Notes and Queries, Number 57, November 30, 1850

"Never did Cardinal bring good to England" (Vol. ii., p. 424.).—Your correspondent O.P.Q. refers to Dr. Lingard's History of England, in which this exclamation of the Duke of Suffolk, on the adjournment of the legatine inquiry into the validity of the marriage of Henry VIII. and Catharine of Arragon, is termed an "old saw," and remarks that he should be glad to know if this saying is to be met with elsewhere, and what gave rise to it. Before we enter upon the inquiries suggested by O.P.Q., it seems to me that we have to consider a previous question—what authority is there for terming it an "old saw." Dr. Lingard refers to "Cavendish, 434.; Herbert, 278." as his authorities for the whole paragraph. But Herbert does not contain anything of the kind and Cavendish relates the matter very differently:

"With that stepped forth the Duke of Suffolk from the king, and lay his commandment spoke these words with a stout and an hault countenance, 'It was never merry in England,' quoth he, 'whilst we had cardinals amongst us!'"—Cavendish's Wolsey, pp. 232, 233, Singer's edition.

Is Dr. Lingard the authority for these words being an "old saw", or has he merely omitted to give a reference to the place from whence he really derived them?

    BERUCHINO.

Pandects, Florentine Edition of (Vol. ii., p. 421.).—Your correspondent R.G. will find copies of the Florentine edition of the Pandects of 1553, both in the British Museum and in the Bodleian library at Oxford. It is described in the catalogues of both under the title of Pandecta.

    C.L.L.

Master John Shorne (Vol. ii., p. 387.).—Mr. Thoms, in his curious notes on this personage, has expressed much regret that fuller details relating to a representation of Magister Johannes Schorn at Cawston, Norfolk, communicated to the Archæological Institute by the Rev. James Bulwer, had not been preserved in the Archæological Journal. I believe that the omission was solely in deference to Mr. Bulwer's intention of giving in another publication the results of his inquiries, and those persons who may desire detailed information regarding Master John will do well to peruse Mr. Bulwer's curious memoir in the Norfolk Archæology, vol. ii. p. 280., published March 1849, where representations of the figure at Cawston, and of another at Gateley, Norfolk, are given. There seems to be no evidence that Sir John, although in both instances pourtrayed with nimbus, had been actually canonized and it is deserving of notice that in no ancient evidence hitherto cited is he designated as a Saint, but merely as Master, or Sir John. I am surprised that Dr. Husenbeth, who is so intimately conversant with the examples of hagiotypic symbols existing in Norfolk, should not have given him even a supplementary place in his most useful manual of the Emblems of Saints, recently published. (Burns, 1850, 12mo.) I have sought for Sir John in vain, in either section of that valuable work. It occurs neither under the names of saints, nor in the series of emblems.

    ALBERT WAY.

"Her brow was fair" (Vol. ii p. 407.).—The author of the passage quoted by J.M.B. is Barry Cornwall. It occurs in one of the delicious little "Miscellaneous Poems" attached to the volume entitled Dramatic Scenes. The quotation is not quite accurate, the last two words of the first line, "and look'd," being carried into the second, and thus destroying the metre of both. The Dr. Armstrong alluded to by J.M.B. is, I suppose, a modern celebrity of whom I must plead guilty of being ignorant. The lines could, of course, only occur in the writings of the Dr. Armstrong who wrote The Art of Preserving Health, and who was the friend of the poet Thomson, through the interpolation of some modern editor, within the last thirty years. Barry Cornwall's poems have never been collected, in this country at least; and as the volume which contains the one in question is to be met with only occasionally, on the book stalls, I send you the entire poem:—

THE MAGDALEN

"And woman who had wept her loveliest dower
There hid her broken heart.

Paris. "I do remember it. Twas such a face

As Guido would have loved to dwell upon;
But oh! the touches of his pencil never
Could paint her perfect beauty. In her home
(Which once she did desert) I saw her last;
Propp'd up by pillows, swelling round her like
Soft heaps of snow, yielding, and fit to bear
Her faded figure. I observed her well:
Her brow was fair, but very pale, and look'd
Like stainless marble; a touch methought would soil
Its whiteness. O'er her temple one blue vein
Ran like a tendril; one through her shadowy hand
Branch'd like the fibre of a leaf—away.
Her mouth was tremulous, and her cheek wore then
A flush of beautiful vermilion,
But more like art than nature; and her eye
Spoke as became the youthful Magdalen,
Dying and broken-hearted."

    G.J. DE WILDE.
Dodd's Church History (Vol. ii., p. 347).—G.R., who is good enough to speak of my edition of this work in a very flattering manner, presumes, and not unnaturally, from the lengthened period which has elapsed since the appearance of the last, or fifth volume, that its continuation "has for some reason or other been abandoned." I am glad, however, to inform him that such is not the case. Health, and other uncontrollable circumstances, have unfortunately interfered to impede the progress of the work; but that it is not abandoned, I hope, ere long, to give to him and to the public a practical evidence.

    M.A. TIERNEY.
    Arundel, Nov. 1850.

Blackwall Docks (Vol. i., pp. 141. 220.).—These, in Pepys' time, probably included more than the dry docks, known as Wigram's and Green's; e.g., in Sir Thomas Brame's Letters, dated 29th Sept. 1666, we read:

"Blackwall hath the largest wet dock in England, and belongs chiefly to the East India Company."—Sir Thos. Brame's Letters, edit. Wilkin, t. i. p. 135.

    W. DN.

Wives of Ecclesiastics (Vol. i., p. 149.).—In Archdeacon Hale's Curious Precedents in Criminal Causes, p. 23., under 1490, and in the parish of S. Nicholas, Coldharbour, London, we read:

"Nicholai Colde.—Johannes Warwick quondam clericus parochie ibidem adulteravit cum Rosa Williamson et ob amorem illius mutilavit et quasi interfecit uxorem propriam."

We may remark that the delinquent is not called Dominus, but "clericus parochie."

    W. DN.

Stephens' Sermons (Vol. i., p. 334.).—The sermons referred to by BALLIOLIENSIS, with a suggestion that they may be those of the Rev. W. Stephens, were preached by Rev. Samuel Johnson, vicar of Great, and rector of Little Torrington. Stephens was subsequently vicar of St. Andrew's, Plymouth, a living then in the gift of the corporation.

    W. DN.

Saying of Montaigne (Vol. ii., p. 278.).—I have seen this attributed to Fenelon, and, I think, to an English divine; but have no "Note," and regret I cannot recollect the name.

    ESTE.

Scala Cœli (Vol. ii., p. 285.)—They are not in the church of St. John Lateran, but in a separate portico-like building. They form the middle flight, up which the faithful ascend on their knees, and descend by ordinary stairs on each side. These stairs are of stone (or marble), and are covered with boards, so that only parts are visible. They are said to have formed part of Pilate's house at Jerusalem; but I believe there are other claimants for the honour. One or two brass stars, inlaid in the stone, are said to mark the spots where Christ's tears fell.

    ESTE.
    Birmingham, Nov. 13. 1850.

Red Hand—Holt Family—Aston Church (Vol. ii., p. 241.).—The tradition is not, I belive, of very ancient date. It is stated that one of the Holt family murdered his cook, and was afterwards compelled to adopt the red hand in his arms. It is, however, obviously only the "Ulster badge" of baronetcy. I have never heard any further particulars of the tradition.

    ESTE.

Swearing by Swans (Vol. ii., p. 392.).—

"Toison d'or parut ensuite; il apportait un faisan vivant, orné d'un collier d'or; alors le duc Philippe, suivant l'ancien usage qu'avaient les seigneurs de prêter leurs serments sur quelque noble oiseau, jura qu'il irait en personne dans l'Orient combattre le chef des Sarrasins." &c., &c.—Histoire des Ducs de Bourgogne, par F. Valentin, troisième édition, p. 235. 8vo. Tours, 1846.

    E.J.M.
    Oxford.

"Tickhill, God help me!" (Vol. i., p. 247.).—Chagford, on the borders Dartmoor, in Devon, is in winter a very desolate and almost unapproachable place. If an inhabitant be asked at this season concerning his locality, he calls it, in sad tones, "Chagford, good Lord!" In summer the place is picturesque and much sought, and then the exulting designation is "Chaggiford, and what d'ye think?"

Widdicombe-in-the-Moor, in the same neighbourhood, is a most out-of-the-way place, and is commonly spoken of as "Widdicombe in the cold country, good Lord!"

    J.W.H.

"Noli me tangere" (Vol. ii., p. 253.).—To the list given of the painters of this subject may be added Frederico Baroccio. A singularly beautiful engraving by Raphael Morghen of this picture, then in the possession of the Marquis Bonvisi of Lucca, was published at Florence, 1816.

    C.I.R.

Judas Bell, Judas Candle, &c. (Vol. ii., p. 298.).—In the parish accounts of Lambeth, the two following entries occur:—