Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 3.djvu/191

 12 S. III. MARCH 10, 1917.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

185

Booker's biographer in the ' D.N.B.,' the late Dr. Garnett, states that the ' Dutch Fortune-Teller ' and another book published under the author's name after his death are probably spurious. But, as the former was published in 1650 and Booker did not die till 1667, he had had ample time to protest against the unauthorized use of his name. A copy of the Turco-Dutch original has not jet been discovered. Dr. Starzer was the name of one of the deputation sent to the Sultan by the Austrian Malcontents in 1619.

As regards other German books of fortune, some of these are very simple in construction. There is one in MS. on parchment in the British Museum (Add. MS. 25,435), ascribed by the Museum people to the fifteenth century, but according to a German author- ity, Dr. Robert Priebsch, there is a possi- bility of it being a century older. There are 28 questions to which replies may be obtained after consulting sundry philosophers, pro- phets, and other worthies. No cards or dice are to be used in this case, but a wooden disk, revolving in a wooden frame, which forms one of the covers of the book, both disk and frame being elaborately carved, painted, and gilt. The centre of the disk is occupied by an old man, who with out- stretched arm points to a number (1 to 28) on the fixed dial. The MS. is in a modern binding, and there is no special device for turning the disk, but originally there was, no doubt, a crank or some other device on the cover outside, so that, after asking the question and going through the preliminary pilgrimage from pillar to post, one could shut the book and turn, the crank outside without the inquirer seeing the number to which the soothsayer inside the cover was pointing. The crank outside is still in existence in the case of a German MS., dated 1492, seen by Mr. Majlath in the Heidelberg library (MS. 552) ; and, besides, it is the usual arrangement even in some of the printed German books to have to shut the volume when the disk has to be turned. Thus, e.g., in the book devised and printed by Heinrich Vogtherr at Strassburg in 1539, there is a paper disk on the title-page, on which a child is represented, and the direction is (in German) : " Turn the child with all diligence and see what the angel at ' the back knows." The angel on the inside disk will be found to point to one of 24 letters (A to Z), and the reply can be ascertained under that letter. In the case of another ' Loszbuch ' (book of fortune), printed at Cologne in 1586, there is a revolving cross on the front of the title-page, and on the back a

unicorn, which points with its horn to a> division marked with the name of an animal, under which name in the text the reply will be found. In yet another ancient ' Losz- buch,' without date (reprinted at Rostock in 1890), the inside circle was divided into four quarters, each quarter being assigned to one of four suits of playing cards, and divided into 12 sectors marked with pip- cards from 2 to 9, ace, knave, knight (on foot), and king. In this case, we see, a, pack of cards or dice could be used without the disk. Finally, a disk was also used h* the case of Joerg Wickram's book, printed at Strassburg in 1534, and in several others, but these I have not seen.

The Hungarian book of fortune of 1594 mentioned in my previous article, and the- Polish ' Fortuna albo Szcyescie ' of about 1610, discovered by Graesse and described by Mr. Majlath, do not call for any special remark as regards their construction.

L. L. K.

A RIMING WILL.

THE following curious will is that of Sir Willoughby Dixie, Bart., of Bosworth Park. It was proved in Doctors' Commons, Aug. 17* 1815.

IN THE NAME OF GOD : AMEN. I Willoughby Dixie of Bosworth Park, Without the aid of scribe or clerk, Or Pettifogger of the law, Beady to make or find the flaw.

To my sister Eleanor of Bourne,

Lest she her brother long should mourn,

The welcome news she must hear,

That I give her eight hundred pounds a year..

And also on her I do fix, To be my sole executrix.

To sister Rosamond, whose bower Of happiness ne'er knew one hour, I twelvepence give, far more than's due To such a sad vexatious shrew.

To Tom Drakerley my steward ever true r Who did for me all men could do, I give in cash and notes, no little sounds, The sum of twenty thousand pounds.

To young Drakerley ever true, Who did what the elder could not do r I give of sheep five hundred head, As good as ever Bakewell bred.

To Joe my groom, who swore my stud, None were surpassed in shape or blood, And that no knight of high degree Could ride a horse or hunt like me, I give him all that in the stable feed, Or graze upon the mead.