Welsh Journals

July, 1879. BYE-GONES. 233 to the Emperor CharlesV., on the same business, and Hobby- was rewarded for his services on that occasion by Knight¬ hood, and a seat in the King's Council. It is stated of him that he was zealously attached to the reformed faith, and very mindful of the Protestant interest in Herefordshire, but judgine from the whole tenor of his life it would be more true perhaps to say, that he was well affected to the King's wishes, and studied to promote all public measures which tended to please the monarch, and to advantage Sir Philip Hobby in particular. HOBBY, Thomas, brother of the last-named, was a greater man than Sir Philip, being an accomplished statesman, and diplomatist. He served for some time as Ambassador for the English Court at Paris, and there are ample proofs of his great ability in that capacity, and of his tact in the fulfilment of the duties of his very dignified position. He doubtless amassed considerable wealth in the pursuit of it, for he is known to have founded a family of some renown, out of which have sprung a line of baronets, which continued to flourish down to 1766. This eminent man died abroad, but it is guessed by some writers that his body was brought to Leominster, his native place, for burial. That, however, is but a guess, for there is no reliable evidence in support of the state¬ ment. HOBBY, William, of the same family as the last- named, and a Herefordian by birth, is noted for his illu¬ sion in believing that he possessed the art of discovering treasure trove. He managed to get into the Tower of London for some offence, from whence he wrote to the Lord Treasurer Burghley intimating to him how he would, if he obtained his liberty, search within the Castle of Skenfryth, in Monmcuthshire, for hogsheads of gold and silver, said to be hidden there, and where, according to an old legend, the " dyveil and his dame" kept watch and ward over the same ; " one sitts upon a hogshed of gold, the other upon a hogshed of silver, yet nevertheless (says he, under date of 1589), with your lordship's full power and authoritie, they shall be removed, by the grace of God, without any charge to the Quene and your Lordship." We fear that old Burghley did nothing but shake his head byway of answer to poor Hobby's bait, for so late as 1764 the " dy veil and his dame " continued in possession of the treasure, and our worthy had long departed to another place where, in company with his old master Dee, he might re-discuss at leisure the mysteries which had occupied so much of their thoughts when in the flesh. He died in the early part of the seventeenth century " a firm believer in mystic sciences, and deeply versed in the legendary lore of his country." HOBDY, William, supposed to be a cousin of Philip and Thomas Hobby, was born at Leominster. He has the reputation of being a genuine reformer in religion during the latter days of Henry VlII.'s reign, but why he changed his surname is not clear, unless, indeed it be for reasons of State, for he served under Thomas Hobby in France in a menial position, and afterwards proceeded to Holland, where he lived in seclusion for some j'ears. •He seems to have spent most of his time abroad, " and cud not dare to return to England during Queen Mary's lh Sn<< ^e .very kest evidence we can probably have of the _ genuine" character of his reforming views. He was in London in the early days of Elizabeth, and is supposed to have died there at a good old age. A son of ni8 of the same name has the credit of having printed some things in the seventeenth century, but being a toreigner" by birth, we cannot fittingly dwell upon his «fe in these records, xxxx JULY 2, 1879. THE RIVER DEE.—On April 17, 1878, you published some lines about the Dee, commencing " Had I been IT." They were given on the authority of a Mr. Turner of Gloucester, who inserted them in a tour he published. You will find the lines in Hone's Table Book, p. 480, headed "A Capital Ex¬ tempore. To the Author of some Bad Lines on the River Dee." I cannot say which was published first, Hone's book or Turner's; and it maybe they-both quoted from an earlier authority. -Argus. NOTES. LLANRHAIADR.—The following linesare written on a piece of paper pasted under the lid of a desk in Llan- rhaiadr-yn-Mochnant Church:— " Once as a thoughtless paseer by I viewed the dead as thou dost me Ere long thou'lt be as low as I And others stand and look at thee." In the town I observed over the door of a cottage where a few sweets were sold, " M J Williams Grocer Provisioer Dealer in Sauces." Boileau. QUERIES. GRIFFITH ROBERTS'S WELSH GRAMMAR. The Rev. D. Silvan Evans, writing to the Athenccum of May 17, referring to the late Rev. Robert Jones's copy of this work (which it is supposed was printed on the Continent in 1567), says he only knows of one complete copy, and asks for descriptions of any, supposed, perfect copies in existence. Mr. Silvan Evans of course by " perfect," means as the work left the author; for he adds, " There is reason to believe the work was never finished." Bookworm. LLOYD OF ALLINGTON.—I am anxious to obtain information as to the origin and pedigree of the family of Lloyd of Allington, in the parish of Gresford, Denbighshire. If I am not mistaken Lancelot occurs rather frequently as a Christian name in the older generations ? Newo. AN INSCRIPTION AT MACHYNLLETH.— The following characters are carved in wood over a door in Maengwyn-street, Machynlleth :— 1628IOIAIEN-PVQHIOVXOV What does it mean? D. Evans. Belle Vue, Trefeglwys. REPLIES. FIRST NEWSPAPER ISSUED IN WALES (Mar. 20, 1879).—The Cambrian was issued at Swansea, as indicated in the prospectus " H.B." quotes, and it still flourishes. I have before me as I write " No. 3928, voL 76 May 30, 1879." Under the title is the line " Estab¬ lished January 1804." Nemo. POSTAL REGULATIONS (May 21, 1S79).- No improvement has been effected in Postal communica¬ tion between Drayton and Shrewsbury since the time when Hulbert wrote, the mails even now, passing between those places, being carried via Stafford. As regards the charges, they must have been regulated by the distance carried or the charge between Drayton and Shrewsbury would not have been so much, but going round by Birmingham would more than double the distance. Postage from Shrewsbury to London was 10d. for a single letter, that is, a letter written on one sheet of paper; the