Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 9.djvu/331

 gths.ix.ArRiL26.i902.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

323

both belong to the first half of the seven- teenth century.

I never meet with an autograph in an old book but I try, if I can, to identify it. I have several of these about the period indi- cated, and this " J. Hall" is as welcome to me as the rest. But who was he 1 One would like to imagine that he had been some distinguished man. If the initial letter of his Christian name were to stand for " John," there was John Hall, the author of that singularly interesting and precocious little book he was only nineteen on its publica- tion' Horse Vacivse,' 1646. Then there was John Hall, doctor of medicine, and Shake- speare's son-in-law, who died in 1635. This initial might, too, stand for "Joseph," and the famous Bishop of Norwich, who bore that Christian name, aid not die until 1656. But as imagination, in the absence of fact, is apt to play us tricks more or less fantastic, I shall not pursue the speculation further. When these annotations come to be read, making every allowance for their some- what elliptical and enigmatical construction, I think it will be admitted that the annotator, whoever he was, must have been both a thoughtful and a cultured man. I wish his annotations had been much more numerous.

Let it be understood, in what follows, that each passage of Bolton's printed text is given first, while the annotator's remarks appear immediately thereafter. I quote in every case verbatim.

P. 108. " Right historic deals in particulars, and handles limb by limb. Generalities are for sum- mists. The odds fall out as great, as between a glimmering twilight, and a bright noon-day ; or as between a bare nomination of parts, and their precise dissection."

"and this booke is rather an argument of a history, then ittself."

P. 110. The heading to chap. ix. is entitled " The Druids of Britain parties in this reuolt." In the first sentence the word ''blacke" has been struck out, presumably by the annota- tor. It reads thus : u The head and members of this blacke agreement were fastned to- gether in a most bloudie knot with speciall rites, and ceremonies." The marginal annota- tion evidently applies to the whole chapter :

" they were borne free princes and what tytle had the romane sword amongst them more then de jure gladij, and therefore nature and their more rationall lawes urge them to quitt. the eating fetters layd upon them and their posterity for eter- nity if possible by their tyranous foes, and therefore the expressions of y e author are not just unlesse hee will putt all tenor of life and liberty into the temper of the sword, and Guilty [?] seruice."

P. 111. " Bloud was the seale of this coniuratorie secret, and this a season of all other the most likelie


 * or the wiues, and daughters in lawe of the wilde

ind ruder Britauns (of which sort Boadicia's forces did principallie consist) to celebrate those rites in which Plinie saith they were wont to goe naked, iheir bodies colourd ouer with oad. A grizlie cere- monie for a gastlie purpose."

The annotation is written opposite the last sentence :

" yet thrives as well as Grose flattery yii great mens groser sins."

P. 113. " One hundred and twentie thousand men appeared now for warre at Boadicia's musters. An admirable effect of a close and sodein conspiracie."

The annotation opposite these opening sen- tences of chap. xi. partakes of the character of a general reflection :

" the f ullnes of the history the authour looses in y e mojety[?] of his stile: like y e spanyards pace a man must tread euery stepp after him to toe his."

P. 114. " Impossible therfore that so huge a force should rise on a sodein within so narrow a circuit, as sixe of our present shires ; specially, where very many thousands held loyall to the death, and where so many impediments of free assemblies interposed ihemselues in the Roman forts, and garrisons about."

The annotator draws an ink line under the word ** loyall" in this sentence, and the marginal note is opposite the line in which it occurs : "loyall against their country and birthright."

P. 114. "And by that qualitie which is assigned to the materials of this militarie throne, it may be well suspected, that the place it selfe of this camp was some where in Marshland, or the ile of Elie, as a place among all other the Icenian countreyes, one of greatest safetie. For those turfes were cut vp out of plashie, or fennie grounds, and shee her selfe also assignes in her speach a refuge to bee had in the like, if the worst should happen."

"and why not y e place told as well as the strickt obseruation of her habitt, and generally in this abridgment there wants the notion of y e tymes y best glasse of History."

P. 147. "For how doth that reason hold good which Svetonivs rendred as the tinall cause of his quitting London, By the losae of one towne to saue the whole residue, if Vervlam was ouerwhelmed after?"

Against the words in italics the annotation reads :

"his speech intended so much but that concludes nil, it fell out so."

P. 190. " For, vntill then, that was iust resistance, which seemed afterwards plaine rebellion." The annotator draws an ink line under the words " plaine rebellion ":

" if y e sword or ambition bee a iust title when and where itt list."

P. 223. "Theyr ouer common pursuit is in pur owne times growne the errour, and vice of wits ; among whom nothing now hath taste, but (as they are called) fine conceipts."

"yetwhoc more affected then the authour may