9* s. XH. AUG. 29,1903.] NOTES AND QUERIES.
179
years ago, the work was intended simply as an
introduction to the author's account of book-trade
bibliography in the United States. After the custom
of their kind, however, the materials swelled so pro-
digiously that it was determined to publish sepa-
rately the part dealing wholly with the United
States. This volume, which we have not seen,
appeared in the summer of 1898. To the biblio-
graphical expert what is now issued will merit the
French description of "memoires pour servir." It
contains a large amount of material to which access
in other quarters is difficult, and is an important
contribution to our knowledge, as well as a signally
handsome work. In limine appears a facsimile
title-page of the first known book catalogue. This
is naturally in Latin, and is issued from Augusta
(Vindelicorum, Augsburg) by Georg Wilier in
1564. Wilier was the first bookseller to employ
catalogues for sale purposes, and published them in
time to secure the patronage of the trade visitors
to the great Frankfort book fairs. His enterprise
formed the basis for the German Mess Katalog or
market report of new publications which in Frank-
fort and Leipzig has for over three centuries been
of the utmost importance, and has influenced power-
fully English bibliography. The first English book
catalogue seems to have been published in 1595 by
Andrew Maunsellin St. Paul's Churchyard, a draper
who became a bookseller. William Jaggard began
in 1618-19 a catalogue of English books intended to
be half-yearly, but which did not survive the first
issue. R/. Clavell issued in 1680 a catalogue, the
title of which is reproduced, of all books printed
since the " Dreadful Fire of London." In the latter
part of the eighteenth century William Bent began
under changing titles the catalogues which have
resulted in the ' English Catalogue of Books,' which,
continued under the spirited management of Messrs.
Sampson Low, constitute perhaps the most indis-
pensable of aids to the book-lover. The earliest in
our own collection is " The | London Catalogue | of
| Books, | with their | Sizes and Prices | Corrected
to September MDCCXCIX. | London | Printed for W.
Bent, Paternoster Row, | By M. Brown, St. John's-
Square, Clerkenwell. | 1799." Issues seem to have
appeared some twenty years earlier. In recom-
mending to our readers this valuable book, we
think it well to say that a strictly limited number
is for sale.
Hiatory of the Worshipful Company of Pewterers of the City of London. By Charles Welch, F.S.A. 2vols. (Blades & Co.)
To Mr. Charles Welch, Librarian of the Guildhall Library and the well-known author of many his- torical or archaeological works, has been entrusted by the Master, Wardens, and Court of Assistants of the Pewterers' Company the task of extracting from the records at present or previously in their possession the history of the company. Materials for such a purpose are, we are told, abundant, and the task itself could scarcely be in better hands. Though without claim to rank as one of the twelve great livery companies it now stands sixteenth in rotation of the City companies the Pewterers' Company possesses a wealth of records which some of its more important rivals might envy, including more royal charters and legislative enactments than most of the City companies can claim. Pewterers' Hall was given the company by William Smalwood, four times Master between 1469 and 1486, a repro- duction of whose portrait, showing a handsome
and intellectual-looking man, serves as frontispiece
to the work. This building perished in the great
fire, and was succeeded in 1678 by a second, which
also was destroyed in a conflagration in 1840. In
spite of these accidents the records of the company
have been preserved, and are " nearly continuous
from an early date." Extracts from them have
been carefully made nothing bearing upon the
history of the company or its influence having
been omitted and are arranged in chronological
sequence, with just sufficient illustrative comment
to present a connected and consecutive story. In
the year 1348, during the long reign of Edward III.,
the original ordinances of the company, then de-
scribed as the "Craft of Pewterers," were drawn
up and submitted for approval to the Lord Mayor
and aldermen. This is an interesting and a primi-
tive document, far too long for quotation, occupying
as it does between two and three pages. It begins :
"To the Maire and aldermen of the cite of london
praien the goode folke makers of peauter vessel of
the saide cite that ye please the state and pointes
of her crafte to tender," &c. In answer to this
appeal Stephen le straunge and John Syward,
"peautrers," were chosen to "ouerse and kepe" the
articles. In 1349, it being witnessed that Stephen
Lestraunge was dead and that John Syward could
not work, Nicholas de Ludgate and Ernald Schip-
waysshe were sworn in their stead. These earliest
ordinances of the company are recorded in the
archives of the company and those of the Corpora-
tion at Guildhall. In 1473 the company obtained
a charter of incorporation. This charter, note-
worthy for the powers it conferred, was granted by
Edward IV. It is, of course, in Latin, and is
excellently reproduced in facsimile opposite p. 52.
Other charters were granted by subsequent
monarchs, that of 4 Henry VIII. being also given
in facsimile. Of the charters of Philip and Mary
and Elizabeth the initial letters only are repro-
duced. The grant of arms of Clarenceux, 1533, is
also conspicuous among the illustrations. In 1451
the series of Audit Books begins, and supplies an
immense amount of useful information. We are
unable to dwell upon this in the strictly limited
space at our disposal, and must necessarily refer to
the volumes those interested in the subject. As
inquiries concerning the marks on pewter ever
and anon reach us, we may state that on this
subject little of importance is supplied in the
work. Five surviving touch - plates, however,
with the marks, the earliest dating from the middle
of the seventeenth century, are reproduced. The
work is admirably accomplished throughout, is
brought up to date, and will be a source of delight
to those interested in the subject with which it
specially deals and with the civic companies gener-
ally. The Pewterers' Company are entitled to all
possible credit for the public spirit they have dis-
played, and Mr. Welch is to be warmly congra-
tulated on the manner in which the task confided
to him has been discharged.
THE first article in the Quarterly Review for July, c The Sagas and Songs of the Gael,' is a luminous paper on a subject but little understood by those who are not Celtic scholars. One reason why, as we believe, the study of Celtic literature has been neglected, and even contemned, in this country is the Ossian forgeries of Macpherson, which were first palmed off on a credulous public in an English dress. We deliberately call them forgeries, for
