Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 10.djvu/282

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. x. SEPT. 19, im

silent in English. Funk & Wagnalls's 1905 dictionary recognizes no option, and omits the h (as also in hors de combat/). The nunciation, and sounds the h (as also in hors de combat). The examples it quotes, however, seem to contradict this, for while two hundred years ago Walpole wrote " a hors d'ceuvre," the last example from The Pall Mall Gazette has " an hors d'ceuvre" A third friend, older than the others, pooh- poohed contemptuously the possibility of any one ever sounding the h. I next tried Littre. He writes that many have said the h was silent in French, but that it is not so. Finally I asked a lady and gentleman, hus- band and wife, both English on the father's side and French on the mother's. Both sounded the h in French and in English. Is it possible to ascertain what is the most widely accepted pronunciation of the word in English to-day ? T. NICKLIN.
 * N.E.D.' also recognizes no option of pro-

Rossall School. Fleetwood.

DATE OF PLATE. I have two pieces of plate, each stamped with four marks as follows :

1. M ; F ; a lion passant gardant ; a leopard's face crowned.

2. R ; W.B. ; a lion passant gardant ; a leopard's face crowned.

Can some one give me the dates ?

G. S. PARRY, Lieut. -Col. 18, Hyde Gardens, Eastbourne.

BANISHMENT CERTIFICATE. The Aberdeen Journal states that Mary Gordon, Dundee, was banished from Scotland for theft 28 Jan., 1789, " with the usual certificates." What were these certificates ?

J. M. BULLOCH.

SUSSEX ARMS. I should be glad to know whether the county of Sussex has any armorial bearings ; and if so, what they are.

P. M.

GORMANSTON FAMILY. At St. James's, Westminster, was buried, 22 Oct., 1733, " Margaret, Viscountess Dow. Gormanstown." Can any of your readers tell me who this lady was ? G. E. C. (may he live for ever !) says in a note, ' Complete Peerage,' iv. 58, that " her identity is not very clear," and she apparently has no place in the pedigree. The seventh Viscount Gormanston married as his second wife, in Nov., 1683, Margaret Molyneux, daughter of the third Viscount Molyneux. Lord Gormanston died 1 7 March 1690/91. His widow married, 10 March, 1692, James Butler of co. Tipperary. She is said to have remarried Rob. Casey. She

died 2 Sept., 1711, according to her coffin- plate. She could not, therefore, have married thirdly Robert Casey, for her husband Butler did not die till 3 Jan., 1738, having married Mary Dennis after Lady Gormanston' s death. Lodge says that Robert Casey was her second lusband, which is not possible either. Could Uasey have married the unidentified Dowager Viscountess Margaret ? C. M. TENISON.

JUpius*

ACCESSION AND CORONATION COINS AND MEDALS. (10 S. x. 130, 190.)

I TAKE the following from the ' Thirty- Third Annual Report of the Deputy Master and Comptroller of the Mint, 1902 ' (Parlia- mentary Paper Cd. 1664 of 1903) :

' On the occasion of His Majesty's Coronation the design of the medal was prepared by Mr. De Saulles, the Mint Engraver. The medal was struck in two sizes, the larger being produced in gold, silver, and bronze, the smaller in gold and silver only. The diameter of the larger medal was 2^ inches, and its weight in fine gold and silver about 3 oz. troy, and in bronze about 3 oz. avoir- dupois. The diameter of the smaller medal was 1 inches, and its weight in fine gold about 265;j grains, and in fine silver about 200 grains. The obverse of the medal bears His Majesty's effigy, consisting of head and bust, wearing the Imperial Crown and the Robe of State with the Collar of the Garter, and the Badge of the Bath, and looking to the right, with the legend EDWARD vn. CROWNED 9. AUGUST 1902. The re- verse bears the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Alex- andra crowned, with veil, and looking also to the right, with the legend ALEXANDRA QUEEN CON- SORT. 9 . AUG. 1902." P. 1.9.

Medals bearing the date originally fixed for the Coronation were returned for re- melting. This occasioned delay, and the first issue of the existing medals did not take place until 15 August, six days after the Coronation. The number of medals applied for was smaller than had been anticipated. Possibly there are some still to be obtained from the Mint. If I remember rightly, one applied for them in 1902 through one's banker to the Bank of England.

"Towards the close of the year a medal was pre- pared by Command of His Majesty for issue at the Coronation Durbar, held at Delhi in January. The King was pleased to direct that, for the obverse, the effigy approved by His Majesty for the Corona- tion medal should be used, and inscribed 'ED- WARD vii DELHI DARBAR 1903.' On the reverse is an Arabic inscription with date, encircled by a broad floral border. The translation of the in- scription is as follows : ' By favour of the King of the Country Edward VII Emperor of India 1901.' " -P. 20.