Notes and Queries, Number 179, April 2, 1853.

    W. W.

Malta.

The following note in connexion with the baptism of bells may be interesting, as it shows the manner of working, at that time.

Among the Centum Gravamina offered to Pope Adrian in 1521 by the Princes of Germany, as given in Herbert's Henry VIII., p. 139., this is the 51st:

"That suffragans used to baptize bels under pretence of driving away divels and tempests; and for this purpose did invite many rich godfathers, who were to touch the rope while the bell was exorcised, and its name invoked (unto which all the people must answer). And that a banquet was used to be made thereupon, at the cost of the layicks, amounting in little towns to a hundred florins, whither the godfathers were to come, and bring great gifts, &c., whereas they desired that the said bels might be baptized not onely by suffragans, but by any priest, with holy water, salt, herbs, without such costs."

    H. T. Ellacombe.

Clyst St. George.

Will Mr. Gole oblige me and your readers with a reference to the Golden Legend, from which he has sent a quotation bearing on bells and storms.

    H. T. Ellacombe.

Clyst St. George.

Exercise Day (Vol. vii., p. 205.).—The extract from the borough chamberlain's accounts, referred to by your correspondent Leicestriensis, relates rather to a religious assembly or meeting established by authority in the reign of Elizabeth, and designed as a check on the growing tendency towards Puritanism, which marked that period. In this diocese (at that time the diocese of Chester) Bishop Downham instituted a "monthly exercise," which was confirmed by his successor Dr. Chadderton, in an injunction bearing date Sept. 1, 1585. (See Appendix to Strype's Annals, vol. i.) It is there decreed that all parsons, vicars, curates, and schoolmasters shall resort to this exercise, there either to speak or write; and certain penalties are enforced on any neglect of its observance. In the churchwardens' accounts of this parish is an entry of similar import to that quoted by Leicestriensis: "1656, Pd. for minister diner at the exercise day, 00.00.06," the only perceptible difference being in the degree of hospitality extended to the clergy by their entertainers.

    John Booker.

Prestwich.

The Iron Mask (Vol. v., p. 474.; Vol. vii., p. 234.).—Your correspondent A. S. A. asks with much complacency, "What authority Mr. James Cornish has for asserting (Vol. v., p. 474.) that the mysterious secret of the Masque de fer has ever been satisfactorily explained?" Mr. James Cornish does not make statements of historical facts without authority: he therefore begs to refer A. S. A. to Delort, Histoire de l'Homme au Masque de fer, Paris, 1825; and to The True History of the State Prisoner, commonly called "The Iron Mask," &c., by the Hon. George Agar Ellis: London, 1826.

I repeat "my sanguine" expectations that "Junius" will yet be "unearthed." "Matthias" made an equal boast with the "mighty shade," that he would be for ever unknown.

Your Journal "N. & Q." has left no doubt about the author of The Pursuits of Literature.

    James Cornish.

Shakspeare's Use of the Word "Delighted" (Vol. ii., pp. 113. 139. 200. &c.).—The following passage from Douce's Illustrations has not been referred to by any of your contributors on this point; to some it may be unknown:

"With respect to the much contested and obscure expression of bathing the delighted spirit in fiery floods, Milton appears to have felt less difficulty in its consideration than we do at present; for he certainly remembered it when he made Comus say:

"' … one sip of this
Will bathe the drooping spirits in delight
Beyond the bliss of dreams.'"

    W. T. M.
Hong Kong.

Samuel Daniel (Vol. vi., p. 603.).—A copy of an original letter of Samuel Daniel, sent to Lord Keeper Egerton with a present of his Works newly augmented, 1601, is printed in Censura Literaria, ed. 1808, vol. vi. p. 391.

John Daniel, who published Songs for the Lute, Viol, and Voice, 1606, is supposed to have been the brother of the poet, and the publisher of his works in 1623. He was of Christ Church, Oxford; and took his degree of Bachelor of Music in 1604. At the commencement of the reign of Charles I., he was one of the court musicians, and his name occurs among the "Musicians for the Lutes and Voices," in a privy seal, dated Dec. 20, 1625, exempting the musicians belonging to the court from the payment of subsidies.

John Daniel's Songs were "printed by T. E. for Thomas Adams, at the Signe of the White Lyon, Paule's Church Yard, folio, 1606." They are dedicated, in rhyme, to "Mrs. Anne Greene, the worthy Daughter to Sir William Greene, of Milton, Knight."

    Edward F. Rimbault.

English Bishops deprived by Queen Elizabeth, 1559 (Vol. vi., pp. 100. 203.; Vol. vii., p. 260.).—I regret that I am unable to furnish A. S. A. with any additional information respecting the Marian bishops. None of the authorities I used give the dates he requires. Possibly, Mr. Charles Butler's Historical Memoires of the English, Irish, and Scottish Catholics, 4 vols. 8vo., 1822, might answer his Queries.

I have ascertained from Calamy's Life and Times (vol. i. p. 409.), that Thomas White, the deprived Bishop of Peterborough, died in London, May 30, 1698; and that Robert Frampton, the deprived Bishop of Gloucester, died May 25, 1708 (vol. ii. p. 119.).

    John I. Dredge.

"Jenny's Bawbee" (Vol. vii., p. 207.).—This is a very old song, a fragment of which (all we have) appeared in David Herd's Collection of Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, 2 vols. 12mo., Edinb. 1776. As it is very short, I quote it:

"An' a' that e'er my Jenny had,
My Jenny had, my Jenny had,
A' that e'er my Jenny had,
Was ae bawbee.

"There's your plack, and my plack,
An' your plack, an' my plack,
An' my plack, an' your plack,
An' Jenny's bawbee.

"We'll put it a' in the pint-stoup,
The pint-stoup, the pint-stoup,
We'll put it in the pint-stoup,
And birle't a' three."

There is a capital song founded upon this rude fragment, by the late Sir Alexander Boswell. It was published anonymously in 1803, and commences thus:

"I met four chaps yon birks amang,
Wi hinging lugs and faces lang;
I spier'd at neebour Bauldy Strang,
Wha's they I see?

"Quo' he, Ilk cream-fac'd pawky chiel
Thought he was cunning as the diel,
And here they cam' awa to steal
Jenny's bawbee."

Copies of this latter song may be seen in Johnson's Scottish Musical Museum, edit. 1839, vol. v. p. 435.; and in Graham's Songs of Scotland, 1848, vol. ii. p. 48.

    Edward F. Rimbault.

The old Scotch ballad with the above title, on which Sir Alexander Boswell, Bart., founded his humorous song, with the same name, may be found in The Book of Scottish Songs, recently published in The Illustrated London Library, p. 229.

    J. K. R. W.

Irish Convocation (Vol. vi., p. 317.).—I am unable to answer W. Fraser's Queries as to when the Irish Convocation last met, and where their deliberations are recorded; but that gentleman will find some account of its nature and constitution in a recently published pamphlet, entitled The Jerusalem Chamber, by the Rev. H. Caswall, M.A., pp. 39, 40.

    J. C. B.