Paul's Cathedral as a Synagogue. It is stated, on the authority of a letter in the Thurloe State Papers, that this proposition was actually discussed. The larger sum of 800,000l. was demanded; but, being refused, the negotiation was broken off. This proposition is said to have been made shortly before the elevation of Cromwell to the Protectorate. The subject is an interesting one in these days, when Jewish disabilities are under discussion.

I wish to offer two queries:-1. Is this story confirmed by any contemporary writer? 2. Is it conceivable that the Jews would have consented to worship in a cruciform church, such as was old St. Paul's, which was standing at the time this offer is supposed to have been made? H. M. AUSTEN.

St. Peter's, Thanet.

The Complutensian MSS.-Has not there been an account of these MSS. published in London in 1821? My authority for this Query is to be found in a work of Dr. D. Antonio Puigblanch:

"En el año 1821 per encargo que hice desde Madrid se imprimio mio aca en Londres, de que es falso este rumor*, pues en la biblioteca de la Universidad de Alcala quedaban pocos meses antes en que estune en ella siete manuscritos biblicos en aquellas dos lenguast, que son sin duda los mismos siete de que hace mencion en la Vida del Cardenal Cisneros, Alfonso de Castro, doctor téologo de la misma Universidad, i escritor contemporaneo o de poco tiempo después, parte de los

cuales manuscritos, es a saber, los caldéos, son de letra de Alfonso de Zamora, que es uno de los tres judíos conversos editores de la Complutense.". Opusculos Gramatico-Satiricos del Dr. D. Antonio Puigblanch, Londres, [1832] p. 365.

If the Chaldee and Hebrew MSS. of the Complutensian Polyglot were at Alcala in 1821, when were they removed to Madrid, and in what library at Madrid are they now? The Greek MSS. are supposed to have been returned to the Vatican Library. If the Chaldee MSS. are in the handwriting of one of the editors, as stated by Puigblanch, they cannot be of much value or authority. I shall add another Query:-Are they paper or parchment ? E. M. B.

Latin Names of Towns. - A correspondent who answered the Query as to the "Latin Names of Towns" in titles, referred your readers to the Supplement of Lemprière. I am much obliged to him for the hint, and have obtained the work in consequence; but it is right your readers should know that the information therein given must only be taken as suggestive, and sometimes as dismissible upon reference to the commonest gazetteer. I opened at the letter N; and found, that of three

* That the MSS. were destroyed. † Hebrew and Chaldee.

entries, the first my eye lighted upon, two were palpably wrong. The first informs us that "Neostadium in Palatinatu" is in "France;" the third that "Nellore" is in "Ceylon." I am bound to say that I do not find errors so thickly scattered throughout, and that the list will be useful to me. But, Query, is there any thing extensive of which the accuracy can be depended upon ? M. Kilkenny.

REPLIES.

SCALA COLL

I incline to think that the testator whose will is referred to in No. 23. p. 336., by "Scala Coeli," meant King Henry the Seventh's Chapel at West

minster.

mother to King Henry VII., in the indenture for Margaret Countess of Richmond and Derby, founding Chantry Monks in the Abbey of Westminster, dated 2. March, 21 Hen. VII. (1505-6), states that she had obtained papal bulls of indulgence, that all persons saying and hearing her chantry masses should have as full remission from sin as in the place called Scala Cali beside Rome, "to the great comfort and relief of the said Monasterie, and all Cristen people resorting thereto" (MS. Lansd. 444.).

Henry Lord Marney, by his will, dated 22d Dec., 15 Hen. VIII. (1523), directs a trental of masses to be said "first at Scala Coli, in Westminster" (Testamenta Vetusta, 609.).

Blomefield (Hist. of Norfolk, 8vo. edit., iv. 60.), speaking of the Church of the Augustine Friars at Norwich, observes,

"That which brought most profit to the convent, was the chapel of Our Lady in this church, called Scala Celi, to which people were continually coming in pilgrimage, and offering at the altar there; most folks desiring to have masses sung for them here, or to be buried in the cloister of Scala Celi, that they might be partakers of the many pardons and indulgences granted by the Popes to this place; this being the only chapel (except that of the same name at Westminster, and that of Our Lady in St. Buttolph's church at Boston,) that I find to have the same privileges and indulgences as the chapel of Scala Celi at Rome; which were so great as it being easier to pay their devotions here, than go so made all the three places aforesaid so much frequented; long a journey; all which indulgences and pardons may be seen in Fox's Acts and Monuments, fo. 1075."

In Bishop Bale's singular play of Kynge Johan, published by the Camden Society, the King charges the clergy with extorting money "For legacyes, trentalls with scalacely messys Wherby ye have made the people very assys."

(p.17.) And Simon of Swineshead, after drinking the poison, says,

"To send me to heaven goo rynge the holye belle, And synge for my sowle a masse of Scala Celi, That I may clyme up aloft with Enoch and Heli." (p. 82.)

There are bulls of indulgence in Scala Coeli in Rymer's Fadera, xii. 565. 591. 672., xiii. 102.; but I can now only give the reference, as I have not that work at hand. C. H. COOPER.

Cambridge, April 6. 1850.

WATCHING THE SEPULCHRE.

"T. W." (No. 20. p. 218.) will find no end of "Items" for watching the sepulchre, in the "Churchwardens' Accounts" before the Reformation, and during the reign of Queen Mary. At Easter it was the custom to erect a sepulchre on the north side of the chancel, to represent that of our Saviour. This was generally a temporary structure of wood; though in some churches there still remain elaborately ornamented ones of stone. Sometimes the founder's tomb was used for the purpose. In this sepulchre was placed on Good Friday the crucifix, and occasionally the host, with other emblems; and a person was employed to watch it till the morning of Easter Day, when it was taken out with great ceremony, in imitation of Our Lord's resurrection. It was the payment for this watching that occurs continually in the Churchwardens' Accounts, and of which, it appears, Puller could not understand the meaning. A paper on the subject of Easter sepulchres, by Mr. Venables, was read at the meeting-of the Cambridge Camden Society in March, 1843, but I am not aware whether it has been printed. Some very curious "Items" on this subject are given in Britton's Redcliffe Church, which are quoted in the Oxford Glossary of Architecture. They are so illustrative, that I subjoin them, to give you an opportunity, if you please, of serving them up to your readers:

Item, That Maister Canynge hath deliver'd, this 4th day of July, in the year of Our Lord 1470, to Maister Nicholas Petters, Vicar of St. Mary Redcliffe, Moses Conterin, Philip Barthelmew, Procurators of St. Mary Redcliffe aforesaid, a new sepulchre, well gilt with golde, and a civer thereto.

"Item, An image of God Almighty rising out of the same sepulchre, with all the ordinance that 'longeth thereto; that is to say, a lathe made of timber and the iron-work thereto.

"Item, Thereto 'longeth Heaven, made of timber

and stained clothes.

"Item, The Holy Ghost coming out of Heaven into the sepulchre.

"Item, 'Longeth to the 4 angels 4 chevelers." Ducange (vol. vi. p. 195. new edit.) gives a detailed account of the service performed at the Easter sepulchres on the Continent. E. VEE.

Cambridge, March 27.

"Watching the Sepulchre" (No. 20. p. 318.).-At the present day, in most Roman Catholic countries, it is the custom to exhibit in the principal churches at this period, and at Christmas, a kind

of tableau of the entombment and of the birth of the Saviour. The figures are sometimes small, and at other times the size of life: generally coloured, and formed of wax, wood, stone, or other diciously lighted, form sometimes beautiful objects. materials and when artistically arranged, and juI have no doubt the entry in the Churchwardens' Accounts of Waltham Abbey refers to a custom of the same kind, prevailing in the country before the Reformation. If the date of their entry were sought for, I have little doubt but that it would be found to have been about Easter. The sepulchre itself was often, I believe, a permanent erection of stone, and some of them probably now remain in the churches of England on the north side of the chancel, where they may sometimes be taken for

the tombs of individuals there interred.

W. C. TREVELYAN.

Watching the Sepulchre.-In reply to "T. W.'s" Query in No. 20., I have witnessed at Florence the custom of dressing the sepulchre on the Thursday before Good Friday with the most beautiful flowers which can be procured in that city of flowers, many of which are reared especially for the purpose. The devout attend at the sepulchre, and make their prayers there throughout the day, the most profound silence being observed. The convents rival each other in the beauty of their decorations.

Do you think that the Churchwardens' entries in Fuller can refer to a similar custom ?

The loveliness of the flowers, and their delightful perfume, which pervades the church, present a most soothing and agreeable type of death and the grave, under their Christian phase. I was always at a loss to understand why this was done on Thursday, instead of on Saturday; the latter being the day on which Our Lord rested in the sepulchre. A. M.

QUERIES ANSWERED, No. 7.

A new blunder of Mr. Malone. I love the memory of Edmond Malone, albeit he sometimes committed blunders. He committed a pitiable blunder when he broke his bow in shooting at the worthless Samuel Ireland; and he committed an

irreparable blunder when he whitewashed the monumental effigy of the matchless Shakspere. Of the blunder ascribed to him by a reverend querist (No. 14. p. 213.) he was quite innocent. Before we censure an author or editor, we should consult his own edition. He cannot be answerable for the errors of any other impression. Such, at least, is my notion of critical equity.

I shall now state the plain facts. Malone, in the first instance, printed the spurious declaration of John Shakspear in an imperfect state. (Plays and poems of W. S., 1790., vol. i. part ii. p. 162.) He was soon afterwards enabled to complete it. (Ibid. vol. i. part ii. p. 330.) Steevens reprinted it entire, and without comment. (Plays of W. S., 1793., vol. ii. p. 300.). Now the editor of the Irish reimpression, who must have omitted to consult the edition of Steevens, merely committed a blunder in attempting to unite the two fragments as first published by Mr. Malone.

There was no audacious fabrication on the occasion-there is no mystery in the case! (No. 24. p. 386.) So, to stop the current of misconception, and economise space on future occasions, I venture to repeat a few words in suggesting as a canon of criticism:-Before we censure an author or editor, we should consult his own edition.

Hordys (No. 5. p. 157.).-I have waited till now in hopes of seeing an answer from some more competent pen than my own to the Query as to the meaning of the word "hordys," by your correspondent J. G.;" but having been disappointed, I venture a suggestion which occurred to me immediately on reading it, viz. that "hordys" might be some possible or impossible derivation from hordeum, and applied "irreverently" to the consecrated host, as though it were no better than a common barley-cake.

Whether in those early days, and in Ireland, the host was really made of barley, and whether "hordys" was a name given to some kind of barley-cake then in vogue, or (supposing my suggestion to be well founded) a word coined for the occasion, may perhaps be worthy of investigation. A. R.

Kenilworth, April 5.

Eachard's Tracts.-The Rev. George Wyatt, who inquires (No. 20. p. 320.) about Eachard's

Tracts, will probably get all the information he wants from the Life of Eachard, prefixed to the collected edition of his Works, in three volumes, which I am sorry I have not the means at present of referring to.

"I. O.," to whom the last of the tracts is addressed, is Dr. John Owen.

Philautus (what objection is there to Latinising, in the usual way, the Greek termination os ?) is, of course, intended for Hobbes; and, to convey Eachard's opinion of him, his opponent in the Dialogue is Timothy, a God-honourer.

Let me add, as you have headed Mr. Wyatt's communication "Tracts attributed to Eachard," thereby casting a doubt upon his authorship, that there is no doubt about Dr. John Eachard being the author of all the tracts which Mr. Wyatt enumerates; nor was there any concealment by Eachard. His authorship of the Grounds and Occasions of the Contempt of the Clergy is notorious. The "Epistle Dedicatory," signed "J. E.," mentioned by Mr. Wyatt as prefixed to the Dialogue on Hobbes's State of Nature, refers also to the five subsequent letters. These were published at the same time with the Dialogue on Hobbes, in one volume, and are answers to attacks on the Grounds and Occasions, &c. The Epistle Dedicacatory is addressed to Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury, "and," says Eachard, "I hope my Dialogue will not find the less acceptfollow after." ance with your Grace for these Letters which

The second edition of the volume I have by me, published in 1672: the title, Mr. Hobbes's State of Nature considered, &c.; to which are added, Five Letters from the Author of "The Grounds and Occasions of the Contempt of the Clergy." C.

Masters of St. Cross.-In reply to "H. EDWARDS" (No. 22. p. 352.), A List of the Masters of St. Cross, I believe, is given in Browne Willis's Mitred Abbies, vol. i.; but the most correct and perfect list is in the Sketches of Hampshire, by the late John Duthy, Esq. Henry or Humfrey de Milers is the first master whose name is recorded, and nothing further is known of him: between Bishop Sherborne and Bishop Compton there were thirteen masters.

Has "H. EDWARDS" seen the History of St. Cross Hospital, by Mr. Moody, published within the last six months? It may materially assist him. JOHN R. Fox.

A living Dog better than a dead Lion. -Your correspondent "Mr. JOHN SANSOM" may, perhaps, accept the following as an answer to the first part of his Query (No. 22. p. 352.). In an ancient MS. preserved in the archives of the see of Ossory, at fol. 66., is entered, in a hand of the latter part of the fourteenth century, a list of ancient proverbs under the following heading :

"Eux sount les proverbes en fraunceys conferme par auctorite del Dibil?

"Chers amys receiuez de moy

Un beau present q vo envoy,
Non pas dor ne dargent

Mais de bon enseignment,
Que en escriptur ai trove

E de latin translatee, &c. &c."

Amongst them is the following:

"Meux valt un chien sein e fort
Qe un leoun freid e mort;
E meux valt povert od bountex
Qe richeste od malueiste.

Sirak

Melior est canis vivus leone mortuo."

Jesus, the Son of Sirak, is not, however, the authority for this proverb; it occurs in the 9th chapter of Ecclesiastes and 4th verse.

And now, to ask a question in turn, what is meant by "auctorite del Dibil?"

JAMES GRAVES.

Monumental Brass (No. 16. p. 247.).-On the floor of Thorncombe church, in the co. of Devon, is a splendid brass, representing Sir T. Brooke, and Joan his wife, dated respectively 1419 and 1436. At the lower corner of the lady's robe is engraven a small dog, with a collar and bells. May not these figures be the private mark of the S. S. S.

The Wickliffite Version of the Scriptures.I have in my possession a very fair MS. of Wickliff's translation of the New Testament; and should the editors of the Wickliffite Versions like to see my MS., and let me know to whom I may send it, I shall be happy to lend it them. DANIEL ROCK.

Buckland, Faringdon.

Hever (pp. 269. 342.). In confirmation of the meaning assigned to this word, there is an estate near Westerham, in Kent, called "Hever's-wood." S. S. S.

Steward Family (No. 21. p. 335.).-Though not an answer to his question, "O. C." may like to be informed that the arms of the impalement in the drawing which he describes are (according to Izacke's Exeter) those which were borne by Ralph Taxall, Sheriff of Devon, in 1519. Pole calls him Texshall. Modern heralds give the coat to Pecksall of Westminster. If a conjecture may be hazarded, I would suggest that the coat was a modification of the ancient arms of Batishull: a crosslet in saltier, between four owls. S. S. S.

Gloves (No. 5. p. 72.).-In connection with the subject of the presentation of gloves, I would refer your correspondents to the curious scene in Vicar's Parliamentary Chronicle, where "Master Prynne," on his visit to Archbishop Laud in the Tower in May 1643, accepts "a fair pair of gloves, upon the Archbishop's extraordinary pressing importunity;"

a present which, under the disagreeable circumstances of the interview, seems to have been intended to convey an intimation beyond that of mere courtesy. S. S. S.

As

Cromlech. your learned correspondent "Dr. TODD" (No. 20. p. 319.) queries this word, I think it is very doubtful whether the word was in use, or not, before the period mentioned (16th century). Dr. Owain Pughe considered the word "cromlech" (crum-llech, an inclined or flat stone,) to be merely a popular name, having no reference to the original purpose of the structure. The only Triadic name that will apply to the cromlechs, is maen hetti (stone chests, or arks), the raising of which is described as one of "The three mighty labours of the Isle of Britain." GOMER.

Watewich (pp. 60. 121. 236.).-May not "Watewich" be Waterbeach? S. S. S.

"By Hook or by Crook."-I imagine that the expression "By hook or by crook" is in very general use throughout England. It was familiar to my ear forty years ago in Surrey, and within these four years its origin was (to my satisfaction at the moment) brought home to my comprehension in the north of Devon, where the tenant of a certain farm informed me that, by an old custom, he was entitled to take wood from some adjoining land "by hook and crook;" which, on inquiry, understood to include, first, so much underwood. as he could cut with the hook or bill, and, secondly, so much of the branches of trees as he could pull down with the aid of a crook.

Whether this crook originally meant the shepherd's crook (a very efficient instrument for the purpose), or simply such a crook-ed stick as boys use for gathering hazel-nuts, is not very material. It seems highly probable that, in the vast forests which once overspread this country, the right of taking "fire bote" by "hook or crook" was recognised; and we can hardly wish for a more apt illustration of the idea of gaining a desired object by the ordinary means a hook," if it lay close to our hand; or, by a method requiring more effort, "a crook," if it were a little beyond our reach. J. A. S.

In confirmation of this phrase having reference to By Hook or by Crook (pp. 205. 237. 281. &c.).forest customs, my hind told me that my plantations were plundered by hook or by crook, and he and I once caught a man in flagrante delicto, with a hook for cutting green wood, and a crook at the end of a long pole for breaking off dry branches, which could not be otherwise reached. For an early use of the terms, see Bacon's Fortress of the Faithful, 1550.

"Whatsoever is pleasant or profitable must be theirs by hook or by crook." S. S. S.