Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 5.djvu/109

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11 S. V. FEB. 3, 1912.]


NOTES AND QUERIES.


The story of the publication is briefly told by the present editor, the Rev. J. R. Rendell, B.A., of Accrington, in an article entitled ' Our Centenary,' with which the December part fitly opens.

The work was started as The Intellectual Repository for the New Church by seven members of the body commonly styled " Swedenborgians," who advanced 51. each as capital for the undertaking. That the sum thus subscribed was adequate for the purpose appeared from the fact that when, in 1829, the surviving pro- prietors and the representatives of those deceased made over the property to the General Conference of the New Church, it consisted not only of a considerable stock of volumes and parts, but also of 251. 7s, Id. in cash ! All the seven promoters were members of the committee of the Sweden- borg Society, which had been established on 27th February, -1810. The most notable of these was John Augustus Tulk, the first chairman of the committee, who was also one of the original board of editors of the new periodical. One of his colleagues was the Rev. Samuel Noble, whose ' Appeal ' (1826) was the subject of some ' Marginalia ' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which were printed in vol. iv. of his ' Literary Remains.' Among the later editors of The Intellectual Repository were (1836-9) Edward William Brayley, F.R.S., who, during the years 1834- 1870, was principal librarian to the London Institution; and (1839-43) Henry Butter, the author of the once widely circulated ' Etymological Spelling Book.' From the outset until 1829 The Intellectual Repository appeared quarterly at Is. 6d. per number ; thence until the close of 1839 it was issued every alternate month at Is. per number ; but in 1840 it was published monthly at 6d. per number, and has so continued. With the issue for January, 1882, the title was changed to its present form, The New Church Magazine.

After the manner of its literary con- temporaries, the articles in the early volumes were for the most part unsigned, save by initials or noms de plume ; but the information then denied can now be acquired from the editorial " file " still extant, whence the present editor, in his historical sketch above noted, supplies the names of all the contributors to the initial part, issued in January, 1812. First among them stands Charles Augustus Tulk, son of John Augustus Tulk aforesaid, and like him a member of the first committee of the Swedenborg Society. He became member of Parliament


for Sudbury in 1821, and, later, for Poole. He is most widely known in litera- ture as the close friend and correspondent of Samuel Taylor Coleridge a letter to- him from Coleridge was sold by auction in Leicester Square on 17th November last. The list of these earliest contributors also includes John Augustus Tulk, the Rev, John Clowes, M.A., Rector of St. John's Church, Manchester, and the Rev. Samuel Noble.

The editor's sketch may here be sup- plemented by the information that at the annual gathering of the New Church Conference, at Glasgow, in June last, arrangements were made for the publication of a General Index to the century- old periodical, which is, moreover, to include all the other Swedenborgian magazines- issued between 1790 and 1881.

CHARLES HIGHAM,


BERNARD GILPIN'S WILL. I have found in an old book a translation of the Latin text of the will of Bernard Gilpin (1517-83) by W. Freake, London, 1629. The following are a few extracts from it :

" First, I bequeath my soul unto the hand* of Almighty God, my Creator ; not trusting in my own merits, which am of myself a most wretched sinner, but only in the mercy of God,' &c.

" For the disposition of my goods first, I will that all my debts be truly paid with all speed. My debts once discharged, of what

remaineth I give and bequeath [Here follow

bequests to the poor of nine parishes.] Likewise I give to the poor of Houghton parish the great new ark for corn, to provide them with groats in winter. Likewise, I give to the Queen a College, in Oxford, all such books as shall have written upon the first leaf 'Barnardus Gilpin, Reginensi Collegio D.D.,' and all such books as shall have written upon the first leaf ' Johannes

Newton' and also the books that Mr. Hugh

Broughton hath of mine, viz., Eusebius, Greek,, in two volumes ; and Josephus, in Greek, and certain other books ; I trust he will withhold none of them. I also give to Keipier School, in. Houghton, all such books as shall have my name on the first leaf. Also, I give to my successor first, the great new brewing lead in the brew- house, with the guile-fat, and mash-fat ; like- wise in the kiln, a large new steep lead, whicn receives a chaldron of corn at once ; likewise 11 the larder-house, one great salting-tub, which will hold four oxen or more ; likewise in the great chamber over the parlour, one long table, and _ a shorter standing upon a joined frame with tn form ; likewise in the hall, three tables standjn

fast, with the forms to them likewise [Here

follow many other pieces of furniture, matenaJs for building, &c. In consideration of the fi that he had spent over 3001. in building] my successor will not demand anything to dilapidations And that such successor will