2»«« S. N« 104., Dec. 26. '67.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



513 



board the " Northumberland" on August 7, 1815. 

 Could any of your readers inform him if any such 

 conversation has been published in a Life of Na- 

 poleon or other history of the period ? if not, it 

 might be interesting, and he would get permission 

 to copy and publish it. E. S. W. 



Figures. — How is it that the symbols of the 

 numerals are called ^/y^-wre*, supposed to come from 

 figura ? The letters of alphabets are not so deno- 

 minated. It strikes me that this word is the 

 ^&^on fgger, a finger, in analogy with digitus &nA 

 Tre/XTTofa. J. P. 



Dominica. 



Schiller's '■'■Mary Stuart.'" — In what year was 

 a translation of Schiller's Mary Stuart, by Sir 

 Wm. Pilkington, Bart., published ? I think the 

 information I am seeking will be found in a book 

 called The Notabilities of Wakefield and its Neigh- 

 bourhood, by J. Cameron, 1843. E. Iisglis. 



Caleb Dalechamp, a native of Sedan, wa:s of 

 Trinity College, Cambridge, B.A. 1622, M.A. 

 16 — . He is author of Exercitationes, London, 4to., 

 1623; Votum Davidis ; seu,OfficiumBoniMagistra- 

 tus et Patrisfamilias, London, 4to., 1623 ; Chris- 

 tian Hospitalitie ; Harrisonus Honoratus, Camb., 

 4to., 1632 ; Hceresologia Tripartita, Camb., 4to., 

 1636. Further particulars respecting him will be 

 acceptable to C. H. & Thompson Cooper. 



William Primatt, of Sidney College, Cambridge, 

 B.A. 1721, M.A. 1725, is author of Cursing no 

 Argument of Sincerity, Norwich, 4to., 1746 ; Dis- 

 sertation on 2 Pet. i. 16 — 21., London, 8vo., 1751 ; 

 Accentus Pedivivus, or a Defence of an accentuated 

 Pronunciation of Greek Prose, Camb., 8vo., 1764. 

 We shall be glad to learn the date of this gentle- 

 man's death, or to obtain any other information 

 respecting him. C. H. & Thompson Cooper. 



Poem on the Duke of Marlborough. — Many 

 years ago I heard my father repeat the following 

 lines, which he told ipe were written in honour of 

 the great Duke of Marlborough, the Duchess 

 having oifered 500/. for the best poem to his me- 

 mory. Tliey gained the prize for their author. 

 Query, Who was he ? 



" Five hundred pounds too small a boon 

 To set the Poet's muse in tune, 



That nothing might escape her. 



Were 1 to attempt the heroic story 



Of the illustrious Churchill's glory, 



It scarce would buy the paper." 



E. H. ViNEN. 



James Eyre Weekes. — Can any of your Irish 

 readers give me any account of Jas. Eyre Weekes, 

 author of Poems on Several Occasions, printed at 

 Cork, 12mo., 1743 ? R. Inglis. 



" Swallowmari.'" — Sir Henry Spelman, in his 

 History of Sacrilege, when giving the history of 



the Southwell family, speaks of " one Leech, a 

 swallowman of Norwich." What was a swallow- 

 raan P J. G. N. 



Minav €iuetiti tot'tl) ^n&iatvi. 



The Birmingham Poet. — In Conder's Book of 

 Provincial Tokens, the following description is 

 given of one, penny size : — 



Ob. A head in profile, with hat on. " The Birming- 

 ham Poet." 



Rev. " Britons behold the Bard of Freedom, plain and 

 bold, who sings as Druids sung of old." 



Who was the Birmingham poet ? E. S. W. 



FA glance at our correspondent's Query will at once re- 

 call to the recollection of many a Birmingham octogena- 

 rian that cosy parlour of the Pump Tavern, yclept the 

 Poet's, in Bell Street, the corner of Philip Street, kept by 

 one Master John Freeth — wit, poet, and publican — for 

 nearly half a century. This facetious Bard of Nature, 

 after the toils and troubles of the day, amused a large 

 company with his original songs, replete with pleasantry 

 and humour. Formed by nature to enliven the social 

 circle, possessing wit without acrimony, and independence 

 of mind without pride, he was beloved by his friends, 

 courted by strangers, and respected by all. In 1803, he 

 published a new edition of his Songs, entitled "A Touch on 

 the Times ; being a Collection of New Songs to old Tunes,* 

 including some few which have appeared in former edi- 

 tions. By a Veteran in the Class of Political Ballad 

 Street Scribblers — 



* Who, when good news is brought to town, ' 

 Immediately to work sits down. 

 And business fairly to go through. 

 Writes songs, finds tunes, and sings them too.' 



ings 1 

 .•15 



Birmingham : Knott and Lloyd. 1803. •l2mo." 



In the preface he speaks of himself in the following 

 strain : — " Throwing aside his weak, yet willing eftbrts, 

 to please for the moment, and worn down by thirty-six 

 j'ears' hard service in the humble station of a publican, 

 when in the best of his daj-s he was not by nature fit for 

 the task, at the age of seventy-two he feels himself more 

 inclined, over his cheering cup, with a social companion, 

 to handle his pipe than his pen. With hearty thanks to 

 all his friends, and as a Avell-wisher to the prosperity of 

 his native town, and the kingdom in general, he con- 

 cludes his very brief and farewell address, 



* With hopes to pleasing scenes renew. 

 That better times may soon ensue.' " 



John Freeth died on Sept. 29, 1808, in the seventy- 

 eighth 3'ear of his age, and the Plough Tavern has since 

 been pulled down for the improvement of the Bull Ring 

 and its vicinity. There are two or three engraved por- 

 traits of this facetious poet.] 



Harivolde in Bedfordshire : Sir John Mordaunt. 



" Another priorie callede Harwolde, wherin was iiij. or v. 

 nunnes with the priores : one of them had two faire chil- 

 dren, another one, and no mo. My lorde Mordant, dwell- 

 ing nygh the saide howse, intyssede the yong nunnes to 

 breke up the cofer wheras the covent sealle was : sir John 

 Mordant his eldyste son then present, ther perswadyng 

 them to the same, causede ther the prioresse and hir 

 folj'sshe yong floke to seale a writyng made in Latten : 

 what therin is conteynede nother the priores nor hir 

 sisters can telle, sayyng that my Lord Mordant tellith 



