"But in a letter from Christopher Wren, Esq., to Francis Peek, M.A.
(author of the _Desiderata Curiosa_), it is thus stated, viz., 'that
King Henry VII. had the title of Defender of the Faith, appears by the
Register of the Order of the Garter in the black book, (sic dictum a
tegmine), now in my hands, by office, which having been shown to King
Charles I., he received with much joy; nothing more pleasing him than
that the right of that title was fixed in the crown long before the
Pope's pretended donation, to all which I make protestation to all
posterity.' [Greek: Autographô], hoc meo. Ità testor. Chr. Wren, à
memoria, et secretis Honoratissimi Ordinis. Wrexham, 4 March, 1736-7."
In support of this note, I find in Chamberlayne's _Present State of
England_, 1669, p. 88., this statement:
"Defender of the Faith was anciently used by the Kings of England, as
appears by several charters granted to the University of Oxford, &c."
As the word _anciently_, I conceive, applies to a period anterior to 1521,
may I express a hope that some of your learned subscribers at Oxford will
favour your readers with the dates of the charters alluded to; and, if
possible, some information as to the circumstances which led to the
adoption of the title "Defender of the Faith" by the kings of England
previous to the reign of Henry VIII.
ROBERT ANSTRUTHER, Lieut.-Col.
Bayswater.
_Calendar of Sundays in Greek and Romish Churches._--Where can I find good
authority on the calendar of Sundays in the Greek Church, and in the Roman?
As to the latter, the missals and directories only give the current year:
as to the former, there is no work I know of which gives anything.