Part 2

It is said that the "Man in the Iron Mask" was no other than the twin (and elder) brother of Louis XIV.; that his keeper's name was _Bonpart_; that that keeper had a daughter, with whom the Man in the Mask fell in love, and to whom he was privately married; that their children received their mother's name, and were secretly conveyed to Corsica, where the name was converted into _Bonaparte_ or _Buonaparte_; and that one of those children was the ancestor of Napoleon Bonaparte, who was thus entitled to be recognised not only as of French origin, but as the direct descendant of the rightful heir to the throne of France.

The Bonapartes are said to have adopted the name of _Napoleon_ from Napoleon des Ursins, a distinguished character in Italian story, with one of whose descendants they became connected by marriage; and the first of the family to whom it was given was a brother of Joseph Bonaparte, the grandfather of Napoleon I. Many are the _jeux de mots_ that have been made on this name; but the following, which I have just met with in _Littérature Française Contemporaine_, vol. ii. p. 266., is perhaps the most remarkable.

The word _Napoleon_, being written in Greek characters, will form seven different words, by dropping the first letter of each in succession, namely, [Greek: Napoleôn, Apoleôn, Poleôn, Oleôn, Leôn, Eôn, Ôn]. These words make a complete sentence, and are thus translated into French: "Napoléon, étant le lion des peuples, allait détruisant les cités."

HENRY H. BREEN.

St. Lucia.

_A Parish Kettle._--In the accounts of the churchwardens of Chudleigh in Devonshire, during a period extending from 1565 to 1651, occasional mention is made of "the church chyttel," "parish chettle," "parish chetell or furnace," "parish crock;" and charges are made for malt and hops for brewing ale; and the money received for ale sold is accounted for. There may also have been provided, for the use of the parish, a vessel of smaller dimensions than the crock, for in the year 1581 there is an entry of 1s. 2d. received "for the lone of the parish panne." As cyder must have been at that time, as it is now, the common drink of the working-classes, the parish "crock" must have been provided for the use of the occupiers of the land. I suppose that the term _crock_, for a pot made of brass or copper, had its origin in times when our cooking-vessels were made of crockeryware.

I have never seen, in the ancient accounts of churchwardens, any mention made of a "town plough," which GASTROS notices (Vol. vi., p. 462.).

S. S. S. (2.)

_Pepys's Diary; Battle of St. Gothard._--LORD BRAYBROOKE, in a note on 9th August, 1664, on which day Pepys mentions a great battle fought in Hungary, observes, "This was the battle of St. Gothard, fought 1st August, so that the news reached England in eight days." This would scarcely be possible even in these days of railways. The difference of styles must have been overlooked, which would make the intelligence arrive in eighteen days, instead of eight.

J. S. WARDEN.

_First Folio Shakspeare._--It would be extremely desirable that every one who possesses, or knows of a copy of the _first folio_, would send to "N. & Q." a note of the existence of such copy; its present owner's name; date of acquisition; last owner's name; the price paid; its present condition; and any other circumstances peculiar to the copy. When the editor should receive an adequate number of replies to this suggestion, he might publish a list in some methodised form, and subsequent lists as occasion might require. I have examined the libraries of several great country-houses, and have never found a first folio; not even at Wilton, {130} where, of all the houses in England, we are most sure that it must have been.

C.

_An ancient Tombstone._--In the month of December, 1851, a tombstone was found at the quay of Aberdeen, near Weigh House Square, in excavating for a common sewer. On it is carved a cross, and a shield containing the initials "G. M.," a nameless instrument, or a couple of instruments, placed crosswise, and a heart with a cross in the centre. Round the edge is cut exquisitely, in Old English letters, with contractions such as we see in old MSS., the following inscription, "Hic jacet honorabilis Vir Georgius Manzs (Menzies?), civis de Abirden, cum uxore eius Anneta Scherar, qui obiit XXVII die mensis Septembris, anno D. N. I. MIIIIXX." In former times, the Menzieses, the Collisons, and the Rutherfords held ruling power in Aberdeen, as in more recent times did the Gibbons, Bannermans, and Hogarths.

KIRKWALLENSIS.

* * * * *

Queries.

EXCESSIVE RAINFALL.

The following quotation induces me to put a Query to the numerous scientific readers of your widely-circulated publication:

"It is a remarkable circumstance that an unprecedented quantity of rain has fallen during the last year (1852) all over the world,--England, Ireland, Europe generally, Africa, India, and even in Australia."

Query, Is it anywhere recorded that so widespread a rainfall has been previously noticed? It is said that excessive rainfall has been general all over the world; and it would appear to have been general over a great portion of the land. This, however, does not constitute the whole world. The area of our globe is composed of about four-fifths water to one-fifth land; so that an excess of rain might fall upon every square mile of land, and yet the _average_ rainfall of the whole world not be exceeded. This is an important truth, and should be generally understood. Taking the surface of the whole world, there is probably, year by year, the same amount of sunshine and heat, the same quantity of evaporation, and the same volume of rainfall; but there is inequality of distribution. We find a dry summer in America, and a wet one in Europe; excessive wet in the south of Europe, with excessive drought in the north; with similar excesses over much more limited areas. This case holds good even for the extraordinary year of 1852. Excess of rain has fallen on most of the land over the earth's surface; but there has been a minimum on the great oceans; as see the accounts of the fine weather, light winds, and calms, experienced in the voyages to Australia.

The question of general equality and local excesses may now, through our commerce, have that attention given to it which has hitherto been impossible. It is well worthy of study.

ROBERT RAWLINSON.

* * * * *

BAPTIST VINCENT LAVALL.

I have in my possession a manuscript of about six hundred pages, entitled "Lavall's Tour across the American Continent, from the North Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, in a more southern Latitude than any yet attempted: performed in the Years 1809 and 1810." A map of the route accompanies it.

The accounts of the country, and of the Indian tribes, correspond with what we learn from other sources; and gentlemen of information in Indian affairs believe the work to be the genuine production of a person who has been over the ground described.

According to this work, Lavall was a native of Philadelphia, and born in 1774. His father, who was a royalist, settled in Upper Canada, and engaged in the fur trade. In 1809 Baptist Vincent Lavall visited England to receive a legacy left him by a relation. Here he was persuaded to join a vessel fitting out for the purpose of trading in the North Pacific. It was a schooner of about two hundred tons, called the Sea Otter, commanded by Captain Niles. This vessel was lost upon the coast of Oregon, on the 15th of August, 1809, whilst Lavall and three of the crew were on shore hunting. They made their way across the continent to New Orleans.

Can any information be furnished from any custom-house in England as to the Sea Otter, Captain Niles?

WILLIAM DUANE.

Philadelphia.

* * * * *

GRAVES OF MICKLETON, CO. GLOUCESTER.

There are three portraits engraved by Vertue, which give the pedigree of this family thus far:

John Graves of York, = born 1515, ob. 1616. | | +------------------+ | ---- Graves = | +-------+ | = Richard Graves of Mickleton, Esq., = ob. 1669. | | +--------------------------+ | ---- Graves = | +--------------+ | Richard Graves of Mickleton, Esq. = ob. 1731.

The title engraved on the plate states that the first Richard Graves given above, was twice {131} married, and had _six_ sons and _thirteen_ daughters. It does not give the Christian names of any of the children, and leaves it uncertain whether the Richard Graves who died in 1731 was a child of the first or second marriage. This last-mentioned Richard was an antiquary of some note, and a correspondent of Hearne, who calls him "Gravesius noster."

Query 1. Is the full pedigree of this family anywhere to be had? 2. Is there a record of any of the six sons of the Richard who died in 1669 having settled in Ireland, as a soldier or otherwise, in the time of the Commonwealth? According to Mr. Editor's excellent arrangement, I transmit to him a stamped envelope, and shall feel much obliged to any correspondent of "N. & Q." who will give me the desired information. In the life of the Rev. Richard Graves, a younger son of Richard the antiquary (_Public Characters_, Dublin, 1800 p. 291.), it is stated that his collections for the History of the Vale of Gresham came, after his death, into the hands of James West, Esq., President of the Royal Society, at whose death they were purchased by the Earl of Shelburne, A.D. 1772. Query, Are they still in existence?

JAMES GRAVES.

Kilkenny.

* * * * *

SEARSON'S POEMS.

The Query of G. C. (Vol. vi., p. 578.) relative to Mrs. Mackey's _Poems_, has induced me to trouble you with a similar one respecting the author of a volume in my possession. It is entitled _Mount Vernon_, a Poem, &c. &c., by John Searson, formerly of Philadelphia, Merchant; Philadelphia, printed for the author by Folwell. After the title-page (which is too long to be given _in extenso_) follows a dedication to General Washington, in which the author, after recording that he last returned to America from Ireland in 1796, and that having been established for several years at Philadelphia as a merchant, he had been subjected to unforeseen losses in trade and merchandize, proceeds as follows:

"Having a pretty good education in my youth, from an uncle, a clergyman of the Church of England, I published two poems in Ireland, was well received, and two publications since my last arrival in America, having disposed of the last copy of one thousand, _Art of Contentment_, and did myself the honour to visit your Excellency 15th May last [1799], so as to obtain an adequate idea of Mount Vernon, wishing to compose a poem on that beautiful seat, which I now most humbly dedicate to your Excellency, with your likeness," &c.

Next follows a "Preface to the readers of Mount Vernon, a Poem," in which he says:

"I published a rural, romantic, and descriptive poem of Down Hill, the seat of the Earl of Bristol, Bishop of Londonderry, in Ireland; for which the gentlemen of that country actually gave me a guinea per copy, and Sir George Hill, from Dublin, gave me five guineas in the city of Londonderry; more, I am assured, as feeling from my having seen better days, than from the intrinsic value of it."

Besides _Mount Vernon_, the book contains several other poems, &c., and extends to eighty-three pages, 8vo., with four pages subsequently inserted at the end. It is, I believe, a very scarce book in America, and the copy I possess is probably unique in this country. Like Mrs. Mackey's poems, it seems to have been written in earnest, and it is impossible within the limits of an article of this nature to give an adequate idea of the vein of self-complacency which pervades the book, or of the high estimation in which the author evidently held his own productions both in prose and verse.

A few quotations illustrative of his descriptive powers must suffice:

"Mount Vernon! I have often heard of thee, And often wish'd thy beauties for to see."--P. 9.

"The house itself is elegant and neat, And is two stories high, neat and complete."--P. 10.

"A thought now strikes my mind, of Mount Vernon, That happiness may ever shine thereon; For, Nature form'd it pleasing to the mind; Therefore, true earthly bliss we here might find: Or, in a cottage, if our God be there, For He is omnipresent, everywhere. A garden was the first habitation Of our parents, and near relat'on," (_sic_) &c.--P. 14.

Of Alexandria he informs us that--

"The buildings here are generally neat, The streets well pav'd, which makes walking complete. I've seen their houses, where they preach and pray, But th' congregation small on stormy day."--P. 38.

Of George Town he says:

"A pleasing rural prospect rises here, To please th' enquiring mind as we draw near. The building in George Town is very neat; But paving of the streets not yet complete. Some rural seats near to the Town is fine, Which please the fancy and amuse the mind."--P. 39.

And lastly, from his _Valedictory_, we learn that--

"Poets, like grasshoppers, sing till they die, Yet, in this life, some laugh, some sing, some cry."--P. 83.

These extracts are not given as the _worst_ specimens. Is anything more known of John Searson, and of his other valuable productions, either in Ireland or America? As I perceive you have correspondents at Philadelphia, they will perhaps kindly afford me some information on the subject.

LEICESTRIENSIS.

[Another work by this author may be found in some of our public libraries, entitled _Poems on various {132} Subjects and different Occasions, chiefly adapted to Rural Entertainment in the United States of America_. 8vo. 1797. The Preface to this work also gives some account of Searson's residence in Ireland, where, he says, "I lived happily for fifteen years, till another king (or agent) arose, who knew not Joseph, who, in the most inhuman, cruel, and tyrannical manner, made use of his interest to have me put out of my place." The work concludes with the following advertisement respecting himself:--"Being unemployed at present, should any of my kind subscribers know of any vacancy as tutor in some gentleman's family, a place in some public office, genteel compting-house, or vacancy for a schoolmaster, the author will be grateful for the favour of acquainting him of it. He may be heard of by applying to Mr. Mathew Carey, of Market Street, bookseller."]

* * * * *

Minor Queries.

_Haberdon, or Habyrdon._--A manor now belonging to the school at Bury St. Edmund's bears this name. Can any meaning be given to the word?

The land formerly belonging to the Abbey of St. Edmund, several registers of that monastery, A.D. 1520 and 1533, let the said manor of Habyrdon, on condition the tenant should yearly find one white bull, &c. The leases all describe this manor of Habyrdon and make it specially necessary to find a white bull. The land is contiguous to the town of Bury, and is called Haberdon at the present time, presents a hilly appearance and remains of ancient intrenchments. I have not heard of any other place by this name.

C. G.

Paddington.

_Holles Family._--I am very desirous of obtaining any information that can be procured concerning the Holles family prior to the time of Sir William, who was Lord Mayor of London in 1540. I should also be obliged if any of your numerous correspondents can inform me, whether that member of the family who married a lady named Gelks, I think since 1700, left any posterity; from whom he was descended, and in what county he lived? Also, who the Gelkses were, and whether the family is represented now; and, if so, of what county they are?

The arms of the Holleses were--Ermine, two piles conjoining in the points sable. The crest was a boar's head erased, azure, langued gules, pierced with a pheon.

The Gelks bore--Ermine, three chevrons azure, charged with nine bezents inter nine annulets gules.

M. T. P.

Reading.

"_To lie at the Catch_" (Vol. vi., p. 56.).--From accidental circumstances I have only lately seen the notice of my Query. Will you excuse my saying that I do not yet understand the meaning of the phrase "To lie at the catch," and that I shall be greatly obliged if you or any of your correspondents will explain it further, or, in other words, give me a paraphrase that will suit the two passages I have quoted.

M. D.

_Names of Planets--Spade._--Would any of your correspondents give me some information respecting the _names_ of the different planets of our system, whether their titles are coeval with the apotheosis of the various denizens of Olympus whose names they bear; or whether such names were bestowed upon the heavenly bodies at some later date in honour of those divinities?

I should also like to hear explained, how the word _spade_, which from its affinities in other languages would appear to have originally meant _sword_, ever came to be transferred from a weapon of war to the useful and harmless implement it now designates.

[Greek: Ouden].

_Arms in painted Glass._--The following arms have recently been found in some decorated windows of the early part of the fourteenth century. Information as to whom belonging would be esteemed a favour.

1. Gules, a chevron, or.

2. Quarterly, first and fourth gules, a mullet, or, second and third sable, a cross, or.

3. Argent, on a chevron, or, three bucks' heads caboshed, tincture indistinct, probably sable.

QUÆRENS.

_The Sign of "The Two Chances."_--An inn, at Clun, in this county, bears the unusual sign of "The Two Chances." What can this mean? Mine host is also Registrar of Births and Deaths for the district. Does it refer to _these two chances_?

GEORGE S. MASTER.

Welsh-Hampton, Salop.

_Consecrators of English Bishops._--It may appear a waste of space to insert in your columns my Queries on this subject, but when you consider that I have been an exile in India for the last eleven years, and consequently unable to refer, in this country, to authorities, which are easily accessible at home, I venture to hope that you will not only give a place to this, but also that you, or some clerical reader of "N. & Q.," will afford me the required information.

I have continued Mr. Perceval's list of English consecrations, given in his able work, _An Apology for the Doctrine of Apostolical Succession_, 2nd edition of 1841, but have been unable to complete it with the names of the consecrators of the following prelates, the objects of my Query; viz. 1. Bishop Gilbert, of Chichester, on 27th February, 1842; 2. Bishop Field, of Newfoundland, 28th April, 1844; 3, 4, & 5. Bishops Turton of Ely, Medley of Fredericton, and Chapman of {133} Colombo, on 4th May, 1845; 6. Bishop Gobat, 5th July, 1846; 7 & 8. Bishops Smith of Victoria, and Anderson of Rupert's Land, on 29th May, 1849; 9. Bishop Fulford of Montreal, 25th July, 1850; and 10. Bishop Harding of Bombay, on 12th August, 1851. The dates are, I believe, correct, but if not, of course I should like the mistakes to be pointed out. I also desiderate the date of Bishop Binney's (of Nova Scotia) consecration, in March or April, 1851, with names of his consecrators; and finally, the place of Bishop Lonsdale's (of Lichfield) consecration, on 3rd December, 1843. If these data are supplied, the lacunæ in my supplemental list of English consecrations, from the Reformation to the present day, will be complete.

A. S. A.

Punjaub.

_A nunting Table._--What is it? The word occurs in a quotation from Dr. Newman in the _Irish Ecclesiastical Journal_ for December, 1852, describing a modern English church. I suppose I shall be snubbed for not giving the passage; but my copy of the journal has vanished.

A. A. D.

_John Pictones._--Is anything known of John Pictones, or Pyctones, a person mentioned in a MS. as having taught languages to Queen Elizabeth when she was young?

C. R. M.

_Gospel Place._--In a definition of the boundaries of Bordesley Abbey, dated 1645, given in Nash's _Worcestershire_, there frequently occurs the term "Gospel place," thus:

"And so to a Cross or Gospel Place near to Brown's cottage, and from thence to a Gospel Place under a tree near to a mill ... thence to the old Gospel Place oak that standeth on the common."

I have heard that at each one of these "Gospel places" there was kept up a mound on which it was usual to rest a corpse on its way to the churchyard, during which time some portion of the gospel was read. Can any of your correspondents say if such a practice was observed in any other part of the country, its origin, its intention, and the period of its discontinuance? And if not, can give any other explanation of the term?

G. R.

_York Mint._--Can any of your correspondents inform me of the names of the officers of the local mint at York, instituted about 1696?

O. O. O.

_Chipchase of Chipchase._--I should be glad to learn if any pedigree exists of the ancient family of Chipchase, or De Chipches (as the name is spelt in pleadings and deeds of the fourteenth century). A family bearing that name appears to have occupied or dwelt near the "Turris de Chipches," co. Northumberland, so early as Edward I.; at which time the manor of Prudhoe, of which Chipchase is a member, was held by the Umfravilles. The fact of the principal charges in the armorial bearings of both families being similar, seems to have led to the suggestion that the Chipchases were cadets of the former; but this opinion is without sufficient foundation.

A. G. W.

_Newspapers._--Which is the oldest newspaper, town or country, daily or weekly, now published? The _Lincoln, Rutland, and Stamford Mercury_ (weekly), published at Stamford, is the oldest paper I am acquainted with. The paper for the 21st January, 1853, is numbered "Vol. 158. No. 8231." This gives the year 1695 as the commencement of the paper. Perhaps other readers of "N. & Q." will follow up this interesting subject. Vide Vol. ii., p. 375., and Vol. iii., pp. 164. and 248.

L. L. L.

_On alleged historical Facts._--

"During the troubles in the reign of Charles I., a country girl came up to London in search of a place as a servant-maid; but not succeeding, she applied herself to carrying out beer from a brewhouse, and was one of those then called 'tub-women.' The brewer observing a well-looking girl in this low occupation, took her into his family as servant, and, after a little while, she behaving herself with so much prudence and decorum, he married her; but he died when she was yet a young woman, and left her a large fortune. The business of the brewery was dropped, and the young woman was recommended to Mr. Hyde, as a gentleman of skill in the law, to settle her affairs. Hyde (who was afterwards the great Earl of Clarendon), finding the widow's fortune very considerable, married her. Of this marriage there was no other issue than a daughter, who was afterwards the wife of James II., and mother of Mary and Anne, queens of England."--_Newspaper Paragraph._

What truth is there in the foregoing statement; and if in any degree true, what further is known of the fortunate "tub-woman?" Is her existence ignored in the Hyde pedigree?

J. B.