Notes and Queries, Number 190, June 18, 1853

Dublin.

This production appears to have been merely designed as a display of the writer's skill. Dr. Brown notices it in his Philosophy of the Mind, lect. 36; and Ebert: "Porcius, Pugna Porcorum, per P. Porcium, Poetam (J. Leonem), without place, 1530, 8vo., 8 leaves. Printed in Italics, and probably at Cologne or in Holland." He enumerates several other editions, the last of which is that of Walch, 1786.

    B. H. C.

Oaken Tombs and Effigies (Vol. vii., p. 528.).—These are rare. Three of the latter exist at Little Horkesley, Essex. Two are figures of cross-legged knights in chain armour and surcoats: one is a female figure wimpled. They are supposed by Suckling to represent members of the Horkesley family, who held that manor from 1210 to 1322.

Another instance is the effigy of a cross-legged knight in chain mail at Danbury in the same county. An account of these will be found in vol. iii. of Weale's Architectural Papers.

At Ashwell, Rutland, is an effigy in wood of a cross-legged knight, also in chain mail, if I remember rightly. It is not quite evident, from the description in Weale's book, whether there are three effigies at Danbury or only one. Of the same material is the figure of Isabella of Angoulême at Fontevrault. A catalogue of these wooden effigies would be interesting.

    Cheverells.

Bowyer Bible (Vol. vii., passim).—Relative to the history and various possessors of this curious Bible, I find the following notice in The Times, Oct. 14, 1840:

"There is at present, in the possession of Mrs. Parker of Golden Square, a copy of Macklin's Bible in forty-five large volumes, illustrated with nearly 7000 engravings from the age of Michael Angelo to that of Reynolds and West. The work also contains about 200 original drawings or vignettes by Loutherbourg.

"The prints and etchings include the works of Raffaelle, Marc Antonio, Albert Durer, Callot, Rembrandt, and other masters, consisting of representations of nearly every fact, circumstance, and object mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. There are, moreover, designs of trees, plants, flowers, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, and insects; such as, besides fossils, have been adduced in proof of the universal Deluge. The most authentic Scripture atlasses are bound up with the volumes. The Bible was the property of the late Mr. Bowyer the publisher, who collected and arranged the engravings, etchings, and drawings at great expense and labour; and he is said to have been engaged for upwards of thirty years in rendering it perfect. It was insured at the Albion Insurance Office for 3000l."

In the British Museum are several large works, particularly British topography, illustrated in a similar manner, and which thus contain materials of the rarest and most valuable description. Of these I would only at present mention Salmon's Hertfordshire illustrated by Baskerville, and Lysons's Environs, in the King's Library. A long list of such valuable works might be furnished from the Museum catalogues.

One of the most laborious collectors of curious prints of every kind was John Bagford, whose voluminous collections are amongst the Harleian MSS. in many folio volumes, in which will be found illustrations of topography to be met with nowhere else.

    E. G. Ballard.

Longevity (Vol. vii., pp. 358. 504.).—Our friend A. J. is certainly not one of the "remnant of true believers." By way of aiding in the crusade to convert him to the faith, I hereunder quote a couple of instances, "within the age of registers," which I trust will in some degree satisfy his pagan incredulity. The parish registers of the township of Church Minshull, in Cheshire, begin in 1561, and in the portion for the year 1649 appears the following:

"Thomas Damme, of Leighton, buried the 26th of February, being of the age of seven score and fourteen."

This entry was made under the "Puritan dispensation," when the parish scribe was at any rate supposed to be an "oracle of truth." Here, however, is another instance, culled from the Register of Burials for the parish of Frodsham, also in Cheshire:

"1512/3. Feb. 12. Thomas Hough, cujus ætas cxli."

And again, on the very next day after—

"– Feb. 13. Randle Wall, ætas 104."

I have met with other instances, but those now enumerated will probably suffice for my present purpose.

    T. Hughes.

Chester.

John Locke, baptized 17th December, 1716, in the parish of Coney Weston, was buried in Larling parish, county of Norfolk, 21st July, 1823. He is registered as 110 years of age. He and his family always said that he was three years old when he was baptized. I saw and conversed with him in Jan. 1823.

    F. W. J.

Lady Anne Gray (Vol. vii., p. 501.).—Referring to Sir John Harington's poem, I do not find that the Christian name of the Lady Gray is set down at all; the words of the stanza are,—

"First doth she give to Grey,
The falcon's curtesse kind."

I find in the pedigrees, British Museum, a "Lady Anne Grey" (daughter to John Lord Grey of Pirgo, brother to Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk) married to "Henry Denny of Waltham," father to the Earl of Norwich of that name. She was his first wife, and dying without issue, he married again "Lady Honora Grey, daughter of Lord Grey de Wilton;" but I scarce think this Lady Anne Grey could have been the maid of honour to the princess. The number of Greys of different stocks and branches at that period, are beyond counting or distinguishing from each other, and yet the fall of a queen's maid of honour should be easily traceable. Isabella Markham, one of the six ladies, married Sir John Harington himself.

On referring to Lodge's Illustrations, I find the Lord John Grey one of those noblemen appointed to attend Queen Elizabeth on her entrée from Hatfield to London on her accession, so that his daughter may well have been one of her maids of honour; yet from comparison of dates I think she can scarce have been the wife of Henry Denny.

    A. B. R.

Belmont.

Sir John Fleming (Vol. vii., p. 356.).—If Caret can obtain access to the pedigree of the Flemings of Rydal Hall, Westmoreland, I anticipate he will find that this Sir John was the third son of Sir Michael le Fleming, who came over at the instance of Baldwin, Earl of Flanders, to assist King William in his conquest of England. I may add that the Rydal family, honoured with a baronetcy, Oct. 4, 1704, bear for their arms—"Gules, a fret argent."

    T. Hughes.

Chester.

Life (Vol. vii., p. 429.).—Campbell, in his lines entitled A Dream, writes:

"Hast thou felt, poor self-deceiver!
Life's career so void of pain,
As to wish its fitful fever
New begun again?"

Though everybody knows the line—

"After life's fitful fever he sleeps well"—

I think Campbell might have acknowledged his adoption of the words by marking them, and might have improved his own lines (with all deference be it said) if he had written—

"Hast thou felt, poor self-deceiver!
Thy career so void of pain,
As to wish 'life's fitful fever'
New begun again?"

    F. James.

"I would not live my days over again if I could command them by a wish, for the snares of life are greater than the fears of death." (Penn's father, the Admiral.)

Penn himself said, that if he had to live his life over again, he could serve God, his neighbour, and himself better than he had done. Considering the history of the father and son's respective lives (and of those I before alluded to), though the latter's remarks may appear presumptuous, which showed the most wisdom is an open question. Does not H. C. K.'s professional experience enable him to give a more certain opinion of ordinary men's feelings than is expressed in "I fear not?"

    A. C.

Family of Kelway (Vol. vii., p. 529.).—In reply to the Query as to this family in "N. & Q." of May 28, I beg to mention that in MS. F. 9. in the Heraldic MSS. in Queen's College library, Oxford, is a pedigree of the family of Kelway of Shereborne, co. Dorset, and White Parish, Wilts.

The arms are beautifully tricked. There is a bordure engrailed to the Kelway coat. With it are these quarterings: 2, a leopard's face g. entre five birds close s., three in chief, two in base. 3, az. a camel statant arg. Crest, on a wreath arg. and g. a cock arg. crested, beaked, wattled, az.

    D. P.