part of his life master of his own time and thoughts, has his head pre-occupied; at least is commonly fitter for the direction than the execution of business; unless it be such in which his head will concur with his hand. Besides, not to mention other incongruities, how would it fit a man, growing in years, to be company for a pack of young clerks? or, how could he hope to be continued, of such honourable persons, as should recommend him even to that situation, but might with the same trouble to something more convenient for him?

"I have been assured by persons of experience, that an handsome post is not only sooner procured as having less candidates, but a man's pretension is more regarded. Whereas, in business of ordinary or mean account, his merits and abilities are thought proportionable, and therefore his pretension or request is less regarded. Besides, places that are something considerable, are generally less slavish and engrossing of a man's time; which, God knows, I desire not to be better employed than mine is, and may be by myself; only, a part of it more profitably: and yet, the convenience of such leisure, with the credit attending such a place, I should more value than the profit.

"There is a common advice, that a man should not put in for everything, because it implys too high thoughts of his own sufficiency, as if he thought himself fit for everything: which is the character of an arrogant and conceited coxcomb. This offering of one's self, without latitude or limitation, is indeed one extreme; but the other is, to nail one's self down to some one individual place, like a dainty guest, that can taste but of one dish, and so wait for the vacancy; wherein he is led, by his own election, first to go barefoot (perhaps to his grave) in waiting for a dead man's shoes; and when he is dead, then he shall probably see another wear them. So that any vacancy which will accommodate the candidate with a competency suitable to his condition and qualifications; or, at least, equal to what he has appeared in, and decently enjoyed, cannot, 'tis presumed, be thought unreasonable.

"Two or three hundred a year may be thought a very liberal allowance from a single person; in places of the government 'tis thought no burden, because the publick contributions are settled for the payment: there is no new charge or salary created, and they have stood the test of various changes or revolutions in the administrations. If I were to be restored to a place of two hundred a year now, it would not be by one fourth part of the advantage to me that it might have been five years since: for I should look upon myself in conscience obliged to sequester so much, even though I should live long enough to enjoy such a place ten years, to re-imburse such friends as have assisted me in all that time, but can no longer now. So that this one act of accommodation would indeed save more persons than one from ruin."

If it is not already known that Oldys obtained the appointment of Norroy through the intercession of Sir Peter Thompson, to whom the above autobiographic sketch was addressed, I think I can confidently assert such was the fact. I am collecting materials for biographical notices of the King's Heralds and Pursuivants-at-Arms. Will you permit me, through the medium of "N. & Q.," to make known to your correspondents that I have such a work in hand; and that I should be obliged for any unpublished particulars, either relative to Oldys, or any other members of the College of Arms.

Charles Bridger.

ON COSIN'S "HISTORY OF POPISH TRANSUBSTANTIATION," EDITED BY THE REV. J. S. BREWER.

As every work of value, and likely to live, should be made as correct as possible, I beg insertion in "N. & Q." of some remarks on a note in Mr. Brewer's very satisfactory edition of so important a volume as that of Cosin on the papal doctrine of transubstantiation. The note occurs in p. 130., and is as follows:—

"‡ Index Expurg. Hispan. D. Gasp. Quirogæ Card. et Inquisit. generalis in fine.

"There is a copy of one edition of this Index in the British Museum, but I cannot find the passage to which Bp. Cosin refers. The other Index to which he refers is not to be found in the British Museum, Bishop Tenison's library, or Sion College."

The disappointment of Mr. Brewer may not improbably be ascribed to the unfortunate fact, that in the English translation of Cosin's book, which is given by Mr. Brewer in the forecited extract, after the word fine are omitted the words Lit. O., which are found in the Latin original. This additional direction would have led to the passage which the editor was desirous of verifying. For, in the first edition of the Index referred to, that of 1584, the particular index at the end, under O, gives the fol. 182, 183 (falso 171), where the passage is found exactly as extant in the Latin of Cosin. The particular Expurgatory Index under view was printed in 1601 and 1611. In the first of the two, that printed at Saumur, the passage is found fol. 149. verso. I dare say it is so in the other entitled Duo Testes, &c., but that is of no moment. Bp. Cosin does not, as the note expresses, refer to any "other index." The British Museum is comparatively scanty in this class of books, but they are all to be found in the Bodleian Library.

At p. 163. the Discurs [us] Modest [us] de Jesuit. referred to, and occupying several pages of discussion in the "N. & Q." in the early volumes, is certainly the Latin version of A Sparing Discoverie of our English Jesuits, 4to., Franc. 1601, pp. 70, and to be found in the Catalogue of the British Museum, under "Jesu Societas."

Eupator.

ANCIENT GUILDHALLS IN ENGLAND.

If a history of the ancient Guildhalls of England could be compiled, it would form an interesting volume; as the ancient fabrics wherein our forefathers met to transact their civic affairs may almost be said to have symbolised the status of the municipalities in which they stood at various epochs of their history. Our old English boroughs cannot boast the possession of halls equal to the Hotels de Ville of Belgium or France, or the Rath-häusen of Germany. We cannot show in this country edifices equal to the Hotel de Ville of Brussels, or Aix-la-Chapelle, or Rouen, in point of architectural extent or beauty; or of Ratisbon, or other German towns, in point of venerable and antique interest. But we have buildings yet standing among us which, if less imposing in their exteriors, are nevertheless associated with historic memories of no common order, and secondary in this respect to none of the grander town-halls of ancient Flanders.

The guildhall of Leicester cannot boast of any outside show. It is plain to meanness in this respect; it is on one side a mere barn in appearance; yet it has its claim on the attention of the antiquary.

The first distinct mention of a guildhall in Leicester is in a small charter, executed in the mayoralty of Peter Rogerson. From this it appears that in 1250 William Ordriz, the son of Stephen, conveyed to the mayor and burgesses a building which became the guildhall. The deed is endorsed Charta de la Gild Salle. It contained three bays of buildings, was twenty yards in length, and about eight yards from front to back. It had solars, cellars, and dungeons. There was then an older fabric, known as the guildhall, which was conveyed to a private townsman in the year 1275. The hall, of which the corporation became the possessors in 1250, remained in use until the reign of Elizabeth, and even at intervals until the date of the Commonwealth, being sometimes called the old Moot Hall, and at others the