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NOTES AND QUERIES. do* s. n. DEC. 17, im

diligence. A few extracts from these will show the interest of the volume. The crest of Sir John in the Lone, chaplain (1343-9), is reproduced in an illustration, and contains what is said to be the device of an ass under a tree, used to typify " the Good Samaritan." A Latin translation of " in the Lone" does not appear, but it looks as if the said John might have regarded himself as a preacher " in deserto," like John the Baptist, and taken a lamb for his crest in consequence. The animal as figured looks almost as much like that as like an ass. Mr. Hudson is undoubtedly right in saying that the first letter of "ye"=" the" represents the " thorn" Saxon letter ; in fact, the " y " is in form a mutilated copy of it.

The vagaries of early spelling are shown in the will of Roger Slye (1527), which has words like " sofyshantely." One of its bequests is " a namblyng horse foole of a yere of ayge," to the widow of the second Sir Thomas Lucy of Charlecote. A deed concerning the hire of a parish cow, printed in facsimile, has already been printed in our own columns (6 May, 1894). In the first line the Latin " Willus " should be "Willm," the accusative of the word, which may be seen written similarly as the English nominative (William) in the English continuation below. Numerous complaints in 1615 as to the behaviour of one William Askew, a feoffee of the parish, contain some odd terms which need explanation. Perhaps "psell of" (p. 122) means " (part and) parcel of." In 1564 the first entry of a Shakespeare in the registers occurs. In 1593 " Jone

Grene going abroad, died in childbirth, & was

buried." "Going abroad" is suggested to mean " on the tramp." But it might mean only " leaving the village," as in this district we have heard the word "furriner," "foreigner," often applied to any one not of the parish of the speaker. "A Traveller " recorded here (p. 190), and seen by us in other registers, undoubtedly means what we now call a tramp. " Jocosa," a feminine name recorded in 1617, is, we presume, a Latinization of " Joyce." An entry of 1661 throws some light on the marriage of Dr. Johnson's mother. The eighteenth is the century for compliment, and a rector of the parish ascribes to a lady patron the affluence of Dives and the piety of Lazarus. At the beginning of the nine- teenth century we find reference to the instruments played in church by a select band in the gallery. In 1820 the Overseers' accounts show a great deal for "Ale and Tobacco"; the former works out, Mr. Hudson notes, at two and a half gallons per man at one meeting !

History everywhere tells, alas ! of the failure of the village aristocracy. Old reputations are as desolate as the walls of Balaclutha, and there must be many a Durberville working on the land. We notice with regret, but not surprise, the statement that there is not now in Lapworth "one single land- owner whose family record here goes back a century, while of the labouring class we have several who bear names and those not common names which have appeared steadily and without intermission in the parish register for well-nigh the whole time of its existence."

There is all the more reason to recall such names, and the history they made, before modern education and town ideals have swept away all the old human lore of the countryside. Mr. Hudson has raised the best of monuments to his own memory, and we hope that his book will persuade others to recover and publish the history of the places where they

were born and bred, if only in gratitude for the pleasures they have found there. Such work is not easy ; it needs more endowments than, say, fox- hunting. But if it is as well done as it is here, it will outlast a good many belauded books of gossip and fiction.

The, Plays of Shakespeare. A Midsummer Night' 9 Dream ; The Comedy of Errors ; The Tivo Gentle- men of Verona ; King Henry VIII. ; Measure for Measure ; Venus and Adonis; Lucrece; Sonnets. (Heinemann.)

WITH these eight volumes the marvellously cheap- edition of Shakespeare, in volumes each containing a single play, issued by Mr. Heinemann, to which we have frequently drawn attention, is completed.. The "Favourite Classics," as it is called, deserves to enjoy an immense popularity. Each of the- volumes, whether plays or poems, has an intro- duction by Dr. Brandes, and each has an interesting: illustration. The ' Midsummer Night's Dream ' pre- sents Mrs. Tree as Titania and Miss Julia Neifson as Oberon, from the recent performance at His- Majesty's. John Dunstall, an eighteenth-century actor, unmentioned in the 'D.N.B.,' who played at Goodman's Fields and Covent Garden, is shown as Dromio. Dunstall acted Drpmio at the latter house for a single occasion, 24 April, 1762. This, however, was in an alteration of Shakespeare's play called ' The Twins,' by Thomas Hall, for whose benefit the representation was given. Quick stands for Launce in ' The Two Gentlemen of Verona.' This part he acted for his benefit at Covent Garden, 13 April, 1784. 'King Henry VIII.' has a plate of a full scene, with Mrs. Siddons as Queen Katharine and Harris as Wolsey. Mrs. Siddons first acted Katha- rine at Drury Lane, 25 Nov., 1788, having previously been seen in the part in Bath. Bensley was Wol- sey. When Harris played Wolsey we know not. 'Measure for Measure' shows Listen as Pompey. 1 Venus and Adonis,' with which is * The Passionate Pilgrim,' has a portrait of Herbert, Earl of Pem- broke, after My tens. 'Lucrece' reproduces the Droeshout portrait, reduced; and the 'Sonnets' have a portrait of the Earl of Southampton, after Mirevelt.

The Cathedral Church of St. Asaph. Ironside Bax. (Bell & Sons.)

By B. P;

A HISTORY of the Cathedral Church of St. Asapb is the latest addition to Bell's " Cathedral Series," which, as regards our home edifices, must be rapidly approaching completion. Though one of the smallest perhaps the smallest the Cathedral of St. Asaph, or of Llanelwy=church upon the Elwy, is not without interest. It is at least entitled to a. place in the series. Mr. Bax's history is founded on a monograph by him issued in 1896. It is- capitally illustrated, and is well worthy of the- place assigned it.

BOOKSELLERS' CATALOGUES.

MR. B. H. BLACKWELL, of Oxford, has issued a catalogue of the first portion of the library of the late Prof. F. York Powell. The collection 'is inter- esting and very varied. On the first page is a speaking likeness of the beloved professor, under which are the appropriate words

His life was gentle, and the elements

So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up

And say to all the world, " This was a man ! "