284 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[2nd g. No 93., Oct, 10. '57. 



Of all this charge and toil compute the gains, — 

 Nothing excites their hopes, nothing rewards their 



pains. 

 Nothing, the grand Elixir sought of old. 

 Transmutes all baser metal into Gold ; — 

 Nothing is fairer than the morning light, 

 When the fresh beams first strike the ravish'd sight ; — 

 Nothing is milder than the western breeze, 

 Temp'ring the Summer's heat, and whisp'ring thro' the 



trees ; — 

 Nothing's more welcome than the approach of Spring, 

 That makes all Nature smile, the whole Creation sing. 



" But while I trj' to raise the wond'rous tale, 

 I feel my language faint, my numbers fail. 

 Far as the Earth, and Air, and Seas, extend, 

 Nothing's without beginning, without end ; — 

 Be3'ond the Universe nothing finds place. 

 And nothing fills the mighty void of Space : 

 On nothing turn the lucid orbs above, 

 And all the Stars in mystic order move : — 

 On nothing hangs the vast terraqueous Ball ; — 

 The World from nothing sprang ; from nothing came 



forth all." 



P. S. Whether you do or do not put them in, 

 I beg to subscribe to your work ; and I enclose 

 my card, that I may be certain of a weekly enter- 

 tainment.* 



FLY-LEAF SCBIBBLINGS. 



The following are from old English books : — 



1. From a "Vigilise Mortuorum Sarum MS." 

 penes me : — 



" Thomas Hylbrond owe this book, 

 Whosoever will yt tooke. 

 Whoso stellyt shall be hangyd. 

 By ayre, by water, or by lande, 

 With a hempen bande. 

 God is where he was. 

 A" VI. R. Edwardi VI." 



2. In «H. B. Virg. Sarum MS., 15. Cent." 

 penes me : — 



" Whoever upon me doth looke, 

 I am Henry Blakham's booke, 

 So long as he pleasyth me to holde 

 Of me his owne he may be bolde 

 To sj'Ug or saye what he can, 

 Therwythe to please bothe God and man : 

 Yf he me lose and you me fynde. 

 He trusthe that you will be so kind 

 For to take so much paine 

 As to bring me home to him againe ; 

 For whose use I am most mete. 

 And he dwelleth in Little Wood Street. 

 Now you know all (f whose bread I eat), 

 Desyering not with you to mete." 



3. From an old Chaucer, 1561, Jhon Kyng- 

 ston : — 



" Iste liber pertinet. 

 And bear it well in minde. 



Ad me Johannem Rixbrum (Eukby), 

 So curtiss and so kind, 



[* Our venerable Correspondent has forgotten to en- 

 close his card. We hope that this hint will be suificient 

 intimation of our desire to hear from him again.] 



t These words are doubtful, being almost obliterated. 



Quern si ego perdam. 

 And any shall it gaine founde, 



Redde mihi iterum. 

 Thy fame than will I sounde, 



Sed si mihi redas (sic), 

 Then blessed thou shalt be, 



Et ago tibi gratias 

 Whensover I the se." 



I should like to hear if any of the above worthies 

 are known. J. C. J. 



BELLS IN ST. CUTHBEBT S TOWEE, WELLS, 

 SOMERSET. 



The following extracts from the Corporate Re- 

 cords of Wells may prove interesting to some of 

 your readers, especially to such as Mb. Ella- 

 combe, who take an interest in the history of 

 bells and bell-founders. The extracts are taken 

 from the " Convocation " books of the corpora- 

 tion : 

 « 20 Sept. 1624. 



" Whereas ther was this psent day warned a 'Checquer 

 for to confer of such business as concerneth the good of 

 the Town, and likewise to take out of the chest the some 

 of x/. to pay unto Roger Purdy the Bell founder towardes 

 his charges in castinge of the Bells; And for that ther 

 did not appeare above the nombre of ix whose names are 

 above wrytten, and the residew made defalt, — Therfor 

 wee whose names are subscribed accordinge to the order 

 of this bowse, — the residew of the xxiiij not appereinge, 

 — have thoughte fitt for the helpe of the said Roger 

 Purdj', — he havinge done his worke, to take owte the 

 said some of xZ. to pay vnto him towardes his charges in 

 Castinge of the Bells, wch said money is deliv'd to Mr. 

 Humfrey Palmer, Mayor, to be paid to the said Purdy ; 

 and the same money is to be taken vppe againe at the 

 Church accompte. 



" Humfrey Palmer, Maior. Richard Casbeard. 



Hughe Meade. John Cox. 



Thomas Baron. Walter Bricke. 



John Crees. Edward Barlowe." 

 Vertue Hunt. 



" 22 die Septembris Anno R. R. Jacobi nunc Anglic, &c. 



vicessimo scdo. 



" Received of Mr. Humfrey Palmer, Mayor, for and to- 

 wards the charges of Castinge the third, fowerth, and 

 fiveth Bells, the some of xiiijZ. I say receaved." (No 

 signature.) 



« Quarto Maij, 1625. 



" Ther was paid to Thomas Willis, to the vse of Roger 

 Purdue, iiijZ., beinge pte of vjZ. vjs. dew to the said Pur- 

 dew for the P'she of St. Cuthbte, for Castinge of three 

 Bells ther, for wch they have geven acquitance. 



" Thomas Willis. 

 " Witness, Henr. Goold." 



Immediately after the above the following con- 

 tract is recorded : 



" XXX die Aprilis Anno R. Rs. Jacobi nunc Angl. &c. 



vicessimo scdo, 1624. 



" Memorand. — It is agreed betwene Humfrey Palmer, 

 Mayor of the Cyttie or Burrow of Welles in the County of 

 Soms', Edward Barloe and Robert Pointing, Church- 

 Wardens of the P'ishe Church of St. Cuthbte w'thin the 

 said Cytty or Burrow and P'ishe of St. Cutlibte, of th' one 

 pte, and Roger Purdy of the Cyttie of Bristol), Bell- 



