Notes and Queries, Number 14, February 2, 1850 | Page 4

Lloyd's _State Worthies_, p. 892, 893. &c.
"Aug. 9. [1634] Wm Noy Esquire the King's Attorney died at Brainford.--Mr. Ric. Smith's Obituary.
"See Wm Noy's Will (very remarkable) MS. vol. xxx. p. 309.
"16th Dec. 1631. Conc. Ornatissimo viro Gulielmo Noye, ut sit de Consilio Universitatis--et annuatim 40th recipiat, &c.--Regr. Acad Cant.
"See Howell's Letters, sect 6. pp. 30, 31.
"Rex 27. October. 1632 constituit Willielmum Noye Arm. Attornatum suum Generalem, durante beneplacito.--Rymer, tom. 19. p. 347.
"See his (W.N.) will, very pious except the last clause, which is next to impious. vol. xxxvi. MS. p. 379.
"Young Noy, the dissipanding Noy, is kill'd in France in a Duell, by a Brother of St. John Biron; so now the younger Brother is Heir and Ward to the King.--A Letter to Lord Deputy Wentworth, vol. ii. p. 2 dat. Apr. 5. 1636."
It may be as well to add, that the references to vols. xxx. and xxxvi. of MS. are to two different copies of the will in two volumes of Baker's MSS., in the University library. The word "dissipanding," in the last quotation, doubtless is an allusion {212} to "dissipanda" in the will itself. I once had occasion to take a copy of this will, and found the variations between the two copies trifling.
J.E.B. MAYOR
[We shall be obliged by our correspondent forwarding, at his convenience, the proposed copies of Baker's MS. notes.]
* * * * *
THE PURSUITS OF LITERATURE.
Many years ago, the satirical poem, entitled _The Pursuits of Literature_, engaged public attention for a very considerable time; the author concealed his name; and from 1796 at least to 1800, the world continued guessing at who could be the author. Amongst the names to which the poem was ascribed were those of Anstey, Colman, Jun., Coombe, Cumberland, Harry Dampier, Goodall, Hudderford, Knapp, MATHIAS, Mansell, Wrangham, Stephen Weston, and many others, chiefly Etonians. George Steevens, it is believed, fixed upon the real author at an early period: at least in the _St. James's Chronicle_, from Tuesday, May 1. to Thursday, May 3. 1798, we find--
"THE PURSUER OF LITERATURE PURSUED
"Hic niger est.
"With learned jargon and conceit, With tongue as prompt to lie as The veriest mountebank and cheat, Steps forth the black ----.
"At first the world was all astounded, Some said it was _Elias_; But when the riddle was expounded, 'Twas little black ----.
"This labour'd work would seem the job Of hundred-handed _Gyas_; But proves to issue from the nob Of little black ----.
"Through learned shoals of garbled Greek We trace his favourite bias, But when the malice comes to speak, We recognise ----.
"What strutting _Bantam_, weak but proud, E'er held his head so high as This pigmy idol of the crowd, The prancing pert ----.
"[Greek: Touto to biblion], he'll swear, Is [Greek: plaeron taes sophias], But men of sense and taste declare 'Tis little black ----.
"Oh! were this scribbler, for a time, Struck dumb like _Zacharias_, Who could regret the spiteful rhyme Of little black ----.
"Small was his stature who in fight O'erthrew the great Darius But small in genius as in height Is little black ----.
"Say, could'st thou gain the butt of sack And salary that Pye has, Would it not cheer thy visage black, Thou envious rogue ----.
"When next accus'd deny it not! Do think of _Ananias_! Remember how he went to pot, As thou may'st, friend ----.
"BARACHIAS."
I am, &c., your humble servant,
H.E.
* * * * *
QUERIES.
BARRYANA.
The inquiries of "DRAMATICUS," and others in your number for Nov. 10., prompt me to say that should any of your correspondents happen to possess information answering the following queries, or any of them, I shall be thankful to share it.
1. What became of the natural child of Elizabeth Barry, the actress, who died 1713; and whether the Earl of Rochester, its father, was really Wilmot (as Galt assumes) or Hyde, on whom that title was conferred at Wilmot's death? The former mentions a natural daughter in his last will; but he names it "Elizabeth Clerke," and does not allude to its mother. Mrs. Barry's will mentions no kindred whatever. But Galt describes her as daughter of Edward Barry, Esq., a barrister of Charles I.'s reign.--Who was he? Spranger Barry, the actor of fifty years later, Sir William Betham and myself have succeeded in connecting satisfactorily, and legitimately, with the noble house of Barry, Lord Santry; but I cannot as yet show that Mrs. E. Barry inherited her theatrical talent from an identical source.
2. Of what family was Mr. Barry, the Secretary to the Equivalent Company, who died about 1738? I possess immense collections on the name of Barry, but I cannot identify any London will or administration as this individual's.
3. Whether Sir Robert Walpole's Secret Government Lists of the Pretender's adherents, agents, and emissaries in London (who were supposed to be under the evil-eye of Jonathan Wild) still exist, and are