Page images
PDF
EPUB

the Lower Empire, and the letters XPIE (1 take the cross as intended for the Greek X.) may probably form a part of the name of Christ, which occurs so often on the barbarous coins of the Byzantine tyrants. A reference to the plates in Banduri will justify this opinion. Its weight is 15 grains.

J. Y. A.

QUESTIONES VENUSINÆ. No. I.

Romæ nutriri mihi contigit, atque doceri,
Iratus Graiis quantum nocuisset Achilles.
Adjecere bonæ paulo plus artis Athenæ ;
Scilicet, ut possem curvo dignoscere rectum,

Atque inter sylvas Academi querere verum.-2 E. ii. 41-45.

It has been disputed whether, in the 44th verse, Horace might not intend geometrical science, rather than moral philosopy. Much may be said on both sides; and, amidst conflicting probabilities and plausible objections, it might seem difficult to demonstrate the truth of either position.

“Rectum," says Sanadon against Dacier, "is always understood in a moral sense." But where, it may be replied, do you find in the Augustan age curvum so signifying? Pravum is always the opposite to rectum, in Tully especially. Again, "Horace could not enter the school of Plato without geometry: μηδεὶς ἀγεωμέτρητος εἰσίτω.” But he had learned that, amongst other branches of knowledge, in his boyhood at Rome. And the authority of Quintilian assigns teneris ætatibus instruction in the elements of geometry.

Then, too, "Horace declares that Homer gave better lessons in moral wisdom than the professed teachers of it :

Qui, quid sit pulchrum, quid turpe, quid utile, quid non,
Plenius ac melius Chrysippo et Crautore dicit.-1 E. ii. 3, 4.

"Now, we know that he had read the Iliad before he left Rome and went to Athens." But it is Horace the man, who says that of himself a long time after at Præneste: Horace, the boy, had read Homer for the Greek and the poetry, just as other boys did.

Lastly, "Horace had well learned the distinctions of right and wrong from his father. Sic me Formabat puerum dictis."-1 S. iv. 120-1.

True, for practical purposes sufficiently: but his father referred him to philosophy for the rationale of it all.

Sapiens, vitatu quidque petitu

Sit melius, caussas reddet tibi. U.S. vv. 115, 6.

Thus, to and fro, the ball of controversy might be kept up, without victory declaring for either side. Luckily enough, however, a single line from Persius supplies the desideratum, which, to my mind, settles the question at once. The imitation, indeed, of Horace's diction by that Satirist is one of the most curious. facts in critical literature; although Casaubon, perhaps, as Koenig remarks, has pursued it with too minute a severity.

The following verse, then, even without the context, abundantly suffices to prove the one point necessary: the application of the epithet curvus to morality, in the very sense which Horace (in that a novator, be it added), had himself affixed to the word.

Haud tibi inexpertum curvos deprendere mores.-Sat. iii. 52.

The dispute, I think, may now be considered as decided finally. Sanadon, therefore, on the whole, was right against Dacier; and yet the judicious Gesner might truly say: "Non absurde putat Dacerius, geometriæ elementa hìc intelligi, sine quibus nemo tum apud Academicos philosophabatur." But, when he adds, "Sanadonus his jam Romæ Flaccum esse imbutum existimat," his oversight deserves to be corrected. It was Lambinus who made that observation, and not Sanadon. Lambinus's very able note shall be given here in his own words: it is now demonstrably just.

Scilicet ut posSEM] hæc quidam ad geometriæ studium referunt, quæ curvarum et rectarum linearum doctrinam continet: ego translate curvum pro pravo accipio, et totum hunc locum ad philosophiæ studium referendum puto. Verisimilius est enim Horatium geometriam et mathematicas artes Romæ didicisse, utpote artes pueriles, et sine quibus ad philosophiam accedere non oportet.

Who could the quidam be, here alluded to, with whom the ingenious idea of geometry, in V. 44. U. S, originated? Ingenious one may still call it, though it be now abandoned. Not a vestige of that interpretation can I perceive given by any of the XL commentators of Horace, in that edition which Henricus Petri published at Basil in 1580. Then too, Cruquius, with his old commentator, concurs in the general opinion; and Torrentius has nothing to say on the subject.

H.R.

FAMILY OF WHEELER, OF BALLYWIRE, CO. TIPPERARY.

Mr. URBAN,-An imperfect account of the family of Mrs. Edward Lytton Bulwer, the lady of the highly talented author of "Pelham," &c. &c. having appeared in Burke's Commoners, perhaps the following particulars, which are perfectly accurate as far as they go, may be acceptable to your readers.

Francis Wheeler, Esq. of Ballywire, co. Tipperary, great-grandfather of Mrs. Edward Lytton-Bulwer, married Elizabeth, second daughter of Hugh Massey, Esq. of Duntvileague, co. Tipperary, by Elizabeth Evans, sister to George the first Lord Carbery, and had issue Francis Wheeler, Esq. of Ballywire, who married, Sept. 1767, Elizabeth, only daughter of John Arthur, Esq. of Seafield, co. Dublin, by the honourable Elizabeth Massey, only daughter of Hugh Lord Massey (by his first lady, Mary, daughter and heiress of Colonel James Dawson, of Newforest, co. Tipperary), and had issue by her, who married secondly the Rev. Sir Michael Cox, Bart. of Dunmanway, co. Cork.

Francis Massey Wheeler, Esq. of Lizard Connell, born in 1776, married Anne daughter of the Rev. Nicholas Milley Doyle (elder brother of General Sir John Doyle, Bart. G.C.B. and uncle of Major-General Welbore Ellis Doyle, father of Sir Francis Hastings Doyle, Bart.) and sister of Sir John Milley Doyle, Lieut.-Col. and K.T.S. and died leaving issue an only surviving daughter, Rosina Wheeler, married Aug. 29, 1827, to Edward Lytton-Bulwer, Esq.

M.P. &c.

FITZ ROSE.

HEIRS OF THE PLAYTERS FAMILY.

MR. URBAN,-As the account published in the Gentleman's Magazine of February and March, 1833, respecting the family of Playters, is in several parts erroneous, I send you a more correct detail, avoiding all extraneous matter; for the Herberts, Lemprieres, and Deacons have no connection with the Playters'. Sir William John Playters, Baronet, died in September, 1832, aged seventy-three, at Hellesden, near Norwich. He was the son by a second marriage, of John Playters, Esq., who held some honourable office in the King's Household. John married first, Caroline, daughter and heiress of John Turner, Esq., by whom he had two sons, John and Charles, The said John dying in the lifetime of his father, the title descended to the eldest son John upon the decease of the grandfather, and Charles succeeded his brother John, who died unmarried. John Playters, Esq. married secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Joshua Lewis, Esq., of Farringdon, Berks, and had issue, William-John, who succeeded his half-brother Charles, who died in 1806, unmarried. Sir William John Playters married in 1780 or 81, Miss Patena Clarke, and had no issue by her. He was for some years separated from her, and cohabited with a person by the name of Ann Wright (I believe), by whom he had an illegitimate daughter, Elizabeth Wright, who was married to Robert Moore, Esq., an officer in the army, in 1825. On the death of his wife Patena, in 1825, SirWilliam John immediately married the said Ann, and in 1826 he made his will, wherein he left all his personal property to her, and in lieu of dower, an annuity of 2501. clear of all deductions, for her natural life, payable out of the rents and profits of his estates in Norfolk, which he left to his daughter Elizabeth. After the

decease of his daughter, the rents and profits are to be divided amongst her children (four of whom are now living) as tenants in common, and the heirs of the bodies of such children, and in case of the death of Elizabeth, and in failure of her issue not attaining the age of twenty-one, the rents and profits of the estates are assigned to dame Ann (should she survive) for her natural life. After the decease of same Ann, and in failure of all limitations, the rents and profits are assigned to William Hird, Commander of the Royal Navy and first cousin to Sir William John on his mother's side, for his natural life; next to Joshua Hird, D.D. and brother of the said William Hird, for his natural life; afterwards to the children of the said Joshua Hird, if they or either of them shall be living at the time of the death of William Hird, Joshua Hird, and Elizabeth Wright More, and to their heirs and assigns for ever. The title has become extinct in default of legitimate male issue on the Playters side.

The Times Paper of February 1833, announced the name of George Charles Degen Lewis, Lieutenant of the Royal Engineers, great-grandson of the above mentioned Joshua Lewis, Esq., and second cousin to Sir William John Playters on the female side, to have been presented at the King's Levee, as heir at law to the said baronet, and as intending to petition his Majesty graciously to renew the baronetcy to him, as next of kin to Sir William John.}

A caveat to the will was entered, but subsequently withdrawn, by the said George C. D. Lewis.

The line of the Lewis family runs thus-George Charles Degen Lewis, and William his brother, sons of George Lewis, late Captain of the Royal Engineers, son of George Lewis, late Colonel of the Royal Artillery, son of Joshua Lewis, Esq., late of Farringdon.

The Hird family-William Hird and Joshua his brother, sons of William Hird, and his wife, Sophia, daughter of Joshua Lewis, Esq., late of Farringdon. I am, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

VERAX.

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS.

SURVEY OF DOVER CASTLE, IN 1578.

MR. URBAN, It is remarkable how little has hitherto been published on Dover Castle, one of those national structures whose history might occupy volumes. There has always, however, been an obvious reason for not making its internal economy too public. An historical description of it, tower by tower, was written in Latin by the Rev. William Darell, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and published in 1786;* this appears to be the principal foundation for the insufficient History, published in 1814, by the Rev. John Lyon.

The document I now send you has reference to an important repair which was made in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, of which Lambarde thus speaks in his "Perambulation of Kent," 1596: "It is yet fresh in the memorie of us all, that our gratious Queen Elizabeth hath beene at great charge in repairing the defects hereof :" and Seymour, in his "Survey of Kent," 1776, mentions that "Queen Elizabeth, concerned for the forsaken state of this venerable structure, concurred with the Legislature, reg. 23, in propping its ruinous bulwarks.'

[blocks in formation]

Mr. Fludde, the Surveior of Kente, his Certificat of the decaies of Douer Castell, 30 Jul. 1578. (MS. Lansdowne, Brit. Mus. No. 26, Art. 26.)

Accordinge to your honors l're of the vth of this Julye, I have repayred to Dovor Castle, and fynde the places there in the sayd l're mencyoned to be decayed as followeth.

From the original MS. in the College of Arms. It was illustrated with views by Capt. Grose. The view which belonged to the MS. representing the Castle in the reign of Elizabeth, was not given; but had been previously engraved in Harris's History of Kent, p. 371.

THARMORYE TOWRE.-Fyrste, the walles beinge of stone are muche broken and fallen downe in thynner syde of the said towre by reason the Copinge of the walle aboue is fallen downe and decayed, and therefore the rayne synkethe thoroughe, the workmanship of the which walle, with the Copinge and with the pavinge and Tarressinge of the sydes of the same walle aboute the leades will coste x. x. brettes of Tarres lxvj. viij. Tymber and workmanshippe for mendinge of dyverse places therein decayed iiij. newe castinge of parte of the leade there, with some newe leade and sothe‍ x". nayles and other necessaryes xxvj. viijd. In all-xxviij. xiij. iiija.

THE DUKE OF SUFFOLKES TOWRE.-The leade uppon the same is decayed and therefore muste be newe caste, and the walle in dyverse places muste be amended, the doinge whereof with also some new leade to supplye the waste in meltinge and wantes, with the masons worke, Tarres, sande, &c. will coste xx1i.

THE SMYTHES FORGE.-The mayne walle on thowter syde is fallen downe into the dyche, and the walles in dyverse other places muche decayed, the newe makinge whereof, with the carrage of stone to the place, will coste x; the leade is decayed very muche and muste be newe caste, the which with newe leade will coste xxli; Sande, Tarres, tymbe, worke, &c. will coste lxvj. viijd. In all-xxxiij. vj3. viija.

THE MONKES TOWER.-The flat Roofe of tymber beinge covered with leade is cleane decayed, and the tymber worke and leade altogether of newe to be donne and newe caste; the tymber, workmanshippe, new leade, sande, carrage, &c. will coste at the leaste-xx".

THE DRYE LARDER.-The Roofe of the same muste be newe made, viz. flatte, the which will cost, viz. tymber C. s. the carpenters worke and sawyers x". Masons worke C. s. newe leade and castinge xli. nayles and other necessaryes xl. s. In all xxxij".

iiijor HOUSES FOR WATCHMEN VPPON THE WALLES.-The sayd howses are for the moste p'te vncovered and therefore muste be newe tyled, and in manye places newe borded, the workmanshippe of the which, with also tyle, tymber, sande, nayle, &c. will coste xli.

Sum tolis cxliiij.

Certen other repa'c'ons there very needfull to be don, not conteyned in your honors l're, which neuertheles I thoughte good to aduertyse your honor of THE COM'ON KYTCHIN.-A Corbell in the'st corner thereof is broken, the tymber sonke, the walle, by reason of a dryfte of Rayne over it, much decayed; the repayringe of the which with some thother walles there, and with the carrage of stone, sand, and other necessaries, will coste viji. vj. viija.

THE SQUYLLERY.-The flatte Roof of the same is decayed bothe in tymber and leade, the repayringe whereof, viz. tymber, new lead, nayles and workmanshippe, will coste xvj. xiijs. iiijd.

THE LODGINGES IN ARTHURES HALL.-The gutters there are cleane decayed, and therefore Rayneth thoroughe the mayne walle, the repayringe of the which, with leade, Tarres, sand, &c. will coste viiij. xiijs. iiijd.

MOTES BULWARKES VNDER THE CLYFFE THERE.-The ́Artyllery howse there is cleane vcovered in one place, the covering whereof will requyre M1 M1 bowrdes at v. viiijd. the Cth. cxiij. iiij. the workmanshippe xxxiijs. iiija. iiij M'. Xd. nayle xxxiij. iiija. iiij M1. vja. nayle xxa. mendinge of the gate there xxvj. viijd. in all xj. vj. viija.

Sum'-xliiij".

Sum' of bothe the sayde repa'c'ons-C iiij.viij.

There remayne in the Castle as muche lyme of the laste yeres provysion as 1 thyncke will serve for theise repa'c'ions ellsse wolde theise Charges have bynne greater.

And yf the sayde premysses in shorte tyme be not repayred, then no doubt the state of them is suche, that twyse as muche will not repayr them.

And over and besides the sayd decayes, the south-west walle of her Majesties owne lodgines there is very muche decayed and a great number of the stones of

thowter syde thereof consumed with the beatinge of the weather and fallen downe, the Copynge above in parte shaken and decayed, so as the Rayne therein synkinge and dryvinge at the dores and wyndowes, do so Rotte the walles and stares that in shorte tyme (without amendment) that side of the lodginges is lyke to falle downe. I thinck at this tyme iiij C. will make the same in reasonable good case, but surely yf it be not taken in tyme xiij Ch. will not doe it; whereof also I thought good to aduertyse your honor.

Exd xxvjo. Julij 1578,

THOMAS FLUDD, Supervisser.

PREACHERS IN THE DIOCESE OF DURHAM, 1579.

Mr. URBAN,-The following curious document, exhibiting a system of Itinerant Preaching in Durham and Northumberland, concerning which, as far as I am aware, nothing has been said in our County or Parochial Histories, shows that much energy was exerted in the time of Elizabeth, to christianize the mass of the people living near the Scottish borders.

Of some of the Chapels mentioned, namely Dissington and Harbottle, where sermons were preached, no trace remains. At Kirknewton, Branxton, Carham, Woodhorn, Bothal, &c. &c. no sermons were ordered to be preached.

Of this list of twenty-eight Preachers, twelve were Dignitaries of the Church, viz. the Bishop, the Dean of Durham, the two Archdeacons of the Diocese, and eight Prebendaries, viz. Dr. Pilkington, Dr. Bellamy, Mr. Leaver, Adam Haliday, Richard Fawcet, George Cliff, Mr. Bonney, and H. Nanton; eight of them were incumbents in the archdeaconry of Durham, viz.-Thomas Burton, rector of Stanhope; Mr. Farnyside, rector of Whickham; John Barnes, rector of Haughton le Skerne; Mr. Garforthe, rector of Washington; Bernard Gilpin, rector of Haughton le Spring; Edward Bankes, rector of Longnewton; Mr. Hodshone, rector of Gateshead; and Thomas Weatone, vicar of Conscliff; seven more were incumbents in Northumberland, viz. John Magbraye, vicar of Newcastle; Thomas Warwick, rector of Morpeth; John Handley, vicar of Woodhorn; Mr. Benoyne, vicar of Embleton; Wm. Clarke, rector of Ford, and curate of Berwick; Richard Hancock, vicar of Hartburne; and William Duxfield, rector of Shipwash and Bothal. So that Durham sent out a greater number of these voluntary labourers than Northumberland. 1 do not see where Mr. Dickeson was beneficed.

The Bishop who signed the paper, was Richard Barnes, who died in 1587. It is said of his successor Matthew Hutton, afterwards Archbishop of York, that he did not preach above three times a year; but Toby Matthews, the next Bishop, deemed that preaching formed a main part of the duties of his office, and kept a diary, from which it appears that he preached, whilst Dean of Durham 721 sermons, whilst Bishop 550, and whilst Archbishop of York 721. It is evident that, during his episcopate, the system of Itenerant Preaching was continued; which is illustrated by the following entry, extracted from the register of Chester-le-Street.

"1607. Paid for a welcome upon Mr. Barker, at the last time he came and did give us a sermon, xiid.-Surtees's History of Durham, ii. 144.

Hartburn, Feb. 15.

Yours, &c.

J. H.

"A DEPUTATION of Sermones and Divitione of Churches wthin the Diocese of Durham, as the same are assigned and allotted by the Rev'end father in God, Richard by God's divine providence Busshope of Durham, to himself and others the Preachers of that diocesse, by them severally to be preached this year, viz. from michaolmes 1578 vntill Michaellmes 1579, of their benevolent good wylls in assistinge him in his greate cure and p'oche, over and besydes ther ordenarie quarterlie and monethelye sermones in their owne peculier Cures and Churches, and besides others ellswhere by them voluntarilie to be preached :-As followeth.

To the said reu'end Father xxiiijtie, videlicet, at Durham ij; at Darlingtone i; Bernard castle j; Staindorpe j; Lanchester j; Walsingham j; Stanhope j; St. Andrew

« PreviousContinue »