Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 1.djvu/353

 10* s. i. APRIL 9, 1904.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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Of course this cannot be taken literally, but the natural interpretation would be that the body was beneath the monument, not several feet away and beyond another grave. I have never heard of the matter oeing questioned, but I have never seen it stated on what authority that particular grave is identified with Shakspere's earlier than Dug- dale's statement in his ' Antiquities of War- wickshire,' which was published forty years after Shakspere's death and would seem to be mere tradition. Is there earlier authority ? De Quincey and Knight thought that the stone with the doggerel was put there " as a sort of siste viator appeal to future sextons," and was probably written by the grave- digger or trie parish clerk. It is true that at the time of the publication of Dugdale's book Shakspere's daughter Judith and his granddaughter Elizabeth were still living, and he might have obtained his information from them. Is there any evidence that he did 1 ISAAC HULL PLATT.

The Players, 16, Gramercy Park, New York.

"BADGER IN THE BAG." In Lady Guest's translation of the ' Mabinogion,' ' Pwyll Prince of Dyyed,' p. 17, Nutt's edition, 1902, is the following : " Every one, as he came in, asked ' What game are you playing at thus 1' ' The game of Badger in the Bag,' said they. And then was the game of Badger in the Bag first played." What is the game here referred to? I do not find an explanation in any book of reference, including the ' N.E.D.' A. G. Leeds.

HALLEY'S Two VOYAGES, 1698-1700. We may not turn naturally to the life of an eminent physicist for tales of travel and daring adventure, yet these and more may be there. A bibliophile often finds hidden treasure in unexpected places, conscious, however, that every jewel loses brilliancy when taken from the sparkling cluster to which it belongs. To place them in a new setting is a task which only a skilful lapidary is able satisfactorily to perform. Occasionally a collection can be transferred intact, leaving the selection of individual gems to a later hand. There are one or two such collections which have been mentioned in these columns, namely, Capt. E. Halley's ' Letters,' written during his two voyages, and the original memoirs of that astronomer by Folkes. The former are in the Public Record Office (9 th S. x. 361), and the latter ought to be in the archives of the Academy of Sciences at Paris, though some inquiries therefor remain un- answered (9 th S. xii. 127, and the Inter- mddiaire, xlviii. 557). The two together,

with notes and appendices, would be a con- siderable contribution towards a biography of Halley. They might very appropriately be accompanied by a reprint of his ' Log ' (22+83 pp. 4to), published by Sir Alex. Dalrymple in his 'Collection of Voyages, chiefly in the Southern Atlantick Ocean ' (London, 1775), of which a copy is in the New York Public Library. The writer is indebted to Mr. H. M. Lydenberg, assistant to director of that library, for some very interesting particulars of the book.

In 9 th S. x. 361 reference was made to the following item in the late Bernard Quaritch's 'General Catalogue for 1880' (p. 1202): "No. 12086. Halley's two Voyages, 1699- 1700, Terra Magellanica, Falkland Islands, 4to, hf.-bd. 6s. 1773-5."

Can any reader give a fuller description of this book ? Does it consist of a reprint of Halley's ' Journal ' or ' Log,' published by Dalrymple? EUGENE F. McPiKE.

Chicago, U.S.

BARTOLOZZI. Can any of your readers tell me the exact title and date of publication of Melchiore Missirini's 'Life of Bartolozzi'? I shall also be glad of the references to this engraver in the works of Misani.

INQUIRER.

' JOHN INGLESANT.' I am told the localities of the scenes in ' John Inglesant ' are known ; that, for instance, one of the churches (is it Monks Lydiard ?) is near Malvern. The book is of real importance, and if any key does exist, and some contributor would send it to your columns, he would render a valuable service to others besides Lucis.

RIVER DIVIDED. Nathaniel Crouch, using the signature of R. B., in his 'Admirable Curiosities, Rarities, and Wonders in Eng- land, Scotland, and Ireland,' tells his readers that

" in 1399, before the Wars of Lancaster and York, on New Year's day, the deep River between Suel- stone and Harwood (two Villages near Bedford Town) call'd Ouse, stood still, and divided it self, so that for three miles the bottom remained dry, and backwards the Waters swell'd to a great height, which wonder was thought to presage the division of the People and King." Sixth ed., 1702, p. 11.

No authority is given for this strange tale. Is it a mere fable? or does it record some geological change ill understood ?

ASTARTE.

FAIR MAID OF KENT. I am anxious to discover the descendants of Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent. Was Thomas, the second Earl of Kent, her son ? In that case, as his daughter, Margaret Holland, married the