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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. XIL JULY 31,

rnitted, she replied, quite seriously : " Well, sir, I can think of nothing except that a few days since I walked into two different parishes on the same day."

Is anything known of this curious belief in harm arising from so simple, frequent, and often necessary an act ? T. M. W.

CHAUCER : " STROTHIR " IN ' THE REEVE'S TALE.' Mr. Thomas Wright, in his edition of ' The Canterbury Tales,' has the following note on the word " Strothir " (in ' The Reeve's Tale ') :

"This was the valley of Langstroth, or Lang strpthdale, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, as pointed out by I)r. Whitaker, ' Hist, of Craven,' p. 493. I am informed that the dialect of this district may be recognised in the phraseology of Chaucer's ' scoleres tuo.' "

From Murray's ' Yorkshire Handbook,' p. 429 (1874 ed.), I learn that " Whitaker first suggested what Mr. Garnett has confirmed that this 'tqun' was really Lang- strother. The dialect which Chaucer employs in this story is still, to a great extent, that of this little-visited corner of Craven ; and he copied, in all probability, the language he had himself heard spoken in ' Solere Hall ' by some Langstrothdale student. It may be added that Mr. Garnett ( ' Philological Essays,' 1859) has printed a portion of the poem from a MS. which retains the pecu- liarities of dialect more exactly than any whicl has been collated by editors of Chaucer."

I should be glad to know (1) from which MS. Mr. Garnett printed ; (2) on wha " peculiarities of dialect " he based his judgment ; (3) if any one can furnish me with a copy of the " portion of the poem ' which he printed ; and (4) on what grounds Dr. Whitaker came to his decision.

A. T. WINTERSGILL.

PORTRAIT BY SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE. An old aunt of mine possesses a portrai believed to be by Lawrence (it is now to be seen at the gallery of Messrs. Shepherc Brothers, 27, King Street, St. James's) It was given to her by a Mr. Elliot in Jersej many years ago, with some MSS. relating to the siege of Gibraltar, which she un fortunately destroyed. He said the portrai was of his father. Can any one throw light upon it ? It is vigorous.

T. CANN HUGHES, M.A., F.S.A.

Lancaster.

ESSEX FATAL TO WOMEN. I have hear that some parts of Essex were so unhealthy for women that it was not unusual to fin* men there who had been married a doze: times. Is there reference to this in an; book? ALLEN HART.

Copthall Avenue, E.C.

CHARLES II.'s MOCK MARRIAGE. In what

ook is contained the story of Charles II.'s

lleged mock marriage with Louise de

Querouaille ? It is said to have taken

lace at Euston. T. M. W.

CHARLES PIGOTT'S ' JOCKEY CLUB.' /Vho was Sir F k E n, Bt., of whom

here is an account in Part I. of this abusive atire ? Is there any modern history of the

ockey Club ? HORACE BLEACKLEY.

THE PILGRIM FATHERS. Where does

Artemus Ward say " the Pilgrim Fathers

jailed from a land where they wore perse-

uted to a land where they might perse-

ute " ? M. N.

WALT WHITMAN ON ALAMO, TEXAS. (10 S. xi. 510.)

To answer MR. BRESLAR'S inquiry clearly a little summary of a part of Texan history is needful, which I make as brief as possible. In the late seventeenth century the first settlements were made in the present State of Texas by the French expedition under La Salle, shortly afterwards murdered by his followers. In passing, it may be said that Texas formed part of the territory con- veyed by Napoleon I. to the United States in 1803, in what is known as the " Louisiana Purchase." But soon after these early attempts at settlement Texas became one of the States of the Mexican Confederation. Other towns were founded, and Spanish missions established, one of these towns being San Antonio de Bexar, and the Alamo the mission church built there.

The Mexicans invited American citizens to enter Texas, and many settled there, especially in the central and eastern portions, their numbers increasing from year to year.

After President Santa Anna overthrew the federal system, Texas revolted from the Mexican Government and declared itself independent. The resulting struggle, in which General Sam Houston was a chief Texan leader, was a strenuous one for several years. In 1836, the mission building of the Alamo, which was surrounded by a strong wall, and had been used as a fort for some time, was occupied by 157 revolu- tionists under Col. W. B. Travis, who were there attacked by 4,000 Mexicans under Santa Anna ; but they held out from 23 February to 6 March. All but seven of the garrison had perished, and of these, six