"The Jacob's Staff, to measure heights and lands, Shall far excel a thousand nimble hands, To part the Earth in Zones, and Climates even, And in twice twenty-and-four Figures-Heaven." Part IV., Day 2, Week 2, folio edit. (1621), p. 291. "The Jacob's Staff" is here used to denote the Astrolabe, both celestial and terrestrial. A p. 299 of the same poem, Du Bartas mentions the Astrolabe, and speaks of it as a purely celestial instrument. In the characters of Sir Thos. Overbury, the Jacob's Staff is connected with the heavens alone. Of the "almanack maker," it is said: "His life is upright, for he is always looking upward; yet he dares believe nothing above' primum mobile, for 'tis out of the reach of his Jacob's Staff." The word seems to be still in use in Ireland; for, in the "Advartaaisement" for a hedge-schoolmaster, given in Carleton's sketch of The Hedge School, among the qualifications required, we find 'Surveying, and the use of the Jacob-staff." EIRIONNACH. [For applying this term to the instrument used in taking altitudes, various reasons have been assigned. The Catholic explanation is, that the divisions marked upon the instrument resembled the steps of Jacob's ladder (Gen. xxviii. 12): “On l'appelait, dit-on, baton de Jacob, parceque les divisions marquées sur le montant resemblaient aux degrés de l'échelle mystérieuse de Jacob."-Encyc. Cathol., under "Baton."] AGRICOLA'S VICTORY. - Can any of your correspondents inform me on what authority the inhabitants of Aberdeen state that the victory of Agricola over Galgacus (A. D. 85) took place on the hills in the immediate neighbourhood of that town? Tacitus (Agric. 29) merely says, "(Agricola)... ad montem Grampium pervenit," which would seem more likely to have occurred farther south. U. C. [We are at a loss to conceive what authority the Aberdonians have for concluding that Agricola vanquished Galgacus in the immediate vicinity of their town. Ancient as the latter is, the earliest notice of it occurs in the geographical work of Claudius Ptolomeus (ii. 3, § 19), where it is distinguished by the name of Devana (Anoúava), the chief city of the Texali or Taezali, and Ptolomy flourished a century, at least, later than the Roman conqueror. The exact locality of the conflict (" ad montem Grampium") between the Caledonians and the Romans has been a vexed question from the days of Richard of Cirencester to our own, and likely to be so to the end of time. This is owing to the error which Tacitus commits in the map which he made of the country, wherein a range of Grampians "montes Grampii" appears in a part of Scotland where there are no hills of any kind, at least in the present day. Some maintain, therefore, that the battle in question was fought at Stonehaven, in Kincardineshire, fifteen miles south by west of Aberdeen; others in the Lomond hills in Fife; and others again, in the Grampian range at the head of Forfarshire. In fine, every antiquary follows his own whim in the matter; all controversy, therefore, is profitless.] SANDTOFT REGISTER. In 1634, or the following year, a chapel was built at Sandtoft, in the parish of Belton, in the Isle of Axholme, for the use of the Flemish and Dutch settlers, who were then engaged in draining the level of Hatfield Chase, and cultivating the reclaimed lands. At this place the various ordinances of religion were performed in the French and Dutch languages. The register of the chapel was carefully kept from 1641 to 1681. It was examined by the late Mr. Hunter when he was engaged collecting the materials for his History of South Yorkshire. Where is it now? I am anxious to consult it for an antiquarian purEDWARD PEACOCK. pose. Bottesford Manor, Brigg. [The Sandtoft register was a portion of the manuscript collections of George Stovin, Esq., of Crowle. When shire, Stovin's collections were in the possession of his Joseph Hunter, in 1828, wrote his History of South Yorkgrandson, the Rev. Dr. Stovin, Rector of Rossington. In 1839, when the Rev. W. B. Stonehouse published his History and Topography of the Isle of Axholme, these documents belonged to Cornelius Hartshorn Stovin, Esq., of Hirst Priory. Mr. Stonehouse, in his useful work, has not only given a biographical account of the Stovin family, but also at pp. 355-357, a list of the names of the French and Walloon Protestants settled at Sandtoft in the seventeenth century.] COCKPIT. In Mr. Wilberforce's Life, vol. i. p. 190, he states that, on Dec. 3, 1788, he "reached London, and attended cock-pit at night." A young friend having inquired of me what this meant, the most I could do was to assure her that it could not be to see a cock-fight. Would you kindly C. W. B. enlighten us? [The Cockpit was at Whitehall. After the fire here in 1697, it was converted into the Privy Council Office, and Earl of Oxford. The Treasury Minutes, circ. 1780, are here, in the Council Chamber, Guiscard stabbed Harley, headed "Cockpit."-Cunningham's London.] Replies. WONDERFUL ANIMAL. (3rd S. iii. 387.) The animal, as inferred by Dr. O'Donovan, must certainly have been a camel or dromedary, but that, in my opinion, is the least wonderful part of the matter. The great wonder is, from what place was this "Wonderful Animal sent to Ireland by Henry VI., A.D. 1472"? Henry, as is well known, having died in the previous year, to say nothing of his deposition some ten years earlier. Without pursuing that inquiry, however, it be concluded that the king of Engmay land who sent an animal to Ireland in 1472 could be no other than Edward IV. As a not uninteresting point in English history, I should not pass without mention the fact that Henry VI. had a short period of restoration to the throne immediately preceding his death. The first instrument issued in his name, after his restoration, is dated the 9th of October, 1470, and thus attested: "Teste meipso apud Westmonasterium, nono die Octobris, anno ab inchoatione regni nostri quadragesimo nono, et readeptionis nostræ regia potestatis anno primo." Indeed all documents issued by Henry, at this period, are attested in the same words, his restored reign not lasting a year; for the battle of Barnet, fought in April, 1471, hurled him from the throne, and he was put to death about a month afterwards. His last instrument extant is dated the 27th March, 1471.* -- The querist asks, in reference to the wonderful animal being in Ireland, " to whom was she sent, and why? questions most difficult to answer, though a very probable explanation of the strange beast's presence in Ireland may easily be given. In the olden time, kings possessed a kind of prescriptive right of being the sole possessors of wild beasts and other wonderful animals, which were frequently presented by one crowned head to another. But such appendages of royalty being less useful than ornamental, more expensive than profitable, monarchs used to let them out to speculators for certain sums of money, the hirers profitably reimbursing themselves by exhibiting the animals in various parts of the country. These speculators received also from the king letters of license, authorising them to wear the royal livery; to beat a drum; to exhibit the animals in fairs, markets, and borough-towns, free of local taxes; to impress horses, wains, ships for their conveyance; to claim and obtain aid and protection, in their lawful pursuits, from all magistrates, constables, borough-reeves, &c. &c. The custom of hiring out royal animals to exhibitors continued down to our own times, and without doubt was the origin of showmen placing the royal arms over their booths and bill-heads, and wearing the cast-off uniforms of beef-eaters. It is most probable, then, or, indeed, it may be considered certain, that the wonderful animal belonged to the king, and was brought to Ireland for the purpose of exhibition; and that the word "sent" slight misconception of the annalists, caused by the exhibitor holding the king's license, usually given to such persons. WILLIAM PINKERTON. was a "The Beautiful Vanella," to whom Johnson's lines refer, and whose conduct was the theme of the playwrights of the time, as well as of poets and historians, was the daughter of Gilbert, Lord Barnard, and sister to the first Earl of Darlington. She was maid of honour to Queen Caroline, whose consideration procured for her apartments in St. James' Palace for her confinement, where was born her son, who on June 17, 1732, was christened by the name of Fitz-Frederick of Cornwall. Lord Baltimore, one of the Lords of the Bedchamber of Frederick Prince of Wales, was sent to Vanella to say how necessary it was, the treaty for his marriage being then nearly concluded, for the prince to take his leave of her; and as the most proper manner of parting, that she should go immediately for two or three years to Holland and France; this she refused, but shortly afterwards, by the advice of her brother, she took herself to Bath, where she finished her unhappy life,† not without suspicion of having poisoned herself. Her son predeceased her a few days, and Lord Hervey relates that the "Queen and Princess Caroline told him they thought the prince more afflicted for the loss of this child than they had ever seen him on any occasion." The following lines have reference to Vanella: "Ev'n man, the merciless insulter man, Man, who rejoices in the sex's weakness, Her life was like the morning rose, Anne Vane, who was disappointed in her object of marrying Lord Lincoln, was the daughter of Henry, first Earl of Darlington. Born in May, 1726, she was in her nineteenth year when she wrote the touching verses (quoted by W. D.), dated on the day of Lord L.'s marriage with her cousin, Catherine, eldest daughter of the Right Hon. Henry Pelham, Chancellor of the Exchequer. By this marriage, Lord L. ultimately acquired the large possessions of the Holles family, and the ducal coronet held by his descendants. Anne Vane married, in March 1746, the Hon. Charles Hope Weir of Craigie Hall, son of Lord Hopetown. HENRY M. Vane. MISS VANE: "DISAPPOINTED LOVE." W. D. would appear to have fallen into an error, owing to a confusion of names. Anne Vane, * See Fœdera, vol. xi. GUERIN DE MONTAIGU. (3rd S. iv. 36.) I think it will be difficult to show that Moréri is correct in saying, that the Earls of Salisbury * Gent. Mag. vol. ii. 1732. + Ibid, vol. vi. 1736. Ibid. vol. vi. 1786, pp. 112, 168. were of the line (trunk, or souche,) of Guérin de Montaigu of Auvergne. but in none do I know of a descent from the Guérins, or rather the Guerinis of Auvergne. Moréri does not say that Drogo himself was descended from a Guerini: at all events Drogo, the Norman, is the origin of the Montacutes and Montagus of whom I have spoken. There had been two D'Evreux Norman Barons of Salisbury since the Conquest, when Stephen raised a third successor to be earl. This earl was succeeded by his son, whose daughter and heir (Ela), on marrying William de Longespee, na- Some of the baronies, held by heirs of Drogo, tural son of Henry II., took with her estate the | have fallen into abeyance. That of Montacute is title of Earl to her husband. The great grand- claimed by Mr. Lowndes of Whaddon; that of daughter of the latter was commonly called Coun- Monthermer, by Mr. Lowndes of Chesham. Both tess of Salisbury; and by her husband, Henry de of these gentlemen must have been looking up Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, became the mother of two pedigrees. Do they know anything of the Guesons, who died early; and also of that strong-rinis of Auvergne as the souche of the Montacutes, minded, loose-principled Alice, concerning whom descendants of Drogo, the Norman? S. S. puts a Query, at p. 27, I shall rejoice to see answered. The next Earl of Salisbury was one by creation, not descent. There was a Norman, Drogo de Montacute, who came over with the Conqueror. His grandson was the first Baron of Montacute. Five barons by tenure enjoyed this title; and these were followed by three barons by writ, lineal descendants of the Norman Drogo. The last of these barons was created Earl of Salisbury by Edward III. This was the earl who lost an eye in the Scottish wars, and who exercised the other in actively ogling the ladies. His third successor was the earl who fell at Orleans, leaving no heir but a daughter, who married Richard Nevill; and who, on her having promise of a child, enabled Richard to call himself Earl of Salisbury, in which he was confirmed by patent. Their son, the famous Earl of Warwick and Salisbury, left two daughters; of whom the elder married "Malmsey Clarence," who was styled Earl of Salisbury, and all of whose honours became forfeited. But the title of Earl of Salisbury was then conferred on the short-lived son of the Duke of Gloucester (afterward Richard III.), by Lady Anne, the other daughter of the famous Warwick. This earl (a Prince of Wales too), of course, left no heirs; but the Duke of Clarence left a son Edward, and a daughter Margaret. The luckless boy was better known by the title of Warwick than of Salisbury. His luckless sister was created Countess of Salisbury in 1513; and, widow of Sir Richard Pole, fell on the scaffold in 1541. Sixty-four years later, the title of Earl of Salisbury was conferred on the Hunchback Cecil; of whose line the seventh successor is now Marquis of Salisbury. But in Margaret Pole the Norman line of Drogo de Montacute expired-as far as the Wiltshire earldom went. The blood of the Norman has not died out in another branch. The youngest brother of John, third Earl of Salisbury, lineally descended from Drogo de Montacute, was Sir Simon Montacute, the common ancestor of the late Duke of Montagu, the late Earl of Halifax, and of the present Duke of Manchester and the Earl of Sandwich; J. DORAN. Before proceeding to answer the question proposed by your correspondent who writes from Caen, respecting a supposed connection between the family of Montacute, Earls of Salisbury, and the house of Guérin de Montaigu (for which Eugénie de Guérin vouches the authority of Moréri), it struck me that it would be well in the first instance to ascertain precisely what it is that Moréri has stated. For this purpose I have referred to his dictionary, but I have not succceded in finding the statement attributed to him. My edition is the fourth, published in 1687. Some statement of the kind may perhaps have found its way into a later edition; but if so, Moréri, who died in 1680, is not answerable for it. In order to facilitate further inquiry, perhaps your correspondent will have the kindness to verify the reference made by Eugénie de Guérin? MELETES. EXCHEQUER: OR EXCHECQUER-CHEQUE, (3rd S. iv. 43.) Since addressing to you my "Note" and "Query" under the above heading, a friend has drawn my attention to Madox's History of the Exchequer of the Kings of England, London, 1711. I find in chap. iv. p. 109 "III. It is not absolutely certain from what original the word Scaccarium" (whence Exchequer) "is deduced. Divers conjectures have been made about it. Perhaps the most likely derivation of it is from Scaccus or Scaccum, a Chess Board, or the ludus Scaccarum, the game of chess; a game of great antiquity. And the Exchequer of England was in all probability called Scaccarium, because a chequered cloth (figured with squares like a chess board) was anciently wont to be laid on the table in the place or court of that name. In truth a chequered cloth itself was sometimes called Scaccarium. From the Latin scaccarium cometh the French Eschequier, or Ex- French word was the ancienter, and the Latin one formed "I am surprised that, in the counties near London, they don't establish a company or two of Light Horse to guard the public roads, or pursue these vermin. They need not be military, but people hired for that purpose, with good pay, and entirely under the Sheriff's directions. There are abundance of officers that would be glad of such employment; and proper men, if they pay them well, might easily be found. They have what they call people travel there in great security." Then Skene, De Verbor. Signific. ad verbum the Maréchaussée in France, to protect travellers; and Scaccarium, says: - "Others think Scaccarium is so called a similitudine ludi scacchorum, that is, the Playe of the Chesse; because mony persones convienes in the checker to pleye their causes contrare others, as gif they were fechtand in ane arrayed battell, quhilk is the form and order of the said playe." And Dufresne, Gloss. ad vocem Scaci, remarks: "From what original the word Scaccus comes, it is not certain. Some have supposed it comes from the Arabick or Persick word Schach: by which name the chief actor in the game of chess is called." It will thus be seen that, centuries ago, wiser heads than mine were puzzled to determine the precise derivation of Scaccarium, or Eschequier, or Exchequer. The learned are generally agreed as to the connection between the court of the King's Treasury and the pattern of a chess-board or the sign of the chequers; but they give us no reason for it. Worthy Maister Skene is amusingly far-fetched; Sir Tho. Smith seems to incline somewhat to the statarium hypothesis; but Dufresne, I think, gets a nearer inkling of truth when he surmises that Scaccus may be of Arabic or Persian extraction. But why not from the Italian Zecca, as from the oriental Schach? GEORGE AUGUSTUS SALA. The only thing I can add to MR. SALA's interesting "half note and half query," as he calls them, on the Exchequer, is the fact that the table cover on the table of the Exchequer Court in Dublin is composed of a thick woollen substance, made in squares of black and white, resembling a chess-board. S. REDMOND. Liverpool. HORSE POLICE (3rd S. iv. 36.)—I am much indebted to M. L'EDITEUR DE MAURICE ET D'EUGÉNIE DE GUÉRIN for pointing out the "singular general," alluded to by Wolfe. His name has enabled me to learn more about Rantzau, from the pages of Biographie Universelle. Although the solution of what seemed to some of my friends to be an enigma was easy to M. L'EDITEUR, probably the Query would have remained unan I now desire to learn, through your useful columns, when the horse patrol, or county constabulary, was first established in England? with, if possible, a reference to some authority upon the subject. May I add that, having collected a great number of Wolfe's unpublished letters, I shall feel much obliged to any of your correspondents who may supply me with copies of others? I have reason to think that there are some more of Wolfe's original letters in the hands of autograph collectors, who would willingly contribute to what has long been considered a desideratum—a complete "Life of General Wolfe." 102, Great Russell Street, W.C. ROBT. WRIGHT. THEODOLITE (3rd S. iv. 51.)—I have read PROderivation of Theodolite. On that matter I can FESSOR DE MORGAN'S Note and Query about the give no certain opinion; but I have very little doubt that it is a corruption of some Arabic name for such an instrument. I have, however, in my possession a very curious instrument made in Germany in 1587, which I have always considered to be a theodolite, perhaps the earliest extant. It is formed on the principle of the astrolabe, and seems calculated to measure angles both vertical and horizontal, besides doing various other curious things. I should very much like PROFESSOR DE MORGAN to see it. The only day I shall have at my command after this appears in print will be Monday the 27th of this month; and if he could do me the favour to call on me some time before two o'clock on that day, should he be in London and disengaged, he will give me much pleasure and confer a favour on me. MAYORS' ROBES (3rd S. iii. 448.) —I am not aware that there is any rule or custom as to the colour of mayors' robes, but scarlet is certainly not confined to the mayors of cities, for it is the colour which has been used in the borough of Great Yarmouth "without time of memory." In 1541, it was ordered that the aldermen should wear at the assemblies "as well as in the Church on Sundays and Holy Days" gowns and straight hose, and that those who were or had been bailiffs (or chief magistrates) gowns of scarlet, with fur tippets, and doublets of velvet, "after the ancient and honourable custom of the town without time of memory used." In 1551, Gilbert Grice, having made "a reasonable excuse" for not wearing his scarlet gown was "pardoned" on condition that he procured a new one before the ensuing Michaelmas. In 1612, it was ordered that such aldermen as had been bailiffs should wear their "scarlet gowns with tippetts, and such as had not, without tippetts." In 1760 gowns of scarlet or crimson damask were first used, similar to the one still used by the mayor at Yarmouth on state occasions (as on presenting the Yarmouth address to the Prince and Princess of Wales), and gowns of scarlet cloth, trimmed with black velvet, continued to be worn by all aldermen who had not served the office of mayor, down to the passing of the Municipal Corporation Act. chanced upon Č. J. P. The panel had been discovered by Mr. Holmes, a diligent antiquary in his day, forming the skirting board of a barn ("To what base uses," &c.), and obtained by him for the substitution of a plank equally serviceable. EDMUND LENTHAL SWIFTE. "VIRGINI PARITURA" (3rd S. iv. 5.) - The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Chartres referred to in the communication of J. R. is said to have been carved a century before the birth of our Blessed Saviour, in a forest in the midst of the plains of La Beauce, by order of Priscus with the inscription, "Virgini Parituræ," in the King of the Chartrains, and to have been set up same place where it is still seen, which was at that time a grotto where the Druids offered their sacrifices. It is also recorded that St. Potentianus, Peter into France, made some stay at Chartres, the Apostle of Sens,' who had been sent by St. where he blessed this image, and dedicated the Orsini, Hist. de la Mère de Dieu et de son culte, grotto as a church in the year 46. (See L'Abbé t. ii. p. 379.) F. C. H. BRIDPORT, ETC. (3rd S. iv. 27.)-I am not aware that there is any work extant on the local history of this interesting old town. In a forthcoming part of Messrs. Shipp & Hodson's new edition of Hutchins, however, there will be large additions made to any previously-published notice, chiefly gathered from original documents by one of its indefatigable editors. On their behalf, them. MONUMENTAL BRASS (3rd S. iv. 8.)- Awhile after the sale mentioned by MR. PEACOCK, I its notice in a Gentleman's Magazine, describing an oaken panel which had been feel bound to say that they are sparing neither sold thereat, with the escutcheons impaled and sepa- of their herculean task; and for myself, I may time, labour, or expense in the accomplishment rate of the Swyfte and the Reresby families, upon the marriage of Lionel, a son of Sir John Reresby venture to add that all the assistance I can posof Thryberg, with Anne, a daughter of Sir Robert sibly render is cheerfully and constantly afforded Swyfte of Rotheram. Mr. Sotheby, who had Your correspondent, as nobody is so conducted the sale, informed me that the panel thoroughly aware as myself, largely overrates my in question had been purchased by a gentleman services; but I am glad to say that they are rein East Retford, to whom I wrote stating my deceiving far more valuable aid from another quarscent from the Swyfte of Rotheram (more anter; and that there seems to be every prospect ciently Swyffte), and soliciting as an especial that, when the work is completed, it will be acfavour its transfer to myself. The acquisition of knowledged to be a contribution to English County this family record was signally enhanced by the History, not altogether discreditable to our age prompt kindness wherewith it was conceded to and generation. me-sacrificed rather-by the philarchaism of its liberal possessor; to whose lot had its companion panel likewise fallen, he, I am persuaded, would have been doubly kind, and I should have been doubly fortunate. Sir Robert Swyfte was the father of Viscount Carlingford, so created by James I., whose daughters married into the Houses of Bute, (Crichton, and Dumfries) of Eglintoun, of Buckingham, and of Denbigh. His title has of late years been assumed by its nearest inheritor, Godwin of Swyfte's Heath, Kilkenny, the tenth Viscount de jure; and will soon, I trust, be regularly substantiated. C. W. BINGHAM. The only work on this subject besides "old Hutchins's Dorset," is a small pamphlet entitled-"The History and Topography of Bridport, Dorset. A Lecture by Joseph Maskell, Divinity Associate of King's College, London, and Assistant Curate of Allington and Walditch. Bridport: W. C. Frost," which is very fair so far as it goes, and scarcely needs the indulgence the writer very modestly solicits. The article relating to this place will shortly appear in the next number of the republication of Hutchins's Dorset, and will embrace some new and interesting particulars gleaned from amongst the old papers of the corporation, to which the |
