LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, on its title page to have puuAR NOTES:-Robert Baron, Author of 'Mirza,' 1- First Edition of Browne's Britannia's Pastorals-Recvels of the Livery Companies, County MATS-Carem Newton Ferrers Bar Bath in the Strand, 3-Changes at Aldgate Pap-Sheppey Tree Out Down-Sir T. Dingley, 6-" Tallest one-piece flagstaff, "7 QUERIES:-"Traverse the cart"-Personal Nantes in REPLIES :—Shakespeare Second Folio, 11-Throp's Wife: 12-Guild of Knights-Sir G. Wright, 13-" Marriage Surname English spoken in Dublin-Crossed-legged Effigies Fire and New-Birth, 14-Dunstable Larks-J Morgan-Phrases in Lorna Doone'-Wild Huntsman- Polyglot Rubáiyát, 15-Khoja Hussein-Punctuation Signs-Sir Thomas Hopson-Sir John Langham, 16-- Richard of Bury's Library-Walter de Mundy, Knt., 17-- Sir Ross Donnelly-Mrs. Wells-T. Burbidge and Other NOTES ON BOOKS:-'Life and Trial of Eugene Aram'- The fact thus proved is of great hipel ance, as it leads at once to an identificaryda of the young author who writes on 1. Apyt 1647, "From my Chamber at Grays Frific “22 July, 1645 Robert Baron, son of Robert Bu..... alderman (sheriff and mayor of Norwich school] four years, and under My Lovering New wich Grammar School) three yours mitted to the scholars table, July 22, 10p, Boksy Dr. Venn adds • His father was one of the that befo Of this, more anon Robert Baron the mas Temn of 1645, but nothing fruthica !་ ROBERT BARON, AUTHOR OF ,, LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 191. CONTENTS.-No. 210. NOTES:-Robert Baron, Author of Mirza,' 1- First Edition of Browne's Britannia's Pastorals'-Records of the Livery Companies, 3-County Maps-" Carent"- Newton Ferrers-Roman Bath in the Strand, 5-Changes at Aldgate Pump-Sheppey Tree Cut Down-Sir T. Dingley, 6-"Tallest one-piece flagstaff," 7. QUERIES:-"Traverse the cart"-Personal Names in India-Lists of Bishops in Cathedrals, 7-Badge of the 6th Foot-Gods in Egypt-Fynmore: Mason: Linke- Joshua Webster- Pocock the Orientalist, 8-Cranch Family-Swinburne Hall-Dickens in London-Old London'-"Sijceblong": a Dutch Word-Hawkins, 9 Earl of Tankerville-Heraldic-Jeffreys Family-Musical Congresses Tales of Devon'. "Racker Way" Napoleon III.'s Portrait-Queen of my Heart'-Glegg -Palæographic Contractions-W. H. Dally, Chartist, 10 REPLIES:-Shakespeare Second Folio, 11-Throp's Wife. 12-Guild of Knights-Sir G. Wright, 13-" Marriage" alderman (sheriff and mayor) of Norwich. Born Surname English spoken in Dublin-Crossed-legged there. At school under Mr. Cushing [a private Effigies-Fire and New-Birth, 14-Dunstable Larks-J school] four years, and under Mr. Lovering [Nor- Morgan-Phrases in Lorna Doone'-Wild Huntsman-wich Grammar School] three years. Age 15. Ad- Signs-Sir Thomas Hopson-Sir John Langham, 16- Sir Ross Donnelly-Mrs. Wells-T. Burbidge and Other Sep. 30.)" THE following notes partly supplement and partly correct the account of Robert Baron given in the 'D.N.B.' over the initials of Mr. Joseph Knight, late Editor of N. & Q.' The D.N.B. knows nothing of Baron before 1647, the date of his first book, merely saying: According to Langbaine, who, on this occasion, seems no more trust- worthy than usual, he was born in 1639." This is a deduction from what Langbaine does say, viz., that Baron composed his first work at the age of 17, and this Lang- baine found in Baron's own books, which Mr. Knight seems not to have sufficiently consulted. An engraved portrait of the author, Ætat. suæ 17," by W. Marshall, appeared as frontispiece to The Cyprian Academy,' 1647, and Baron's friend John work, 'An Apologie for Paris, 1649, is stated Dr. Venn adds:- "His father was one of the first benefactors to the Girls' Hospital, Norwich." Robert Baron the younger was duly matriculated at Cambridge in the Michael- mas Term of 1645, but nothing further is known of him there. The reason is clear when we find in the Admissions to Gray's 1646, Oct. 23. Robert Baron,* son On 1 April following Baron signed the I send here inclosed a second Bill of Exchange, in case the first I sent you in my last hath miscarry'd: So, my dear Nephew, I embrace you with both my Arms." R. B., Esquire, at Grundesburgh"; On the stagth of the latter sentence Mr. Knigh, differing from Warton, thought that a relationship by blood or marriage existed. between Howell and Baron. The terms of Baron's Letter of Dedication of his book are strongly against any such thing, while Howell's pedigree (Harl. MS. travel. I shall be......glad to steed you in anything "I presume you are constant in your desire to 4181) disproves it again. We must suppose that may tend to your Advantage; for......I take that the bill of exchange either represented much contentment in this inchoation of Friendship. a gift made by the elder man in considera-...If you meet Master R. Brownrig in the Country, tion of the Dedication, or represented I pray present my very kind respects to him: for Baron's own money, and Howell had under- profess myself to be both his and Your most affectionate Servitor." taken to dispatch it to Paris. Howell seems to address more than one of his young friends as nephew." 6 As to the part played by Baron in Howell's Epistolæ Ho-elianæ,' there is room for great doubt. Apart from the letter addressed to him by name, from which I have quoted, there are four letters which might plausibly be supposed to be addressed to him, viz. : (1) 3 Aug., 1645, “To Master R. B."-Book II. Xxxvii.; Jacobs, p. 429. (2) 3 July, 1646, To Mr. R. Br." - Book II. XXXV.; Jacobs, P. 428. Mr. Jacobs considers even this letter to be written to Mr. Robert Brownrigg, and that the "Master R. Brownrig" whom it mentions was another man of the same name. I am inclined to think that of the four letters this one, at any rate, was addressed to Baron. Mr. Jacobs was probably not aware that there was any tie between Baron and Robert Brownrigg. The latter had, however, been admitted to Gray's Inn on 10 May, 1645 (a year and a half before Baron), son of Matthew Brownrigg, of Clopton, Suffolk, clerk," and verses of his 66 (3) 26 July, 1646, To R. B., Esquire, at Grundes-To his much respected and learned friend burgh."-Book III. xi.; Jacobs, p. 534. (4) 15 Aug., 1646, "To Mr. R. B. at Ipswich."Book II. xxxii.; Jacobs, p. 425. Mr. Knight assumes that (1) was addressed to Baron, while Mr. Jacobs, admitting that (3) might be addressed to Baron, believes that more probably its recipient was (an unknown) Richard Blois, and that the other letters were addressed to Mr. Robert Brownrigg, who was a Counsellor of Law, married a Mary Bloss (which name Mr. Jacobs considers as == Blois, though it existed independently in Suffolk), and died at Bexley in 1669 (Page's 'Suffolk,' p. 484). The question seems to be too much entangled to unravel. One can only point out that Howell in (1) says he had received a letter from his correspondent "by Master Bloys," and refers to his correspondent's "sweet blossoms of ingenuity," on which it were not amiss "if some foreign air did blow" that the heading of (2) is "To Mr. R. Br.," which suggests Brownrigg' rather than Baron," while Howell seems to be addressing the same man as before when he says "I hope you persist in your purpose for foreign Travel," and "I have already discover'd such.... parts of ingenuity in you," &c.; that the heading of (3) differs from the others in being To 66 Master Robert Baron' are prefixed to 'The After his Letter of Dedication Baron inserts a letter 'To the Ladies and Gentlewoemen of England,' in which he modestly refers to his work as "this babe." Then follow commendatory verses from William Beversham of Grayes Inne Esquire," "Robert Brounrigg of Grayes Inne Gent.," "J: Hall, è Soc: Gray. hosp. Gent.," "Tho: Bradford," Henry Bold Fell. N.C. Oxon,” John Gleane Cantabri.," "ChristophorusBaretus Londinensis. Coll. Cere [=Corp.] Chr. Cantb.," "Joh. Quarles ex æde St Petri Cantabridg.," "Carol. Cremer, Coll. Corp. Christ. Cantabr.,' ," "Wil.: Smith Gent.," and "Jos. Browne Gent." Of these William Beversham was called to the Bar on 19 May, 1647; John Hall, after making a reputation at St. John's College, Cambridge, as an essayist and poet, had left Cambridge in 1647 for Gray's Inn,. where he had already been entered on 10 May, 1643; Thomas Bradford had been admitted to Caius in 1643 from Norwich School, of which he eventually became Master (1667); Henry Bold was a poet, soon to be ejected from his fellowship at New College (1648); |