LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 1884. Book-plates, 24-Biographical Errors-"As You Like It"- QUERIES:-Schwarenbach-"Patet janua," &c.-Southey's cannot apply to any ordinary mortal, even by an Now, the crushing objection is that Shakspere REPLIES:-Serjeants' Rings, 29- Rastaquoère - Bear-skin Jobber-Hag, 31-Spurious Editions of Poems-Calling Churches-It, 32 France - Lord Montacute-A Yard of Beer -"Vesica piscis "-Etymology of "Sulphur "-Viscount Montague-Chitty face, 33-Morse-George Boleyn-Early dated Ex-Libris -Bibliography of Epitaphs, 34-Gentle- man Crossing-sweeper-Chaucer's "Pilwe bere "-Smith s "Dictionary" - Error of Humboldt-Fea Family- Trans- mogrify-Sir N. Wraxall, 35-Rhyming Letter-Lafitte the Painter-R. M. Roche-St. Paul's Cathedral-Princess Poca- hontas Titus Oates, 36- Old Customs-Salt in Magical Rites-Royal Marriage with a Slave - Mistranslation in the Litany Parodies- Ben Jonson-English Names of Flowers -Houses with Secret Chambers, 37-Jocoseria "-Notes on "Folk-Etymology," 38-Henshaw-Monfras, 39. NOTES ON BOOKS:-Miss Holt's "John de Wycliffe" A contributor to Blackwood's Magazine-alas! poor old Ebony-brings Shakspere and Dante into strange juxtaposition. It is the extraordinary hallucination of this writer that the sonnets numbered 79, 80, 85, 86, in Shakspere's series, refer to the author of The Divine Comedy as a rival poet, although then deceased for over two A presumptive sign of weakness is that the inquiry is limited to the four sonnets specified above; but Shakspere has written much more about the rivalry. Taking, however, the writer's own limitation, we find the question narrowed to two points: 1. Certain confessions of admitted superiority, ex. gr., "worthier pen" (79); "better spirit," "tall building" (80); "able spirit," "well refined pen" (85); "great verse (86). The theorist now suggests that these terms cannot describe any contemporaneous author, all Eliza- bethan poets being inferior to Shakspere.* 2. Certain references of a mysterious character to supernatural agency, as "better spirit," "able This is subject to a qualification. all be past to Shakspere. However, a further "So it is not with me as with that Muse, * * * Let them say more that like......" This is known to refer to Drayton. Again, in "How can my Muse want subject to invent, Sonnet 80: "O, how I faint when I of you do write, Knowing a better spirit doth use your name.' This term "better spirit" cannot be separated from the terms "alien pen" and "thy poet," since all is in sequence. It continues: "In praise [of thee] spends all his might to make me tonguetied." This is plainly levelled at a living poet, and disallows any suggestion of the disembodied spirit of one deceased. Sonnet 82 acknowledges that his patron is entitled to accept further dedications other than his own, yet,— "When they have devised What strained touches rhetoric can lend...... And their gross painting might be better used." We must not confine our views to Drayton; clearly the rivals are legion. In Sonnet 83: "Others would give life and bring a tomb. There lives more life in one of your fair eyes Than both your poets can in praise devise." Sonnet 85 is peculiar, and indissolubly connected with 86, which is final. He is clearly brought face to face with a compeer whom he cannot afford to despise, and Shakspere's words are more than complimentary. Clearly no living contemporary but Marlowe* can deserve the following eloquent tribute-Marlowe, the "dead shepherd' of As You Like It, III. v.: "My tongue-tied Muse in manners holds her still, And precious phrase by all the Muses filed. day. This same nobleman is known to have received dedications or poetical addresses from Samuel Daniel, John Davies of Hereford, Barnaby Barnes, Gervaise Markham, George Withers, Florio, Chapman, Braithwaite, Nash, and Marlowe. Here is ample room and verge enough for rivalry. We need not dwell too curiously on the moral aspect of such competition; suffice it that these sonnets, so plainly ascribed to Shakspere, as plainly indicate its existence and influence on the turn he has given to the correspondence, i. e., composition of these sonnets. Taken as a statement of case," it is impossible to entertain the suggestion put forth in Blackwood; but perhaps the eminent Dantophilist who has ventured so far will be better satisfied with some attempted identification of the so-called "rival" than the mere flat contradiction here tendered; and for that purpose I shall seek the accommodation of some further space hereafter. MAGYAR FOLK-TALES. A. HALL. In another tale, "Knight Rose,"* three princes were obliged to leave home because their father had been slain and his country taken. They travelled across the snow-clad mountains, and at last decided to separate to seek their fortune alone; before parting they put up a long pole with a white handkerchief fastened to it on the top of a tall tree, and agreed to keep within sight of that handkerchief, and should it turn red it was to be a sign that one of the brothers was in danger. So I think good thoughts whilst other write good words, they parted, and the youngest, Knight Rose, traAnd like unletter'd clerk still cry Amen To every hymn that able spirit affords In polish'd form of well refined pen. * * * But when your countenance fill'd up his line, Shakspere dedicated his Venus and Adonis and his Lucrece to a popular young nobleman named Lord Southampton, and we know of no other dedications by him. The strong presumption this offers in favour of this youthful nobleman as the addressee of the sonnets is most strangely disregarded by Shaksperian specialists of the present * Unless we entertain Spenser as a supposed rival. velled on to the seventh snow-capped mountain, and there came to a castle, which he entered, and wherein he decided to settle down. At even the gates flew open and seven immense giants rushed in. Rose crept under the bed, but they soon smelt him, and one of them cried, "Pho! what an Adam-like smell is here!"+ Rose was found, cut up into small pieces like a cabbagestalk, and thrown out of the window. In the morning the giants went out, and so soon as they were gone a snake, which had the head of a handsome girl, came down from a bush and gathered up Rose's body, putting each morsel in its proper place. She then anointed him with grass,‡ * Kriza, vi. This tale occurs in Finland and Lapland. Cf. Sagas from the Far East, 106. Similar incidents occur in Finn and Lapp stories. According to the lore of the people there were monsters who had dogs' noses, and could track men by the scent. They are called trynetyrk or hundetyrk by the NorweLapps; and koiran-kuonalainen (dog-nose) by the Finns. gians and Swedes; bædnag-njudne (i.e., dog-nose) by the Probably Sisymbrium sophia, Kozma. perhaps be permitted to refer to my article on Székely folk-medicine in Folk-lore Journal, April, 1884, p. 98. Cf. Finn story of "Golden Bird." I may L 6th S. X. JULY 12, '84.] NOTES AND QUERIES. sprinkled him with the water of life and death,* and in a moment he sprang up seven times handsomer and stronger than before; and the snake's skin fell off the girl as far as her arm-pits. That night Rose did not get under the bed, but met the servants whom the giants had sent forward to kill that "wretched heir of Adam"; but they ran away, for Rose was so strong that the giants were obliged to cut him up themselves. your brothers, because you have slain my seven giant sons.* But Rose set his dogs at her, and they dragged her about till the blood+ came, and as it fell on the log of wood it became a sword Rose caught it and chopped off her once more. Rose smote her again, left arm; now the witch showed him where she had buried his brothers. and "the old witch went to Pluto's.", Rose then resuscitated his brothers, and the eldest brother went home and ruled over his father's realm, whilst the other joined Rose in the vast realm over which the giants had tyrannized. Next day the snake-maiden did as before, and Rose revived stronger than ever, the skin slipping off the maiden as far as her waist. That night Rose killed the servants and wounded several of the giants before he was cut up. Next morning the snake-maiden restored him again, and now he was stronger than all the seven giants together, and as for his beauty, you could look at the sun, And now the but you could not look at him. snake-skin slipped off the maid altogether, and she told Rose she was a king's daughter, and that the giants had killed her father and went out She herself every day to plunder her people. had become a snake by the help of a good old quack nurse, and had made a vow to remain a serpent until she was revenged on the giants, which she was sure she would now be. That night Rose slew the giants. Next day, as he looked out of the castle window, he saw the white flag was bloody, and so taking his sword, his bow and arrows, some healing grass, and some water of life and death, he sallied forth. On his way he shot a hare, and when he came to the place of separation, he found a hut and his brother's two dogs chained to it; so, stopping there, he lighted As he sat he a fire and began to roast the hare. heard a voice in the tree crying, "Oh, how cold I am!" "If you're cold, come down and warm yourself," said Rose. "I'm afraid of the dogs," | said the voice; "please throw this hair between them and let them smell it, and then they will know me." Rose took the hair and threw it in the fire, and down came an old witch and sat by the fire; she then spitted a toad and began to roast it. In a moment or so she threw it at Rose, saying, "This is mine, but that is yours." Rose sprang up in a rage, and smote the old witch with his sword, when, lo, it turned into a log of wood. In a moment the old witch flew at him, crying, "It's all up with you also. I'll kill you as I killed * Cf. Ralston's Russian Folk-Tales, cap. iv. "Prince Mirko," Kriza, xiii. The prince in his contest with an old witch orders his sword out of its sheath, and it cuts down the witch's soldiers by the score, yet no progress can be made, for the witch weaves more as fast as the prince kills the old ones; so he orders his sword to cut the witch up; in a moment she is a bleeding mass of morsels. The prince pitches the whole lot on to a fire, but a bit of the old witch's rib flies out, and begins to spin in the dust, and, lo, another witch is there; the prince orders his sword to cut her up again, and this time he takes care all is reduced to cinders. or were very These may be taken as fair samples of witch iron teeth being inseparstories as told amid the Magyar people, the Some of the "iron nose ably connected with the witches. are full of wild and blood - curdling stories Such is "The Count's Daughter,"+ scenes. wherein the heroine-who was sought after by all the marriageable men in the country-for the fame of her beauty and wealth was known from "Henczida to Bonczida." Amongst other suitors were three sons of a count, who dwelt in a castle in the wood, and appeared to be immensely wealthy, though no one knew where the money came from. These young men were continually at the castle, and One day she wananxious to persuade the young lady to visit them, but she would not. dered away in the wood, and came to a magnificent castle. Crossing the courtyard, she went When she came up the marble steps, one hundred in number, but there was not a soul to be seen. to the landing a parrot cried, "Girl, beware!" but the girl was so dazzled by the splendour that she went on up another hundred steps, seeing fresh wonders at every turn, but no living thing. last she opened a door on the landing, and found that it led into a magnificent room with three Going on, she found beds in it; this she felt sure was the room of the three young men. the next room full of all sorts of weapons; beyond that was a great hall, crowded with every conceivable kind of dress, military, clerical, civilian, &c., also piles of female robes. Going still further, she found a female figure made of razors, that stood with open arms over a fearful * Vide ante. At † Cf. Yorkshire and Lincolnshire superstition that it destroys the power of a witch if you draw blood. A lady told me that she had heard of a case where a farmer, not being able to drive his horses past a certain cottage, got down from his waggon and went and thrashed the old woman till the blood came, when the horses at once See also Sykes's Local Records went on their way. of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, under March 26, 1649, where it was regarded as a certain sign that a woman was a witch if the blood did not come when a pin was thrust into her. The same superstition occurs in the Lapp tales, e.g., "The Goveiter Girls" from Næsseby, "The Ulta Girl," "The Sun's Sister," Erdélyi, ii. dark hole. Horror-stricken she fled back. When The following notices of some of the more remarkable among them may be interesting. R. The plate of Charles, Lord Elphinstone, is large and handsome. It is engraved by Cooper, Edenri," and has the curious motto, "Cause cause it." Another large plate is that of "The Honble. William Fraser, of Fraserfield, Esqre." It has the arms and supporters of Lord Saltoun, but has the lion rampant of Abernethy on an escutcheon of pretence instead of in the second quarter, which is here Gules, a lion rampant argent (for Mowbray ?). Sir John Hussey Delaval, Bart.'s, handsome book-plate has two oval shields placed side by side on a sort of pedestal. The first shield has, Quarterly, 1 and 4, Barry of six ermine and gules, for Hussey; 2, Argent, a chevron between three garbs sable (Blake?); and 3, Or, a cross vert, Hussey. The second shield is Robinson. I have a few dated book-plates. The oldest is that of George Montagu, Esq., 1705. The arms are Montagu and Monthermer, quarterly. The helmet is turned to the left. The next is that of "Edward Haist well, of the Middle Temple, Esqr., MD CC. XVIII." The arms are, Gules, on a cross between twelve cross crosslets fitchée argent, an eagle displayed sable, with the suitable motto, "Festina lente." "Jno. Bourchier, Esqr., 1739," has a small book-plate with the arms, Argent, a cross engrailed gules between four water bougets sable. The book-plate of John Keir, Esq., is dated 1811. It is very large, In the "Hunting Princes" we come across measuring 9 in. by 6 in. The arms, Argent, a a strange piece of primitive science: the cross engrailed sable between four roses gules, a youngest prince, after killing the dragon with crescent for difference, are placed on a shield leanseven heads, goes to fetch a light in order to ing on a pillar, on the top of which is a helmet rekindle the watch - fire, which has been ex-with the crest an arm holding a dagger. Below tinguished by the monster's blood. Looking around he sees a glimmer that is three days' journey off. So away he goes, and on his way meets Midnight," who tries to pass him unseen; but the prince catches him and ties him with a stout strap to an oak. Four or five hours later he meets "Dawn," and treats him in like manner. Thus Time is stopped, nor does it move on till the prince, after a variety of adventures, returns and unlooses Midnight and Dawn, and so allowes Time to go on. 66 W. HENRY JONES. (To be continued.) BOOK-PLATES. I have been a collector for many years, and have got a considerable number of book-plates. * I have a distinct recollection of a tale that my grandmother used to tell me when a child, the plot of which was the same as in this story. It was then said to be a Northumbrian legend. The same story also occurs in Danish, German, and Dutch tales. Cf. Grimm, xl. Kriz, iii. The tying of Dawn and Midnight occurs in several other Magyar folk-tales. are, "Richa Smirke, del.," and "Abm Raimbach, sculpt." This book-plate is beautifully engraved. A curious book-plate of the Mar family has a shield hanging from the branch of a tree, and on it two oval shields side by side between a lion and a griffin. The first shield bears the cross crosslets of Mar, and the second has the pale of Erskine. Below is "Unione (1436) Fortior." Another peculiar book-plate has the shield placed on a large monogram (I. S.). The arms are, 1 and 4, Azure, two bars and a chevron in chief or, Sprye ; 2, Bendy of eight argent and sable, a crescent for difference; 3, Per saltire gules and argent, four crescents counterchanged, Sprye, impaling Lloyd. The crest is a dove standing on a serpent, and the motto, "Soyez sage et simple." I have only three book-plates of bishops. The first is that of John Douglas, Bishop of Salisbury. His arms In the sinister are are encircled by the Garter. his family arms, Douglas quarterly with Ogston, an old Aberdeenshire family. The second is that of James Trail, D.D., Lord Bishop of Down and Connor. The last is that of the late Bishop Forbes. In the dexter are three piles gules, for Brechin. I believe, however, that the see of biography in question says of Arnold, “qui, feigBrechin has, strictly speaking, no arms. Of nant de trahir les Américains, avait demandé à shields with many quarterings I have a few entrer en pourparlers avec les Anglais." Arnold's specimens. That with the largest number (thirty- conduct was undoubtedly as bad as could be; but six) is the book-plate of Susannah, Duchess of this is indeed an extraordinarily perverted account Hamilton. It has Beckford in the first and last of it. Oddly enough, the Globe Encyclopædia falls quarters, and is surmounted by two crests, Beck-into a considerable error in the chronology of this ford and Hamilton. Of course this is wrong, a lady transaction, giving the date of André's execution not being entitled to use a crest. The shield is as February 2 instead of October 2. also incorrect in form. The same error in using W. T. LYNN. a crest occurs in the book-plates of Lady Cust and Ann Bruce. More correct in form is the "As You LIKE IT INDEBTED TO SAVIOLO. It has not, so far as I know, been pointed out that Shakespeare, in the adaptation of his plot, was indebted to a work of which the following is the title:-"Vincentio | Saviolo | his Practise. | In two Bookes. | The First intreating of the Use of the Rapier and Dagger. | The Second, of Honor and honorable Quarrels. | London, | Printed by Iohn Wolfe. 1595." In the second book, sig. Q (middle paragraph on first leaf, recto), we read: lozenge of Frances Mary Richardson Currer, with several quarterings. I have a few foreign book-plates. A very old one is that of A. F. Doyen. The arms are, Azure, a chevron or between three birds (ducks ?) argent. Abraham Lott bears, Vert, two horses counter salient argent, and for crest a horse's head erased argent. The motto is "Draagh en verdraaght." Another, without a name, bears Argent, a stag's attire gules, impaled with Azure, a round buckle or, and on a full-faced helmet two stags' "When the Emperour Charles the fifth, came to be attires gules. Philip Van Swinden has, On a crowned by Pope Clement the seventh. This Emperour had in his traine, a great Moore like a Giant, who beshield leaning upon a vase gules, three grey- sides his tallnes wanted no valour and courage, beeing hounds salient argent. The crest, a demi-grey-wonderfull strong: he enjoying the favour of so great hound, is placed on the neck of the vase. The an Emperour, was respected of all men, and particularlye engraver's name is below, "Darling, Gt Newport of divers Princes which accompanied the Emperour." St." W. Harte bears a bend between three Then follows the challenge to wrestle, accepted by fleurs-de-lis, with a stag's head couped for crest. Rodomant, the Duke of Mantua's brother, and at It has also the name of the engraver, "Bernigeroth the second trial Rodomant kills the Moor and in sc., Lips." John Barretto has a curious book- consequence flies the court. To show the absolute plate. It may be described as Ermine, nine identity between the initial plot of As You Like laurel leaves, 4, 3, and 2, and has for crest a It and this incident, I present the details in a peculiar figure, like half a doll without the arms. tabular form, using the sign = as that of correA singular non-heraldic, or rather quasi-heraldic spondence:book-plate, is that of John Ramsay, No. 17, Earl Street, Blackfriars. It is not easy to describe it. The field is Azure, a fesse wavy argent with the sun in chief, beneath which is a cloud, from which are falling drops of rain. Beneath is a jar for distilling, with flames below it, and for motto there is "Drop as rain, distill as dew." There are also supporters. The dexter is a peculiar-looking man with a peaked cap, and the sinister is an American Indian, holding a bow in his hand. R. C. W., F.S.A.Scot. BIOGRAPHICAL ERRORS CONCERNING MAJOR ANDRÉ. I should like to point out a remarkable mistake fallen into in the biography of André contained in the Nouvelle Biographie Générale. We there read, "Il fut arrêté et fusillé comme espion le 2 Octobre, 1780." Who on reading this sentence can avoid thinking of André's earnest, but unanswered and rejected request, "that he might not die on the gibbet," i. e., that he might be shot (fusille) like a soldier? Not content with this mistake in his account, the author of the short The Emperour Charles the fifth A great Moore like a Giant the Usurping Duke Charles, the Duke's The Duke of Mantua Oliver de Boys. Charles is The Moor dies in consequence-Charles dies in consequence. Rodomant taking horse fled, fearing the displeasure of Charles V. Orlando fled the court of Frederick, fearing his displeasure. I will only add, neither Rodomant nor Orlando ultimately suffers for the manslaughter. Mr. J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps tells me that the close resemblance between Saviolo and Shakespeare in As You Like It is new to him, and he thinks, as I do, that it is a valuable discovery for Shakespeare students. However, the resemblance may, nevertheless, have been pointed out before. Athenæum Club. C. M. INGLEBY. TORPENHOW. The singular name of this parish in Cumberland has been variously derived. The |