Chapter M: C. E

_Jennings Family._--Some time since I requested as a great favour that your correspondent PERCURIOSUS would kindly inform me where I could get a sight of the Spoure MSS. I repeat that I should feel greatly obliged if he would do so: and as this is of no public interest, I send postage envelope, in the event of PERCURIOSUS obliging me with the desired information.

J. JENNINGS-G.

_Latimer's Brothers-in-Law._--In Bishop Latimer's first sermon, preached before King Edward VI., we find the quaint martyr-bishop magnifying the paternal prudence for having suitably "married his sisters with five pounds, or twenty nobles, apiece;" but neither the editors of the sermon, nor the writers of several biographical notices of Latimer consulted by me, and in which the extract appears, give any account of the fortunate gentlemen whom the generous parent thus doubly blessed with his twofold treasure.

Can you, or any of your readers, oblige by furnishing the _names_ of Bishop Latimer's brothers-in-law, or by giving some references or brief account of them?

* *

_Autobiographical Sketch._--A fragment came into my possession some time ago, among a quantity of waste paper in which books were wrapped, which, from the singularity of its contents, I felt desirous to trace to the book of which it forms a part, but my research has hitherto proved unsuccessful. It consists of two leaves of a large octavo sheet, probably published some twenty years back, and is headed "Autobiographical Sketch of the Editor." It commences with the words: "The Commissioners of the Poor Laws will understand me, when I say, that I was born at Putney, in Surrey." The pages are of course not consecutive: so after an allusion to the wanderings of the writer, I have nothing more up to p. 7., at which is an account of a supposed plot against the lord mayor and sheriffs, concocted by him with the assistance of some school-boy coadjutors; the object of which appears to have been, to overturn the state-coach of the civic functionary, as it ascended Holborn Hill, by charging it with a hackney coach, in which sat the writer and certain widows armed with bolsters in pink satin bags. The word having been given to "Charge!" this new kind of war-chariot was driven down the hill at full speed, gunpowder ignited on its roof, and blazing squibs protruded {478} through its back, sides, and front. The ingenious author declares that the onslaught was crowned with complete success; but here, most unfortunately, the sheet ends: and unless you, Mr. Editor, or some of your correspondents, will kindly help me to the rest of the narrative, I must, I fear return unexperienced to my grave. I have omitted to mention, that the date of this event is given as the 4th of July, 1799.

CHEVERELLS.

_Schonbornerus._--Can any of your readers give me information about a book I became possessed of by chance a short time ago, or tell me anything respecting its author, for whom I have vainly sought biographical dictionaries? The volume is a duodecimo, and bears the following title-page:

"Georgii Schonborneri Politicorum, Libri Septem. Editio ad ipsius
Authoris emendatum Exemplar nunc primum vulgata. Amsterodami: apud L.
Elzevirium, anno 1642."

It is written in Latin, and contains as many quotations as the _Anatomy of Melancholy_, or Mr. Digby's _Broad Stone of Honour_.

H. A. B.

_Symbol of Globe and Cross._--Can any one oblige me with an explanation of the mysterious symbols on a seal not older than the last century? It contains a globe, bearing a cross upon it, and a winged heart above, with the legend "_Pour vous_."

C. T.

_Booth Family._--Can any of your Lancashire correspondents afford information bearing on the families of Booth of Salford, and Lightbown of Manchester? Is any pedigree extant of either of these families, and what arms did they bear? Humphrey Booth founded, I believe, a church in Salford about the year 1634, the patronage of which still remains, as it might seem, in the family, the _Clergy List_ describing it as in the gift of Sir R. G. Booth.

There is a Booth Hall in Blackley, a small village lying by the road side, between Manchester and Middleton; and from the _inquisitio post mortem_ of Humphrey Booth, 12 Car. I., it appears that he died seised of lands in Blackley as well as Salford.

Is there any evidence to connect him with this hall, as the place of his residence?

A JESUIT.

Jesus College, Cambridge.

_Ennui._--What is our nearest approach to a correct rendering of this expression? Some English writer (Lady Morgan, I believe) has defined it "mental lukewarmness:" but, if it be true, as La-Motte Houdart says, that--

"L'ennui naquit un jour de l'uniformité."

the above definition would seem to indicate rather the cause of _ennui_ than _ennui_ itself.

HENRY H. BREEN.

St. Lucia.

_Bankruptcy Records._--Where can I search for evidence of a bankruptcy, probably about 1654? The Chief Registrar's indices do not go back nearly so far.

J. K.

_Golden Bees._--Napoleon I. and II. are said to have had their imperial robes embroidered with golden bees, as claiming official descent from Carolus Magnus. Query, what is the authority for this heraldic distinction, said to have been assumed by Charlemagne?

JAMES GRAVES.

Kilkenny.

_The Grindstone Oak._--Can any of your topographical correspondents state what is the earliest mention made of an oak tree well known in this part of the country, and the destruction of which by fire, on the 5th of November, 1849, was the subject of regret to all who had seen or heard of it? It was called the _Grindstone Oak_, and had been a denizen of the forest of Alice Holt, as many suppose, since the days of the Confessor. It measured thirty-four feet in circumference, at the height of seven feet from the ground; and is mentioned by Gilbert White, in his _History of Selborne_, as "the great oak in the Holt, which is deemed by Mr. Marsham to be the biggest in this island."