Charles Skrymsher (1688–1762), only son of Dr. Gerard Skrymsher (1618-1700), of High Offley, Staffs, by Catherine his wife, who was, I have given the strongest reasons for believing, sister to Michael Johnson. All the evidences I collected of the family go to prove that Skrymsher was the accepted spelling during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and Scrimshaw "in spite of Dr. Johnson-must be considered a vulgar corruption. But as the great lexicographer" knew so little of his cousin as to inquire for him twenty-two years after his death, we need not be asked to accept his spelling of that cousin's name. 66 ALEYN LYELL READE. Park Corner, Blundellsands, near Liverpool. AN EARLY LATIN-ENGLISH-BASQUE DICTIONARY (10 S. iv. 143, 255, 333; vi. 51).Dr. Abbott has continued the study of this dictionary in La Revue de Linguistique of Paris and the Hermathena of Dublin. A handsome edition of the manuscripts of J. d'Etcheberri, discovered by Don Julio de Urquijo at Zarauz, was published on 12 Nov., 1906, at the bookshop of M. P; Geuthner, 68, Rue Mazarine, Paris. N. & Q.' is, however, not the best medium for criticizing it. It is a valuable contribution to Bascology. EDWARD S. DODGSON. LAWYERS' WILLS (10 S. vii. 266).-The wills of famous lawyers which have come before the courts for construction or for some other reason include those of Chief Baron Thomson, Chief Justice Holt, Chief Justice Eyre, Chief Justice Saunders, Baron Cleasby, Serjeants Hill and Maynard, Baron Wood, Mr. Justice Vaughan, Francis Vesey, jun., Mr. Preston and Thomas Braithwaite (both conveyancers), Lord Chancellor St. Leonards and Lord Chancellor Westbury, and, very recently, that of Sir Francis Jeune, President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice. STAPLETON MARTIN. The Firs, Norton, Worcester. According to The Standard of 6 April, p. 7, col. 4, the late "Lord Davey made his will on a sheet of rough foolscap, and omitted to nominate any executors; but this omission was remedied by him in a codicil of the same date." Beaumont and Fletcher's play 'Rule a Wife This is the earliest mention of the word STURMY OR ESTURMY FAMILY (10 S. vii. 209, 312). For pedigrees of this family see Hoare's History of Wiltshire,' vol. i. pt. i. P. 117; Foster's 'Visitation of Yorkshire,' PP. 177 and 196; and Morant's History of Essex,' vol. i. p. 265. CHAS. HALL CROUCH. 5, Grove Villas, Wanstead. COURT LEET: MANOR COURT (10 S. vii. 327, 377). In the manor of Old Paris Garden, Southwark, a Customary Court (designated a Court Baron) is held twice a year for the copyhold portion of the manor, with special courts at intervals, at which surrenders and grants are duly made per virgam, the ebony rod used bearing the date 1697. It is needless to point out that the criminal jurisdiction of the Court Leet has long ceased to exist, although a court so called exists in many localities, at which officers are elected to more or less sinecure offices, and convivialities are indulged in. The Manorial Society (1, Mitre Court Buildings, Temple, E.C.) has for one of its objects the collection of information relating to surviving manorial jurisdictions. It is hoped that local antiquaries will assist the Society by reporting any such survivals in their respective localities. 66 NATHANIEL J. HONE. 3, Clarence Road, Kew Gardens. "JOMMOX": WUDGET": WOMPUS (10 S. vii. 447).-Your American correspondent will find in Halliwell's dictionary a more closely related word for "wudget "3 66 than the verb "wuddle." "Wodge" is given as an old Warwickshire word-lump, quantity of anything stuffed together. This may have taken the Romance diminutive suffix -et, as did "smock,' smicket." H. P. L. WEST'S PICTURE OF THE DEATH OF GENERAL WOLFE (10 S. v. 409, 451, 518; vi. 113, 154, 173).-Although it is rather late in the day, H. G. L. may like to have the following reference I came across a few days ago in the Northampton Public Library, in going through the file of The Northampton Mercury for 1824. It occurs in the issue of 27 March (Saturday) : "Lately at Aberdeen James Moir, aged 101. He was brother-in-law to the veteran M'Dougal, who supported General Wolfe, after he received his mortal wound on the plains of Quebec. The wife of James Moir was buried on Sunday last, aged 81; and her husband died within an hour after she had been laid in the grave.' I may add that the Northampton Public Library has a very fine series of the above journal; and at the same time I should like to thank MR. HENRY LEIGHTON for his kind reply at the last reference. CHAS. HALL CROUCH. SAMUEL WADDINGTON. 47, Connaught Street, Hyde Park, W. 6 ST. DEVEREUX: ST. DUBRICIUS (10 S. vii. 327, 418). See also 5 S. vii. 389, 432; viii. 278; 6 S. vi. 149, 293, 496; vii. 281; and Calendar of Papal Registers,' Petitions,' i. at p. 434, and Papal Letters,' iii., at p. 403. If the parish of St. Dubricius or Dibrucius, in the diocese of Hereford, mentioned in the 'Papal Registers,' is not the parish now called St. Devereux, what parish is it? JOHN B. WAINEWRIGHT. BELL INSCRIPTIONS AT SIRESA (10 S. vi. 465; vii. 55, 436).-I imagine that MR. PICKFORD will find an earlier source of the citation in Genesis xlix. 9. When I was a lad, I was shown a small collection of ancient Hebrew coins by my father, whereon the denotive sign or emblem was a lion couchant stamped on the reverse. I have no doubt all public documents in those times had such seals attached. M. L. R. BRESLAR. And also to Note I., p. 395 in my copy of Marmion,' 1855, which is beautifully illustrated by John Gilbert and Birket Foster. If reference is made to either Burke's 'Peerage' or Landed Gentry,' on the title-page will be found a small wood engraving representing the arms of Sir Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms, surmounted by a coronet of oak leaves, and round the circle VLSTER REX ARMOR TOTIVS HIBERNIÆ. Boutell gives the herald's crown as a golden circlet, from which rise sixteen oak leaves, nine of which appear in representations, and the circlet charged with the words, 'Miserere mei Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam."" JOHN PICKFORD, M.A. Newbourne Rectory, Woodbridge. ISLES FAMILY (10 S. vii. 450).-See 91S. ix. 332 for John Iles, of Hanwell, Middlesex. Pedigree of Godfrey, vol. vi. Arch. Cant., states that Thomas Godfrey married (second wife) Sara, "fil: Tho: Iles de Leedes in com. Ebor." Berry's 'Kentish Genealogies,' p. 146, says Sarah, dau. of Thomas Isles of Hammersmith. Mrs. Godfrey was the mother of Sir Edmond Berry Godfrey, murdered 1678. Arch. Cant., vol. xviii. p. 32, has Thomas Iles, 1594, notary public. May not Iles, Isles, and Eyles have the same derivation? According to 5 S. viii. 387, John Iles married Elizabeth, dau. of John Brassey, Hertford. R. J. FYNMORE. Miscellaneous. NOTES ON BOOKS, &c. The History of the Squares of London, Topographical and Historical. By C. Beresford Chancellor. (Kegan Paul & Co.) MR. CHANCELLOR has given us in this work a valuable addition to the literary and topographical history of London, and it should find a place in every reference library. Virtually all the residential squares are dealt with. One is surprised to find that, with the exception of those in the City, the great majority are of recent date-that is, not earlier than the eighteenth century. The book opens with an account of Berkeley Square, which is one of the oldest and most important, and contains Lansdowne House, which, with its grounds, occupies the whole of the south side. The house as is well known, is full of the choicest art treasures, collected by the ever-to-beremembered, third Marquis, who claimed brother. hood with all literary men and artists. We have benevolence; and when he saw an original poem in a paper, he would make inquiries as to the needs of the writer, and a cheque for a hundred pounds would be sent quietly to gladden the poet's heart. The Athenaeum in its obituary notice on the 7th of February, 1863, said that "of living men of letters it would not be easy to name a single one of eminence who has not lost in him a personal friend." It was at No. 45 that Lord Clive ended his brilliant career on the 22nd of November, 1774. At No. 10 another Indian hero, Lord Clyde, died; and next door, No. 11, was occupied by Horace Walpole. The next square noticed is one of the oldestGrosvenor Square. This dates as far back as 1695. It was here the rebel citizens, in 1641, on the approach of Charles after Edgehill, threw up a redoubt, long known as Oliver's Mount, from which the present Mount Street takes its name, Lord Chesterfield resided in the square from 1733 to 1750, and it was here that Dr. Johnson addressed to him his celebrated letter: "Seven years, my Lord, have now passed, since I waited in your outward rooms or was repulsed from your door." On the 10th of June, 1777, the Neapolitan Ambassador was attacked by footpads, who robbed him of his money and watch. Grosvenor Square was the last to be lighted by gas, and this not until 1839. ourselves known instances of his unostentatious Cavendish Square early gained the reputation it still maintains as a residence for physicians. The fashionable Matthew Baillie resided here in 1804. He attended the poet Moore; also Rogers, who, writing to his brother poet at the end of 1809, says: "Bile and Baillie have been my only companions." The square is no longer an artistic centre, but at one time its residents included John Wootton, Martin Shee, Francis Cotes, and the great painter Romney, whose house is the subject of interesting communications in our present issue. Hanover Square at the time it was built was quite suburban, and Pennant remembered the neighbouring Oxford Road as being eastward from this spot, as far as High Street, St. Giles's, only a few isolated houses on its northern side. Among its past inhabitants was, at No. 23, Lord Palmerston, the father of the famous Prime Minister. The same house also had another illustrious occupant, the Duchess of Brunswick. No. 17 (formerly 15) had, it is said, a well-known occupier in the person of Mrs. Jordan. St. James's Square, with its five acres, contains fewer houses than any other square of a similar size; it dates from the time of Charles II. In Panton Square, in 1762, while the Ambassador from Morocco was residing there, "one of his attendants happened to displease him; he had him off." The Portman property contains no fewer than brought up to the garret, and there sliced his head five squares, the largest being Portman Square, the most important house in which is Montagu House, built by the celebrated Mrs. Montagu, now the residence of Viscount Portman. At No. 15 resides. the Duchess of Fife, to whom Mr. Chancellor dedicates his book, as the only member of the royal family residing in one of the squares of London. As regards Leicester Square, with the possible exception of Reynolds's old house, there is not a single building but has been rebuilt. Old Leicester House occupied the centre of the present square, and its gardens extended to Gerrard Street, where home of the publishers of this book. There is an Dryden lived, and the street has now become the illustration showing Wyld's great globe, which was built up in the centre of the square, and opened in 1851. The sphere was 65 ft. in diameter, the scale being ten miles to an inch horizontal, and one mile to an inch vertical. The earth's surface was figured on the inside instead of the outside of a sphere. Prof. Hunt, in describing this vast model in The Athenaeum of the 8th of March, 1851, said: "The observer is at once struck with the distribution of land and water. He sees miles; while the old and new continents and all the great oceans occupying nearly 150,000,000 square the islands are estimated at but 60,000,000 square miles." There was in the building a mineral collection, to which was added the great gold nugget from Ballarat. This was melted and sold by Messrs. Haggard & Pixley, bullion brokers, for 5,532. Its weight before melting was 1,615 ounces, and it yielded 1,319 ounces of fine gold. Reference is made to a striking incident in connexion with the square. Londoners woke on the 17th of October, 1866, to find that the statue of King George had had the horse painted white with black spots, a fool's cap being placed on the King's head, and a broomstick against his shoulder. Mr. Chancellor naturally attributes this act to some idle persons, with more time on their hands than wit in their heads." As it happens, the chief mover who accomplished this was a well-known man of considerable wit and brains who was largely associated with the square, his object being to call public attention to its disgraceful condition. 66 а We can follow Mr. Chancellor's pleasant perambulations to three more squares only: Vincent Square, now the home of the Royal Horticultural Society; Lorrimore Square, which possesses church where the first Harvest Festival was held; and St. George's Square, where No. 40 should have been mentioned as the residence of our founder, and the house in which he died. We heartily congratulate Mr. Chancellor on having produced this most useful work, its illustrations adding greatly to its charm. We like the book all the more for the modesty with which the author puts the result of much labour forth, as well as for the generous acknowledgment he renders to all who have helped him. BOOKSELLERS' CATALOGUES.-JULY. tains English and foreign theology, also general literature. The former comprises the great London Polyglott, a clean specimen, probably a subscrip- tion copy, 18/. 188.; Darling's Cyclopædia Biblio- graphica, 158. (gives a full list of the contents of the works of the Fathers and ecclesiastical writers of all periods); Digby's Mores Catholici,' 17. 15s., and a large-paper copy, 37. 18s.; Drexelius's 'Opera Varia,' 29 vols., 12mo, 17. 10s.; the facsimile of the author's MS. (1822) of The Christian Year,' 1. 4s. (suppressed immediately upon its publica- tion); "Library of the Fathers," Oxford, 1838-81, 48 vols., 81. 88.; and Palmer's Russian Church,' 6 vols., 21. 28. Under Teresa is "The Flaming Heart; or, the Life of the Glorious St. Teresa,' one Mr. Blackwell, of Oxford, has in his June list vol. vi., 178. Shakespeare, Payne Collier's edition, 17. 128.; Collier's Dramatic Poetry,' 3 vols., 17. 18.; Daniel's Works, 5 vols., 3. 3s.; Spenser Society, All Cruikshank collectors should procure Mr. Francis Edwards's Catalogue of Cruikshank Books, Drawings, Prints, nearly all from Dr. Truman's famous collection, as it forms a most interesting record. We need only note a complete set of the 13 vols. of Annals of Sporting, 607.; Life in Paris,' 211.; Bentley's Miscellany, all the plates, 207.; John Gilpin,' 17. 18.; Pierce Egan, 267.; Oliver Twist,' 67.; Grimm's Stories,' 25.; Life of Napoleon,' 201.; Annals of Gallantry,' 281.; The Scourge, 221.; and My Sketch Book, 147. The original draw- ings include two for Whom to Marry,' viz., "The Declaration' and 'The Wedding,' 10. each; the plate in Bentley's Miscellany, Sir Archibald,' 107.; Drawings on Wood, a collection, 427.; and the Mr. William Glaisher's List 353 is full of re- 'Autobiography,' 2 vols., 68.; the Astolat Milton, 128.; James Orrock, Painter, Connoisseur, and Collector,' 21. 178. 6d.; Styan's Sepulchral Cross- Slabs,' 1s. 6d.; Taunton's Jesuits in England,' 48.; Vivian's The Servian Tragedy, 24 plates, 2s. Willcocks's From Kabul to Kumassi,' 58.; and Mr. George Gregory's Bath Book Catalogue 177 contains Britton's Cathedral Antiquities,' 7.; Mr. James Gunn's Catalogue 88 comprises all : Mr. William Hitchman sends from Bristol his. Catalogue 48, which contains a set of The Con- noisseur, 17 vols., 4. 48.; a fine set of Prescott, 12 vols., half calf, 4. 108.; Burton's 'Arabian Nights,' 57. 58. ; Chaffers's Hall-Marks,' 16s. 6d. ;; Lynam's Church Bells,' 17. 5s.; Joseph Knight's Life of Garrick,' 38. 6d. ; Foster's Men at the Bar,' 12s. 6d. General Maurice's Franco-German War,' 10s. 6d.; Leigh Hunt's Autobiography," edited by Ingpen, 10s. 6d.; Jesse's 'Beau Brummell," 40 portraits in colour, 17. 158.; Morris's British Birds,' 4. 10s.; Pope's Works, Elwin and Cour- thope's edition, 10 vols., fine unopened copy, 21. 28.; Way's Reliques of Old London,' 15s.; Warwick Castle,' by the Countess of Warwick, 139. 6d. Wordsworth, Prof. Knight's edition, 8 vols., un- opened copy, 188.; and Henderson's 'Mary, Queen of Scots,' 96 illustrations on art paper, 10s. 6d. Messrs. George T. Juckes & Co., of Birmingham, have in their List 180 Alken's Life in London," Messrs. J. & J. Leighton send us Part XII. of item is the editio princeps of Boccaccio's wonderful 1 1607. This has the curious cut of the accouche- ment of Pope Joan. Dibdin describes the book as containing some of the most curious and divert- ing woodcuts in the earlier annals of the arts of printing and engraving." There are also copies of the Decameron.' Among items under Boni- facius VIII. is a manuscript on vellum, 'Liber Sextus Decretalium cum Apparatu Domini Johan- nis (Andrea) Monachi.' This has four small minia- tures and nearly 1,200 illuminated initials. The miniature on the front page is important as repre- senting Boniface wearing the Papal crown with only one coronet: the colour is red. The Rev. J. Woodward says ('Eccles. Heraldry,' p. 151): "There is much uncertainty as to the time when the coronets were added to the infula, the simple mitre of the Bishops of Rome. The usual account is that the first was sent to Rome by Clovis, King of the Franks; the second added by Pope Boni- face VIII.......and the third either by Bene- dict XIII. or Urban V. I recently remarked that on the tomb of Pope Boniface in the basilica of S. John Lateran the tiara has but one coronet. This is, so far as I am aware, the first appearance of it in connexion with the Papal arms.' We would gladly linger over this most interesting catalogue, and if space allowed, we should describe many more; but readers must get the catalogue for them- selves. We will mention further only The Pil- grim's Progress,' 12mo, blue morocco, 1685, 277.; the extremely rare Esop, 1485, 155.; the first Aldine edition of Horace, 1544-5, 307.; Malory's King Arthur,' the extremely rare edition of Thomas East, n.d. (c. 1570), 967. (only two or three Mr. S. M. Mason, of Carlisle, has in his Cata- logue 6 Alison's History of Europe,' 20 vols., 21. 5s.; Boulton's 'Amusements of Old London,' 168.; the first edition of Pride and Prejudice,' 3 vols., 1813, 21. 12s. 6d.; Bewick's 'Birds' and Esop, 3 vols., 1820-26, 27. 78. 6d.; Froude's 'Carlyle,' 4 vols., 21. 28.; Court Memoirs,' English Grolier Society, 20 vols., 8l. 5s.; first edition of Defoe's 'True-Born Englishman,' 1700, 127. 10s.; Surtees's Durham,' 4 vols., folio, 1816-40, 197. 58.; Green's Short His- tory,' 4 vols., edited by Mrs. Green and Kate Nor- gate, 17. 178. 6d.; Grote's Works, 13 vols., full calf. a choice set, 14. 148.; Horsley's 'Britannia Romana,' folio, 1732, 77. 10s.; Kenny Meadows's 'Heads of the People,' first edition, 27. 58.; The Newgate Calendar, 4 vols., 1824-6, 3. 58.; Macculloch's 'Highlands of Scotland,' 1824, 31. 78. 6d.; Waverley Novels, Centenary Edition, 25 vols., 1871, 5l. 10s.; Neale's Westminster Abbey,' 2 vols., royal 4to, 11. 58.; Fielding, Constable's Library Edition, 12 vols., 21. 158.; and Thackeray, plates by Doyle and Du Maurier, 24 vols., 127. 108. Mr. E. Menken's Circular 178 contains James I.'s version of the Book of Common Prayer, 21. 58. (evidently issued immediately after James's death, inserted); the first French edition of 'Evelina,' Paris, 1779, 21. 28.; and Hilton's three volumes on chronograms, 2. 108. (the number of works noticed amounts to 14,000). A complete set of the Portfolio monographs is 137. 138.; and Jesse's English His- torical Memoirs,' 30 vols., 1900, 127. 128. There are a number of histories of guilds; also collections of List 44, which contains a genuine first edition of Mr. G. A. Poynder sends from Reading his Bacon's Advancement of Learning,' 1605, 207.; first edition of Burney's Wanderer,' 1814, 47. 12s. 6d. ; Cuvier's Animal Kingdom,' 16 vols., royal 8vo., 1827-35, 71. 78.; Dawkins's Cave-Hunting,' 1874, 2. 10s.; a fine copy of Humphreys's edition of Froissart, 1844, 5. 178. 6d.; Lodge's 'Portraits,' 37. 158.; and Microscopical Society's Quarterly items under America, Botany, India, &c. Mr. Thomas Thorp sends also from Reading his Catalogue 174. It contains Boydell's Thames,' with its 76 beautiful coloured plates, 2 vols., large folio, 12. 12s.; also Boydell's Shakespeare,' large-type edition, 9 vols., folio, 81. 8s. Other items include 2. 68. 6d. ; and Rabelais, Bohn's suppressed edition, 1849, 15s. There are interesting Civil War tracts. A mezzotint portrait of Charles Dundas, M.P., engraved by William Say, 1823, is 27. 28. Say was the first to use steel as a substitute for copper in the mezzotint process. Mr. Thorp has made a collection of books relating to the South African ON all communications must be written the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for pub- lication, but as a guarantee of good faith." nor can we advise correspondents as to the value WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately, of old books and other objects or as to the means of F. F. K. ("Glencoe Massacre").-See MR. FYN- MORE'S note at 10 S. vii. 287 and the authorities G. M. H. P., Foochow ("Woman suckling her Aged Father").-This story is widely spread. See the interesting communications at 10 S. iv. 353, 432; v. 31, 132, 453; vi. 172. fanciful description, similar to the Royal Ante- |