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NOTES AND QUERIES. [n s. vi. OCT. 26, 1912.

TREATISES ON LONGEVITY. Could any of your readers give me information as to treatises on longevity or attempts, ancient and modern, to prolong life, human or animal ? The latter would seem to be a question of engrossing interest in the near future. VIVAX,

Cape Colony.

[W. J. Thorns, the founder of 'N.' & Q.,' was much interested in the question of centenarianism, and published in 1873 the results of his researches under the title 'Human Longevity,' reissued in 1879 as 'The Longevity of Man.' John Burn Bailey published in 1888 a hook on ' Modern Methuselahs.' See also Sir E. Ray Lankester's ' Comparative Longevity in Man and the Lower Animals' (1870); E. Metchnikoff's 'The Prolonga- tion of Life' (1908) ; and the article 'Longevity' in any encyclopaedia.]

SEALS OF THOMAS. FIRST MARQUIS OF DORSET. There is no record in the British Museum ' Catalogue of Seals ' of any impres- sion of the seal of Thomas, first Marquis of Dorset. Two impressions of his " seal of arms " and one of his secretum exist at Coventry among the muniments of Holy Trinity Church.

1. Circular, red, imperfect, 2f in. Quar- terly : I., IV., seven mascles, three, three, and one, Ferrars of Groby ; II., three lions passant guardant in pale, England, in chief a label of three points ; III., quarterly, 1, barry of six, in chief three roundels, Grey ; 2, a pierced cinquefoil ermine, Astley ; 3, a fesse and canton conjoined, Wydville ; 4, quarterly, i., iv., a maunch, Hastings ; ii., iii., barry, an orle of martlets, Valence. Crest, on a helmet with mantling, a unicorn statant ermine. Supporters : Dex., a satyr holding a banner quarterly, I., IV., a fret, Verdon ; II., III., (?) quar- terly, in second and third quarters a fret, over all a bend, Despenser. Sin., a dragon with wings expanded, holding a banner quarterly, I., IV., six mullets, Bonville ; II., III., three lions rampant. Legend, on a scroll round the seal with convolutions

above the crest, " grey m a rchion dorc

....[illeg.] harington bouile [illeg.]." Ap- pended to a charter, bearing date 4 Dec. 15 Hen. VII. (1499), from Thomas Grey, Marquis of Dorset, conveying land on the south side of the church to Thomas Bowde, Vicar of Holy Trinity, and others.

Another imperfect impression of the same matrix, also in red wax, is appended to a letter, dated 8 Dec., 15 Hen. VII., from Dorset under his sign manual to' John Vavasour and others, requesting them to release to Bowde and his co-feoffees their .interest in the land in question. Legend,

" S. [illeg.] grey m a rchion dorc filii elizabeth [illeg.]...."

This seal is referred to by Tho. Sharp, who, however, does not blazon it (' Anti- quities of Coventry,' 118). Can any reader of ' N. & Q.' confirm the above blazoning here and there the quarterings are rubbed or supply the portions of the legend that are imperfect ? Are other impressions in exist- ence ?

2. Rectangular, red, imperfect, S by | in. A unicorn passant in front of the sun in splendour. Appended to an indenture, under Dorset's sign manual, citing the grant, and dated 4 Dec., 15 Hen. VII.

MARY DORMER HARRIS.

SCOTSMEN IN ITALY. Is anything known of Thomas Somerville and George Cameron (Camerarius), who compiled a history of the Carrara family, 1627-41, with elaborate etched pedigree plates ? On one of these is a Latin inscription signed " Robert Bodius, Scotus." R. M.

SIR CHRISTOPHER DOMINICK KNIGHT, M.D. OF ST. MARY'S ABBEY, DUBLIN. Could any of your readers kindly inform me of his parentage and pedigree ; also his arms ? He died in 1692. He is not mentioned in Le Neve.

ANNE HALL. I should also be glad to have information concerning the arms and parent- age of Anne Hall, wife of James Hamilton of Johnstone, Ireland, ancestor of the present Lord HolmPatrick. (MRS.) FORTESCUE.

Grove House, Winchester.

CROMWELL'S SIGNATURE. What is the earliest known signature of Oliver Cromwell, in an official capacity, and otherwise ?

F. M. R. HOLWORTHY.

Bromley, Kent.

AUTHORS OF QUOTATIONS WANTED. Can any one tell me where to find the poem from which the following is an extract ?

There is pleasure in the wet, wet clay When the potter's hand is potting it ;

There is pleasure in the lay

When the poet's hand is blotting it.

But pleasures such as these

Are as chalk to Cheshire cheese

When it conies to a well-turned lie.

I am told it is a heading to one of Kipling's stories, but cannot find it.

C. T. A. WILKINSON.

One ship drives East, and one drives West, By the selfsame wind that blows ; It 's the set of the sails, and not the gales, Which determines the way it goes.

G. H. J.