Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 10.djvu/275

 11 S. X. OCT. 3, 1914.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

269

have copied the following inscriptions, which are now missing, having apparently been destroyed when that edifice was restored in 1874. They are as follows:

"On a flat stone down two steps close to thi south door of the chancel.

"To the memory of Edward Addison, Esq. Captain of his Majestie's Royal Regiment of Foot who died Jan. 19, 1728/9, iu the 68th year of his age. Also in memory of Lydia Addison, wife o:

Edward Addison, Esq., who died June, 1750

aged 58 years."

Bloxam, in treating of Bilton Church and its connexion with Joseph Addison, in a paper dated 21 June, 1872, says : " Here are also buried Edward Addison, brother of the poet, and Charlotte, daughter of Addison."

Now I cannot connect the above Edward Addison with the essayist. So far as I can discover, Addison had only two brothers, Gulston and Lancelot, and these predeceased him. Had his father, the Dean of Lichfield, an elder brother ? I do not know of one, but if he had, this Edward might be a son of such brother, and consequently a cousin to Addison. A. E. TREEN.

Rugby.

SLR JOHN LADE. Can any one tell me what were the dates of death of Sir John Lade, who figures so prominently in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's ' Rodney Stone ' as a leading " Corinthian " ; and of his wife, Lady Lade ?

In chap. vii. Sir John is referred to as follows :

" A rough-looking, middle-aged fellow in an old weather-stained cape " ; and

" one of the richest men and best whips in England " ; also

" one of the wealthiest landowners in England." In chap. viii. the author writes : "It was an age of eccentricity, but he [Sir John] had carried his peculiarity to a length which surprised even the out-and-outers, by marrying the sweetheart of a famoxis highway- man when the gallows had come between her and her lover."

Sir John and Lady Lade also appear in ' Fights for the Championship,' &c., by Fred Henning. In vol. i. p. 205 is the following :

" There is Sir John Lade perched upon the box of_a lofty drag which he tools with consummate skill. But you will miss a figure that is usually at his side, that of his lady, who was popularly and not unjustly credited with being his equal in the three acts in whch he prided himself in excelling to wit, driving, boxing, and swearing. It is no uncommon thing to see Lady Letitia

Lade at a prize fight, and the following paragraph is printed in The Oracle of July 14 [1801] :

" ' Lady Lade expresses her regret that she was not at the boxing match on Monday last. Her spouse assured her that she was already sufficiently expert, and though she might not be a perfect mistress of the cross-buttock, yet we could wager any sum that very few ladies could put in their blows with more dexterity and effect.' "

There are several references to Sir John Lade in Boswell's ' Life of Johnson.' It appears he was the nephew and ward of Mr. Thrale, and was born, according to The Gentleman's Magazine, 1 Aug., 1759.

We are told by Hayward (' Life of Piozzi,' i. 69) that it was Lade who, having asked Johnson whether he advised him to marry, received the answer :

" I would advise no man to marry, sir, who is not likely to propagate understanding."

Hayward adds :

"He married a woman of the town, became a celebrated member of the Four-in-Hand Club, and contrived to waste the whole of a fine fortune before he died."

Knowing what Sir John Lade subsequently became, it is rather perplexing to read the following in Madame D'Arblay's Diary, vol. i. :

" Dr. Johnson. I therefore nominate Sir J L [as a husband for Miss Burney].

"Mrs. Thrale. My master the other morning [referring to Mr. Thrale] said, ' What would J give that Sir J L was married to Miss Burney.' "

F. C. WHITE.

GEM SEALS. I should be glad to learn the names of some of the artist-engravers of seals who lived in England in the early part of the nineteenth century.

XYLOGRAPHER.

CRAFT AND RELIGIOUS GUILDS AND JHANTRIES. Was it customary for every guild to maintain a chantry either by jndowing an altar for the services of a
 * hantry priest, or maintaining a special

jhantry chapel within the church of their parish ? What is the best work containing reference to this matter ? H. CT.

RUMNEY DlGGLE AND LEONORA FFREDE- RICK. Are there any descendants of ' Rumney Diggle of Gray's Inn in the Countie of Middlesex, and Leonora ffrederick of the parish of St. James, Westminster, spinster"! ^heir marriage "agrement" is dated 5 Jan., 725. In it mention is made of Leonora's Brothers "Sir John ffrederick, Baronette, and Sir Thomas ffrederick, knight."

M. ELLEN POOLB.