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NOTES AND QUERIES.

[12 8. I. FEB. 5, 1916.

changing boats at every four or five miles on account of the locks and bridges, and taking with him as a parting gift a jewel of large size but small value, which he sub- sequently sold for 701. Of Brussels he could say much,

" it being a well seated and well watered towne as ever I sawe, y e civillest people in y e world, verie populous, of all nations that are Catholick and civil], full of brave soldjers and men active for com' and, full of verie hansome women."

He left it with evident regret. Antwerp pleased him less. Though it is reputed to be the best-built town in the world, he does not like its situation, " being extraordinarie flatt." He notes the Church of Notre Dame and the Jesuit Church still building, the galleries of which both above and below were "wholly roofed w th brave pictures of Rubens makeing, who at this tyme ys held y e master workeman of y e world."

From Antwerp he started homewards through Brabant and Artois to Calais, and so to Dover. Of the towns visited, both on the outward and homeward journey, he records briefly the chief buildings and characteristics. Thus Gravelines

" is a prittie little town. . . .It hath in itt a verie prittie Eng 8h monestarie of nuns .... There were b'2 p'fessed whe' I was there, all handsome wo me', yonge and well lykeing, and liveing altogether uppo' charitie uncertaine from Eng' 1 . They eate no flesh, ffast all ffasts, when you see y m they must winke and not speake to you : but at another gate where they ma ye speake to or answer you a boarde and curtaine are betwixt you."

Ostend was still suffering from the result of the Spanish siege, but it was being re- built,

"and y s y e coldest towne I ever came in.... It ys a brave haven : and att my being there had in itt new built and in building 20 brave shipps. I could judge none of them to be less than 800 tunn."

Bruges was a fair and populous city, well served with water, and containing many goodly churches. Alost of all places he could not abide. JHe had been robbed there, and the recollection of it was fresh upon him :

" Of all townes in y e world [ho writes], I intend not to lodge in this both for y c unreason- able deerness of itt and for my particular ill fortune in itt."

At Lille he bought a piece of cambric

" for y e rate of Is. an elne English w*" 1 ' cannot be followed in Engl d for a marke an elle. Here hence beare y 3 names of those Lisle grogeroms w h we weare and are of good use, beeing here made w th great facilitie in abundance."

From Aire he visited St. Omer, where he notes the Abbev church, the Abbot of

which for some reason was obliged to keep a live eagle, " and hath a good revenew for his fatt monks and verie faire lodgeings for himself." But what struck him most

the Jesuit College, which he describes as the best ordered in the world :

" At my being here there were 140 youths of Eng d who renounced theyr names and (as I feare) nation and nature of Eng 8h men. It was" a pittie to see y m (for they were the fynest youths I ev r sawe) that they shold be bredd traytors : but excepting their religion they are the strictest, orderlyest, and best bredd in y 8 world."

Chaworth does not record the date of his return, but on reaching Dover he fell upon his knees and returned thanks, and then sought the presence of his sovereign, begging if he had found favour to be used again as the King might please. The King was graciously pleased with the results of his journey, received him with a smile,. called him " sweet George ! " and " deare- George," and subsequently promised him an English peerage. But Chaworth was ta learn the disappointment of the man who builds his prospects on the honours and preferments of a Court. To his great dis- appointment, he was at length created a Viscount of Ireland only, by the title of Baron Chaworth of Trim in the County of Meath, Viscount of Armagh. The King had warned him before starting that he was " straungely besett for monie on all sydes," and was not prepared to " stow cost" on the journey to make a show. Chaworth was allowed five marks a day for his entertain- ment, and received in addition 1,OOOZ. for other expenses without any liability to account ; but he evidently preferred to be on the safe side, and his narrative contains full particulars of his payments preparatory to his journey, as well as an account of his charges by the way. MALCOLM LETTS*

MATERIA MEDICA IN THE

TALMUDIC AGE.

I.

THE Gemara gives us a great multitude of facts and incidents connected with the noble science of healing, but without disparaging these it may be conceded that the Hebrews of the pre-Talmudic era had but little know- ledge of disease, and that little was at its best mere empiricism. From the records of medical diagnoses and experiments during the period, say, that intervened between the dedication and destruction of the second Temple roughly, a period of two and a half