Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 5.djvu/33

 iis.v.j.vx.13,1912.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

21

LOXDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, V>11.

CONTENTS. No. 107.

NOTES: Vicissitudes of Seventeenth-Century Books, 21 Old Names of Florentine Streets, 23 The Coventry Shakespeares, 24 Sonnet by Joachim du Bellay Shake- speare and Italian Literature, 25 Frances, Duchess of Suffolk, and Adrian Stokes Exchequer Tallies Brinsop Court, 26.

QUERIES : Families: Duration in Male Line Grise: Grey: Badger Skating in the Middle Ages ' Gil Bias,' 27 Epigram on St. Luke Biographical Information Wanted B_olivar and the Jews Samaritan Bible Bells rung for King Charles's Execution Gellyfeddan : Cyng- hordy Author Wanted R. R. : his Identity ' Lilli- Imllero,' 28 Railway Travel : Early Impressions ' Arabian Nights ' ' Married Men's Feast ' Hurlo- thrumbo Society Robin Hood Pot ocos, English Race- horse Jones and Blunkett, 29 "Prince of Orange Coffee- House " ' Pilgrim's Progress ' Illustrated, 30.

REPLIES : County Bibliographies, 30 Threading St. Wil- frid's Needle, 32 Spenser i and Dante Latin Accentua- tion, 33 Spider Stories History of England with Riming Verses, 34 " Polilla " Ludgate Dr. Richard Russell, 35 Authors Wanted Bishops addressed as " My Lord" Lord_ Tilney, 36 Burial in Woollen Thomas Cromwell Philip Savage Grandfather Clocks in France, 37 "America" as a Scottish Place- Name " Parkin " Black Stockings City Lands : Ancient Tenure, 38.

NOTES ON BOOKS :' London North of the Thames' Reviews and Magazines.

Booksellers' Catalogues. Notices to Correspondents.

SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BOOKS : THEIR VICISSITUDES.

THE PRIVY COUNCIL REGISTER for James I. is not so full or so interesting as that of Elizabeth. It has not been published, nor is it likely to be so. Therefore it may be of interest to note the chief entries concern- ing books during the period from 1613 to 1640. The Registers for the first few years of the century were destroyed by fire.

23 May, 1622. A letter to the Lord Bishop of London that there is a book

" written by David Parreus, a minister of the Palatinate, containing very dangerous and false doctrine concerning the deposing of sovereign Princes."

It is found that there are some copies in the hands of the London stationers, and the Bishop is requested to search for, find, and suppress them.

27 May, 1622. All Bishops say that this book of Parreus is seditious ; the Bishop of London is therefore to take all copies

and give them to the Sheriff of London, to be publicly burnt in St. Paul's Churchyard.

29 May, 1622. To the Chancellor of the University of Oxford. (This is repeated to Cambridge.) Whereas there was a wicked sermon preached the last Lent in that Uni- versity (Oxford) by one Knight, an un- advised young man, tending to no less than sedition, treason, and rebellion against Princes. Being called in question for the same, he did shelter himself upon doctrine taught by Parreus in his Commentaries of Romans xiii. The Bishops say that tract is " seditious, scandalous, and contrary to the Scriptures."

" We call upon you therefore to give warning to the students in divinity there, that they take heed both of Parreus and all other Neotericks who in their writings do bend that way .... And we doe further authorize you to search, all libraries, and take and destroy all such books."

On 21 Aug., 1624, the Council explained to Secretary Con way that they had obeyed orders " touching the suppressing of a scandalous comedie acted by the King's Players." They had summoned some of i the principal actors, and asked who had I licensed it. The players showed them the original and perfect copy, signed by Sir Henry Herbert, Master of the Revels, under his own hand. The members of the Council asked the players if they had added anything, and they denied it. " The poett, they tell us, is one Middleton," who shifting out of the way, and not attending with the rest, "we have given a warrant to apprehend him, and gave a round and sharp reproof to the players," forbidding them to act it any more, nor

" that they suffer anie plaie or interlude what- ever to be acted by them untill his majesty's pleasure be further known. Wee have caused them likewise to enter into bonds for their attend- ance upon the Board whensoever they shall be called."

The Council send the book to Conway to find what passages in the comedy were offensive and scandalous, and advise him to consult Sir Henry Herbert. They then summon Edward Middleton, son of Middle- ton the poet, before them, but apparently get no information from him.

1 Oct., 1626. " A letter from the Devil to the Pope," sent to Widow Taylor of Ockingham, to be ready for it. "To be inquired into.

7 Sept., 1631.

" One of the Messengers to search for a pam- phlet intituled a true relacion of the uniust, crewell, and barbarous proceedings against the English at Amboyna, &c., and to seize upon the