290
NOTES AND QUERIES, [ii 8. ix. APRIL 11,
PLURALITIES. Previous to the reign of
Queen Victoria, clergy having certain quali-
fications were allowed to hold two benefices,
but not more, it would seem, except in
the case of " all Spiritual Persons of the
King's Council," who " may purchase Licence
to hold three Livings with Cure " (Ecton,
' Liber Valorum et Decimarum' ).
Was not this limit often exceeded ? and if so, under what authority ? In the Life of Hawker of Morwenstow a clergyman is represented as holding no fewer than five benefices, and congratulating himself on his death -bed on having made good use of his talents.
The Earl of Guilford, when Master of St. Cross, Winchester, seems also to have held more than two benefices at the same time.
I note that the incumbent was bound to preach thirteen sermons a year in the bene- fice on which he did not reside, and to exer- cise hospitality therein for two months in that time. Probably this latter duty could be performed by deputy.
E. L. H. TEW.
Upham Rectory, Hants.
" BLIZABD " OB " BLIZZARD " AS SUB- NAME. As used for a tempest or snow- squall, this word seems to be of recent introduction, and probably, according to the ' N.E.D.,' of onomatopoeic origin. But the surname must have been known early in the eighteenth century, for William Blizard of Barn Elms, Surrey, was father of the celebrated surgeon of the same name born there in 1743.
I have seen the name in various parts of London and in Suffolk, but it is not included in any work on names that I have met with. Can any likely derivation be suggested ? JAMES HOOPEB.
92, Queen's Road, Norwich.
[Vide 7 S. xii. 125, 251, 336.]
GODDABD DUNNING, PAINTEB : MELLI- CHAMP, PAINTEB. Is anything known of either of these painters ? I have two por- traits of seventeenth -century divines, dated 1657 and signed "Goddardus Dunning"; and a picture of this house at the close of that century, signed " Mellichamp."
MONTAGU G. KNIGHT. Chawton House, Alton, Hants.
CABTHAGENA MEDAL. I have a medal : obverse, Admiral Vernon and Sir Chaloner Ogle talking ; reverse, several small boats under a castle being besieged ; inscription round the rim is " British courage took Carthagena, April, 1741." As I have always
understood that the assault on Carthagena
by the British failed, I should be glad if
any of your readers could enlighten me as
to the origin of the medal.
Upper Norwood, S.E.
J. J. PIPEB.
CASUISTBY. In 'The Church Revival,'
p. 331, Mr. Baring-Gould makes the following
statement about St. Alfonso Liguori :
"His system is one that destroys all sense of truth, and raises equivocation to a fine art. I can but give one specimen. He teaches that if an adulteress be asked by her husband whether she has been faithless, she is justified in answering that she has not, for she can affirm she has not broken the marriage tie, for that bond in the eye of the Church is indissoluble ; or again, if after her trans- gression she has been to confession and been absolved, she may deny that she is guilty, because her guilt has been purged by absolution ; or thirdly, if charged with adultery, she may repudiate it by giving to the term its metaphorical Biblical sense of ' idolatry.' "
Can any one supply the reference to this passage ? LAWBENCE PHILLIPS.
Theological College, Lichfield.
G. W. CUBTIS. In one of his letters (February, 1854) J. R. Lowell writes: "I think his [Curtis's] ' Castle -Building ' one of the best essays I ever read I don't care by what author." Probably this appeared in Putnam's Magazine, 1853-4. Can any reader tell me the precise number and the length of the essay ? W. A. M.
HEBALDIC. I am anxious to identify the following shield of arms : Quarterly, 1 and 4, Az., a chevron or between three boars' heads couped ; 2 and 3, Vair ( ? vair6), a fesse gules, impaling Argent, five fusils con- joined in fesse, gules ; in chief three bears' heads erased, muzzled. Its date is probably early nineteenth century. P. D. M.
THE PBINTEBS' ATHEN^UM. Did this " Literary and Social Institution " ever actually exist ? During 1851 there was a considerable amount of correspondence relat- ing to it, a Provisional Committee was formed, and, mirabile dictu, " The Printers' Dramatic Society " gave at the St. James's Theatre, Saturday, 29 Nov., 1851, a perform- ance of ' Othello ' and ' All that Glitters is not Gold.' This entertainment intended to benefit the funds of the Institution was given under the patronage of Harrison Ainsworth, Gilbert a Beckett, Thornton Hunt, and some others. The secretary of the clubhouse and literary centre it was hoped to establish was a Mr. Edwards, of Anderton's Hotel, Fleet Street.
ALECK ABBAHAMS.
