collection) published in 1685; and containing the following tracts:--1st. "The Grounds and Occasions of the Contempt of the Clergy,... in a letter written to R.L., 9th edition." This letter is signed T.B. 2nd. "Observations upon the Answer to the Inquiry, &c., in a second Letter from T.B. to R.L." 3rd. "Hobbes' State of Nature, considered, in a Dialogue between Philautus and Timothy;" the "Epistle Dedicatory" is signed, J.E. 4th. "A Letter to his Old Dear Friend R.L. from T.B." 5th. "A Letter to B.D.," the publisher of Mr. Herbert's Country Parson, from T.B. 6th. "A Letter to the Author of the Vindication of the Clergy," from T.B. 7th. "A Letter to T.D.," the Author of Hieragonisticon, or _Corah's Doom_, from T.B. 8th. "A Letter to I.O. from T.B."
Now, it is mentioned in Dr. Hooke's Ecclesiastical Biography (vol. iv., art. Eachard), that Eachard was the author of these tracts. But the queries I would beg to propose, if any of your correspondents can answer them, are these:--1st. Why does Eachard sign himself T.B.; does that signature allude to any matter in particular? 2nd. Who are meant by the other letters, R.L., B.D., L.O., &c.; and who, if any persons in particular, by Philautus; and Timothy; and who was the author of Hieragonisticon.
Perhaps "Philau_tus_" should be rather be "Philautos," and may mean "Hobbes" himself, as a self-sufficient person, and a great admirer or lover of himself. I wish these queries may not be thought too insignificant for your periodical, which to me, and so many others, is of peculiar interest and value.
GEO. WYATT (Clerk.)
Burghwallis, 1850.
_Queen of Hearts._--Permit me to request some explanation of a passage in Miss Strickland's Life of Queen Elizabeth (vol. vii. p. 292.), where we are told that--
"Lady Southwell affirms that the two ladies in waiting discovered the Queen of Hearts, with a nail of Iron knocked through the forehead, and thus fastened to the bottom of the chair: they durst not pull it out, remembering that her like thing was used to the old Countess of Sussex, and afterwards proved a witchcraft, for which certain persons were hanged."
The author moralises upon this, but does not refer us to any authority, or tell where the affirmation of Lady Southwell is to be found, or where the account of the old countess is given; defects which I hope some of your correspondents will be good enough to supply.
F.R.A.
_Guildhalls._--There are in most villages in this neighbourhood houses which from time immemorial have been called Guildhalls. These are situate among such small populations that they are manifestly unconnected with trade. Will any of your correspondents tell me--
1st. Why are they called Guildhalls?
2nd. For what purpose were they anciently used? {321}
3rd. Are they common in other counties besides Suffolk?
Also: What is the origin of the Friday Streets so common in most villages in this neighbourhood?
A SUBSCRIBER AB INITIO.
Guildhall, Framlingham, Suffolk, Feb. 6. 1850.
_Vox Populi_--_Monody on Sir John Moore._--Can any reader give me the origin of the saying "_Vox Populi, Vox Dei_?"--and has any one of your correspondents ever heard of any doubts being raised as to the original author of the Monody upon Sir John Moore, which is now always assigned to the Rev. Dr. Wolfe? I saw it stated in an English paper, published in France some few years back, that Wolfe had taken them from a poem at the end of the Memoirs of Lally Tottendal, the French governor of Pondicherry, in 1756, and subsequently executed in 1766. In the Paper I refer to, the French poem was given; and certainly one of the two must be a translation of the other. I have not been able to get a copy of Tottendal's Memoirs, or of the Paper I refer to, or I would not trouble you with this Query; but perhaps some one can inform me which is the Merchant here, and which the Jew.
QU?SITOR.
Reg. Coll. London.
_Use of Coffins._--How long has it been the custom to inter the dead in coffins? "In a table of Dutyes" dated 11th Dec. 1664, and preserved at Shoreditch Church, it is mentioned:--
"For a buryall in the New Church Yard without a coffin, 00 00 08.
"For a buryall in ye Old Church Yard without a coffin seauen pence 00 00 07.
"For the grave marking and attendance of ye Vicar and Clarke on ye enterment of a corps uncoffined the churchwardens to pay the ordinary duteys (and no more) of this table."
H.E.
_Rococo._--Would any correspondent of "NOTES AND QUERIES" give the history of this word, or indicate where it is to be found? or, if the history is not known, state when, and by whom, it appears to have been first used?
T.
Oxford.
_Howlett the Engraver._--Can any of your readers furnish me with an account of the "Publications of Bartholomew Howlett," who was an engraver of some note, and
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