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NOTES AND QUERIES.

[9 th S. I MAR. 26, '98.

"John Hill, Esq., of Shrewsbury, the mayor of 1689, who lived in the old house in Hill's Lane, and died 29 March, 1731, was one of the other justices.

" Worthy was a Mr. Owens, of Rhiwsaison, in Montgomeryshire; probably Athelstane Owens, Esq.., who married Anne, daughter of Vincent Corbet, Esq., of Ynysymaengwyr, and had by her a daughter, eventually his heiress, married to Price Maurice, Esq., of Lloran.

" Melinda was meant for a Miss Harnage: no doubt, Dorothy, daughter of Edward Harnage, Esq., of Belswardine. She died at Tewkesbury, 1743, aged sixty-eight, and, as Serjeant Kite oddly anti- cipates in the play, unmarried.

" Sylvia was Laconia Berkeley, the recorder's daughter, by Muriel, daughter of Sir William Childe and his wife Anne Lacon (whence her Christian name). This young lady was in her twenty- third year when the comedy was written. She married Edward Browne, Esq., of Caughley, and died 1736, at the age of fifty-three.

"In Plume, our informant said, Farquhar was thought to mean himself ; and it is in accordance with what the biographers relate of his thoughtless, dissipated character. He died in April, 1707.

"lor the very happily imagined character of Brazen he might draw upon nis own fancy, or, perhaps, upon many of his associates in and out of the army.

In a copy of Lintott's edition of Farquhar (1714) in my possession there are several cuttings and additional illustrations, which have been inserted by a former owner, and amongst them is an extract from the St. James's Chronicle that confirms the preceding account. These particulars were procured, it is said, from an old lady of Shrewsbury probably Mrs. Blakeway who was acquainted with Farquhar, and who communicated them to Dr. Percy, the Bishop of Dromore. But in a ' Life of Farquhar,' which is also bound up in the volume, and is based on information supplied by Thomas Wilks, of Dublin, it is stated that Justice Ballance was drawn for Alderman Gosnell, of Shrewsbury, and Sylvia for his daughter, while that 'of Ser- jeant Kite was taken from a serjeant in Farquhar's own regiment. Edward Gosnell was a well-known character in Shrewsbury ; he was mayor in 1682, and died in October, 1706, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. In 1689, as one of the three senior aldermen, he was elected to execute the office of a Justice of Peace for the term of his natural life, and- 1 am strongly inclined to think that he, ratKfer than the Recorder, stood for the por- trait of Justice Ballance. The Gosnells were an olcfburgess family of Shrewsbury ; but I nave' endeavoured in vain to trace any re- lationship to the Gosnell of Pepys, who was inquired after by MR. H. B. WHEATLEY, 8 th S. xii. 427. W. F. PRIDEAUX.

Kingsland, Shrewsbury.

MANCHESTER TUDOR EXHIBITION. THE Victorian epoch will be famous in after ages as the Era of Exhibitions. Excellence and variety, as well as number, have distin- guished them so far, and they have formed a not inconsiderable adjunct to the University Extension Lectures. With mute eloquence they have scattered instruction and pleasure broadcast amongst classes and masses alike. Hence it was a happy thought (born of their interest in the refining and educational arts) of the Manchester Corporation to initiate the "Exhibition of the Royal House of Tudor," which closed last autumn after lasting many weeks. Nothing finer could be presented as an object-lesson in history. The pictures, armour, books, manuscripts, embroideries, and sculpture silent witnesses of a dead past- appeal to one in a sense peculiarly their own. Seeing is more impressive than either reading or hearing ; and ifc is refreshing to know, from the prefatory note to the catalogue, that " it is hoped tnis exhibition is only the first of a series illustrating the history of England to be held in the City Art Gallery." Assuredly King Cotton has failed to muzzle the literary and artistic instincts of the great commercial city over which he rules. The pictures, illustrative of the reigns of the three Tudor kings and two queens, were magni- ficent, and an education in themselves ; but it is with the beautiful exhibits of books, MSS., and autographs that I propose briefly to deal. Of all journals 'N. & Q.' should preserve a permanent record of rare literary relics such as may never again be housed under the same roof.

BOOKS.

A. LOANS BY THE DUKE OP DEVONSHIRE. I. Illustrating the Tudor Drama.

1. A new Enterlude no lesse wittie : then pleasant, entituled new Custome, deuised of late, and for diuerse causes nowe set forthe ; neuer before this tyme Imprinted. 1573. Among the "players' names" are: " Peruerse Doctrine, an oldePopishe priest"; "Ignorance, an other, but elder "; "New Custome, a minister"; "Light of the Gospell, a minister."

2. A Ryght Pithy, Pleasaunt and Merie Comedie: Intytuled Gammer Gurtons Nedle : Played on Stage not longe ago in Christes Colledge in Cambridge. Made by Mr. [John] S[till], Mr. of Art. 1575.

3. The Right Excellent and Famous Historye, of Promos and Cassandra : Deuided into two Com- micall Discourses. The Worke of George Whet- stones, Gent. 1578.

4. An Excellent New Commedie, Intituled the Conflict of Conscience. Compiled by Nathaniell Woodes, minister, in Norwich. 1581.

5. The Araygnement of Paris a Pastorall. Pre- sented before the Queenes Maiestie, by the children of her chappell. [By George Peele.] 1584.