236 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 175. 



memorial book so well known among us as an 

 album f Was it not first used by the learned men 

 of Germany as a repository for the complimentary 

 tributes of their foreign visitors? Is there any 

 mention of it in any English author earlier than 

 Izaak Walton, who tells us that Sir Henry Wotton, 

 when ambassador at Venice, wrote in the album 

 of Christopher Flecamore a Latin sentence to the 

 effect that " an ambassador is an honest man, sent 

 to lie abroad for the good of his country ? " Where 

 is the earliest specimen of an English album, ac- 

 cording to the modern form and use of the scrap- 

 book so called ? D. 



The Lisle Family. — Can any of the readers of 

 *' N. & Q." give me some fuller information than 

 is to be found in Lyttleton's History of England, 

 or refer me to any authorities for such, concerning 

 the family and connexions of the following per- 

 sonages ? 



There was a Lady Lisle, who, temp. Jac. IL, 

 was tried at Winchester by the notorious Judge 

 Jeffries, and afterwards executed, for harbouring 

 two rebels after the battle of Sedgemoor. I be- 

 lieve she was beheaded as a favour, instead of 

 being burnt. She was the widow of one of the 

 judges who consented to the death of that ill-fated 

 monarch Charles I. 



I observe the barony of Lisle has been extinct, 

 or in abeyance, on four or five different occasions ; 

 was either about this time ? The present peerage 

 appears to have been created circa 1758. Are 

 these descendants of that family ? 



I possess portraits of Lord and Lady Lisle (size 

 six feet by four), and much wish to learn the 

 above, together with any other particulars relating 

 to the family. John Garland. 



( Dorchester. 



Wards of the Crown. — I find the origin of this 

 ancient prerogative of royalty thus quaintly ex- 

 plained at p. 132. of King's Vale Roy all of Eng- 

 land, 1656. Hugh Lupus, first Norman Earl of 

 Chester, and nephew of the Conqueror, at his 

 death in 1101, left his son 



" Richard, then an infant of seven years of age, en- 

 tituled then to his Earldome of Chester, and married 

 to Matilda, daughter to Stephen, Earl of Blois. And 

 this Matilda was niece to King Henry I., by reason 

 whereof the said king took into his tuition and cus- 

 tody the said young earl ; from whence, they say, this 

 of a custome grew to be a law, that young heirs in 

 their nonage became pupils, or wards, unto the king. 

 A very tender care had this king over this princely 

 child, and brought him up in the company of his own 

 children, with whom he sent him into Normandy, and 

 with them there provided the most princely and best 

 education for them." 



Their after-history is well known. Having duly 

 arrived at man's estate, these promising young 



princes and their companion, Richard, the royal 

 ward, were sent for from Normandy by the affec- 

 tionate king, whence, taking ship at Harfleur, they 

 set sail for England ; but, through some mismanage- 

 ment, the vessel striking upon a rock, the entire 

 company perished except one butcher, who, by the 

 help of a mast, swam safe to land. This tragedy 

 happened about December 7, 1 120. 



I believe this to be the first instance recorded 

 in English history of a ward to the king, but shall 

 be happy to receive correction from any better- 

 informed correspondent of " N. & Q." 



T. Hughes. 



Chester. 



Tate, an Artist. — A friend of mine has a very 

 fine family portrait, very much admired by judges, 

 and generally ascribed to Reynolds, whose style it 

 greatly resembles. But I believe it has with some 

 confidence been stated to be the work of a pupil 

 of Sir Joshua's, named Tate. The picture is about 

 seventy years old. Would you, or any of your 

 readers, kindly inform me whether an artist of that 

 name lived at that time, and whether he was a 

 pupil of Sir Joshua Reynolds ? A. W. 



Kilburn. 



Philip d'Auvergne. — 



« On the 12th of March, 1792, the King of Great Britain 

 granted to Captain Philip d'Auvergne, R.N., his licence 

 to accept the succession to the said duchy (Bouillon), 

 in case of the death of the hereditary prince, only son 

 of the reigning duke, ivithout issue male, pursuant to 

 a declaration of his Serene Highness, dated June 25th, 

 1791, at the desire, and with the express and formal 

 consent of the nation." 



I find this in Brooke's Gazetteer, under the 

 heading of " Bouillon." Can any of your corre- 

 spondents give a further account of Captain 

 d'Auvergne ? I suppose the troubles consequent 

 upon the French Revolution would prevent his 

 accession to the duchy, even if he survived the 

 hereditary prince ? E. H. A. 



Somersetshire Ballad. — I have a note of the fol- 

 lowing verse of an old ballad. Where can I find 

 the remaining verses ? 



" Go ask the vicar of Taunton Deane, 

 And he'll tell you the banns were askit, 

 And a good fat ceapun he had for his peains, 

 And he's carrit it whoom in his baskit." 



S. A. S. 



Lady High Sheriff. — Can any of your Here- 

 fordshire I'eaders inform me who the lady was who 

 served the ofiice of high sheriff for that county, 

 somewhere about the years 1769 or 1770? 



Her husband had been appointed, but dying 

 shortly afterwards, his widow took his place, and 

 attended the judges with the javelln-men, dressed 

 in deep mourning. If any one could give me any 



