Notes and Queries, Vol. IV, Number 88, July 5, 1851: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.Various
History
Notes and Queries, Vol. IV, Number 88, July 5, 1851: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
"The papers and books that were found on him are since delivered
to his Majesty. One of the books was a manuscript of spells,
charms, and conjurations, songs, receipts, and prayers, _all
written with the said late Duke's own hand_. Two others were
manuscripts of fortification and the military art. And a fourth
book, fairly written, wherein are computes of the yearly expense
of his Majesty's navy and land forces."
[Footnote 1: Query, what is the date of the _first_ edition of
Welwood's work? The earliest in the Museum library is the _third_
edition, printed in 1700.]
It is remarkable that the "pocket-book" mentioned by Welwood is not here
specified, but it is possible that the entries quoted by him may have
been written on the pages of one of the other books. Two of the above
only are noticed by Mr. Macaulay, namely, "a small treatise on
fortification," and "an album filled with songs, receipts, prayers, and
charms"; and there can be no reasonable doubt that the latter, which is
mentioned by the author of the tract in the _Harleian Miscellany_, as
well as by Reresby and Barillon, is the identical manuscript which forms
the subject of Dr. Anster's remarks.
Within a few weeks this singular volume has been added by purchase to
the National Collection of Manuscripts in the British Museum, previous
to which I ascertained, by a careful comparison of its pages with
several undoubted letters of the Duke of Monmouth (an advantage Dr.
Anster did not possess), that the whole of the volume (or nearly so) is
certainly in the Duke's handwriting. This evidence might of itself be
deemed sufficient; but some lines written on the fly-leaf of the volume
(which are passed over by Dr. Anster as of no moment) confirm the fact
beyond all cavil, since, on seeing them, I immediately recognised them
as the autograph of King James himself. They are as follows:
"This book was found in the Duke of Monmouth's pocket when he was
taken, and is most of his owne handwriting."
Although the contents of this volume have been already described in
general terms by Dr. Anster, yet it may not perhaps be uninteresting to
give a more detailed list of what is written in it:--
1. Receipts "for the stone"; "to know the sum of numbers before
they be writ doun"; "pour nettoyer l'ovrages de cuyvre argenté;"
"for to make Bouts and Choos [Boots and Shoes] hold out water;"
and "to keep the goms well."--pp. 1-4. 8.
2. Magical receipts and charms in French, written partly in an
abbreviated form, accompanied by cabalistic figures. Two of these
are to deliver a person out of prison, and are no doubt the same
which Sir John Reresby refers to.--pp. 5. 7. 9. 11-17.
3. "The forme of a bill of Excheng," drawn on David Nairne of
London, from Antwerp, May 16, 1684, for 200_l._ sterling.--p. 6.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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