ON A POEM MENTIONED IN ONE OF THE LANSDOWNE MSS.
In vol. 61. of the Lansdowne MSS. in the British Museum occurs the following remarkable letter from the Bishop of London (John Aylmer) to Lord Burghley. I wish to be informed to what "foolish rhime," which had been printed in Oxford and London, it applies? It is a question of some literary importance to me at the present moment, and I am glad to have the opportunity of putting it by means of your new hebdomadal undertaking. I hope to meet with a reply in your "Notes and Queries" of next week.
"To the Lord Treasurer.
"Yt may please your good L. to understand, that upon inquiry made for the setting forth of this foolish rime, I finde that it was first printed at Oxford, by Joseph Barnes, and after here by Toby Cooke, without licence, who is now out of towne, but as sone as he returneth, I will talke with him about it. I marvell that they of Oxford will suffer such toyes to be sett forth by their authority; for in my opinion it had been better to have thanked God, than to have insulted upon men, and especially upon princes. And so I take my leave of your good L., praying God to send you health to his honour and all our good. From my pallace at London, this xxixth of Aprill 1589.
"John Lond."
If the above refer to any production in verse upon the defeat of the Armada, Lord Burghley (who had probably made inquiries of the Bishop) seems to have been actuated by some extraordinary and uncalled-for delicacy towards the King of Spain. Waiting an explanation, I am your Hearty Well-wisher.
I cannot find that Aylmer's letter has ever been noticed by any of our literary antiquaries.
MADOC'S EXPEDITION TO AMERICA.
Mr. Editor,—Can any of your readers direct me to the different authors who have treated of the asserted expedition of Madoc to America; or to any Papers upon that subject which have appeared in any Periodicals, or Transactions of learned societies.
LORD CHATHAM'S SPEECH ON THE AMERICAN STAMP ACT.
Mr. Editor,—The following is an extract from Lord Brougham's Character of Chatham, vol. i. p. 27.
"The Debates on the American Stamp Act in 1764 are the first that can be said to have been preserved at all, through the happy accident of Lord Charlemont, assisted by Sir Robert Dean, &c. &c., and accordingly they have handed down to us some Notes of Lord Chatham's celebrated Speech upon that Question"
Can any of your readers inform me where these "Notes" of this "celebrated speech" are to be found?
DORNE, THE BOOKSELLER.—HENNO RUSTICUS.
Sir,—I gladly avail myself of the "Notes and Queries," to request information on the following points:—
I. Is any thing known, and especially from the writings of Erasmus, of a bookseller and publisher of the Low Countries named Dorne, who lived at the beginning of the sixteenth century?
II. Is any thing known of a little work of early date, called Henno rusticus?
III. Or of another, called Of the sige (signe?) of the end?
Trusting that some of your readers will be enabled to throw light upon one or other of these points,
W.
BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES
WANTED TO PURCHASE.
Jones (Edmund) Geographical, Historical, and Religious Account of Aberystwith. 8vo. Trevecka, 1779.
Cartari.—La Rosa d'Oro Pontifica, etc. 4to. Rome. 1681.
Shakespeare's Dramatic Works The Fourth Volume of Whittingham's Edition, in 7 vols. 24mo. Chiswick. 1814.
*** Letters stating particulars and lowest price, carriage free, to be sent to Mr. Bell, Publisher of "NOTES AND QUERIES," 186. Fleet Street.
