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ANSWERS TO MINOR QUERIES

The Curse of Scotland—Why the Nine of Diamonds is so called

When I was a child (now about half a century ago) my father used to explain the origin of the nine of diamonds being called "The curse of Scotland" thus: That it was the "cross of Scotland," which, in the Scotch pronunciation, had become "curse."

St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland: he suffered on a cross, not of the usual form, but like the letter X, which has since been commonly called a St. Andrew's cross. It was supposed that the similarity of the nine of diamonds to this form occasioned its being so called. The arms of the Earl of Stair, alluded to in your publication, are exactly in the form of this cross. If this explanation should be useful, you are most welcome to it.

A.F.

Thistle of Scotland

Sir,—Your correspondent R.L. (No. 2. p. 24.), will find the fullest information on this head in Sir Harris Nicolas's work on the Orders of Knighthood of the British Empire. He does not assign to its origin an earlier date than the reign of James III, in an inventory of whose jewels, Thistles are mentioned as part of the ornaments. The motto "Nemo me impune lacessit," does not appear until James VI. adopted it on his coinage.

G.H.B.

For Scottish Thistle, see Nisbet's Heraldry, vol. ii. Order of St. Andrew. Selden, Titles of Honour, p. 704. ed. 1672, refers to "Menenius, Miræus, Favin, and such more."

SCOTUS.

Record Publications

Will any of your readers kindly favour me with a reference to any easily-accessible list of the publications of the Record Commission, as well as to some account of the more valuable Rolls still remaining unpublished, specifying where they exist, and how access is to be obtained to them?

With every wish for the success of your undertaking,

Yours, &c.

D.S.

[The late Sir H. Nicolas compiled an account of the publications of the Record Commission, which was published in his Notitia Historica, and also in an 8vo. vol, and is easily obtainable. There is also a series of articles in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1834, which contains a good deal of information upon the subject, with a classified list of the publications. The principal unpublished records are in the Tower and the Rolls' Chapel; any record may be inspected or copied at those places, or in any other Record Office, upon payment of a fee of one shilling.]

Katherine Pegge

Sir,—Katherine Pegge, one of the mistresses of Charles II., was the daughter of Thomas Pegge, of Yeldersley, near Ashborne in Derbyshire, Esq., where the family had been settled for several generations, and where Mr. William Pegge, the last of the elder branch, died without issue in 1768. Another branch of this family was of Osmaston, in the same neighbourhood, and of this was Dr. Samuel Pegge, the learned antiquary. They bore for arms:—Argent, a chevron between three piles, sable. Crest:—A demi-sun issuing from a wreath or, the rays alternately argent and sable.

It was during his exile that the King first met with the fair Katherine, and in 1657 had a son by her, whom he called Charles Fitz-Charles,—not Fitz-roy as Granger says. Fitz-Charles had a grant of the royal arms with a baton sinistre, vairé; and in 1675 his Majesty created him Earl of Plymouth, Viscount Totness, and Baron Dartmouth. He was bred to the sea, and having been educated abroad,—most probably in Spain,—was known by the name of Don Carlos. In 1678 the Earl married the Lady Bridget Osborne, third daughter of Thomas Earl of Danby, and died of a flux at the siege of Tangier in 1680, without issue.

Katherine Pegge, the Earl's mother, after her liaison with the King, married Sir Edward Greene, Bart., of Samford in Essex, and died without issue by him in –. From this marriage the King is sometimes said to have had a mistress named Greene.

There was long preserved in the family a half-length portrait of the Earl, in a robe de chamber, laced cravat, and flowing hair (with a ship in the back-ground of the picture), by Sir Peter Lely; and also two of his mother, Lady Greene: one a half length, with her infant son standing by her side, the other a three-quarters,—both by Sir Peter Lely, or by one of his pupils.

Both mother and son are said to have been eminently beautiful.

G.M.

East Winch, Nov. 30.

N., who refers our Querist for particulars of this lady to the "Memoirs of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Pegge and his Family," in Nichols' Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century, vol. vi. pp. 224, 225, adds—"As the lady had no issue by Sir Edward Greene, it perhaps does not matter what his family was.

"I see he was created a baronet 26th July, 1660, and died s. p. Dec. 1676; and that Courthope, in his Extinct Baronetage, calls his lady 'dau. of – Pegg,' not being aware of her importance as the mother of the Earl of Plymouth. This may be worth remarking."

The Rev. T. Leman

Sir,—Your correspondent A.T. will find the information he requires respecting the Reverend Thomas Leman, of Bath, in the Gentleman's Magazine for Oct. 1826, p. 373.; for Aug. 1828, p. 183.; and for Feb. 1829. He may also consult Britton's Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Character of Henry Hatcher.

G.M.

A Memoir of the Rev. Thomas Leman will be found in Nichols's Illustrations of Literature, vol. vi. p. 435, et seq., comprising an enumeration of his writings in various county histories and other works of that character, and followed by eighteen letters addressed to Mr. Nicholls, J.N. Brewer, Esq., and the Rev. Dr. Samuel Parr.

N.

Burnet Prize at Aberdeen

Sir,—I sent a query to the Athenæum, who, by a note, referred it to you.

My object is to ascertain who gained the last Theological Premium (forty years since, or nearly) at Aberdeen. You no doubt know the subject: it is the best Treatise on "the Evidence that there is a Being all powerful, wise, and good, by whom every thing exists; and particularly to obviate difficulties regarding the wisdom and goodness of the Deity; and this, in the first place from considerations independent of Written Revelation, and, in the second place, from the revelation of the Lord Jesus; and, from the whole, to point out the inferences most necessary for and useful to mankind."

I wish to know who gained the first prize, and who the second premium.

H. ANDREW

Manchester, Nov. 27, 1849.

[We are happy to be able to answer our correspondent's query at once. The first Burnet prize, on the last occasion, was gained by the Reverend William Lawrence Brown, D.D., and Principal, if we recollect rightly, of Mareschal College, Aberdeen. His prize work, entitled Essay on the Existence of a Supreme Being possessed of Infinite Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, was published at Aberdeen in 2 vols. 8vo. 1816. The second prize man was the present amiable and distinguished Archbishop of Canterbury. His work, entitled A Treatise on the Records of Creation, was published in London, in 2 vols. 8vo. 1816.]

Incumbents of Church Livings

Sir,—In answer to the Query of your correspondent L., I beg to inform him that he may find the name, if not the birth-place, of incumbents and patrons of Church Livings in the county of Norfolk, long prior to 1680, in the Institution Books at Norwich, consisting of numerous well preserved folio volumes. Blomefield and Parkin, the historians of the county, have made ample use of these inestimable books.

G.M.

History of Landed and Commercial Policy of England—History of Edward II

In reply to the two queries of your correspondent ANGLO-CAMBRIAN:—

1. The Remarks upon the History of the Landed and Commercial Policy of England was written by the Rev. Joseph Hudson, Prebendary of Carlisle, 1782, "a judicious and elegant writer, who could not be prevailed on to give his name with it to the public."—See Nichols's Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century, vol. viii. p. 160, note. Mr. N. characterises it as "a valuable work, richly deserving to be better known."

2. There are two histories of King Edward II., one in small folio, of which the title is accurately given by your correspondent, and another in 8vo., the title of which is given at the head of the reprint in the Harleian Miscellany, vol. i. p. 69. Both these editions bear the date of 1680. I had always supposed that the edition in 8vo. was a mere reprint of the folio; but on now comparing the text of the folio with that of the 8vo. as given in the Harl. Miscellany, I find the most essential differences; so much so, as hardly to be recognised as the same. Mr. Park, the last editor of the Harl. Miscellany (who could only find the folio), appears to have been puzzled by these differences, and explains them by the supposition that the diction has been much modified by Mr. Oldys (the original editor of the Miscellany), a supposition which is entirely erroneous. The "Publisher's Advertisement to the Reader," and the "Author's Preface to the Reader," signed "E.F.," and dated "Feb. 20, 1627," are both left out in the 8vo.; and it will be seen that the anonymous authorship and date of composition in the title-page are suppressed, for which we have substituted "found among the papers of, and (supposed to be) writ by, the Right Honourable Henry Viscount Faulkland."

Antony Wood, without absolutely questioning its authenticity, seems to have regarded it as a mere ephemeral production, as brought out at a time "when the press was open for all such books that could make any thing against the then government, with a preface to the reader patch'd up from very inconsiderable authors, by Sir Ja. II. as is supposed."—Athen. Oxom. vol. ii. p. 565. There is not the slightest evidence to connect the authorship either of the folio or the 8vo. with Henry Viscount Falkland.

Your correspondent A.T. (p. 59.) will find all the information he desires about the Rev. Thomas Leman, and the assistance he rendered to Mr. Hatcher in his edition of Richard of Cirencester, in Mr. Britton's own Autobiography. See pp. 7 and 8.

C.L.L.

To eat Humble Pie

Mr. Editor,—Your correspondent, Mr. HAMMACK, having recorded Mr. Pepys's love of "brave venison pasty," whilst asking the derivation of the phrase, "eating humble pie," in reference to a bill of fare of Pepys's age, I venture to submit that the humble pie of that period was indeed the pie named in the list quoted; and not only so, but that it was made out of the "umbles" or entrails of the deer, a dish of the second table, inferior of course to the venison pasty which smoked upon the dais, and therefore not inexpressive of that humiliation which the term "eating humble pie" now painfully describes. The "umbles" of the deer are constantly the perquisites of the gamekeeper.