Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 11.djvu/142

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. XL F EB. G, im

Park, he used to shake up his liver in his bedroom by means of the mechanical con- trivance in question. E. O.

The ' N.E.D.' says " ? a rocking-horse " ; but the eighteenth-century "chamber-horse " was a mechanical contrivance, consisting of a leather seat mounted on four legs, and provided with a strong spring, which was used for imitative riding exercise. Mr. Austin Dobson, in his paper on ' Richardson at Home ' in the second series of ' Eighteenth- Century Vignettes,' says that Richardson had " one of these contrivances " at each of his houses ;

"and those who, without violence to his literary importance, can conceive the author of ' Sir Charles drandison ' so occupied, must imagine him bobbing up and down daily, at stated hours, upon this curious substitute for the saddle."

G. L. APPEBSON.

This machine was in appearance like a high stool, or chair with low side arms only. Those I have seen were about 3 ft. 6 in. high and 2 ft. by 2 ft. 6 in. broad. The top padded for a seat was connected with the base by springs, and the whole covered with leather ; in appearance it was like a huge accordion. They are still occasion- ally to be met with in old " unrestored " houses, as well as in auction-rooms.

HAROLD MALET, Col.

MBS. GORDON, NEE ISABELLA LEVY (10 S. xi. 48). The Hon. Lockhart Gordon was third son of John, third Earl of Aboyne. He was captain in the same regiment as Lord Cornwallis ; retired from the army with rank of lieutenant-colonel ; received the appointment of Judge- Advocate-General of Bengal, 1787 ; and died at Calcutta, 24 March, 1788. He married (1) Isabella, daughter of Elias Levi ; and (2) on 3 Oct., 1770, Catherine Wallop, only sister of John, Earl of Portsmouth, by whom he had besides other children two sons. The duchess mentioned was, I suppose, Elizabeth Seymour (afterwards Smithson and Percy), first Duchess of Northumberland, and great- granddaughter of Josceline Percy, eleventh Earl of Northumberland.

A. R. BAYLEY.

CABLYLE ON THE GRIFFIN : HIPPOGBIFF (10 S. x. 509). Carlyle's slip seems to have been shared by one at least of his biographers. Mr. R. S. Craig in his recent book ' The Making of Carlyle ' (p. 34), referring to Prof. Nichol's biography, says : " The Professor has a smile for the gryphons, the family

heraldic emblems carved on the Carlyle tombstone." As a matter of fact, the crest of Lord Carlyle of Carlyle (or Torthorwald), to whose family Carlyle thought that he belonged, consisted of two dragons' heads addorsee (vert). It is not necessary to journey to Ecclefechan to verify this, as Carlyle's book-plate with the crest in question is shown at Carlyle House, Chelsea (in the dining-room). M.

Was not Carlyle thinking of the Scotch kelpie, an aquatic beast that lived oil human prey ? It is figured, as the frontis- piece to ' Faiths and Folk-lore,' vol. ii., by W. Carew Hazlitt, 1905.

W. B. GEBISH.

VINCENT ALSOP (10 S. xi. 47). I think some of the difficulties are due to slight misprints.

Maugeing is a misprint for Manageing, with u for n, and dropping of a ; for it gives absolutely the right sense. Compare " the Manageing of a Crane " with " the managing of their weapons of war," quoted in the ' N.E.D.'

Goggled and gogled are mere variants of juggled, which is frequently spelt with o for u. It means " beguiled " ; - see ' N.E.D.' But the " in " in the phrase " juggled in with " adds nothing to the sense, and would be better omitted.

In paragraph 5 read fetch for fitch ; " fetch in Comfort " simply means " derive comfort." WALTER W. SKEAT.

" Fitch in Comfort " appears to be an adaptation of French fiche de consolation. See ' ' Diet. Gen.' or Littre. E. W.

RUDGE FAMILY (10 S. x. 470). At p. 93 of the Rev. A. B. Beaven's ' Aldermen of London ' it is recorded that Edward Rudge, Salter, Sheriff of London, 1637-8, was on 18 Sept., 1638, elected, and sworn in as Alderman of Castle Baynard Ward, and that he died 25 July, 1640. In ' Musgrave's Obituaries ' the Alderman's death is stated to have taken place on 26 Aug., 1640, ' Smith's Obit.' being given as the authority.

Both dates are, however, incorrect, for Alderman and Sheriff Edward Rudge (who was my great-great-great-great-great- great-uncle) made his will (a copy of which is in my possession) on 17 Nov., 1640, and it was proved on 19 Dec., 1640 (P.C.C. 162 Coventry). As he was buried in the chancel of Allhallows, London, on 18 Dec., 1640, one may assume that his death probably took place some two or three days earlier ;