Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 4.djvu/434

 360 NOTES AND QUERIES. [io» s. iv. OCT. a, ins. of Achilles, given to hifl father by Poseidon, were dun or dapple. Homer has, of course, much to say concerning horses, and, indeed, concerning asses see the 'Iliad,' xi. 558. According to Tacitus, with the Tencteri, who were great charioteers, the horse was sometimes burnt on the funeral pyre of his owner. In chap. iv. the Professor deals with the origin of the Libyan horse, while chap, v., which is supplementary, treats of the development o •equitation. The illustrations to the volume are very numerous and excellent, adding as much to its attractiveness as to its utility. No attempt has been made to do justice to a work with which an expert only is competent to deal. To those of our readers whom the subject in its literary and scientific aspects attracts, the reputation of its author, the Disney Professor of Archajology, will enable us to dispense with recommendation. Acts of the Privy Council of England. New Series. Vols. XXVIIL, XXIX., A.D. 1597-8, 1598-9. Edited by John Roche Dasent, C.B. (Stationery Office.) Two further volumes are added to the well-edited 'Acts of the Privy Council,' published under the authority of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury and the Master of the Rolls by Mr. John Roche l)asent. The period uow covered comprises the death of Burleigh, and is, so far as politics are concerned, primarily occupied with Irish troubles, including many attempts against Tyrone. Sir Francis Vere, the eminent soldier in the Dutch wars, is presented in a not very satisfactory light, and is the recipient of remarkably chiding letters for subordinating the interests of Queen Elizabeth to his own. How far the charges against him are just is a matter of some doubt. It seems possible to conclude that Vero, hero though he was, had a keen eye to the main chance. The policy of sending troops to France to the aid of Henri IV. is discussed, and we read in vol. xxyiii. of the failure of the laat great attempt of Philip of Spain to invade Eng- land. Essex, who, after his promotion to the office of Earl Marshal, had been most regular in attendance at Council, absents himself, in a tit of petulance, on account of his advice concerning Ireland having been neglected. In August, 1598, he resumes his duties, and his presence is of frequent occurrence until Lady Day, 1599. References to Recusants are numerous. Those of Ban bury, being " gentlemen of good ly velyhood and habillytie and allwaies have been accompted for esquiers, thorrowe a froward disposicion doe refuse to make allowaunce to the Keper that hath chardge to provide theirr diett." Among the Recusants figures the name of Lady Catesby, the proceedings against whom had their influence subsequently in bringing about Gunpowder Plot. References are occasionally found to the players, and on 19 Feb- ruary, 1597, an order is passed for the suppression -of a " third company,' as they are cautiously named, who have "by waie of intrusion used like- wise to play, having neither prepared any plaie for her Majestic nor are bound to you, the Masters [stet of the Revelles." Two companies only, those of the Lord Admiral and the Lord Chamberlain, are allowed to use and practise stage playa, chiefly, as it seems, that they may be ready to act before the queen when .required to do so. Much anxiety is caused by the evil deeds of rogues and vagabonds, and the state of the streets appears to have been Anything rather than secure. Special care seems to be paid to orphans in the cases in which widows possessed of money have married again, especially when the said orphans, being very young, are "the more exposed to any daunger of casualties from hazard of their porcions." RECENT issues of the Intermtdiaire diecuw the first development of the idea of Purgatory, and also give some attention to the doubts still current both as to the paternity and the death of Marie Antoinette's unfortunate son. Another subject of interest to historians is the probable number of the victims killed, directly or indirectly, by the wars of La Vendee. One correspondent asks whether the head of a decapitated person retains the power of sensation for an appreciable time. The question is gruesome ; but it seems clear that death by the guillotine is swift enough. Surgeons who have watched for indications of consciousness are convinced that any movements detected in the muscles of a severed head are merely reflex. MR. HENRY FROWDE, of the Oxford University Press, has taken over " The World's Classics," of which sixty-five volumes have already appeared, and is making arrangements to add largely to the number. Jtotias 10 Corrtspcmbntls. We mtirt cull tpecial attention to the foliom*t notices:— ON all communications must be written the name ind address of the sender, not necessarily for pub- lication, but as a guarantee of good faith. WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately. To secure insertion of communications corre- spondents must observe the following rules. Let each note, query, or reply be written on a se|«rate slip of paper, with the signature of the writer and such address as he wishes to appear. When answer- ng queries, or making notes with regard to previou entries in the paper, contributors are requested to iin in parentheses, immediately after the exact leading, the series, volume, and page or page* to which they refer. Correspondents who repeat queries are requested to head the second COB- munication " Duplicate." C. 8. WARD ("Jeremiah Clifton, London, Clock- maker").—Thomas Clifton was admitted in 1651; another Thomas Clifton in 1687 ; and John Clifton, Liverpool, 1785-90. These are all the Cliftou on •ecord. R. B. BOSWKLL ("Jno." for John).-See DK. FOAT'S article, § 11, 10th S. ii. 301-3. J. A. CRAWLEY (" Cogitavi dies antiques et anooi aeternos in mente habui").—Psalm Ixxvii. 5, Vulgate rendering. D. M.. Philadelphia ("Pronunciation of Leigh Hunt's Name").—It is " Le," not " Lay." NOTICE. Editorial communications should be addressed o "The Editor of 'Notes and Queries'"—AHver- lisements and Business Letters to "The Pub- isher"—at the Office, Bream's Buildings, rinnimj Lane, E.G. We beg leave to state that we decline to return ommunications which, for any reason, we do not irmt; and to this rule we can make no exception.