. Thomas of Gray's Inn and Wilmslow, ancestor of Edward Brooke, Esq." In this pedigree there are two clear mistakes. If Sir Peter Brooke represented Cheshire in Parliament in 1567 and died in 1685, he must have lived to a patriarchal age. This is merely a misprint, but it has appeared in several successive editions of the 'Peerage and Baronetage.' Secondly, Sir Peter Brooke is wrongly described as "of Astley Hall," for in Baines's 'History of Lancashire,' vol. ii., we find that “in the reigns of John and Henry III. Adam de Chernoc, the first lord bearing the territorial name, appears to have been joint lord of Astley with Sir Henry Lee, Knt., and was the progenitor of a long line of feudal lords of Charnock, Astley, and many neighbouring lands." Astley Hall came into the Brooke family by the marriage of Sir Peter's son Richard with the Charnock heiress. The pedigree in the 'Landed Gentry' is thus stated : of Sir Peter Brooke of Mere, co. Chester, Knt., by whom "Margaret Charnock, m. Richard Brooke, second son she had five sons. four of whom died s.p. The other, Thomas Brooke, Esq.. of Astley, m. 1716, Margaret, daughter of Thomas Wharton, of London, and by her and Charnock, who died s.p., and Peter Brooke, poshad two sons, Richard Wharton Brooke, Esq., of Astley sessed of Astley and Charnock, 1749, who m. Susanna, dau. of James Crookhall, and by her had Susanna." This last-mentioned Susanna was her father's heiress, and married, first, Thomas Townley Parker, Esq., and, secondly, Sir Henry Philip Hoghton, Bart. 'Landed It will be observed that the 'Peerage and Baronetage' makes Peter Brooke (the ancestor of the Townley-Parkers) eldest son of Richard Brooke and Margaret Charnock, while the Gentry' states that the only son of this marriage who left issue was Thomas Brooke, all the other four sons having died s.p. Who was Thomas Brooke of Gray's Inn and Wilmslow? If identical with the Thomas Brooke of Astley who married Margaret Wharton, this Thomas must have had another son besides Richard Wharton and Peter, otherwise he could not have been ancestor of Mr. Edward Brooke, for left an only daughter Susanna. In the last edition Richard Wharton died s.p., and Peter apparently of the Landed Gentry' Mr. Edward Brooke is, under "Brooke of Wexham," stated to be descended from "Sir Peter Brooke of Astley Hall and Mere," but the pedigree commences with Benjamin Brooke of Eaton Mersey, who died 1809. My interest in this matter arises from the fact that I am descended from Thomas Brooke and Margaret Wharton through their daughter Elizabeth, who on June 15, 1749, m. Henry Pennee of Knutsford, Cheshire, who was himself related to the Brookes of Mere. 66 H. W. FORSYTH HARWOOD. 12, Onslow Gardens, S.W. OLDYS.-Are any of the manuscripts of this thirsty fly" of literature still unpublished? His copy of Langbaine, now, I believe, in the British Museum, was elaborately annotated, and must be of priceless value. Have the notes ever been transcribed and printed, or any part of them? From Oldys to Coxeter is a natural transition. The latter obtained possession of Oldys's first and partially annotated edition of Langbaine, and in all probability transferred many of the notes to his LYLY'S 'EUPHUES AND HIS ENGLAND.'-Can any of your readers explain the italicized words and allusions in the following ?— 1. "But whether Euphues lympe with Vulcan, as borne lame, or go on stilts with Amphionax, for lack of legs, I trust I may say, that his feet sholde have ben, olde Helena" (p. 217, 1. 26). 2. "Making a sta(c)ke of what they should use for a stomacher" (p. 288, 1. 18). 3. "A leane Cofer" (p. 324, 1. 1). 4. "For as the Phrygian Harmonie being moued to he Calenes maketh a great noyse" (p. 336, 1. 35, in some editions p. 337, 1. 35). 5. "The eyes of Caithritiuss (Catherismes) (p. 439, .34). N.B.-The references are to Arber's reprint. PHILAUTUS. SEVENTEENTH CENTURY TOKENS.-In Boyne's work on seventeenth century trade tokens, p. 110, I observe the following description of a token issued from Bishop Stortford: obv., EDWARD AYNSWORTH., a stag; rev., IN. BISHOP. STARFORDHIS. HALFPENY. An illustration is also given (plate xiii. No. 8). On examining the latter, one can see that the animal represented is not a stag, but a reindeer. An entry in Pepys's 'Diary' (Mynors Bright edition) confirms this opinion : 'Oct. 7, 1667. Before night come to Bishop Stafford, when Lowther and his friend did meet us again and carried us to the Raynedeer, where Mrs. Aynsworth, who lived heretofore at Cambridge, and whom I knew better than they think, do live." In the text and in a note further particulars about this woman appear. P. N. QUOTATIONS.-Where does Wycherley describe a coxcomb as "ugly all over, with the affectation of the fine gentleman"? "Munera ista Fortunæ putatis? Insidiæ sunt." These words are said to be Seneca's. Where does Locke say that " upon asking a blind man what he thought scarlet was, he answered that he believed it was like the sound of a trumpet"? "The best critic that ever wrote, speaking of some passages in Homer which appear extravagant but the dreams of Jupiter." Who was the critic? or frivolous, says, indeed, that they are dreams, R. S. A SINGULAR CREST.-In the Heralds' Visitation of Northamptonshire, in 1682, the arms and crest of William Randolph of Tocester (Towcester) are described. The latter is said to be "an antelope's head (heraldic) or, holding in his mouth a pillar argent, the base resting on the wreath." Can any one conjecture the origin of such a singular device? This crest is borne by the American branch of the family, but the pillar has lost the form of a pillar, and looks more like a bone, or a horn, or the leafless branch of a tree; but there can be no doubt it is the pillar degenerated, as these Randolphs are of the same stock as William Randolph of Towcester. I have the impression of a very good seal, which probably belonged to Sir John Randolph of Williamsburgh, Virginia (died 1736), in which the thing in the antelope's mouth resembles a thigh-bone. The other branches of the family bear simply the antelope's head, formerly heraldic, later natural. EDMUND RANDOLPH. Ryde, I,W. BUCKDEN, HUNTS.-In December, 1837, Spencer Thornton, Vicar of Wendover, Bucks, for twelve years subsequently, was ordained priest by the Bishop of Lincoln at the above place. Was this Bishop Maltby; and was this the date of the last ordination there? The bishop preached in the evening in his private chapel. Is this still standing? It was not shown me when I visited the palace many years ago. M.A.Oxon. FICTITIOUS IMPRINTS.-Would it not be a good thing for the Incorporated Society of Authors to expose the frauds of those publishers who put fictitious imprints on the books which they issue to their customers? I have such a book, published by Messrs. A-, which professes to be also printed by Messrs. A——, but which I happen to know was printed by Messrs. B. & C. Hereafter, when this book becomes the subject of an historical inquiry, it will be made to appear, though without any ground, that Messrs. A were printers in London in the reign of Queen Victoria, and the real history of the inception of the book will then be difficult to ascertain. E. WALFORD, M.A. 7, Hyde Park Mansions, N.W. CLIFFE. In the publications of the Taunton division of the Archaeological Society, I am told, is an account of the old Abbey of Cleeve, or St. Mary Redcliffe, and that among the benefactors were the Cliffes." Who were they, and where did they flourish? Were they owners of Cliffe-Pypard? Y. S. M. HERALDRY.-In Helmens's edition of Siebmacher (1705) are given the arms of a certain number of families, natives of Hamburg. By whom were these granted? L. R. S. KNIFE AND FORK.-The custom of leaving knife and fork crossed on one's plate after eating, when did it fall into disuse? Was it at the time of the French Revolution, and a result of French infidelity? Who wrote the following lines concerning the custom ?— When he's finished his refection, Madison, Wis., U.S. JAMES D. BUTLER. KIRBY HALL-I have a copper medal: The obverse, "Kirby Hall"; underneath, a building with the sun radiating upon it, and an arbour on the hill to the left; arms below, with date "28 Apr. 1774." Reverse, male and female busts to right, inscribed "Pet. Muilman A. 68. Mary Chiswell A. 61. Living in Lawful Wedlock 40 Years." Ex., "T. Pingo F." I shall be glad of any particulars respecting the issue of this medal, also in what county Kirby Hall is situated. JOHN TAYLOR. Northampton. FRITH, PAINTER.-I have some good drawings in black and gold, signed "Frith, 1843." I want to know their value and some particulars of the artist. All I know is that he is not the celebrated man of to-day, as I had imagined, but the execution is admirable. F.S.A.Scot. WICKHAM.-I am anxious to obtain some particulars of the family of Wickham, formerly resident in Antigua, of whom was Col. John Wickham, of Old North Sound in that island, whose daughter and coheir Ann married Thomas Freeman (vide Antigua and the Antiguans '); also of Judge Watkins, temp. Queen Anne, who is said to have married a Miss Griffin, niece or cousin of Lord Griffin of Braybrooke, and whose grand OLD LONDON NEWSPAPERS.-Can any goodnatured reader kindly inform me where I can consult some newspapers-such as they are of the latter end of 1688? I have searched the London Gazette for that year vainly for what I require. The Mercurius Publicus was, I fancy, the serial that then most nearly resembled what we now understand by a newspaper. Unfortunately the British Museum is deficient in the journalistic issues of this year. I have also searched, but not been able to find any copies, in the Guildhall Library. Does the Bodleian possess a file? NEMO. |