were permitted to break down with axes and hammers the carved work of Wykeham's sacred shrine. Moreover, in that invaluable book, Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy, which has handed down to us some of the most exalted acts of Christian heroism that England has ever witnessed, anyone may read how the sanctity of the tomb was violated, and the sacred edifices profaned in the most indecent manner during the Protectorate.

The most curious work, however, illustrative of the indiscreet zeal of the parliamentarians is, "The Journal of William Dowsing of Stratford, Parliamentary Visitor, appointed under a Warrant from the Earl of Manchester, for Demolishing the Superstitious Pictures and Ornaments of Churches, &c. within the County of Suffolk in the years 1643, 1644," first printed in 1786. The following is a copy of the warrant, which we have never seen in print:

"A Commission from the Earle of Manchester. "Whereas by an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, bearing date the 28th day of August last, it is amongst other things ordained, that all crucifixes, crosses, and all images of any one or more persons of the Trinity, or of the Virgin Mary, and all other images and pictures of saints and superstitious inscriptions in or upon all and every the said churches or chapels, or other place of public prayer belonging, or in any other open place, shall before November last be taken away and defaced, as by the said Ordinance more at large appeareth. And whereas many such crosses, crucifixes, and other superstitious images and pictures are still continued within the associated counties in manifest contempt of the said Ordinance, These are therefore to will and require you forthwith to make your repair to the several associated counties, and put the said Ordinance in execution in every particular, hereby requiring all mayors, sheriffs, bailiffs, constables, headboroughs, and all other his Majesty's officers and loving subjects to be aiding and assisting unto you, whereof they may not fail at their peril. Given under my hand and seal this 19th of December, 1643. MANCHESTER. "To William Dowsing, gent, and to such as he shall appoint."

Master Dowsing was a man of business, and went to his sacrilegious work in right earnest. He tells us, that on "Jan. 6, 1643, at Clare we brake down 1000 pictures superstitious; I brake down 200; 3 of God the Father, and 3 of Christ and the Holy Lamb, and 3 of the Holy Ghost like a Dove with wings; and the 12 apostles were carved in wood on the top of the roof, which we gave orders to take down; and 20 Cherubins to be taken down; and the sun and moon in the east window, by the King's arms, to be taken down." Again, “On Jan. 27, at Ufford we brake down 30 superstitious pictures; and gave direction to take down 37 more; and 40 Cherubins to be taken down of wood, and the chancel levelled. There was a picture of Christ on the cross, and God the Father above it; and left 37

*This Ordinance is printed by Scobell, Collection of Acts and Ordinances, 1658, p. 53.

superstitious pictures to be taken down; and took up 6 superstitious inscriptions in brass." At Buers on Feb. 23, he tells us that "We brake down 600 superstitious pictures, 8 Holy Ghosts, 3 of God the Father, and 3 of the Son. We took up 5 inscriptions of quorum animabus propitietur Deus, and one Pray for the soul; and superstitions in the windows, and some divers of the apostles."

So that after all the poor mechanic in Beverley Minster was not altogether wide of the mark when he exclaimed, Well, it's all the same!"-ED.]

66

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FOREIGN BALLAD LITERATURE:

"FAIR AGNES AND THE MERMAN."

The following Danish ballad is found in a collection printed as early as 1591. It is also in a five-volume work by Nyerup; also in Gruntvig's collection, 1853. The translation is by a clerical friend, who is one of the most accomplished Danish scholars of the day indeed, he may be called half a Dane, having married a Danish lady. In his accompanying letter he says:

:

"Fair Agnes and the Merman,' is certainly very ancient, carrying us back to the times when the heathen Danes ravaged our shores and bore away our Christian maids as booty-our Polls of Plymouth' consenting, at times, as would appear by the ballad.”

•

From her bower Fair Agnes looked forth on the sea, When a Merman arose, and thus spake he: (Ah, ah, ah!) When a Merman arose, and thus spake he:"Oh, maiden fair, now tell me I pray,

Wilt thou be my true-love for ever and aye?" "Thy true-love I'll be, if I now may go With thee to thy home in the deep below." He closed her lips, all red like the rose, And dived to his home where the sea-weed grows. For eight long years they dwelt 'neath the wave: Agnes seven sons to the Merman gave.

As Agnes sat by the cradle singing, She heard the church-bells of England ringing. Fair Agnes said to the Merman then,"I fain would go to the church agen." "To the church thou shalt go, my Agnes dear, If thou wilt come back to thy children here." He closed her rosy lips once more, And brought her again to England's shore. She stands by the shrine in the holy aisle, Her mother beside her spoke the while: "Now prithee, my daughter, truly say, Where has't' been hidden eight years and a day?" "Mother! I've been in the depths of the sea,

;

And seven dear sons have been born to me." "And what did the Merman give to thee, To tempt my child his leman to be?" "A gay gold ring o' the purest sheen; Such ne'er shone on the hands of a queen."

The Merman entered the church, and all The saintly images turned to the wall.

His locks were yellow, and gleamed like gold, And bright were the eyes of the Merman bold. "Oh Agnes, return to thy home in the sea;

Thy children are lone, and they weep for thee." "Weep as they list, I never will go

Again to thy home, the blue waves below." "Oh think of thy children, and think of their cries: Remember a babe in its cradle lies."

"I care not for children, nor mind their cries; Nor the babe in its cradled couch that lies(Ah, ah, ah!) Nor the babe in its cradled couch that lies." JAMES HENRY DIXON.

Lausanne.

LAMBETH LIBRARY.

Having a reference to a manuscript in this library, which I was very desirous to verify for a literary purpose, I made application at the library through a friend for permission to do so. He reported, as I had feared he must, from paragraphs in the public prints, that there was "no admission even on business." Thereupon I took the liberty to address myself directly to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. My application remains unsuccessful: but, inasmuch as his Grace has done me the honour to write me a full explanatory letter in answer, it has struck me as due to his Grace to let his explanation be known. Blame has been somewhat severely laid on the Archbishop because of his (alleged) 15,000l. a year proving insufficient to provide a librarian; but why remember his Grace's 15,000l. and forget the Commissioners' tenfold 15,000l. (also alleged)? On whomsoever the blame rests, in the interests of literature let us indulge a hope that the petty squabble will speedily be settled, and the treasures of this great library be accessible to all worthy students. I send his Grace's letter along with this note, written (self-evidently) as it is for publication. "N. & Q." seems to me the most fitting medium. A. B. GROSART. "Whitby, Oct. 16, 1867.

Liverpool.

"Rev. Sir,

"I would most gladly comply with your wishes, but I am now absent from home for some weeks, and there is no librarian at Lambeth who can attend to your request. It was my desire to place that library upon a footing which should answer all the requirements of the public. In regard to the salary of the librarian, my predecessor was never charged with it, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners undertaking to pay it; and on my accession to the see, the Commissioners finding that they had exceeded their powers in making this payment out of the surplus revenue of the see, of their own accord procured the sanction of Parliament for taking all the charges of the library upon themselves. In carrying out,

however, the provisions of this act they came to the conclusion that they could only allow 150l. a year for all the expenses incident to the library-e.g. (1) librarian's salary, (2) repairs of books, which required a considerable outlay, (3) cleaning and all other incidental expenses. The sum allotted was obviously entirely inadequate to the several requirements, and I declined to undertake the duty which it was thus sought to impose upon me. The Rev. Mr. Stubbs, now Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford, had for four years discharged the functions of librarian on the old fixed salary of 401. a year, thus rendering his valuable services almost gratuitously. His duties at Oxford rendered it impossible that he should any longer hold the office as he had done; and I should be ashamed to offer any gentleman really competent for the duties of a librarian such a sum as would have remained after the necessary outlay from the 1502 a year-a sum probably beneath the salary of the lowest menial in the British Museum. Although, therefore, the Act of Parliament imposes on the Ecclesiastical Commissioners the duty of bearing the charges of the Lambeth Library, I intend to bear all those charges myself, except the salary of a librarian, whose services would be required solely for the use of the public.

"With a thoroughly good catalogue, and a clerk at hand to fetch the books I want, I need no librarian for my own use. The amount of the stipend which used to be paid to the librarian by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners I shall now devote to the repair of the books. I think you will see by this statement that it is not my fault that Lambeth Library is at this moment not open to the public. It was my wish and intention to render it as useful as possible in this direction; and I considered that the surplus revenue from the see of Canterbury, which was very large at first, and which has been increasing, as I am led to believe enormously, from building at Croydon and Norwood, might amply have supplied a fair allowance to the library.

"As you are the first applicant whom I have been obliged to disappoint, I have thought it right to enter thus fully into the cause of that disappointment. "I am, Rev. Sir, "Yours faithfully,

"C. T. CANTUAR."

I am glad to see by the answer to my query ("N. & Q." Oct. 19, p. 311) that it has evoked, as I think, an interesting and probably important statement relative to Scottish MSS. in the Lambeth Palace Library. The gentleman at whose request I originally sought the information was a Dr. Macleod (accidentally met in the Highlands), and I am now uncertain from memory whether the same as Dr. Norman Macleod, so distinguished in our literature, or only a namesake; but whoever it may concern, I hope the voice of "N. & Q." may reach his ears, or the ears of others equally impressed with their national interest, and lead to a thorough investigation of these papers. The mere announcement in the manuscript catalogue, that inter alia they include "An Abstract of the Ancient Laws and Constitution of Scotland is enough to stamp their value, and prompt every literary antiquary, whether Scotch or English, to seek a thorough examination of the collection. My time is past. BUSHEY HEATH.

"Van Dyck follows with much perplexity the movements of his master, who extends his hand to send the winged tribe to its whereabouts. The flies take no notice of his bidding. He goes nearer the picture, touches one of the flies with his index finger, and suddenly falls into a fit of enthusiasm. His features clear up, his eyes are moistened with sweet tears, he pounces upon a chair, and gambols around the studio. After having thus danced a few minutes with the chair, he sits down upon his partner and exclaims: 'There is only one man who could have done such a master-piece! It is you, Van Dyck. My daughter is yours.' "Echoes from the Continent," Standard, Sept. 12, 1867.

The Irish echo, which to "How do you do?" replied, "Very well, thank you," hardly varied more than this from the original. It is said that, while Rubens was absent from his studio, Diepenbeck accidentally smeared the arm and chin of a newly-painted Virgin. The pupils chose Vandyk as best suited to repaint the damaged parts. Rubens detected the stranger's hand, was delighted, and confirmed the belief already entertained of Vandyk's future greatness. that Rubens offered his eldest daughter to Vandyk A story after the latter had returned, full of honours, from Italy, has been shown to be impossible. The winning a wife by painting one fly is told of several painters. How much time would be required for painting the legion of insects enumerated above, well enough to deceive Rubens, or even his servant Jeannette? Enough of this; but I wish to ask a question about rapidity of

execution:

"Vandyk alla un jour à Harlem, voir l'excellente peintre de portraits François Hals, son compatriote. Il le trouva au cabaret, où il passoit sa vie. Vandyk se fit passer pour un amateur étranger, et lui demanda son portrait, en le prévenant qu'il ne pouvoit passer que deux heures. Hals se mit à l'œuvre, et exécuta dans le temps voulu le tableau, auquel Vandyk donna les plus grands éloges. Puis il ajouta que puisque la peinture était si facile, il avoit envie d'essayer aussi. Hals posa, et s'étonna de voir un novice manier si agilement la brosse. Mais quand il put examiner l'œuvre, il s'écria que Vandyk seul pouvoit travailler ainsi, et il l'embrassa avec effusion."-Biographie Générale, art. “Van Dyck.”

Can a portrait be painted in two hours? Had the word been pinceau, instead of "brosse," I should feel little difficulty; but oil requires some time to dry, even in house-painting. How then as to portraits? Could an eye, which requires at least three colours, be finished in that time? FITZHOPKINS.

Ghent.

RICHARD DERBY NESS.

"On the 11th inst., in his 71st year, RICHard Derby NESS, eldest son of the late Rev. Richard Ness, D.D., rector of West Parley, Dorset."-The Times, Oct. 16, 1867.

The subject of the above notice was for many years a correspondent of "N. & Q.," under the signatures of P. H. in the early numbers, and W. D. in the later. He graduated as A.M. at Lincoln College, Oxford; and was a friend of Praed, whose acquaintance he made at Eton, where for a short time each was a private tutor. He was a thorough classical scholar, well versed in modern languages, and his knowledge of history was extensive and accurate; but he valued himself much less for these attainments than for his familiarity with the fugitive literature of the high order, and might have led him to eminence; time of George III. His talents were of a very but, being shy and reserved, and not obliged to the reading-room of the British Museum, seldom work, he spent the last forty years of his life in missing a day unless kept away by illness. The day before his death, he said to me: "I have a scrap for 'N. & Q.' I will dictate to you to-mormyself." When I called, he was dead. row if I am not well enough to write it for H. B. C.

U. U. Club.

THE LORD MAYOR'S BARGE.-The Times, in a leading article on the subject of the "Procession 11, 1867, had this passage: on Lord Mayor's Day," in the number of October

Mr. Timbs, in his Curiosities of London (p. 708), describes two barges as existing in 1855; one dating from 1807, the other from 1816, both of very costly construction. Is either of these at Oxford? I saw neither of them last June, but this may have been an oversight on my part. What I did see was a very fine barge, moored with the college barges at the bank of the river, and marked as having belonged to the Skinners' Company by the arms remaining upon it-Ermine, on a chief gules three crowns or. Will some London antiquary tell us what has become of the Lord Mayor's two barges?

The remedy for overcrowding the streets by a procession seems very easy. The Lord Mayor might go by water. In the excellent Pictorial Handbook of London, published by Mr. Henry G. Bohn, at p. 328 of the edition of 1854, is a description of the appearance of the barges on the river. A procession on the water, from London Bridge to Westminster and back, would meet the whole difficulty, and would give a river spectacle of great splendour.

D. P.

Stuarts Lodge, Malvern Wells.

day, 1807. 2. A Catalogue of Valuable Articles, late the Property of James Bartleman, Esq. deceased. Sold by Mr. White, by order of the administratrix, "at his [Bartleman's] late house, No. 45, Berners Street, June 27, and following day, 1821." 3. A Catalogue of the very Valuable and Celebrated Library of Music Books, &c. Sold by Mr. White at his room, Storey's Gate, Westminster, Feb. 20, and eight following days, 1822.

The first sale contained little worthy of notice, save a MS. Ode to St. Cecilia by Henry Purcell, and a couple of copies of the Orpheus Britannicus. The second had a few valuable musical instruments, and some fine musical portraits in oil. Among the former I may notice a harpsichord by Ruckers of Antwerp, 1637, in a richly painted case; and another by Couchet of Antwerp, 1670. There was also a harpsichord with two rows of keys by old Kirkman (said to have been the finest he ever made), and a small chamber-organ by the celebrated Snetzler. Among the pictures were original portraits of Purcell, Handel, Geminiani, Senesino, and others, including Howard's portrait of Corelli (well known from the engraving). A drawing by Sir G. Kneller of Purcell, when a Chapel-Royal boy, is deserving of especial notice; as also a bust of Handel in terra-cotta by Rou

biliac. The last sale contained Bartleman's matchless collection of old music books, including copies of many of the rare editions of the Elizabethan madrigals, the titles of which I have recorded in my Bibliotheca Madrigaliana.

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

BISHOP KEN'S HYMNS.-These are certainly not original compositions. They are paraphrases, and very beautiful ones, of three noble hymns in the Roman Breviary. "Awake my soul" is "Ab solis ortu"; "Glory to Thee" is "Te lucis ante terminum." The midnight hymn has a similar origin, but I forget the Latin original.

S. J.

LONGEVITY.I copy the following from The Standard of September 24. Can it be verified?

"The death is announced, in the parish of St. Martin, Colchester, of Mrs. Ann Rumsey, widow, in her 104th year. It is an interesting circumstance that she was the daughter of the celebrated navigator, Captain Cook, who was massacred by the natives of Owhyhee, in the South Sea Islands; and that she was born only a few years after the accession of George III. to the throne of England." JUXTA TURRIM.