Page:Notes and Queries - Series 3 - Volume 1.djvu/611

3rd S. I. JUNE 28, '62.] NOTES AND QUERIES. copie, &c. a booke intituled The Royaltie of England... vjᵈ.

22° Februarij. -- Willm Matts. Entred for his copie, &c. a booke intituled The lamentation of Troye for the death of Hector, with an old womans tale in a Solitarie Cell... vjᵈ.

[This entry serves to remind us of two distinct produc- tions by G. Peele, his Tale of Troy, and his Old Wive's Tale; but it is not connected with either. We have also several tracts relating to tales in solitary cells, both by Greene and Lodge. Warton (H. E. P. iv. 73, edit. 1824) directs attention to the preceding registration, but ! affords no information respecting the work : he attributes the publication to Matthews instead of Matts.] J. PAYNE COLIJEE.

WILLIAM GODWIN.

The following particulars relating to the family of William Godwin (author of Caleb Williams), which I lately gathered from an abstract of title, may be acceptable to some one: —

In 1764, his father, John Godwin, described as of Guestwick, in the county of Norfolk, Gentleman, purchased a small estate at Hindolveston, in that county, which, by his will, dated Oct. 20, 1772, wherein he styles himself of Guestwick, Clerk, he gave to Ann his wife for life, and then directed to be sold. The will was proved at Doctors' Commons on Dec. 30, 1772. In it he names the following eight children:— Edward, John, William, Joseph, Conyers Jocelyn, Hannah, Philip Hull, and Nathaniel. Of these, as appears from letters of administration, Edward, described of St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, in the county of Middlesex, Gent., died s.p. in April, 1779: John was of the Inner Temple, and died, also s.p. in Dec. 1805. Conyers Jocelyn assumed the name of John Hull, and died, s.p., on board the " Fox " East Indiaman, having made his will, dated March 6, 1783, of which he appointed his mother sole executrix; and in May, 1790, she, as Ann Godwin, of Wood Dalling, Norfolk, widow, proved the same at Doctors' Commons, as the will of Conyers Godwin, otherwise John Hull. After the widow's death, the estate was sold, and on June 11, 1810, William Godwin, of the City of London, Esq., eldest surviving son and heir of John Godwin, late of Guestwick, Clerk; Joseph Godwin, of London, Gent.; Hannah Godwin, of London, spinster; Philip Hull Godwin, of East Bradenham, in Norfolk, farmer; and Nathaniel Godwin, of London, gent., only surviving children of the said John Godwin, were parties to the deed of conveyance. It is remarkable that John Godwin, the father, who I believe to have been a dissenting minister, and therefore might by custom have adopted the prefix of Reverend, should in so solemn an act as his will, have used the addition of Clerk. I can only attribute it to the ignorance of the solicitor who prepared the instrument, as to the real status of his client. The fact of the sailor son, Conyers Jocelyn, having taken the name of John Hull, requires explanation. Philip Hull Godwin, who was a tenant farmer at East Bradenham, died there only a few years since, without issue.

Since writing the above, I am informed that Philip Hull Godwin left a large family, some members of which are now living in this neihbourhood. The father of John Godwin, of Guestwick, was, I am told, minister of a dissenting congregation at Wisbeach.

G. A. C.

CUSTOMS IN THE COUNTY OF WEXFORD. One of the customs related by S. REDMOND is not peculiar to the county of Wexford, nor even to Ireland. In 1847 I happened to be at Honiton, in Devonshire ; and was informed, one day at the dinner table, of an incident which had recently occurred curiously illustrative of the superstitions of the people. A girl, as I believe, labouring in the last stages of consumption, had been taken out and submitted to the process described, namely, passed three times under the belly and three times over the back of a donkey. I may not remember all the particulars ; but to the best of my recollection, this operation had to be per- formed at some place where four roads meet, and on a night when the moon was at the full. This was done at the suggestion of a " wizard," or "wise man," to dispel some enchantment or "ill wish" under which the patient was supposed to be bound. The excitement and exposure had hastened the death of the poor girl, as she died either in being carried home or immediately after. An inquest had been held, and thus con- siderable notoriety given to the circumstance. In the West of England this is, I am told, a common method of dispelling enchantments ; but I am not aware that it prevails in the Northern Counties. I think it would be in vain to seek any origin for this custom, except the cunning of some professed dealer in spells and conjurations. There are very many curious customs in the sister country which were quite new to me. I had not found their counterparts in the parts of England with which I am acquainted. In the summer of 1 858, I made a tour of Con- nemara with a friend, and was passing, on one fine evening, from Galway on the road to Lime- rick. We travelled in a car, hired for the occa- sion. When some miles from Galway we met a funeral, with a long array of mourners and at- tendants : in all kinds of vehicles cars, carts, and waggons and attired in all sorts of costume ; and many on foot. It appeared as if the whole popu- lation of a village had turned out, to honour the last earthly journey of the departed. On nearing