Notes and Queries, Number 09, December 29, 1849 | Page 9

found imperfectly depicted on the plates I have before mentioned in Nash's _Worcestershire_, and the _Gentleman's Magazine_, and I think I recollect also a very rude copy in a volume of Hearne's _Miscellaneous Works_, which I examined in the Gottingen Library, but whether belonging to the work or a MS. addition I cannot now call to mind. The fanciful and flowery form of its letters gives great scope to the imagination in assigning them their particular position in the alphabet, and the difficulty of reading them is enhanced by the doubts of German arch?ologists whether they are initials or component parts of a sentence. Herr Joseph v. Hammer Purgstall, however, in his version RECORD DE SCI GNSI, or in full _Recordamini de sancta Gnosi_, deduces thence his principal proof of Gnostic heresy amongst the calumniated Templars, in which I am sorry to say he has been too servilely followed in England: e.g. by Mr. Godfrey Higgins, in his posthumous Anaclypsis (p. 830 note), as well as by E.G. Addison, The Temple Church (p. 57), and by Mr. R.W. Billings more especially, who tacks to his account of this building an "Essay on the symbolical Evidences of the Temple Church, where the Templars are proved Gnostic Idolators, as alleged by Edward Clarkson, Esq." Had the learnedly hypothetic Austrian seen the engravings of the Crypt at Canterbury Cathedral (_Arch?ologia_, viii. p. 74.), and Ledwick's remarks on it in conjunction with the carvings at Glendalloch (_History of Ireland_, p. 174.), or those of Grymbald's Crypt at Oxford, he might have been expected to have attributed their monstrosities to his order, with as little hesitation and as thorough a contempt of chronology, or proved connection, as he has the curious and innocent sculptures of the church at Sch?ngrabern in Bohemia (vide _Curiosit?ten_, vol. viii. p. 501.).
WILLIAM BELL, Phil. Dr.
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MINOR NOTES.
_Prince Modoc._--At p. 57., "ANGLO-CAMBRIAN" refers to the report of the Proceedings of the British Association at Swansea, in Aug. 1848, extracted from the _Athen?um_ newspaper. In the course of a discussion which took place on Prof. Elton's address, it was observed (if I recollect rightly) by the learned Dr. Latham, that a vocabulary of the so-called Welsh-Indian dialect has been formed, and that it contains no trace of any Celtic root.
J.M.T. December 10. 1849.
_St. Barnabas._--About the time of the Reformation, it was strongly debated whether the festival days of St. Paul and St. Barnabas should be admitted into the calendar; and, in the 2d Book of K. Edward, the conversion of St. Paul is put down in _black_, and St. Barnabas is _omitted altogether_! No wonder, therefore, if, in Suffolk, liberties were taken with the name of St. Barnabas, and it was transferred to doggerel rhyme, to be repeated by children.
J.I.
_Register of Cromwell's Baptism._--The communication of your correspondent C.W.G. at p. 103. of your last number, induces me to offer you the inclosed copy from the Register of All Saints' Church, Huntingdon, of the birth and baptism of Oliver Cromwell:--
"Anno Domini 1599 Oliverus filius Roberti Cromwell generosi et Elisabeth? huxoris ejus Natus vicesimo quinto die Aprilis et Baptisatus vicesimo nono ejusdem mensis."
Then follow the words "England's plague for many years," written in a different hand.
R.O.
_The Times._--A correspondent (NASO) informs us of the following fact in the history of this widely circulated and influential journal; namely, that it is stated in that the paper of the 12th of March, 1788, that it was printed "Logographically!" We wish our correspondent had furnished us with the precise words of this very curious statement. {137}
_Roland Monoux._--I have in my possession a brass monumental plate, said to have been taken from some church in Middlesex, and bearing the following lines, engraved in _black letter_:--
"Behold what droupinge Dethe maye doe, consume y'e corse to duste, What Dethe maie not shall lyue for aye, in spite of Dethe his luste; Thoughe Rouland Monoux shrowdeth here, yet Rouland Monoux lives, His helpynge hand to nedys want, a fame for ever geves; Hys worde and dede was ever one, his credyth never quaylde, His zeall' to Christ was stronge, tyll' dethe w'th latest panges asaylde. Twyse thre and one he Children had, two sones, one kepes his name, And dowghters fyve for home he carde, y't lyve in honest fame. What booteth more, as he be kynde dyd come of Jentyll race, So Rouland Monoux good Desertes this grave can not Deface."
I should be obliged to any of your readers for some account of this Rouland Monoux, and when he died. I may also add; that I should be very willing to restore the brass to its original site, did I know the spot from whence it has been sacrilegiously torn.
M.
_Wessel Cup Hymn._--The following Wassail Song is taken from a little chap-book printed at Manchester, called A Selection of