286
NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. ix. APBIL 12,
its ordinary senses ; cf. heretical, physical,
cynical, and dozens of other words from>Greek
roots. If Fuller was coining a new sense for
comical he was in error. C. DEEDES.
Brighton.
"THE BISHOP OF BROOKS." In a recent volume issued by the Historical Manuscripts Commission (' .Report on the Manuscripts of Mrs. Frankland-Russell-Astley,' ^1900) there is a letter, or rather a long disquisition, upon war addressed to Charles L, and attributed to Sir John Melldrum, in which occurs the following remarkable passage :
" Such counsellors [who advised war] were the late bishop of Rosse to the late Queen of Scots, the bishop of Brooks to the Lady Jane, that miserable King of Hungaria, who were the occasion of bring- ing of Turks into Hungary and the French nation into Scotland, two guests that both nations may wish they never know the way thither again."
The letter is assigned by the editor or editors to the year 1639, and the following startling comment is added in a foot-note in explanation of the name of Lady Jane : "Sic in MS., but the proper reading no doubt is ' to King Ladislaus.' "
I have often had opportunities to point out that Hungarian history is not a strong point with the editors employed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, and on this occa- sion, too, I am afraid they have gone hope- lessly wrong.* There are five kings of the name of Ladislaus known in Hungarian his- tory, four of whom reigned long before any Turk set foot in Europe. The fifth and last was Ladislaus Posthumus, who certainly did not call the Turks into his kingdom, but, on the contrary, his lieutenant, Hunyady Janos (i.e., John of Hunyad), did his best to keep the infidels out of the country.
My humble opinion is that "Lady Jane" should read " Lord John," whose title to the crown of Hungary has not yet been recog- nized by all the editors in Fetter Lane, some of whom only dub him "Count of Scepuse" (sic) and "the Voyvode," though even his rival, Ferdinand of Austria, and his rival s brother, Charles V., had acknowledged hl |P as king of his own part of Hungary.
The Bishop of Brooks " is more difficult to identify because, although King John had several bishops, the diocese of " Brooks " is totally unknown in Christendom
' L. L. K.
"ST. JAMES STREET." - MR. HARLAND- UXLEY, m his interesting notes on St. Mar-
- In another part of the same volume there is
a foot-note in which the capture of " Buda-Pesth is mentioned in 1686 ! An arrant anachronilm
garet's, Westminster (ante, p. 182), quotes,
from the ' Will Book ' of that parish, an entry
regarding Cornelius Vandpn, who " did give
eight almshouses in Pettie France, next to
the end of St. James-street, for the use of
eight poor women." This St. James Street
is, of course, the street which was subse-
quently known as James Street, and which
the late vestry of Westminster, with an
extraordinary want of the sense of historic
perception, amalgamated with Buckingham
Gate. Authorities generally state that the
street derived its name from its proximity to
the park. Mr. Mackenzie Walcott, in his
'Memorials of Westminster,' ed. 1851, p. 292,
calls the thoroughfare " St. James's Street,"
though in the index it figures as "James
Street." The change of name probably
originated after the better-known St. James's
Street, connecting Pall Mall with Piccadilly,
was built. In the Parish Clerks' 'New
Remarks of London,' 1732, p. 277, we find the
intermediate form "James's Street." It is
interesting to learn from the authority quoted
by MR. HARLAND-OXLEY that the street was
in existence in the days of Elizabeth. Ill
Newcourt's map, engraved by Faithorne, the
western side is covered with houses, from
Tothill Fields to Tart Hall, but there are no
buildings on the eastern, or park, side.
W. F. PRIDEAUX.
A PARLIAMENT OF BIRDS. Reference is made in 3 rd S. v. 409 to a tract printed in 1682 and entitled ' Concavum Cappo-cloa- corum ; being a Dialogue between True- man and Cappo-cloak-man.' The author of it is plainly Roger L'Estrange, for his speech bewrayeth him. Here is one of his illus- trations :
"The Commonwealth of Birds, to redress some Grievances, call'd a Parliament, where, after they had taken their Places that were Representatives, and Elected nemine confradicente the Parrot for their Speaker, because of its excellent Qualifications of calling Names, and Collecting others Voices : All the Members were called over, and made their personal Appearance before Mr. Speaker. Amongst the rest appears a round fac'd Animal, that look'd as big as a Burgess, commonly call'd an Owl. All the rest of the Birds were amazed very much, as not being acquainted with any such Corporation that could be represented by it. Resolving there- fore themselves into a Committee of Elections, con- sisting of the whole House, they began to debate the Matter before the Chair-Bird, who was a Creature of the same kind with Mr. Speaker. The Swallow and the Magpie chatter'd to this purpose, that they had flown far and near, but never saw any such Creature amongst the Birds. The Jay, the Goose, and the Jack-daw being also Leading Members of that Committee, concurring with the former, the pretty King in the Chair was presently for clearing the House of such an uncouth Member,
