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Althoug but bras

Yet let me pass."

only highly amusing, but occasionally afford glimpses of the manners, customs, and modes of thought of the trading community during an interesting period of English history. B. N.

DANIEL O'ROURKE.

July 1, 1852.

SIR.-Your Correspondent A. in your March Notes, says that in T. C. Croker's "Fairy Legends," he states that he knew Daniel O'Rourke well, and that he was an old man when he told him the story of his flight to the moon on the 25th June, 1813, observing that "all this seems very circumstantial." Now Prince Puckler

The other, issued by “ P. J. of Charde," bears a crowned Muscaw is no less circumstantial, when in his Irish Tour, Vol. I. p. 348-9, he says

rose, with this distich:

"Receive the Crown In every towne."

The meaning is not very clear, but we may suppose a loyal sentiment is intended.

In Akerman's interesting Catalogue of London Tokens, I have noticed one of Church-yard Alley in Southwark, which bears the device of a pump; and a very remarkable pump it must have been, for it is accompanied by these lines:

"This Pump runs cleer

Wih Ale and Beer."

In the Catalogue of Yorkshire Tokens now publishing by Mr. Wardell of Leeds in the "Reliquiæ Antiquæ Eboracenses," I observe one issued by a tradesman at Gildersome, which bears this rhyming motto,

"Strike light, Weigh right."

The first line seems somewhat obscure, but I suppose it to be a technical phrase used by bakers in drawing their loaves. There is, however, no evidence on this token that the issuer was of that trade, the device being a woolpack.

In Dr. Aquila Smith's printed Catalogue of Irish Tokens, I find but one that may be considered of the rhyming class; the distich is more commercial than humourous:

"When you please, Ile change thes."

It occurs on a Wexford Token, and is repeated on another of Carrickmacross. Humourous and witty as the Irish of all classes are known to be, I certainly am disappointed in not finding more of their Tokens bearing punning or rhyming mottoes.

I have only to add that the list of this class of Tokens might be much enlarged by patient research among the numerous private collections that exist; although it is not all collectors who will permit their stores to be accessible, or subservient to any literary or useful purpose. They present a remarkable episode in the annals of Coinage, and I doubt whether any country beside our own can produce so singular a series. They are not

"October 2, 1828.-I am just returned from an excursion of sixteen miles with Colonel W to Hungry Hill, a lofty mountain at the end of Bantry Bay, remarkable for its waterfall and for Thomas O'Rourke's flight to the moon on an eagle's back which began here, and has so often been related in prose and verse. Even in Germany this amusing tale has been repeatedly translated, and has probably fallen into your hands. The hero of the story is a gamekeeper of Lord B's who is still alive, and almost introduced always drunk. On our return Colonel W. him to me at the Inn. He is now extremely proud of his celebrity, and seemed to me when I saw him to be projecting another visit to the moon."

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was that made an addition to Sterne's Sentimental | mined it, and if published by you among your "Current

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"PEARLE OF PRAYER."

Longsight, near Manchester,
1st July, 1852.

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MYSTICAL MEANING OF THE HEBREW LETTER TAW.
SIR,-By a mistake of your printer, the letter
is substituted for (Taw), in Mr. Williams's note of
enquiry respecting the mystical meaning of the latter,
which appeared among your "Current Notes" for June,
(P. 55). Should the Rev. Mr. Brown offer any expla-
will respectfully bow to that learned gentleman's
nation for your Correspondent's information, as requested,
superior erudition. I would merely refer your Corres-
pondent to Claude Paradin's Devises Heroiques, where
he will find it stated-

SIR,-I should feel obliged to any of your Correspondents, or readers of your Current Notes," if they could give me any information of the following small work which I am unable myself to trace in any Cata-I logue, and also several of the best bibliographical works. Mr. G. Willis. J. B. RONDEAU.

NARNE, (By Mr. William P. of Dysert.) PEARLE OF PRAYER, most pretious and powerful, &c. 18mo. Dedicated to Charles I. (dated from Dysart, the 25th May, 1630). And afterward to the Right Virtuous and Worshipfull Patrons of this Famous Citie of Edinburgh, David Aikenhead, most worthie Lord Provest, &c., and to the whole Counsell, &c. of Edinburgh, &c. &c. 456 pp. Concluding with a part of a page of "Faults escaped," on the recto of last leaf.

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MR. WILLIS,-Any of your American Correspondents who can supply you with a copy of some verses written by the unfortunate Major André under the above title, and published in New York on the very day that he was taken by a party of General Wayne's soldiers (26th September, 1780) would very much oblige your Correspondent. The circumstances of Major André's execution as a spy soon afterwards at Tappan or Orange Town, where General Grey two years before cut up (or rather murdered) Washington's Dragoons, whom he surprised, and all of whom he killed while asleep, may have had some influence upon the fate of Major André, but I am inclined to think that his satirical verses upon General Wayne, entitled "The Cow Chase," may have deter

"La lettre Hebraique, THAU, est un sainct et salutifere signe, et de croix, selon sainct Hierosme sur S. Marc. De tel signe, jadis Ezechiel en esprit prophetique, vid marquer par l'Ange les fideles au front, reconnus tristes en leurs cœurs des abominations commises en Hierusalem, au moyen dequoy furent sauvez, et les obstinez par sentence divine furent soudainement occis. Davantage signifie ceste THAU Consommation et pour autant est finale de l'Alphabet des Hebrieux, clouant et consommant iceluy, cōme Alef le cōmence. Chose qui n'est jamais ainsi advenuë sans grand mystere, veu que nostre Redempteur, estant mis en Croix, vint à proferer ces derniers mots, avant la mort, CoNSUMMATUM EST, manifestant par iceux, la consommation de toutes propheties et écritures, estre a venue à celle heure qu'il estoit eslevé sus le signe de ceste lettre. Laquelle quant à sa forme, estant peinte enlettre versale, represente mieux signe de Croix qu' autrement, et la peignent tant les Grecs, que les Latins, en propre forme de Croix, jusques aujourd'huy, T. Telle est doncques la vraye enseigne, ou estendart, des militans en l'Eglise Chrestienne."

Paradin's little book is one of such extreme rarity, that I have made this quotation from it for Mr. Williams. I never saw a copy of it perfect, and you may remember that the one I purchased from you wanted the title-page. It is not noticed by Watt in his valuable" Bibliotheca Britannica;" but was, I believe, published in 1610. I remain, sir, your humble servant, G. G. ROGERS ROGERS.

Mr. Willis.

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LITERARY ENQUIRY ANSWERED.

British Museum, July, 1852. SIR,-I beg to inform your Correspondent D. B. H. (in reply to his enquiry of April 25, which appeared in your Current Notes" for last month, p. 55), that John Vincart was born at Lille in Flanders, 1593, and became a Jesuit at the age of twenty. He studied at the college of his Order at Lille and Tournai, and distinguished himself by his talent for Latin Poetry. The first work he published was entitled "Virgo Cancellata in Ecclesia D. Petri Insulæ cultu et miraculis celebris, 1636" a History of our Lady of the Lattice in St. Peter's Church at Lille. A second edition appeared in 1638. Having been pressed to undertake a translation of this his first production, he published it in French in 1671, with additional particulars of several miracles of which he was an eye-witness. In 1640 appeared "Sacrarum Heroidum Epistolæ." The author in his preface professes an admiration for Ovid; and seems to have chosen him as his model, substituting Christian heroes for those of the Latin Poet. He declares that it was composed chiefly for his own amusement, and to relieve his mind from care. It is a thin 12mo. volume,

is dedicated to the General of the Order, and contains twenty-four Epistles, in Latin Elegiac verse. Each epistle is adorned with a neat allegorical vignette, engraved by Rucholle. The third and last book is devoted to Saints of the Order. His poetry is good, and there are some passages of great beauty. I have not space for a quotation, and can only give a few of the titlesMary to Jesus- Anna to Tobias-Loyola to IgnatiusKotska to Our Blessed Lady-Aloysius to a fountain, &c. The prologue to the first Epistle relates, that it was the custom of the Jews to visit the Temple three times during the year; and so Joseph with Mary and the child Jesus, who was then twelve years of age, set out to Jerusalem. After making their offering, they return homewards to Nazareth; but Jesus remains secretly behind. When Mary sees this, she thinks he must have mingled with the crowd of men who are walking apart from the women; and, bowed down with grief, turns back her footsteps to seek her son. Having sought him for three days in vain, worn out with grief and fatigue, she is represented by the Poet inditing this Epistle-an expression of her maternal love and sorrow at his loss-and breathing forth a prayer for his speedy restoration to her arms. The allegorical vignette represents her and Joseph resting near the city. On a tree sits a solitary dove, which has lost its mate, to which her grief is beautifully compared.

The work passed through several editions. The latest I have seen is dated 1737. There are two copies in the British Museum. John Vincart died at Tournay, 1679. His name does not occur in the Bibliotheca Scriptorum Soc. Jes. by Alegambe, to which your Correspondent refers. Yours truly,

A BOOKWORM.

AMERICAN IMPROVEMENT OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. The New York Herald of 16th June, contains the following" Go-a-head" advertisement:

"LITERARY-WANTED-A GENTLEMAN FULLY competent to transform a small English pamphlet, so as to be fit for publication in America. Address, box 109, Broadway Post-office."

ANTIQUE GEMS.

SIR,-In a very learned and instructive paper, by Mr. Thomas Wright, upon "Antiquarian Excavations

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and Researches in the Middle Ages," printed in the XXXth volume of the Archæologia, that gentleman appears to me to have overlooked an important illustration of his subject, in a seal which is attached to a Charter dated the 17th of Edward I., preserved in the British Museum. The centre is evidently the impression from a head of fine Roman workmanship, while the mediæval letters around it decide that the age of its setting must be about the period of the document to which it is affixed.

I read what remains of the inscription

CREDITE: SIG: EI: SIMO

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rection of Mr. Maelzel.

Your namesake, the present Professor Willis of Cambridge, published a small work on the subject in 1821, which satisfactorily established that it was not the result of mechanism, but was wholly controlled by a concealed human agent; and a copy of the Professor's volume, which was an anonymous one, has lately come into my possession, with the following manuscript note :—

"At the time when this Analysis was made, Mr. Willis and his sister were my pupils; I am therefore well informed respecting his proceeding. He visited the Automaton many times for the purpose of estimating the dimensions of the compartments within the chest behind which the figure was placed. He then caused to be made a similar chest, and copied the parts of the interior. His sister, who was full grown, entered the chest, and moved through the different compartments. In the prints Mr. W. has given the different positions of the figure by dotted outlines, and has proved the changes to be very easily made, and the spaces quite sufficient to contain any middle-sized person." Mr. Willis.

ALCHEMISTS.

PHILIDOR, JUN.

Lincoln's Inn, July 5th. SIR,-Can any of your Correspondents inform me where I can find a complete list of works on Alchemy. I have a strange fondness for those old Alchemists and Rosicrucians and hunters after the philosopher's stone,

| with their crucibles, and retorts, metals, loadstones, and potent influences-strange retired beings who shut themselves up from the world to learn those arts by which they fondly hoped to wield its destiny, who became poor in solving the problem how to obtain unbounded wealth; who in dark rooms and subterranean vaults studied to read the Arcana of Nature's hidden Book; who in the midst of their follies and delusions, straining after impossibilities, are still entitled to our reverence for that application to speculative science which in happier times has formed a Davy or a Newton for the professed discoveries and real inventions which their misdirected studies served occasionally to unfold.

Mr. Willis.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A CUSTOMER AND AN ALCHEMIST.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

MR. Foss, Surgeon, &c. Stockton-upon-Tees, June 30. G. W. has had the pleasure to forward to him the communications received from his American Correspondents respecting the Aztec City and Children, which he hopes may prove acceptable.

"THE PARADISE OF COQUETTES."-Unable to devote

any more space to this subject.

T. R. B. thanked. G. W. has not seen the Mona Herald.

The promised paper on the Mistletoe, cannot fail to be acceptable to the readers of "Willis's Current Notes." But every line is an object, in having to deal with scores of communications in eight pages.

W. H.'s note, stands over for the drawing to be engraved from.

(REFORM CLUB).-G. W. cannot answer the question in I. P. S.'s note of 15th June.

No space for extracts from the "New Bedford Mercury" (U. S.) of 20th June, or those sent by SAPHEnio. EARL ST. VINCENT'S MOTTO.-Thanked, but must stand over.

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No. XX.]

FOR THE MONTH.

"I will make a prief of it in my Note-Book."-SHAKSPERE.

NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS.

G. WILLIS gratefully acknowledges the various interesting documents and letters he has received. He is anxious that it should be perfectly understood that he is not the author of any statement, representation, or opinion, that may appear in his "Current Notes," which are merely selections from communications made to him in the course of his business, and which appear to him to merit attention. Every statement therefore is open to correction or discussion, and the writers of the several paragraphs should be considered as alone responsible for their assertions. Although many notes have hitherto appeared anonymously, or with initial letters, yet wherever a serious contradiction is involved, G. Willis trusts that his Correspondents will feel the necessity of allowing him to make use of their names when properly required.

ORIGINAL WARRANT FOR THE EXECUTION OF KING
CHARLES THE 1ST, ADDRESSED TO COL. FRANCIS
HACKER AND OTHERS.

Ir is not very generally known that the original Warrant for the High Court appointed to try the King and under which he suffered, exists and is preserved in the House of Lords. As many idle rumours and misstatements upon the subject have been in circulation the following facts, founded upon evidence, may be interesting:

On the 21st July, 1660, a message from the House of Commons was delivered in the House of Lords on sending up the Instrument for proclaiming the High Court of Justice for judging the late King's Majesty, wherein it is stated "As concerning the Warrant for the "execution it was sent to Col. Hacker who is now a "prisoner in the Tower." On the same day an order was made that the Warrant "be returned into the House "by nine of the clock next morning by the Lieutenant "of the Tower or his deputy."

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[AUGUST, 1852.

told him that he had heard it was a Major, but he "does not know his name, but he will endeavour to find "it out."

On Tuesday the 31st July the Lords' Journal has the following entry:

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This day the Lieutenant of the Tower sent in the "original Warrant for signing the murder of the late King; which he received from Colonel Hacker. The House then adjourned into a Committee, during pleasure, to proceed further in the consideration of the "Bill of Indemnity and Oblivion. "The House was resumed, "And the Lord Robertes reported the names of those "that gave sentence upon the murder of the late King, "and those that signed the Warrant for his execution, "which were read."-Lords' Journal, vol. xi. pp. 100 -113.

It is clear, therefore, that the original Warrant passed from Col. Hacker through the Lieutenant of the Tower to the House of Lords, in whose custody it has remained since the Restoration. S. E. G.

PORTLAND CASTLE.

July 21st, 1852.

This Castle was built by Henry VIIIth, after his return from the Field of the Cloth of Gold; we found it replete with local and historical associations, and ancestral reminiscences of the family of its occupant, Captain Manning, whose loyalty typifies that of the Portlanders from the period of the Great Rebellion and the halcyon days of George III. to the present time.

There is a Closet devoted to Her present Majesty, fitted with regal splendour, though the most correct taste is exhibited throughout, quite in keeping with the other decorations and appointments; and it is to be hoped our gracious Sovereign will one day honour it with her presence, that so much good feeling and taste On the 24th July a Report was made from the Lieu-may not be doomed "to waste its sweetness on the detenant of the Tower that he had "examined Col. Hacker, "who confesseth that he hath the Warrant in the order "mentioned, at his house in the country, and believes it "agrees with what is printed. His wife and family are "in town, so that he saith without sending his wife "down he knows not how further to give satisfaction." Hereupon it was ordered "that Col. Hacker do send his "wife into the country to fetch the said Warrant, and "that the Gentleman Usher attending this House do "send a man along with her for the purpose."

The House was further informed that the Lieutenant of the Tower" said he asked Col. Hacker if he knew "the person that executed His late Majesty, and he

VOL. II.

sert air,"-though this can hardly be the case since, H. R. H. Prince Albert and the highest functionaries of State have frequently visited and admired this former abode of royalty.

Captain Manning entertained us from his large store of historical information and general knowledge, and he mentioned some facts connected with the Geology of Portland Island, which particularly deserved attention.

Professor Buckland appears to have been a frequent and welcome visitor, and was first attracted to the Island by the discovery of a fossil Boar's Head, supposed to be of British origin, and now in Captain Manning's possession.

I

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