Queries.

[We must request correspondents desiring information on family matters of only private interest, to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that the answers may be addressed to them direct.]

RICHARD FRANCK.-This person published, in 1694, a rather eccentric book, entitled Northern Memoirs, relating principally to an angling tour made by himself and another Waltonian through Scotland, known to us of the present day by the Edinburgh reprint of 1821, by or through the procurement of Sir Walter Scott; and, although a notice of the author is given, it throws little or no light upon his personal history. The tour was performed in 1658, yet did not, it seems, pass the press until thirty-six years after. In the interim we have another work from him, entitled "A Philosophical Treatise of the Original and Production of Things. Writ in America in a Time of Solitude. By R. Franck," 12mo., 1687, partaking more of the theological portion of the Northern Memoirs than its piscatorial character. These are the only books ascribed to Franck by the bibliographers, but I would now record a third, which has just fallen into my hands. It is "The Admirable and Indefatigable Adventures of the Nine Pious Pilgrims, devoted to Sion by the Cross of Christ, and Piloted by Evangelist to the New Jerusalem. Written in America in a Time of Solitude and Divine Contemplation. By a Zealous Lover of Truth, and a Faithful Admirer of the Sacred Mysteries and Historical Revelations in the Old and New Testament, as the Holy Men of God were heavenly inspir'd to Prophesie of the Divine and Holy Jesus," sm. 8vo., London, Morphew, 1708, with a curious frontispiece, containing a medallion view of the New Jerusalem, supported by angels, the Evangelist of the book, and in the corner, seated, his nine pilgrims. It is another allegory suggested by Bunyan; but is not included in Offor's list of imitations. The persona are Evangelist and the pilgrims-the first, for example, thus described, "Fidelia, from Paduvia, a city in the Kingdom of Vanity, where Lucifer was sovereign," and so on-relating to their Pilot their various experiences, under the several heads of adventure, contemplation, and rapture, more mystical than instructive.

Franck's name does not appear upon the title to the Pilgrims, but its identity with the Philosophical Treatise (the running title of which is “Rabbi Moses ") is clearly indicated; and in the introductory matter to all three, in my possession, the author signs himself "Philanthropos." Can nothing additional be gleaned about Franck from

"Dr. Lockier, once Dean of Peterborough, is the authority for a story that illustrates the blood-thirsty passion of the theatrical folk of Queen Anne's days, and would go far to explain the attraction of first nights if that sort of passion were allowed full licence now. In one of Dryden's plays,' the Dean is reported to have said, there was this line, which the actress endeavoured

to speak in as moving and affecting a tone as she could— and then she paused, and looked very much distressed. The Duke of Buckingham, who was in one of the boxes, rose from his seat, and added, in a loud, ridiculing voice"Then 'twould be greater were it none at all," which had so strong an effect upon the audience (who before were not very well pleased with the play) that they hissed the poor woman off the stage; would not bear her appearance in the rest of her part; and (as this Dryden lose his benefit night. We do not now go to was the second time only of the play's appearance) made such lengths."-" First Nights," Globe, May 20, 1876.

"My wound is great, because it is so small!"

I cannot guess how often I have read the substance of the above in collections and jest books, but have failed to trace it to any contemporary or authentic source. It is generally told of "a tragedy" in the time of Charles II., but neither the name of the play nor that of the author is given. The interruption is ascribed to "the Duke of Buckingham," and Villiers might have seen the manuscript or been at the rehearsal, and so have had an opportunity of preparing his impromptu. I need hardly say that Dryden did not lose a benefit in the time of Queen Anne, and Sheffield, then Duke of Buckingham, was too solemn to lower his dignity by a joke. I should very much like to get at the earliest version, and I ask, Who was Dean Lockier, and in what book is the story! In what play is "My wound," &c.? I believe that all Dryden's were printed before the accession of King William. before the third night? Did any play of Dryden fail FITZHOPKINS.

Garrick Club.

SPARKS, LEIGH, PRICE, BISSE, AND RAINE FAMILIES.-Is anything known of Luke Sparks, who, by his wife Grace, daughter of had a large family? Of his sons, Robert Sparks, Member of Council, Bombay, J.P. for Surrey, &c., married Frances, daughter of Timothy Tullie, but died without

issue; James Sparks, Captain H. E. I. C.'s S., married and had issue. Of his daughters, Sarah married Major Thomas Tickell, and had issue; Grace married Capt. Smith, and secondly Francis Brodie, of Brodie, and Moyvore House, co. Westmeath, and had issue by each husband; Mary married Nov. 5, 1768, at Tilicherry, William Ashburne, Member of Council, Bombay, and had issue; and another daughter married first Leigh, and secondly Price, of, I believe, Knightsbridge, and had issue,

THE BELLS OF THE PARISH CHURCHES OF WEST SURREY AND NORTH-EAST HANTS.-Can any of your readers refer me to any published work on these bells? W. E. FOSTER, F.S.A. Aldershot.

book, Janua Trilinguarum, by him, and should like to know whether it is of any value, as I have not seen one like it anywhere. J. C.

"LEAP IN THE DARK."-Will some reader trace this phrase further back than the use of it by Lord Derby in the debate on the Reform Bill in 1868 ? R. H. WALLACE.

"HOOD FOR EVER."-Can any one favour me with the history of a large painting representing a harbour and bay, with the British fleet at anchor! On the shore side the English flag is hoisted on the fort. The foreground is occupied by a number of sailors making merry in, and on the roof of, a coach and six. Another party on foot, headed by an officer, are carrying a white flag, having the

THOMAS RATCLIFFE.

FIRES IN THE CITY OF LONDON.-Just 100 years ago (vide Annual Register, 1776, p. 244) a Mr. Hartley, then M.P. for Kingston-upon-Hull, received the freedom of the City for an invention which was proved, after a series of experiments, to be a simple and inexpensive means of preventing fires from spreading. A pillar (of which the Lord Mayor laid the foundation stone) was erected to commemorate the invention; and I am curious to know (1) if the invention is still in use, and, if not, why not? (2) does the pillar still exist, and, if so, where is it located? EDWARD PRESTON.

THE RANK OF PRINCE.-I should be glad of answers to the following queries:-(1) What is the first instance of the application of the title "prince" to the sovereign's younger children? What right have they to such a title? (2) How do such children sign themselves before they are raised from the status of commoners? (3) What rank do they hold? (4) Might they sit in the House of Commons? THURSTAN C. PETER.

ADDISON: DENT.—I am in want of particulars as to the ancestors and descendants of Joseph Addison, in order to find his relationship to a Miss Addison, who married a Mr. Dent between the years 1750 and 1760, I believe. Was she his daughter? I am also anxious for full particulars about the Dents of Northumberland and elsewhere. I shall be greatly obliged for any account of these families, as I wish to complete a family tree with which they are all connected. H. C. DENT. JOSEPH KNIBB.-Who was Joseph Knibb, of London, and at what period did he live? I have an old eight-day clock bearing his name.

SNAP.

JOHANNES AMOS COMENIUS.-Can any of your readers give me some account of him? I have a

ing over a prostrate enemy, with the words "Hood for ever" on it. Some of the men are decorated with white favours, and the work seems to relate to an electioneering triumph. GEORGE ELLIS.

St. John's Wood.

Replies.

THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE.
(See "N. & Q.," 5th S. iii. 442, 495; iv. 34,
73, 111, 229.)

[In the numbers of "N. & Q.," and at the pages above referred to, certain statements are made with respect to Masonic orders generally, and the below is a counter-statement, the writer of which Order of the Temple in particular. What follows is entitled to be heard; and we here readily express our sincere regret that the treatment of the subject in the first statements should have given him any pain or annoyance. The counterstatement is unsigned, but we have, in confidence (according to our rule), the writer's name.]

His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent was Grand Master of the Order of the Temple in Enghaving joined the Order in Sweden, where he was land. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales initiated into Masonry by the King, consented to become its Grand Master here; and the Duke of Leinster, in Ireland, and Mr. Stuart (Bute), in favour. The three kingdoms were intended to be England (both since deceased), resigned in his consolidated under his Royal Highness, and treaties were formally negotiated for that purpose. Commissioners were appointed to draw up statutes common to all three, and these were accepted by England and Ireland, but Scotland repudiated the A corresponagreement at the eleventh hour. dence had been carried on between Sir Patrick Colquhoun, as chief officer of the Temple in England, and Brother Hamilton Ramsay, chief officer in Scotland, and when Scotland withdrew, Sir Patrick Colquhoun, himself a Scotchman, officially

informed Brother Ramsay that such repudiation was not honourable to Scotland or respectful to the Prince, and the correspondence terminated. The whole correspondence has been printed for private circulation.

On the question of adopting these statutes coming before the general meeting in England, in December, 1872, it was informed that if the statutes were not passed, there would exist no confederated body whereof his Royal Highness could become Master or supreme head.

The Prince was installed as Grand Master on April 7, 1873, in the presence of about 500 members from England and Ireland, and announced mero motu that he had obtained the Queen's consent to become patroness of the Order of which her late father had been Grand Master.

MR. RALPH N. JAMES, whose name is appended to the article in "N. & Q." of September 18, 1875, is not a member of the English Order of the Temple; and as no one but a member could have been cognizant of the facts perverted in that article, there are grounds for believing that it was written, or at least inspired, by MAJOR C. J. BURGESS, a letter from whom appeared in "N. & Q.," 5th S. iv. 34, and also that the letters of HISTORICUS, "N. & Q.," 5th S. iii. 495, and 5th S. iv. 73,

emanate from the same source.

MAJOR BURGESS became a member of the English Order of the Temple in November, 1871. He was not content with the arrangements made in 1872 (practically commenced in 1868), as before stated, for the federation of the English, Scotch, and Irish branches, and he commenced writing letters to the officials of the English Order, and in the Freemason newspaper, in intemperate language. He has up to the present used every opportunity of attempting to ridicule the Order. His letter in "N. & Q.," 5th S. iv. 34, as to the meaning of the letters P. X. J. H. is an instance. The letters really are Pr J. H., and they were appended at the foot of a formal letter written to MAJOR BURGESS from the office; and it was clear to any candid person that those letters were the initials of an assistant who signed the principal's name, putting his own initials underneath. Yet the supposed hidden meaning of these letters is made the subject of a grave inquiry in " N. & Q." [Our correspondent here enters into a history of a controversy maintained by Major Burgess and others in the Freemason, in which he says, "Some sharp remarks were made on all sides." With this part of the subject "N. & Q." has nothing to do. The controversy led to complaints to the Council, and the issue of all was that Major Burgess resigned "the A. and A. Rite," and had to withdraw from "the Mark Masons." We then come to remarks which are in connexion with the statements in "N. & Q." Our correspondent, indeed, after observing, "Sufficient, it is believed, has

been said to show the animus that has pervaded the communications to 'N. & Q.,"" adds, "The facts, of which an outline only is here given, can be verified at the office of the Temple, 22, Chancery Lane." So that the fullest history of this controversy can be easily obtained. Our correspondent then resumes.]

Sir Patrick Colquhoun in a private letter to MAJOR BURGESS, before any unpleasantness occurred, told him that he considered the Red Cross Order had as little right to claim descent from the Hospitallers as the Temple from the old Templarsin fact, that in this respect one was as "spurious" as the other, the only difference being that the Temple had a Masonic qualification and the Red Cross Order had not; but MAJOR BURGESS maintained that the Red Cross was not spuricus.

The titles of the two Orders in England up to 1872 were-"The Royal, Exalted, Religious, and Military Order of Masonic Knights Templar in England and Wales," and "The Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem." The title given to the Orders in 1872 is, "The United Religious and Military Orders of the Temple and of St. John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes, and Malta." It is, therefore, not true, as stated in MR. JAMES'S letter of September 18, 1875, that "the Masonic Order of the Temple ceased to exist" in 1872. It was confederated with the Order in Ireland, no change being made in the internal administration of either body, and the Masonic qualification of candidates considerably increased. The prefix " Masonic was omitted as unnecessary at the request of the Scotch and Irish Templars, who did not use it.

The statements in the fourth and fifth paragraphs of this same letter are entirely unfounded. The badge was not identical with that of the Red Cross societies, as stated in the fifth paragraph, but identical with that theretofore used. The Order of the Temple never claimed descent from the old Templars, but the Red Cross Society did, though repudiated by the Pope. Sir Patrick Colquhoun never threatened to "horsewhip Brother Ramsay," nor used any expression which could be so construed; his letters were strictly official. In speaking of "Sir Patrick Colquhoun and the flock of geese of which he is the leader," it is obvious that her Majesty the Queen and the Prince of Wales are included.

* *

[We have, on our own part, now to remark that, although the subject of the Order appeared to be of some interest, we are sorry it was ever admitted into " N. & Q." at all. There is evidently among the honourable men on both sides too much angry and personal feeling, and we have softened a word or two in the above counter-statement, for which we are sure the writer, on reflection, will not blame us. This counter-statement fully replies to the previous statements in "N. & Q.," and both may