used by Harvey. I presume the great physician Dr. Wm. Harvey is indicated, but no refere nce is given. The earliest use of "excursion" quoted is from Britannia's Pastorals, by William Brown, about 1620. Here then, again, when the American penny-a-liner informs us that "the Pri nce and his party 'excurred' from New York to Albany," he is only reviving a very old English form, and supplying an obvious want. Let me intreat him, however, to say "excurred," and not "excurted," which is vile, and reminds one too much of "squirted" and "dirtied." The verb to "orate cannot, I fear, plead ancient usage. It is a very useful word, however, and indicates something rather different from our "making a speech." The expression places before our mind's eye very distinctly the gentlemen who occupy "the floor" of the Senate House or House of Representatives for five or six hours at a time, apropos of things in general, that their oration may be printed and circulated amongst their far-distant constituents in Wisconsin or California. The word is wanted and it will live. There are other innovations which might be mentioned, but I fear I have "excurred" and "orated" long enough, and must leave the rest to a future period. J. A. PICTON. Sandy knowe, Wavertree, near Liverpool. HENRY EARL OF GALWAY. The notice in The Times of the death of a gentleman who had been for the long period of fifty-four years vicar of Micheldever, Hants, reminds me of the following entry, which was shown to me last summer in the register of burials of that parish : "Henry Earl of Galway died September 3, and was buried September 6, 1720, by John Imber, Curate of Stratton." This Henry Earl of Galway, who found his last resting-place in a Hampshire village, was a Frenchman, the son of that Marquis de Ruvigny who at upwards of eighty years of age left France and took up his abode in England on account of his Huguenot principles and Protestant faith. Henry de Ruvigny entered the English army, and so greatly distinguished himself in the Irish wars of William III. that he was created first Viscount and afterwards Earl of Galway in the Irish peerage, and was on more than one occasion appointed one of the Lords Justices in Ireland. Lord Galway, however, is best known in English history from having been in command of the English and Portuguese army at the fatal battle of Almanza, fought against the French and Spanish army on April 14, 1707 (O.S.), commanded by the Duke of Berwick, when most of the English were killed or made prisoners of war, having been abandoned by the Portuguese at the first charge. This battle of Almanza has always attracted notice from the remarkable fact of the English army having been commanded by a Frenchman, and the French army by an Englishman. In this engagement Lord Galway lost his right arm, and appears subsequently to have lived a private and retired life. And now how did it happen that this Frenchman and Irish peer was buried at Micheldever? A reference to a few notes explains this circumstance. Lord Galway was first cousin to Rachel Lady Russell, the widow for forty years of William Lord Russell, who was beheaded in Lincoln's Inn Fields on July 21, 1683. Rachel Lady Russell was the daughter of Thomas Wriothesley Earl of Southampton and Mademoiselle de Ruvigny, sister of the Marquis de Ruvigny. The estate of Micheldever belonged to Lady Russell, and Stratton, close to Micheldever, was her place of residence in the country. Lord Galway was her intimate friend and affectionate relative, and may perhaps have died while on a visit at Stratton, or else have died at a residence which he had in Hampshire, not far from Stratton, called Rookley. At any rate there can be no doubt but that to his relationship to Lady Russell we must ascribe the cause of Lord Galway's being buried at Micheldever. The intimate and affectionate friendship that existed between them is shown by the following extract of a letter from Lady Russell to Lord Galway, dated February 13, 1718: "To-morrow your health will not be omitted; daughter Devon and Mr. Charlton being to dine here; as I hope to do with yourself at Rookley, and also at Old Stratton, where you will be kindly welcome-as I am assured Í shall be at your Rookley. God, for the good you do mankind, grant you some easy years to do good upon earth, before you change for a happy eternity. So does desire and pray Lord Galway's truly affectionate cousin, R. RUSSELL.” No tablet or monument at Micheldever exists to Lord Galway's memory. But this may arise from a fire which some sixty years ago destroyed the church, and probably with it Lord Galway's monument; for, as Lady Russell survived him for three years, it is not likely that she would allow the memory of the just to pass away unmarked and undistinguished, and especially that of one to whom she was so sincerely attached. In accordance with your title, I end with a query-whether it might not be agreeable to the feelings of the Duke of Bedford or the Duke of Devonshire or the Duke of Rutland, descended from Lady Russell's son and two daughters, to erect a monument to the memory of Lord Galway in Micheldever church, if only on account of the great mutual attachment that to very old age existed between him and their celebrated and excellent ancestress. E. S. S. W. SIBYLS OF CHEYNEY COURT. I enclose a copy of the legends inscribed beneath the paintings of the Sibyls in the room (now used as a billiard room) at Cheyney Court as described by "D. P." (4th S. v. 152). He however omitted to state that the Sibyls only occupied half the space on the walls; on the other side of the room are paintings of the Prophets without any legends subscribed. Over the fireplace are two larger paintings of Diana and St. John the Baptist. In a very small room opening out of this, and over the porch, are paintings of martyrs. Are the verses given under each Sibyl supposed to be the prophecy concerning our Lord, and are they to be met with elsewhere? CLIFFORD W. POWER. St. John's College, Cambridge. PERSICA. "The Mother of the Eternall Fathers sonne A Mayd shall be. His birth Salvation Shall bring the worlde and Life: Yet farre from pride, In to the Salem, where with wrongfvil breth "A Kinge of Lewes shall the Redemer be, Shall syffer much. The Scribes with scornefyll brow "After som yeares dve revolvtion past, "An age shal shortly bring abovt ye day "Heavenes sacred Ordinance is now compleat EGIPTIA. e Immortl Word shal sinnles flesh become, But whome to Him Repentance bringet backe "These people have not what the fvtvre shall PHRYGIA. "The Almighty Faters deares only Sonne "God to redeeme vs humaine flesh sahl take, "At Bethleem in base and homely tod, "In little lowly cote open forlorne In povertie shall King of Kings be borne, "I see the Sonne of God com downe from Heaven, Shal beare for those whome His He daigned to make AN UNLOOKED-FOR CORRECTION OF A PROOFSHEET.-So many years have passed since the occurrence of the amusing anecdote, which I extract from a letter written to me in 1839, by the principal, though unintentional, actor in it (a young author of great promise, but who was taken too early from his friends and the public), that I think there can now be no objection to its publication for the entertainment of some of the readers of "N. & Q." "The other day at my publisher's, as I was correcting a proof-sheet, I took up a page of what seemed to be waste paper, though printed, and read thereon as follows -evidently written by some religious sectarian :-' Of the spirit and tone, and some personal sentiments of Bishop Bancroft, we profess to be no admirers; but we only adduce his evidence, so far as he may justly (a) be deemed to speak the sentiments of the Church.' Struck by this ingenuous, though quite unintentional, exposure of the writer's way of establishing his point, and citing witness, I wrote under it, as a note, with the recall-sign (a) as follows:-'i.e. so far as his testimony makes for us, we admit its full authority; but when he differs, mum's the word." There I left it, thinking no more about the matter. However, a week after, on calling again, the publisher, with a most indescribable face, pulled all sorts of ways, by a most strong desire to laugh and a mock attempt to look serious, like a worthy editor of the Churchman's Magazine, showed me my annotation printed off in the number for that month, actually issued and in circulation! Only think of the horror of the writers and their friends, at seeing their position upset, in their own work, and apparently by their own hand!' The publisher, on inquiring of the printer who had done it, received for answer that he did not know, but supposed it might be that gentleman, who was correcting the proof-sheet at the desk that day."" W. C. TREVELYAN. Wallington. CENTENARIANISM.-Knowing the interest which the Editor takes in the above subject, I have much pleasure in sending him a cutting from The Northern Echo of this date (Jan. 31):— "Death of a Centenarian.-John Butterfield, a wellknown centenarian, died on Friday morning, at Saltaire, at the age of 104 years. The fact of his age being such is well authenticated by documentary and other evidence extant. He was born at Windhill on August 5, 1765. He was married at the age of twenty at Calverley Church, and at the age of thirty he became a member of the Baptist church at Shipley, the church registry of this entry bearing date July 4, 1795. Neither wife nor child survive him. He was for many years of his vigorous manhood a cloth manufacturer at Idle and Shipley, and employed many clothiers. He formerly possessed some property, but of late years he was sustained by the generous bounty of Mr. Samuel Atkinson, gentleman, of Shipley. Mr. Butterfield had, on account of his remarkable longevity, been for many years an object of interest in the streets and lanes of Shipley and Saltaire. He was last seen abroad leaning on a stick and an umbrella about nine weeks ago. In the days of his vigour he was no doubt a tall, portly man, but in his latter years he had begun to stoop and walk with a rather infirm step. A memory slightly impaired also indicated his gradual and certain decay." Seaton-Carew, co. Durham. R. W. DIXON. [All the interest in this case depends upon this important part of it-that the fact of his being in his 105TH YEAR is well authenticated by documentary and other evidence. It would be satisfactory to know of what this evidence consists.-ED. "N. & Q."] "I'LL HAVE A DAG, IF I LOSE MY SPIKE." This phrase was current in Notts when I was much younger, its most rational meaning being"I'll attempt, if I don't succeed." I have nevertheless heard it spoken ludicrously, seriously, and indelicately. But in whatever sense it may be applied, it seems to have originated with schoolboys, who, in daring to aim at anything with their dag-tops which might perchance break their spikes, would exclaim-"I'll have a dag, if I lose my spike!" and, as possibly many a schoolboy could testify, a broken spike was the consequence. J. BEALE. CURIOUS MEMENTO MORI.-In Londonthorpe church, near Grantham, I have just had pointed out to me about half-a-dozen brass-headed nails in a part of the rood-screen by which a certain woman used to sit. These are known to have been taken out of the coffin of a man with whom she had lived as housekeeper on terms of improper intimacy, and placed where she would see ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS. paragraph is interesting to architects. Can replies be given to the questions "Why was the plan submitted?" and "Was it returned ? " "House of Commons, June 25, 1788. Sir W. Chambers requested to have his plan of Somerset Buildings returned," as stated in the European Magazine for July 1788. W. P. JEREMY BENTHAM (4th S. iv. 488.)-I shall feel obliged to my friend Sir John Bowring if he can inform me who wrote the following beautiful lines, which I find amongst my collections. I do not recognise the handwriting, and the ink has become so faint that the MS. is in some parts almost illegible. I therefore may have perpetrated some trifling mistake in deciphering, but I think that my carefully made transcript is tolerably "I have travelled the world, and that old man's fame Wherever I went shone brightly. To his country alone belongs the shame From that old man's bosom falling; "No halo was round that old man's head; "In him have I seen, what I joy to see,→ An infant child's simplicity, With a sage's state attended. Tho' by folly and envy shrouded; And thousands of planets round it." The name of "Bentham" is common on the confines of Craven and Westmoreland, and the bearers of it are said to have originally obtained it from the village of Bentham, near Dent Dale in Craven. One who bore the name, the late Rev. J. Bentham, was for many years the curate of Linton in Craven, and the venerable friend of my boyish days. I have often heard him speak about the origin of the family name, which he contended was from the village of Bentham, where he was born. Did the philosopher come from Bentham, or was he connected with the family of the above-named clergyman ? JAMES HENRY DIXON. Lausanne. GIORDANO BRUNO.-In a communication (4th S. v. 107) concerning Beza's New Testament, your correspondent J. A. G., speaking of Vautrollier, says: "The works of Jordanus Brunus proceeded from his French press, and caused his flight from his native country." It is not quite clear whose flight is here mentioned, but our query is-What is meant by the words "French press? 99 for Vautrollier left his native country (France) when Giordano Bruno was but a youth, and was printing in London and Edinburgh at the date of those works of Bruno which are usually said to have come from his press. We make this query in the faint hope that the reply may afford some clue to an unsolved bibliographical question-viz. where certain other works of Bruno were printed? MOLINI AND GREEN. 27, King William Street, Strand. FOSTER AND DUFFIELD FAMILIES. Allen purporting to be an Autobiography of Edward Wortley Montagu, the only son of the celebrated Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, in which several very extraordinary events are narrated concerning his career hitherto totally unknown, I think it would be a matter of great interest if any of your numerous correspondents could throw any light upon the history or identity of "Francesca," or give any confirmation of the story of their imprisonment by the Inquisition, which seems to be, as narrated, of a very dubious character. The well-known story of his advertisement for a wife in a condition to soon become a mother, is entirely omitted; and with the general tenour of the style of composition, use of language of a decidedly "slang" "fast" character tends is merely a modern concoction. If not, the above very much to lead one to believe the whole story queries must certainly acquire great interest. or H. MONTAGU. NORTHAMPTON TOPOGRAPHY. Where can I refer to the following, mentioned by Gough in his Catalogue of British Topography ? (1.) A Proof Print of Wellingborough Cross. The Lawn Front of Sir John Palmer's House at Carlton, by Mr. Johnson. Royal Academy, 1778. Northampton. [For a list of Tracts on Northamptonshire topography, consult Hotten's Handbook of Topography, pp. 161-159. -ED.] PORTRAIT UNKNOWN.-Portrait of a middle Foster of England, in 1682, bought of William aged man with frizzled hair, resembling RemPenn 1,100 acres of land now included in the brandt. The body is turned to the observer's consolidated City of Philadelphia, Pa. His brother-right, the face three-quarters, the hair much in-law Benjamin Duffield settled on a portion of this purchase, and his aged father Robert, born in 1612, accompanied him to America. Among the earliest tombstones in Christ Church graveyard, Philadelphia, is that of Benjamin Duffield. His descendants in the last century used a seal with three cloves and a bird for a crest. Can any of your readers tell to what county Foster or Duffield belonged P N. E. D. frizzled; the light falls on the right side of the face and nose, which is large; the left side of the face, the mouth, and greater part of the forehead embroidered at the edges, falls on a fur tippet; the are in deep shadow; a broad white plaited collar, head is covered with a truncated fur cap, with rosette on right side, and ribbons pendent; left ear not seen, but right is visible, the upper portion through the hair. Left arm shaded; right clear, except towards body. Background is white. In a line with the left shoulder is written "Rembrandt." Height, not including margin, three inches; width, two inches and a half. G. H. M. ROMAN REMAINS IN WESTMINSTER.-The al lusion to the Temple of Apollo, which is traditionally said to have occupied the site now filled by Westminster Abbey, so aptly referred to by Dean Stanley in his graceful speech to the Archbishop of Syra at the banquet in the Jerusalem Chamber, and the discovery of the Roman sarcophagus in the very precincts of the Abbey, may Shelley's Irish broadside Declaration of Rights, which he will find noted in Mr. Bohn's edition of furnish an excuse to one who has long taken an interest in the history of dear old Westminster for asking whether there exists any well authen-Lowndes as having been sold with a copy of Queen ticated evidence of the discovery of Roman remains in Westminster? I say "well authenticated," for I have had in my possession for many years some Roman coins said to have been found towards the beginning of the present century in King Street, Westminster, and I saw not very long since a fragment of Roman statuary said to have been dug up in Marsham Street. Now, during the last quarter of a century there have been vast excavations in Westminster, connected with the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament, the new sewers some twenty years since, the underground railway running close-I fear too close to the Abbey, the new Foreign Office and India House, and the Thames Embankment. In the course of these great and various works have any Roman remains been found? SIR WILLIAM TITE, one of the most influential members of the Metropolitan Board of Works, who is an occasional correspondent of "N. & Q.," and who takes so great an interest in Roman London, could perhaps answer the question as far as the works connected with the Thames Embankment are concerned? SHELLEY'S "QUEEN MAB " AND "DECLARATION OF RIGHTS."-MR. ROSSETTI, in his new edition of Shelley, tells us (vol. i. p. 464) that "Queen Mab was published by a piratical trader soon after it had been privately printed, and was again piratically published in 1821." Now I shall feel greatly indebted to MR. RosSETTI if he will kindly inform me where I can see a copy of Queen Mab other than Shelley's privately printed one, bearing date between 1813 and 1821, or any reference thereto. MR. ROSSETTI entirely omits any account of [* See "N. & Q." 1st S. vii. 527.] Mab some years ago. Being the fortunate owner of a copy of this very rare broadside, some account of it may be interesting to your readers. It is closely printed on one side of a large folio sheet, and consists of thirty-one declarations, and concludes with a feeling exhortation. A box containing a number of these declarations, together with the Irish pamphlets (which I also possess), was seized by the customs at Holyhead about March 25, 1812. They had been sent by Shelley directed to "Miss Hitchener,_Hurstpierpoint, Brighton." The authorities at Holyhead immediately communicated with Sir Francis Freeling, and Shelley was carefully watched under the direction of the Earl of Chichester, and this doubtless was the cause of his sudden departure from Ireland. Having all the documents relating to this seizure, &c. in my possession you may rely upon the correctness of the above statement. A LONDON BOOKSELLER. SINGING MICE. Is there any omen or superstition attached to singing mice? Two persons, on whom I can rely, heard a few nights ago the sound in the part of a kitchen which is at times inhabited by mice. The noise lasted quite ten minutes, and resembled a canary's song in very low tones, and was modulated in the same way, unlike the usual mouse-squeak. H. A. B. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SODA-WATER. -I note in the register of "Patents lately enrolled" for the year 1814, that a patent was granted on April 27 to David Grant of Pickett Street, Strand, for "a pump or apparatus for drawing off soda-water and other liquors impregnated with fixed air." But when was soda-water itself first manufactured in England? So far as I can discern, it seems to have come in with the fall of Napoleon, and in decline in breeches took place after Waterloo; the company of cigars, trousers (an astonishing and their continuous decay may be due also to the fact that Thistlewood in 1820-1 was hanged in white kerseymere small-clothes and stockings), hessian boots and ornamental clocks. Byron has eulogised hock and soda or selzer-water, and in a letter from Venice to Mr. Murray (about 1817, I think), begs him to send out some "soda-powders," but no more poetry. G. A. SALA. "TOUR IN SCOTLAND IN 1803."-Can any of your readers tell me who was the author of a quaint little volume, entitled "Observations on a Short Tour made in the Summer of 1803 to the Western Highlands of Scotland, Interspersed with Original Pieces of Descriptive and Epistolary Poetry. London: Printed for the Author by W. Nicholson, Warner Street, and sold by Sael & Co., 192 in the Strand, 1804."? |