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NOTES AND QUEMES. [11 s. vm. OCT. is, 1913.

scene, and again in the character and career of Richard Burbage, Mrs. Stopes had opportunities of setting a vivid picture before her readers' eyes of which she has only very partially availed her- self, though her own keen interest in every detail
 * she brings forward does to a considerable extent

compensate for defects.

Not the least important feature of the volume, and occupying indeed half of it, are the original authorities, here set out in twenty-eight Notes. Among these are included the many lawsuits, ending with the lengthy Star Chamber Case, Alleyn v. Burbage, of 1601 ; the complaint of the Young Players against the Old presented to Pembroke, as Lord Chamberlain, in 1635 ; a most interesting collection of ' Burbageana ' ; and the detail of the performances of the Burbages' Company at Court for eighty years.

It remains to state that Mrs. Stopes's per- sistent research has unearthed much in the way of matter hitherto unpublished.

The Survey of the Manor of Rochdale in the County

of Lancaster, 1626. Edited by Henry Fishwick,

F.S.A. (Chetham Society.)

THE " historical remains " of the counties of Lancaster and Chester, for the publication of which the Chetham Society was founded in 1843, are inexhaustible. The volume before us is the one hundred and eighty-fifth sent out by this society, and the working antiquary cannot tout heave a sigh as he places the book upon his shelves, probably next to the sixty odd volumes of the Record Society and the voluminous trans- actions of the three historic and antiquarian societies of the two counties.

The history of the Manor of Rochdale is of interest owing to its association with the Byron family as lessees, stewards, and owners for many centuries. In 1823 Lord Byron, the poet, sold what remained of the manor to Mr. Dearden, -whose son was responsible for the memorials to his imaginary ancestors in Rochdale Church -which .are pilloried in the pages of ' Popular Genealogists ; or, the Art of Pedigree-Making.' An apparently interminable dispute arising out of the valuable coal-mining rights had dragged on for years, and, writing from Genoa to James Dearden, the poet made proposals which resulted in an amicable settlement of the dispute and the sale of the estates :

g IBj YOU and I have now been eighteen years .at law with various success I succeeded in two decisions and you in one. The appeal is now before the House of Lords. Of the original occa- sion of this suit I have no great knowledge, since I inherited it and was a child when it began, and for aught I know may arrive at second child- hood before it terminates. But I write to you to enquire whether an accommodation might not .at least be attempted, and I have not consulted with my lawyers, because they of course would .advise the contrary, as your own very probably will ; but I dispatch my letter through the medium of the Honourable Douglas Kinnaird, my personal friend as well as trustee, a man of honour and of business, who will either meet yourself or any friend to discuss the subject. I have no particular propositions to make, but .am willing to adjust the business on what may be deemed an equitable basis, either by arbitra- tion or a mutual agreement. . ..

I should be willing to part also with the un- disputed part of Rochdale Manor, because I wish to invest the produce of that as well as other monies abroad, since I do not reside in England, and have thought of permanently settling either in Italy or elsewhere. Perhaps, therefore, a mode might be found of combining the two, viz., the adjustment of our lawsuit and the sale of the remainder of the manor, which might not be for your disadvantage. I repeat (as a little enquiry will inform you) that I am not actuated either by avidity or necessity, but by the natural wish to terminate a long lawsuit with its uncertainties. My debts have long been liquidated by the sale of Newstead, and the purchase money settled and invested ; and early in the winter of 1822 I acquired a con- siderable accession of income by the demize of the mother of Lady B. . ..

Col. Fishwick' s lifelong study of the history of Rochdale makes it fit that he should be the editor of the Survey of 1626, which arose out of the sale of the manor (one of the East Greenwich manors) in 1625 by Charles I. Sir Robert Heath, the Attorney-General and the ultimate purchaser, wished to know the exact extent of his acquisition, and shortly before reselling to the Byron family he had a very exhaustive Survey made, which affords most valuable material for local history. There are full notes of each township and hamlet, with particulars of charters and deeds, names of occupiers and copyholders. Later notes added by the steward will assist the genealogist in bridging over the difficult Commonwealth period.

The original MS. has been lost, and in printing from a copy of the Survey made by Canon Raines, Col. Fishwick has met with difficulties, most of which he has been able to surmount. One could wish that the Inquisition of 1610, now in the Rochdale Museum, had been printed in the volume. The punctuation of the Introduction is rather erratic. The Index seems adequate, but the list of field-names would have been better in alphabetical order.

tn

ON all communications must be written the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for pub lication, but as a guarantee of good faith.

WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately, nor can we advise correspondents as to the value of old books and other objects or as to the means of disposing of them.

W. L. KING. Forwarded.

' ICONOGRAFIA GALILEIANA ' (11 S. viii. 229,

268). MB. A. R. BAYLEY writes: "The ' D.N.B.' dates S. A. Hart's picture 1847."

CORRIGENDA. (1) H. C. writes to say that in his reference to Pepys (ante, p. 269) he put the battle of South wold when it should have been the battle of Lowestoft. The passage he had in mind was under date 3 June, 1665: "All this day, by all people upon the River and almost every where else hereabout, were heard the guns, our two fleets for certain being engaged."

(2) MR. JOHN T. CURRY writes: "Ante, p. 294, col; 2, 1. 24 from foot, the reference to ' Lectures on the English Language ' should be p. 232, not ' 252.' "