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AG

305

N9

ser. 3

V.4

LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1863.

CONTENTS.-No. 79. NOTES:-Early Scottish Printers, 1-Sir Walter Ralegh: Inedited Letter, 3- Archbishop Harsnet and Bishop

Ken, Ib.

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MINOR NOTES:-Miss Vane: Disappointed Love - Burn-
ing Alive
Swift: "Tale of a Tub"- Anniversary of
Drumclog-Fulke Greville, Esq., and Frances his Wife, 4.
QUERIES:-St. Mary Matfelon: "Virgini Parituræ," 5-
Higgs, Hall, and Waterland, 6 - Apsley: Strickland:
Wynne-Bells of Spain-Black Monday Blownorton
Clock-Country Residence-Cromwell Memorial The
Dudleys of Coventry John Dyon - Flodden Field
Knighthood-Law of Adultery- -Luther- Mary Queen
of Scots' Letter to Queen Elizabeth-Monumental Brass
Pizarro's Coat of Arms-The Rising in the North-
A Scottish Colony in France- -Snuff Boxes presented by
Queen Anne Mr. Stafford Alessandro Stradella

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Attack on Prince of Wales - Tenbury Wells, 6 QUERIES WITH ANSWERS: - Who was Sedechias? Biblical Queries: Proverbs xxvi. 8- - Fly-Leaf ScribblingsPassage in Vallancey-Royal Arms of Spain-Year-Book Anonymous Thomas Earl of Cleveland - Waterloo Medals, 9.

prince's love of literature. The wonderful rarity of books issuing from the press of Walter Chepman and his partner Andro Millar can only be explained by the subsequent burning of Édinburgh by the English, and the great fire that occurred in 1700; and which consumed that portion of the city which, in all probability, was the emporium of books, viz. the Parliament Square. The collection of tracts in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates, printed by Chepman and Millar, is unique. A fac-simile copy was taken some years since; and what is certainly odd enough, the whole impression was nearly consumed by a fire which broke out in the workshop of Mr. Andrew Thomson, an eminent Edinburgh bookbinder, with whom the copies had been deposited to be put in boards. Several were totally destroyed; but the greater portion was saved, burnt in the margin. By the process of inlaying, a sufficient number were completed to satisfy the demands of the few individuals who take an interest in such matters. Four copies alone, which had not been in Mr. Thomson's shop, were unin

REPLIES:-The Knights Hospitallers, &c., 11-Source of the Nile, 13-Sermons upon Inoculation, Ib.- French Legend, 14-The Looking Glass, 15-Bainbridge, Ib.- Tottenham, M.P.-Goldsmith Club-Time-William Marshall-Sheriffs of Cornwall-Turning the Cat in the Pan -Ploughs in Churches-Gentilhomme: Nobilis-Denti-jured. Copies are now exceedingly rare, and tion in Old Age-" Crush a Cup:" "Crack a Bottle" Chaucer and his Editor, Thynne- The Danish Invaders Sir Charles Calthrope -Greek and Roman Games - Epitaph in Lavenham Churchyard - Cold in June-Proverbial Query-"The Council of Ten," 17. Notes on Books, &c.

Notes.

EARLY SCOTISH PRINTERS.

The following curious entry relative to the exemption from taxation of the widow of Walter Chepman, the earliest Scotish printer, is copied from a note-book of a deceased eminent genealogical antiquary, who extracted it from the records:

"Provost, baillies, counsale, and committee of our burgh of Edinburgh, we greit you weill; forsamekill as we of before be oure utheris letteres under our privie seal and signete exemit oure lovit, oratoure and wedo, Agnes Cokburne, the relict of unquhile Walter Chepman, burges of oure said burgh, of all payingis of onie

taxis, stents, dewties, or otheris contributione within the

samyn during hir liftime, as oure saidis letteris mair fullelie preportis, &c.: nor the leise* as we ar informit

ze nou askis and crauis fra hir ane certain soume of money in name of taxt to the biging of oure park,† his majesty of new exemis hir fra ony taxis, stentis, dewties, or contributiounis within our said burgh, or any taxt to the bigeing of oure said park, in tyme to cum."

The date is the 4th of February, in the twentyeighth year of his majesty's reign. James died upon the 15th December, 1542, having reigned nine-and-twenty years.

This grant of exemption to the widow of Chepman is an interesting instance of this accomplished

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usually bring, when occurring for sale, from four to five guineas. The Breviary of Aberdeen is the only other book, printed by Chepman and Millar, now known to exist. Two perfect copies have been preserved: one in the Faculty, and the other in the University Library of Edinburgh. It is in two volumes, very beautifully printed. A single volume has, it is understood, turned up in the North. There is a reprint of this valuable work, of which copies were taken on Bannatyne Club paper. Mr. David Laing, librarian of the Writers to the Signet-whose knowledge in all matters relative to the literature of his native county is so well known-subsequently furnished an Introduction.

The early Scotish printers have been very unfortunate in the preservation of specimens of their press: indeed, prior to 1600, books printed in St. Andrew's, or Edinburgh, were rarissimi. Even years after that date, they are almost equally rare. Thus, of Andro Hart's edition of The Bruce, printed in 1616, one perfect copy alone is known that in the Bodleian being defective. The one mentioned as quite perfect was brought to light upon the dispersion of the magnificent library which had been accumulated from time to time by the ancient family of Anstruther of Anstruther; and carefully preserved at Elie House, in Fifeshire. For the condition, as well as rarity, this collection was unrivalled-at least, in Scotland. This supposed unique edition was purchased by me, and is referred to by Mr. C. Innes in the edition of The Bruce, printed under his superintendence for the use of the Members of the Spalding Club.

Another Scotish poem, noticed in Herbert's

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