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number of the issue is 9,050....... The Robert Raikes of the Northampton Mercury afterwards went to Glouces ter, where he established the Gloucester Journal. He was the father of the Robert Raikes, the founder of Sunday schools. The name of Dicey was upon every issue of the Northampton Mercury from May 2nd, 1720, to May 2nd, 1885."

The above interesting note is extracted from the Northampton Mercury of May 4. How many other count newspapers can boast of an equally long existence? I think the list is a very small one, and might very suitably find a place in the pages of 'N. & Q.' JOHN T. PAGE.

5, Capel Terrace, Southend-on-Sea.

REMARKABLE DROUGHT IN WINTER. -In a MS. apparently compiled between the years 1679 and 1684, by the Rev. Thos. Leigh, B.D., Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, it is incidentally recorded (in Latin) that there were "no rains from the beginning of September, 1517, to the month of May, 1518," a period of at least eight months. Having failed to find mention of the fact in print, I make note of it for the benefit of your readers. W. I. R. V. PALLISER. It may interest some of your numerous readers to know that this rather common name in the north of England is derived from the paliser, or man who attended to the oak palings of the deer parks. In North Yorkshire the boundary of the ancient park is still known as the paled dyke. EBORACUM,

TWICE BURIED IN ONE DAY."The Sixth day Anthony Cole, of Chadwick, was twice buryed, first in the Quaker's Yard, then in the Churchyard."-Parish Register of Bromsgrove, Sept., 1661. C. E. GILDERSOME-DICKINSON.

Eden Bridge.

RACES RIDDEN BY WOMEN.-Mr. C. J. Ap perley, who, when George IV. was king, was an accomplished writer on hunting, racing, coaching, and kindred topics, under the name of Nimrod, on one occasion visited Ripon, Among the observations he made there is one worth transferring to N. & Q.':

"On the Monday succeeding St. Wilfrid's Sunday, there were for many years races on Ripon Common, for prizes of various value; and one called the Lady's Plate, of 15%. value, for horses, &c., the best of heats, and twice round the common for a heat, to be ridden by women. This is the only proper definition of what is now called the Ladies' Plate that I have ever met with."-Sporting Magazine, 1827, vol. xx. N.S., p. 287.

ASTARTE.

Esq., Queen's Messenger (born circa 1683, died in London, December, 1750), by his wife Elizabeth (born 1689, married 1708, ob. circa 1728), daughter of Thomas Bate, of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, co. Leicester, gent. She died Jan. 24, 1785, and was buried at Ashby aforesaid on Jan. 28 following. The name of Thomas Kirkland fails to appear in the 'List of the Graduates in Medicine in the University of Edinburgh, 1705-1866,' 8vo., Edin., 1867, although an entry therein records that William Kirkland graduated M.D. in 1772.

Dr. Kirkland died at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Jan. 17, and was buried in the chancel of the parish church on Jan. 22, 1798.

This note will serve as an addition to the account of him appearing in 'Dict. Nat. Biog.,' vol. xxxi. p. 219. DANIEL HIPWELL.

AUTHOR OF QUOTATION-So long ago as Oct. 26, 1889 (7th S. viii. 329), I asked as to the authorship of a little French song, which, it appears, I did not then quote correctly. Perhaps I may now be permitted to give the correct version and the author's name :Peu de Chose.

La vie est vaine :
Un peu d'amour,
Un peu de baine......
Et puis-bonjour!
La vie est brève :
Un peu d'espoir,
Un

peu de rêve......
Et puis-bon soir !

From an article by Mr. William Sharp on 'La Jeune Belgique,' in the Nineteenth Century of September last, I have ascertained that this delicate marvel of rhymed philosophy is by the Belgian author Léon Montenaeken. Mr. Sharp says the lines have been attributed to a dozen different French poets, old and latter-day. The more reason that justice should be done here and now to the talented Belgian poet. JAMES HOOper. Norwich,

cently the ancient Lincolnshire town Bourne was, A CURIOUS LAND SALE CUSTOM.-Quite reland within the district, the scene of a curious on the occasion of the disposal of some meadow custom, an account of which may be worth preserving in N. & Q.':

brought to the hammer by direction of the Charity "The land, known as the White Bread Meadow, was Trustees, and, in accordance with traditional usage, a number of boys started in a race, the bidding lasting while the boys were running, the lot being ultimately let to the person who had made the highest offer at the decided. The rent of the meadow was then expended moment the possession of the first place in the race was in white bread loaves, which were distributed to the poor of the locality."-Echo, April 16.

THOMAS KIRKLAND, M.D., MEDICAL WRITER. -His baptism is thus recorded in the parish register of Ashbourne, co. Derby: "October, Anno Domini 1772, Baptized 14 Thomas Son of Mr Tho: Kirland & Mary Ux. Ashbourn." He married at C. P. HALE. Packington, co. Leicester, Aug. 3, 1747, Dorothy ISLAND OF BARBADOS. — It is curious that (born 1723), daughter and coheir of Joseph Palmer, reference books and newspapers should still be

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found in no inconsiderable number speaking of a colony called " Barbadoes." Every postage stamp ever issued from the island will, I believe, be found to have the word "Barbados" upon it. A letter from me calling attention to this appeared in the Literary World two or three years ago. Locally the middle syllable is strongly accented and the last syllable often sounded much like dz. No doubt the spelling with an e was once used in the island as well as in England, but it is obsolete now. See all official documents emanating from the colony. HERBERT STURMER.

Queries.

We must request correspondents desiring information on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that the answers may be addressed to them direct.

CHARLES WALMESLEY.-A friend has lent me his copy of A New Theatrical Dictionary,' London, 1792, a work very well known to collectors and of no great esteem; but the copy in question is enhanced in value by interesting annotations and varied information in MS. by one Charles Walmesley, to whom the book formerly belonged. I shall be grateful to any of your readers who may be able to give me particulars of Charles Walmesley, as I am ignorant of any interest, literary or otherwise, attaching to him.

Ware Priory.

ROBERT WALTERS.

SIR ALEXANDER BURNES.-May I ask you to allow me to inquire through the pages of N. & Q.' for information as to the family of Sir Alexander Burnes, the traveller and political officer? As is well known, Sir Alexander and his brother were murdered at Kabul on the same day; but I believe they were members of a large family. I am anxious to be placed in communication with the present representative of the family, in order to ask for information which is likely to be found in the letters written by Sir Alexander Burnes to his relations during the last few months of his life.

HUGH PEARSE, Major.

103, Strada Vescovo, Valletta, Malta.

"SOJOURNARS":"ADVENA."-In a parish register I am reading I frequently find persons marked as "Sojournars." Does this indicate that they had no settlement in the parish for poor law purposes? In one case a death entry has a marginal note "Advena." What does this word convey?

JECEP.

SOURCE OF QUOTATION.-I shall be obliged by information as to what book contains the following passage, or something similar, and what reign is referred to. "Old king, old ministers, old courtiers, old generals, old poets, old musicians,

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"While so many are rejoicing at the safe arrival of the little prince on Saturday evening, it may interest your readers to be reminded of the old saying

Under the stars, on the eve of St. John, Lucky the babe that those stars shine on! and hope that it may indeed be fulfilled in his case." Can any one tell me whence this saying is taken? E. LEATON-BLENKINSOPP.

THE SECOND WIFE OF SIR JOHN TALBOT (1630-1714), OF LACOCK ABBEY.-She was, as is well known, Barbara, only daughter of Sir Henry Slingsby, Bart., of Scriven, who was beheaded for his loyalty in 1658. Can any informant greatly oblige me by stating the date and the place of her marriage? It must have taken place between the years 1656 and 1661, because Sir John's first wife, because Frances Talbot, an infant daughter by his Elizabeth Keyt, lived till the former year, and second marriage, was buried at Isleworth on June 13, 1662.

down to the two years 1660 and 1661, if we may The possible period can be further narrowed rely on the correctness of the letter "S" in the initials "B. S." under Barbara's letter (to her brother Sir Thomas Slingsby), dated Feb. 18, 1659/60, printed at pp. 355-6 of Sir Henry Slingsby'sDiary,' edited by the Rev. D. Parsons. For these two years I have searched the Bishop of London's, the Vicar General's, and the Faculty marriage licences, also the registers of all the likely London parishes and of Knaresborough, without success. MALCOLM Low.

22, Roland Gardens, S.W.

EASTER SEPULCHRES.-I should be obliged by nected therewith, and their decoration. I espesome information on these, the ceremonies concially want to learn something of the wooden movable erections going by the same name; and if any still exist, and where they are. A gentleman near Rugby is said to possess one from Kilsby Church, Northamptonshire; but I am unable to locate it. In making one on old lines, how would one proceed as to measurements, shape, decoration (by painting, hangings around it, &c.)? How would the stand on which it is set be constructed? H. FEASEY. 11, Festing Road, Putney, S.W.

NELTHORP FAMILY.-John Nelthorp and James Nelthorp were elected Members for Beverley in 1645. The first was a barrister of Gray's Inn, and was "secluded" in December, 1648; the other was a mercer and grocer of Beverley, and mayor in 1641. Being a more extreme Parliamentarian, he sat until the dissolution of 1653. Were these

two M. P.s identical respectively with "John Nelthorp of Barton-upon-Humber" and "James Nelthorp of Bartholomew Close, London," the third and fifth sons of Edward Nelthorp, of Glassford Briggs, Lincoln? (Vide Kimber's 'Baronetage,' ii. 331.) John Nelthorp, of Beverley, was admitted to Gray's Inn Nov. 19, 1634, the same day as (? his cousin) "John Nelthorp, second son of Richard Nelthorp, of Glanfordbridge, co. Lincoln" (Foster's 'Register'). The latter was created a baronet in 1666, a dignity that became extinct in 1865. The registers of St. James's, Clerkenwell, contain several Nelthorp entries, but relating mostly, it would seem, to the family of Sir God dard, second baronet. W. D. PINK.

"DURING."-Is it quite correct to use "during" with reference to a point of time and the occurrence of a particular event? Should the word not always denote continuity of existence or action? Yet we are constantly coming upon such a sentence as this: "Two books of different classes of interest have been issued during the week" (Saturday Review of June 16, p. 628). Does this not mean that the process of issuing took the entire week for its consummation? The books appeared at some time, or times, in the course of the week; but, unless the publication were protracted throughout six days, it is surely inexact to say that they were issued "during the week."

Helensburgh, N.B. ·

THOMAS BAYNE.

GREEN HOUSE, KENSINGTON GARDENS.-I have read that the Green House in Kensington Gardens, in which George II. took so much pleasure, was the work of Inigo Jones. In 1815 it underwent complete repair, after having been neglected for so long a time that it had become quite dilapidated. Is anhing known of this Green House? Does it still est ? C. A. WHITE.

HEDGEHOG'S JAWBONE FOR EYE-ACHE.-The peasants in Algarve, at least at Bensafrim, one of the most archæological of Portuguese villages, wear as a charm to cure pains in the eye the jawbone of a hedgehog which has received the benison of a priest. They wear it on the breast, suspended from a string round the neck. Does the same superstition exist among the country folk in any parts of the British Islands? PALAMEDES.

GERMAN BANDS.-There is a belief in Suffolk that the advent of a German band to a village is the precursor of rain. In what other counties does a similar belief prevail?

F. C. BIRKBECK TERRY.

and contributed to the Academy for nearly forty years, namely, from 1786 to 1823? I appeal in vain to dictionaries of painters and biographies, and the Royal Academy knows nothing of him. Any facts, however slight, will be valued. A. D.

REV. EDWARD WOODCOCK, LL.D. (temp. 1735– 1792).—I shall be very glad of any biographical details concerning this gentleman. He is buried in the chancel of West Haddon Church, Northamptonshire. A tablet to his memory formerly occupied a position on the north chancel wall, but was, with others, removed a few years ago to make room for the organ chamber. It has now been placed about the centre on the north aisle wall. It bears the following inscription :

of

Sacred to the memory

of the Revd Edward Woodcock, LL.D.
Vicar of Watford in the county of Hertford
and Rector of the united Parishes of
St. Michael, Wood Street,

and St. Mary Steyning, in the City of London. He married Hannah the only surviving Daughter of Thomas Whitfield Esqr late of this place : and had by her four Sons and ten Daughters whom the youngest Son and eight Daughters have survived their most excellent father: departed this life upon the 6th of June 1792 aged 57. This monument is erected by his Widow to testify her affectionate regard for her most beloved Husband

He

and to perpetuate the Memory of the best of Men. Also, near this place are deposited the remains of Edward Whitfield Woodcock Esq their second Son who departed this Life the 224 of September 1779: Aged 21.

The West Haddon register of burials contains the following entry :

"1792, June 16th. The Rev. Edward Woodcock, LL.D. buried in the chancel."

A tablet to the memory of Mrs. Woodcock has also been removed from the north chancel wall to a position near the west end of the south aisle wall. It bears the following inscription :Sacred to the memory

of

Hannah Woodcock

widow of the Rev. Edward Woodcock, LL.D. who also is interred n this chancel. This stone is raised and inscribed by her surviving Children

in token her Virtues

and of their dutiful Affection and Gratitude; She died deeply lamented on the 1st day of May

1796

in the 64th year of her Age.

Any replies sent direct or through 'N. & QU' would be much appreciated. JOHN T. PAGE.

5, Capel Terrace, Southend on Sea.

POEMS OF RICHARD VERSTEGAN.-Have these ever been collected and edited in modern times?

GEORGE SAMUEL.-Can any of your readers favour me with information as to the life and work of George Samuel, a landscape painter, who was born in the latter half of the eighteenth century, From the specimen given in Mr. Orby Shipley's

* Carmina Mariana' and the scraps quoted in Mr. Gillow's 'St. Thomas's Priory, Stafford,' they seem well worthy of introduction to the modern reader. K. P. D. E.

NORRIS OR NORREYS.-Sir Thomas Norris, a younger son of Lord Norris, of Rycote, was Lord President of Munster, temp. Elizabeth. Whom did he marry? His daughter Elizabeth was married to Sir John Jephson, but I cannot discover her mother's name. Y. S. M.

MILITARY OFFICERS IN IRELAND.-Can any one inform me if there is any list of officers who served ander Cromwell in Ireland now known to be extant, in print or MS.; also any list of officers who served under William III. about the time of the battle of Aughrim; and where respectively to be seen? Or is there information on these subjects in any work on the Cromwellian settlement of Ireland? H. Y. POWELL.

17, Bayswater Terrace, Lancaster Gate.

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(8th S. v. 261, 301, 369, 429, 509.) While painstaking Giuseppe de Blasiis has not been able to discover even the name of Fra Roberto in any state paper or contemporary chronicle, excellent Matteo Camero has succeeded in proving to MR. BADDELEY's entire satisfaction that it was the wily friar who, acting on instructions received from Hungary, incited Andrew to seize the crown. We are told that he was opposed in this purpose by Joan, who endeavoured to strictly fulfil her grandfather's will, which purposely excluded Andrew from the sovereign position, and in so doing-MR. BADDELEY surmises-she doubtless acted in accordance with the advice of Queen San cia, the sur viving widow of that beloved monarch." Thi reads as if King Robert had left more than on widow.

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HELMERAWE FAMILY.-I should be much obliged to any correspondent who could give me information respecting the family of Helmerawe. It is evidently a place name, and apparently a Durham one. There was a John de Helmerawe at Hesilden, co. Durham, in 1384, who had land of the prior. A Leonard Helmerawe, of Evenwood, co. Durham, circa 1550, married a Hall of Birtley; and a Unfortunately for excellent Signor Matteo Thomas Helmerawe, 1580-1620, was living at Camera's theory, there are no fewer than four letters Keverston, co. Durham; since when the pedigree extant in the Vatican collection, all dated Febis clear. Is it possible that the present Helming-ruary 2, 1344 (iv. nonas Feb. Anno ii.), in which ton Row, co. Durham, was the place of origin? THOS. HELMer.

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HEAVING LIFTING.-Is heaving or lifting a custom amongst the continental peasantry? I ask the question because the Rev. S. Baring-Gould says, in a note on p. 65 of W. Henderson's' Folklore of the Northern Counties of England' (1866), that "the same custom prevails in the Pyrenees, where I have been lifted by a party of stout Basque damsels." My question is not prompted by idle curiosity; and if the custom prevail, I shall be glad to have references, though I need hardly say that I do not want references to the custom in England. PAUL BIERLEY.

LOCAL LONGEVITY.-The North Devon Journal of Jan. 18 contains a list of sixty-five deaths, all occurring between Jan. 5 and 17, in the district within about twenty miles of Barnstaple. Of

the Pope informs the addressees that-yielding to the solicitations of King Louis of Hungary, Queen Elizabeth, his mother, Queen Joan herself, Queen Sancia, her grandmother, and the archbishops, bishops, nobles, &c., of the kingdom of Sicily—it was resolved in the Consistory held on January 19, to grant Andrew permission to have himself crowned and anointed king. The resolution was moved by Aymerich, Cardinal of St. Martinus in Montibus.*

Here is an ounce of fact against Camera's tons of theory.

Aymerich, the reader will remember, was the shepherd sent by the Pope to Naples for the protection of his two pet lambs, Joan and her sister. But as, in the elder lambkin's opinion, the cardinal's protection was wholly superfluous, and the fun enjoyed by her in the company of the wolves no doubt far more to her taste when the shepherd was absent than when he was present, the cardinal, "impeded by Queen Joan" in every way, had no alternative but to resign his post and leave the kingdom.

I am sorry to be obliged to disappoint MR. BADDELEY by telling him that the story of An

* Regest. Vat. Pontif. Clem. VI., vol. cxxxvii Nos. 672-675. Cf. also the Pope's letter to Andrew. Jan. 19, 1344 (Ibid., No. 1221).

drew's death, as related by the Modena Chronicle, was not new, but well known to me long before be announced the discovery. When, however, in the first part of his communication he forewarned his readers to be prepared for a fresh development in the story, as he held in reserve another account of the murder by a contemporary chronicler, far more convincing to his mind than Gravina, I certainly was not prepared to see the Modena Chronicle's version produced. I trust MR. BADDELEY can be induced to see in what an extremely delicate situation he has thereby placed not only himself, but also the queen whose cause he has espoused. MR. BADDELEY himself confesses that the elaborate account of the Duke of Durazzo's secret marriage given by this "far more convincing" chronicler is wholly a fabrication, and that the orations so glibly and constantly put by him into the mouths of his characters are as long and as elaborate as if some one had taken them down in shorthand. Yet (can it be believed?) MR. BADDELEY accepts this obviously prevaricating writer's version of the murder, and summarily rejects Joan's own account thereof as communicated by her in the "quasi-official" letter addressed to the Republic of Florence. Both versions cannot possibly be true, because, whereas according to the chronicler Joan heard the struggle and screamed "Open the door!" Geoffroy, one of the conspirators, all the time pointing his knife to her throat, the queen, in her letter to the Republic of Florence, on the other hand, professes to have been wholly ignorant of what was going on outside her bedchamber, and not to have heard of the murder till the nurse informed her that she had found Andrew's body, with the rope round its neck, on the lawn below. This "diversity of description" cannot very well be reconciled by a supercilious reference to The Ring and the Book,' unless one reads the two accounts with one's capo figuratively in a sacco. If an accused person's statement, in which she tries to exculpate herself, is disbelieved even by her own counsel, that person's case, I fear, is getting desperate.

I made, it seems, a very good guess when I stated that perhaps MR. BADDELEY had not dipped very deeply into his Muratori. If he had done so he would, no doubt, have left the Modena Chronicle severely alone and pounced upon the version furnished by the Este Chronicle (R. I.S.,' xv. 445) in preference. It was this account (strictly expurgated, of course) that I thought MR. BADDELEY had in view when promising his readers a new version of the story.

MR. BADDELEY credits me with having given undue importance to the account of the murder supplied by Gravina. If he will kindly refer to my note again he will see that I simply pointed to the fact that his account was merely an expurgated version of that Ghibelline chronicler's narrative.

"

As regards Joan's privity to the crime of her consort's murder, MR. BADDELEY'S ways of pleading on her behalf are unique if ingenious. As Alphonse Karr would say, "Mesdames les Assassines," please note that if there be grave circumstantial evidence of having killed your husbands against you, of such "a peculiar nature that the best of advocates could not save your necks, "deny the accusation indignantly," make lavish use of "substantial expressions of grief," state that you "have been paralyzed by the blow," "write and send envoys" to the victim's brother, putting yourself upon his protection, have the body of the victim removed for burial "as soon as practicable," and pay "for masses to be said daily for the repose of his soul." Further, promptly give effect to any edict authorizing judicial severities to be taken against anybody else save yourselves, professing all the time not to know anything about the murder; but on no account face a trial, and leave the place in a huff if any judge dare have the impudence to cite you peremptorily. If your would-be judge should at the same time be looking out for some landed property, and you should be in a position to be able to gratify his wish, so much the better.

According to MR. BADDELEY it was on the substantial expressions of grief contained in her letters to Avignon that Clement and his advisers based largely their belief in the queen's innocence. But if he will peep at p. 89 of Wills's Principles of Circumstantial Evidence' he will find that "the officious affectation of grief and concern" is a wellknown "artifice to prevent or avert suspicion."

In face of these facts I fear that, unless MR. BADDELEY can produce more substantial proofs of Joan's innocence, the guilt of Andrew's murder will have to "continue to hang picturesquely on the shoulders of the young, beautiful, and muchtempted queen.'

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that he had devoted to the subject of Joan's soMR. BADDELEY rallies me for having stated called "trial" a whole chapter, and pleads that I traneous matters. ought to have deducted all pages containing exsame boiling-down process to the contents of the But if we were to apply the whole book there would not be left much of Joanna I.' According to the opinion of the English Historical Review, the book various historical points which are not always closely "consists of a series of diffuse sketches and essays on related to the life of his heroine, and which convey a minimum of historical information with a maximum of cheap eloquence."

I quote this opinion in order to prove that want of space cannot be urged as an excuse for the wholly inadequate treatment of the subject, and that MR. BADDELEY and I are not the only people who are dissatisfied with the book. The chapter in question is headed "Queen Joanna at Avignon,"

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