COTTON'S EDITIONS OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE.

May I be allowed to say a few words, though upon a subject which almost entirely concerns myself?

For some years past, many booksellers, when announcing in their sale-catalogues editions of the English Bible, Testament, or Psalms, have thought proper to add by way of recommendation, "unnoticed by Dr. Cotton," "unknown to Dr. Cotton." I am grateful for the compliment which these words convey; as implying that, if such a book is unknown to me, it must of necessity be rare. But I think that, in many cases, they are introduced in a way which is not quite fair either to me or to the public.

Within the last week I have received a catalogue, in which no fewer than three instances of this kind occur. One is, in the announcement of two editions of Sternhold's Psalms of the years 1735 and 1736, "neither mentioned by Dr. Cotton.' The second, two other editions of the same, dated 1758 and 1763, "neither mentioned by Dr. Cotton." Now, to avoid the almost endless repetition of editions differing from each other in nothing except their dates, I gave the following notice under the year 1700 (English Bibles, p. 199):

"From this time no notice is taken of editions of Sternhold's version; which, soon after the appearance of that by Brady and Tate, became altered into the form and language in which it is printed to this day."

In vain, therefore, will anybody look in my work for notices of any edition of Sternhold printed in the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries.

The third case mentioned in that catalogue is a still more glaring instance of the compiler's misconception of my book, and consequent unintentional misleading of the public:

"The Holy Bible [Authorised Version], &c., 4to, Cambridge, 1673. An edition of extreme rarity, not in Lea Wilson's Catalogue, nor is it described in any Bibliographical work. Dr. Cotton states that there was no edition in 1673," &c., &c.

But I had warned my readers [English Bibles, p. 60] at the 1611: year

"N.B. From this period, no editions of the Authorised Version are here noticed, except for some peculiarity attached to any particular one."

So that when I say at the year 1673, "no edition," I do not mean to assert that no edition of the Authorised Version was printed in that year; but merely that, in 1852, when my book was published, I knew of no Bible, or part of the Bible, or any other translation, which might fairly find its place among those described by me.

I feel that this explanation is called for at my hands; and trust that it may be of service, both to booksellers and book-buyers. H. COTTON.

Thurles.

FOLK LORE.

A MODERN BALLAD.-The following modern "folk" ballad is the production of some Rossendale rhymester, whose name I am unable to furnish. The piece has peculiar significance in these days of Surat and short staples; and though little can be said in commendation of its language and rhythm, for it is rough and ready, yet I doubt not that it will come home to the heart of many a "Surat Weyvur." The composition is a great favourite amongst the old "Deyghn* Layrocks," who sing it to one of their easy going psalm-tunes with much gusto.

If the piece affords half the amusement to the readers of "N. & Q." that it has to me, the space it will require might be less profitably occupied. It has been named

66 SURAT WARPS.

"Come all ye Weyvurs old and young,
It is to you I'll sing a song;
And if I tell you my desire,
You cannot say that I'm a liar.
"I wish I had these Warpers, and
All Sallywinders in a band,

I'd make the whole of them to groan-
I'd cudgel every one their bones.

"Their knots when they come up to th' yealds,
They sweep them down just like bumshells-
They fly across the shed and breyk;
They sweep down all within their reyk.
"I look at th' yealds, and there they stick,
I ne'er seed th' like sin' I wur wick!
What pity could befal a heart,
To think about these hard sized warps.
""Twill make the Master for to stare
To see his cloth so rough and bare,
He turns it over, every plait,
He turns it up, and cracks to bate.
"So I mon at his table ston,

And dare not stir one foot or hon;
To see him rip the piece to rags,
Or give me the eternal bag!
"Thus Weyvurs are brought in for all,
Both cops, and bobbins, grease, and all;
Both Warpers, Winders, Spinners too,
For all their faults they are put through.
"Ah! what a spot for Weyvurs here,
It makes me shiver and go queer;
Yet for all this, I connod help:
It makes me fit to hang myself!"
Bacup, Rossendale.

T. N.

"The Millenium: in which I suppose that man will continue to enjoy the highest glory of which his human nature is capable. That all who in past ages have endeavoured to ameliorate the state of man, will rise and enjoy the fruits and flowers, the imperceptible seeds of which they had sown in their former life: and that the wicked will during the same period be suffering the remedies adapted to their several bad habits. And I suppose that this period will be followed by the passing away of this earth, and by an entering on the state of pure intellect; when all creation shall rest from its labours."

The four lines in the collected edition, commencing

"Ye sweep athwart my gaze, so heavenly bright,"read as follows in an MS. correction of the 1796 edition :

"Ye sweep before me in as lovely hues

As stream reflected from the veiling plumes Of them, that aye before the jasper Throne Adoring bend. Blest years! ye too depart.” The correction was afterwards erased by a stroke of the pen.

In his directions to the printer, Coleridge seems to have shown considerable humour. For instance, in one place he has written: "Begin the page here; it is absolutely cheating, to give such open print." And three times over on one page occurs this exclamation: "Good heavens! what a gap!" On the blank page, in front of the Ode, he has written: "The motto! where is the motto ? I would not have lost the motto for a kingdom; 'twas the best part of the Ode." And again, in front of the second copy: "Motto; I beseech you let the motto be printed, and printed accurately." The word "illumines," in the second strophe of the Ode, had been printed with an apostrophe, and the following note appears in the margin:

"That villainous apostrophe belongs to the genitive case of substantives only. O that printers were wise! O that they would read Bishop Lowth!"

In the last paragraph of the second epode (first copy), the line

Three volumes, Indexes, detailing references and trustworthy authorities for illustrating upwards of 2500 surnames of the British Empire.

Nine volumes, Indexes, furnishing similar references in aid of the history of all Irish Localities, Counties, Parishes, Cities, Castles, &c. &c.

One volume, thick octavo, affording directions to facilitate searches for Family Pedigrees, with a classification of the materials and authors for the display of such through the various reigns of the English sovereigns, and during the Commonwealth. In it are likewise distinct classifications for the provincial pedigrees of Leinster, Ulster, Munster, and Connaught, as well as those of Scotland and Wales; and, lastly, those of English descent through each respective county of England.

Nine volumes of Notes and Extracts from MSS. of rare access in England and Ireland.

Seventy volumes, Compilations of Annals, Records, &c., furnishing references to trustworthy authorities, chronologically set down for distinct histories of the several counties of Ireland.

One volume, octavo, Syllabus of selected pedigrees (160) wherein the origin of each of these families, their habitats, the periods when, and the places where, they severally existed are detailed.

Thirty-eight volumes, Notices of Families of Ireland, as well of the Native Septs as those of English Introduction.

One volume, folio, a full list of those outlawed for High arranged, and under four columnar subdivisions, headed Treason in Ireland, from 1640 to 1698, alphabetically respectively-1. Parties' Names; 2. Residences; 3. Dates of Outlawry; 4. Places of ditto.

Twenty volumes, Miscellaneous Essays, Excursions in England, Wales, and Ireland.

Two volumes, Copies of Charters, Patents, &c. &c. All the above manuscripts are open for inspection here, with a view to their immediate disposal.

48, Summer Hill, Dublin.

JOHN D'ALTON.

"WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN?"

In the recent debate on Mr. Baines's Borough Franchise Bill, Mr. Disraeli alluded to Mr. Massey as the person who "killed Cock Robin" (the Reform Bill). This doubtless had reference to some impromptu lines written, it was understood, by an occasional correspondent of "N. & Q." From a copy which was immediately circulated in the body of the House, I made another copy, which I send you; and perhaps you may think it worth a corner in "N. & Q.”

"WHO KILLED THE REFORM BILL?
A New Song to the tune of Cock Robin."
"Who killed the Reform Bill?
'I,' said Will Massey,

For reform's now quite passé,
And I killed the Reform Bill.'

"Who helped to kill it?

'I,' said Mackinnon, That boroughs may sin on; And I helped to kill it.' "Who saw it die?

'I,' said Charles Wood; It did my heart good, And I saw it die.' "Who'll be chief mourner?

'I,' said Lord Pam,

Though my grief's all a flam; And I'll be chief mourner.' "Who'll ring the bell?

I,' said John Bright, 'While I cry out of spite, And I'll ring the bell.' "Who'll nail the coffin?

'I,' said Scotch Black, 'Mon, I'll do't in a crack, And I'll nail the coffin.' "Who'll count the mourners ? 'I,' said Hal Brand,

'Just to keep in my hand, And I'll count the mourners.' "Who'll dig the grave?

'I,' said John Russell,

Though I'll have a hard tussle, And I'll dig the grave.'

"Who'll write the epitaph?

'We,' say the members,
"Peace to its embers,"

This be its epitaph.'

"Who'll draw a new bill?

MIS-INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. An illustrated Almanac has just been published containing a number of such pieces of useful or useless knowledge as the following: —

66 STABILITY OF THINGS IN ENGLAND. "In one of his lectures, Mr. Emerson tells a story to exemplify the stability of things in England. He says that William of Wykeham, about the year 1050, endowed a house in the neighbourhood of Winchester, to provide a measure of beer and a sufficiency of bread to every one who asked it, for ever; and when Mr. Emerson was in England, he was curious to test this good man's credit; and he knocked on the door, preferred his request, received his measure of beer and quantum of bread, though its owner had been dead 800 years."

"LEAP-YEAR.

"The ladies' leap-year privilege took its origin in the following manner: By an ancient act of the Scottish Parliament, passed about the year 1228, it was ordonit that during ye reign of her maist blessit Majestie Margaret, ilka maiden ladee, of baith high and low estait, shall hae liberty to speak ye man she likes. Gif he refuses to take her to be his wife, he shall be mulct in the sum of an hundrity pundis or less, as his estait may be, except and always gif he can make it appear that he is betrothit to anither woman, than he shall be free.'

Now St. Cross, to which no doubt the writer alludes, was not founded by Wykeham, but by

Henry de Blois, and that nearly 100 years later than the date cited. Wykeham has not been dead 800 years, but about 450. Margaret of Scotland reigned 1286-1290: and the first Scottish Parliament was called at Scone by John Baliol, 1292. I say nothing about the absurdity of supposing such an act could be passed under any circumstances, but it certainly is to be regretted that such statements should go forth to the world, especially as a reference to books of very easy access would enable the author to verify or disprove them. A. A.

Poets' Corner.

A RELIC OF 1745.-Mr. Thomas Parker, an attorney of this town, has in his possession a cane sword that belonged to his grandfather who was a staunch royalist in 1745, and who used the weapon in some skirmishes that took place about Preston, in which locality Mr. Parker held considerable landed property. He was a Roman Catholic, and, contrary to the general proceedings of a numerous body of his co-religionists in the neighbourhood, he joined the royalist ranks, but was most ungratefully treated subsequently. He lived to be upwards of ninety years of age.

Liverpool.

S. REDMOND.

WALLER THE POET.- -None of the biographers of Waller, I believe, has explained who the poet intended to address in the letter which is found prefixed to Mr. Robert Bell's edition. But in a MS. of Waller's Poems, probably anterior to any printed edition, I find this very letter with a superscription: "To my Lady Sophia Bartie [Bertie];" to which, in a different but cotemporary hand, is added: "ye earle of Linsey's daughter." The text of the composition itself is much more antiquated as to orthography than Mr. Bell's. The subscription is-"You Laps most humble seruant. E. W."

But the most remarkable feature about the

present MS. is, that it contains an inedited Dedication to Queen Henrietta Maria at the commencement, before the Poems; and at the conclusion of the said Dedication, there is the ensuing memorandum :

"Thus I intended long since to haue presented to hir Matie those things which I had writtin of the King. But besids that I held thame not worthie of hir, the Tymes alsoe hath made this epistle vnseasonable."

The volume, which is a thin folio in the original calf binding, excellently preserved, contains fortynine pieces, exclusively of the two dedications, and of the translation of "Hero and Leander " alluded to elsewhere.

W. CAREW HAZLITT.

MUSEUS'S "HERO AND LEANDER." - It does not appear to be known that the version of "Hero and Leander" (from the Greek of Musæus, the grammarian), which has come down to us from

the of Marlowe and Chapman, is only one of
pens
two which happen to have been preserved. In a
MS., containing an early copy of Edmund Wal-
ler's Poems, supposed to be in his own hand-
writing, with important variations, &c., from the
printed editions, I find (but in a different hand)
"A Translation out of the Greeke of Museus by
way of Paraphrase, by Mr. J. Jones." This gen-
tleman was perhaps the same John Jones, of
Hereford, a schoolmaster, who rendered into Eng-
lish Ovid's Invective against Ibis, 1658, 1667. Mr.
Dyce, in his edition of Marlowe, 1850, was not
aware, it may seem, that that writer and Chap-
man had a follower. It was one, I fear, of whom
they had no great cause to be jealous. I give,
however, the opening: -

"Divine Calliope, doe mee that right,
As but to giue the Taper light;
Let that immortall fire never fade

Which was Leanders sun and shade;
Show how the water did obay
The louely youth, and did convey

Him to his hidden Loues that ne'er saw day.
Tell Sistus, and Abidus tell,

Where the faire Hero once did dwell,

And where

Leander and the torch I still doe heare."

W. CAREW HAZLITT.

LINES FROM THE PRESTWOLD REGISTER. SIR THOMAS E. WINNINGTON's extract from the Droitwich parish register on p. 322, reminded me of some curious entries in the registers of Prestwold, Leicestershire, e. g. :

"Matrimonee: a matter of money now-a-days." "Deliberandum est diu quod statuendum est semel." "Nescio quid sit amor, nec amo, nec amor, nec amavi, Sed scio quisquis amat tangitur igne gravi." "Nascitur indignè per quem non nascitur alter; Indignè et vivit, per quem non vivit et alter." "Quod sibi quisque serit præsentis tempore vitæ, Hoc sibi messis erit, cum dicitur, Ite-Venite." S. S. S.

"Thes worldly ioies, that faier in sight apeares Arr lvring baits, whereto oure minds we cast; Thrise blessed they that have repenting yeares To hate their sinns, and leve their follies past; My inward mane, to hevenly things wold trade me But aye this flesh, doth still and still disswade me. "R. N." "In triflieng tales, by poets told, Whoe spends their time, and beats their braine, And leves good bookes yt vertews hold, Doth spare the strawe, and spoile the graine. Sotch folke build vpp their howses in the sand And leves godds trewth, by wh. we owght to stand. "R. N." F. J. FURNIVALL.

DRYDEN'S "SIR MARTIN MAR-ALL” (Act V. Sc. 1.):

"Warner. There's nothing more distant than Wit and Folly; yet, like East and West, they may meet in a point, and produce actions that are but a hair's breadth from one another."

How much was the author of the "sublime to the ridiculous," if a modern, indebted to Sir Martin's serving man? J. A. G.

Queries.

HERALDIC QUERIES.

The monumental chantry of Sir John Speke (died A.D. 1518), near the eastern end of the north choir-aisle of Exeter Cathedral, is richly adorned with shields of arms and other heraldic insignia executed in relief. In their artistic character and treatment, these interesting examples are remarkable for their close resemblance to the armorial accessories and adornments of the chantry of Abbot Thomas Ramryge at St. Alban's. One of the shields in the Speke chantry bears, boldly carved: Three bars, between ten church-bells, four, three, two, and one. This shield is in excellent preservation, but it does not exhibit any traces of colour. Will any reader of "N. & Q." kindly inform me what are the tinctures of this shield, together with the name of the family or the individual whose arms it displays?

The arms of Sir John Speke himself (an ancestor I believe of the Nile explorer) appear re

"DVRVM PATI.

"From Joue aboue a spendyng breath Ys lent to vs to leade oure lyfe,

To lyue, to dye whan hatefull death

:

Shall rydd vs hense, and stynt oure stryfe.

My ynward mane to heauenly thyngs wold trade me,
And styll thys fleash doth euermore dyssuade me.
"R. NORTH."

"Retaine, refuse, no frend, no foe
Condeme, alowe, no chance, no choice
Your fame, your life, shall end, shall growe
No badd, no good, shall pine, reioice
So helpe so hate, mistrust your frend

As blisfull daies your life may end.-R. N."

bars azure, over all an eagle displayed with two heads gules. The bars in this shield are represented couped at their extremities, like the St. Alban's saltire of Abbot Ramryge. The shield of Sir John Speke is supported by two porcupines. A porcupine also appears at the feet of the good knight's effigy, and he bears the same animal passant as his crest.

In Burke's Armory, the arms of Speke, or Le Espek, of Devon and Somerset, are given as: "Barry of eight az. and arg., over all an eagle displayed with two heads gules." And for Speke of Cornwall: "Arg., three bars az., over all an eagle with two heads gules, armed or."