(16 and 17) A pair of very large pricket candlesticks, silvergilt, and of English make, but the marks much defaced. They are almost certainly of the end of the 17th century, and possibly of the year 1694 (small black-letter r), the Maker's mark somewhat resembling an M. [Weight not ascertained.] These and the following pair are, I believe, the only pairs of silver altar candlesticks of any antiquity, existing in the county, they are occasionally found amongst the plate of our great Cathedrals, but are of extreme rarity in parish churches in England. (18 and 19) A pair of smaller pricket candlesticks with nozzles, also silvergilt, and weighing 264 oz. ; no marks visible but probably of foreign workmanship. The MS. Inventory already referred to (following Ashmole), states that they were some of the plate designed to be given by H.R.H. the Princess Mary of Orange in November, 1660, but were eventually paid for by the Dean and Canons of Windsor; the charge being £233 odd. This princess, the eldest daughter of Charles I. and mother of William III., died at Whitehall on Christmas Eve, 1660. (20) A very large embossed almsdish, also silvergilt, weighing 198 oz., representing the Saviour washing St. Peter's feet. Ashmole says it is intended to represent Mary Magdalene washing the Saviour's feet, but the former is more probably the subject intended to be represented. This dish is of very elaborate design and workmanship, it bears no mark, but is certainly foreign. It also forms a portion of the intended bequest of Princess Mary of Orange. (21 and 22) A pair of large embossed almsdishes, also silvergilt, weighing together 305 oz., one representing The Last Supper, and the other Our Lord blessing a young child. Maker's mark on both is F.L. with a bird beneath the initials, probably of Dutch manufacture. Stated in Inventory to have been presented by Anne, Duchess of York, in which case they would be circa 1660-1670. (23 and 24) A pair of small modern silvergilt chalices, date-letter 1850, inscribed "Ex dono Gulielmi Canning A.D. 1851." (25 and 26) A modern knife and spoon (1843), given by Dean Hobart, both gilt. In the same case is an old silvergilthandled knife, marks defaced. (To be continued.) Swallowfield and its Owners. By Lady Russell. (Continued from page 67.) William Backhouse translated from French into English the following works: 1, "The pleasant Fountain of Knowledge"; first written in French, anno 1413, by John de la Fontaine, of Valencia, in Hainault*; translated into English verse in 1644 (M. S. Ashm. 58). 2, "The Complaints of Nature against the erroneous Alchymist," a translation of "Planctus Naturæ," by John de Mehung (M. S. Ashm. 58, art 2). 3, "The Golden Fleece, or the Flower of Treasures," in which is succinctly and methodically handled the stone of the philosophers, "his excellent effectes and admirable vertues, and the better to attaine to the originall and true meanes of perfection, inriched with figures representing the proper colours to lyfe as they successively appear in the practise of this blessed worke.' By that great philosopher Solomon Trismosin, master to Paracelsus (M. S. Ashm. 1395), which book was printed in Paris in 1612. William Backhouse was the inventor of the "Way-wiser," the original of the modern pedometer. His friend John Evelyn writes in 1655 as follows: "I went to see Col. Blount, who shewed me the application of the way-wiser to a coach, exactly measuring the milles, and shewing them by an index as we went on." He left to Jesus College, Oxford, two farms in his Manor of Hurst Sinsam, alias Sindlesham and Arborfield, worth 65 pounds per year "for two * Jean la Fontaine, a French poet and mathematician, who occupied himself greatly about the transmutation of metals. In the Post-Boy " of June 19th, 1697, appears the following advertisement: "Stolen or lost, between Barnet and St. Albans, a way-wiser, or instrument that measures roads, and was fixt to the great wheel axle-tree of the coach; it had a round face like a clock with two hands to shew the miles, furlongs, and poles. The outward circle was numbered 20, 40, and then a figure to shew the furlongs, the inward circle numbered to 50 miles, whoever brings it to Mr. Tuttell, Mathematical Instrument Maker at the King's Arms and Globe at Charing Cross shall have 10s. reward." Fellows of honest conversation and expert in the Welsh language." The following is an extract from an Indenture now in Jesus College, date December 25th, 1661. The Indenture "witnesseth that for the glory of God and for the promoting and encouragement of learning and religion in Jesus College aforesaid and most especially for the better raising and maintaining of such scholars in the said College as may from time to time and at all times hereafter render themselves capable and fit for the Ministry of the Holy Gospel and the cure of souls in those parts of Wales where the English tongue is not so commonly and vulgarly understood and used After considerable detail of the property conveyed, it goes on to say "that the said Principal Fellows and scholars and their successors shall from time to time and for ever hereafter within 6 months after the decease of the said William Backhouse and the determination of the estate of said Thos. Mudd of and in parcel of the premises and every year out of the rents, issues and profits of the said premises, maintain two such persons as shall besides all other qualifications, sufficiencies and fitness for their years, their life and their learning, required by the statutes of Jesus College aforesaid, be able at the time of their election thoroughly to understand and readily to speak the Welsh language." This benefaction was by the Commission of 1857 merged in the general estate of the College. All his other estates William Backhouse left to his wife. She was Anne, daughter of Brian Richards, of Hartley Westfield, Hants. Her near relation (probably nephew) Mr. Bryan Richards is frequently mentioned in Lord Clarendon's Diary and it was to him that "the 3rd Earl of Clarendon gave amongst other things a vast collection of papers, belonging to his father, who was under obligations of considerable consequence, to Mr. Richards." Mr. Bryan Richards lived at Mattingley, near Heckfield, Hants. He left these MSS., to his son who lived at Wokingham and married the daughter of Mr. Isaac Justice of that town, and this Mr. Richards of Wokingham, in 1757, transferred his property in them to Richard Powney, Esq., High Steward of Maidenhead, to whom the public is indebted for the publication of the 2nd Lord Clarendon's Diary and a great quantity of his letters. The rest of the His son, Thomas Bryan Richards, was living in 1810; he and his brother inherited the Manor of Coweye, Wokingham, from their mother. The arms of these Richards are the same as those of Richards of Compton, Sable a chevron between three fleurs de lis argent. letters and several chemical and astrological tracts which had belonged to William Backhouse, the Rosicrucian, are some in the Bodleian and others in the possession of the descendants of Lord Clarendon. William Backhouse had issue by his wife; 1, Samuel, died young; 2, John, born 1640, who went to Wadham in 1656, and during his three years residence is said to have exhibited uncommon proof of genius, but died on the 4th September, 1660, and was buried at Swallowfield; 3, Flower, born 1641, of whom hereafter. These children had for their tutor William Lloyd, a connection of Mr. Backhouse's (his sister married Isaac Backhouse, Rector of Northorp, Flint). He was ordained in 1659 and went with John Backhouse, junior, to College as his Governor and remained with him till 1659. He was a man of the most exalted ability and eminent, says Calamy, for his skill in chronology. It was during his residence at Swallowfield that he compiled the materials which he presented to Burnet for his History of the Reformation, which history he also corrected with a critical exactness. William Lloyd became successively Bishop of St. Asaph, Lichfield and Worcester, and was one of the seven Bishops sent to the Tower. His wife, Martha, who was the daughter of Dr. Walter Jones, Prebendary of Westminster, was buried at Swallowfield, October, 1654, where there was formerly a marble lying at the foot of the gravestone, belonging to Sir John Backhouse, with this inscription : Constanter ad finem usque perseverans In gravi pariter, et longa oegritudine Per anni feri spatium quotidie (sic) moribunda. 40 non. Octobris Ano Dni 1654. Felicissimam in Christo Resurrectionem § William Lloyd survived his wife 63 years, and died in 1717, aged 90. He was buried at Fladbury, in Worcestershire. 1663. Anne, the widow of William Backhouse, died in 1633, and was buried at Swallowfield. Her only daughter, Flower Backhouse, now became the owner of Swallowfield. She was 22 years of age, and the wife of her second cousin, Sir William Backhouse, Bart., but she had been previously married in 1665, when she was only 15, to William Bishop, of South Warnborough, Hants, son of Richard Bishop, of London and Holway, Dorset (by his second wife Mary, daughter of Humphrey Walcot). The following is the extract of her first marriage from the Parish Register of Swallowfield : “1655. 28th August. William Bishopp of South Warnborough and fflower Backhouse were married in the presence of ffrancis Deane by James Phipps." William Bishop died at Swallowfield on the 3rd March, 1660, without issue, their two children, Anna, born 1657, and William Richard, born 1659, having both died young. In the will of William Bishop, he says "I give and bequeath to my dear wife, Mrs. Flower Bishopp, my manor of Okeangre, co. Southamp., also all my freehold in Swallowfield, co. Berks. To my loving sister, Mrs. Bridgett Goddard, my watch. Item I give and bequeath to my dear mother, Mrs. Ann Backhouse, my great Bible with the bosses. Item I give to the poor of the parish of South Warnborough the sum of 5 pounds, to the poor of the parish of Swallowfield 5 pounds, as also one silver flagon for the Communion Table of Swallowfield." This flagon is still preserved; it has on it the arms of William Bishop (on a bend cotized 3 bezants) and the following inscription: "Ex dono, Gulielmi Bishopp Ecclesiæ, Swalefield."|| William Backhouse and his son-in-law, William Bishop, both subscribed largely for the restoration of old St. Paul's Cathedral. They lived to see Inigo Jones's new Portico let to hucksters, and the Choir turned into Cavalry Barracks, and £17,000 left of the subscriptions seized by the Parliament. William Backhouse survived to see the total destruction of St. Paul's in the Great Fire, but the beneficence of himself and his son-in-law is perpetuated by Hollar's prints in Dugdale's "History of St. Paul's." Amongst them are representations of four marble tablets in St. Faith's. Two are elaborately carved with figures and fruit; on one are the arms and || The date of the flagon is 1639. |
