Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 6.djvu/309

 12 8. VI. MAY 29, 1820:] NOTES AND QUERIES.

253

Susanna Baker (born 1780, died 1861), by whom he had three sons and four daughters. The sons were all Westminsters : Thomas, Charles (died 1891), and William. Are the years of their admissions procurable ?

F. GORDON ROE. Arts Club, 40 Dover Street, W.I.

"Os TURTUBIS." In the 'Librum fun- dationis Eccl. et Prioratus St. Bartholomsei,' Cotton MSS. vespas, B. IX., Liber I., cap. x., occurs in reference to Rahere the founder (1123):

" Praeberea concordahat vita cum lingua, actio cum sermone ; et sic in sacrificio Dei os turturis ad axillas retorquebat, ne aliis predicans, ipse reprobus inveniretur."

which may be translated :

"Furthermore, his life accorded with his tongue, his deed with his sermon ; and so in the sacrifice of pod he twisted back the bill of the turtle dove to its own wings lest preaching to others he himself should be found a castaway.''

Can any of your readers say whether "" os turturis ad axillas retorquebat " is a quotation or a proverb, and where it occurs ?

E. A. WILDE.

AUTHOR OP QUOTATION WANTED. Where does the following occur : Hie secura quies et nescia fallere vita Dives opum variarum hie latis otia fondis.

E. BEAUMONT.

Brinsop Grange, Oxford.

[See Virgil Georgics II. 467],

MASTER-GUNNER.

<12 S. v. 153, 212, 277 ; vi. 22, 158, 197.)

THE ' N. E.D.' is wrong in stating that the word " master-gunner " is obsolete, and it is extraordinary to find that no quotation of it is given later than 1688, as the word has been in continuous use ever since that time. It is in use to-day in the Army and will be found in every Monthly Army List.

In 1917, I wrote to the editor of the is now admitted.
 * N.E.D.' to point it out and the mistake

The duties of a master-gunner are set forth in published works of which I quote two :

(a) " Of the Master Gunner." From ' Five decades of Epistles of Warre ' by Francis Mark- ham page 85. Published in 1622.

(6) " Notes on the early history of the Royal Regiment of Artillery," by Colonel Samuel Cleave- land, R.A., gives (p. 76) ' Proper duties of our

Master Gunner of England.' This is contained in ' Instructions for the Government of our Office of Ordinance ' 1683.

The duties pertaining to the office have varied considerably since its first institution ; and at the present time, are not in any way as important as they originally were.

The office is now held by warrant officers.

The subject of Master - Gunners in the Royal Navy will be treated in a separate communication.

OP THE MASTER GUNNER.

" Men and money (my good Lord) are the Sinews, Nerves and Strength of the warres, but Munition, Shot and Poivder are the fuell, Foode, nourisher and maintenance of the warrs, where- fore having entreated of all the Inferior Officers belonging to the bodies of men, and how and in what sort they ought to be imployed ; I will now enter into the discourse of some Inferior Officers belonging to the munition or matter of Ordinance, and in it I will first begin with the Office or Charge of the Master Gunner who is a principall and Important Officer depending and belonging to the Master of the Ordnance, and is a kind of middle or needfull Officer to take away many troubles and vexations from the Master of the Ordnance and to command all the Inferior Gunners, Clerks, Clerkes, Harbenriers, Maiorals, Gill-Masters and other depending upon the Ordinance, to be carefull in their severall places, and to see that all things expected all their hands be performed without neglect, Sloath or Remisnes. espetially all the Inferior Gunners whom hee shall survey very strictly, and see that they be skilfull, ready and carefull in Charging, Discharging, Leveling, Mounting, and Guarding their Peeces ; and he shall also see that all necessary provisions which are needfull, or any way behovefull to the manage or true use of the same be in no sort wanting ; as all kind of Bullets, of all sizes for all Peeces, of all proportions, Poicder of all kinds both Serpentine and come powder : Spunye, Cotton, Match, Lin- stocks, Priming-Irons, Instruments, Quadrats and Rules by which to take the levell and lay the Peece in his true mounture, Taladres and other Engines by which to mount or dismount any Peece, to take it up and downe, or to lay it, tosse it, or turne it at his will and pleasure ; he shall have also all manner of cartages both of ; 'great and lesser forme, all sorts of Coffers, Trunkes, and Boxes for the hansome and necessary carriage of all needfull implements whatsoever depending on his Office, with their severall characters, and markes by which readily to finde out any thinge which hee shall have occasion to use in any sudden service. It is his Office also to see sufficient provision made of all sorts of Carriages either for the Field or Fleete, and that they be of right shape, strength and fast binding : He shall cause provision to bee made for great store of good and sound Axletrees, of which the best are those of Yeugh, the second best, those of Elme, and those which are tollerable are of Ash ; there must bee choice of Wheeles well lined with yron and double bound with yron, and strong Nailes whose heads are square, thicke and high, and unto all these he shall have good store of Ladles of severall quantities and severall lengths, Ramers suitable