Sept, 3. 1853.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



225 



p. 406.), is a curious dial, tlie pillar supporting 

 which has its four sides carved with figures of 

 Time and Death, &c., and the following inscrip- 

 tions. 



On the south side, where is the figure of 

 Time: 



" Asp ice — ut aspicias." 



" Time's glass and scythe o 



Thy life and death declare, § 



Spend well thy time, and 5; 



For thy end prepare." " 



" O man, now or never ; 

 While there is time, turn unto the Lord, 

 And put not off from day to day." 



On the north side, where is the figure of Death 

 standing upon a dead body, with his dart, hour- 

 glass, and spade : 



" Three things there he in very deede, 

 Which make my heart in grief to hleede : 

 The first doth vex my very heart, 

 In that from hence I must departe ; 

 The second grieves me now and then, 

 That I must die, but know not when ; 

 The third with tears bedews my face, 

 That I must die, nor know the place. 

 I. W. 

 fecit, Anno Dnii. 

 1687." 



" Behold my killing dart and delving spade ; 

 Prepare for death before thy grave be made ; 

 for 

 After death there's no hope." 



" If a man die he shall live again. 

 All the days of my appointed time 

 Will I wait till my days come," — Job xiv. 14. 



« The death of saints is precious. 

 And miserable is the death of sinners," 



The east side of the pillar has the following : 



" Si vis ingredi in vitam, 

 Serva mandata." 



"Judgments are prepared for sinners." — Prov. xiv, 9, 



And on the west : 



" Sol non occidat 

 Super iracundiam vestram." 



" Whatsoever ye would that men 



Should do unto you, 



Do ye even so unto them." 



I subjoin a few other dial inscriptions, copied 

 from churches in Worcestershire. 



Kidderminster (parish church) : 



" None but a villain will deface me." 



Himbleton (over the porch) : 



" Via Vit£E." 

 Bromsgrove : 



" We shall — " (i.e. we shall die-all). 



Shrawley : 



" Ab hoc momento pendet asternltas." 



CUTHBEBT BeDE, B.A. 



THE " SALTPETER MAKER, 



(Vol. vii., pp. 377. 433. 460. 530.) 



The following humble petition will give an idea 

 of the arbitrai-y power exercised by the " Salt- 

 peter maker" in the days of Good Queen Bess ; 

 and of the useful monopoly that functionary con- 

 trived to make of his employment, in defiance of 

 county government : 



" Righto honorable, our humble dewties to yo' good 

 Lordshippe premised, maye it please the same to be 

 advertised, that at the Quarter sessions holden at New- 

 arke within this countie of Nottingham, There was a 

 generall Complaynte made unto us by the Whole 

 Countrie, that one John Ffoxe, saltpeter maker, had 

 charged the Whole Countrie by his precepts for the 

 Caryinge of Cole from Selsonn, in the Countie of Not- 

 tingham, unto the towne of Newarke wii'ln the same 

 countie ; beinge sixteene myles distante] for the make- 

 inge of saltpeter, some townes w"' five Cariages and 

 some w"' lesse, or els to geve him foure shillinges for 

 everie Loade, whereof he hath Recyved a great parte. 

 Uppon w°'» Complaynte we called the same Ffoxe be- 

 fore some of us at Newarke at the Sessions, there to 

 answere the premisses, and also to make us a propclon 

 what Loades of Coales would serve to make a thowsand 

 of saltpeter, To thend we might have sett some order for 

 the preparing of the same : But the said Ffoxe will not 

 sett downe anie rate what would serve for the make- 

 inge of a Thowsande. Therefore we have thoughte 

 good to advertise your good Lordshippe of the pre- 

 misses, and have appoynted the clarke of the peace of 

 this countie of Nottingham to attend yo' good Lord- 

 shippe to know yo'' Lordshippes pleasure about the 

 same, who can farther informe yo'' good Lordshippe of 

 the particularities thereof, if it shall please yo' good 

 Lordshippe to geve him hearlnge, And so most humblie 

 take our Leaves, Newarke, the viij"" of OctobS 1589. 

 " Your Lpp most humblie to Comaunde, 

 Ro. Markham, William Sutton, 



Rauf Barton, 1589, Nihs Roos, 



Brian Lassels, John Thornhagh." 



The document is addressed on the back " To 

 the Right Honorable our verie good Lord the 

 Lord Burghley, Lord Heighe Threasoro"" of Eng- 

 land, yeve theis ;" and is numbered LXL 72. among 

 the Lansdowne MSS., B. M. 



The proposal quoted below has no date at- 

 tached, but probably belongs to the former part 

 of the seventeenth century : 



" The Service, 

 "1, To make 500 Tunne of refined Saltpetre within 

 his Ma"" dominions yearely, and continually, and 

 cheaper. 

 2. Without digging of houses or charging of carts, or 

 any other charge to the subject whatsoever. 



