I am not aware what connection existed between these Godins and the family of that name in Normandy (now extinct); but the cup in the arms, though borne differently, proves that they were of the same race.

J.R.C.

May 23, 1850.

The Title of D.D.—­The remarks of your correspondent “BROWN RAPPEE” (Vol.  I. p. 438.){14} induced me to turn to the List of the Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries, and I find it in my power to exonerate the compiler of the list on one point from the carelessness he imputes.  “BROWN RAPPEE” says, “We see one or two D.D.’s deprived of their titles of ‘Rev.’” I find but one D.D. in that condition, and in that instance the list is correct, and the usual prefix would have been an error; the gentleman in question not being in orders, although his services in Biblical literature have been acknowledged with the degree of D.D.  Your correspondent does not seem to be aware that this doctorate is, like all others, an academical, and not a clerical, distinction and that, although it is seldom dissociated from the clerical office in this country, any lay scholar of adequate attainments in theology is competent to receive this distinction, and any university to bestow it upon him.

EYE-SNUFF.

Emancipation of the Jews (Vol. i. p. 479.).—­The following extract from Tovey’s Anglia Judaica, p. 259., may be acceptable in connection with this subject:—­

“As soon as King Charles was murther’d, the Jews petitioned the Council of War to endeavour a repeal of that act of parliament which had been made against them; promising, in return, to make them a present of five hundred thousand pounds:  Provided that they could likewise procure the cathedral of St. Paul to be procured them for a synagogue, and the Bodleian Library at Oxford to begin their traffic with, which piece of service it seems was undertaken by those honest men, at the solicitation of Hugh Peters and Henry Masters, whom the Jews employed as their brokers but without any success.”

Afterwards, however, the Jews of Holland sent a deputation, consisting of the famous Rabbi Manasseh ben Israel, and several wealthy Jewish merchants.  When Cromwell came into full power their hopes were raised, for he was known to be favourable to their re-admission; but after much discussion, the popular feeling, and the voices of many influential preachers, were found to be so much against the measure that nothing was eventually done; and Charles II. must be regarded as the restorer of the Jews to this country.  Tovey says that the Rabbi Netto, “the governor of the synagogue” in his time, had searched the Jewish registers at his request, and had found that, so late as 1663, there were but twelve Jews in England.  It seems that while these negotiations were in hand, all sorts of absurd and idle rumours were afloat.  Among these I incline to reckon the alleged proposal to purchase St. Paul’s for