Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 9.djvu/454

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. ix. JUNE e, 101*.

WE must request correspondents desiring in- formation on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that answers may be sent to them direct.

BTJRNAP ALIAS BURNETT. As early as anno 1644, Burnap alias Burnett is found covering thriving individuals in Massa- chusetts, they, likely enough, native-born Britons who might have first seen light during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Whence the early probable meaning of these two surnames ? And does Burnap to-day exist in any part of the British Isles ? In the United States Burnett is accepted as a Scottish patronymic pure and simple. Yet Scotland is said to be without a Burnett place-name, in odd contradis- tinction to England's remote and solitary place-name of Burnett within the borders of Somersetshire.

ROBERT M ANTON BURNETT.

Southborough, Massachusetts.

NAVY ARMS IN SOHO. Over the portals of No. 36, Gerrard Street a fine old house which may be shortly acquired for Post Office telephone extension there is a large coat of arms of the Admiralty in high relief, but black with age. It is locally reported that the Inland Revenue authorities have tried to get. it removed without success. What was, or is, the connexion of this house with the Navy ? It was formerly the resi- dence of David Williams (1738-1816), the founder of the Royal Literary Fund ; and next door, at No. 37, Edmund Burke lived. J. LANDFEAR LUCAS.

Glendora, Hindhead, Surrey.

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS : HIS NATION- ALITY AND RELIGION. I should be glad to learn where I could find any statement as to the nationality of Christopher Columbus. In American papers it has been stated lately that he was a Jew, but I do not know on what authority. I understand that in his last book a Spanish historian, Celso Garcia de la Riega, endeavoured to prove that Columbus was a Spanish Jew born at Ponte- vedra, in Galicia. I cannot secure airy book by this historian, which in any case, I sup- pose, would be written in Spanish, and would, therefore, be of no use to me.

ROBPJRT PATERS ON.

['The Encyclopaedia Britannica ' states that Columbus was born at Genoa c. 1446-51, his parents being Domenico Colombo and Suzanna Fontana- rossa. Several books in English are included in the authorities cited at the end of the article.]

STAFFORDSHIRE POETS. Can any one tell me the birthplaces of the following ? The ' D.N.B.' mentions them all, but does not definitely state place of birth. Replies will be much appreciated.

1. Thomas Gisborne, 1758-1846, eldest son of John Gisborne of Yoxall, Staffs.

2. William Mountfort, 1664 ?-92, the son of Capt. Mountfort, a gentleman of a good Staffordshire family.

3. George Butt, 1741-95, son of Dr. Carey Butt, a physician of Lichfield.

4. Mrs. Mary Knowles. 1733-1807, daugh- ter of Moses Morris of Rugeley, Staffs.

5. Mrs. Katharine Thomson, 1797-1862, daughter of Thomas Byerley of Etruria, Staffs.

6. Robert Waring, 1614-58, descended from an old Staffs family. Where can I find any of Waring's English poems mentioned by Wood ?

7. Rev. Thomas Moss (d. 1808), author of Staffs. R. M. INGERSLEY.
 * The Beggar's Petition,' lived some time in

" AT THAT." Will any kind reader explain and supply good authority, i.e., that of any standard author, for this phrase as used in the two following passages ?

It seems to mean " withal," but how does it come to do so ? * N.E.D.,' under " at," i* ignorant of the idiom, if idiom it be.

1. Mr. Balfour, discoursing on ' Poetry/ speaks thus of Dry den's ' Hind and Pan- ther ' :

" Everybody who will take the trouble to- get over the preliminary obstacles of reading a, book upon a theological controversy, antiquated at that, and embodied in a fable of the most preposterous absurdity, will come to the con- clusion. .. .that there are magnificent passages, '* &c. The Times, 9 May.

2. " Q." (Sir A. Quiller-Couch), lecturing on Horace, says :

" You know the man, too. If you know him, well, he is not a mere ' man about town,' but so- commonsensical at that as to seem a kind of glorified ' man in the street ' with a touch of Browning's poet in ' How it strikes a Contem- porary,' " &c. Cambridge Daily News, 25 May.

W. A. C.

["At that" was discussed at 8 S. iv. 207, 298; vi. 314.]

DE TAVAREZ OF BAYONNE. In view of the recent visit of the Lord Mayor of London to Manchester and Salford, any information concerning the Mayor of Bayonne named De Tavarez will be gratefully accepted by his far relative. FRED L. TAVARE.

22, Trentham Street, Pendleton, Manchester.