Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 2.djvu/8

NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. viu. JULY 5, 191.* with Wallis, if compared with his later works. In the Epistle Dedicatory in 'Room for the Cobler' he speaks of his "two former books," this, no doubt, referring to 'Rome for Good News' and 'More News,' and on p. 6 there is another reference which connects Wallis with the first of these. On p. 26 of 'Rome for Good News' the dialogue ends with :

"Wifewe will talk no more to-night, but leave till another time, and then we will begin with Magna Charta and talk over three or four Sheets more";

while on p. 4 of 'More News from Rome; or. Magna Charta ' (1666), the wife says:

"The last winter you and I fell into some discourse by the fire and brake off somewhat abruptly, you promised to begin with Magna Charta."

These extracts suggest the year 1665 as the date of 'Rome for Good News,' but the examination of Rawson given in the 'Calendar of State Papers (Domestic),' 1 Oct., 1664, raises the question whether earlier editions of this and other tracts by Wallis may not have been issued. In this examination it is stated that Wallis "wrote the books called 'Magna Charta,' 'Good News from Rome,' 'More News from Rome,' and the 'Honour of a Hangman, which would make it appear that copies of works bearing these titles were then in existence. So far I have not yet seen any of these works with the date 1664 or earlier, and if snch were published as seems likely from the evidence given it would appear they were all destroyed. It also seems probable that the titles of later issues were transposed or combined. The British Museum has a copy of ' Or Magna Charta ; More News from Rome,' 1666, but an addition in MS. reversing the lines has been made to the Catalogue, and a note appended that the first and second titles were evidently trans- posed by the printer. This tract may be a combination of the first and third of the works mentioned by Rawson. And I sug- gest also that the second tract named,


 * Good News from Rome,' is the same as

later issue (supposing an earlier) also being transposed.
 * Rome for Good News,' the title of the

In the title of 'More News' (1666) a font erected in Gloucester Cathedral in October, 1663. is referred to, and in the text this is spoken of as " recently erected." A period of three years might warrant the term " recently," but again the examination of Rawson permits the probability of an earlier edition, which seems to have been entirely destroyed. It is, however, quite

certain that ' Rome for Good News ' was not published before 1661, for on p. 19 is a reference to " William Gloucester " i.e., William Nicholson, who was Bishop of Gloucester from 1661 to 1672. The tract is dated in the British Museum Catalogue as " [1642 ?]," but evidently this is some- twenty years earlier than it should be.

The verses in ' Rome for Good News * contain allusions to many who suffered for their refusal to conform, among them being Arthur Hildersam (1563-1632), Thomas Turner (1591-1632), Bates, and Sharp, the last a bookseller of Banbury, who is also- referred to in ' More News.' There also occurs the name of Ravis, Bishop of Glou* cester (1604-7). who made a threat that he would " not leave one preacher in my diocese who doth not subscribe and con. form." He is spoken of thus :

Where are the thousand men become, That fought for reformation,

Doct. Ravis. A rare bird with his heady book,.

Soon wrought their desolation. There are some very uncomplimentary references to Nicholson, Bishop of Glou- cester, who is also handled severely by Wallis in his later tract, ' More News.'"

A further letter in the ' Calendar of State Papers (Domestic) ' for 1667-8 suggests that Wallis wrote other tracts. It is as^ follows :

" 1668. April 24. Roger L'Eslrange to Wil- liamson. I perused all the books and papers sent, and have marked the passages found most liable to censure ; but till I see the examinations of the witnesses, and hear the circumstances of the proofs, I cannot make any judgment of the- issue. Let the messengers that made the seizure, and the persons that made the discovery, be sent to me ; I will then prepare such an informa- tion as may serve for a guide to the King's counsel to proceed. ' Felo de se ' is undoubtedly Wallis's, but a jury will not make much of it. The ' Queries ' will punish most, because they reflect on the present Parliament. ' Omnia concessa a Belo ' is a vile libel, of the same quality as ' Felo de se.' I can fasten nothing on ' The Poor Whores' Petition ' that a jury will' take notice of. * Liberty of Conscience ' i.s rather to be answered than punished, except as an unlicensed pamphlet. The ' Saints' Freedom ' has direct treason in it, and a little patience would have brought it home, but the alarm is now so hot that all are upon their guard.

" I send another libel, ' Room for the Cobbler,' which is ' the damndest thing has come out yet ' ^ but I beg privacy, being in quest of Wallis, who has disguised himself....! hope the libel of the Cobblers will be closely and quickly followed up : if you show it to Lord Arlington or my Lord of Canterbury, let no words be spoken, as I want to surprise the parties."

With the exception of ' Liberty of Con- science ' (by Sir Charles Wolseley, 1668>