THE HERMIT OF HOLYPORT.

N.B.  A short “Key” follows the usual address “To the Reader.”

* * * * *

MINOR QUERIES.

Edward the Confessor’s Crucifix and Gold Chain.—­In 1688 Ch.  Taylour published A Narrative of the Finding St. Edward the King and Confessor’s Crucifix and Gold Chain in the Abbey Church of St. Peter’s, Westminster.  Are the circumstances attending this discovery well known?  And where now is the crucifix and chain?

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

The Widow of the Wood.—­Benjamin Victor published in 1755 a “narrative” entitled The Widow of the Wood.  It is said to be very rare, having been “bought up” by the Wolseleys of Staffordshire.  What is the history of the publication?

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

Cardinal Erskine.—­I am anxious to obtain some information respecting Cardinal Erskine, a Scotchman, as his name would impart, but called Cardinal of England?  I suppose he was elevated to the sacred college between Cardinal Howard, the last mentioned by Dodd in his Church History, and the Cardinal of York, the last scion of the house of Stuart.

And is the following a correct list of English Cardinals since Wolsey, who died in 1530?

Elevated in
John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester                  1535
Reginald Pole, Archbishop of Canterbury           1536
William Peyto, Bishop of Salisbury                1557
William Allen                                     1587
Philip Howard                                     1675
——­ Erskine                                      ——­
Henry Stuart of York                              1747
Thomas Weld                                       1830
Charles Acton                             1839 or 1842
Nicolas Wiseman, who is the 53rd                  1850
on the list of English Cardinals

Both the latter were born abroad, the former at Naples, the latter at Seville; but they were born of British subjects, and were brought to England at an early age to be educated.  The Cardinal of York was born in Rome; but being of the royal family of England, was always styled the Cardinal of England.

G.W.

October 26. 1850.

Thomas Regiolapidensis.—­Where can I find any information as to the saint who figures in the following curious story? Regiolapidensis may probably mean of Koenigstein, in Saxony; but Albon Butler takes no notice of this Thomas.

    “Incipit narratiuncula e libro vingto, cui titular Vita atq.  Gesta B.
    Thomae Regiolapidensis, ex ordine FF.  Praedicatorum, excerpta.