Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 7.djvu/267

 12 a viz. SEPT. ii, i92o.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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WILLOW PATTERN CHINA (12 S. vii. 169, 197). With reference to the en- quiries about the above, I have seen it stated, but cannot now remember where, that one of the trees represented is Koelreuteria panniculata, called " luan " by the Chinese in classical times, but now known as " nvjt-lan-tze " Can this be confirmed ? GERALD LODER.

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History of the Family of Maunsell (Mansell, Mansel) Compiled by Charles A. Maunsell. Written by Edward Phillips Statham. (Kegan Paul, vol. i., 2 2s. net ; vol. ii., 6 6s. net.) WE have before us three massive tomes, finely printed, handsomely covered and copiously illustrated. The family, to whose history they are dedicated, came over in the person of one Philip Mansel, with the Conqueror. The early generations loom very dim on the verge of a genealogist's limbo. The compilers have a good deal to say upon the recklessness of earlier workers on this shadowy border ; and they may certainly be acquitted of any rashness in statement them- selves. They have gone most thoroughly into every obscure indication remaining, and they deal exhaustively with such questions as the divers coats-of-arms borne by different branches ; the spelling of the name ; and the probabilities as to where was the original cradle of the family on the other side of the Channel.

Although it cannot be claimed that this family has as yet produced a name to conjure with in the world at large, it presents an impressive array of capable and energetic men who, in every century, from. Sir John Maunsell downwards, have played more or less conspicuous parts in the affairs of their day. Sir John Maunsell, as students of mediaeval England know, was the trusted coun- sellor of Henry III. His biography may be read in the ' Dictionary of National Biography ' ; we will only say of it, as worked out here, that the difficulties with regard to his birth and place in the family are very ably discussed, and that on these questions, as on one or two others relating to him, our authors have something new to say. Two other great names belonging to the earlier history of the stock are those of Sir Bhys Mansel, first owner of Margam Abbey, whose prosperity has some shades upon it, and Sir Kobert Mansel the Admiral, whose career makes the most romantic chapter of the whole record. It is worth studying in these pages for virtually all the available material has been here woven into it.

In composing that chapter, and indeed through- out, we think the writer is too prolix in recounting the general history of England. Rather pitilessly he gives us thick slabs of information which can hardly fail to be familiar to most of his readers, and can be better looked up elsewhere. This is particularly the case with the reigns and fortunes of Charles I. and Charles II. Since we have begun complaining, we will rid ourselves at once of another complaint. If it was worth while to set out in extenso the lengthy Latin inscriptions on monuments, it was worth while to get them set out correctly ; and if it was worth while to

provide a translation it was also worth while to have that translation accurate.

The later history of the Mansels of Margam is diversified by many anecdotes, letters and notes of interesting facts. (The Christian name Bussy, which occurs twice in the seventeenth century suggests inquiry. What connexion is it thought to represent ?) The best known among them is William Lort Mansel Bishop of Bristol, and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. His exact place in the pedigree is not perfectly certain : our authors accept as most probably accurate his descent from Thomas Mansel of Penrice, brother of Edward of Henlys, whose son Thomas was father of William Wogan, father of William Lort. The account of the Bishop is pleasantly written, giving plenty of space to anecdote, but perhaps- somewhat lacking as to the work and the more solid qualities which made him of some importance. - A good letter of his to the poet Crabbe appears here.

The Mansels of Muddlescombe descend from Francis, second son of Sir Edward Mansel of Margam, Francis having been created a baronet in 1622. A good deal of care has been required to correct current mistakes as to the pedigree of this branch. The best-known figure belonging to > them is the most attractive one of Francis Mansel, third son of the first baronet, who was Principal- of Jesus College, Oxford, during the period of the Great Rebellion.

In the third generation from Sir Francis of" Muddlescombe was created the baronetcy of Mansel of Trimsaren, the first baronet being. Edward, who owned the Trimsaren estate througE his marriage with Dorothy, daughter of Philip Vaughan of that place. The interest of this chapter is principally domestic, some of it being of a legal complexion. The earlier records of this branch present several knotty problems, which our authors have considered and set out with much care and pains.

A whole chapter is devoted to the Great Re- bellion in which more than one Mansell plays a - prominent part, notably Francis, by whose instrumentality it was that Charles escaped to France from Brighthelmston, hi memory of which service he was granted the crest oi a one-masted ship in full sail. In a letter from Anne, daughter of James II. to her sister Mary the name Mansel is adopted to designate the King.

The Maunsells of Thorpe Malsor give occasion to record particulars of the Cokaynes, and the Hills and some other less known families connected with them Serjeant George Hill playing his due part in the story. They boast a gallant naval officer of the beginning of trie nineteenta century in Captain Robert Maunsell, son of the Archdeacon of Kildare. These Maunsells had, since the middle of the seventeenth century, been connected with Ireland. They go back to a line of Maun- sells of Chicheley, from whom also the Maunsells of Cosgrove are descended, they having likewise acquired their estate by marriage, in this case through a lady who rejoiced in the name of Nightingale Furtho. The history of these Mansels includes the somewhat tragic story of General Mansel killed at the battle of ViUers-en-Couches y about whom tuere was some correspondence in our own columns in our First Series. To them too belongs Henry Longueville Mansel grandson of the General the well-known Dean of St. Paul's,

The Yorkshire Maunsells are interesting chiefly, but by no means solely, for their share in the