Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 6.djvu/110

 NOTES AND QUERIES. p* s. VL AUG. 4,1900. now known as Bewdley, which had a right of sanctuary for those who shed blood. Places of the same name, under the Anglicized form of Bewley, are also met with in Ireland in the counties of Waterford, Kilkenny, and Louth, and seem to have been connected with monastic or ecclesiastical institutions. In France religious houses or churches, some of very ancient foundation, were found at places called Beaulieu, situate respectively in the provinces of Normandy, Touraine, Berry, Limousin, &c. See 'Catalogue des Rolles Gascons, Normans et Francois' (Londres, 1743), 'Table Chronologique des Dipldraes,' •fee. (Paris, 1836). In some instances at least the name cannot be attributed to any special beauty in the situation; and it has been suggested to me that possibly it may have had its origin in the Psalmist's description of the hill or Sion as "a fair place," Ps. xlviii. 2 in Book of Common Prayer, but I have not found any Latin version of the Psalms in which this epithet is rendered as bellus locus. E. T. B. SOUTHEY ON COWPER.—When one poet passes strictures on another he is usually pretty decisive. Sou they, e.g., writing on 6 January, 1809, to Mr. Grosvenor C. Bed- ford, says :— " You may estimate Cowper himself as a poet, as a man of intellect, and as a translator of Homer, showing that he is not over-valued ; but that his popularity is owing to his piety, not his poetry, and that that piety was crazmess. I like nis letters, but think their so great popularity one of the very many proofs of the imbecility of the age. By-the- by, a very pretty piece of familiar verse, by Cowper, appeared, about two years ago, in the Monthly Magazine." Modern readers are probably agreed that the "craziness" was an element in Cowper's piety, _ while crediting the poet with an essentially religious temperament, which "craziness" could not of itself, by any possi- bility, have produced. Regarding the letters also they have come to a conclusion which would have probably surprised Southey not a little, had it been possible for him to anticipate it. What was the "piece oi familiar verse " that appealed from the page: of the Monthly Magazine to the author oi 'Thalaba'1 THOMAS BAYNE. GOVERNOR HAYNES'S GRANDFATHER.—That the father of John Haynes, of Copford Hall Esquire, in Essex, England (and successively Governor of Massachusetts and Connecticut in New England, where he died in 1654), was John Haynes, of Old Hold, Esquire, in Essex, is well known ; but I am not aware ..hat it has yet been definitely ascertained who was the father of the said John of Old Hold. Richard Heynes of Reading, co. Berks, lad four sons, one of whom is with reason relieved to have been the father of the said John of Old Hold, but which one is uncertain. [t is generally supposed that Nicholas, the 'ourth son, was the parent in doubt. He was of Hackney, and aged twenty-five years in 1587, when his paternal coat (that of the said Richard Heynes of Reading) was con- firmed to him ana his elder brother William, of London. Of the two other brothers I know nothing, not even their names ; but it is not unlikely that one of them was the George Haynes of Much " Haddam," co. Herts, whose will was proved in 1584, and who bequeathed land in the said parish, and also in Little Hadham, to his son John, possibly the John afterwards of Old Hold. If this is so, then the question as to the father of the said John, and consequently the grandfather of the governor, is answered. But is it ? for while such parentage is possible its proof is want- ing. Again J ask, Who was the grandfather of Governor Haynes ? PHILIP S. P. CONNER. Kowlandsville, Maryland, U.S. WEM.—Can any one suggest the probable derivation of the name Wem (Shropshire)? It first occurs in Domesday Book as Weme, and was later called Wernme. W. B, THE CYCLOMETER.—Under date 6 August, 1657, Evelyn records in his 'Diary1:— " 1 went to see Col. Blount, who showed me the application of the Way-witer to a coach, exactly measuring the miles, and showing them by an index as we went on. It has three circles, one pointing to the number of rods, another to the miles by 10 to 1,000, with all the sub-divisions of quarters ; very pretty and useful." This seems to point to the application of a contrivance well known to a new purpose, viz., the indication of the distance traversed by a carriage. What is a way-wiser ? There is a reference in Birch's 'History of the Royal Society,' iv. 230, to Hooke's " way-wiser for ships," but that must have been a kind of log. I have no opportunity for the moment of referring to Birch. The Blounts lived at Charlton, and some of the family are buried in old Charlton Church. R. B. P. [See 7th S. x., xi., pastim.] DRYDEN'S 'ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL.'— In my folio copy of "Poems on Various Occasions; and Translations from Several Authors, by Mr. Jno. Dryden," 1701, made up