Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 1.djvu/174

 168

NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. i. FEB. n, me.

THOMAS HOLCROFT'S DESCENDANTS. In a last attempt to locate any manuscript material relating to Thomas Holcroft (1745- 1809), I should be very glad to be put in touch with any of his descendants, through Col. Harwood, Major Marsac, and Carlyle's friend Badhams, whom his daughters married; through James Kenney (1780- 1849), his fourth wife's second husband, or any of their descendants through the Kenney daughters Virginia and Maria, the sons James Kenney and Charles Lamb Kenney (1821-81) ; or through Charles Horace Kenney and Miss Rose Kenney. It is not improbable that somewhere, either in the direction I have indicated 01 elsewhere, there are letters and manuscripts which would be of value to me, perhaps even the original draft of the ' Memohs ' or the ' Diary.' My work would be marvellously facilitated if any one could come forward with such assistance. ELBRIDGE COLBY.

52 West 126 Street, New York City.

' ON THE BANKS OF ALLAN WATER.' This song was first sung in " Monk " Lewis's opera ' Rich and Poor,' the music of which was composed by C. E. Horn.

1. Is it certain that Horn was actually the author of the well-known air ?

2. Where is the Allan Water referred to in the song ? JOHN HOGBEN.

Edinburgh.

" TREFIRA SARACIN." Can any one teJl me the meaning of these words ? I found them in Roman capitals, an inch high and one-sixth broad in the perpendicular stroke, blue on a white label of what I should think was a Delft-ware vase, shaped like a Chinese ginger-jar, of about 1800, judging from the forms of the letters. The vase is about 8 in. high a,rid 6 in. across the top, decorated with formal designs roughly drawn, arid coarsely, though richly, coloured purple and blue on white (enamel ?) ground. I should imagine it was some chemist's confection.

FRANCIS J. QUELL.

" BATTELS." Can any of your readers tell me what is the derivation of the Oxford term " battels," which seems to be applied not only to the accounts, but also to the food supplied by the buttery of a college ?

A. GWYTHER.

Windham Club.

[The 'X.E.D.' has interesting articles on this word and on the verb "to battel," for which the compilers found an instance in 1570, 130 years or so earlier than the first for the substantive. Prof. Skeat contributed at 10 S. ix. 305 a note carrying the use of the substantive back to 1574.

FOULKE SALUSBURY. The Fifth Annual Report of the Oxford Heraldic Society (1839) is said to contain a testimonial to the descent of Foulke Salusbury, &c. What connexion is there between this man and one of the same name who married, about or after 1686, Frances, the widow of John Buckeridge of Bread Street ? She was, before her first marriage, Frances Percival of Henley- on-Thames, and her daughter Mary Salusbury married Charles Blandy, uncle to the notorious Mary Blandy of Henley.

I can find no copy of the Reports at the British Museum. A. STEPHENS DYER.

207 Kingston Road, Teddington.

" BONIFACE," AN INNKEEPER. What is the origin of this word as applied to an innkeeper, and what is the earliest instance of its use ?

Brewer's ' Reader's Handbook ' states that it is derived from the name of a real innkeeper, and gives a quotation from Farquhar's ' Beaux' Stratagem.'

A. COLLINGWOOD L.EE. [The ' N.E.D.' assigns the origin to Farquhar.j

AUTHOR W r ANTED. In 1876 was published " Masonic Portraits, by J. G.," a collection of biographical sketches which had appeared in a periodical. Some years since I was told, 011 seemingly direct authority, that the initials on the title - page were those of a Mr. John Gannon, who held an appointment at the City of London Guildhall, and had not long before died. From matters lately come to my knowledge I think the above attribution must be incorrect, and shall be glad if information as to the authorship can be afforded. A second series of * Portraits ' was collected and published in 1879, but by a different hand, and giving the author's name. W. B. H.

DESCENDANTS OF ANNE ASKEW. Can any of your readers give me the descendants of the martyr Anne Askew ? I have it that she married a man named Kyme (wretch) ; that she afterwards resumed her maiden name ; that she had son Wm. Askew ; his son, John Askew ; his children, son, son, daughter Margaret ; there a break which I am seeking to fill.

I have : Francis Ayscough married Joan, daughter of Hugh Whistler, who died in 1662, Rector of Faccombe, Hants ; and so on down to the present time.

FANNING C. T. BECK.

University Club, New York.