10 s. XIL NOV. is, 1909.] NOTES AND QUERIES.
383
These refer to " trial by battle," when trained
pugilists were employed, as counsel are
now, to champion the client's cause.
5. ' Hamlet,' I. ii. 157. The illegality of marriage with a deceased husband's brother is summed up in the word " incestuous."
6. Leontes ('Winter's Tale,' II. i. 88), suspecting Hermione of adultery, calls her a traitor. The term " traitor," used of an unchaste queen, is literally correct (Statute of Treasons, 25 Ed. III., stat. 5, c. 2) ; see, too, III. ii. 12-22, where the indictment covers two of the acts of treason specified in the statute compassing the death of the king, and violating the king's consort. It was on the latter count that Anne Boleyn was convicted and executed. See 1 State Trials, 418.
Leontes calls Paulina a witch (II. iii. 67) and a traitor (II. iii. 82), and threatens to burn her (II. iii. 113). The punishment was the legal one. Witches and women guilty of treason suffered death by burning.
7. The wolf " hanged for human slaughter" (' Merchant of Venice,' IV. i. 134) is of course an allusion to the mediaeval law under which things and animals which had caused the death of a human being were forfeit. The animals were executed.
P. A. MCELWAINE.
[1. For benefit of clergy" see 6 S. i. 37, 160; ii. 73 ; 7 S. v. 268, 377 ; 8 S. xii. 329, 409.
7. For deodands see 7 S. x. 446; 8 S. v. 509; vi. 73.]
WILLIAM WYNNE RYLAND AND HIS FAMILY.
IN a publication entitled ' Some Dis- tinguished Victims of the Scaffold ' (Kegan Paul, 1905), written so long ago that I think I may venture to cite the book without being suspected of " log-rolling," I devoted an article to William Wynne Ryland, " the King's Engraver," who was hanged at Tyburn for forgery on 29 Aug., 1783. Pre- viously, the exact date of his birth had not been given by any of the authorities ; and ai it was known that the unfortunate man's father, Edward Ryland, was for many years a printer and publisher in the Old Bailey ; I naturally consulted the registers of the neighbouring parishes. At St. Sepulchre's Church I came across the following records o baptism :
30 Nov., 1725. Edward, son of Edward arid Mary Ryland in St. John Street, born 29 Oct.
5 Sept., 1727. Leticia, daughter ot the same, bori 4 Aug.
13 Oct., 1730. Edward Grigg, son, born 3 Oct.
25 Jan., 1733. Mary, daughter, born 25 Jan.
1 Nov., 1736. Richard, son, born 31 Oct.
My first inquiry at the adjacent parish of
St. Martin's, Ludgate, elicited what I sought,
for here I found an entry of the baptism of
William Wynn (sic), son of Edward and
Mary Ryland, on 2 Dec., 1733. Unluckily,
I made no further search ; but as it did not
seem probable that there could be two
contemporary husbands and wives, who
bore the names of Edward and Mary Ryland,
living in adjoining parishes, and both having
children at the same period, I concluded
that William Wynn was the son of Edward
and Mary Ryland of St. John Street, and
that while he, owing to some unknown
reason, had been christened at St. Martin's,
the rest of his brothers and sisters had been
hristened at St. Sepulchre's. It was too
asty a surmise, which further research
have caused me to modify. A few months ago I received a letter
rom Mr. Alfred H. Mumford of Manchester, who, following up my investigations at
It. Martin's, Ludgate, made the discovery
hat seven children of Edward and Mary Ryland were baptized at this church. The
aptismal register runs thus :
2 Dec., 1733. William Wynn, son of Edward and Mary Ryland, born 2 Nov.
7 Feb., 1734 [1734/5]. Edward, son of the same, aorn 27 June.
18 Nov., 1736. Robert, son, born 27 June.
27 Aug., 1738. Joseph, son, born 26 Aug.
24 Oct., 1740. Edward, son, born 17 Oct.
22 Aug., 1742. John, son, born 18 Aug.
22 Oct., 1744. Robert Holt, son, born 25 Sept.
Thus the tradition that the clever and unlucky engraver was the eldest of seven children (all sons) seems to be amply corro- borated, and there were two Edward Rylands and two Mary Rylands respectively husband and wife, living at the same time in the parishes of St. Sepulchre and St. Martin, though what relationship the two ouples bore to each other (if any) I am unable to decide. I hasten to correct the mistake into which I was led by this odd coincidence, lest I should lead astray others ; and at the same time I wish to return my best thanks to Mr. Mumford (whose per- mission I have to make this communica- tion) for taking the trouble to acquaint me
with my error.
HORACE BLEACKLEY.
" THE ANTIQUARY'S BOOKS " : CHURCH-
WARDENS' ACCOUNTS. May I tender the
suggestion to Messrs Methuen, through the
columns of ' N. & Q.,' that they should
include as an early number of their valuable
series a volume on the subject of old-time
churchwardens' accounts ? At present there
