448 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[2"4 S. IX. June 9. '60. 



the work, probably during his long confinement in the 

 Tower. It was formerly in the library of Dr. Askew." 



Where is this copy now ? 



Edward F. Rimbault. 



turned fot'tf) Sngteerj*. 



Revision of the Peater-Book. — Will you 

 print the following copy of a title-page now be- 

 fore me ? 



" Free and Candid Disquisitions relating to the Church 

 of England, and the means of advancing Religion therein. 

 Addressed to the Governing Powers in Church and State, 

 and more immediately directed to the two Houses of Con- 

 vocation." London, A. Millar, 1749, pp. 27. 340. 8vo. 



The above is a curious and valuable work, in an 

 admirable spirit, almost exclusively devoted to the 

 question of a revision of the Book of Common 

 Prayer. It contains almost all the arguments 

 which are now urged by the advocates of revi- 

 sion, besides useful information on the history of 

 the question. Those who take any part in the 

 controversy would do well to consult this volume, 

 the subject and character of which would scarcely 

 be inferred from the title. Let me add that in 

 addition to the discussions respecting the Book of 

 Common Prayer, the Free and Candid Disqui- 

 sitions contain some things worth reading on the 

 revision of the Authorised Version of the English 

 Bible. B. H. C. 



[This work is the production of the Rev. John Jones 

 of Worcester College, Oxford, and vicar of Alconbury, 

 which he resigned in 1751 for the rectory of Boulne- 

 Hurst in Bedfordshire. In 1759 he accepted the curacy 

 of Welwyn from Dr. Young, author of Night Thoughts, 

 and was appointed one of his executors. He afterwards 

 returned to Boulne-Hurst, and probably obtained no 

 other preferment. Mr. Jones appears to have been re- 

 markable for his modesty and amiability of character, 

 pious and regular in his deportment, diligent in his 

 clerical functions, and indefatigable in his studies, which 

 were chiefly employed in promoting the scheme of re- 

 formation digested in his Candid Disquisitions. Bishop 

 Warburton did not think very highly of his literary abi- 

 lities, for in a letter to Dr. Doddridge, dated June 25, 

 1741, he says, " Mr. Jones, the Huntingdonshire clergy- 

 man, came hither with the Doctor. By two or three 

 things which dropped from him, I find he suspects you 

 slight his acquaintance ; and truly, if it were my case, I 

 should continue so to do ; for, betwixt friends, I take him 

 to be a mere solemn coxcomb." Mr. Jones submitted the 

 manuscript of his Disquisitions to the notorious Francis 

 Blackburne, Archdeacon of Cleveland, who returned it 

 without any corrections, and blamed the author for being 

 so excessively cautious of giving offence to the higher 

 powers. The work was afterwards forwarded to Abp. 

 Seeker to be laid before the Convocation ; but that body 

 having been prorogued by an arbitrary exercise of the 

 roya} authority, was not permitted to deliberate on church 

 matters. The publication of the Candid Disquisitions in 

 1749 rekindled the dying embers of the Bangorian con- 

 troversy, and for a few years occasioned a keen discus- 

 sion. In 1750 appeared the second edition, revised and 

 improved. The work was attacked by two clergymen. 

 1. Free and Impartial Considerations upon the " Free and 



Candid Disquisitions." By a Gentleman [i.e. John White, 

 B.D., Fellow of St. John's College. Cambridge], 8vo. 

 1751. 2. Remarks' on the ''Candid Disquisitions." By a 

 Presbyter of the Church of England [_i.e. the Rev. John 

 Boswell of Taunton], 8vo. 1751. The first work pub- 

 lished by the author of The Confessional was in defence 

 of Mr. Jones's Disquisitions, entitled An Apology for the 

 Authors of a Book entitled " Free and Candid Disquisitions 

 relating to the Church of England." Svo. 1750.] 



Monumental Brasses. — In a Catalogue of 

 a valuable collection of MSS. of Craven Ord, Esq., 

 and a curious collection of autographs, sold by 

 Mr. Evans on Monday, Jan. 25 and four fol- 

 lowing days, 1830, is the following article: — 



" No. 1102. Monumental Brasses. — A most exten- 

 sive, curious, and highly valuable collection of impres- 

 sions from ancient Monumental Brasses, taken at the 

 expence and generally under the immediate superin- 

 tendance of Craven Ord, Esq. In 2 vols, about six feet 

 in height, with a stand to hold them, sold for 43/. Is. Od. 

 The Auctioneer adds this note : 



" * * * This Collection of impressions from ancient 

 Monumental Brasses is most probably matchless. Many 

 of the figures are upwards of six feet in height. The 

 impressions were taken nearly half a century ago; many 

 of the Brasses may have been since defaced, and others 

 destroyed. The value of the collection is much en- 

 hanced by the greater part of the impressions being ac- 

 companied with notices from the pen of Craven Ord, 

 Esq., pointing out when they were taken. It is to be 

 hoped that this collection will be secured and deposited 

 in some public or private collection to which the Anti- 

 quary may have access. It forms a most valuable Sup- 

 plement to Gough's Sepulchral Monuments." 



As it has been announced that a new edition of 

 Mr. Gough's Sepulchral Monuments is about to be 

 printed, it is well to call attention to this work of 

 Mr. Ord ; and should the publishers be acquainted 

 with it, there are various local antiquarian so- 

 cieties whose members are seeking such informa- 

 tion, and who would be glad to know through 

 " N. & Q." whether this collection is deposited 

 in a 'public library, or is in the possession of a 

 private individual. J. M. Gutch. 



Worcester. 



[This collection of impressions, which sold for 43Z. Is., 

 is now in the Print Room of the British Museum, to 

 which it was bequeathed by the late Mr. Douce.] 



Benjamin Baxter wrote two books, Self- 

 Posing, published in 1661, with a preface by 

 Richard Baxter, and Posing Questions put by 

 Solomon to the Wisest Men, 1662. Did he write 

 other works? Was he related to Richard Baxter? 



B. H. C. 



[In the Bodleian library are two works relating to 

 Benjamin Baxter: 1. 3Ir." Baxter Baptiz'd in Blood; or 

 a History of the barbarous Murther of Mr. Baxter by the 

 Anabaptists in New England. 4to. Lond. 1673. This is 

 a fictitious production, attributed to Dr. Samuel Parker. 

 See Crosby's History of the English Baptists, ii. 278—294. 

 2. A Plea for the late excellent Mr. Baxter, and those that 

 speak of the Sufferings of Christ as he does, in Answer to 

 Mr. Lobb's Charge of Socinianisni against 'em. 8vo. 

 Lond. 1699.] 



