Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/374

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298

��NOTES BY THE WAY.

��Wood.

��Ebsworth was its first independent vicar since its separation from Chilham. His other two holidays he made between Sundays : one in 1874, and the second in 1888, when he " rushed up to Glasgow His old friend for the great Exhibition." While there he met his old friend John John Muir Muir Wood : " He was for Scottish song and music what our common friend William Chappell has been for the song and ballad school of England." In 1887 Muir Wood published his final " Balmoral Edition," so named in honour of Queen Victoria. In it he records that " William Chappell is one of our highest authorities on national music, and Ebsworth is one of the best authorities on the subject of our ancient ballads." Muir Wood, in quoting from ' The Rox- burghe Ballads ' " Tak your auld cloak about ye," gives Ebsworth's opinion regarding the common right of Scotland and England to claim this and other ballads that had belonged to the older district of Northumbria, lying betwixt the Forth and the Humber. Ebs- worth, writing to me on the 26th of August, 1906, says : " This is exactly what I hold to this day." Muir Wood died at Annandale Cove, Dumbartonshire, on the 25th of June, 1892, in the eighty- seventh year of his age.

Ebsworth remained at Molash until his retirement in 1894, when he and his wife went to live at Ashford. During the twenty- three years they were at Molash, although there was discord, as is frequently the case in country villages, they endeared themselves to most of the parishioners, and to these Ebsworth was known as "the good, kind Vicar of Molash, and friend of all." Many who, from different causes, had to leave Molash would recall with delight " the benefits received at the little church, and the dear pastor and friend they had there."

��His

retirement from Molash

��Devotes

himself to

ballad

history.

��At Ashford Ebsworth devoted most of his time to his favourite study, our ballad history, with occasional " rushes " (he always rushed) to the British Museum, where George Bullen, and after- wards Dr. Garnett, were ever ready to help by having the books he wanted looked out and placing a quiet table at his disposal. For Garnett Ebsworth always retained a most affectionate regard, and among his papers I found the following cutting from The Liver- pool Daily Post of the 27th of February, 1897, and at the back is a note written by Ebsworth : " Dr. Richard Garnett died in his 71st year at London on the morning of Good Friday, 13 April, 1905." The lines were either by Dr. Garnett or given by him to Ebsworth. The editor of the Daily Post has kindly made search for me, but cannot trace the author ; and the insertion of them in ' N. & Q.' brought no reply.

" KING CHARLES THE MARTYR. The revival of the Stuart cultushas reached Pennsylvania, and has led some American Episcopalians, with the sanction of their bishop, to put in a Philadelphian church a window dedicated to the memory of ' King Charles the Martyr.' Not far from

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