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decease de un nommè Robert Lake, pour y celle l'avoir et tenir le dit suppliant, avec les droits, peruffiz, et emolumens quelconques et y appurtentes, durant le terme de sa vie. Et il priera Dieu pour vous, que par sa sainte grace vous doient bonne vie et longue. 13 September, 1431."

[endorsed] "R. H. We have granted this bill."

The French of the above, being antiquated, may need a translation.

"To our sovereign lord the King:-Your humble liege servant Thomas Hill, valet of the cellar to our sovereign lady the Queen, humbly prays you, of your benign grace, to give and grant to him a corrody in the Abbey of Malmesbury, now vacant, in your hands, by the death of a person named Robert Lake, to hold the same unto your said suppliant, with all rights, profits, and emoluments whatsoever thereunto appertaining, during the term of his life. And he will pray that, by the Heavenly grace, you may be endowed with a long and prosperous life."

The Corrody or alimony above alluded to, "within the Monastery of Malmesbury," was granted by K. Richard III. to John Morice otherwise Turke [Harl. MS. 433]. It is, no doubt, the same which, amongst the liabilities recited in the valuation of this Abbey, made in the time of Henry VIII., reappears as a perquisite claimed by the Longs of Draycote under the following form: "To Sir Henry Long, Knight, and his heirs for ever, a corrody of seven white loaves and seven conventual flagons of beer, to be allowed out of the Abbey of Malmesbury every week; estimated at the annual value of 60 shillings." [Val. Eccl. Wilt. p. 122].

There were other "Sustentations" of similar kind, in the gift of the Crown, at Glastonbury, Eynsham, Spalding, &c.

J. WAYLEN.

Wilts Notes and Queries.

WILTS. MAG, No. 1. PAGE 89. DOG WHIPPERS.-In illustration of Mr. Carrington's remarks on this ancient office, the following occurs in an old play, "The return from Parnassus," acted by the students of St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1606. Sir Raderick in the character of patron, examining the qualifications of Signior Immerito, says,

"These shall suffice for the parts of his learning:-now it remains to try whether you be a man of good utterance, that is, whether you can ask for the strayed heifer with the white face, as also chide the boys in the belfry, and bid the sexton whip out the dogs. Let me hear your voice."

STONEHENGE, A PASTORAL.John Speed the historian, constructed a pastoral entitled Stonehenge, which, according to Anthony à Wood, was performed before the president and fellows of St John's College, Oxford, 1635. Was it ever printed? or, in what collection is it preserved?

THE REV. WALTER HARTE.-This nonjuring divine, who relinquished the vicarage of St. Mary Magdalen at Taunton, rather than take the oaths to William III. is stated to have retired to Kintbury in Berkshire: but does not the fact that his son, of the same name (the historian of Gustavus Adolphus), was born and educated at Marlborough, afford presumptive evidence that it was at this latter place that he spent the evening of his very protracted days? He died at the age of 95.

QUEEN ANNE AT WHETHAM.-In the autumn of 1703, Queen Anne visited the family residence of John Kyrle Ernle, at Whetham, and remained there one or more nights. Was it accident brought the Queen to Whetham on this occasion? And if not, then what was the inducement thus to signalize the family of Ernle ?

THE PRINCESS WILBRAHAMA.—In 1767 was published a work bearing the following title, "A Plain Narrative of Facts, relating to the Person who lately passed under the assumed name of the Princess Wilbrahama, lately detected at The Devizes; containing her whole history, from her first elopement from the Hon. Mrs. Sct's till her discovery and commitment to Devizes Bridewell: together with the extraordinary circumstances attending that discovery, and the Report of a Jury of Matrons summoned on that occasion." In a subsequent notice "Wilbrahama” is spelt "Wilhelmina"; whether by mistake or as a correction, is uncertain. Salis. and Winch. Journal. Can any of the readers of this Magazine throw any light on this affair? The work has long been unsuccessfully sought. J. W.

[She was a clever swindler who, between 1765 and 1768, travelled through all parts of the kingdom, styling herself Princess of Mecklenburgh, Countess of Normandy, Lady Viscountess Wilbrahamon, &c. and under one or other of such names, by promising to use her influence in providing for people, persuaded them to trust their money with her, giving notes in return. Sometimes she imposed even upon persons of distinction, passing herself off as of high foreign connexion, but in misfortune: and varying her story to suit circumstances. At Hadleigh in Hampshire, by her genteel manners and insinuating address, she induced a wealthy farmer named Boxall, to marry his son to her, and to advance a large sum of money upon the occasion. She then took up her residence in London, living in great style till it was all gone, when she left the disconsolate husband in the lurch. She was committed under the Vagrant Act at Devizes, as Sarah Boxall, in October 1767; when she confessed that her maiden name was Sarah Wilson. In January 1768, she was convicted at Westminster of the following fraud. Two years before she had gone into a shop kept by a Mrs. Davenport in the Haymarket, and told a piteous tale of having been bred a gentlewoman, forced by her relatives to marry a foreign Count against her consent, and of her being abandoned by him, with a single hundred pounds, for which she shewed a check upon Child's bank. She wished to present it at the bank, but her present appearance was so much beneath her birth and dignity, that she was ashamed to appear before Mr. Child. Mrs. Davenport's niece compassionately took her into the house, equipped her decently, and went with her in a coach to the bank. Being told that Mr. Child was at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, they proceeded thither. She then made some excuse for asking to see one of the servants, and pretending that she wanted to call in Clare Market, slipped out at a back entrance, and escaped. The young person in the coach, after waiting nearly an hour, ventured at last to enquire after "the Countess "; and so the trick was discovered. Being a notorious impostor she was sentenced to be transported. Alderman Hewitt, of Coventry, in 1778 published "Memoirs" of her Ladyship: but does not notice the pamphlet enquired for above; so that it is doubtful if it was ever issued.] (See Notes and Queries, vol. iv. p. 8.)

THE PENATES FOUND AT DEVIZES, IN 1714.-A gardener by the name of Cadby discovered in a field near Devizes (supposed to be at Southbroom) a Roman urn, containing some coins, and nineteen bronze images or Penates, varying in height from two to six and a half inches, some of them of very good design. As Roman antiquities were not so well known in this country at that time as they have been since, they were esteemed great curiosities and as such they were exhibited in various parts of the county. Eight only of them can now be found, and these are in the British Museum. Can any readers of the Wilts Magazine inform the society where the remainder of them now are? Those in the British Museum are Jupiter, Pallas, two of Bacchus, two of Mercury, Hercules and Neptune.

W. C.

FOSSIL JAW OF ICTHYOSAURUS CAMPYLODON.

A fine specimen of the right ramus of the lower jaw of this animal has just been discovered in the Upper Green Sand of the neighbourhood of Warminster, and is now in the collection of Mr. Cunnington, of Devizes. It is three feet in length, and probably belonged to an individual some 25 feet long.

The only remains of this animal hitherto found in the Upper Green Sand are detached teeth; but a few bones have occurred in the Chalk of Kent and Cambridgeshire.

The species Campylodon is the last survivor of the genus Icthyosaurus. The occurrence of this specimen is interesting, as exhibiting a good example of the extraordinary pre-Adamite inhabitants of Wiltshire.

For a full description of this reptile see Professor Owen's Monograph of the reptiles of the Chalk, in the volume of the Palæontographical Society for 1851.

THE OCCURRENCE OF TESTACELLUS MAUGEI

IN WILTSHIRE.

This animal, which is a native of Teneriffe, and has not hitherto been found naturalized in this country, occurs in considerable numbers in a market garden near Devizes, where it is frequently dug up among the potatoes and carrots. The Testacellus is a species of slug about 3 inches in length, but differing from the common slugs of our fields and gardens in being carnivorous. Its colour is grey, marbled with darker veins, and the under side is of a bright orange hue. It may easily be distinguished by having on its tail a small ear-shaped shell about half an inch long.

This shell is doubtless an excellent protection to the creature when engaged in its predatory excursions among the earthworms, which constitute its principal food.

RARE INSECTS.

Among the donations to the Society, are two very rare insects, which have lately been found in the county. One is the Raphidia ophiopsis, or Snake Fly. A small but very remarkable looking insect, with a long neck and viper like head. It might be popularly described as a compound of snake and fly. It was found at Great Bedwyn by Miss Sheppard, and by her presented to the Society.

The other is the Chalcis aptera, an insect which forms underground galls on the roots of the oak; being one of the multitude of insects with which the oak above every other tree of the forest or garden is infested. It is an example of the Apterous Hymenoptera, closely resembling the Ant, but having a much larger and almost globular abdomen. Specimens have been presented to the Society, and to the British Museum, where it has not hitherto been known. W. C.

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