Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 2.djvu/96

 90

NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. n. JULY, wie.

rank on March 31, 1782. I cannot trace him in the regular army previous to his com- mission as captain in the 35th Regiment of Foot, Aug. 29, 1787, from which he was made captain and lieutenant -colonel in the Cold- stream Regiment of Foot Guards, March 26, 1789, exchanging to lieutenant -colonel 35th Foot, June 15, 1789. Can any reader give the dates of his commissions as a subaltern prior to 1787 ? W. R. W.

ST. PETER AS THE GATE-KEEPER OF HEAVEN. Not long since I heard the following story from an English private who was still undergoing treatment in a hospital after receiving a serious wound :

" This is a tale we try on each other. You begin by saying to another fellow, ' I had a dream about you last night.' ' Had you ? ' he will answer. ' Yes,' you go on ; 'I dreamed I had got as far as heaven, but St. Peter, at the gate, said to me, " You can't be allowed in here unless you come up riding." So I went down again, and, you know how funny dreams are sometimes, I asked you to let me ride on you. Then you took me on your back and carried me right up to the gate. It was all right this time. "You can come in now," said St. Peter, "but leave your donkey outside." ' "

What other stories of this type are there current relating to St. Peter, and where are they to be found ? B. L. R. C.

CHURCHWARDENS AND THEIR WANDS. Many years ago it was the custom for church- wardens to carry a mace or wand, the wand of the people's churchwarden having a crown upon it, and that of the incumbent's a mitre. The incumbent's churchwarden sat on one side of the church, and the people's churchwarden on the other.

When was this interesting custom first

introduced ? What was the meaning of

carrying the wand ? And on which side of

the church did the two respectively sit ?

W. B. MIDDLETON

Stafford House, Norwich Road, North Walsham.

HOLMES FAMILY, co. LIMERICK. Can any reader throw further light on the identities and connexion of the several persons mentioned in the following notes ?

Sir Robert Holmes, captain of the De- fiance, man-of-war, knighted at Deptford, March 27, 1666, Governor of the Isle oi Wight, died unmarried ; he was brother oi Admiral Sir John Holmes, Knt. They were

sons of Holmes of Ireland, and said

to have been related to Thomas Holmes oi Newport, Isle of Wight, created Baron Holmes of Kilmallock, co. Limerick, 1760, title extinct 1764 ; to Robert Holmes oi Ballyadam, co. Limerick ; and to Mrs. Dalkeith Holmes, author of ' The Law oi


 * louen,' a dramatic tale founded on a

emarkable law which existed in Rouen rom the close of the sixth century to the

reign of Louis XV. published in Dublin,

1837. All the above families of Holmes

appear to have borne the same arms and rest, namely, Barry wavy of six or and

azure, on a canton gules a lion passant uardant of the first. Crest : out of a naval

crown a dexter arm in armour embowed, lolding a trident proper, pointed gold. An

augmentation was granted to Sir Robert Holmes by Sir Edward Walker, Garter King of Arms. I should be glad to have a

description of it. LEONARD C. PRICE. Essex Lodge, Ewell.

FIRST ILLUSTRATED ENGLISH NOVEL. In reply to a correspondent the editor of Pearson's Weekly states :

" The second volume of ' Robinson Crusoe,' by Daniel Defoe, published on August 20, 1719, was the first novel ever published in this country to contain an illustration. The illustration consisted of a map of the world, on which the different voyages of the hero of the tale were marked out."

Is the statement quite true ?

R. GRIME.

SIR EDWARD LUTWYCHE, JUSTICE OF THE COMMON PLEAS. Can any correspondent of ' N. & Q.' tell me the date and place of his birth ? I should be glad also to have the date and particulars of his marriage. The ' Diet. Nat. Biog.,' xxxiv. 302, gives no information on these points.

G. F. R. B.

BRASS PLATE IN NEWLAND CHURCH, GLOUCESTERSHIRE. A loose " Antiquarian Repertory " print shows, as in this church, a very peculiar brass plate with inscription thereon. What are the meaning and read- ing ? ANEURIN WILLIAMS.

PEAS POTTAGE. This is the name of a hamlet in the parish of Slaugham, Sussex, and in the postal district of Crawley. What is its origin ?

JOHN B. WAINEWRIGHT.

POSTAL CHARGES IN 1847. I find at the end of a letter dated " Black Bank, April 15, 1847 " (the notepaper is water-marked 1846), addressed to " Wm. Slack, Meridale Street, Wolverhampton," the request : " If you write again, please direct your letter ' near Leek ' and it will only cost a penny ; if you direct ' near Cheadle ' it costs fivepence." What would be the reason for charging the extra fourpence ?

S. JOHN COTTERELL.

Birmingham.