Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 4.djvu/113

 12 s. iv. APRIL, 1918.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

107

He records the first mention of the name "Le Steelyerde" as in 8 Rich. II., 1384-5 {'Cal. Lp.m.,' 77).

" The site was originally occupied by the Gildhall of the merchants, known as ' Haus zu Coiner in London,' 1157 ....

" The earliest mention of the German merchants of the Hanse in England occurs in the ' De Institutis Londonie ' of Ethelred, 978-1016, where they are referred to ... .as ' Homines Imperatoris, qui veniebant in navibus suis ' . . . . It seems probable that they possessed a house on the banks of the Thames on or near the site of the Steelyard from very early times, perhaps prior to the date of these laws ....

" The first mention of the house, contained in a charter of Henry II., 1157, confirming to the ' homines et cives Colonienses '....' domo sua London ' (Lappenberg, pt. 2, p. 3), shows it in the possession of the merchants of Cologne, but subsequent records prove that this house was certainly on a part of the site occupied later by the ' Gildhalle der deutschen und des hansischen Stalhofes ' (ib. pt. 1, p. 7). . ..

" They seem to have been in occupation of the site of the ' Stilehof ' or ' Steelyerde ' as early as 1320, but it was not until 1475 that they suc- ceeded in acquiring the grant of a place called the ' Stilehof ' or ' Stileyerd ' lately belonging to John Reynwell in the parish of Alhalowen the More in Thamystrete in the ward of Dowgate (' Cal. P.B. Ed. IV. 1467-77,' p. 509)

" They continued to reside here and to make use of the Hall, however, until the year 1598, when they were peremptorily commanded to quit the Steelyard and leave the kingdom forth- with "

Mr. Harben closes his article with this paragraph :

" There are some interesting views of the later buildings occupying the site in Archer's ' Vestiges of Old London,' and a very careful account of the later history of the site and its owners is to be found in Archceologia, vol. Ixi. pt. 2, p. 389 et seq."

E. G. C.

The earliest building of the Gilda Aula, later the Gildehalda Teutonicorum, and subsequently the Stahlhof, was in existence by 1157 (vide Kingsford's ' Stow,' ii. 319). The Hall was situate to the west of the church of Allhallows the Great (vide Strype's ' Stow,' i. 522). An interesting reference is provided in J. J. Bhib bard's history of that parish, 1843, p. xxiv :

" All, however, that now remains of their greatness is a very small fragment of the old stone Hall incorporated into a wall of brick facing the Thames another monument of the mutability of charters and immunities granted for ever ! "

ALECK ABBAHAMS.

51 Rutland Park Mansions, N.W.2.

[Replies from F. G. B. and MB. N. W. HILL have been forwarded to MR. HIRST. MR. J.' ABDAGH is also thanked for reply.]

MACAULAY AND MISQUOTATION.

(12 S. iv. 76.)

ONE need not go very far to find examples of Maoaulay's inaccuracy. Take his essay on Milton, and see how he mangles his quotations :

But o'er their heads Celestial armoury, shield, helm, and spear,

for

But nigh at hand

Celestial armoury, shields, helms, and spears. 'P. L.,' iv. 552-3. Four mistakes.

Without the rod reversed, And backward mutters of dissevering power, We cannot free the lady that sits here Bound in strong fetters fixed and motionless,

for

Without his rod reversed, And backward mutters of dissevering power, We cannot free the lady that sits here In stony fetters fixed and motionless.

' Comus,' 816-19. Three mistakes.

In Macaulay's Life of Johnson there are several errors. Johnson called his wife " Tetty," Macaulay quotes it as " Titty." Macaulay says that Johnson printed a translation of "a Latin book about Abyssinia." It was a French version of a Latin original which was never printed.

Maeaulay quotes a question of Boswell's to Johnson as " What would you do, sir, if you were locked up in a tower with a baby ? " His question was : "If, sir, you were shut up in a castle and a new-born child with you, what would you do ? "

He quotes Johnson's definition of a pension as " pay given to a state hireling to betray his country." Johnson's definition is : " An allowance made to any one without an equivalent. In England it is generally understood to mean pay given to a state hireling for treason to his country."

JOHN WrLLCOCK, jun.

Lerwick.

Prof. Montague in his edition of the ' Essays ' has exposed an astonishing mass of misquotation, inaccuracy, and even invention on the part of Macaulay. The misquotations are largely due to his failure to verify his reference. In the ' Byron ' he misquotes Byron's opinion of Milton. In the ' Montgomery ' he misquotes ' Othello,' III. ii., and attributes Bacon's " rhyme and reason '' apophthegm to More. In the ' Southey ' he misquotes Vanbrugh's ' Re- lapse,' SVift's ' Conduct of the Allies,' and