Bishop Grehan.—I want any information obtainable with reference to a Roman Catholic bishop in Ireland named Grehan; his Christian name, family, date of his bishopric, and name of it. Where can I find such particulars?

O. L. R. G.

Doxology.—In his "Christmas Caroll" to the tune of "King Solomon," old Tusser has the following:

Query, Is this the origin of our own doxologies?

L. A. M.

Great Yarmouth.

Arrow-mark.—On an ancient pump of wood, extracted from the Poltimore mine in North Devon, I perceive a deeply cut arrow-mark. What is the inference as to the age of this relic from the mark referred to? The fragment is that of a large oak tree hollowed out, and now decomposing from exposure after its long burial.

J. R. P.

Gabriel Poyntz.—There is a portrait here inscribed "Gabriel Poyntz, an. Domini 1568, Ætatis suÆ 36:" and having a coat of arms painted on it, Barry of eight, or and gules, with a crest very indistinct; but apparently a lion's head, and the motto "Clainte refrainte."

Can any of your correspondents inform me of the meaning of this motto, and the language in which it is expressed; and also what the crest is?

G. Poyntz was of South Okendon in Essex, and there is an account of his family in Morant's Essex; from which it appears that he was descended from the family of Poyntz of Tockington in Gloucestershire, of which there is an account in Atkins' Gloucestershire. He was afterwards knighted.—Any information as to him, in addition to that which is contained in Morant, would be very acceptable.

S. G. C.

Bradley, Ashbourne.

Queen Elizabeth's and Queen Anne's Motto, "Semper eadem."—Upon what occasion, and by what authority was the motto "Semper eadem" used as the royal motto in the reign of Elizabeth?

The authority for Queen Anne's motto has been afforded by your correspondent G. (Vol. viii., p. 255.); though he has not fully answered the original Query (Vol. viii., p. 174.), as the motto in question was signified to the public in the London Gazette, Dec. 21-24, 1702; was ordered to be continued in 1707, and to be discontinued (by an order in council) on the accession of the House of Hanover in 1714, when the old motto "Dieu et mon droit" was resumed.

Z. Z. Z.

Bees.—In these parts the increase of the apiary is known by the three following names:—The first migration from the parent hive is (as all your country readers are aware) a swarm; the next is called a cast; while the third increase, in the same season, goes under the name of a cote. Perhaps some one will kindly inform me if these names are common in other parts of England; and if there are any other local designations for the different departures of these insect colonists.

John P. Stilwell.

Dorking.

Nelly O'Brien and Kitty Fisher.—Perhaps some of the readers of "N. & Q." can tell me where information is to be found respecting these two celebrated women, who have been immortalised by Sir Joshua Reynolds, and whose portraits are sometimes to be met with.

"Cleopatra dissolving the Pearl" is a portrait of Kitty, and he probably introduced them both into some of his fancy pictures.

As I happen to possess a good portrait of one of them, I should like to know something of their history.

Cantab.

University Club.

"Homo unius libri."—To whom does this saying ing originally belong? The British Critic gives it to St. Thomas Aquinas:

"When asked on one occasion who is in the way to become learned, he answered, 'Whoever will content himself with the reading of a single book."—The British Critic, No. LIX. p. 202.

W. Fraser.

Tor-Mohun.

"Now the fierce bear," &c.—Can any of your readers inform me who is the author of the following lines?

?.

Prejudice against Holy Confirmation.—I have found among my rural parishioners an idea very prevalent, that it is wrong, or at least highly improper, for a married woman to become a candidate for, or to receive holy confirmation; and this quite apart from any sectarian views on the matter. I should like to know if any of my clerical brethren have noticed the same superstition as I must call it. Labourers' wives in some cases have at once stated their being married as a valid objection; and in others their husbands, although Churchmen, have at once entered their veto on their being confirmed. Can it arise from any vague reminiscence of the practical rule of the Church of England on the subject, which has been so long ignored?

W. Fraser.

Tor-Mohun.

Epigram on MacAdam.—Who was the author of the following epigram?

Old English W. N.

Jane Scrimshaw.—Can any of your numerous correspondents inform me if there is any other biographical notice of Jane Scrimshaw, who attained the advanced age of 127, and resided for upwards of eighty years in the Merchant Taylors' Almshouse, near Little Tower Hill, than that recorded in Caulfield's Memoirs of Remarkable Characters?

J. T. M.

The Word "Quadrille."—May I trouble some kind reader to give me the origin, derivation, full and literal meaning, and the several senses, in their regular succession, of the above word Quadrille? There seems to be much uncertainty attached to the word.

Veritatis Amicus.

Oxon.

The Hungarians in Paules.—Perhaps some of the ingenious contributors to "N. & Q." may be able to assist P.C.S.S. to explain the following passage in the dedication of a rare little book Dekker's Dreame (Lond. 4to. 1620). It is inscribed:—

"To the truly accomplished gentleman, and worthy deserver of all men's loves, Master Endymion Porter. Sir, if you aske why, from the heapes of men, I picke you out only to be that Murus ahÆneus which must defend me, lett me tell you (what you knowe allready) that bookes are like the Hungarians in Paules, who have a priviledge to holde out their Turkish history for anie one to reade. They beg nothing: the texted past-bord talkes all—and if nothing be given, nothing is spoken, but God knowes what they thinke!"

An explanation of the above passage is very earnestly desired by

P. C. S. S.

Ferns Wanted.—Specimens of the following rare ferns are much wanted to complete a collection:—Woodsia ilvensis, Woodsia alpina, Cystopteris montana, Lastrea cristata, Lastrea recurva, Lastrea multiflora, Asplenium alterniflorum, Trichomanes speciosum.

The undersigned will feel very much obliged to any charitable person, residing near the habitat of any of the above-mentioned ferns, who would take the trouble to forward to him, if not a root, at least a specimen for drying, he need scarcely say that any expenses will be most cheerfully defrayed.

Henry Cooper Key.

Stretton Rectory, near Hereford.

Craton the Philosopher.—Two of the figures on the brass font in the church of St. Bartholomew at LiÈge are superscribed Johannes Evangelista et Craton Philosophus.—Can any reader of "N. & Q." say if anything is known about the latter, who is represented as being baptized by the Evangelist?

R. H. C.

The Solar Annual Eclipse in the Year 1263.—In the Norwegian account of Haco's expedition against Scotland, A.D. 1263, published in the original Islandic from the Flateyan and Frisian MSS., with a literal English version by the Rev. James Johnstone, I read as follows:

"While King Haco lay in Ronaldsvo, a great darkness drew over the sun; so that only a little ring was bright round the sun, and it continued so for some hours."—P. 45.

King Haco, according to the account, left Bergen on his expedition "three nights before the 'Selian' vigils ... with all his fleet," and, "having got a gentle breeze, was two nights at sea when he reached that harbour of Shetland called Breydeyiar Sound (Bressay Sound, I presume) with a great part of his navy." Here he remained "near half a month, and from thence sailed to the Orkneys; and continued some time at Elidarwick, which is near Kirkwall.... After St. Olave's wake (July 18, O.S.) King Haco, leaving Elidarwick, sailed south before the Mull of Ronaldsha, with all the navy;" and being joined by Ronald from the Orkneys, with the ships that had followed him, he "led the whole armament into Ronaldsha, which he left upon the vigil of St. Lawrence (July 30, O.S.)."

Now I wish to know, 1. On what day in August this eclipse took place, the day of the week, commencement of the eclipse, &c.

2. Whether any cotemporary, or other writer besides the Icelandic historian, has recorded this eclipse?

S.

Fitzroy Street.

D'Israeli—how spelt?—Caucasus is so fortunate as to possess all the acknowledged works of D'Israeli the elder, as published by himself. In the title-page of every one of them, the name of the elegant and accomplished author is spelt (as above) with an apostrophe. In the late edition of his collected works, by his no less accomplished son, the name is printed without the apostrophe. Indeed the name so appears in all the works of Mr. D'Israeli the younger; a practice which he seems to have taken up even in the lifetime of his father, who spelt it differently. Can any of your readers inform Caucasus of the reason of this difference, and of the authority for it, and which is the correct mode? He has vainly sought for information in the Heralds' Visitation books for Buckinghamshire, preserved in the British Museum.

Caucasus.

Richard Oswald.—Could any of your correspondents give me any information respecting Mr. Richard Oswald, the commissioner who negociated the Treaty of 1782 at Paris, with Franklin, and his other colleagues, representing the United States? Is there any obituary or biographical notice of him in existence?

L.

Cromwell's Descendants.—Oliver Cromwell's daughter Bridget was baptized August 4, 1624; married to Ireton January 15, 1646-7; a widow Nov. 26, 1651; married to General Fleetwood, Lord President in Ireland, before 1652; died at Stoke, near London, 1681.—Can any of your correspondents furnish the date of this lady's marriage with Fleetwood; also, a list of her children and grandchildren by Fleetwood? It is supposed that Captain Fleetwood's daughter, i. e. the General's granddaughter, married a Berry.

Erin.

Letter of Archbishop Curwen to Archbishop Parker.—In The Hunting of the Romish Fox, collected by Sir James Ware, and edited by Robert Ware (8vo., Dublin, 1683), there is a long account of an image of the Saviour which, to the astonishment of the good people of Dublin, and by the contrivance of one Father Leigh, sweated blood in the year 1559. It is added, at p. 90.:

"The Archbishop of Dublin wrote this relation and to this effect, to his brother, Archbishop of Canterbury Matthew Parker, who was very joyful at the receipt thereof, by reason," &c.

The whole chapter in which this occurs is stated to be "taken out of the Lord Cecil's Memorials." Can any of your readers give me assistance in finding these Memorials, or this letter to Archbishop Parker, or a copy of it? I intended to have made it an object of inquiry and search in Dublin, but I have been prevented accomplishing my design of visiting that country. Perhaps some of your Irish readers may be able to help me.

John Bruce.