290 



NOTES AND QUEEIES. 



[No. 204. 



do foi- the white. Of course, by separating the 

 ■good and evil principles, four persons might play. 



Bohn's Hoveden. — By way of expressing my 

 sense of obligation to Mr. Bohn and his editors 

 for the Antiquaiian Library, perhaps you will 

 suffer me to point out what appears to be an inac- 

 curacy in the translation of Roger de Hoveden's 

 Annals? At p. 123. of vol. ii., the word Suuelle 

 (as it appears to stand in the original text) is 

 translated into Swale : but surely no other place 

 is here meant than the church of St. Mary's at 

 Southivell* (or Suthwell, Sudwell, Suwell, or Suell, 

 as variously spelt, but never Swale), in Notting- 

 hamshire. 



I would also notice a trifling error (perhaps 

 only a misprint) at p. 125. ; where we are informed 

 in a note, that the Galilee of Durham Cathedral is 

 at the east end, whereas its real position is at the 

 west J. Sansom. 



Oxford. 



Milton at Eyford House, Gloster. — In the 

 British Museum (says Wilson in his description 

 of Christ's College, Cambridge) is the original 

 proclamation for Milton's appearance after the 

 Kestoration. Where was he secreted ? I find this 

 note in my book : — At Eyford House, Gloucester- 

 shire, within two miles of Stow-on-the-Wold, on 

 the road to Cheltenham, a spring of beautiful 

 water is called " Milton's Well," running into a 

 tributary of the Thames. The old house, &c., 

 at the time would be out of the way of common 

 information. !*• J* 



^uexiti. 



EAEIi OF LEICESTEE'S PORTRAIT, 1585. 



There is at Penshurst, among many other in- 

 teresting memorials of the Dudleys, an original 

 portrait of Elizabeth's Earl of Leicester, with the 

 following painted upon it : " Robert, E. of Lei- 

 cester, Stadtholder of Holland, a.d. 1585." After 

 this comes the ragged staff, but without its usual 

 accompaniment, the bear. Under the staff follow 

 these enigmatical lines, which I request any of 

 your correspondents to translate and explain. I 

 send you a translation in rhyme ; I should thank 

 them the more if they would do the same : as to 

 explanation, the longer the better. 



" Principis hie Baculus, patrijB columenque, decusque, 

 Hoc uno, ingratos quod beet, ipse miser." 

 This ragged staff by Leicester's potent hand, 

 Brought succour, safety, to this threaten'd land : 



* The seal of the vicars of Southwell, ann. 1262, 

 had in its circumference the words " Commune sigil- 

 lum Vicariorum Suuell." — Vid. Thoroton's Notting- 

 hamshire, North Mushham, ed. 1796, vol. iii. p. 156. 



One thing alone embitters every thought, 

 He to ungrateful men these blessings brought. 



Now for a word of commentary : and first as to 

 " Stadtholder of Holland, a.d. 1585." The good 

 woman who showed the picture informed us that 

 it was painted by order of the stadtholder, and 

 presented to Leicester ; if so, there would have 

 been a jussu provinciarum foederatariim depictus, 

 or something of that sort ; but no such compli- 

 ment was to be expected from the Dutch, for they 

 hated him, complained of his conduct, memo- 

 rialised the queen against him : see the pamphlets 

 in the British Museum, 4to. 1587, C. 32. a. 2. But 

 though it was most unlikely that the Dutch or 

 their stadtholder should have presented this pic- 

 ture to Leicester, it well accorded with Leicester's 

 vanity and presumption, and still more with that 

 vanity and presumption as displayed in his conduct 

 as commander-in-chief of the forces in Holland, 

 to call himself The Stadtholder, and to order his 

 painter to put that title under his portrait. 



The verses may now be referred to in support 

 of this view of the subject. Leicester therein re- 

 presents himself as unhappy, because he had be- 

 stowed blessings on the ungrateful Dutch. 



In conclusion, take the following full-length 

 portrait of Leicester's indignation {Leicester, a 

 Belgis vituperatus, loquitur) : 



" Tliis ragged staff my resolution shows, 

 To save my Queen and Holland from their foes : 

 Still deeply seated in my heart remains 

 One cause, one fruitful cause, of all my pains ; 

 'Tis base ingratitude — 'tis Holland's hate. 

 My presence sav'd that country, chang'd its fate. 

 But the base pedlars gain'd my sov'reign's ear, 

 And at my counsels and my courage sneer ; 

 They call me tyrant, breaker of my word, 

 Fond of a warrior's garb without his sword. 

 A servile courtier, saucy cavalier, 

 Bold as a Hon when no danger's near, 

 They say I seek their country for myself. 

 To fill my bursting bags with plunder'd pelf; 

 They say with goose's, not with eagle's wing, 

 I wish to soar, and make myself a king. 

 Dutchmen ! to you I came, I saw, I sav'd : 

 Where'er my staff, my bear, my banner wav'd, 

 The daunted Spaniard fled without a blow, 

 And bloodless chaplets crown'd my conquering brow. 

 Dutchmen ! with minds more stagnant than your 



pools, 

 (But in reproachful words more knaves than fools), 

 You will not see, nor own the debt you owe 

 To him who conquers a retreating foe. 

 Such base ingratitude as this alloys 

 My triumph's glory, and my bosom's joys." 



V. T. 



Tunbridge Wells. 



