[This Query did not escape the notice of Dr. Samuel Pegge. He says;
"The cocks which Pancirollus (ii. tit. 1.) mentions as brought from
America, were Turkey cocks, as Salmuth there (p. 28.) rightly observes.
The French accordingly call this bird _Coq d'Inde_, and from _d'Inde_
comes the diminutive _Dindon_, the young Turkey; as if one should say,
'the young Indian fowl.' Fetching the Turkey from America accords well
with the common notion:
'Turkeys, carps, hops, pikarel, and beer,
Came into England all in a year;'
that is, in the reign of Henry VIII., after many voyages had been made
to North America, where this bird abounds in an extraordinary manner.
But Query how this bird came to be called Turkey? Johnson latinizes it
_Gallina Turcica_, and defines it, 'a large domestic fowl brought from
Turkey;' which does not agree with the above account from Pancirollus.
Brookes says (p. 144.), 'It was brought into Europe either from India
or Africa.' And if from the latter, it might be called _Turkey_, though
but improperly."--_Anonymiana_, cent. x. 79.]
_Bishop St. John._--The following passage occurs at vol. iv. p. 84. of the
Second Series of Ellis's _Original Letters, Illustrative of English
History_. It is taken from the letter numbered 326, dated London, Jan. 5,
1685-6, and addressed "for John Ellis, Esq., Secretary of his Majesty's
Revenue in Ireland, Dublin:"
"The Bishop of London's fame runs high in the vogue of the people. The
London pulpits ring strong peals against Popery; and I have lately
heard there never were such eminently able men to serve in those cures.
The Lord Almoner Ely is thought to stand upon too narrow a base now in
his Majesty's favour, from a late violent sermon on the 5th of
November. I saw him yesterday at the King's Levy; and very little
notice taken of him, which the more confirms what I heard. Our old
friend the new Bishop St. John, gave a smart answer to a (very well
put) question of his M---- with respect to him, that shows he is not
altogether formed of court-clay; but neither you nor I shall withdraw
either of our friendship for him on such an account."
All who know this period of our history, know Compton and Turner; but who
was Bishop St. John?