Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 2.djvu/249

 12 B. II. SEPT. 23, 1916.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

243

and Times of A. W.,' Oxf. Hist. Soc., i. 10-14.

Some of the almanac-compilers veiled their own names, as Dove (Speculum Anni), Fly, Poor Robin, Philoprotest (Protestant Al- manac), Swallow. Perhaps some of these, who gave their opponents hard knocks, had scarcely the courage of their opinions. One of them, which appeared as ' Old Poor Robin ' in 1777, continued, says Plomer, till 1824. I have myself the issues for 1825 and 1826, the latter claiming to be the 164th edition. As it disappears from the uniformly bound set of the next year, perhaps 1826 was the last. It had become coarse and rather profane. It was certainly not' worth the 2,<?. 3d. at which, owing to the foolish tax on almanacs of a Is. 3d. stamp, it was charged, and its extinction can have been no loss.

A list of almanacs in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, however complete, is only of bibliographical interest, but a study of their contents leads one into those bypaths

of our national history which we are too apt to neglect. The new year's visit of the chapman or pedlar must have been eagerly looked for in many a country village and lonely farmhouse, as, in addition to his usual stock of trinkets, stationery, patent medi- cines, and the like, there woukl be a choice of popular almanacs, adapted to the special fancy of the purchasers. And there was^ variety enough to satisfy all tastes. Here we can find out what they really cared about as one generation succeeded another, and every religious and political movement finds its echo in these constantly succeeding ephemeral annuals. Mr. Plomer's principal object in his careful bibliography compiled thirty years ago was to attract students to a neglected field. Perhaps the next generation-- may take some pains to cultivate it, just as our diocesan historians may discover the value of the neglected records of our Con- sistory Courts, stored in our cathedrals and Diocesan Registries. CECIL DEEDES.

AN ENGLISH ARMY LIST OF 1740. (See ante, pp. 3, 43, 84, 122, 163, 204.)

MAJOR-GENERAL HARGRAVE'S Regiment of Foot (p. 20) was raised in 1685 the first of the so-called " Fusilier " regiments.

The following short account of the forma- tion and constitution of the regiment is taken from Cannon's ' Historical Record of the Seventh Regiment ' :

" On the augmentation of the army during the rebellion of James Duke of Monmouth, in the summer of 1685, King James II. resolved that the first infantry corps raised on that occasion should be an Ordnance Regiment, for the care and protec- tion of the cannon : of which corps His Majesty appointed George Lord Dartmouth, then Master- general of the Ordnance, colonel, by commission dated the llth of June, 1685.

" The regular regiments of foot were composed, at this period, of Musketeers men armed with muskets and swords ; Pikemen armed with long pikes and swords ; and Grenadiers armed with hand - grenades, muskets, bayonets, swords, and small hatchets ; but in the Ordnance Regiment every man carried a long musket called a fusil, with a sword and bayonet, from which peculiarity in the arming, the regiment obtained the designa- tion of ' Fusiliers ' ; and the King, being desirous

of appearing publicly to patronize this new corps,- eonferred upon it the title of ' Royal Fusiliers.'

" Regiments of infantry had, originally, a colour to each company, which was called an ensign, and was carried by the junior subaltern officer of each company, who was styled ' ancient,' and afterwards 1 ensign,' which term signified ' colour-bearer.' The regiments of Fusiliers did not have colours or ensigns to each company, consequently the title of ensign or oolour-bearer was not given to the junior subaltern officer of each company ; but having, in consequence of the peculiar services they were called upon to perform, a care and responsibility equal to that of a lieutenant, both the subaltern officers of each company were styled lieutenants. They were- both placed on the same rate of pay ; but the terms first lieutenant and second lieutenant were used in their commissions for several years, and afterwards discontinued."

In 1688 it ceased to be considered ex- clusively as an Ordnance Regiment, and took its turn of duty with the regular regiments of the line. It is now designated " The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)," and Ls one of the very few regiments winch- retains the title under which it was originally raised.

Major General Hargrave's Dates of their Dates of their first

Regiment of Foot. present commissions. commissions.

Major General. . William Hargrave, Colonel (1) 27 Aug. 1739 Ensign, 23 April 1694.

Li-ntenant Colonel Jame? Fleming .. .. 4 Aug. 1722 Lieutenant, 7 Sept. 1706.

Major .. .. John Aldercorn .. ..13 Dec. 1739 Ensign, 23 Feb. 1708-9.

(1) Was Colonel of the 31st Foot from 1730 to 1737. and of the Oth from 1737 to 1730. Died in- 1751.