“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:  Autographo], hoc meo.  Ita testor.  Chr.  Wren, a 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.

M.

Dandridge the Painter.—­At Osterley Park (Lord Jersey’s) is the only example of the pencil of Dandridge, bearing his signature and the date 1741.

Through neglect and the effect of time this able work has been dried up, so that we may say—­

  “The wine of life is drawn, and nothing
  Left but the mere lees:” 

but there’s savour of merit and signs of goodly craft for the dark age of its birth.  In the group of three children of life-size we have a rare work of the period when few men of genius wielded the brush or daubed canvas, even through the inspiring patronage of a wealthy banker, whose progeny they are—­and this is executed too before academies and societies offered their fostering aid, and when Hogarth struggled on probably side by side with Dandridge.  Some of your readers may have traces of him and of his works, and may be able to trace his memory to the grave.  All that Walpole has of him is (p. 439.): 

    “Son of a house painter; had great business from his felicity in taking
    a likeness.  He sometimes painted small conversations, but died in the
    vigour of his age.”