G 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 219. 



ad Virgines Tarentinas, Darin cultrices." — Comment., 

 p. 316. 



A second copy of the Latin version was formerly 

 in the Cottonian collection (Vitellius E. vii.), but 

 no fragment of it has hitherto been recovered from 

 the mass of burnt crusts and leaves left after the fire 

 •of 1731. I am happy, however, to add, that within 

 the last few months, the manuscript marked Vitel- 

 lius F. vii., containing a French translation of the 

 Iliwle, made in the fourteenth century (very 

 ■closely agreeing with the vernacular text), has 

 been entirely restored, except that the top margins 

 of the leaves have been burnt at each end of the 

 volume. This damage has, unfortunately, carried 

 away the original heading of the treatise, and the 

 title given us by Smith is copied partly from 

 ■James's note. This copy of the French version 

 appears to be unique, and is the more interesting 

 from its having a note at the end (now half ob- 

 literated by the fire), stating that it belonged to 

 Eleanor de Bohun, Duchess of Gloucester, whose 

 motto is also added, " Plesance. M [mil'], en v?i." 

 The personage in question was Eleanor, daughter 

 of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, and 

 wife of Thomas of Woodstock, who ended her 

 -days as a nun in the convent at Barking in 1399. 

 Is any other instance known of the use of this 

 motto ? Before I conclude these brief remarks, I 

 may mention a fifth copy of the Ancren Riwle, 

 which has escaped the notice of Mr. Morton. It 

 is buried in the enormous folio manuscript of old 

 English poetry and prose called the Vernon MS., 

 in the Bodleian Library, written in the reign of 

 Richard IL, and occurs at pp. 371 b " — 392. In the 

 table of contents prefixed to this volume it is 

 entitled "The Roule of Reclous;" and although 

 the phraseology is somewhat modernised, it agrees 

 better with the MS. Cleopatra C. vi. than with 

 Nero A. xiv., from which Mr. Morton's edition is 

 printed. This copy is not complete, some leaves 

 having been cut out in the sixth book, and the 

 scribe leaves off at p. 420. of the printed edition. 



It is very much to be wished that Mr. Morton 

 would undertake the task of editing another vo- 

 lume of legends, homilies, and poems, of the same 

 age as the Ancren Riwle, still existing in various 

 manuscripts. One of the homilies, entitled " Sawles 

 Warde," in the Bodley MS. 34., Cott. MS. Titus 

 D. xviii., and Old Royal MS. 17a. xxvii., is very 

 curious, and well deserves to be printed. 



F. Madden 



British Museum. 



OEDEE FOE THE SUPPRESSION OF VAGEANCT, 

 A. D. 1650-51. 



At a time when the question of " What is to be 

 ■done with our vagrant children?" is occupying 

 the attention of all men of philanthropic minds, it 

 may be worth while to give place in your pages to 



the following order addressed by the Lord Mayor 

 of London to his aldermen in 1650-51, which ap- 

 plies, amongst other things, to that very subject. 

 It will be seen that some of the artifices of beg- 

 gary in that day were very similar to those with 

 which we are now but too familiar. The difference 

 of treatment between vagrant children over and 

 under nine years of age, is worthy of observation. 



" By the Mayor. 



" Forasmuch as of late the constables of this city- 

 have neglected to put in execution the severall whol- 

 some laws for punishing of vagrants, and passing them 

 to the places of their last abode, whereby great scandall 

 and dishonour is brought upon the government of this 

 city; These are therefore to will and require you, or 

 your deputy, forthwith to call before you the several 

 constables within your ward, and strictly to charge 

 them to put in execution the said laws, or to expect 

 the penalty of forty shillings to be levyed upon their 

 estates, for every vagrant that shal be found begging 

 in their several precincts. And to the end the said 

 constables may not pretend ignorance, what to do with 

 the several persons which they shal find offending the 

 said laws, these are further to require them, that al 

 aged or impotent persons who are not fit to work, be 

 passed from constable to constable to the parish where 

 they dwel ; and that the constable in whose ward they 

 are found begging, shal give a passe under his hand, 

 expressing the place where he or she were taken, and 

 the place whither they are to be passed. And for 

 children under five years of age, who have no dwelling, or 

 cannot give an account of their parents, the parish where 

 they are found are to provide for them ; and for those 

 which shall bee found lying under stalls, having no habit- 

 ation or parents (from five to nine years old), are to be 

 sent to the Wardrobe House*, to be provided for by the 

 corporation for the poore ; and all above nine years of age 

 are to be sent to Bridewel. And for men or women who 

 are able to work and goe begging with young children, 

 such persons for the first time to be passed to the 

 place of their abode as aforesaid ; and being taken 

 againe, they are to be carryed to Bridewel, to be cor- 

 rected according to the discretion of the governours. 

 And for those persons that shal be found to hire children, 

 or go begging with children not sucking, those children are 

 to be sent to the several parishes wher they dwel, and the 

 persons so hiring them to Bridewel, to be corrected and 

 passed away, or kept at work there, according to the go- 

 vernor's discretion. And for al other vagrants and 

 beggars under any pretence whatsoever, to be forthwith 

 sent down to Bridewel to be imployed and corrected, 

 according to the statute laws of this commonwealth, 

 except before excepted ; and the president and go- 

 vernours of Bridewel are hereby desired to meet twice 

 every week to see to the execution of this Precept. 

 And the steward of the workehouse called the Wardrobe, is 



* I suppose this to have been the ancient building 

 known by the name of The Royal, or The Tower 

 Royal, used for a time as the Queen's Wardrobe. It 

 will be seen that it was occupied in 1650 as a work- 

 house. 



