_Bolton's Ace_ (Vol. ii., p. 413.).--Ray's anecdote concerning the proverb, "Bate me an ace, quoth Bolton," is perhaps more correctly told in the _Witty Aunsweres and Saiengs of Englishmen_ (Cotton MS. Jul. F. x.):
"William Paulett, Marques of Wynchester and Highe Treasurer of Engelande, being presented by John Heywoode with a booke, asked hym what yt conteyned? and when Heywoode told him 'all the proverbs in Englishe.' 'What all?' quoth my Lorde; 'No, _Bate me an ace, quoth Bolton_, is that in youre booke?' 'No, by my faith, my Lorde, I thinke not,' annswered Heywoode."
The "booke" presented by Heywoode to the Marquis of Winchester was _A Dialogue contayning in Effect the Number of all the Proverbes in the English Tongue compact in a Matter concerning two Marriages; first printed by Berthelet in_ 1546. In 1556 it was "Newly overseen and somewhat augmented." A copy of the latter is in the British Museum.
John Bolton, from whom the proverb derives its origin, was one of Henry VIII.'s "diverting vagabonds." He is several times mentioned as winning money from the king at cards and dice in one of the _Royal Household Books_.
It is but right that I should give this information to your correspondent "T. Cr.", as I have omitted to "note it" in my reprint of Hutton's curious tract.
_Cardinal Beaton_ (Vol. ii., p. 433.).--In Smith's _Iconographia Scotica_ is a portrait of Beaton said to be painted by Vandyke, and evidently the one engraved in Lodge. It is accompanied by a memoir, which would probably be of use to Scotus, as it contains references to a great number of authorities used in its compilation. If Scotus has not met with this, and will send me his address I will forward to him the leaves containing the life.
_Portrait of Cardinal Beaton_ (Vol. ii., p. 433.).--In No. 57. allusion is made to the portrait of Cardinal Beaton, now at Blairs College, near Aberdeen. In Fyvie Castle, Aberdeenshire, where one of the copies of this portrait, from the easel of James Giles, Esq., R.S.A., now is, there are some manuscripts of Abbé Macpherson (who sent the Blairs picture to this country), purchased at the sale of the late Mr. Chalmers, author of _Caledonia_. Among them there might possibly be some which might tend to confirm the authenticity of the original painting.