Inscription.—The following quaint inscription is to be found on a gravestone in the churchyard of Llangollen, North Wales: "Our life is but a winter's day: Some only breakfast and away; Others to dinner stay, and are full fed; The oldest man but sups, and goes to bed. Large is the debt who lingers out the day; Who goes the soonest has the least to pay." J. R. G. Dublin. Antiquarian Documents.—At a time when public records and state papers are being thrown open by the Government in so liberal a spirit, might not some plan be devised for admitting the public to the Church's antiquarian documents also, treasured in the various chapter-houses, diocesan registries, and cathedral libraries? Might not catalogues of these be printed, as well as the more historically valuable and curious of the papers themselves? And is there any sufficient reason why the earlier portions of the parochial registers throughout the country might not be published, say down to the commencement of the present century, prior to which they appear to have no other value except for literary purposes? J. Sansom. Bishop Watson's Map of Europe in 1854.—The following paragraph is an extract from a letter written by Bishop Watson to Dr. Falconer of Bath, in the year 1804: "The death of a single prince in any part of Europe, remarkable either for wisdom or folly, renders political conjectures of future contingencies so extremely uncertain, that I seldom indulge myself in forming them; yet it seems to me probable, that Europe will soon be divided among three powers, France, Austria, and Russia; and in half a century between two, France and Russia; and that America will become the greatest naval power on the globe, and be replenished by migrations of oppressed and discontented people from every part of Europe."—See Anecdotes of the Life of Richard Watson, Bishop of Llandaff, 2 vols. 8vo., London, 1818, vol. ii. p. 196.
C. Forbes. Temple. Extracts from the Registers of the Bishops of Lincoln.—In searching through the registers of the bishops of Lincoln, the following curious entries met my eye: "Smoke-farthings.—Commissio domini episcopi ad levandum le Smoke farthinges, alias dict. Lincoln farthinges a nostris Archidiaconatus nostri LeycestriÆ: subditis ad utilitatem nostrÆ matricis ecclesiÆ Cath. Linc. sponsÆ nostrÆ convertend., dicti Smoke farthinges conceduntur ad constructionem campanili ecclesiÆ prebendalis SanctÆ MargaretÆ Leycestr. 1444."
The above entry occurs at fo. 48. of the register of William Alnewick, Bishop of Lincoln. "Ao 1450. Testamentum domini ThomÆ Cumberworth, militis.—In the name of Gode and to his loveyng, Amen. I, Thomas Cumbyrworth, knyght, the xv day of Feberer, the yere of oure Lord mlcccc and L. in clere mynde and hele of body, blyssed be Gode, ordan my last wyll on this wyse folowyng. Furst, I gyff my sawle to God, my Lorde and my Redemptur, and my wrechid body to be beryd in a chiffe wtowte any kyste in the northyle of the parych kirke of Someretby be my wyfe, and I wyll my body ly still, my mowth opyn, untild xxiiij owrys, and after laid on bere w[t]towtyn any thyng yropon to coverit bot a sheit and a blak cloth, wt a white crose of cloth of golde, but I wyl my kyste be made and stande by, and at my bereall giff it to hym that fillis my grave; also I gif my blissid Lord God for my mortuary there I am bered my best hors."
This entry occurs at fo. 43. of the register of Marmaduke Lumley, Bishop of Lincoln. Z. Marston and Erasmus.—I am not aware the following similarity of idea, between a passage in Marston's Antonio and Mellida and one in Erasmus' Colloquies, has ever been pointed out: " . . . . As having clasp'd a rose Within my palm, the rose being ta'en away, My hand retains a little breath of sweet. So may man's trunk, his spirit slipp'd away, Hold still a faint perfume of his sweet guest." Antonio and Mellida, Act IV. Sc. 1. From the reprint in the Ancient British Drama. "Anima quÆ moderatur utrunque corpus animantis, improprie dicitur anima cum revera sint tenues quÆdam animÆ reliquiÆ, non aliter quam odor rosarum manet in manu, etiam rosa submota."—Erasmi Colloq., Leyden edit. 1703, vol. i. p. 694.
H. F. S. Cambridge. Puzzle for the Heralds.—Some years ago Sir John Newport, Bart., and who was married, and Sir Simon Newport, who had received the honour of knighthood, and was also married, lived in or near the city of Waterford; and I have heard that owing to the frequent mistakes arising from the two ladies being called each "Lady Newport," a case was sent to Dublin for the opinion of the Ulster King of arms. It is said he himself was puzzled; Sir Simon's lady was not "Lady Newport," for Sir John's lady had a prior and higher claim; she was not "Lady Simon," for her husband was not Lord Simon; but he ultimately decided that the lady was to be called "Lady Sir Simon," and she was never afterwards known by any other title. Y. S. M.
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