9 th S. I. FEB. 26, '98. ]
NOTES AND QUERIES.
161
LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1898.
CONTENTS. -No. 9.
1 OTBS : William Basse, 161' Dictionary of National Bio graphy,' 162 " Quod expendi habeo " The French Em bassy, 164' Pars Oculi,' 165 Inscriptions on Ply-leaves Houses without Staircases The Possessive Case ' The Chaldee MS.' Curious Signboard, 166.
( UBRIES : Poem on the Swallow Peter Shaw Parody on ' Tom Bowling ' Poem McLennan 's ' Kinship in Ancient Greece 'Symbolism of Colours Galfridus Wibern Inigo Lopez de Mendoza, 167 The Siege of Siena Blind George of Holloway Author of Book Oath of Allegiance John Bourke Fielding Orders of Friars Tyrawley= Wewitzer, 168 Source of Quotation Old English Letters Foot's Cray, 169.
EEPLIES : Origin of Expression Duels in the Waverley Novels, 169 Scaffolding in Germany Kemp Kentish Men Philip, Duke of Wharton Ancestors, 170 George Cooke French Peerage Indian and French Silks " Different": " Than," 171 Jewish and Christian Chono- logy Ancient British Lancashire Customs " Whiffing ' Thomas Palmer, 172 Manx Name Kerruish Bamue Maverick Heberfield Perth St. Patrick's Purgatory 173 Sulpicius Severus Canning Hoods as Head-dresses Church of Scotland and Burning Bush, 174 "Not a patch upon it " ' Tom Jones ' in France Ghosts Insti- tutions to Benefices, 175 Anne May " Lair "The late Duke of Kent Portrait of Napoleon Ackerley, 176 Cromwell " 'Baccy " Scottish Probationer Warwick- shire Saying Browning's 'King and the Book' Trees and the External Soul, 1 77 Pronunciation of " Pay," 178.
NOTES ON BOOKS : Fincham's ' Artists and Engravers of Book-plates ' Jenks's Law and Politics in the Middle Ages 'Pollard's England's ' Towneley Plays 'Clifton's Lichfield' Sergeant's ' Winchester 'Lang's Scott's 'Bob Roy ' ' Who 's Who 'Gordon's ' Sir James Y. Simpson/
Notices to Correspondents.
gfotes*
WILLIAM BASSE.
WHATEVER interest attaches to William Basse is derived from the pleasing mention of him by Izaak Walton in the * Compleat Angler.' Basse also rendered homage to the memory of Shakespeare in an "elegy" which nowadays would be said to " lack distinction." His verses are characterized by a genuine love of country life and sports. He was a practical farmer, and possessed some know- ledge of trees and plants and their medicinal properties. Dull versifier though he be, his works have been recently published in sump- tuous form under careful editorship. Pity it is that a low-priced selection from " rightly born" poets like Michael Dray ton and George Wither, say in two moderate volumes for each, and without the incubus of that jm de siecle monstrosity the "memorial introduc- tion," cannot be had.
Basse appears to have been befriended by the Lords Norreys, of Rycote, Oxfordshire but he is not mentioned in the will of Lord Henry (1601) nor in that of the unfortunate Lord Francis (1624). He was factotum to Richard, Viscount Wenman, who dwelt at Thame Park, a short distance from Rycote. Lord Wenman made his will 15 August, 1638, " in the presence of William Basse my ser-
vant," and Basse attested it as the sole
witness "Ita tester William Basse." His
fidelity was rewarded by Lord Wenman as
follows :
"Item I give vnto my servant William Bas an Annuity of Term poundes per Annum To be paid him during his naturall life, The first payment to beginn within Sixe monethes after my death and soe halfe yearely." Will in P. C. C. 47 Coventrv- proved 30 April, 1640.
From the Thame register we learn that Basse christened a daughter Elizabeth, 20 November. 1625; buried a daughter Jane, 10 September, 1634 ; and was left a widower in September, 1637, by the death of his wife Elinor. He himself died in 1653. Apparently the sole record of the fact is the entry in the Administration Act Book, P. C. C., 1653 and 1654, vol. ii. f. 283, under March, 1653/4:
"On the twenteth day issued forth letters of administration to Elizabeth Brook als Basse the wife of John Brooke, the naturall 'and lawfull only child of William Basse late of Tame Park in the County Oxon deceased to administer the goods chattells and debts of the said Deceased shee being first sworne truely to administer."
The estate was valued at 30/. 17s. Sd.
Basse wrote some commendatory verses for the second book of William Browne's ' Bri- tannia's Pastorals.' The two poets may have been kinsmen, as Elizabeth, daughter of William Basse, one of the procurators-general of the Arches Court of Canterbury, was the wife of Ambrose Browne, Esq., of Betchworth Castle, Surrey, a cousin of William Browne's (cf. wills of William and Anne Basse, 1624, respectively registered in P. C. C. 78 and 88 Byrde; and 'Poetical Works of William Basse,' ed. R. Warwick Bond, 1893, p. 101).
If there be aught in the suggestion that Basse was a Northamptonshire man, and went to Northampton Free Grammar School, where ic attracted the notice of that very learned ady Agnes, daughter of Sir George Fermor, of Easton Neston, afterwards the first Viscountess Wenman (cf. Mr. Warwick Bond's Introduc- tion, p. xii), then his parents may have been John Basse, of Piddington, in that county, hus- randman, and Johane, his wife. Piddington s six miles distant from Northampton. In lis will, dated 27 June, 1607, but not proved until 1 April, 1617 (P. C. C. 33 Weldon), John Basse bequeathed his son William ten pounds and a silver spoon, to be given him by the elder son and executor, Robert, upon his attaining the age of twenty-eight. Another >on bore the pleasant name of Ananias. The .estator appointed as his overseer John Bird, )f Pinford, Bucks, " my kinsman," thus estab- ishing a connexion with the Basses of that ounty.
