Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 2.djvu/87

 ii s. VIIL A. 2, i9i3.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

81

LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST ?, 1913.

CONTENTS.-No. 188.

NOTES : The Forged ' Speeches and Prayers' of the Regi cides, 81 Statues and Memorials in the British Isles, 82 " Anaphylaxis " Ghost at Stoke Dry Extracting Snakes from Holes Old London Fish Shops The College School, Gloucester, 85 Isaac D'Israeli " Unconscious humour "Shakespeare Allusions ' The Silver Domino, 86 A Shovel called a Becket, 87.

QUERIES : Johnson Bibliography, 87 Mrs. Hemans and "the distinguished linguist "James Hamilton, Traveller Custumal, 88 Admission Registers of Schools Source of Quotation Wanted Wooden Nutcrackers Solicitors Roll Officers in Uniform' The Fruitless Precaution,' 8( Konkani MS. Hamilton Street- Names Biographical Information Wanted The Old English Bow Durham 1469 Famous Cornish Regiment of 1643 Sicilian Heraldry Constitutional History Old House in Bristol, 90.

REPLIES: An Ambiguous Possessive Case, 91 'The Ambulator,' 92 St. Paul at Virgil's Tomb Attainting Royal Blood, 93 Dickens : St. George's Gallery Ann Pollard Black Hole of Calcutta, 94" Hollo !" Clasped Hands on Jewish Tombstones Catholic Emancipation and the Stake Button-Makers, 95 Illegitimacy in the Middle Ages Theatre lit by Gas Thatch Fires, 96 Izaak Walton and Tomb-Scratching Jane Cromwell "Our incomparable Liturgy " ' The Mask ' Queries from Green's 'Short History' " Sarcistectis " 'Monte Cristo,' 97.

NOTES ON BOOKS :' Covent Garden 'Reviews and Magazines.

Booksellers' Catalogues.

Notices to Correspondents.

THE FORGED { SPEECHES AND PRAYERS' OF THE REGICIDES.

(See 11 S. vii. 301, 341, 383, 442, 502; viii. 22.)

IX. THE SEQUEL TO THE ' SPEECHES

AND PRAYERS.'

AT the end of May. 1661, the compilers of the ' Speeches and Prayers ' of the regicides were to the fore with a catalogue of the " judgments " that had preceded, accom- panied, and followed the execution of the regicides. The book is probably the most astounding collection of falsehoods ever compiled in England, and bore the following title :

"ENIATTOS TEPA2TIOS. Mirabilis Arums ; or, the Year of Prodigies and Wonders, being a faithfull and impartiall collection of severall signs that have been seen, in the Heavens, in the Earth and in the Waters, together with many remarkable accidents and judgments befalling divers persons, according as they have been testified by very credible hands. All

which have happened within the space of one year last past, and are now made public for a seasonable warning to the people of these three kingdoms speedily to repent and turn to the Lord, whose hand is lifted up amongst us."

Some texts followed, and, of course, the page bore no publisher's name. Anthony a Wood very justly remarks of this that it was " an imposture of a most damnable design." It was followed in 1662 by ' Mirabilis Annus Secundus,' &c. (without the Greek title). There are several copies of both books in the British Museum, and since all are catalogued under the solitary heading ' Eniautos,' very few writers seem to have noticed them. They have thus been untraceable, since contemporary refer- ences always describe them as " the book of prodigies," or " wonders," or ' Mirabilis Annus,' never by the Greek title.

' Mirabilis Annus ' suggested a title to Dryden. and occasioned Dean John Spencer's 'Discourse concerning Prodigies' (1663).

The British Museum copies of the first book contain the double page of illustrations prefixed to it (press-mark 440. h. 4). Each book contains 88 pages. In the 'Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, for 1661-2,' the first book is referred to under the title of ' Annus Mirabilis ' on pp. 54, 173, 184, 207, and 426 ; and under the title of ' The Book of Prodigies : on pp. 23, 87, 104, 106, 107, 128, and 184.

On p. 23 of the ' Calendar ' are sum- marized the examinations of Creeke, printer of the book (part printer also of the ' Speeches and Prayers '). and of Thresher (the binder), from which it appears that Giles Calvert ordered this book to be printed as well as the ' Speeches and Prayers.' It should, however, be noticed that none of them was known to have had a hand in the ' Speeches and Prayers ' until Creeke turned king's evidence in 1663.

The preface to the book (six pages) proves that the principal compiler was a man of education and extremely well read. In nearly all the two or three hundred prodigies recorded, names, dates, and Dlaces are given with the utmost detail. Fiery stars were seen in the heavens when the regicides were tried. Five naked men, " exceeding bright and glorious," were seen n the sky at Shenley, Herts, on the day Scroop, Jones, and other regicides were executed, and a bright star appeared over their quarters at Aldgate. Over their quarters at Bishopsgate seven pillars of smoke ascended to heaven as high " as he beholders could well discern." These are but examples. As all the evidence