"The following absurdities, among many others, were occasioned by these different computations. In 1667 there were two Easters, the first on the 25th of April, and the second on the 22nd of March following; and there were three different denominations of the Year of our Lord affixed to three state papers which were published in one week, viz. his Majesty's Speech, dated 1732-3; the Address of the House of Lords, 1732; the Address of the House of Commons, 1733."--Page xxiii., edit. 1824. BALLIOLENSIS. * * * * * "PENARDO AND LAISSA." (Vol. vii., p. 84.) Your correspondent E. D. is fortunate in the possession of a rare book, worth a "jew's eye" in the good old days of the Bibliomania. It formed a part of the Heber Collection, where (see Part iv. p. 111.) it figures under the following quaint title: "The First Booke of the Famous Historye of Penardo and Laissa, other-ways called the Warres of Love and Ambitione, wherein is described Penardo his most admirable deeds of Arms, his ambition of glore, his contempt of love, with loves mighte assalts and ammorous temptations, Laissa's feareful inchantment, hir relief, hir travells, and lastly, loves admirabel force in hir releiving Penardo from the fire. Doone in Heroik Verse by Patrik Gordon. Printed at Dort by George Waters, 1615." This copy, which was originally John Pinkerton's, cost Mr. Heber 21l., and was resold at his sale for 12l. 5s., for the library of Mr. Miller, of Craigentenny; another is in the possession of Dr. Keith, Edinburgh. Pinkerton, in his _Ancient Scottish Poems_, London, 1792, thus describes _Penardo and Laissa_: "Rare to excess; nor can more than two copies be discovered, one in the editor's possession, another in that of an anonymous correspondent in Scotland. The author was probably so ashamed of it as to quash the edition, for it is the most puerile mixture of all times, manners, and religions that ever was published; for instance, the Christian religion is put as that of Ancient Greece." Of the author, Patrick Gordon, little or nothing seems to be known beyond the fact of his styling himself "gentleman," probably the only ground for Pinkerton calling him "a man of property." The fame of Gordon, however, rests upon a better foundation than the above work, he having also "doone in heroik verse _The Famous Historie of the Renouned and Valiant Prince Robert, surnamed the Bruce, King of Scotland_," "a tolerable poem," says the same critic, "but not worth reprinting, although it had that compliment twice paid to it." {162}