Cf: <.c*x.«: c rs, ... K"': r c cri<>xcC '■ ESS* £#11 j ftfigft. Qcafl ■ <*, r *r/ .■— -J "'War' - SFsag < '■ CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1 89 1 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE Cornell University Library CS439 .C49 3 1924 029 785 973 olln Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029785973 Q: t_J — :_=- "glctt) §fac fs * — i , relating io ^e Qfyattexton 5< amilg. : © o ■_. V. - ■ ■ . ** NEW FACTS RELATING TO \t djptii^Hfltt jaunty GATHERED FROM MANUSCRIPT ENTRIES IN A "HISTORY OF THE BIBLE" WHICH ONCE BELONGED TO THE PARENTS OF Cjjomas C{jati£rt0tt iju ^att AND PROM |)ans{r Registers. BRISTOL: W, GEORGE & SON, 26, PARK STREET, 1883 The interesting manuscript records in the Chatterton family History of the Bible were discovered by Mr. John Taylor, Librarian of the Bristol Museum and Library, and communicated by him to the " Athenaeum," in which journal they appeared December 10th, 1881. The following pages contain a re-print of Mr. Taylor's com- munication, and a seleotion from the controversial letters it evoked, to which are added a few notes and an index. — W. Gr. The Master's House, Pile-street Free School. (From " Bristol : Past and Present,") THE CHATTERTON FAMILY. (Prom the Athenaeum, December 10th, 1881. Museum and Library, Bristol. A Bristol dealer in curiosities has now on sale an imperfect quarto history of the Bible, printed in the last century, but undated, con- taining the original family entries of the birth and baptism of Chatterton, and the like of his brother and sister. The book has escaped the collectors, and was lately bought by its present owner from a poor person in Bristol. The title-page of the Old Testament portion is missing, and the work, which is much thumbed, partly no doubt by the young poet himself, begins with " Book II." The New Testament history retains the title, which is as follows : — " A Com- pleat History of the Holy Gospel : containing the Incarnation, Birth, Doctrine, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Illustrated with Notes, explaining several difficult Passages and reconciling many Texts that are seemingly Contradictory." The inscriptions, whioh are unquestionably genuine and contain particulars not to be found in tbe biographies, are on the back of this title, except one at the end of the book, which is crossed through. The firm, round, schoolmaster's style of penmanship shows the hand of the poet's father, wbo conducted the Pile-street School. It may be inferred that he was a believer in astrology, for he has given the ages of the moon for casting the horoscopes of his children's births. It is curious that the name first appears as " Chadderdon " : — Mary, the Daughter of Thomas and Sarah Chadderdon, was born in Pile- street, Teusday Morning about 8 a Clock, the 14th day of February, Anno Domini 1748-9, and Baptized the 13th March following by the Reverend Wm. Williams in St. Mary Redchff Church. Moon first Quarter 13 day 1 morning. Giles Malpas, the Son of Thomas Chatterton by Sarah his Wife, was born at the Charity School in Pile Street, on a Wednesday Morning between 4 & 5 a dock, 12th Dece. 1750, and was Baptized in St. Mary Eedcliff Church the first day of January following by the Eeverd. Mr. Wm. Williams. ^An^ews^l^- ^- Moon last Quarter 9 Decern. 3 in ye Afternoon, and died April the 16 Aged 4 months and 4 days. Thomas, the son of Thomas and Sarah Chatterton, was Born November the 20 in 1752, on a Monday Night between 6 and 7 o Clock, and was baptized in St. Mary Redcliff Church the 1 (?) Day of January following by the Eev. Mr. Giles. Full Moon the 22 at 3 and 4 Evening. The inscription at the end of the volume was probably cancelled as being wrongly placed, and may have been rewritten on the earlier and missing title. It is the record of the marriage of the poet's father and mother. Though crossed through it is quite legible and is as follows : — " Thomas Chatterton and Sarah Toung were married at Sodbury Church in Gloucestershire by Mr. Jno. Coats on Monday the 25 day of April in the year 1748." John Taylor. II. (From the Athencmm, December 17th, 1881.) It is singular that one so surrounded by Chatterton references as is Mr. John Taylor should have been so easily imposed upon by the palpable fabrication communicated by him to your last number. The imposture is too gross to rank with the Chatterton inquest story, the spuriousness of which was thoroughly proved by Mr. Moy Thomas in the "Athenaeum" (December 5th, 1857). Thomas Chatterton, the schoolmaster, whose hand Mr. Taylor deems shown by " the firm, round, schoolmaster's style of penmanship" in which the " unques- tionably genuine " inscriptions are made, died August 7th, 1752, and his son Thomas, a posthumous child, was not born until November 20th of the same year ; therefore the father could not have been the author of that record. Nor could he, nor any of the family, have made the minute inscription of Mary's birth, as it antedates that event by two years. Nor could the forgery have been perpetrated by any one very conversant with the time and place to which it re- fers, as no such clergyman as the Rev. Wm. Williams or the Eev. Mr. Giles held benefices in Bristol during the last century. The Rev. Thomas Broughton was Vicar of St. Mary RedclifE from 1744 to 1772. The " particulars not to be found in the biographies," which Mr. Taylor contends are afforded by the inscriptions in this family Bible, may, therefore, be reduced to two, viz., that the maiden name of the poet's mother was " Young," information certainly not in " the biographies," and that the poet had a brother, and that brother was christened by the suggestive names of " Giles Malpas," a circum- stance certainly over-looked by all investigators. Before either of these data can be embodied in future biographies, however, some more satisfactory evidence of their authenticity must be produced. This hitherto unknown boy, it should be noticed, was born in the same year as Mary Chatterton's birth really took place. These inscriptions bear a suspicious resemblanoe to a memoran- dum extracted by Catcott, " the Rowley midwife," " from a manu- script of Chatterton's father's writing in a blank leaf of a family Bible," i- e., the one hoax evidently suggested the other. As regards the name of " Chadderdon," it may be pointed out that " the biogra- phies " do furnish that as the ancient form of spelling, and the poet himself was presented to Colston's Hospital as " Tho. Chadderton," so unsettled was the orthography even then. Perhaps it is scarcely worth while to ask the courteous librarian of the Bristol Museum to obtain further particulars of this book from the " dealer in curiosi- ties " in whose possession it now is ; no sooner is its true character displayed than the quarto will doubtless disappear. Poor Chatterton, whose character and life I have endeavoured to portray truly in a forthcoming article in " Harper's Monthly Magazine," was forced into palming off his best work as the production of others, and in return, ever since his death, he has been made the victim of un- scrupulous fabricators. I could point to a large quanirum of rubbish foisted on the public as by " the marvellous boy " that is not his work at all. Even so careful an editor as Prof. Skeat has been be- trayed into including in his useful two-volume edition of the works of Chatterton material the unfortunate lad had nothing whatever to do with. " Thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges." John H. Ingkam. III. (Prom the Athencewm, December 31st, 1881.) Museum and Library, Bristol. It may surprise Mr. John H. Ingram to learn that I have not been so inattentive to my advantages of being " so surrounded by Chat- terton references " as to be imposed upon by a " palpable fabrication." I may inform him that I have verified the inscriptions in the family ' History of the Bible,' which he condemns, so far as the baptisms are conoerned, by the original entries in the register of St. Mary Bedcliff. Had Mr. Ingram, instead of copying from the printed authorities, which have perpetuated one another's omissions and errors, ascertained from documentary evidence the real facts of the case in dispute, as I have myself done, he would not have accused me of carelessness and credulity, nor should I have to tax him with ignorance on points of a subject of which he professes to know so much. As he seems unacquainted with some of the rudiments of his theme, I will afford him a few details for use in his projected paper on the poet Chatterton. In the first place he states the indisputable fact that Thomas Chatterton the father could not have made the entry in the quarto of his gifted son's birth, the latter being " a posthumous child." It happens, however, that the handwriting referring to this, the youngest child, though still in a firm round hand, is distinctly different from that of the other records, which circumstance is some- thing towards establishing the authenticity of the inscriptions in general. In opposition to his next objection, that neither " he [the father] nor any of the family [could] have made the minute inscrip- tion of Mary's birth, as it antedates that event by two years," I may, " On such a point where Garter's self might err, Quote— fearless quote— the Parish Eegister," wherein, under the head " Baptizeings," and the year 1748, March 13th, I find " Mary, daughter of Thomas Chatterton." This shows that there is not an antedating of the ev^nt in question, but that the date exactly coincides with the inscription in the Bible history. With respect to the information "that the poet had a brother, and that brother was christened by the suggestive names of ' Giles Malpas,' " Mr. Ingram confesses it to be so original that strong confirmation is required to prove the fact. I will undertake to convince even him. Under the proper date, then, 1750, January 1st, I find in the same baptismal register, " Giles Malpas, son of Thomas Chatterton." "This hitherto unknown boy," adds Mr. Ingram, derisively, "it should be noticed, was born in the same year as Mary Ohatterton's birth really took place." Who asserts this unlikely fact ? Not I, nor the register, but Mr. Ingram ! A tablet inserted in the front wall of the master's house in connexion with the Pile Street School gives the reason why this odd name was adopted by the poet's father : — " This house was erected by Giles Malpas, of St. Thomas Parish, Gent., for the use of the Master of this School, a.d. 1749." This was one year before Giles Malpas Chatterton was born, and it tends to show that in naming his eldest son after his patron the much decried schoolmaster was not altogether destitute of the feeling of gratitude. The third entry in the register, though the most interesting, Mr. Ingram does not object to, but I may as well quote it : " 1753, Jan. 1. Thomas, son of Thomas and Sarah Chatterton." As to the ob- jection contained in the assertion that " no such clergyman as the Eev. William Williams* or the Eev. Mr. Giles held benefices in Bristol during the last century," it is so weak as to be hardly worth adverting to. It is true that the " Rev. Mr. Broughton was Vicar of St. Mary RedclifE from 1744 to 1772 ; " but can Mr. Ingram seriously believe that so busy a literary man could conduct the affairs of so large a church and district as those of Eedcliff as well as per- form the duties of the mother church of Bedminster, of which RedclifE was a chapelry, without the assistance of curates ? Unfor- tunately, on my late visit to the church the books containing the names of the past curates were inaccessible ; but I fearlessly challenge Mr. Ingram to prove that Williams and Giles are not among these names. A letter to the vicar (Rev. Archdeacon Norris) would enable him to ascertain the accuracy of my citations from the register, together with the names of the clergy who christened the three young Chattertons. Another letter to the Yicar of Sodbury would enable him also to find whether the maiden name of the poet's mother was Sarah Young, as given in my quotation of the MS. entry in the family Bible history. If your correspondent can yet '* Amongst the names of the subscribers prefixed to Thomas Eichards's " Antiquae Linguae Britannicas," printed in Bristol, by Felix Farley, in 1753, is that of the clergyman who christened Mary Chatterton and her brother Giles Malpas. It is entered there as follows : — "Eev. William Williams, Curate of St. Mary-Eedcliff, Bristol." This proves him to have been a curate of that church during the time the Eev. T. Broughton was the vicar. W. G-. believe that the inscriptions I have supplied you with from that v olume are a " fabrication," an " imposture," a " forgery," and a " hoax," I shall be glad to hear his further reasons in your columns. For my own part I still hold, both from internal and external evidence to the opinion, or rather assertion, that they are unquestionably genuine. John Tayloe. IV. (1'rom the Athenwum, January 7th, 1882.) Bristol, January 2nd, 1882. Three out of the four MS. inscriptions in the Ohatterton quarto Mr. John Taylor has verified by the Bedcliff parish register. Prom an equally pure source I can prove the undoubted genuineness of the fourth, which records the marriage of the poet's father and mother " at Sodbury Church in Gloucestershire " ( " Athenaeum," December 10th, 1881). The following extract from the marriage register of Chipping- Sodbury is certified by the vicar, the Rev. W. H. P. Harvey :—" Weddings, 1749.— April 25th, Thomas Chatterton of ye Parish of St. Mary Bedcliff and Sarah Young of Stapleton." The accuracy of the information afforded by the fourth inscription is thus substantiated by the church register, and proves beyond cavil that the maiden name of the poet's mother was " Sarah Young" — a piece of information which Mr. John H. Ingram assures us is " oertainly not " to be found in the biographies of the poet ( " Athenasum," December 17th, 1881). "John Pipping" and "George Pew," Mary Chatterton's god- fathers, I have been able to trace. The former, in 1754, was a " haberdasher," the latter a " baker." Both voted for Beckford and Phillips, as did " Giles Malpas, Gent.," after whom the poet's elder brother was .named (Bristol Poll Book, E. Parley [1754], pp. 17, 112, 119). " Chatterton's mother," wrote Dean Milles in 1782, " informed a gentleman of credit" that on one of her son's visits to his home, happening to see Clarke's ' History of the Bible ' — which was covered with one of the old parchments from Bedcliff Churoh — " he swore a great oath, and, stripping the book, put the cover in his pocket, and carried it away." At the same time he stripped " a common little Bible, but, finding no' writing on the cover, replaced it again very leisurely " (Rowley's ' Poems,' 4to., 1782, p. 7). Eleven years after the poet's death, Mrs. Chatterton, when showing Clarke's book to Jacob Bryant, mentioned its former parchment covering (Bryant's ' Observations on Rowley,' 1781, p. 521). The Bible history from which Mr. Taylor copied the Chattertonian inscriptions printed in the " Athenaaum " (December 10th, 1881) is now before me. Although very imperfect and without the title-page, 10 it can be identified, as the name of the author, " Laurence Clarke," is appended to all the dedicatory inscriptions on the engravings. According to Dr. Allibone, Laurence Clarke's ' History of the Bible ' was published in 1737, in two volumes quarto. The present example, which is bound in one volume, appears to be the identical book that Chatterton so roughly despoiled of its covering as related by his mother. Notwithstanding Mr. Ingram's assertions that the MS. records in it are " palpable fabrications," &c, I have no more doubt of their genuineness than the " dealer in curiosities " had of the genuineness of the banknotes paid him (six days after Mr. Ingram's letter appeared) for the ragged quarto that contained them. " No sooner is its true character displayed," writes Mr. Ingram, " than the quarto will doubtless disappear." This prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. Its true character makes it worthy of careful preservation as a very precious relic associated with Bristol's " mar- vellous boy." The book will now occupy a special glass case, which it is hoped may preserve it from being again exposed to the risk of destruction similar to that from which it has recently been rescued. I need hardly add that I shall always have pleasure in showing it to those interested in Chatterton. William George. Y. (Extract from Mr. John H. Ingram's Letter in the Athencewm, January 7th, 1882.) The few details Mr. Taylor proffers for use in my paper on Chat- terton would be of no value even if they were not too late, as my paper concerns the poet and not his relatives. As regards the date of Mary Chatterton' s birth, let me state that one of my authorities is the family tombstone in St. Mary Eedcliff churchyard — a record which, strange to say, makes no allusion to " Giles Malpas," although it is so minute in its family history as to include two unnamed sons and a daughter of the aforesaid Mary. If this tombstone is to be relied on, and does refer to the same branches of the Chatterton family as the register referred to by Mr. Taylor, it proves that the poet's mother was only seventeen when this daughter Mary was born. VI. (Extract from Mr. John Taylor's Letter in the Athencewm, January 14th, 1882.) I am aware that the family tombstone in St. Mary BedclifE " makes no allusion to ' Giles Malpas,' and that the date of Mary Chatterton's birth there disagrees with my authority; but the 11 gravestone, like Mr. Ingram's own information, requires to be corrected by the parish, register — the parish register being the Sacred Writ of the genealogist. As to Mr. Ingram's depreciation of these corrections, and of the fresh details supplied by the quarto, I am not concerned. He says that for the purpose of his article on Ohatterton they " would be of no value even if they were not too late, as my paper concerns the poet and not his relatives." Chatter- ton's family ties, however, were of a very interesting kind, and, though I have no doubt of the ability of Mr. Ingram's paper, I hope he will have considered them more than he gives us to anticipate. VII. (From the Bristol Times and Mirror, February 20th, 1882.) Otm readers have already been made acquainted with the newly- ascertained facts relative to the family of the poet Ohatterton, which had been communicated to the " Athenaaum " by Mr. John Taylor, and have been proved correct in spite of the animadversions of Mr. Ingram, of the London Post-office ; or rather in consequence of the warm controversy between him and the librarian of our Museum and Library. Mr. Taylor, in his last letter to the " Athenaeum " (Jan. 28) rather keenly tells his censor that he declined " any further correspondence on the subject of Ohatterton until Mr. Ingram had referred to original as well as second-hand authorities." The following letter, which is the last on the point in dispute, appeared in last Saturday's " Athenasum." The writer, Mr. William George, is the present owner of the Ohatterton quarto, which he bought after Mr. Ingram's condemnatory letter appeared, in which he calls the inscriptions it contains "palpable fabrications," &c. Indeed, as Mr. Taylor wrote in his reply, Mr. Ingram's fierce epistle " was the incentive to Mr. George becoming the purchaser." We would remind our married readers that at the date of the marriage referred to in the following letter, the ceremony of registering it was not the elaborate "sign, seal, and deliver" ordeal they so nervously passed through. In the old parish registers, under the heading of " Wed- dings," the names of the "happy couple" and the place they came from were entered — simple particulars that were frequently contained in a single line of the register. Even the name of the clergyman who officiated was not appended to the brief entry. Before 1753, births, marriages, and deaths were generally entered in the same register. This is the case in that of Sodbury. Mr. George says : — Bristol, February 10th, 1882. After Mr. Ingram wrote in the " Athenasum" (December 17th, 1881) that ' some more satisfactory evidence ' should be produced as to the maiden name of the poet's mother being ' Sarah Young,' as recorded in the Ohatterton quarto, I sent you an extract from the marriage register of Chipping Sodbury, which proved that was her name, and at the same time I supplied other information not to be found in the biographies of Ohatterton. 12 In last week's 'Athenasum' (February 4th), Mr. Ingram, for the second time, animadverts upon the variation of a year in the date of the marriage as given in the two records. The discrepancy did not escape my notice. That the truth might be ascertained, a copy of the marriage certificate was sent entire, leaving the point in question for further inquiry. As all the other dates in the inscrip- tions in the Ohatterton quarto have now been proved to be accurate, I hope ultimately to show that this one is also, which dates the marriage as ' Monday, the 25th day of April, in the year 1748.' The 25th of April, 1749 — the year of the marriage as given in the Sodbury register — fell on a Tuesday. Mary Ohatterton was born in Pile-street in the latter year, her father then being master of the free school in that street, and also sub-chanter of Bristol Cathedral (at the time when the distinguished author of the ' Analogy ' was bishop), which offices he held till his death. Can it be conceived that five weeks after her baptism in Redcliff Church her parents were married at Sodbury ; and that this delayed wedding oocurred in the very town in which fourteen years of her father's life had been The statement on the Ohatterton tombstone, in St. Mary KedclifE churchyard, that Mary Newton (the abovenamed Mary Ohatterton) was at the time of death ' aged fifty-three years,' is erroneous. As she was born ' 14th day of February, 1748-9 ' (i.e., 1749 present com- putation), and died ' 23rd February, 1804,' her true age — after deducting the eleven days dropped in Sept., 1752, through the alteration of the calendar — was fifty- four years and 363 days. When Jacob Bryant visited Mrs. Ohatterton and her daughter in 1781, the latter told him that she was ' somewhat more than three years older than her brother' [the poet, born November 20th, 1752], (Bryant's ' Observations on Rowley,' 1781, p. 521). This statement agrees with the above-cited record of her birth from the Ohatterton quarto, and with the entry of her burial in the register of St. Mary Redcliff, a copy of which the vicar (Archdeacon Norris) has kindly sent me, It is as follows : — ' Burials, 1804. Mary Newton, Feb. 27th, aged fifty-five." This proves beyond doubt that the age ' fifty-three ' on the tomb- stone is an error for ' fifty-five.' As the inscription containing this blunder is one of the authorities quoted by Dr. Wilson, Mr. Ingram, and other writers on Ohatterton, I assume it has escaped detection. I intend shortly to produce a facsimile of the inscriptions in the Ohatterton quarto, accompanied by some new information on the subject. William G-eoege. From the preceding correspondence (1) it will be seen that by Church Registers and the Inscriptions in the History of the Bible, the follow- ing new facts relating to the Ohatterton family have been established beyond further dispute : 1- — That the poet's parents were married at Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, and that the maiden name of the poet's mother was Sarah Young (2). 13 2. — That the poet had a brother who was christened " Giles Malpas," in Redcliff church, on the day stated in the inscription in the Bible History (3). 3. — That Mary, the poet's sister, was baptised in Redcliff Church on the day recorded in the Bible History (4), and that her age inscribed on the family tombstone, in Redcliff Churchyard, is an error (5). These fresh details concerning the Chatterton family will have to be embodied by some future biographer of the poet, who, like Dr. Wilson, is in sympathy with his subject, and finds an interest in whatever may help to a more adequate understanding of the local family connections of one who has excited so much interest in the literary world. (1). Other Letters on the subject appeared in the " AthenaBum " of Jan. 21st, 28th j Feb. 4th and 25th, 1882. These are not reprinted, as nothing in them affects the three points mentioned in the text. (2). See Letter IV. page 9. (3). See Letter III. page 8. (4). See Letter III. page 8. (5). See Certificate of her burial, page 12. INDEX Allibone's "Dictionary of Au- thors/' referred to, 10 Andrews, Ann, Giles Malpas Chatterton's godmother, 5 Arden, Jane, Mary Chatterton's godmother, 5 ''Athenaeum," the, dates of letters in, on " Chatterton Contro- versy," not referred to in this pamphlet, 13 Beckford, Richard, M.P. for Bristol, 1754-56; mentioned, 9 "Betty at yeDeans," GrilesMalpas Chatterton's godmother, 5 " Bristol Poll-Book, 1754," quoted, 9 "Bristol Times and Mirror," observations in, on " Chatterton Controversy," 11-12 Broughton, Rev. Thomas, vicar of St. Mary, Redcliff, 1744-1772 [and prebendary of Salisbury, rector of Stipington, vicar of Bedminster, with the chapelries of St. Thomas and Abbots Leigh] 6; a busy literaryra an, 8 Bryant, Jacob, visits Mrs. Chatter- ton and her daughter, 9, 12 ; his " Observations on the Poems of Rowley," quoted, 9, 12 Butler, S., Bp. of Bristol, 1738-50 ; alluded to, 12 Calendar, alteration of, in 1752, 12 Catcott, George Symes, quoted, 6 Chadderton, ancient form of spelling Chatterton, 5, 6. [Dr. John Chadderton, prebendary of Southwell, 1366. Le Neve's "Fasti," III., 429— Thomas de Ohaderton, rector of Winslow, Cheshire, died 1349 — Earwa- ker's " Cheshire," I. 87] Chatterton, Thomas, (father of the poet, master of Pile-street Free School, writing-master, and sub- chanter of the Bristol Cathedral, died 1752) ; records, in Clarke's Bible History, his marriage to Sarah Young, and the births of Mary and Giles Malpas, their children, 5, 6; discrepancy in his date of his marriage and that in Chipping Sodbury register, 12 ; thelatter assumed to be er- roneous, 12 Chatterton, Mrs. (mother of the poet) her age at Mary's birth, 10 ; visited by Jacob Bryant, 9,12; Clarke's Bible History then in her possession, 9 ; her maiden name (Sarah Young) unknown to her son's biographers, 6 Chatterton, Mary (sister of the poet) ; her father's record of her birth and baptism, 5 ; her god- parents, ib. ; baptism from Red- cliff register, 8 ; more than three years older than the poet, 12; date of her death and burial, ib. ; her age on family tombstone an error, ib. Chatterton, Giles Malpas (brother of the poet) ; his father's record of his birth and baptism, 5 ; his godparents, 5; baptism from Redcliff register, 8; his name unknown to the poet's bio- graphers, 6; "no allusion to" on family tombstone, 10; after whom named, 8 ; mentioned, 13 Chatterton, Thomas (the poet); record of birth and baptism in the Chatterton Bible history, 5 ; not in his father's handwriting, 6-7 ; baptism from Redcliff register, 8 ; strips the Bible history of its covering, 9 ; since his death the victim of " fabri- cators," 7 Chatterton's Works, edited by Professor Skeat ; Mr. Ingram's remarks on, 7 Chatterton Family tombstone, in Redcliff churchyard; age of Mary STewton (the poet's sister) on it an error, 12 ; copied by Dr. Wilson and others, 12 ; one of the authorities of Mr. Ingram, 10 ; contains no allusion to Giles Malpas Chatterton, 10 Chatterton Family; summary of the New Facts relating to them, as established by records in their family Bible history, and from parish registers, 12-13 Clarke, Laurence ; his " History of the Bible," possessed by Mrs. Chatterton, 9; in 1881 by a " dealer in curiosities," 5 ; and sold to W. George, 10-11 ; copy of its Chatterton records, 5-6 15 Coats, Rev. J., 6 Colston's hospital, 6 Farley, Felix, printer, 8, note Farley, (Elizabeth, printer, widow of Felix), 9 Fuhrer, Andrea, Giles Malpas Chatterton's godfather, 5. George, William; his transcript from Chipping Sodbury register of T. Chatterton's "wedding," 9 ; impugns accuracy of its date, 12; traces Mary Chatterton's godfathers, 9 ; his copy of the Bible history, the one possessed by the Chattertons, 9 ; proves the age of the poet's sister on gravestone erroneous, 12 ; sum- marises the New Facts relating to the Chatterton family, 12-13 ; identifies the clergyman who baptised Mary and Giles Malpas Chatterton, 8, note Giles, "Rev. Mr.," 6, 8 Harvey, Rev. W. H. P., vicar of Chipping Sodbury, certifies ex- tract from his parish register, of marriage of the poet's parents, 9 Ingram, John H. (Editor of Poe's Works, 4 vols.) ; his animad- versions on Mr. J. Taylor's letter to "AthenEeum," 6-7; terms .the MS. inscriptions in Bible history "forgeries," &c, 6; prophecies the quarto con- taining them will soon disap- pear, 7; extract from his second letter to "Athenaeum," 10; his projected article on Chatterton concerns the poet only, 10; mentioned, 9, 10, 11, 12 Malpas, Giles, gent., erects house for master of Pile-street school, 8 ; copy of inscription on it, ib. ; votes at Bristol election, 1754, 9 Milles, Dean ; his edition of the Rowley Poems, quoted, 9 Moon's phases at births of the children of Thomas and Mary Chatterton, 5 Moser, J. Frederick, godfather to Giles Malpas Chatterton, 5 Moses, Jane, godmother to Mary Chatterton, 5 Newton, Mrs. — see " Chatterton, Mary" Norris, Ven. Archdeacon; certifies extract of Mary Newton's burial, 12 Pew, George, Mary Chatterton's godfather, 5; votes at Bristol election, 1754, 9 Philips, Sir John, Bart., candi- date at Bristol election, 1754, 9 Pile-street Free School, 5 ; in- scription on the master's house, 8 Pipping, John, Mary Chatterton's godfather, 5; votes at Bristol election, 1754, 9 Redcliff church registers, ex- tracts from, 8, 12 [Sharp, Sir Cuthbert], quoted, 7 Skeat, Prof. W. W. ; remarks on his edition of Chatterton's Works, 7 Taylor, John (author of " Eccle- siastical Bristol," &c.) ; dis- covers the Chatterton inscrip- tions in their Bible history, 5; sends transcripts of them to " Athenaeum," 5-6; his reply to Mr. Ingram's attack in that journal, 7-8; his extracts of baptisms from Redclifl' register, 8 ; proves the inscriptions in Bible history not to be " fabrica- tions," 8 ; extract from his re- ply to Mr. Ingram's second letter, 10-11 ; affords him a few details for his projected paper on Chatterton, 7; mentioned, 9, 10, 11 Thomas, Moy; his article on the Chatterton inquest imposition, mentioned, 6 " Weddings," brief way of enter- ing in parish registers before 1753, 11 Williams, Rev. William, 5 ; " held no benefice in Bristol," 6, 8 ; identified, 8, note Wilson, Dr. D. (author of " Chat- terton : a Biographical Study") ; has cited the erroneous inscrip- tion on tombstone as an evi- dence, 12; a biographer who takes an interest in the poet's family, 13 Young, Sarah, married to Thomas Chatterton, 6, 9; her maiden name unknown to her son's biographers, 6 ; mentioned, 11, 12. See " Chatterton, Mrs." The Master's House, Pile Street Free School, the Residence of Chatterton's Parents. (From "Bristol: Past and Present.") l^EW FACTS relating to the CHATTEETON FAMILY, gathered *• ' from Manuscript Entries in a " History of the Bible," which once belonged to the PARENTS of THOMAS CHATTEETON the Poet, and from PARISH REGISTERS. Svo., 16 pp., Is. ; or on large paper, 4to., 2s. post free. [1883.] ' ' In the present revival of interest in Chatterton literature, this contribution will be welcome to the collector of Chattertoniana. The ' Bible History ' referred to is now in the possession of the publisher of the pamphlet, and no one can read the controversy between Mr. John Taylor, Mr. J. H. Ingram and Mr. George himself — which appeared some time since in the Athenceum, and is here repub- lished — without coming to the conviction that the volume is a veritable relic of the Chatterton household, and that the entries containing the ' New Facts ' are genuine. The publisher's annotated Index is a marvel of exhaustiveness, and is possibly unique in its way." — Bristol Times and Mirror. " Mr. William George, whose skilful elucidations of some local archaeological problems are known to our readers, has just issued, under the title of "Some New Facts relating to the Chatterton Family," a selection from the controversial letters which have appeared in reference to the recent discovery of the Chatterton family Bible. It will be remembered that the entries of births and baptisms in the volume in question, when made known by Mr. John Taylor, of the Bristol Library, were condemned as forgeries by a. London critic, whose asperity was more conspicuous than his knowledge The attack, however, put Mr. Taylor and Mr. George on their mettle, and'tney soon successfully established the accuracy of the manuscript and the incorrectness of all the biographies as regards tlie points in dispute. Mr. George has added a valuable Index to the papers. " — Bristol Mercury. "The result of this little work is that the following New Facts relating to the Chatterton family have been established beyond further dispute : — (1) That the poet's parents were married at Chipping Sodbury, and that the maiden name of Chatterton's mother was Sarah Young ; (2) That the poet had a brother who was christened Giles Malpas, in Redeliff Church, on the day stated in the inscription in the 'Bible History ;' (3) That Mary, the poet's sister, was baptised in Redeliff Church on the day recorded in the ' Bible History ; ' and (4) that her age inscribed on the family tombstone, in Redeliff churchyard, is an error." — Clifton Chronicle. WILLIAM GEORGE & SON, 26 Park Street, BRISTOL. Antiquarian Igampfylete. GOME ACCOUNT of the OLDEST PLANS of BEISTOL. >J "With 3 Illustrations. (1) " Bristollia," 1480, Hand Coloured; (2) " Brightstowe," 1581, folding full-sized Facsimile ; (3) Seyer's Bristol between 1250 and 1350. 4to. 12 pp., 2s. 6d. post free. " It is difficult to overrate the value of ground plans to antiquaries. In the present instance a good explanatory text is added." — Athenaeum. " Mr. George's pamphlet is made additionally interesting by the introduction of three valuable illustrations." — The Antiquary. " Ought to be prized by every Bristolian who feels an intelligent interest in his Birth-place." — Bristol Mercury. " Mr. William George is a pains-taking and conscientious antiquary. One of the three illustrations he gives is the plan attributed to Hoef nagle (1581) ; one of the most picturesque bird's-eye views we have of the old city. — Bristol Times and Mirror. LTTES CAET MANOR HOUSE, SOMERSET, and its LITERARY ASSOCIATIONS. 8vo., with 2 Photographs. Is. 6d. post free. Large and thick paper, 4to., 3s. 6d. " Will be found full of interest, and is worthy of careful preservation." — Notes and Queries. " Is a pains-taking study of a picturesque Tudor Mansion. There are many biographical particulars of the early Lytes." — AtheruBwm. " A delightful little book." — Dorset Chronicle. ON an INSCRIBED STONE, at ORCHARD WTNDHAM, SOMERSET, called "OLD MOTHER SHIPTON'S TOMB;" with "MOTHER SHIPTON INTERVIEWED," a Legend in Verse; and an Account of Mother Shipton, and the earliest editions of her " Prophecies." 8vo. 32 pages, 6 Hlustrations, Is. On large and thick paper, 4to., 3s. 6d. post free. " ' Mother Shipton,' as well as her tomb, have been mercilessly dealt with by Mr. George, who leaves no doubt in the mind that the ' trouble- some prophetess ' has no more claim to prophetic honours than her so- called tomb to be considered of Roman origin."— Dorset Cownty Chronicle. " Mr. George's sagacity and perseverance in pursuing his investigation are only equalled by his success in detecting and exposing this imposture." — Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucester Archaeological Society, III. 399. " Mr. George has well exposed the counterfeit, and shown how the inaccurate copy of the true stone made by Gordon [1726] has been followed by the forger."— Rev. Pbeb. Scaeth, in Archaeological Journal (Institute), No. 144, p. 331. " An impudent forgery, which has led to a perplexing and contradictory antiquarian question, Mr. George has completely exposed for all time." — Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmoreland Archaeological Society, III. 281. IN PREPARATION. 0HATTERTONIANA : Gatherings from Manuscripts and other Sources. Hlustrations of the Family, Connections, and Bio- graphy of the poet Chatterton. Will contain f ac-similes of the Inscriptions in the Chatterton " Bible History." „_~_ WILLIAM GEORGE & SON, 26, PARK STREET, BEISTOL. ■'ST =* 1>~, - 1 * J'S^ >< UN >>3 v-SrS • -