Page:Notes and Queries - Series 7 - Volume 5.djvu/32

24 1586/7, is Wednesday. How comes the writer of the letter, then, to say “this presente Thursdaie”? Is it a slip of the pen? If so, historical investigators should “make a note of it.”

The work inquired for by at the last reference is the ‘Inventaires de la Royne Descosse,’ printed by the Bannatyne Club in 1863. Of the prefatorial and illustrative matter, furnished by Joseph Robertson, it is not too much to say that it forms the most interesting and thoroughly readable memoir of all that concerns the social surroundings of the queen that can be met with anywhere, and one can only regret that the limited issue imposed by the rules of the club renders the book practically unprocurable. Among the inventories included in the volume is a list of the articles delivered out of the wardrobe at Holyrood in every month, commencing from August, 1561, and extending to June, 1567. The original is in the Register House, countersigned by the queen. From this we see that in December, 1561, the wardrobe keeper discharged himself of “une aulne de toille pour acouster les perruques de la royne”; in December, 1563, he dealt out “une demie aulne de toille pour faire des ataches pour des perruques pour la royne”; and again in February, 1564, “une aulne de toylle pour friser de perruques pour la royne.” Robertson observes upon this that in October, 1567, Gervais de Conde, the master of the wardrobe, sent to Lochleven “plusieurs purruques,” and that in July, 1568, after her flight into England, he sent the queen, then at Carlisle, “une paque de perruque de cheveux.”

The inventories also afford much information upon the literary tastes of the queen, as evidenced by the books which formed her library; but upon this subject exclusively a volume is in the press, which will shortly be issued by Mr. Elliot Stock.

I am rather inclined to believe that “my wyfe Covell” named in the will of Francis Browne (who died, says the Ing. p. m. taken at Uppingham on the Monday next after the feast of Trinity, 34 Henry VIII., at Tolethorpe, May 11, 33 Henry VIII., aged about fifty-three, and Anthony, son and heir, was aged twenty-six at his father’s death) should read “Colville,” probably a mistake of the scribe. A family of that name was seated at Newton, in the Isle of Ely, from a very early period till 1792, when the manor was alienated by Richard Colville, Esq., to a Mr. James Redin, who possessed it when Lysons wrote his ‘History of Cambs.’ in 1808. I have not at hand a ‘Visitation of Cambs.’ to verify my opinion. Francis Browne, grandson of Francis whose will is quoted in a former paper (buried at Little Casterton, October 18, 1604), married Lucy, eldest daughter of George Mackworth, of Empingham, Rutland, Esq., and sister of Sir Thomas Mackworth, of Normanton, Bart. Margery Mackworth, second daughter of George Mackworth, married at Empingham, December 1, 1598, Geoffrey, younger son of John Colville, of Newton, Esq., and had a son of that name, baptized at Little Casterton October 27, 1599.

Robert Kirkham, of Cotterstock and Fineshade Abbey, co. Northampton, son and heir of Walter Kirkham, of Fineshade Abbey (who entered ped. in the ‘Visit. of Northamptonshire,’ 1619), married Anne, eldest daughter (baptized at Little Casterton September 7, 1595) of Francis Browne and Lucy (Mackworth), at All Saints’, Stamford, January 4, 1615/6. The registers of this parish supply the following extracts (baptisms):—

St. George’s, Stamford:—

In Blatherwick Church was this inscription, on a marble slab (when Bridges wrote his history of the county of Northamptonshire):—

Robert Kirkham, of Fineshade, Esq., an utter barrister (Gray’s Inn), and his son Walter, who married, March 14, 1653, Mary (baptized July 2, 1635), daughter of Sir John Norwich, Knt. and Bart., of Brampton, were Royalists, and the father was fined, November 4, 1646, for his delinquency in repairing to the royal garrison at Newark, 763l. (‘Royalist Comp. Papers,’ second series, vol. xiii. pp. 47–88). John, second son of Robert Kirkham, was admitted—from Stamford Grammar School, where he had been four years under the master, Mr. (Symon) Humphreys—pensioner of St. John’s College, Cambridge, May 12, 1642, and was then aged eighteen years. In Cranford Church, Northamptonshire, is (or was) a monumental inscription to Walter Kirkham, of Fineshade Abbey, Esq., who died December 10, 1677 (Bridges, vol. ii. p. 230).

Quarles Browne, second son of John and Mary Quarles (daughter of James Quarles, of Romford, Essex, Esq., and sister of Sir Francis Quarles, Knt.), baptized at Little Casterton, July 10, 1622, made his will July 7, 1663, in which he designates himself as Quarles Browne, of London, merchant, but