Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 2.djvu/260

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NOTES AND QUERIES, [ii s. vm. SEPT. 27, wis.

suggestion that this was much more nearly the date of his birth ; while that of his marriage was approximately 1177-8. Accord- ingly, Lesceline de Verdun, having been born after that date, may have just become the wife of De Laci in 1192, the date of her (supposed) father Bertram's decease. Hence, at her own death in 1215, Rose de Verdun was no older, actually, than circa 50.

ST. CLAIR BADDELEY.

WHICHCOTE IN WILTSHIRE (11 S. viii. 209)' There was undoubtedly a Whichcote in Salop ; it is given as the name of a parish (Whichcott Chapell) in the hundred of Overs, by Sir Henry Spelman, in his ' Villare Anglicum,' 1656; and in a 'Gazetteer' of 1751 the same place is described as being " N. of Ludlow ; the ancient seat of the Baronet's family of this name." Sir Jere- miah Whichcot was Warden of the Fleet Prison in 1692. It is suggestive that in Thomas Dugdale's ' England and Wales Delineated ' (c. 1825), one of the three places with the unusual prefix " Which- " is Which - bury, a parish in Wiltshire four miles from Fordingbridge. WM. NORMAN.

The Ordnance Map of Shropshire gives the name of a villa.ge which is spelt " Witch- cot," but in the days of Sir Henry Herbert, who possessed an estate there (he died in 1673), the word appears to have been spelt " Whichcote." The village is situated not far from Little Sutton, in the south-east of the county, ANDREW SOUTH.

[MR. W. J. GADSDEN also thanked for reply.]

WILLIAM BTDDLE = SARAH KEMP : QUAKER DOCUMENTS (US. viii. 231). Through the courtesy of Mr. Edward Grubb, the editor of The British Friend, this query was placed before Mr. Norman Penney, the Librarian of the Reference Library at Devonshire House, 136, Bishopsgate, E.G., who, as our readers will remember, edited the original Journal of George Fox, recently published by the Cambridge University Press. Devon- shire House is the centre of the work of the Society of Friends in England, although quite inadequate to present needs, so that it has become a question whether the premises should be rebuilt or a new site found. Mr. Penney states that " here a>re still preserved the digested records of births, marriages, and deaths of Quakers for over two and a half centuries, containing about 500,000 entries. These may be con- sulted for a small fee." Mr. Penney has kindly turned to the entry of the marriage

of William Biddle and Sarah Kemp, and finds no reference to parents in either case.

The Friends' Reference Library was es- tablished in 1673, with the definite aim of collecting material connected with Friends, and Dr. Thomas Hodgkin termed it "the British Museum of Quakerism." There is no printed catalogue, but it may be assumed that practically everything noted by Joseph Smith in his ' Catalogue of Friends' Books,' published in 1867, has a place, and the Catalogue is kept up to date.

The great wealth of manuscript which has been accumulating for over two cen- turies is now catalogued by means of the card system, and is much used by students. There is also an interesting collection of curios.

The Report for last year, signed by Anna L. Littleboy, clerk, states that " there has been considerable increase of activity in the Library Department of the Central Office " ; and we find there have been many additions to the library, both in books and manuscripts. The latter include several volumes of the diaries of John Kelsall of Wales, covering the years 1701 to 1743, presented by the executors of William Gregory Norris. These manuscripts have now reached a place of safety, after having twice been in danger of destruction. An- other valuable addition consists of the original diaries of Esther Palmer of America (who died 1714), presented by Frank L. Rawlins of Rhyl. Esther Palmer travelled extensively both in this country and America.

Mr. Penney is editor of The Journal of the Friends' Historical Society, a magazine pub- lished quarterly in the interests of Quaker history. The annual subscription is five shillings. JOHN COLLINS FRANCIS.

VANDERVART (US. viii. 149). Jan Van der Vaart (1647-1721), painter and mezzo- tint engraver, was born at Haarlem, and came to London in 1674. Possibly he was akin to the Kellington family.

' THE ADVENTURES OF BRUSANUS, PRINCE OF HUNGARIA' (US. viii. 210). I cannot find that this has ever been reprinted. A perfect copy is at Dulwich, imperfect ones at Britwell and Bridge water House. One of the characters, Gloriosus, a courtier of Epirus according to Sir Sidney Lee- resembles Armado in Shakespeare's ' Love's Labour 's Lost.' A. R. BAYLEY.

[PROF. BEXSLY who adds that there is no further information in the reissue of the ' D.N.B.' also thanked for reply.]