Notes and Queries, Number 15, February 9, 1850

    B. THORPE.

PORTRAITS OF LUTHER AND ERASMUS

Your correspondent, “R.G.” (No. 13. p. 203.), is correct in supposing the wood-cut portrait of Luther to be that which is prefixed to the treatise “De Captivitate Babylonica Ecclesiæ,” where he is habited as a monk; but it was evidently only a copy from the very interesting copper-plate engraving of his friend Lucas Cranach, bearing the date 1520, of which a very accurate copy was prefixed to the translation of “Luther’s Way to Prayer,” published by Mr. Pickering in 1846. Juncker’s book is a very good repertory of the various representations of the great reformer, but the prints are generally but faithless copies. In 1750 Kirchmayer printed an especial disquisition upon the portrait by Lucas Cranach of 1523, under the following title:—”Disquisitio Historia de Martini Lutheri Oris et Vultus Habitu Hervieo ad vivum expresso in Imagine divine pencilli Lucæ Cranachj patris in ære hic incisa,” &c., Wittebergæ Sax. 1750, 4to. The works in which the Germans have sought to do honour to their great protestant saint, are numerous enough to fill a small library but two of them are so remarkable as to deserve notice, 1. “Luther’s Merkwürdige Lebensumstande bey seiner Medicinalischen Leibesconstitution, Krankheiten, geistlichen und leiblichen Anfectungen und andern Zufallen, &c., von F.G. Keil,” Leipsig, 1764. 2. “Luther’s Merkwürdige Reisegeschichte zu Erganzung seiner Lebensumstande, von Jo. Th. Lingke,” Leipsig, 1769, 4to. The earliest wood-cut representation of Erasmus with which I am acquainted is a medallion accompanying another of Ulric of Hutten, on the title-page of the following work of the unfortunate but heroic champion of the Reformation:—”Ulrichi ab Hutten cum Erasmo Rotirodamo, Presbytero, Theologo, Expostulatio.” There is reason to believe that this Expostulation was printed only a short month before Hutten died; and, though it bears neither date nor name of printer, that it was printed by Johannes Schott, at Strasburg, in the month of July, 1523. It has another portrait of Hutten at the end, the whole strikingly spirited and characteristic; by some they have been attributed to Holbein, and if not by him, which is doubtful, they are at least worthy of him.

One would gladly forget this strife between the great promoter of learning and the soldier-scholar. Erasmus’s conduct was unworthy of a great man, and can never be vindicated.

    S.W.S.

REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES

Praise undeserved.—The correct quotation, referred to in No. 14. p. 222., is

“Praise undeserved is Satire in disguise.”

It is by Mr. Br–st, author of a copy of verses called the British Beauties. I cannot fill up the “hiatus,” which in this case is not “maxime deflendus,” because I have now no time to search the Museum Catalogue. I apprehend that the author belonged to the “mob of gentlemen who wrote with ease,” as it is something like Savage’s “tenth transmitter” (which, by the bye, your correspondent, Mr. Gutch, should have said is said to be Pope’s)—his only good line. Here is my authority:

EPIGRAM

On a certain line of Mr. Br–, author of a copy of verses called the“British Beauties.”—From the “GARLAND,” a collection of Poems, 1721.

“When one good line did much my wonder raise
In Br–st’s works, I stood resolved to praise;
And had, but that the modest author cries,
Praise undeserv’d is satire in disguise.”

I would add, that I believe this Epigram to be Dr. Kenrick’s, Goldsmith’s old persecutor in later years.

    JAMES H. FRISWELL

French Maxim.—I beg to inform your correspondent “R.V.” in reply to his query (No. 14. p. 215.), that the maxim quoted is the 218th of Rochefoucauld: “L’hypocrisie est un hommage que le vice rend à la vertu.”

    J.H.F.

Singular Motto.—The “singular motto” which occasions “P.H.F.’s” wonder (No. 14. p. 214.), is, without doubt, a cypher, and only to be rendered by those who have a Key. Such are not unfrequent in German, Austrian, or Bohemian Heraldry.

    J.H.F.

Discurs. Modest.—At p. 205. No. 13., your correspondent N. replies to A.T.’s query, that “there can be no reasonable doubt, that the original authority for Rem transubstantiationis patres ne altigisse quidem, is William Watson in his Quodlibet, ii. 4. p. 31.”

By a note of mine, I find that this secular priest, W. Watson, lays the expression in question to the charge of the Jesuits as “an heretical and most dangerous assertion of theirs.” Admitting, therefore, the Discurs. Modest. to have been published after Watson’s Decacordon, i.e. later than 1602 (which can hardly be doubted), still the further question remains to be asked: “In what writings of the Jesuits, prior to 1602, had W. Watson himself found these words, with which he charges them?” Should you think this further query of importance enough to find a place in your paper, perhaps some one of your readers might throw yet another ray of light upon this subject.

    J.S.

Oxford

Pallace (No. 13. p. 202).—Mr. Halliwell, in his Dictionary of Archaic, &c. Words, explains this word as used in Devonshire:—

“Palace, a Storehouse.”—Devon. “At Dartmouth, I am told there are some of these storehouses, called palaces, cut out of the rock, still retaining the name.” —MS Devon. Gloss.

    C.W.G.

Meaning of “Pallace.”—The term “Pallace” (No. 13. p. 202.) is applied in Totnes to denote a landing-place inclosed by walls, but not roofed in. Many of these “pallaces” have been converted into coal-cellars. Perhaps pales may have been used originally to form these inclosures in lieu of walls;—and hence the word “pallace” would mean a place paled in. I find repeated mention made of “pallaces” in a schedule attached to a deed of the Corporation of Totnes, bearing date September 18th, 1719, a copy of which is now before me, and from it the following extracts are taken:—

“One linney and two pallaces or yards.”

“All those houses, rooms, cellars, and pallaces.”

“All that great cellar lately rebuilt, and the plott of ground or pallace thereto belonging lately converted into a cellar.”

“All that little cellar and pallace lately rebuilt, and the kay or landing place thereto belonging, and near adjoyning unto and upon the river Dart.”

“And the little pallace or landing-place.”

Apropos of landing-places, it may interest some of your readers to learn that the very stone upon which Brutus, the nephew of Æneas, landed at Totnes, still remains! It is inserted in the foot-way nearly opposite the Mayoralty-house in the Fore Street. From Totnes, the neighbouring shore was heretofore called Totonese: and the British History tells us, that Brutus, the founder of the British nation, arrived here; and Havillanus [John de Alvilla or Hauteville, according to Mr. Wright] as a poet, following the same authority, writes thus:—

“Inde dato cursu, Brutus comitatus Achate
Gallorum spoliis cumulatis navibus æquor
Exarat, et superis auraque faventibus usus,
Littora felices intrat Totonesia portus.”

“From hence great Brute with his Achates steer’d,
Full fraught with Gallic spoils their ships appear’d;
The Winds and Gods were all at their command,
And happy Totnes shew’d them grateful land.”

    Gibson’s Camden.
Totnes is made mention of the Lais de Marie:—

“Il tient sun chemin tut avant.
A la mer vient, si est passer,
En Toteneis est arriver.”—Lai d’Elidne.

    J. MILNER BARRY, M.D.
Totnes, Devon, Jan. 30. 1850.

Litany Version of the Psalms.—The doubts produced by Beloe’s self-contradicting statements on the subject of the Bishops’ Bible, which are referred to by “X.X.” (No. 13. p. 203.), may thus be settled. The first edition of this Bible, printed in 1568, contains a new translation of the Psalms by Becon. In the second folio edition, 1572, are inserted, in opposite columns, “the translation according to the Ebrewe,” which differs but little from the former, in Roman letter, and “the translation used in common prayer,” or that of the Great Bible, printed by Whitchurch, 1553, in black letter.

The clarum et venerabile nomen associated with the Bishops’ Bible, a very magnificent and perfect copy of which is now open before me, suggests the inquiry whether there is any copy known of Archbishop Parker’s rare volume on the English Church, 1572, which is not noticed by Martin in the list of eighteen which he had discovered. He does not mention that in the Chetham library.

    T. JONES.

Tempora mutantur &c.—In reply to your correspondent, “E.V.” (No. 14. p. 215.), I beg to state, that the germ of “Tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis,” is to be found in the Delitiæ Poetarium Germanorum, vol. i. p. 685., under the Poems of Matthias Borbonius. He considers them as a saying of Lotharius I. (flor. Cir. 830.):—

“Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis;
Illa vices quasdam res habet, illa suas.”

I sent this communication, some years ago, to Sharpe’s Magazine, where it will be found, vol. v. p. 208.