Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 7.djvu/59

 10 s. VIL JAN. 19, loo:.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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churches under any plea, it does seem in- conceivable that such things could possibly disappear from such custody as the Bodleian Library at Oxford, unless by deliberate theft, which, one would suppose, would be immediately detected, though it might not lead to the recovery' of the article purloined. I do not wish to be taken as casting the least imputation upon the authorities of this great library, but I believe the matter to be of enough importance to justify a thorough investigation, as far as it may now be possible. Is it not more than possible that these plates have accidentally become hidden or put away in some place to which they do not belong ? It is true that England possesses untold wealth in archaeological treasures denied to the New World ; and while all Americans are, by our English cousins, popularly credited with being especially desirous of procuring any of these, even at the sacrifice of personal honour and integrity, I think England does not realize the amazement with which Americans regard the apparent supineness and indiffer- ence of the English public to the loss of treasures which can never be replaced Something disappears, but unless it be of especial value or almost of national import- ance (like a Gainsborough portrait), its loss would not seem to provoke more than a few passing remarks, and the incident is relegated to oblivion, and so losses go on small perhaps in themselves, but in th( aggregate of inestimable value.

So far as brasses are concerned, there would seem to be a decided opinion in Eng- land, among those interested in this subject, that any American would gladly barter his soul to possess one, no matter how obtained ; and I have in my possession a printed state- ment from England (which emanates from a source where certainly calmer judgment should have prevailed) to the effect that there is a regular market for such things here, and they readily command fabulous prices. May I, therefore, as one knowing whereof I write, be permitted to state that I am ignorant of any brass in this country, either in public or private possession, nor do I know of one ever having been offered

ffort to get such restored to their original nomes. I could easily identify a brass, more especially if it belonged to the list of well-known " Lost Brasses " (alas that there should be such a list !), as I possess prac- tically everything of importance which has 3een published on monumental brasses.

STEWART FISKE. Mobile, Ala., U.S.A.

CHERTSEY MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS.

KNOWING how valuable inscriptions are to the genealogist, and how apt they are in the course of time to get removed or destroyed, I send copies of some that they may be preserved in the pages of ' N. & Q.' I may point out that Manning and Bray in their ' History of Surrey,' published in 1814, i. 234, give copies of thirty-five inscriptions originally in the parish church. Most of the tablets and stones, however, from which these were taken were probably destroyed when the church was rebuilt in 1806; for although the church now contains thirty- three inscriptions, only twelve (Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 17, 18, 26, and 28 of the present list) of those mentioned by Manning and Bray exist to-day. Two (Nos. 9 and 27), however, of the remaining twenty-one, dated 1736, and 1805 respectively, must have existed in their time, but were appa- rently overlooked.

1. In a vault near this place | Is deposited all that Vlawbey, Bar 4, | of Botleys in this Parish, | By Dame Elizabeth his wife, | Daughter and Heiress of
 * vas mortal | of Pratt Mawbey, | son of Sir Joseph

of Surrey, | whose am standing and Memory dowments of Infancy, Comfort. | But the A
 * he most flattering Ho

able Disposition, | Under- Surpassed the Usual En- And afforded his Parents )es | of future Honour and mighty, | who knows and

T> J_ T 1 -_ 1

for sale ordinary

and I am fairly confident that an curio dealer would look on one

(if offered to him) somewhat dubiously, as he would be at a loss how to dispose of it, and at the most, it would not bring more than a few dollars. If any fellow-disciple of * N. & Q.' can tell me of any brasses in the United States, I shall welcome the i nf ormation, and I would certainly use every

stay, | Nor snatch'd thee from thy Friends away, Thou shouldst have fill'd some nobler Place, | Th

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dispenses that which is Best, | and whose ways are unsearchable, | Removed him from this transitory Life | To the Enjoyment of eternal Felicity in another | On the 31st Day of October, 1770, | In the 8 th Year of his Age. | Had Fate permitted longer

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Country's Ornament and Grace. | Receive^ ' thou dear departed Shade, | This Tribute to thy Mem'r Paid, | And may it while it speaks thy Fame | Te how we love revere thy Name. | Here also are deposited the Bodies of the following other children September 6, 1761, aged 12 Days. | Onslow Mawbey, a son, who died December 20/1766, caged 6 months. | Sophia Mawbey, who died on April 16, 1775, in the 4 th Year | of her Age. | Emma Mawbey, who died on April 2, 1785, | in the 10 th Year of her Age.
 * of the said Parents : | Elizabeth Mawbey, who died

Arms : Quarterly, 1 and 4, Or, a cross gules, fretty of the first between four eagles