Nov. 15. 1851.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



385 



conditions of publication as may meet the wishes 

 of himself and the other contributors towards The 

 Caxtoii Testimonial. Two modes of union suggest 

 themselves, which I submit to his consideration in 

 the form of queries. 



1. If the preparation and impression of the in- 

 tended volume should be undertaken by a certain 

 literary society, honourably distinguished by the 

 substantial character of the works which have been 

 edited under its sanction, would the committee of 

 Tlte Caxton Testimonial engage to take a certain 

 number of copies, in case the council of the society 

 alluded to should assent to such a deviation from 

 its usual course ? 



2. If this arrangement should be objected to on 

 either side, would the committee of The Caxton 

 Testimonial undertake to produce a literary 

 memorial of Caxton on the plan before-described, 

 or not much differing from it, and under the edi- 

 torship of persons to be named by themselves? 



If neither plan should be approved, I shall not 

 abate one jot of hope as to the success of the pro- 

 ject; but, by permission of the editor of " Notes 

 AND Queries," proceed with my humble contribu- 

 tions to The Caxton Coffer, Bolton Corney. 



Might not the purpose be attained by the esta- 

 blishment of a club (on the same principles as the 

 Bannatyne, Maitland, and Spalding Clubs), for 

 the republication of the works of the first English 

 printer ? His works are of such excessive rarity 

 that they are inaccessible even to the most devoted 

 antiquary, and indeed many of them are scarcely 

 known even by name. They are principally 

 thin quartos, and the actual expense of reprinting 

 them could not be heavy. The only trouble would 

 be in collating them ; and if the matter was once 

 set on foot, we have many able typographical anti- 

 qiiariiis who, I have no doubt, would assist in 

 editing them. Such a plan appears preferable, 

 because in making the Club open to any party 

 who chose to pay the agreed-on subscription, it 

 would thus become better known throughout the 

 kingdom, and consequently stand a much better 

 chance of support and, of course, success. 



The great object of the memorial, in addition to 

 a just recognition of the important services of 

 Caxton, appears to be to revive his memory ; and 

 tiiis end can only be effectually gained by a re- 

 publication of his works, and tlie plan of a club 

 appears to be the only way by which they can be 

 extensively circulated. 



Peteg-Pkomontoriensis. 



[Our correspondent has, he will perceive, misappre- 

 hended Mil. CoiisEv's supigestion ; wiiicli is .1 far more 

 practical one, than a ii|)riiit of all the works wliieli 

 issued from the press of Caxton. In the Krst of the 

 modes wliich Mii. Counev now snjjf^ests for carrying 

 out his views lie appears to us to h.ave hit upon a very 

 happy expedient ; which we think may easily be acconi- 



phshed in a way to do credit to all parties concerned in 

 it, and really to do honour to the memory of William 

 Caxton.] 



EPIGRAM ASCRIBED TO MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS. 



(Vol. iv., pp. 316. 356.) 



As your corrrespondent C. has noticed the copy 

 of S.allust containing the autograph of Mary Queen 

 of Scots, whicli was presented to the library of 

 this University by our illustrious alumnus John 

 Wilson Croicee, I think it right to send you the 

 following account of it. 



The full title is as follows : — 



Opera Salliistiana. 



Caij Crispi Sallustij inter hi- 



storicos nominatissimi, ac veri cum lodoci Badij 



Ascensij expositione perq5 familiari opera post noua 



limam et nonnuUa nnperrime addit.i receter ; et subjecta continet 



(]^ Pomponij ieti Sallustiana recogiii'.io et ejusdem vita et ex- 



planatis. Historicqy dcscriptio : species et utilitas ac vigi/iti 



styli historici precepta. 



The words here printed in Italics are in rubric 

 in the original. Then follows on the title-page a 

 table of contents of the volume, with reference to 

 the folio in wliich each piece is to be found. 



Then follows a small square woodcut, represent- 

 ing SS. Peter and Paul holding the sacred hand- 

 kerchief with the face of Christ impressed upon it ; 

 and on each side of this is the date in rubric, thus, 



M . CCCCC. 



XXIII. 



The whole is surrounded with a fraiuework 

 formed of various woodcut ornaments. One of 

 these (on the left) represents Judas betraying our 

 Lord witli a kiss ; the other (on the right) our 

 Lord bearing His cross. 



On tlie reverse of the title is a dedicatory letter 

 from lodocus Badius Ascensius to Franciscus de 

 Roban, Archbishop of Lyons. 



Then follows Tabula Alphabetica, occupying 

 four pages. 



Then (on fol. A. iiij) a letter, " Aug. Mapheo 

 reru llo. Thosaur. Pop . letus . S," beginning 

 " Marcus Valerius probus uuice vetustatis amator." 



Ou the next page is " Caij Crispi Sallustij vita 

 per Poj)o . letii." 



Ou the next page begins "De historia et ea 

 concernentibus coUecta per ascensium;" and in the 

 blanks round the heading of this page is one of 

 tlie autographs of the unfortunate queen, in her 

 large bold hand, 



j\Iaria Itegina. 



On the next page begin "Viginti precepta pro 

 historica lege," which are continued on the next 

 two pages. In the blank spaces left round the 



Vol IV.- No. 107. 



