Page:Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries.djvu/244

 Divon Nstes mU Qmrks, 277 136. OxTON HousB. — It seem$ to have boui, at one timei the residence of the Ivie family, as witness the foUowiAg advertisement: — '*The Barton of Oxton, in the parish of Kenton, to let entire, or in parcels for one year from Michael- mas. Applications to John Ivey, Esq., at Ozton House/'-<- Bryce's Wuklyjaumaly Exeter, Sept. 27th, 1738. R.U. 137. Rars Engravbd Portrait of Sir W. Ralbgh« — Among the numerous portraits of Sir W. Ralegh that are known at the present date, some painted in oil, and others that have appeared in the engraved form alone, there is one belonging to the latter class that presents some marked peculiarities, and owing to its rarity has received no notice from writers. The earliest and only portrait published of him during his life-time, was that on the title-page of his History of the Worlds in the second issue of it published in 1617. The first edition of that work is dated 1614, of this three separate issues took place in that year, and one in the early part of 161 7, but all were destitute of portraits of the author, and as already remarked, the first engraved likeness was that on the title-page of the second publication of 1617, probably soon after his release from the Tower; impressions from the same plate, re-engraved on two distinct occasions, appeared in the several successive editions of the work, up to and inclusive of that of 1687. Reduced fac- similes of the same portrait were employed as frontispieces to several other of Ralegh's works of a later date, com- prising all the editions of his Remains^ from 1651 to 1702 ; in the Judicious and Select Essayes, 1650; Introduction to a Breviary of the History of England, 1693 i ^^^ Three Discourses^ 1702. Nor was there any material change until the publica- tion of an entirely new edition of his great work, prefixed by a Memoir by W. Oldys, in 1736, when a new portrait, showing him as a much younger man, habited in plate armour, was the frontispiece. This was engraved by Vertue, " from a picture in possession of Wm. Elwes, senr., Esqr., formerly belonging to Lady Elwes, eldest daughter of Sir Walter, grandson of Sir Walter Ralegh." The exception alluded to acted as frontispiece to Sir Walter's Instructions to his Sonne : and to Posterity^ first printed in 1632, of which five distinct editions were published, and N v^