The highest happiness and deepest woe,
With all the sharp and bitter aggravations
Of such a vast transition."

It was this eulogy which led both Colman and Mackenzie to avail themselves of the beauties of the piece whilst endeavouring to remove its blemishes. Lillo, it will be seen, calls it a true tragedy. In fact his play was founded upon a pamphlet called,—

"Newes from Perin in Cornwall, of a most bloody and unexampled Murther, very lately committed by a Father on his owne Sonne (who was lately returned from the Indyes), at the Instigation of a merciless Stepmother, Together with their several most wretched Endes; being all performed in the Month of September last, Anno 1618." 4to. B. L.

The only copy known of this tract is in the Bodleian Library. The event is recorded also in William Sanderson's Compleat History of the Lives and Reigns of Mary, Queen of Scotland, and of her Son James (London, 1656), and in Thomas Frankland's Annals of James I. and Charles I. (London, 1681). From the last named Baker, in his Biographia Dramatica, gives the following quotation:

"The father had been blessed with ample possessions and fruitful issue, unhappy only in a younger son; who, taking liberty from his father's bounty, and with a crew of like condition, that were wearied on land, they went roving to sea; and, in a small vessel, southward, took booty from all whom they could master, and so increasing force and wealth, ventured on a Turkoman in the Straits; but by mischance their own powder fired themselves; and our gallant, trusting to his skilful swimming, got ashore upon Rhodes, with the best of his jewels about him, where offering some to sale to a Jew, who knew them to be the governor's of Algier, he was apprehended, and as a pirate sentenced to the gallies amongst other Christians, whose miserable slavery made them all studious of freedom; and with wit and valour took opportunity and means to murder some officers, got aboard of an English ship, and came safe to London, where His Majesty and some skill made him servant to a surgeon, and sudden preferment to the East Indies, there by this means he got money, with which returning back, he designed himself for his native county, Cornwall; and in a small ship from London, sailing to the west, was cast away upon the coast; but his excellent skill in swimming, and former fate to boot, brought safe to shore; where, since his fifteen years absence, his father's former fortunes much decayed, now retired him not far off to a country habitation, in debt and danger.

"His sister he finds married to a mercer, a meaner

match than her birth promised; to her at first appears a poor stranger, but in private reveals himself, and withal what jewels and gold he had concealed in a bowcase about him; and concluded, that the next day he intended to appear to his parents, and to keep his disguise till she and her husband should meet, and make their common joy complete.

"Being come to his parents, his humble behaviour, suitable to his suit of clothes, melted the old couple to so much compassion, as to give him covering from the cold season under their outward roof; and by degrees his travelling tales, told with passion to the aged people, made him their guest so long, by the kitchen fire, that the husband took leave and went to bed; and soon after

vessel, she wept, and so did he; but compassionate of her tears, he comforted her with a piece of gold, which gave assurance that he deserved a lodging, to which she brought him; and being in bed, shewed her his girdled wealth, which he said was sufficient to relieve her hus band's wants, to spare himself; and being very weary, fell fast asleep. The wife, tempted with the golden bait of what she had, and eager of enjoying all, awaked her husband with this news, and her contrivance what to do; and, though with horrid apprehensions he oft refused, yet her puling fondness (Eve's enchantments) moved him to consent, and rise to be master of all, and both of them to murder the man; which instantly they did, covering the corpse under the clothes till opportunity to convey it out of the way. The early morning hastens the sister to her father's house, where she, with signs of joy, inquires for a sailor that should lodge there the last night: the parents slightly denied to have seen any such, until she told them it was her lost brother; by that assured scar upon his arm, cut with a sword in his youth, she knew him, and were all resolved this morning to meet there and be merry.

"The father hastily runs up, finds the mark, and, with horrid regret of this monstrous murder of his own son, with the same knife cut his own throat. most strange manner beholding them both in blood, "The wife went up to consult with him, where, in a wild and aghast, with the instrument at hand, readily rips up her own belly till the guts tumbled out. The daughter, doubting the delay of their absence, searches for them all, whom she found out too soon, with the sad sight of this scene; and being overcome with horror and amaze of the deluge of destruction, she sank down and died; the fatal end of that family.

"The truth of which was frequently known, and flew to court in this guise; but the imprinted relation conceals their names, in favour to some neighbours of repute, and akin to that family,

"The same sense makes me silent also."

Vincenzo Rota in one of the late novelle, written Dunlop mentions the same story as told by early in the last century but not printed until 1794. Here the murder is located at Brescia. Dunlop mentions another version, where the tragedy is said to have happened at a Norman inn. He also states that Werner's Twenty-fourth of February is founded on a similar incident.

and translated into German in the last century. Lillo's play has been both printed in Germany These circumstances seem to warrant us in supposing that the Viennese horror is due to the ingenuity of some purveyor of news, who, for motives best known to himself, but still not difficult to guess at, has passed off an old tragedy as police news.

How accurately he had gauged the public taste may be judged from the fact that his story was copied in a great number of newspapers in Europe and America. London, Philadelphia, Manchester, and Constantinople were alike interested.

But had the pamphlet on which Lo bases his plot any foundation in fact? The Cornish historians are not, indeed, silent upon the subject; but all rest their case upon the pamphlet, which has all the air of one of those imaginative news

THE "CATHOLICON ANGLICUM."

The Catholicon Anglicum, recently published by the Early English Text Society under the editorship of Mr. S. J. Herrtage, is one of the very few books of the kind of which it is possible to speak in terms of almost unstinted praise. It is a worthy companion of the Promptorium Parvulorum, a work which has been described as a cyclopædia of medieval lore as well as a dictionary. In reading through Mr. Herrtage's notes a few facts have occurred to me, which I have jotted down for publication in the pages of "N. & Q.":Bane of a play, 20.-In the churchwardens' accounts of Leverton, near Boston, Lincolnshire, extracts from which are given in Archeologia, vol. xli., the following passage occurs: "To maister holand of Swynsted & ye plaers of the same town whan thei rood & cryed thar bayne at leu'ton" (p. 349). In the churchwardens' accounts of Louth, in the same county, the following passages occur, 1527-8: "The players of Gremysby whan thay spake thaire bayn of thaire play ij viijd." 1548, "Payd for a pot of aylle when wyderne bayne was her vijd."

Chymney, 63, xxxv.-There are chimneys, using the word in its modern sense, in Conisborough Castle, which is a Norman building. In the Holy Island accounts, printed in Dr. Raine's History of North Durham, is a charge under 1362, "for making a chimney (caminus) of our own iron." To this the learned editor has attached the following note: "The fire was at this period, and for three centuries afterwards, generally made upon the hearthstone upon a level with the floor, and that it was a fire indeed is abundantly proved from the

wide chimney ranges which may still be seen in our ancient houses. Occasionally, however, an iron grate was used by the higher classes. This, which they call their iron chimney, was not a fixture attached to the wall like our modern firegrates, but loose and movable from room to room. The iron chimney was so important an article of furniture, that it is frequently entailed by will upon son after son, in succession, along with the Flanders chest and the over-sea coverlid " (p. 101). In the same book there is an extract from the Tweedmouth Court Rolls of 1616, from which it seems that Margaret Crane took proceedings against Jane Gates for wrongfully detaining a chimney. The verdict was, "We fynd the chimley dewe to the heires of Wm Crayne" (p. 243). In a roll relating to the Hospital of Saint Edmund, at Sprotborough, near Doncaster, the handwriting of which is of the middle of the fifteenth century, we find this word used in its modern sense: "j new chimnay of lyme and stone with ij harthes and a doubill pype iijli." The document is printed at length in Archeologia, xlii., 398-404.

Eland, 112.-There is a hamlet in the parish of Croule, in the Isle of Axholme, called Ealand. Forster, 139, xli.-In the Court Roll of the manor of Scotter, Lincolnshire, for 1578, foster is used for "forester" without any mark of contraction. "Item, that no man shall breake any other man's hedges or gett anie woode in the Lordes woode without leave of the Lorde or his lawful} ffoster, in payne of euery one founde in the same defalt......xija" (Archæologia, xlvi., 384). Foster is a not uncommon surname in Lincolnshire.

Lappe, 208, xlviii.-The editor says, "We find this word used as late as 1641." It occurs in Sir Walter's poem of Harold the Dauntless (Canto I. st. xx.):

Years after years had gone and fled,

The word frequently occurs in The Anatomy of Melancholy, e. g., speaking of much of the literature of his time he says, the sheets " serve to put under pies, to lap spice in, and keep roast-meat from burning" (sixth ed. p. 7).

The good old Prelate lies lapp'd in lead."

Medylle erthe, 238.-This word is used on several occasions by Sir Walter Scott, e. g.:

"That maid is born of middle earth
And may of man be won,

Though there have glided since her birth
Five hundred years and one."

Bridal of Triermain, Canto I. st. ix. Stokfyche, 365.-I believe that the people who speak our dialect are quite ignorant of what a stockfish is or was. The phrase as stiff as a stockfish is, however, often employed to describe the effects of rheumatism.

Talghe lafe, 377.-This probably means what is known here as "leaf fat" in a pig, and which commonly bears this name in the other animals which are killed for human food.

PHILIP JONES, MINISTER OF CIRENCESTER, Co. GLOUCESTER, 1588.—I have a copy of a scarce little black-letter volume, entitled Certaine Sermons preached of late at Ciceter, in the countie of Glocester, vpon a portion of the first Chapter of the Epistle of Iames, &c., by "Philip Iones, Preacher of the word of God in the same Towne," and "imprinted at London [at the three Cranes in the Vintree] by T. D. [Thomas Dawson] for Thomas Butter, 1588." The sermons were "penned at the earnest requests of diuers well affected Inhabitantes of the place; and now published as well for the vse of others, as for the further profit of that particular congregation." Jones was author likewise of Certaine Brieefe and speciall Instructions for Gentlemen, Merchants, Students, Soldiers, Marriners, &c., employed in Services abrode, or anie way occasioned to conuerse in the Kingdomes and Governmentes of Forren Princes, London, 1589, 4to. Can you give me any particulars of him and his writings, or refer me to any sources of information? I am anxious, for a particular purpose, to know more about him. I have never met with the latter of these publications, and therefore can say nothing respecting it. But the former, of which I possess a copy, is dedicated to "the right Reuerend Father in God, Iohn [Bullingham], nowe Bishoppe of Glocester, and Commendatarie of Bristow," to whom

"Philip Iones wisheth the increase of all good graces fit for the discharge, and answering of so great a calling in this life and in the next, the fruition of those ioyes, which are euerlasting in Christ Iesus."

The "Epistle Dedicatorie" is rather lengthy, and one extract must suffice:

"Being pressed with the importunities of many good brethren, who being present at the preaching, haue made report of the fruit & benefit they therby reaped, & therefore would take no answere, but the graunt of a publike vse of the same, for their further comfort, and the profit of others, I coulde not in conscience or curtesie, denie so reasonable a request proceeding from such Christian & comendable minds. And hauing at the last, for their contentment in this one part (though leauing them discontented, for the rest,) yeelded to the multitude of reasons, wherewith they vrged me, I haue taken this course, and made this choise in the publishing to vee your Reuerend name, and patronage for the same. Wherunto besides sundrie effectuall motiues inducing me, (which for some respects I here suppresse) one is of good consequéce, meete in this place to bee introduced, and specified and that is, an earnest desire wherewith I haue for a season trauailed, to haue you thorowly acquaynted with the state, and trueth of certaine actions

of mine, which by reason of the practises of suche aduersaries, as Iuda and Beniamin sometimes had, in a matter not muche different in nature though somewhat in circumstance, are so farre from beeing entertayned with lawfull fauour, as that they are prosecuted with extreeme displeasure vnder you, yea and by you, (as of late in your heate and passions openly appeared) to the great incouragement of the common enemie, and no little discomfort of manie that professe sincerely and discreetely." I cannot find any mention of the author in any work on Cirencester. Авива.

MISPRINTS.-A more amusing misprint than that mentioned in "N. & Q." (ante, p. 7) occurred in the first issue of the volume of Alison's History of Europe containing an account of the Duke of Wellington's funeral, where the list of general officers who acted as pall-bearers closed with the name of Sir Peregrine Pickle, meaning Sir Peregrine Maitland. The page was, of course, immediately cancelled by the publishers. But the lapsus pennæ made me look back to the chapter in a former volume containing a review of contemporary literature and science to ascertain whether the accomplished author had mentioned Sir Roderick Random as the President of the Geographical Society and Sir Humphrey Clinker as the inventor of the safety-lamp. A. C. S.

LONGEVITY OF PROFESSIONAL MEN.-The fol

lowing extract from the Daily Chronicle of the 3rd inst. is worthy of insertion in "N. & Q.":

"The following eminent members and fellows of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons have died during the year just closed at the ages indicated, viz.: F.R.C.P., F.R.S., 90; Dr. R. C. Griffiths, 90; Dr. Thomas Dr. John Metge Bartley, 93; Dr. Archibald Billing, M. Greenhow, of Leeds, F.R.C.S., 89; Mr. Thomas Radford, of Manchester, F.R.C.S., 88; Dr. J. J. Bigsby, F.R.C.P., F.R.S., 88; Mr. William Knott, retired army surgeon, 88; Dr. R. Shettle, of Reading, 87; Dr. William Scott, F.R.C.P., 87; Mr. William Gwillim, of Burton-onTrent, M.R.C.S., 86; Dr. Toulmin, F.R.C.P., 85; Mr. Charles Whyte, Inspector-General of Hospitals, 85; Mr. Richard Thomas Gore, of Bath, F.R.C.S., 83; Mr. James Luke, F.R.S., late President of the Royal College of Surgeons, 82; Dr. Addison, of Brighton, F.R.C.P., F.R.S., 80; Mr. John Merriman, M.R.C.S., 80."

W. SWAN SONNENSCHEIN.

THE "RETURN OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT": SECRETARIES OF STATE FOR THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN DEPARTMENTS.-It is perhaps worth noticing in "N. & Q." that the lists of Secretaries for the Northern and Southern Departments which are prefixed annually to the Foreign Office List are erroneous in almost every particular. If the two lists were transposed they would be very nearly accurate. This very slovenly editing is not creditable to a public department, which ought to have materials at hand sufficient to ensure perfect correctness, especially as those who are not "experts" in such details naturally accept statements in official or quasi-official publications as decisive of any disputed points. I wonder how many students in