Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 3.djvu/55

 12 8. III. JAN. 20, 1917.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE VICTORIA CROSS. The book dealing adequately with the splendid story of the V.C. has yet to be written. In expressing this opinion it is not intended by any means to detract from the substantial merits of several of the books which are already in existence on the subject. For such a book as one could to wish to see written about the Cross and its roll of heroes there is indeed abundance of subject- matter ready at hand, and the framework of the narrative is easily accessible in the pages of The London Gazette, which contains the official records of each individual V.C. winner from the beginning onwards.

The following list of books includes prac- tically all that has so far been published on this theme :

1. 'The Victoria Cross.' Edited by 11. W. O'Byrne. (Allen & Co.) 1880.

2. ' For Valour : the V.C.' By J. E. Muddock. (Hutchinson & Co.) 1895.

3. 'History .of the V.C.' By Philip A. Wilkins. (Constable & Co.) 1904.

4. ' The Book of the V.C.' By A. L. Haydon. (Andrew Melrose.) 1906.

5 'Our Soldiers and the Victoria Cross.' By S. O. Beeton.

6. 'Heroes of the Victoria Cross.' By T. E. Toomey. (Newnes, Limited )

7. ' The Victoria Cross in the Crimea.' By Col. Knollys. (Dean & Son.)

8. ' The Victoria Cross iu India.' By Col. Knollys. (Dean x Son.)

9. 'The Victoria Cross in the Colonies.' By Col. Knollys. (Dean & Son.)

10. ' Gallant Deeds of Heroes of the Victoria Cross.' (Dean & Son.)

11. ' The Book of the Victoria Cross.' By Major Rupert Stuart. (Rees .) 1916.

There are also two articles in The United Service Magazine dealing with the V.C. The first of these, entitled 'The Victoria Cross for Officers,' was written by L. Oppenheim, and appeared in The United Service Maga- zine, xix. 180; and the second, 'The Decline of the V.C.,' was printed in xxvii. 428. (These figures of reference are taken from Poole's ' Index of Periodical Literature.')

Of the books just mentioned it may be sufficient to add that Wilkins' s ' History of the V.C.' stands out as facile princeps. It is the most comprehensive, and it gives a readable account of the five hundred and twenty acts of valour for which the decora- tion had been awarded up to the date of its issue. In addition the value of the book is greatly enhanced by the portraits of no fewer than three hundred and ninety-two of the recipients. This feature alone makes the work of inestimable value to students.

As the years rolled on, it would have become increasingly difficult, if not altogether im- possible, to get together such an extensive collection of portraits.

CHARLES MENMTTLR, M.A. 25 Garscube Lane, Glasgow.

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.

JILL, GILLIAN. I have been looking up this feminine abbreviation, familiar in asso- ciation with Jack. It is apparently short for Gillian, which represents Juliana as well as Julian, and the spelling " Gill " is pre- served in the First Folio of Shakespeare. In ' Love's Labour's Lost,' Act V. sc. ii., 1. 883 begins " Jacke hath not Gill." Here Steevens quotes from Hey wood's ' Epi- grammes upon Proverbes,' 1567, " Jack shall have Gill." In ' The Taming of the Shrew,' Act IV. sc. i. 1. 52, is a joke about jacks, leathern jugs, andg ills, pint vessels. Can Gill or Jill as a proper name be be put back earlier than Heywood, and is it at all frequent among later heroines in life or in letters ? Dame Gillian is Eveline Berenger's tirewoman in Scott's story of ' The Betrothed.' I do not remember com- ing across the name otherwise in books of the nineteenth century or the eighteenth, and the abbreviation is now quite strange.

HLPPOCLTDES.

ARMORIAL SEAL: IDENTIFICATION SOUGHT. Whose may a seal have been which bore the following arms ? Arg., a fesse. : . . be- tween three birds, mallards or swans, two in chief facing each other, beak to beak, and one in base (tinctures indiscernible) ; the base bird within a chevronel. . . . ; an annulet on centre point of fesse for cadency. There is a spray of leaves, possibly laurel, each side, without the shield. This seal is attached to a letter dated " Aprill 26, 1610," written by John Reynolds on landing in England, returning from Rome and Paris. The annulet, if used as a cadency mark, is evidence against the seal bearing J. R.'s correct personal arms. Seals even on im- portant documents were, I am told, fre- quently used by others than the owners, but anyway it would be interesting to know what family boasted so curious a coat.

Four " Flanders pictures " were, except " one Quission painted," the only works of