Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 2.djvu/442

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

436


NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. n. NOV. 23, 1916.


EDWARD HERBERT, M.P. (12 S. ii. 348). The parentage of this M.P. has long per- 'plexed me. That he was a member of the great house of Herbert -cannot be doubted, but so far as my researches lead me none of the more important lines of that family gives him a place. He was high in favour with Cromwell, by whom in 1656 he was appointed Overseer or Chief Manager * of His Highness's lands in Wales. He was returned as one of the three members for Monmouthshire to the Parliament of 1656-8, in the proceedings of which he seems to have taken little or no active part, being named on none of its numerous Committees. The only mention of him in the Commons' Journals is on Jan. 2, 1656/7, when as " Sir " Edward Herbert he received leave of absence, doubtless to attend to his duties in connexion with the Protector's lands in Wales. His prospective knighthood was possibly then " talked about " ; there is not the slightest evidence that it was ever con- ferred. In addition to the information quoted by your correspondent from Mr. Williams's valuable book, it may be men- tioned that the M.P. was appointed one of the Commissioners for Monmouthshire in the Commonwealth Scandalous Ministers Act of 1654, and an Assessment Commis- sioner for the same county in 1656.

After the Restoration he retired to Bristol, where he died about 1667. There can, I think, be no doubt that the Edward Herbert whose will, dated June 27, 1666, was proved in the following year, was the ex-M.P. In it he is described as " late of the co. of Monmouth, but now of the City of Bristol." He held lands in the parish of Redwick in Biston alias Bishopstown,and Llanorghrolt( ?) &c., all in co. Monmouth. Names his sons Edward, Isaac, William, and Abraham (the last three under age), his daughters Eliza- beth and Anne. Executors, Charles Venn, Esq., Henry Rumsey, Samuel Jones, and Thomas Ewens, minister of the gospel in Monmouth. Proved " in the Strand, co. Middx.," Nov. 29, 1667, by Rumsey, Jones, and Ewens. His wife is not mentioned, so probably predeceased him.

His " relative Elizabeth Somerset," who died early in 1655, from whose bequest he received " the Grange and other lands in co. Monmouth," would be the Hon. Eliza- beth Somerset, the only daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Somerset, Viscount Somerset of Cashel (died 1651) ; she died unmarried in 1655 or thereabouts.

The suggestion of T. that the M.P. was descended from Walter Herbert of


Christ church, an illegitimate son of George- Herbert of Newport, M.P. for Monmouth- shire in 1563, appears to me to be highlv probable, onh he would, I take it, be the Edward who died in 1667, and not his son of that name, who must have been too- \oung for Parliament in 1656.

W. D. PINK. Lowton, Newton-le- Willows.

" SEPTEM SINE HORIS " (12 S. ii. 310, 377).. May I support COL. POWLETT'S reading of this sundial motto, " Leave the seven (days of the week) to the hours " ; that is r " Take care of the hours, and the week will take care of itself" ? The order of the words favours this reading, and, as the Romans did not measure time by weeks, septem, at any rate on a sundial, will stand for " week " better than any Low Latin word. Besides, sundials are sententious. The figures for the hours of darkness may be lacking, as in the case of MR,. CLEMENTS' s- old Dutch dial ; but the motto, while stating that small fact, is intended, like most of its fellows, to preach economy of time.

B. B.

AUTHORS WANTED (12 S. ii. 369). The quotation

From the heretic girl of my soul shall I fly, &c., is from one of Thomas Moore's ' Irish; Melodies,' commencing :

Come send round the wine, and leave points of

belief To simpletons, sages, and reasoning fools.

It is to be found, I believe, in every complete copy of Moore's ' Works.' I have verified the melody in the edition of 1843,.. 10 vols., printed by Longman, Green & Brown, Longmans, London.

A. GWYTHER.

Windham Club.

If MR. THOMAS WILSON will again turn, to the Irish melody entitled ' Come send round the Wine,' he will find the verse sought for at the end of the second stanza. The reference is to the poet's wife Bessy,, who was a Protestant, whilst Moore was a Roman Catholic.

EDITOR ' IRISH BOOK LOVER.'

[L. A. W. thanked for reply to the same effect.]

CERTAIN GENTLEMEN OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY (12 S. ii. 268, 372). MR. H. J. B.. CLEMENTS and your other correspondents have fallen into a very natural error in identifying " Lord Talbot " as George,. 6th Earl of Shrewsbury. Had they had the full account of the funeral in front of them this would not have happened.