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NOTES AND QUERIES. [n s. v. FKB. 10, 1912.

' THE CONFINEMENT ' : A POEM (10 S. vii. 368). From the published Catalogue I see there is a copy of this poem in the B.M. Library, the date given being 1679. A cursory glance at the rarity will soon enable MR. G. H. RADFORD, M.P., or some other interested reader to decide whether the subject treated of is an accouchement or not. In the former case the use of the word would be many years earlier than the first example occurring in the ' N.E.D.'

N. W. HILL.

New York.

LAIRDS OF DRTJMMINNOR (11 S. iv. 527). According to Wood's ' Douglas's Peerage of Scotland' (1813) and the 'D.N.B.' the generations run as follows :

1. John de Forbes of that ilk, in Aber- decnshire, in the reign of William the Lion (1165-1214), was father of

2. Fergus de Forbes.

3. Alexander de Forbes, probably his son, Governor of Urquhart Castle, slain by Edward I. in 1304. His wife was delivered of a posthumous son.

4. Alexander de Forbes, killed at DunpHn, 1332.

5. Sir John de Forbes of that ilk, his posthumous son, justiciar and coroner for Aberdeenshire in time of Robert III., married Margaret, and left four sons, by whom he was the common ancestor of the families of the Lords Forbes, Forbes Lord Pitsligo, and the Forbeses of Tolquhoun, Foveran, Watertoun, Culloden, Brax, &c.

6. The eldest son, Sir Alexander de Forbes, succeeded to the estates in 1405, on his father's death, and between 1436 and 1442 was created by James II. first Baron Forbes. He died in 1448. Through his marriage to Lady Elizabeth Douglas (only daughter of George, first Earl of Angus, and granddaughter of Robert II.) his children were heirs of entail to the earldom of Angus.

A. R. BAYLEY.

SAMARITAN BIBLE (11 S. v. 28). Con- cerning the ' Samaritan Pentateuch ' the compiler of ' Helps to the Study of the Bible ' (Clarendon Press, n.d.) has the following :

" The Samaritans have preserved the Penta- teuch independently of the orthodox Jews. Its date is disputed, but the character does not differ materially from the archaic Hebrew form. While substantially agreeing with the Hebrew lextus Beceptus, it contains readings which vary from it."

In a note reference is made to Prof. Kirk- patrick's ' Divine Library of the Old Testa- ment,' pp. 62, 63. YV B

FELICIA HEMANS (11 S. iv. 468, 534; v. 55). Mrs. Hemans lived at 36, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, in 1833 (earlier she lived in Upper Pembroke Street there). She died at 21, Dawson Street, Dublin, in 1835, at 41 years of age, and was buried in St. Anne's Churchyard in the same street, where there is a marble tablet to her memory.

WILLIAM MACARTHUR.

Dublin.

NICOLAY FAMILY (11 S. iv. 407). The Allied Sovereigns, on their return after their visit to England in 1814, passed through Hythe, where they were entertained at "The Swan" by the mayor, Mr. Shipdem, and gentry. Mrs. Nicolay did the honours of the table, assisted by Miss Deedes.

The Kentish Gazette of 9 March, 1815, announced :

" At Hythe, the lady of Col. Nicolay, Royal Staff Corps, of a son" ;

and in the following month, 21 April :

" Col. F. Nicolay is under orders to embark for Belgium."

R. J. FYNMORE. Sandgate.

KEATS'S ' ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE ' (11 S. iv. 507; v. 11, 68). MR. PINCHBECK'S reply, ante, p. 58, interests me. Can he tell me which of the ' Arabian Nights ' Keats might have had in mind ? I am told that nightingales do not sing in confinement, but this may be a poetic licence, and I am rather inclined to agree with MR. PINCHBECK as to the reference.

TRIN. COLL. CAMB.

QUEEN ANNE AND HER CHILDREN ( 1 1 S. v. 69). This query appeared at 3 S. x. 65, and twelve births are mentioned.

LIBRARIAN.

Wandsworth.

Luttrell, under 30 April, 1684, mentions the report that the Princess of Denmark had given birth to a dead child. On 1 June, 1685, she was delivered of a daughter, christened next day by the name of Mary. On 12 May, 1686, the Princess gave birth to another daughter, who was christened Anne Sophia. Both infants died within a few days of each other, the younger on 2 Feb., and the elder on 8 Feb., 1686/7. The Princess miscarried in January ; and similar mishaps are noted by Luttrell in the latter part of October in the same year, and in the middle of April, 1688. On 24 July, 1689, Anne gave birth to a son at Hampton Court. He was christened William, and his god- father, King William III., created him Duke