May 8. 1852.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



435 



To return to Bede's chair. It has often been 

 ■engraved : but the best representation of it that I 

 know, is that by Mr. W. B. Scott, in his Antiqua- 

 rian Gleanings of the North of England. Besides 

 his careful etching of the present state of the chair, 

 he also gives a suggestive woodcut of its restora- 

 tion. The ornamental portion he confines to the 

 front of the seat, and the head of the chair. 



CUTHBERT BeDE, B.A. 



Dedication Stone at Jarrow Church. — While on 

 ■the subject of Bede's chair at Jarrow, it may not 

 prove altogether useless to transcribe you a faith- 

 ful copy of the dedication stone of Jarrow Church, 

 "which is now placed against the tower-arch of the 

 ^ave : 



DEUICATiO BASILICAE 

 SUIPAVLI Villi KL MAI 

 ANNO XVECFRIDIRFC 



CEOLFRIDIABBEIVSQ 

 QECCLgSDOAVCTORE 

 CONDIT'OKIS ANNO 1111 



CCTHBERT BeDE, B.A. 



INEDITED POETBY. 



The first piece in the volume of MS. poetry re- 

 ferred to in my communication in Vol. v., p. 387., 

 may perhaps be deemed of sufficient intei'est to 

 •occupy a place in your columns. It is entitled 

 *' A Ballad," and appears to me worthy of notice 

 from its quaintness both in style and rhythm. 



" A BALLAD. 



'*' Sure glorious Modesty again will rise, 



Since she can conquer in bright Marciu's eyes. 



Each look of hers creates a lambent lire, 



And youth and age concur her virtue to admire. 



Hence flow these lines from an unpolish'd hand, 



Which thinks her Matcia should the world command. 



Go, lovely maid, and let each virgin see 



How graceful modesty appears in thee. 



That they may all thy imitators be. 



And give example to posterity. 



1. 

 *' View Marcia's native charms, 

 She's graceful in behaviour, 

 By wise advice she steers, 



And with all the world's in favour. 

 No foolish talk slides from her tongue. 



Her eyes ne'er wanton seem, 

 Regards her friends, respects the great. 

 And is humble to the mean. 



■*' How gentle is her voice, 



Not loud with foul detraction, 

 Good sense guides all her words. 



And prudence every action. 

 Not stiff in dress, or careless she, 



But in the graceful mean, 

 What e'er she wears she still appears 



Like some majestic queen. 



3. 

 " Her mind and thoughts still tends [sic] 

 How to perform her duty ; 

 To her parents' laws she bends, 



Which adds more to her beauty. 

 In conduct slie a matron is 



With chearful air and mein, [sic] 

 Tlie steddiness of sixty years, [sic] 

 In look she's scarce fifteen. 



" In friendship most sincere, 



As well as in devotion, 

 To herself alone severe. 



And guards her every motion. 

 Her conquering eyes give her no pride, 



Her charms she will not know. 

 Nor meaner beautys does deride [sic], 



Tho' they their envy show. 



5. 



" How lovely is that face 



Where modesty's adorning. 

 And Marcia with that grace 



Is improving every morning. 

 She like the glorious sun in spring 



Is encreasing every day, 

 For her Apollo's harp he'll string. 



And the Muses sing their lay. 



" How happy is this nymph, 

 Whose noble inclination, 

 All subtle arts contemns 



And sligh made assignation : [sic] 

 Whose hours are spent in useful works, 



Or reading tracts divine, 

 The young, the grave, the wise, the brave. 

 Pay homage at her shrine. 

 And so does 



Her bumble slave, 



JUBA IsSHAM." 



I hope that some of your readers will be able to 



explain this signature, which is to me inexplicable. 



W. Spabkow Simpson. 



ON A PASSAGE IN " MEASURE FOR MEASURE, 

 ACT I. SC. 1. 



Dr. Johnson long since observed that " there is 

 perhaps not one of Shakspeare's plays more dark- 

 ened than this by the peculiarities of its author, 

 and the unskilfulness of its editors, by distortions 

 of phrase, or negligence of transcription." 



Under these circumstances we cannot be sur- 

 prised that we are favoured with three pages of 

 notes on the following passage, which occurs in the 

 opening scene : 



" Duke. Escalus. 

 Escal. My lord. 



Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, 



Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse : 



