Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/83

 2<S. N 4., JAN. 2G. '06.]

NOTES-AND QUERIES.

and their Authors," ; " at the end of the second volume of Dunlap's History of the American The- atre, published in 1833. In reference to this catalogue, Mr. Dunlap says :

"To J. F. Foote, Esq., I am indebted for access to a col- lection of materials made by him for a new and improved Biographia Dramatica, the publication of which, I hope, will repay his labours."

Was this work ever published ? R. J.

Collections for County History. In making topographical; collections, much time and trouble might doubtless be spared by attention to a good method of arranging the materials. Perhaps some of your able antiquarian correspondents will lay before the readers of " N. & Q." the best plans adopted for the arrangement of facts in order to compile a parochial history. G. M. K.

Journals of the House of Commons and Bishop Latimer. In the Memoir of Latimer, prefixed to his Sermons, edited for the Parker Society by the Rev. George Elwes Corrie, B.D., 1844, p. xii., it is stated that

" Edward VI. having succeeded to the crown in Ja- nuary, 1547, the Bishoprick of Worcester was again offered to Mr. Latimer, during the year following, in con- sequence of an address from the House of Commons to the Lord Protector."

And in a note is quoted, " Journ. H. of Commons, Jan. 8, 1548." As the printed Journals of the House of Commons do not commence before the year 1613, this statement must have been derived from some other source : and from what ? And as the session of parliament in Edward's first year lasted only from Nov. 4, to Dec. 24, 1547, its second session from Nov. 24, 1548, to March 14, 1548-9, the date of " Jan. 8," for anything done in parliament, must belong to 1548-9, which was not " during the year following " Edward's suc- cession to the throne. The biography of Latimer, particularly at this period, when he declined to resume his episcopal functions, is sufficiently im- portant to encourage further inquiry. J. G. N.

Thomas Norris. Can any of your readers render information concerning Thomas Norris, a bellfounder ef some note in Hampshire in the seventeenth century? Also I wish to know some- thing about the following motto, which appears on a bell, dated 1620:

" Maerorem msestis, laetis sic lajta sonabo."

P. Q.

St. Iveg.

Rickling Pig. I was lately conversing with a friend on those words in -ling which are used in a contemptuous sense, as hire-ling, world-ling, lord- ling, shave-ling, ground-ling, under-ling, &c. ; and he suggested that in some counties the weakest pig in a farrow is called the reek-ling, (or wreck-ling ?)

of the farrow. In Lancashire it is called variously the rick-ling, rig-ling, or more commonly the rit- ling, or rit-lin; and near Lancaster the "ritlin o' th* farth " is used to signify the weakest in a brood or farrow. For instance, a neighbour coming to call upon a friend, and noticing that one of the chil- dren was weakly, would observe, " Well, I reckon this is th' ritlin ; but never mind, ritlin often turns out best pig i' th' farth."

I should be glad to obtain some knowledge of the origin and derivation of this word, as also of the corresponding terms, " pitman," or " petman," and " nestletripe," by which terms the same un- fortunate pig is designated in Norfolk and some other parts of England. WM. RUSHTON.

University College.

La Princesse de Monaco. Are the Memoirs of the Princess of Monaco, said to have been 'written by herself, and edited by A. Dumas, genuine or not ? P. M.

Sepulchral Monuments destroyed by the Con- queror. It has been said that William the Con- queror, by the advice of one of his followers, caused all sepulchral monuments to be destroyed, that no memory of ancient pedigrees might be preserved, in case such mementoes should induce the people to revolt. What authority is there for such ? H. T. ELLACOMBE, M.A.

Rectory, Clyst St. George.

Frere, or Freer Family. A family of this name attained considerable eminence in Perth- shire during the last century. One of its members purchased the large estate of Innernethy, now in the possession of Sir T. Moncrieffe, Bart. They are said to have been a branch of the family of Frere, of Roydon Hall, Norfolk. Can any of your readers verify this tradition? M. F. FABER.

Did Handel possess a Musical Library ? The great composers of music are known not to have possessed any collection of music worthy to be called a library. The reason for this may be that the works of the old masters formed the subject- matter of their youthful studies ; and having created their several methods of thought and de- velopment, the labours of their contemporaries were for the most part wanting in interest and attraction. Handel, it is believed, left his music by will to his amanuensis, Mr. Smith. Is there any record respecting it, and was there much be- sides the fair copies of his own compositions ? May I also ask if there be any evidence that Handel knew the music of Bach, or that he pos- sessed any of Bach's vocal or organ compositions ?

SALOPIENSIS.

Samuel Brewer, of the Inner Temple. Samuel Brewer, of the Inner Temple, by his will, 1684, bequeathed certain lands in the parishes of Berk-