Gold Signet Ring.—I possess an ancient gold signet ring, which was dug up a few years since not far from an old entrenchment in the borough of Leominster, in the county of Hereford, the device thereon being a cock; it is of very pure metal, and weighs 155 grains. It is in fine preservation: and device is rudely cut, but I beg to inclose an impression from which you may judge. Can any of your antiquarian readers throw any light on the subject to whom this device originally belonged?

In levelling the fortified entrenchment above referred to some half century ago, various utensils of pottery, burnt bones, spear and arrow heads, tesselated tiles, fragments of sculptured stones, and other relics of antiquity, were found.

J. B. Whitborne.

Ecclesia Anglicana.—I observe, in an interesting letter published in the December Number of the Ecclesiologist, in an enumeration of Service Books belonging to the English Church before the Reformation, and now existing in the Pepysian Library, Cambridge, the following title:

"No. 1198. Servicium de omni Officio Episcopali consernenta (sic) chorum ... secundum usum Ecclesie Anglicane."

Now I am anxious to know from any of your readers, who are better informed on these subjects than I am, or who have access to old libraries, whether Ecclesia Anglicana is a usual designation of the Catholic Church in England before the Reformation.

Service Books according to the use of some particular cathedral church are of course well known, as in this same list to which I have referred we find "secundum usum insignis ecclesie Eboracensis," "ad insignis ecclesiÆ Sarisburiensis usum," &c.: but I should be glad to learn, in these days of ultramontane pretensions, whether, even prior to the Reformation, the distinct nationality of the Anglican church was commonly asserted by the use of such a title in her Service Books. I need scarcely observe how many interesting cognate questions might be asked on this subject.

G. R. M.

Tangiers.—English Army in 1684.—A merchant in 1709 deposed that he knew not how long complainant had been a soldier, or beyond the seas before May, 1697, but that he has heretofore seen and knew him at Tomger, before and at the time of the demolishing thereof, being then a soldier; and no doubt could prove that he was in England a considerable time next before May, 1697.

Could the place be other than Tangiers, destroyed in 1684?

Was complainant (a younger son of a well-connected family of gentry, but himself probably in poverty), who in deeds, and on his mon. tablet, is described as gent., likely to have been in 1684 (aged twenty-seven) a private, a non-commissioned, or commissioned officer?

If the latter, would he not have been so described?

A. C.

Smith.—Of what family was —— Smith, confessor of Katherine of Braganza, buried in York Minster? and what are the arms on his tomb? Where can information be obtained as to a Judge Smith, supposed to have been of the same family?

A. F. B.

Diss.

Termination "-itis."—What is the derivation of the termination "-itis," used principally in medical words, and these signifying inflammation, as Pleuritis, vulgo pleurisy, inflammation of the pleura, &c.?

Adsum.

Loak Hen.—In two or more parishes in Norfolk was a custom, or modus, of paying a loak hen in lieu of tythes of fowls and eggs. I shall feel obliged to any of your correspondents who can inform me what constituted a loak hen?

G. J.

Etymological Traces of the Social Position of our Ancestors.—I remember reading an account of the traces of the social position of our Saxon ancestors yet remaining in our English customs, which interested me much at the time, and which I would gladly again refer to, as, Captain Cuttle's invaluable maxim not being then extant, I neglected "making a note of it."

It described the Norman derivation of the names of all kinds of meat, as beef, mutton, veal, venison, &c.; while the corresponding animals still retained their original Saxon appellations, ox, sheep, calf, &c.: and it accounted for this by the fact, that while the animals were under the care of the Saxon thralls and herdsmen, they retained of course their Saxon names; but when served up at the tables of their Norman lords, it became necessary to name them afresh.

I think the word heronsewes (cf. Vol. iii., pp. 450. 207.; Vol. iv., p. 76.) is another example, which are called harnseys at this day in Norfolk; as it is difficult, on any other supposition, to account for an East-Anglian giving a French appellation to so common a bird as the heron.

E. S. Taylor.

Locke's Writings.—In an unpublished manuscript of Paley's Lectures on Locke's Essay, it is stated that so great was the antipathy against the writings of this eminent philosopher, at the time they were first issued, that they were "burnt at Oxford by the hands of the common hangman." Is this fact recorded in any Life of Locke; or how may it be ascertained? There is no notice of it, I believe, in either Law's Life, or in that of Lord King.

George Munford.

East Winch.

Passage in GÖthe's "Faust."—Has the following passage from the second part of Faust ever been noticed in connexion with the fact that the clock in GÖthe's chamber stopped at the moment that he himself expired? If it has not, I shall congratulate myself on having been the first to point out this very curious coincidence

W. Fraser.

Schomberg's Epitaph by Swift.—A correspondent asks whether the epitaph alluded to in the following extract from the Daily Courant of July 17, 1731, is given in any edition of Swift's Works.

"The Latin Inscription, composed by the Rev. Dr. Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's, and ordered by the Dean and Chapter to be fixed up in the Cathedral of the said Church, over the place where the body of the great Duke of Schomberg lies, has been with all possible care and elegance engraved on a beautiful table of black Kilkenny marble, about eight feet long and four or five broad; the letters are gilded, and the whole is now finished with the utmost neatness. People of all ranks are continually crowding to see it, and the Inscription is universally admired."

The Daily Gazetteer of Saturday, July 12, 1740, gives a detailed account of the rejoicings in Dublin on the Tuesday preceding, being the anniversary of the battle of the Boyne, and a particular account of the bonfire made by Dean Swift in St. Kevin's Street, near the watch-house.

E.

The Burial Service said by Heart.—Bishop Sprat (in his Discourse to his Clergy, 1695, for which see Clergyman's Instructor, 1827, p. 245.) relates that, immediately after the Restoration, a noted ringleader of schism in the former times was interred in one of the principal churches of London, and that the minister of the parish, being a wise and regular conformist, and afterwards an eminent bishop, delivered the whole Office of Burial by heart on that occasion. The friends of the deceased were greatly edified at first, but afterwards much surprised and confounded when they found that their fervent admiration had been bestowed on a portion of the Common Prayer. Southey (Common-Place Book, iii. 492.) conjectures that the minister was Bull. This cannot be, for Bull, I believe, never held a London cure. Was it Hackett? And who was the noted ringleader of schism?

J. K.

Shaw's Staffordshire MSS.—Can any of your Staffordshire correspondents furnish information as to the present depository of the Rev. Stebbing Shaw's Staffordshire MSS., and the MS. notes of Dr. Thomas Harwood used in his two editions of Erdeswick's Staffordshire? And can they refer to a pedigree of Thomas Wood, Esq., Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, 1501; who is said to have built Hall O'Wood, in Batterley, near Botley, Staffordshire.

N. C. L.

"Ne'er to these chambers," &c.—

Where do these lines come from?

Aram.

Swillington.

County History Societies.—I would suggest the idea whether County History Societies might not be formed with advantage, as there are so many counties which have never had their histories written. They are very expensive and laborious for individuals to undertake, and constantly require additions on account of the many changes which are taking place, to make them complete as works of reference for the present time: I think that by the means suggested they might be made very useful, particularly if complete statistical tables were annexed to the general and descriptive account. With comparatively little expense, the history and statistics of every county could be brought down to the latest date, making a valuable work of reference to which all could refer with confidence for the information which is constantly being sought for.

G. H.

Hugh Oldham, Bishop of Exeter.—Is any pedigree extant of the family of Hugh Oldham? Baines speaks of him (Hist. of Lanc., vol. ii. p. 579.) as "descended from an ancient family," born, "according to Wood and Godwin, at Manchester; but, according to Dodsworth, at Oldham."

What arms did he adopt?

J. B.

The English Domestic Novel.—My first intention was to ask whether Defoe was the founder of this pleasing class of literature, but have just recollected, that Mrs. Aphara Behn wrote something of the kind in the time of Charles II. My first question will be, therefore, who was the earliest writer of this description? And, secondly, is not the matter of sufficient interest to ask your readers' assistance in the formation of a list, giving full titles, authors' names, and dates extending to 1730 or 1750?

John Miland.

Dr. Young.—In the most authentic biographical accounts we leave of Dr. Young the poet, it is stated that he left in the hands of his housekeeper a collection of manuscript sermons, with an injunction that after his death they should be destroyed; it is also added, that this request was only complied with in part. Can any of your correspondents confirm the hope that these sermons may still be in existence; and if so, in what quarter information may be obtained concerning them? The housekeeper is said to have been the widow of a clergyman, and therefore was not regarded by the Doctor in the light of a servant.

J. H.

Cambridge.

Bishop Hall's Meditations.—I have an old copy before me, the title-page of which runs as follows:

"Occasionall Meditations by Jos. Exon. Set forth by R. H. The Third Edition: with the Addition of Forty-nine Meditations not heretofore published: London, printed by M. F. for Nathaniel Butter, 1633."

It is edited by Bishop Hall's son (Robert). I should be glad to learn whether this is a scarce edition.

Boeoticus.

Edgmond, Salop.

Chatterton.—Dr. Gregory, in his Life of Chatterton, p. 100. (reprinted by Southey in the first volume of his edition of Chatterton's Works, p. lxx.), says: "Chatterton, as appears by the coroner's inquest, swallowed arsenick in water, on the 24th of August, 1770, and died in consequence thereof the next day."

Mr. Barrett, the historian of Bristol, one of Chatterton's best friends and patrons, who, from his profession as a surgeon, was likely to have made, and seems to have made, inquiries as to the circumstances of his death, says, in his History of Bristol, not published before 1789, and therefore not misled by any false first report, that Chatterton's principles impelled him to become his own executioner. He took a large dose of opium, some of which was picked out from his teeth after his death, and he was found the next morning a most horrid spectacle: with limbs and features distorted as after convulsions, a frightful and ghastly corpse" (p. 647.). I do not know whether this contradiction has ever been noticed, and shall be obliged to any correspondent who can give me information. I believe that Sir Herbert Croft's Love and Madness was the authority followed by Dr. Gregory, but I have not the book.

N. B.

Passage in Job.—The wonderful and sublime book of Job, authenticated by subsequent Divine records, and about 3400 years old, is very probably the most ancient writing in the world: and though life and immortality were especially reserved as the glorious gift and revelation of our Blessed Redeemer, the eternal Author and Finisher of our salvation, yet Job was permitted to declare his deep conviction, that he should rise from the dead and see God. This memorable declaration (chap. xix. ver. 25.) can be forgotten by none of your readers; but some of them may not know that the Septuagint adds these words of life to chap. xlii. ver. 17.:"????apta? de, ??t?? p???? ??ast?ses?a? e?' ?? ? ?????? ???st?s??^[2]."—(But it is written that he shall rise again with those whom the Lord raiseth up.)

Our authorised and truly admirable translation of the Holy Scriptures omits this deeply important conclusion of Job's life, so properly noticed by the learned and excellent Parkhurst.

Pray, can you or any of your readers explain the cause of this omission? As your pages have not been silent on the grand consummation which cannot be too constantly before us, I do not apologise for this very short addition to your Notes.

Edwin Jones.

Southsea, Hants.

Turner's View of Lambeth Palace.—In a newspaper memoir of the late Mr. Turner, R.A., published shortly after his death, it was stated that the first work exhibited by him at Somerset House was a "View of Lambeth Palace," I believe in water colours. I should be glad to ascertain, through your columns, if this picture be still in existence, and in what collection.

L. E. X.

Clarke's Essay on the Usefulness of Mathematical Learning.—Can any of the readers of "N. & Q." assist me in obtaining a copy of this work? In the same author's Rationale of Circulating Numbers (Murray, London, 1778) it is stated that the demonstrations of all the theorems and problems at the end of the Rev. John Lawson's Dissertation on the Geometrical Analysis of the Ancients "will be given at the latter end of An Essay on the Usefulness of Mathematical Learning, which will soon be published." In a subsequent portion of the work, a sketch of the contents of the Essay is given, which include "a Treatise on Magic Squares, translated from the French of Frenicle, as published in Les Ouvrages de MathÉmatique par Messieurs de l'AcadÉmie Royale des Sciences, with several Additions and Remarks." And in a list of "Tracts and Translations written and published by H. Clarke, LL.D.," which occurs at the end of my copy of the first volume of Leybourn's Mathematical Repository (London, 1805), the Essay appears as No. 10, and is stated to have been published in 8vo. at six shillings. None of my friends are acquainted with the work; but if the preceding description will enable any reader to help me to a copy, I shall esteem it a great favour.

T. T. Wilkinson.

Burnley, Lancashire.

"The General Pardon."—An imperfect copy of a small tract (measuring five and a half inches by three and a half inches) has recently come into my hands, of which I much desire to obtain the wanting parts. It is entitled:

"The general Pardon, geuen longe agone, and sythe newly confyrmed, by our Almightie Father, with many large Priuileges, Grauntes, and Bulles graunted for euer, as is to be seen hereafter: Drawne out of Frenche into English. By Wyllyam Hayward. Imprinted at London, by Wyllyam How, for Wyllyam Pickeringe."

There is no date, but it is believed to have been printed in or about 1571. It is in black letter, and is an imitation of the Roman Catholic pardons. It consists of twelve leaves. In my copy the last seven of these are torn through their middle vertically.

I have not been able to meet with this tract in the catalogues of any of the great libraries which I have consulted; e.g. The British Museum, Bodleian, Cambridge University, Lambeth, and several of the college libraries at Cambridge.

I want any information concerning it, or its original in French, which the readers of "N. & Q." can give: also access to a copy from which to transcribe the parts wanting in mine.

Charles C. Babington.

St. John's Coll. Cambridge.