Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 9.djvu/189

 9' S. IX. MARCH 8, 1902.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

LSI

LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1902.

CONTENTS. No. '219.

NOTES: St. Margaret's, Westminster, 181 Leather for Bookbinding, 182 Marlborough Family Burns and James Cririe, 18,'5 Egtnontaud the ' Bncyclo ptedia Brltan- nica' " Keep your hair on " " And your petitioner shall ever pray, &c." Picture Restoring under Napoleon, 184 ' Lurden "Children's Affirmations In P- aise of Burns- Moses Mendelssohn, 185-" Vicuna" Pope Leo Political Nicknames-Swift in England and the "Four Crosses" Inn, 186.

QUERIES : Metempsychosis among the Swedes King Charles I. at the New Gallery Chapman Family "I doe love these auncyent abbayes "Warren and Clegg, 187 Steevens's 'Shakespeare' Author of Books Wanted W. and R. Bent Ashtead, Surrey Minas and Empeci- nados " Cadaver " R. Edwards " Limerick " Bull- baiting Comic Annual, 188 'Spirit of the Wye'- Cleburne : Bowes : Ward Hambley Arms Biddulphs of Biddulph-Queen Cunegunda FitzGerald Quotation Bishop Pole" Hop the twig " Seasalter, 189.

REPLIES : The West Bourne, 190 First Gentleman of Colour Knighted, 191 Tower : St. Peter in the Chains- Ben Jonson's Repetitions Oxford Diocesan Arms "Gun," 192 'Les Lauriers de Nassau' Sir Nicholas Smith St. Briavel, 193 -Ancient Boats Tintagel- Lady Mary Tudor " Omneity "" Oliver," 194-Peter Pett Louis Philippe at the "Star and Garter" G. L. Way Early Hotels of Rome Arms of Married Women, 195- Royal Personages -CLIII. "Barracked "Bricks, 196 Whips in the Commons " Utilitarian " Cheselden, Radcliffe, and Pridmore Source of the Seven Ages Gazetteer, 197 " Rout" "Frail " Markoe Family, 198.

NOTES ON BOOKS -.-Canon Dixon's 'History of the Church of England' ' Arundel Hymns 'Reviews and Magazines.

Mr. Charles Kent.

Notices to Correspondents.

ST. MARGARET'S CHURCH AND WEST- MINSTER BENEFACTORS.

ST. MARGARET'S CHURCH is one of many memories, and among them all there are none that cling closer than those relating to the benefactors of the poor of this city. Until about one short year ago the city of Westminster was virtually comprised in the two parishes of St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist, for then the " Greater West- minster " had not been called into existence. St. Margaret's Church, again, is rich in monuments, and among them are at least half a dozen commemorating local worthies who, with hearts to feel for the woes of the poorer parish folk, devoted a portion of their substance to aid in the alleviation of the troubles of those who fell upon evil times in old age, and in attempting to make the paths of the young brighter and better than they would have been without their aid. In those days almshouses were often the admirable manner in which charitable impulses found an outlet, and their foundation has given comfort to the poor of these parishes for some centuries, and bids fair to ao so for many more to come,

and many are the cheerful and pious souls who hourly bless the names of their ancient benefactors. The monuments of the worthies in the church are, as they should be, among the handsomest and most interesting and elaborate specimens of the mason's work and were formerly before Father Time had dimmed their lustre rich in colour and gilding ; but, if somewhat dull and dingy, they still retain enough to make them pleasant to look upon arid stir the emotions of the true citizen of what is certainly no mean city.

It is but reasonable to suppose that some charitable bequests may get diverted in the course of time, and even be lost alto- gether, which is the case of the first benefac- tress whose monument adorns the walls of our old parish church. At the west end of the church, over the churchwardens' pew, is the monument of this lady, which for our edification records :

"Hereunder is intombed Blanche Parrye daughter | of Henry Parry, of New Courte in the County of Heref d, | Esq ier Gentlewoman of Queene Elizabethes most honor | able bedchamber and Keper of her Maties iuells | whome she faithfullie served from her Highnes | birth. Beneficiall to her Kinsfolke and Countrye | men charitable to the poore insomuch that | she gave to the poore of Bacton and Newton | in Herefordshire seaven score bushells of | wheate and rye yearlie for ever w h divers somes of money to 'Westminster and other places for good uses she died a maide | in the eighte two yeers of her age the twelfe of Febrvarye 1589.

A report published by the late vestry in 1890 states that this inscription " is the only record traceable of the gifts above referred to." There is at Bacton a most interesting monument to her memory, as, although buried here, her heart was deposited there. The monument there has a quaint inscription of twenty-eight lines, setting forth her long life and good work. My old friend the late Mr. Henry Poole has put it on record that she seems to have served as a "go-between with the queen and her ministers, her courtiers and her suppliants." Altogether we may, I think, take it for granted that she was really a person of considerable importance in her day, and at various times subsequently we meet with members of the family, some of whom were not in quite such saintly odour as this lady ; but our chief concern is that her benefaction has been lost to us. Not so the others, for which Westminster is profoundly thankful.

On the north wall of the church is another monument, exceedingly quaint, and much the worse for its over 300 years of existence, that to the memory of Cornelius Vandon,