Chapter 1

Produced by Internet Library of Early Journals, Jonathan Ingram, Charles Franks, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team

NOTES AND QUERIES:

A MEDIUM OF INTER-COMMUNICATION FOR LITERARY MEN, ARTISTS, ANTIQUARIES, GENEALOGISTS, ETC.

* * * * *

"When found, make a note of."--CAPTAIN CUTTLE

* * * * *

No. 1 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1849. Price Threepence. Stamped Edition, 6d.

* * * * *

NOTES AND QUERIES.

The nature and design of the present work have been so fully stated in the Prospectus, and are indeed so far explained by its very Title, that it is unnecessary to occupy any great portion of its first number with details on the subject. We are under no temptation to fill its columns with an account of what we hope future numbers will be. Indeed, we would rather give a specimen than a description; and only regret that, from the wide range of subjects which it is intended to embrace, and the correspondence and contributions of various kinds which we are led to expect, even this can only be done gradually. A few words of introduction and explanation may, however, be allowed; and indeed, ought to be prefixed, that we may be understood by those readers who have not seen our Prospectus.

"WHEN FOUND, MAKE A NOTE OF," is a most admirable rule; and if the excellent Captain had never uttered another word, he might have passed for a profound philosopher. It is a rule which should shine in gilt letters on the gingerbread of youth, and the spectacle-case of age. Every man who reads with any view beyond mere pastime, knows the value of it. Every one, more or less, acts upon it. Every one regrets and suffers who neglects it. There is some trouble in it, to be sure; but in what good thing is there not? and what trouble does it save! Nay, what mischief! Half the lies that are current in the world owe their origin to a misplaced confidence in memory, rather than to intentional falsehood. We have never known more than one man who could deliberately and conscientiously say that his memory had _never_ deceived him; and he (when he saw that he had excited the surprise of his hearers, especially those who knew how many years he had spent in the management of important commercial affairs) used to add,--because he had never trusted it; but had uniformly written down what he was anxious to remember.

But, on the other hand, it cannot be denied that reading and writing men, of moderate industry, who act on this rule for any considerable length of time, will accumulate a good deal of matter in various forms, shapes, and sizes--some more, some less legible and intelligible--some unposted in old pocket books--some on whole or half sheets, or mere scraps of paper, and backs of letters--some lost sight of and forgotten, stuffing out old portfolios, or getting smoky edges in bundles tied up with faded tape. There are, we are quite sure, countless boxes and drawers, and pigeon-holes of such things, which want looking over, and would well repay the trouble.

Nay, we are sure that the proprietors would find themselves much benefited even if we were to do nothing more than to induce them to look over their own collections. How much good might we have done (as well as got, for we do not pretend to speak quite disinterestedly), if we had had the looking over and methodizing of the chaos in which Mr. Oldbuck found himself just at the moment, so agonizing to an author, when he knows that the patience of his victim is oozing away, and fears it will be quite gone before he can lay his hand on the charm which is to fix him a hopeless listener:--"So saying, the Antiquary opened a drawer, and began rummaging among a quantity of miscellaneous papers ancient and modern. But it was the misfortune of this learned gentleman, as it may be that of many learned and unlearned, that he frequently experienced on such occasions, what Harlequin calls "_l'embarras des richesses_"--in other words, the abundance of his collection often prevented him from finding the article he sought for." We need not add that this unsuccessful search for Professor Mac Cribb's epistle, and the scroll of the Antiquary's answer, was the unfortunate turning-point on which the very existence of the documents depended, and that from that day to this nobody has seen them, or known where to look for them.

But we hope for more extensive and important benefits than these, from furnishing a medium by which much valuable information may become a sort of common property among those who can appreciate and use it. We do not anticipate any holding back by those whose "NOTES" are most worth having, or any want of "QUERIES" from those best able to answer them. Whatever may be the case in other things, it is certain that those who are best informed are generally the most ready to communicate knowledge and to confess ignorance, to feel the value of such a work as we are attempting, and to understand that if it is to be well done they must help to do it. Some cheap and frequent means for the interchange of thought is certainly wanted by those who are engaged in literature, art, and science, and we only hope to persuade the best men in all, that we offer them the best medium of communication with each other.

By this time, we hope, our readers are prepared to admit that our title (always one of the most difficult points of a book to settle), has not been imprudently or unwisely adopted. We wish to bring together the ideas and the wants, not merely of men engaged in the same lines of action or inquiry, but also (and very particularly) of those who are going different ways, and only meet at the crossings, where a helping hand is oftenest needed, and they would be happy to give one if they knew it was wanted. In this way we desire that our little book should take "NOTES," and be a medley of all that men are doing--that the Notes of the writer and the reader, whatever be the subject-matter of his studies, of the antiquary, and the artist, the man of science, the historian, the herald, and the genealogist, in short, Notes relating to all subjects but such as are, in popular discourse, termed either political or polemical, should meet in our columns in such juxta-position, as to give fair play to any natural attraction or repulsion between them, and so that if there are any hooks and eyes among them, they may catch each other.

Now, with all modesty, we submit, that for the title of such a work as we have in view, and have endeavoured to describe, no word could be so proper as "NOTES." Can any man, in his wildest dream of imagination, conceive of any thing that may not be--nay, that has not been--treated of in a _note?_ Thousands of things there are, no doubt, which cannot be sublimed into poetry, or elevated into history, or treated of with dignity, in a stilted text of any kind, and which are, as it is called, "thrown" into notes; but, after all, they are much like children sent out of the stiff drawing-room into the nursery, snubbed to be sure by the act, but joyful in the freedom of banishment. We were going to say (but it might sound vainglorious), where do things read so well as in notes? but we will put the question in another form:--Where do you so well test an author's learning and knowledge of his subject?--where do you find the pith of his most elaborate researches?--where do his most original suggestions escape?--where do you meet with the details that fix your attention at the time and cling to your memory for ever?--where do both writer and reader luxuriate so much at their case, and feel that they are wisely discursive?--But if we pursue this idea, it will be scarcely possible to avoid something which might look like self-praise; and we content ourselves for the present with expressing our humble conviction that we are doing a service to writers and readers, by calling forth materials which they have themselves thought worth notice, but which, for want of elaboration, and the "little leisure" that has not yet come, are lying, and may lie for ever, unnoticed by others, and presenting them in an unadorned _multum-in-parvo_ form. To our readers therefore who are seeking for Truth, we repeat "When found make a NOTE of!" and we must add, "till then make a QUERY."

* * * * *

PLACE OF CAPTURE OF THE DUKE OF MONMOUTH.

20th October, 1849.

Mr. Editor,--Mr. Macaulay's account of the Battle of Sedgemoor is rendered singularly picturesque and understandable by the personal observation and local tradition which he has brought to bear upon it. Might not his account of the capture of Monmouth derive some few additional life-giving touches, from the same invaluable sources of information. It is extremely interesting, as every thing adorned by Mr. Macaulay's luminous style must necessarily be, but it lacks a little of that bright and living reality, which, in the account of Sedgemoor, and in many other parts of the book, are imparted by minute particularity and precise local knowledge. It runs as follows:--

"On Cranbourne Chase the strength of the horses failed. They were therefore turned loose. The bridles and saddles were concealed. Monmouth and his friends disguised themselves as country-men, and proceeded on foot towards the New Forest. They passed the night in the open air: but before morning they were surrounded on every side.... At five in the morning of the seventh, Grey was seized by two of Lumley's scouts.... It could hardly be doubted that the chief rebel was not far off. The pursuers redoubled their vigilance and activity. The cottages scattered over the healthy country on the boundaries of Dorsetshire and Hampshire were strictly examined by Lumley; and the clown with whom Monmouth had changed clothes was discovered. Portman came with a strong body of horse and foot to assist in the search. Attention was soon drawn to a place well suited to shelter fugitives. It was an extensive tract of land separated by an inclosure from the open country, and divided by numerous hedges into small fields. In some of these fields the rye, the pease, and the oats were high enough to conceal a man. Others were overgrown by fern and brambles. A poor woman reported that she had seen two strangers lurking in this covert. The near prospect of reward animated the zeal of the troops.... The outer fence was strictly guarded: the space within was examined with indefatigable diligence; and several dogs of quick scent were turned out among the bushes. The day closed before the search could be completed: but careful watch was kept all night. Thirty times the fugitives ventured to look through the outer hedge: but everywhere they found a sentinel on the alert: once they were seen and fired at: they then separated and concealed themselves in different hiding places.

"At sunrise the next morning the search recommenced, and Buyse was found. He owned that he had parted from the Duke only a few hours before. The corn and copsewood were now beaten with more care than ever. At length a gaunt figure was discovered hidden in a ditch. The pursuers sprang on their prey. Some of them were about to fire; but Portman forbade all violence. The prisoner's dress was that of a shepherd; his beard, prematurely grey, was of several days' growth. He trembled greatly, and was unable to speak. Even those who had often seen him were at first in doubt whether this were the brilliant and graceful Monmouth. His pockets were searched by Portman, and in them were found, among some raw pease gathered in the rage of hunger, a watch, a purse of gold, a small treatise on fortification, an album filled with songs, receipts, prayers, and charms, and the George with which, many years before, King Charles the Second had decorated his favourite son."--_Hist. Eng._, i. pp. 616-618. 2nd edition.

Now, this is all extremely admirable. It is a brilliant description of an important historical incident. But on what precise spot did it take place? One would like to endeavour to realise such an event at the very place where it occurred, and the historian should enable us to do so. I believe the spot is very well known, and that the traditions of the neighbourhood upon the subject are still vivid. It was near Woodyate's Inn, a well-known roadside inn, a few miles from Salisbury, on the road to Blandford, that the Duke and his companions turned adrift their horses. From thence they crossed the country in almost a due southerly direction. The tract of land in which the Duke took refuge is rightly described by Mr. Macaulay, as "separated by an inclosure from the open country." Its nature is no less clearly indicated by its local name of "The Island." The open down which surrounds it is called Shag's Heath. The Island is described as being about a mile and a half from Woodlands, and in the parish of Horton, in Dorsetshire. The field in which the Duke concealed himself is still called "Monmouth Close." It is at the north-eastern extremity of the Island. An ash-tree at the foot of which the would-be-king was found crouching in a ditch and half hid under the fern, was standing a few years ago, and was deeply indented with the carved initials of crowds of persons who has been to visit it. Mr. Macaulay has mentioned that the fields were covered--it was the eighth of July--with standing crops of rye, pease, and oats. In one of them, a field of pease, tradition tells us that the Duke dropped a gold snuff-box. It was picked up some time afterwards by a labourer, who carried it to Mrs. Uvedale of Horton, probably the proprietress of the field, and received in reward fifteen pounds, which was said to be half its value. On his capture, the Duke was first taken to the house of Anthony Etterick, Esq., a magistrate who resided at Holt, which adjoins Horton. Tradition, which records the popular feeling rather than the fact, reports, that the poor woman who informed the pursuers that she had seen two strangers lurking in the Island--her name was Amy Farrant--never prospered afterwards; and that Henry Parkin, the soldier, who, spying the skirt of the smock-frock which the Duke had assumed as a disguise, recalled the searching party just as they were leaving the Island, burst into tears and reproached himself bitterly for his fatal discovery.

It is a defect in the Ordnance Survey, that neither the Island nor Monmouth Close is indicated upon it by name.

I know not, Mr. Editor, whether these particulars are of the kind which you design to print as "NOTES." If they are so, and you give them place in your miscellany, be good enough to add a "QUERY" addressed to your Dorsetshire correspondents, as to whether the ash-tree is now standing, and what is the actual condition of the spot at the present time. The facts I have stated are partly derived from the book known as _Addison's Anecdotes_, vol. iv., p. 12. 1794, 8vo. They have been used, more or less, by the late Rev. P. Hall, in his _Account of Ringwood_, and by Mr. Roberts, in his _Life of Monmouth_.

With the best of good wishes for the success of your most useful periodical,

Believe me, Mr. Editor,

Yours very truly,

JOHN BRUCE.

* * * * *

SHAKESPEARE AND DEER-STEALING.

In "The Life of Shakespeare," prefixed to the edition of his Works I saw through the press three of four years ago, I necessarily entered into the deer-stealing question, admitting that I could not, as some had done, "entirely discredit the story," and following it up by proof (in opposition to the assertion of Malone), that Sir Thomas Lucy had deer, which Shakespeare might have been concerned in stealing. I also, in the same place (vol. i. p. xcv.), showed, from several authorities, how common and how venial offence it was considered in the middle of the reign of Elizabeth. Looking over some MSS. of that time, a few weeks since, I met with a very singular and confirmatory piece of evidence, establishing that in the year 1585, the precise period when our great dramatist is supposed to have made free with the deer of the knight of Charlcote, nearly all the cooks'-shops and ordinaries of London were supplied with stolen venison. The following letter from the lord mayor (which I copy from the original) of that day, Thomas Pullyson, to secretary Walsingham, speaks for itself, and shows that the matter has been deemed of so much important as to call for the interposition of the Privy Council: the city authorities were required to take instant and arbitrary measures for putting an end to the consumption of venison and to the practice of deer-stealing, by means of which houses &c. of public resort in London were furnished with that favourite viand. The letter of the lord mayor was a speedy reply to a communication from the queen's ministers on the subject:--

"Right honorable, where yesterday I receaved letters from her Ma'tes most honorable privie councill, advertisinge me that her highnes was enformed that Venison ys as ordinarilie sould by the Cookes of London as other flesh, to the greate distruction of the game. Commaundinge me thereby to take severall bondes of xl'li the peece of all the Cookes in London not to buye or sell any venison hereafter, uppon payne of forfayture of the same bondes; neyther to receave any venison to bake without keepinge a note of theire names that shall deliver the same unto them. Whereupon presentlie I called the Wardens of the Cookes before me, advertisinge them hereof, requiringe them to cause their whole company to appeare before me, to thende I might take bondes accordinge to a condition hereinclosed sent to your Ho.; whoe answered that touchinge the first clause thereof they were well pleased therewith, but for the latter clause they thought yt a greate inconvenience to their companie, and therefore required they might be permitted to make theire answeres, and alledge theire reasons therof before theire honors. Affirmed alsoe, that the Tablinge howses and Tavernes are greater receyvors and destroyers of stollen venison than all the rest of the Cittie: whereupon they craved that eyther they maye be likewise bounden, or else authoritie may be geven to the Cookes to searche for the same hereafter. I have therefore taken bondes of the wardens for their speedy appearance before theire honors to answere the same; and I am bolde to pray your Ho. to impart the same unto their Ho., and that I maye with speede receyve theire future direction herein. And soe I humbly take my leave. London, the xj'th of June, 1585.

"Your honors to commaunde,

"THOMAS PULLYSON, maior."

I dare say that the registers of the Privy Council contain some record of what was done on the occasion, and would enable us to decide whether the very reasonable request of the Cooks of London had been complied with. Whether this be or be not so, the above document establishes beyond question that in the summer of 1585 cooks'-shops, tabling-houses (i.e. ordinaries), and taverns, were abundantly supplied with stolen venison, and that the offence of stealing must have been very common.

J. PAYNE COLLIER

Kensington, Oct. 26, 1849

* * * * *

"PRAY REMEMBER THE GROTTO!" ON ST. JAMES' DAY.

When the great popularity which the legends of the Saints formerly enjoyed is considered it becomes matter of surprise that they should not have been more frequently consulted for illustrations of our folk-lore and popular observances. The Edinburgh Reviewer of Mrs. Jameson's _Sacred and Legendary Art_ has, with great judgement, extracted from that work a legend, in which, as he shows very clearly[A], we have the real, although hitherto unnoticed, origin of the Three Balls which still form the recognised sign of a Pawnbroker. The passage is so curious, that it should be transferred entire to the "NOTES AND QUERIES."

[A] Edinburgh Review, vol. lxxxix. p.400.

"None of the many diligent investigators of our popular antiquities have yet traced home the three golden balls of our pawnbrokers to the emblem of St. Nicholas. They have been properly enough referred to the Lombard merchants, who were the first to open loan-shops in England for the relief of temporary distress. But the Lombards had merely assumed an emblem which had been appropriated to St. Nicholas, as their charitable predecessor in that very line of business. The following is the legend: and it is too prettily told to be omitted:--

"'Now in that city (Panthera) there dwelt a certain nobleman, who had three daughters, and, from being rich, he became poor; so poor that there remained no means of obtaining food for his daughters but by sacrificing them to an infamous life; and oftentimes it came into his mind to tell them so, but shame and sorrow held him dumb. Meanwhile the maidens wept continually, not knowing what to do, and not having bread to eat; and their father became more and more desperate. When Nicholas heard of this, he thought it shame that such a thing should happen in a Christian land; therefore one night, when the maidens were asleep, and their father alone sat watching and weeping, he took a handful of gold, and, tying it up in a handkerchief, he repaired to the dwelling of the poor man. He considered how he might bestow it without making himself known; and, while he stood irresolute, the moon coming from behind a cloud showed him a window open; so he threw it in, and it fell at the feet of the father, who, when he found it, returned thanks, and with it he portioned his eldest daughter. A second time Nicholas provided a similar sum, and again he threw it in by night; and with it the nobleman married his second daughter. But he greatly desired to know who it was that came to his aid; therefore he determined to watch: and when the good Saint came for the third time, and prepared to throw in the third portion, he was discovered, for the nobleman seized him by the skirt of his robe, and flung himself at his feet, saying, "O Nicholas! servant of God! why seek to hid thyself?" and he kissed his feet and his hands. But Nicholas made him promise that he would tell no man. And many other charitable works did Nicholas perform in his native city.'

"These three purses of gold, or, as they are more customarily figured, these three golden balls, disposed in exact pawnbroker fashion, are to this day the recognised special emblem of the charitable St. Nicholas."

And now for the more immediate object of the present Note, which is to show--what, when once pointed out, will, I think, readily be admitted, namely, that in the grotto formed of oyster shells, and lighted with a votive candle, to which on old St. James's day (5th August) the passer by is earnestly entreated to contribute by cries of, "Pray remember the Grotto!" we have a memorial of the world-renowned shrine of St. James at Compostella.

The popularity which St. James formerly enjoyed in England, and the zeal with which his shrine was visited by natives of this country, have recently been so clearly shown by Mr. J.G. Nichols, in his interesting little volume, _Pilgrimages to St. Mary of Walsingham and St. Thomas of Canterbury_, that I need not here insist upon these points.

What the original object of making these grottoes may have been I can only suggest: but I shall not be surprised if it should turn out that they were formerly erected on the anniversary of St. James by poor persons, as an invitation to the pious who could not visit Compostella, to show their reverence for the Saint by almsgiving to their needy brethren.