Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 12.djvu/156

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. xn. A. 21, 1915.

In 1674 Strange was declared Provincial of his order in this country an office he held for three years. His name occurs in Titus Gates' s ' List of Jesuits ' ; but, having escaped to the continent, he died at St. Omer.

The best life of St. Thomas of Hereford is the Bollandist account, based upon the Vatican MS. 4015. A. R. BAYLEY.

[MR. R. A. POTTS thanked for reply.]

DATE OF COMET (11 S. xii. 101). The following extract from Haydn's ' Dictionary of Dates ' gives the answer to this query :

" Donati's Comet, so called from its having been first observed by Dr. Donati of Florence, 2nd June, 1858, being then calculated to be 228,000,000 miles from our earth. It was very brilliant in England in the end of September and October following, when the tail was said to be 40,000,000 miles long. On the 10th October it was nearest to the earth ; on the 18th it was near coming. into collision with Venus. Opinions varied as to this comet's bril- liancy compared with that of 1811."

I saw this comet in October, 1858, and it certainly was very brilliant with its long tail. HARRY B. POLAND.

Inner Temple.

The year was probably 1882, w T hen there was a comet visible for some time with a very long tail. I have a sketch of this comet made by me in Ceylon at dawn of 22 September of that year a month earlier than the date of the letter in the possession of P. W. G. M., but I suppose the comet was visible for some weeks perhaps after 22 September. I can send the sketch for comparison, if desired. PENRY LEWIS.

AMERICAN UNDERGROUND RAILWAY (11 S. xii. 102). The whole of this subject is very fully dealt with in the book by Wilbur H. Siebert, entitled ' The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom,' New York, Macmillan Co., 1898 ; on p. 403 appears a ' Directory of the Names of Under- ground Railroad Operators arranged Alpha- betically under States and Counties." A copy of this book is in this library, and I should be glad for any one to see it, calling in office hours. NORMAN PENNEY.

Friends' Reference Library,

136, Bishopsgate, E.G.

SOPHIE CORNELYS (11 S. xii. 100). According to a note by MR. DANIEL HIPWELL at 8 S. vi. 3, this lady's death, 25 June, 1823, at the Dowager Viscountess Sidney's house in Chapel Street, South Audley Street, is announced in The Gentleman's Magazine, Suppt. 1, 1823, vol. xciii. pt. 1, p. 651.

WM. DOUGLAS.

CLERKS IN HOLY ORDERS AS COMBATANTS (11 S. xii. 10, ;~6, 73, 87, 130). MR. HUM- PHREYS says : " Bishop Henry Despenser of Norwich took part in quelling Wat Tyler's Rebellion." Henry Despenser had nothing to do with Wat ^Tyler's Rebellion. He was merely responsible for the massacre of some almost unarmed peasants in Norfolk, who had encamped outside Nor- wich under Geoffrey Litster. Green describes Despenser as a " warlike bishop," but if this was his only " martial achieve- ment " it is not much to his credit.

C. J. HOWES.

TOMB OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT (11 S. xi. 361 ; xii. 37). In ,the Annex of the Imperial Museum of Antiquities in the grounds of the Seraglio, Constantinople, there was (and, I hope, is) a magnificent sarcophagus, said to be that of Alexander. I saw it in 1908. Murray's ' Handbook for Travellers in Constantinople,' &c., edited by C. W. Wilson, 1893, p. 70, gives it as one of the " superb sarcophagi discovered, in 1887 r in an ancient Necropolis, near Sidon."

"On one side Alexander the Great is repre- sented engaged in battle with the Persians, whilst on the other there is a hunting scene. Painting and Sculpture combine to produce a scene of wonderful realism. The monument belongs to the 4th century B.C., is in the best style, and presents a unique example of polychrome sculpture on so large a scale."

I have photographs of the two sides of the sarcophagus. Whether or not it is that of Alexander it is magnificent, and has suffered very little mutilation.

For an account of the sarcophagi dis- covered near Sidon in 1887 see Murray's ' Handbook for Travellers in Syria and Palestine,' edited by Haskett Smith, 1892, p. 278. The editor writes that the sarco- phagus referred to is "a masterpiece of sculpture, architecture, and colouring," and that the subjects on the sides are evidently intended for " Peace " and " War." : ' This tomb," he says, " has since been identified as that of Alexander the Great himself!" ROBERT PIERPOINT.

FiTZWILLIAM OF MABLETHORPE (US. xii.

85). The following is sent me by the Rev. R. C. Dudding:

" ' I don't believe there never was no sich person/ Thomas Fitzwilliam. who married Elizabeth, d. and h. of Sir Thos. de Mablethorpe, was second son of Sir Wm. Fitzwilliam of Sprotborough (c. 1325). After that date the Fitzwilliams of Mablethorpe had no connection with Sprotborough. Sir Wm. of Sprot- borough had a son and heir Sir John. Perhaps he is the individual meant. There was no Sir John