_Cowley or Coverley--Statistics of Roman Catholic
Church--Whelps--Discovery of America_.
I can answer pretty confidently the query II. in Number 4, p. 59,
about the etymon of _Cowley_, for I have, on a farm of my own, two
denominations of land, called _Ox-ley_ and _Cow-ley_, and I believe that
both these names are common all through England. Like _Horseley, Ashley,
Oakley_ and a thousand other _leas_ or _leys_ distinguished from each
other by some local characteristic. _Coverley_ was probably not
_Cowley_, but, like _Woodley_, _Orchardleigh_, &c., derived from its
local position.
In answer to the query as to the statistics of the Roman Catholic
Church, p. 61. Number 4, I think I may say there is no such _general_
work, though the _Propaganda_ of Rome was said to register something of
that sort. The information is only to be picked up from various and (as
far as I know) all imperfect publications. The least so that I can just
now refer to is the _Statistics of the Roman Catholic Church of
Ireland_, in Thom's _Dublin Almanack_--a very curious and useful
compilation.
In reply to the inquiry as to a _priest's wife_, p. 77 Number 5, I
would suggest that married persons may have separated, and retired each
into the celibacy of a convent, yet might join, when necessary, in a
legal conveyance; but I should examine closely the word deciphered
_clericus_.
To J.J., who inquires about "_Whelps_," and refers to Howell's
_Letters_, sect. 5 p. 9, I beg leave to suggest more precision in his
future references. The passage is in one (viz. the viii.) of the 42
letters of the 5th section; but in the last and best edition (Lond.
1754) it is p. 204. I note this to inculcate the necessity of accurate
references and mention of the edition quoted. As to the query itself, I
can answer that the "_whelps_" were a class, perhaps I might say a
_litter_, of light men-of-war of the fifth rate, which were so called,
perhaps, after one named the "_Lion's Whelp_," in Queen Elizabeth's
navy, and distinguished by numbers, as "_1st Whelp_," "_2nd Whelp_," and
so on to at least "_10th Whelp_," which is to be found in a list of the
navy in 1651. She was of 180 tons, and carried 18 guns and 60 men. It
seems not easy to account for this class of vessels having been rated so
high as 5th rates, but I suppose they were a favourite and favoured
class.
In reference to the discovery of America by Madoc, pp. 7 12 25 57,
it may amuse your readers to be informed that Seneca shadows forth such
a discovery:--
"Venient annis sæcula seris
Quibus Oceanus vincula rerum
Laxet, et ingens pateat tellus,
Ichthysque novos deteget orbes;
Nec sit terris ultima Thule."
_Medea_, act ii, ad finem, v. 375.
"A vaticination," says the commentator, "of the Spanish discovery of
America." It is certainly a curious passage.