Notes and Queries, Number 05, December 1, 1849

MS. of English Gesta Romanorum.

Your work, which has so promising a commencement, may be regarded as, in one department, a depository of anecdotes of books. Under this head I should be disposed to place Notes of former possessors of curious or important volumes: and, as a contribution of this kind, I transmit a Note on the former possessors of the MS. of the Gesta Romanorum in English, which was presented to the British Museum in 1832, by the Rev. W.D. Conybeare, now Dean of Llandaff, and has been printed at the expense of a member of Roxburgh Club. It is No. 9066 of the MSS. call Additional.

Looking at it some years ago, when I had some slight intention of attacking the various MSS. of the Gesta in the Museum, I observed the names of Gervase Lee and Edward Lee, written on a fly-leaf, in the way in which persons usually inscribe their names in books belonging to them; and it immediately occurred to me that these could be no other Lees than members of the family of Lee of Southwell, in Nottinghamshire, who claimed to descent from a kinsman of Edward Lee, who was Archbishop of York in the reign of Henry VIII, and who is so unmercifully handled by Erasmus. The name of Gervase was much used by this family of Lee, and as there was in it an Edward Lee who had curious books in the time of Charles II, about whose reign the names appears to have been written, there can, I think, be little reasonable doubt that this most curious MS. formed a part of his library, and of his grandfather or father, Gervase Lee, before him.

Edward Lee, who seems to have been the last of the name who lived in the neighbourhood of Southwell, died on the 23rd of April, 1712, aged 76.

That he possessed rare books I collect from this: that the author of Grammatica Reformata, 12mo. 1683, namely John Twells, Master of the Free School at Newark, says, in his preface, that he owed the opportunity of perusing Matthew of Westminster "to the kindness of that learned patron of learning, Edward Lee, of Norwell, Esquire."

And now, having given you a Note, I will add a Query, and ask, Can any one inform me what became of this library, or who were the representatives and heirs of Edward Lee, through whom this MS. may have passed to Mr. Conybeare, or give me any further particulars respecting this Edward Lee?

A person who asks a question in such a publication as yours ought to endeavour to answer one. I add therefore that Mr. Thorpe–no mean authority on such a point–in his Catalogue for 1834, No. 1234, says the E.F. in the title-page of The Life of King Edward II, represents "E. Falkland:" but he does not tell us who E. Falkland was, and it is questionable whether there was any person so named living at the time when the book in question was written. There was no Edward Lord Falkland before the reign of William III. Also, in answer to Dr. Maitland's Query respecting the fate of Bindley's copy of Borde's Dyetary of Health, 1567, in a priced copy of the Catalogue now before me, the name of Rodd stands as the purchaser for eleven shillings.

    JOSEPH HUNTER.

Nov. 26. 1849

QUERIES ANSWERED, NO. 3

A Flemish Account, etc.

The readiness with which we adopt a current saying, though unaware of its source and therefore somewhat uncertain as to the proper mode of applying it, is curiously exemplified by the outstanding query on the origin and primary signification of the phrase A Flemish account.

I have consulted, in search of it, dictionaries of various dates, the glossaries of our dramatic annotators, and the best collections of proverbs and proverbial sayings–but without success.

The saying casts no reproach on the Flemings. It always means, I believe that the sum to be received turns out less than had been expected. It is a commercial joke, and admits of explanation by reference to the early commercial transactions between the English and the Flemings.

I rely on the authority of The merchants mappe of commerce, by Lewes Roberts, London, 1638, folio, chap. 179:–

In Antwerp, which gave rule in trade to most other cities, the accounts were kept in livres, sols, and deniers; which they termed pounds, shillings, and pence of grosses. Now the livre was equal only to twelve shillings sterling, so that while the Antwerp merchant stated a balance of 1l. 13s. 4d., the London merchant would receive only 1l.--which he might fairly call A Flemish account!

The same instructive author furnishes me with a passage in illustration of a recent question on the three golden balls, which seem to require additional research. It occurs in chap. 181:–

"This citie [Bruges] hath an eminent market in place with a publicke house for the meeting of all marchants, at noone and evening: which house was called the Burse, of the houses of the extinct families Bursa, bearing three purses for their armes, ingraven upon their houses, from whence these meeting places to this day are called Burses in many countries, which in London wee know by the name of the Royall Exchange and of Britaines Burse."

    BOLTON CORNEY.

I think it probably that the expression "Flemish Account" may have been derived from the fact that the Flemish ell measures only three quarters of our yard, while the English ell measures five quarters, and that thence the epithet Flemish was adopted as denoting something deficient.

    Q.Q.

When commerce was young, the Flemings were the great merchants of Western Europe; but these worthies were notorious, when furnishing their accounts current, for always having the balance at the right side (for themselves), and hence arose the term. I am not at this moment able to say where this information is to be had, but have met it somewhere.

    JUNIOR.

I wonder that some better scholar than myself should not have explained the phrase "Flemish account;" but though I cannot quote authority for the precise expression, I may show whence it is derived. To flem, in old Scotch (and in old English too, I believe), is to "run away;" in modern slang, to "make oneself scarce," "to levant." Flemen is an outcast, an outlaw. It is easy to understand the application of the word to accounts. Your querist should consult some of the old dictionaries.

    SCOTUS.

There is an old story that a Count of Flanders once gave an entertainment to some Flemish merchants, but that the seats on which they sat were without cushions. These "princes of the earth" thereupon folded up their costly velvet cloaks, and used them accordingly. When reminded, on their departure, of having left their cloaks behind, they replied, that when asked to a feast they were not in the habit of carrying away with them the chair cushions. Could this have originated the expression "Flemish account?" In this case the proud merchants gave such an account of a valuable article in their possession, as made it out to be quite worthless to the owner.

    MUSAFIR.

ANSWERS TO MINOR QUERIES

Richard Greene, Apothecary.

Mr. Richard Green, the subject of H.T.E.'s Query (No. 3. p. 43.), was an apothecary at Lichfield, and related to Dr. Johnson. He had a considerable collection of antiquities, etc., called "Green's Museum," which was sold, after his death, for a thousand pounds. See Boswell's Johnson, Croker's edition, vol. v. p. 194.

Form of Petition.

Sir,–In reply to B. in your third number, who requests information as to the meaning of the "etc." at the foot of a petition, I fear I must say, that at the present day, it means nothing at all. In former times it had a meaning. I send you a few instances from the Chancery Records of the year 1611. These petitions to Sir E. Phillips or Phelips, M.R., end thus:–

"And he and his wife and six children shall dailie praie for your Worship's health and happines!

"And shee shall accordinge to her bounden duetie pray for your good Worship in health and happinesse longe to continewe!

"And both your said supliants and their children shal be bound dailie to praie for your Worship's health and happines with increase of honour!"

These instances are taken at random from amongst many others. The formula, slightly varied, is the same in all. The modern form was, however, even at that early date, creeping in, for I see a petition to L.C. Ellesmere, of the same year, has

"And he shall dailie, praie, etc."

This will probably suffice to answer B.'s Query.

    CECIL MONRO.

Registrar's Office, Court of Chancery,

Nov. 20. 1849.

Greene of Greensnorton.

Sir Thomas Greene, of Greensnorton, Co. Northampton, Knt. died 30 Nov. 1506–22 Hen. VII. By Jane, daughter of Sir John Fogge, Knt., he left issue two daughters and coheirs:

Ann, the eldest, aet. 17, at her father's death, was wife of Nicholas Vaux, Lord Vaux, of Harrowden, who died in 1556, now represented by George Mostyn, Baron Vaux, and Robert Henry, Earl of Pembroke, and Edward Bourchier Hartopp, Esq.

Matilda, the youngest, was aged 14 at her father's death, and married Sir Thomas Parr, by whom she had William Marquess of Northampton (who died s.p. 1571); Anne, wife of William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke (now represented by Robert Henry, Earl of Pembroke); and Catherine, Queen Consort of King Henry VIII. The assumption of arms, by Richard Green, the Apothecary, in 1770, will afford no ground for presuming his descent from the Greensnorton family.

    G.

Cottle's Life of Coleridge, when reviewed in the Times.

The Times review of Joseph Cottle's Reminiscences of Coleridge and Southey, appeared Nov. 3. 1847; and on the following day, Mr. Thomas Holcroft complained by letter of a misrepresentation of his father by Mr. Cottle.

    *

Times, Herald, Chronicle, etc., when first established.