Various

Petrarch's Laura.—Mr. Mathews, in his Diary of an Invalid in Italy, &c., p. 380., in speaking of the outrages and indignities which, during the Revolution, were committed throughout France on the remains of the dead, and were amongst the most revolting of its horrors, mentions, on the authority of a fellow-passenger, an eye-witness, that the body of Petrarch's Laura had been seen exposed to the most brutal indignities in the streets of Avignon. He told Mr. Mathews that it had been embalmed, and was found in a mummy state, of a dark brown colour. I have not met with any mention of these these circumstances elsewhere. Laura is stated to have died of the plague (which seems to render it unlikely that her body was embalmed): and according to Petrarch's famous note on his MS. of Virgil, she was buried the same day, after vespers, in the church of the Cordeliers. The date was April 1, 1348. That church was long celebrated for her tomb, which contained also the body of Hugues de Sade, her husband. The edifice is stated to be ruined, its very site being converted into a fruit-garden; but the tomb is said to be still entire under the ground: and more than twenty years after the French Revolution, a small cypress was pointed out as marking the spot where Laura was interred.

Is the circumstance of the desecration of her tomb mentioned by any other writer? If it really took place, are we to conclude that the tree—if it still exists—marks only the place where she had been interred: for, that the body was rescued and recommitted to the tomb, can hardly be supposed?

Wm. Sidney Gibson.

"Epitaphium LucretiÆ."—The following lines are offered for insertion, not because I doubt their being known to many of your readers, but with a view to ask the name of the author:

"Epitaphium LucretiÆ.

Dum foderet ferro tenerum Lucretia pectus

Sanguinis et torrens egrederetur: ait,

'Accedant testes me non cessisse tyranno

'Ante virum sanguis, spiritus ante Deos.'"

Balliolensis.

M‘Dowall Family.—More than a century ago there was a family (since extinct) of the name of M‘Dowall, in the county Cavan, Ireland, belonging to some branch of the ancient and noble Scottish family of that name, who had migrated to these shores. Perhaps some of your readers could inform me as to what branch they belonged, and when they settled in Ireland, as also if there be any pedigree of them extant, as I am very anxious to learn something of them at all events?

Gulielmus.

Dublin.

Arms of Geneva.—Will any of your correspondents oblige me with a technical blazon of the arms of the town of Geneva?

F. F. B.

Bury St. Edmunds.

Webb of Monckton Farleigh.—Perhaps some reader of "N. & Q." would be so good as to inform me what were the arms, crest, and motto of the Webbs of Monckton Farleigh, co. Wilts; also, if there be any pedigree of them extant, and where it is to be found; or otherwise would direct me what would be my best means to ascertain some account of that family, who are now represented by the Duke of Somerset?

Henri.

Dublin.

Translation Wanted.—Can any of your correspondents inform me where I may meet with a translation by the Rev. F. Hodgson, late Provost of Eton, &c., of the Atys of Catllus?

P. J. F. Gantillon, B.A.

Latin Translation from Sheridan, &c.—My treacherous memory retains one line only of each of two translations into Latin verse, admirably done, of two well-known pieces of English poetry. The first from a song by Sheridan, of the lines:

"Nor can I believe it then,

Till it gently press again."

The second:

is thus rendered:

If in the circle of your correspondents the complete translations can be furnished, you will by their insertion, gratify other lovers of modern Latin poetry besides

Balliolensis.

Gale of Rent.—I can imagine what is meant by a gale of rent, and be thankful I have not to pay one. But what is the origin of the term gale as thus applied?

Y. B. N. J.

Arms of Sir Richard de Loges.—What were the arms borne by Sir Richard de Loges, or Lodge, of Chesterton, in the county of Warwick, temp. Henry IV.?

Ln.

Gentile Names of the Jews.—Are the Jews known to each other by their Gentile names of Rothschild, Montefiore, Davis, &c.? or are these only their nommes de guerre, assumed and abandoned at will on change of country?

G. E. T. S. R. N.

Henry, Earl of Wotton (Vol. viii., pp. 173. 281.).—The editors of the Navorscher express their thanks to Broctuna for his reply to their Query, but hope he will kindly increase their debt of gratitude by elucidating three points which seem to them obscure:

1. Which Lord Stanhope died childless? Not Henry, Lord Stanhope, for he (see p. 281.) left a son and two daughters; nor yet Philip, for his widow had borne him daughters. Or have we wrongly understood the letters s.p. to signify sine prole?

2. Was it the Earl of Chesterfield, half-brother of Charles Henry van den Kerckhove, or Charles Stanhope his nephew, who took the name of Wotton?

3. Knight's National CyclopÆdia of Useful Knowledge (vol. xi. p. 374.) names James Stanhope, Earl Stanhope, the eldest son of the Hon. Alexander Stanhope, second son of Philip Stanhope, first Earl of Chesterfield. Had the latter then, besides the above-named (see p. 281.) Henry, Lord Stanhope, also other sons?

Kicker-eating.—Can any of your West Yorkshire readers supply me with information relative to a practice which is said formerly to have prevailed at Cleckheaton, of eating "kicker," or horseflesh? It is a fact that natives of that locality who come to reside at Leeds are still subjected to the opprobrium of being kicker-eaters.

H. W.

Chadderton of Nuthurst, co. Lancashire.—When did the family of Chadderton become extinct? Had Edmund Chadderton, son and heir of George Chadderton by Jane Warren of Poynton, any descendants? and if so, what were their names and the dates of their respective births, marriages, and deaths? In short, any particulars relating to them down to the period of the extinction of this family would be most acceptable.

J. B.

George, first Viscount Lanesborough, and Sir Charles Cotterell.—G.S.S. begs to submit the following questions to the readers of "N. & Q.:" When did George Lane, first Viscount Lanesborough, in Ireland, die? And when Sir Charles Cotterell, the translator of Cassandra? Where were they both buried?

"Firm was their faith," &c.—Who was the writer of those beautiful lines, of which the following, the only verse I remember, is a portion?

And where can they be met with entire?

P. M.

The Mother of William the Conqueror.—Can you or any of your correspondents say which is right? In Debrett's Peerage for 1790 the genealogy of the Marchioness Grey gives her descent from "Rollo or Fulbert, who was chamberlain to Robert, Duke of Normandy; and of his gift had the castle and manor of Croy in Picardy, whence his posterity assumed their surname, afterwards written de Grey. Which Rollo had a daughter Arlotta, mother of William the Conqueror." Now history says that the mother of the Conqueror was Arlette or Arlotte, the daughter of a tanner at Falaise. We know how scrupulous the Norman nobility were in their genealogical records; and likewise that in the lapse of time mistakes are perpetuated and become history. Can history in this instance be wrong? and if so, how did the mistake arise? I shall feel obliged to any one who can furnish farther information on the subject.

Alpha.

Pedigree of Sir Francis Bryan.—This accomplished statesman, and ornament of Henry VIII.'s reign, married Joan of Desmond, Countess Dowager of Ormonde, and died childless in Ireland A.D. 1550. Query, Did any cadet of his family accompany him to that country? I found a Louis Bryan settled in the county of Kilkenny in Elizabeth's reign, and suspect that he came in through the connexion of Sir F. Bryan with the Ormonde family. Any information as to the arms and pedigree of Sir F. Bryan will greatly oblige

James Graves.

Kilkenny.