Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 3.djvu/157

 io* s. ni. FEB. is, 1908.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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storm, the photographer standing breastdeep in snow. It was the only photograph taken of Balmoral that day, and to obtain it the writer had to walk the eight miles from Ballater and back again in three feet of snow, carrying his camera, the roads being impassable to any wheeled conveyance.

After he had secured one print from the negative it came by an accident which ren- dered it useless ; but from that one print he was able to make copies, several of which he sent to various illustrated papers, and one of which (an enlargement) he forwarded to His Majesty King Edward VII, which His Majesty was graciously pleased to accept.

The pictures in the various papers (The Sphere, Black and White, The Graphic, &c.) were accompanied by a foot-note explaining that it was " an old Scotch custom " to stop the clock at the hour of a death. The state- ment is correct, and the custom still prevails in high life and humble, though its observ- ance may be less common now than in past days.

But the sequel still remains to be told. In June of the same year, five months | later, the writer happened to be again at j Balmoral, and had some conversation with constable Reed, an old residenter, who spoke of the newspaper references to the old Scotch custom of stopping the clock, and declared > that, in this case at all events, the clock had not been stopped by any human hand.

The clock was still going at ten o'clock on the evening before the funeral. The photo- graph was taken at twelve noon on the day of the funeral ; but the hands pointed to 6.25 the exact hour of the Queen's death.

It was the snow that did it. A crescent- shaped wreath, which is seen in the photo- graph, had gathered on the lower part of the dial, arresting the hour hand at VI. and the minute hand at V.

Further inquiry confirmed Mr. Reed's statement that no human agency had been at work in the matter. Nature herself, as if in sympathy with a sorrowing nation, had here, at Queen Victoria's beloved Highland home, done what in Scotland it is indeed customary to dp for those for whom time and all things transitory have ceased to be.

WM. J. JOHNSTON.

Banchory.

" WILIE-BEGUILIES." In his translation of Montaigne's essay on ' The Art of Conferring ' (book iii. chap, viii.), Florio gives "certaine verbal] wilie-beguilies ;; as the equivalent of certaines finesses verbales. This dexterous and suggestive rendering is its own happy

commendation, for it indicates the shade of meaning presented in the original, and if" not itself strictly classical in form, it offers no difficulty of interpretation. The diminutive quality of the substantive has an attractive- ness of its own, and the echo that its sound readily gives to the sense dignifies it with onomatopoetic value. It would beinteresting to know the history of " wilie-beguilies,' ; which does not seem to have been sufficiently self-assertive to win the respect and considera- tion of the lexicographer.

THOMAS BAYNF.

COMMISSARY COURT OF WESTMINSTER. There are some interesting documents regis- tered in this small court. The estate of John Skelton, " poeta laureatus," was administered to therein on 15 November, 1529, William Mott (or Mote), curate of St. Margaret, Westminster, appearing in the business (6, Bracy).

Another poet, Thomas Churchyard, was rich enough to have a will made for him as he lay a-dying. In book Elsam, folio 475,. we read :

" Memorandum the xxix th of Martch anno 1604 Thomas Churtchyard Esquier being of perfect mynde and memory did dispose of his worldlie goods as followeth in the presence of vs here vuder written, ffirst he gaue to his brother George the- some of xx u all the rest of his goods and cattells he gave vnto George Onslowe whom he made his executor, that he should see him buried like a Jentleman per me Nathaniell Mathewe, Gabriel Pope, the mark of Joane Moore, Silvester Earlums marke."

The will was proved on 3 April, 1604, the day before the poet's burial in St. Margaret,. Westminster. There is an inaccurate version of this will, which was "obtained from a dealer in waste paper," in Payne Collier's- 'Bibliographical Account of Early English- Literature' (vol. i. p. vii, Notes and Correc- tions).

But by far the most interesting entry relates to Ben Jonson. There can be little^ doubt of his identity with the " Beniaminus Johnson, nuper civitatis Westmonasterii/' administration of whose goods of the value of eight pounds eight shillings and ten pence was granted on 22 August, 1637, to William Scandret, " vni Creditoruin " (Act Book, 1637, folio 53). An inventory of the effects is extant, which might contain some interest- ing items, but this I have not seen.

Titus Gates, "S.T.P.," also figures in these books, administration of his effects having been granted on 16 August, 1705-, to Rebecca Gates, the widow (Act Book, 1705, folio 29). She was probably a second wife, as Gates is known to have married in 1693 a