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A MEDIUM OF INTER-COMMUNICATION

FOR

LITERARY MEN, ARTISTS, ANTIQUARIES, GENEALOGISTS, ETC.

No. 63.]

CONTENTS.

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26

Of this, the most popular edition of the Scrip-
tures in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, we meet
continually with erroneous opinions of its rarity,
and also of its value, which the following brief
statement may tend in a degree to correct.

The translation was undertaken by certain re-
formers who fled to Geneva during the reign of
Queen Mary; and is attributed to W. Whitting-
ham, Anthony Gilby, Miles Coverdale, Thomas
Sampson, Christopher Goodman, Thomas Cole,
John Knox, John Bodleigh, and John Pullain;

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but Mr. Anderson, in his History of the English

Bible, says that the translators were Whittingham,

Gilby, and Sampson: and from the facts stated, he

is, no doubt, correct.

It is called the "Breeches Bible" from the

rendering of Genesis, iii. 7. :

"Then the eyes of them bothe were opened, and they
knewe that they were naked, and they sewed fig tree
leaves together, and made themselves breeches."

The first edition of the Geneva Bible was printed
at Geneva in 1562, folio, preceded by a dedication
to Queen Elizabeth, and an address "To our be-
loved in the Lord the brethren of England, Scot-
land, Ireland," &c.; dated from Geneva, 10th
April, 1561. This edition contains two remark-
able errors: Matt. v. 9. "Blessed are the place
makers." Luke xxi. "Christ condemneth the poor
widow." This is the first Bible divided into verses.

Second edit. 4to., printed at Geneva, 1569. To
this edition is added "Certeine Tables, A Calendar,
and Fairs in Fraunce and elsewhere."

The first edition printed in London is a small
folio. Imprinted by Christopher Barker, 1576.

The first edition of the Scriptures printed in
Scotland is the Geneva version, folio, began 1576,
by Thomas Bassandyne; and finished in 1579 by
Alexander Arbuthnot.

Other editions, 1577, London, sm. fol.; 1578,

sm. fol.; 4to., 1579; two editions 4to., 1580, 1581;

sm. fol., 1582; 4to., 1583; lar. fol., 1583; 4to.,

1585; 4to., 1586; 8vo., 1586; 4to., 1587; 4to.,

1588; 4to., 1589; 8vo., Cambridge, 1591, sup-

posed to be first printed at the University; fol.,

1592; 4to., 1594; 4to., 1595; fol., 1595; 4to.,

1597; sm. fol., 1597; 4to., 1598; 4to., 1599. Of this

last date, said to be “ Imprinted at London by the

deputies of Chr. Barker," but probably printed at

Dort, and other places in Holland, there were at

least seven editions; and, before 1611, there were

at least twenty other editions.

Between the years 1562 and 1611, there were

printed at least 130 editions of the Geneva Bible,
in folio, 4to., and 8vo.; each edition probably con-
sisted of 1000 copies.

Persons who know but little of the numbers
which are extant of this volume, have asked 1007.,

301., and other like sums, for a copy; whereas, as many shillings is about the value of the later editions.

The notes by the Reformers from the margin of the Geneva version, have been reprinted with what is usually called King James' version, the one now in use, in the editions printed at Amsterdam, at the beginning of the seventeenth century.

w.

POEMS DISCOVERED AMONG THE PAPERS OF SIR KENELM DIGBY.

MR. HALLIWELL (Vol. ii., p. 238.) says that he does not believe my MS. of the "Minde of the Lady Venetia Digby can be an autograph. I have reason to think that he is right from discovering another MS. written in the same hand as the above, and containing two poems without date or signature, neither of which (I believe) are Ben Jonson's. I enclose the shorter of the two, and should feel obliged if any of your correspondents could tell me the author of it, as this would throw some light upon the writer of the two MSS.

THE HOUREGLASSE.

Doe but consider this small dust running in this glasse,
By atoms moved;

Would you believe that this the body ever was
Of one that loved;

Who in his mistresse flames playing like a fly,
Burnt to cinders by her eye?
Yes! and in death as life unblest,

To have it exprest

Even ashes of lovers have no rest.

I also enclose a copy of another poem I have discovered, which appears to me very curious, and, from the date, written the very year of the visit of Prince Charles and Buckingham to the court of Spain. Has it ever been printed, and who is the author?

What sodaine change hath dark't of late
The glory of the Arcadian state?

The fleecy flocks refuse to feede,
The Lambes to play, the Ewes to breede,
The altars make(s) the offeringes burne
That Jack and Tom may safe returne.
The Springe neglectes his course to keepe,
The Ayre continual stormes do weepe,
The pretty Birdes disdaine to singe,
The Maides to smile, the woods to springe,

The Mountaines droppe, the valleys morne
Till Jack and Tom do safe returne.

What may that be that mov'd this woe?
Whose want afflicts Arcadia so?
The hope of Greece, the proppe of artes,
Was prin1y Jack, the joy of hartes.

And Tom was to his Royall Paw
His trusty swayne, his chiefest maw.

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N. B. There are several translations of portions of the Lusiad, and of the smaller poems, both in French and English.

FOLK LORE.

May Cats.-In Wilts, and also in Devon, it is believed that cats born in the month of May will catch no mice nor rats, but will, contrary to the wont of all other cats, bring in snakes and slowworms. Such cats are called "May cats," and are held in contempt. H. G. T.

Folk Lore of Wales: Shewri-while. -There is a legend connected with one of the Monmouthshire mountains (Mynydd Llanhilleth), that was, until very recently, implicitly believed by most of the residents in that neighbourhood. They stated that the mountain was haunted by a spirit in the form of a woman, and known by the name of "Shewri-while." Her principal employment appears to have been misleading those whose business or inclination led them across the mountain; and so powerful was her influence, that few, even of those who resided in the neighbourhood, could cross the mountain without losing their way. If some unlucky wanderer hesitated in which direction to go, Shewri would attract his attention by a loud whoo-whoop," and with upraised arm beckon him on. If followed, she glided on before him sometimes allowing him to approach so near, that the colour and arrangement of her dress could be distinguished; at other times, she would only

be seen at a distance, and then she frequently repeated her call of "whoo-whoop." At length, after wandering over the mountain for hours in the hope of overtaking her, she would leave her weary and bewildered pursuer at the very spot from which he had first started. Co.

Charm for the Tooth-ache. The following doggerel, to be written on a piece of parchment, and

worn round the neck next to the skin :
"When Peter sat at Jerusalems gate
His teeth did most sorely eake (ache)
Ask counsel of Christ and follow me
Of the tooth eake you shall be ever free
Not you a Lone but also all those

Who carry these few Laines safe under clothes
In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghoste."
(Copied verbatim,)

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G. TR.

Quinces. In an old family memorandum-book, I find the following curious entry:

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present of some Quinces, and to his sister, and every Son and Daughter, and Son in Law and Daughter in Law, Five Guineas each. '

The last-named gift consisted of gold five-guinea pieces of Charles II. and James II., some of which have been preserved in the family. The part of the record, however, which appears to me worthy of note, is that which concerns the quinces, which brings to one's mind the ancient Greek custom that the bridegroom and bride should eat a quince together, as a part of the wedding ceremonies. (See Potter's Grecian Antiquities.)

Can any of your readers furnish any additional information on this curious point? H. G. T.

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I have before me a reprint (Blackwell, Sheffield, 1829) of The Holy Life of Mrs. Elizabeth Walker, late Wife of A. Walker, D.D., Rector of Fyfield, in Essex, originally published by her husband in 1690. It is a beautiful record of that sweet, simple, and earnest piety which characterised many of the professors of religion in the seventeenth century. It is not, however, the general

character of the book, however excellent, but an incidental allusion in the first section of it, that suggests this communication. The good woman above named, and who was born in London in 1623, says, in her Diary:

66

My dear father was John Sadler, a very eminent citizen. He was born at Stratford-upon-Avon, where his ancestors lived. My grandfather had a good estate in and about the town. He was of a free and noble spirit, which somewhat outreached his estate; but was not given to any debauchery that I ever heard of. My father's mother was a very wise, pious, and good woman, and lived and died a good Christian. My father had no brother, but three sisters, who were all eminently wise and good women, especially his youngest

sister."

It is, I confess, very agreeable to me, amidst the interest of association created by the world-wide fame of the "Swan of Avon," to record this pleasing tribute to the character of the genius loci at so interesting a period. In a passage on a sub. sequent page, Mrs. Walker, referring to some spiritual troubles, says:

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My father's sister, my dear aunt Quiney, a gracious good woman, taking notice of my dejected spirit, she waylaid me in my coming home from the morning exercise then in our parish."

This was in London: but it is impossible to have read attentively some of the minuter memorials of Shakspeare (e. g. Hunter's, Halliwell's, &c.) without recognising in "Aunt Quiney" a collateral relationship to the immortal bard himself. I am not aware that any Shakspearian reader of the "NOTES AND QUERIES" will feel the

slightest interest in this remote branch of a genealogical tree, which seems to have borne "diverse manner of fruits;" but assuredly the better portion of those who most justly admire its exuberance of dramatic yield, will not disparage their taste should they equally relish the evangelical flavour of its "holier products," exemplified in the Life of Mrs. Elizabeth Walker. J. H.

OLD ENGLISH ACTORS AND MUSICIANS IN GERMANY.

(Vol. ii., pp. 184. 459.)

The following extracts furnish decisive evidence of the custom of our old English actors' and musicians' professional peregrinations on the continent at the beginning of the seventeenth century Thoms in the Athenæum for 1849, p. 862. a subject which has been ably treated by Mr.

the Lord Spenser and Sir William Dethick, GarIn September, 1603, King James I. despatched ter King-at-arms, to Stuttgart, for the purpose of investing the Duke of Würtemberg with the ensigns of the Garter, he having been elected into reign. A description of this important ceremony the order in the 39th year of the late Queen's was published at Tubingen in 1605, in a 4to. volume of 270 pages, by Erhardus Cellius, professor of poetry and history at that University, entitled: 66

Eques auratus Anglo-Wirtembergicus." At page 120. we are told that among the ambassador's retinue were "four excellent musicians, with ten other assistants." (Four excellentes musici, unà cum decem ministris aliis.) These performed at a grand banquet given after the Duke's investiture, and are described at p. 229. as "the royal English music, which the illustrious royal ambassador had brought with him to enhance the magnificence of the embassy and the present ceremony; and who, though few in number, were eminently well skilled in the art. For England produces many excellent musicians, commedians, and tragedians, most skilful in the histheir own abodes for a time, are in the habit of trionic art; certain companies of whom quitting visiting foreign countries at particular seasons, exhibiting and representing their art principally at the courts of princes. A few years ago, some English musicians coming over to our Germany with this view, remained for some time at the and in the histrionic art, having procured them courts of great princes; their skill both in music such favour, that they returned home beautifully rewarded, and loaded with gold and silver."

(Musica Anglicana Regiæ, quam Regius illustris Legatus secum ad Legationis et actus huius magnificen tiam adduxerat: non ita multos quidem sed excellenter in hac arte versatos. Profert enim multos et præstantes Anglia musicos, comodos, tragados, histrionica peri. tissimos, è quibus interdum aliquot consociati sedibus

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