practice to precept, may be glad to learn that Mr. Sutton gives lessons on the calotype process at the Photographic Institution, New Bond Street.

Replies to Minor Queries.

Glatton (Vol. xi., p. 343.).—Your correspondent GN. will find in James's Naval History, vol. i., an account of the exploit performed in 1796 by H.M.S. Glatton, Captain Trollope, of 1256 tons, 56 guns, carrying twenty-eight 68-pounders on her lower deck. On July 15, Captain Trollope fell in with a squadron of French ships, consisting of Brutus, 50; Incorruptible, 38; Magicienne, 36; Républicaine, 28; two corvettes of 22 guns each, a brig of 16, and a cutter of 8 guns. This squadron Captain Trollope unhesitatingly engaged single-handed; the action lasted from 9.45 p. m. till 11 p.m. Having repaired damages during the night, he offered the French battle at daybreak, which they declined, and bore away for Flushing, followed by the Glatton. Having thus driven the enemy into port, the Glatton proceeded to Yarmouth to refit. Her loss in the action was two men wounded. On the side of the enemy one frigate lost seventy in killed and wounded, and one frigate sank in Flushing harbour; further particulars are not known. The largest of the French frigates was 300 or 400 tons larger than the Glatton. The Glatton was one of nine Indiamen purchased by the government in 1795, and was probably named by her owner from the place of the same name in Huntingdonshire. It is in memory of this exploit that the Admiralty have called one of the new floating batteries the Glatton. May she be equally successful against the Russian! H. C. K.

Monmouth and Foudroyant (Vol. xi., p. 342.).— In Giffard's Deeds of Naval Daring, Murray; 1852, will be found an account of this celebrated action, which, says Campbell, was "one of the most glorious in the naval history of Britain." It took place in 1758. The Foudroyant mounted thirty 42-pounders, thirty-two 24-pounders, and eighteen 12-pounders, with a picked crew of 880 men. The Monmouth carried sixty-four 24pounders, with a complement of 470 men. loss of the former (which was captured) was 190 killed and wounded; that of the latter, 27 killed, including her captain (Gardiner), and 79 wounded. H. C. K.

The

Lives there a man so dead to his country's honour, that on seeing the sign at Lostwithiel, of the brave capture of the Foudroyant by the bold little Monmouth, he recollects no description of the action in Smollet, or any other historian of the reign of George II.? In a sailor's family, though not descended from poor Captain Gardiner,

the slight is deeply felt. The Monmouth, a 64, captured the Foudroyant, 84, commanded by the Marquis De Quesne, in February, 1758, after an obstinate action, almost without extraneous assistance. (See Charnock's Naval Biography, vol. vi. p. 301., and vol. v. p. 386. Also see stanzas on this action in Naval Chronicle, vol. iv., for latter half of 1800, p. 322. They were written by Glover, secretary to the Commodore. They were set to a very noble tune, and became a very favourite song.) When the morning dawned, De Quesne is said to have burst into tears on seeing to what a small ship he had struck. A. S.

Mothering Sunday (Vol. xi., p. 353.); St. Simon the Apostle (Vol. xi., p. 354.).—My present object is merely to correct an erroneous expression in each of the above articles. On Mothering Sunday, the priest and his ministers are not vested in white, but in purple; that is, violet colour, the same as on the other Sundays in Lent. What I certainly meant to say was, that the candles on the altar were of white war; whereas, on the other Sundays in Lent, they are yellow or unbleached. The only difference in the vestments is, that those of the deacon and sub-deacon are not folded as on the other Sundays of Lent; but let down, and worn full, as at other seasons.

In the account of the Apostle St. Simon, I should have included the fuller's bat with the saw, as an instrument of that Apostle's martyrdom occasionally met with; instead of placing it with other emblems with which he is represented.

F. C. H.

Eminent Men born in 1769 (Vol. xi., pp. 27. 135.). — I am afraid the year 1769, with all its claims to distinction, will turn out in the end to be nothing more than a new version of the fable of the jay with the borrowed plumes. Sir Walter that year, but in 1771; and in a foot-note to Scott, as stated, Vol. xi., p. 135., was not born in Alison's History of Europe, vol. iv. p. 1. edit. 1849, I find the following statement with reference to Napoleon:

"He (Napoleon) was born on the 5th February, 1768, and subsequently gave out that he was born in August, 1769, as in the interim Corsica had been incorporated with the French monarchy.' - Odeleben, i. 230., and Histoire de France, par M. Salgues, i. 67."

St. Lucia.

HENRY H. BREEN.

Thames Water (Vol. x., p. 402.; Vol. xi., p. 295.).—I was the other day told by a person that he had drunk Thames water two thousand miles out at sea, which was as pure and “beautiful" as possible, but which, when they had left land, was as black and filthy as could be. He added that it did not taste like common water, but that there seemed to be a "solidity" about it. PELICANUS AMERICANUS.

Visit of Charles I. to Glasgow (Vol. xi., p. 282.). It would appear, from a detailed account of Charles I.'s visit to Scotland in 1633 given by Spalding (History of the Troubles in Scotland, ed. 1830, 13-20.), that the king did not go to Glasgow on that occasion; but on the 14th of July, when at Seaton House, he granted for the advancement of the library and fabric of the College of Glasgow 2007. sterling, which sum was paid by Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector, in 1654. (See Pennant's Tour in Scotland, ii. 156.; Dibdin's Northern Tour, ii. 713.) From this grant perhaps originated a notion that it was made on occasion of a royal visit to Glasgow. C. H. COOPER. Cambridge.

Execution by Burning (Vol. xi., p. 222.).— W. W. cites an example of a woman in Maryland

who was burned for murder in 1746. I have noted several similar instances which occurred in our own country. In every case a woman was the culprit.*

July, 1735. At the Northampton assizes Mary Fasson was condemned to be burnt for poisoning her husband; and Elizabeth Wilson to be hanged for picking a farmer's pocket of thirty shillings.

Same date, at Chelmsford, 66 a woman was condemned to be burnt for poisoning her husband."

And these sentences were carried out, for on Aug. 7 "Margaret Onion was burnt at a stake at Chelmsford for poisoning her husband. She was a poor ignorant creature, and confessed the fact."

Aug. 8. "Mrs. Fawson was burnt at Northampton for poisoning her husband. Her behaviour in prison was with the utmost rigour of contrition. She would not, to gratify people's curiosity, be unveiled to any. She confessed the justice of the sentence, and died with great composure of mind."

March, 1738. Sentence of death was pronounced on Mary Troke, at Winchester, for poisoning her mistress. She was but sixteen years of age, yet the poor creature was "burnt at the stake."

Query, when was this relic of barbarism abolished? [See "N. & Q.," Vol. ii., pp. 6. 441.]

pression quoted from Cicero, ad Quint. Fr. ii. 14. (15.)

B. H. C.

N. B. A few lines before Pliny says, wormwood "nauseas maris arcet in navigationibus potum," i. e. it is a remedy for sea-sickness. ("N. & Q.," Vol. xi., p. 221.) I agree with your correspondent, that such passages might be quoted ad

nauseam.

Sir Samuel Garth (Vol. xi., p. 283.).—Unless the records of Harrow School contain an entry of Sir Samuel's name, I do not think there is any evidence to show his having been educated at that school. Mr. Surtees, the historian of Durham, took great pains to ascertain his early history and education; but he could not learn at what school he was educated. Dr. Johnson gives us no information. Mr. Surtees states,

"He graduated A. B. of Peterhouse, 1679, A. M. 1684, and M. D. 1691. William Garth, the father of Sir Samuel, the education of his eldest son, Samuel Garth, at the Unirecites in his will, that he had been at great charges in versity of Cambridge, and in his taking his degree there of Doctor of Physic; and that his son William had several times denied great and good preferments offered to him, choosing rather to live and remain with him (the father), though to his loss of time. He had therefore in part recompense granted to William all his leasehold lands in Bolam, held under the Hospital of Jesus in Guisborough; and the testator adds, "I now devise to him all my lands in Bolam.""

From the above extract of the father's will, we may reasonably infer that Sir Samuel was not educated at Harrow School. FRA. MEWBURN.

Darlington.

Oysters with an r in the Month (Vol. xi., p. 302.). -I cannot remember the questions of VERTAUR as to the date of this gastronomic canon, though of course it originated in the observation of some ancient Dando, that during four certain months in the year, in the spelling of which nor occurs, and which happen to be consecutive, oysters are not in season. The rule is doubtless a pretty safe guide; but the fin gourmet need not be informed that during the proscribed months a species may be obtained on the south-east coast, known as

66 summer oysters," worthy, from delicacy of flavour, to be lapped from the briny board, as Christopher North has it, by the lambent tongue of Neptune himself.

So much for oysters; the lovers of which, though mostly disciples of Raleigh, are perhaps not aware that the converse of the rule with which they are so familiar has been held to apply to the taking of tobacco. I transcribe the following passage from the curious chapter "Of Salivation, or Tobacco-taking," in a volume entitled Directions for Health, Naturall and Artificiall, &c., 4to., London, 1633:

"Good tobacco leafe, somewhat biting in the taste, of a tawny colour, or somewhat yellow, being taking fasting, in a raw or rainy morning, after the manner of physicke, in a purified pipe during those months which in spelling want the letter r, it is a most singular and sudden remedy against the megrim, the toothache, the fits of the mother, the falling-sickness, the dropsie, the gout, and against all such diseases as are caused of wintry, cold, or waterish humours."-P. 79.

The reason of this injunction is not so obvious as that of the one previously spoken of. Perhaps an explanation can be given. WILLIAM BATES. Birmingham.

Passage in St. Augustine (Vol. xi., pp. 125. 251. 316.). I have hitherto been as sure as F. C. H. that the passage in question is from St. Augustine; and the Bishop of Tasmania, in his Lectures on the Church Catechism (Lect. xix. p. 223., 3rd edition), is of the same opinion. His words are:

"One instance only,' says S. Augustine, 'of the acceptance of a dying repentance is recorded: one that none might despair: and only one, that none might

presume.'

In the margin he refers to S. Aug. Symbol. ad Catech. i. 6., but I have been unable to verify it there; and after examining every passage in St. Augustine's works, where, according to the Benedictine editor's index, the two thieves are mentioned, I am equally unsuccessful. Can it be from St. Gregory the Great? G. A. T.

Withyham.

Call-duck (Vol. xi., p. 282.). - This bird does not appear to belong to any of the wild species, Pennant making no mention of it; but since the poultry mania has become so fashionable, and consequently called forth works on the art of rearing poultry, we find it, in such books as Nolan's and Richardson's Domestic Fowl, &c., mentioned as a variety of the domestic species, and as such they are exhibited at poultry shows. They are used, as your correspondent T. J. ScoTT mentions, as decoys for alluring the wild ducks into the net, and are most generally white, or marked with white, which, as Nolan says,

"The fowlers prefer as being better able to distinguish them from their wild companions, a circumstance of much

consequence, as well-trained call-ducks are most valuable to the decoy-man. They are frequently kept by persons from straying, and if astray to call them back.” who have collections of water fowl, to prevent their birds H. J.

Handsworth.

Times prohibiting Marriage (Vol. xi., p. 301.). - Not long ago I met with the following memorandum in the register in the parish of Hornby, near Catterick, in Yorkshire. It is not dated, but appears to have been written early in the seventeenth century..

"Times excepted from Marriage.

"From Advent Sunday untill eight dayes after Epiphany. From Septuagesima untill eight dayes after Easter. From Rogation Sunday untill seaven dayes after Whitsontide; and in all these the latter term is taken inclusively." PATONCE.

It is probable that there never has been a law forbidding members of the Established Church of England to marry during times of solemn fasting or feasting. The Catholic Church forbids marriage from the first Sunday in Advent until after the twelfth day, and from the beginning of Lent until Low Sunday. The rule in England before the Reformation was similar, if not precisely the same, as among Catholics at present. A feeling against celebrating marriage during prohibited seasons long remained prevalent, and is even yet not quite extinct among the common people.

K. P. D. E.

Monteith (Vol. ix., pp. 452. 599.). -As the Query inserted at the former of these references has only been imperfectly answered, allow me to add my mite of information. At p. 37. of Dr. King's Art of Cookery in Imitation of Horace's Art of Poetry, Dedicated to the Beef-steak Club, of which the second edition printed for Bernard Lintot is now before me, we have the following allusion to its inventor:

"New things produce new words, and thus Monteth Has by one vessel sav'd his name from Death." And in one of the introductory letters prefixed to it (p. 12.) he says:

Serpent Worship (Vol. viii., p. 39.). In the books quoted by EIRIONNACH, he does not mention the following work, a copy of which has just come into my possession:

"The Ophion; or, the Theology of the Serpent and the Unity of God. Comprehending the Customs of the most ancient People, who were instructed to apply the sagacity of the Serpent to the Fall of Man. With critical Remarks on Dr. Adam Clarke's Annotations on that Subject in the Book of Genesis. "In this work it is shown, from the original language, that, in every age of the Jewish and Christian Churches, a monkey was never understood to be the agent employed to bring about the Fall of Man.' By John Bellamy, author of Biblical Criticisms,' in the Classical, Biblical, and Oriental Journal.' Hatchard, London, 1811."

CUTHBERT BEDE, B.A. Bells heard by the Drowned (Vol. xi., p. 65.), — I met an old man some twenty years ago who described the sensations he felt at drowning, and was with difficulty restored. He had the ringing of bells in his ears, which increased as consciousness was becoming less, and he felt as if" all the bells of Heaven were ringing him into Paradise!" "the most soothing sensation." I know the locality where the circumstance occurred, and there

is no bell within a circuit of more than six miles, but one old cracked church bell. SIMON WARD.

Petrified Wheat (Vol. xi., p. 283.).— Under this suspicious title we have a little bundle of queries, including the names of persons and places, with some of which I am not ashamed to confess my non-familiarity; but to the alleged fact, the discovery of petrified wheat, -In what form was it? In the ear, or in the grain? If the former, it was no doubt similar to those vegetable spilles which are common in the carboniferous shales of all countries; if the latter, the likelihood of mistake is still greater. How often have we seen certain forms of the sulphate of barytes exhibited as petrified oats! Once more, what geologist has seen and certified the reality of this socalled "petrified wheat?" Has any specimen of the fossil reached this country? The sight of such a rarity would, I suspect, startle a geologist, and prompt even more recondite queries than those propounded by W. W. It is an amusing coincidence, that almost at the same moment that botanists are discussing the probable identity of our common wheat with a well-known grass, a traveller is said to have discovered the grain in a condition indicative of immeasurable antiquity. With one of these "evidences" in each hand, a statue of Ceres would present at least a new symbolical significance. Let any query relative to the bearing of a discovery of petrified wheat on ancient tradition rest on the recognised existence of such fossil in some accredited geological work.

D.

Aisnesce (Vol. xi., p. 325.). — In reply to your correspondent KARL's inquiry, I have to inform him that the word above named, or, as it is termed, "einecia," or "esnecy," is derived from the French aisne," signifying "eldership," and it means simply a private prerogative allowed to the eldest coparcener, where an estate is descended to daughters for want of heir male, to chuse first after the inheritance is divided."

66

Jus esnecia is Jus primo-genitura; and the word occurs in the Statute of Ireland made at Westminster on 9th February, 1229, and 14th year of Henry III.'s reign; the title of which is as follows: "How lands holden by Knight service descending to coparceners within age shall be divided." It is now obsolete, and the original, I believe, is among the Cotton MSS.

I have since searched some old dictionaries, from which I find that "Aisnesse" is an old French law term, and signifies "the inheritance of the first-born." So says Boyer. In Bailey's English Dictionary, ed. 1721, I find that the word is thus defined:

"Esnecy [Aisnesse, Fr.], the right of choosing first in a divided inheritance which belongs to the eldest copartner."