he
spiritual barons was at that period disputed. That writer says:--

"John Earl of Oxford, with his son Aubrey de Vere, &c., was convicted
of treason and beheaded. John Earl of Oxford, in a former parliament,
had disputed the question concerning the precedency of Temporal and
Spiritual Barons, a bold attempt in those days, and by force of whose
argument Judgment was given for the _Lords Temporal_."

Where will this judgment or any account of the dispute be found?

G.

_"Imprest" and "Debenture"_ (Vol. ii., p. 40.).--_Imprest_ is derived from
the Italian _imprestare_, to lend, which is _im-praestare_, (Fr. _preter_).
_Debentur_, or _Debenture_ (Lat. _debeo_), was originally a Customhouse
term, meaning a certificate or ticket presented by an exporter, when a
drawback or bounty was allowed on certain exported goods. Hence it seems
{77} to mean a certificate acknowledging a debt, and promising payment at a
specified time on the presentation of the certificate. Debentures are thus
issued by railway companies when they borrow money, and the certificates
for annual interest which accompany them are, so to speak,
_sub-debentures_. Perhaps this may throw _some_ light upon the matter.

E. S. JACKSON.

_Charade_ (Vol. i., p. 10.).--The charade cited by QUAESTOR is on my "Notes"
as the "Bishop of Salisbury's," and the following answer is said to be by a
clergyman:--

"Firm on the Rock of Christ, though lowly sprung,
The Church invokes the Spirit's fiery Tongue;
Those gracious breathings rouse but to controul
The Storm and Struggle in the Sinner's Soul.
Happy! ere long his carnal conflicts cease,
And the Storm sinks in faith and gentle peace--
Kings own its potent sway, and humbly bows
The gilded diadem upon their brows--
Its saving voice with Mercy speeds to all,
But ah! how few who quicken at the call--
Gentiles the favour'd 'little Flock' detest,
And Abraham's children spit upon their rest.
Once only since Creation's work, has night
Curtain'd with dark'ning Clouds its saving light,
What time the Ark majestically rode,
Unscath'd upon the desolating flood--
The Silver weigh'd for it, in all its strength
For scarce three pounds were counted, while its length
Traced in the Prophet's view with measur'd reed,
Squared just a mile, as Rabbins are agreed--
And now I feel entitled well to smile,
Since Christ's Church bears the Palm in all our Isle."

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