Page:Notes and Queries - Series 1 - Volume 1.djvu/172

162

NOTES AND QUERIES.

[No, 11. 3l. 4s. It. paid him for a picture of the king, 2l. It. paid him for a new frame to my grandmother's 6s.

"1649. May 9. Item, given at John Tredeskin's [Tradescant] - 2s. 6d.

June 1. Paid Mr. Lawes, a month's teaching of my wife - 1l. 10s.

Sept. 1. It. spent at Tunbridge Welles, in 19 dayes stay - 26l. 8s.

"1650. April 8. It. paid Mr. Lilly [Sir Peter] for my wife's picture - 5'l.

"1651. April 21. It. paid Mr. Lelie for my picture, 5l. It. paid him for my wife's picture, being larger, 10l. It. given Mr. Lelie's man, 5s.

April 23. It. paid Frank Rower for a frame for my wife's picture 4l.

Aug. 7. Spent in Spring Gardens, and coach hire thither - - 17s.

Sept. 3. Baubles at Bartholomew fayre, 4s.

Oct. 3. It. given the Scots prisoners, 8s.

Nov. 13. It. paid for bringing a great cake from Richborow - 3s.

March 9. Twelve paire of gloves given my Valentine, the Lady Palmer 1l. 12s.

March 22. It. paid Mr. Lilly for Mrs. Montague's picture, the larger size 10l.

The entry concerning the celebrated Henry Lawes, Milton's Tuneful Harry, is very interesting, and is well illustrated by the following dedication, prefixed to Lawes' Second Book of Ayres and Dialogues, 1655:—

"To the Honourable the Lady Bering, Wife to Sir Edward Bering, of Surenden Bering, Bart.

"Madam,—I have consider'd, but could not finde it lay in my power, to offer this Book to any but your Ladiship. Not only in regard of that honour and esteem you have for Musick, but because those Songs which fill this Book have receiv'd much lustre by your excellent performance of them; and (which I confesse I rejoice to speak of) some, which I esteem the best of these ayres, were of your own composition, after your noble husband was pleas'd to give the words. For (although your Ladiship resolv'd to keep it private) I beg leave to declare, for my own honour, that you are not only excellent for the time you spent in the practice of what I set, but are your self so good a composer, that few of any sex have arriv'd to such perfection. So as this Book (at least a part of it) is not Dedicated, but only brought home to your Ladiship. And here I would say (could I do it without sadness), how pretious to my thoughts is the memory of your excellent Mother (that great example of prudence and charity), whose pious meditations were often advanc'd by hearing your voice. I wish all prosperity to your Ladiship, and to him who (like yourself) is made up of Harmony; to say nothing of the rest of his high accomplishments of wisdome and learning. May you both live long, happy in each other, when I am become who, while I am in this world, shall be ever found, "Your Ladiship's humble Admirer and faithful Servant,

The Derings appear to have been great lovers and patrons of music; and one of their family, Richard, practised the art as his profession. This excellent musician was educated in Italy; and, when his education was completed, he returned to England with great reputation. He resided in his own country for some time, but, upon a very pressing invitation, went to Brussels, and became organist to the convent of English nuns there. From the marriage of Charles I., until the time when that monarch left England, he was organist to the Queen. In 1610 he was admitted to the degree of Bachelor In Music at Oxford, and died in the communion of the Church of Rome, about the year 1657.

A piece of topographical history was disclosed at the recent trial of a cause at Westminster, which it may be worth while to record among your "Notes." The Dean and Chapter of Westminster are possessed of the manor of Westbourne Green, in the parish of Paddington, parcel of the possessions of the extinct Abbey of Westminster. It must have belonged to the Abbey when Domesday was compiled; for, though neither Westbourne nor Knightsbridge (also a manor of the same house) is specially named in that survey, yet we know, from a later record, viz. a Quo Warranto in 22 Edward I., that both of those manors were members, or constituent hamlets, of the vill of Westminster, which is mentioned in Domesday among the lands of the Abbey. The most considerable tenant under the abbot in this vill was Bainiardus, probably the same Norman associate of the Conqueror who is called Baignardus and Bainardus in other parts of the survey, and who gave his name to Baynard's Castle.

The descent of the land held by him of the abbot cannot be clearly traced: but his name long remained attached to part of it; and, as late as the year 1653, a parliamentary grant of the Abbey or Chapter lands to Foxcrafte and another, describes "the common field at Paddington" as being "near to a place commonly called Baynard's Watering"

In 1720, the lands of the Dean and Chapter in the same common field are described, in a terrier of the Chapter, to be in the occupation of Alexander Bond, of Bear's Watering, in the same parish of Paddington.

The common field referred to, is the well-known piece of garden ground lying between Craven