Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 4.djvu/55

 9"> S. IV. July 8, '99.] 39 NOTES AND QUERIES. -^--3, '—^T-rmmmmmm charter of William II. confirming the Conqueror's grant to Lincoln. It had already been printed by Dugdale from an inspeximus of the time of King Henry VI., but the one now given is from a much earlier and more correct copy, preserved at Lincoln, which furnishes better readings. The signatories are very numerous, nearly all of them men of importance. We wish the editor had identified these persons. So far as the greater number is concerned, we believe the task could have been accomplished, though he modestly says that it was beyond his power. The reformed statutes which regulated the con- duct of the poor clerks, a record of the time of Bishop Longlond, though unhappily imperfect, form a highly curious document, and illustrate in several ways the manners of the time. It was, for example, thought necessary to forbid these poor clerks to bite or draw their knives on each other. Other more harmless things were prohibited. No one was to play at cards or other vnlefull or vnhonest games. What were the games, we wonder, re- garded as "unhonest." We have the royal injunc- tions of 1548 given to the Chapter printed in full. They are important from the light they throw on the progress of the Reformation. The appendix contains a chronological table show- ing the rise and decline of the Sarum, Lincoln, and other Uses. It is an important collection of facts gleaned from many sources. The editor says it is a selection from a larger body of notes. We trust that ere long he may be moved to give the public the whole of his collections on this little-known and complex subject. The Fair Maid of Perth,—Anne of Geierstein. By Sir Walter Scott. Edited by Andrew Lang. (Nimmo.) All but completed is Mr. Nimmo's reissue of his delightful "Border Edition," all that remains to see the light being the short stories that constitute the opening portion of the ' Chronicles of the Canon- gate, ' Count Robert of Paris,' ' Castle Dangerous,' and ' The Surgeon's Daughter, works written when the hand had lost its cunning, and winning accept- ance only because they form an integral portion of the Waverley novels. In neither of the works now classed together is Scott seen quite at his best. He did not himself like 'Anne of Geierstein.' In both, however, his narrative skill is splendid, and both carry the reader breathlessly along. If ' The Fair Maid of Perth' is less of a favourite with us than others, it is because the character of the smith, with his blood-lust, is, to our thinking, repulsive, and we would rather have one of Scott s ordinary heroes, prosaic as these are, than the bloodthirsty mechanic, wholly unworthy of the "fair precisian whom he espouses. Harry Gow's interference in the quarrel of the clans is positively brutal, and is sufficient to carry all our sympathies to the losing side with its loyal cry " One more for Hector. ' Anne of Geierstein' we have always loved, though Anne herself is uninteresting and Arthur is priggish beyond the wont of Scott's cautious and prudent lovers. It seems almost as if the sense of humour in Scott must have diminished when he makes this " estimable youth " rebuke the troubadour for singing the lay of ' The Lady Margaret of Rous- sillon. The only other spot on the brightness of Scott's sun is the marvellously conventional manner in which he arranges the deaths, so that no one is killed in whom the reader has strong interest. The manner in which the Earl of Oxford and his son are preserved in the rush of the victorious Swiss, when Charles is defeated and slain, is simply incredible. In respect of text and illustrations the volumes conform to their predecessors. Transactions of the Hampstead Antiquarian and Historical Society for the Year 189S. (Mayle.) This record of the proceedings of a young and vigorous society, to which we wish all prosperity, is published in a strictly limited edition. The society, the president of which is Sir Walter Besant, the vice-presidents including many distinguished resi- dents in Hampstead or the neighbourhood—Prof. J. W. I fiilcs. Mr. Seymour Lucas, R.A., Mr. B. Woodd Smith, Sir Richard Temple, &c.—holds its meetings at Stanfield House, a place of many pleasant memories and associations. Under a pre- sident so energetic as Sir Walter the historical and archaeological treasures of Hampstead are sure to be explored. In the present volume are an account of Frognal, prepared by Mr. Walter Rye; an address on Jack Straw's Castle, by Prof. Hales; and another, by Sir Richard Temple, ' On Historic Worthies and Celebrities of Hampstead' (Lord Mansfield, Lord Erskiiie, Lord Rosslyn, Sir Samuel Romilly, &c.). Visits to several spots of interest are also described. The hon. secretary and treasurer of the society is Mr. Charles T. Munich, F.R.H.S., of 8, Achilles Road, West Hampstead. An interesting series of unpublished letters of George Borrow, recently discovered in the crypt of the Bible House, begins in the July number of the Bible Society Monthly Reporter. goiitts to Carresp0n&.ents. We must call special attention to the followina notices :— On all communications must be written the name ' and address of the sender, not necessarily for pub- lication, but as a guarantee of good faith. We cannot undertake to answer queries privately. To secure insertion of communications corre- spondents must observe the following rule. Let each note, query, or reply be written on a separate slip of paper, with the signature of the writer and such address as he wishes to appear. Correspond- ents who repeat queries are requested to head the second communication " Duplicate." Mac ("The Curse of Scotland").—The nine of diamonds is said to be so called for various reasons. We can but refer you to Brewer's 'Handbook of Phrase and Fable,' under ' Curse,' and to the General Indexes to ' N. & Q.' You will there have your choice of explanations. NOTICE. Editorial Communications should be addressed to " The Editor of ' Notes and Queries' "—Advertise- ments and Business Letters to "The Publisher"— at the Office, Bream's Buildings, Chancery Lane, E. C. We beg leave to state that we decline to return communications which, for any reason, we do not print; and to this rule we can make no exception. Terms or Subscmptiok BY P0ST. For Twelve Month! £ .. 1 0 0 10 d 3 For Six Month