10
in these lines following:
"When great things labouring perish in their birth, Their form confounded makes most form in mirth."
And it was left to MR. KEIGHTLEY to bless the world with the information that it was "things."]
* * * * *
VERNEY PAPERS--THE CAPUCHIN FRIARS, ETC.
In the appendix to Notes of Proceedings in the Long Parliament, by Sir Ralph Verney, edited by Mr. Bruce for the Camden Society in 1845, are "Notes written in a Cipher," which Mr. Bruce gives in the hope that the ingenuity of some reader will discover their meaning. I venture thus to decypher the same:
"The Capuchin's house to be dissolued. No extracts of letters to be aloued in this house. The prince is now come to Greenhich three lette. Three greate ships staied in France. Gersea a letter from Lord S^t Albones. £11 per diem Hull. The king's answert to our petition about the militia. If a king offer to kil himselfe, wee must not only advise but wrest the weapon from. A similitude of a depilat. Consciences corrupted."
I ought to state that in one or two instances the wrong cypher has evidently been used by mistake, and this has of course increased the difficulty of decyphering the notes.
With reference to the note "The Capuchins' House to be dissolued," may I be allowed to refer to the following votes in the House of Commons, of the date 26th February, 1641-2:
"Ordered, That Mr. Peard, Mr. Whistler, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Pideaux, Mr. Selden, Mr. Young, Mr. Hill, do presently withdraw, to peruse the statutes now in force against priests and Jesuits.
"Ordered, That Mr. Whittacre, Mr. Morley, do presently go to Denmarke House.
"Resolved, That the Capuchines shall be forthwith apprehended and taken into safe custody by the Serjeant-at-Arms attending on this house; and there kept till this house take farther order."
The Capuchins were under the protection of the Queen Henrietta Maria; Denmark House was the name by which