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NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. v. MARCH, 1919

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.

'ALUMNI CANTABBIGIENSES.' A notice has been issued by the Cambridge University Press that an * Alumni Cantabrigienses ' is in preparation. It will be on the general lines of Mr. Joseph Foster's well-known hoped, in several respects more complete in its extent. It is, in fact, proposed to include every known Cambridge name from the earliest historical date, i.e., from about 1250.
 * Alumni Oxonienses,' but will be, it is

The experience I have gained from similar work in the case of a single college (Gonville and Caius) has convinced me that much loss would be avoided if those in- terested in such an undertaking could send information before publication. What I have found is that after publication the compiler receives a large amount of useful information and many corrections when it is too late to make public use of them.

What I would suggest is that every one who can supply facts about any Cambridge man, of a private kind, or which from any cause do not get into ordinary printed records, should communicate them to me. This would apply especially to family histories and pedigrees. Further assistance, would be welcomed from those who have devoted attention to such special branches of research as county or parochial history, the records of any particular school or pro- fession, members of Parliament, titled per- sons, &c. The sooner such information can be sent the better.

These remarks apply especially to Part I. of the work, 1250-1752, which contains nearly 80,000 names, as to many of which we have, at present, no further information beyond what is contained in the College Admission Registers and ' Graduati.'

JOHN VENN.

Caius College, Cambridge.

'THE POOR THRESHER,' SONG BY BURNS. B. Reid's ' A Complete Word and Phrase Concordance to the Poems and Songs of Robert Burns,' Glasgow, 1889, gives on pp. 4, 228, 339, 380, 482, and doubtless else- where, lines from " (S.) The Poor Thresher." This song I have been unable to find in any edition of Burns which I have. I write therefore to ask if any one can tell me of an

edition of Burns in which it appears, and, if not, what ground there is for stating that it was written by Burns.

I am particularly interested in this ballad because I have heard it sung by an old friend of mine, who learned it from his grandmother, who probably learned it from some one about the year 1800.

CHARLES E. STRATTON. 70 State Street, Boston, Mass.

RICHARD BAXTER OF ' THE SAINTS' REST.' Research in American libraries has failed to disclose the names of the children of Richard Baxter, father of the author of ' The Saints' Rest 'in other words, the brothers and sisters of the eminent divine. It is said that his brother Thomas had a son Francis C. (Charlton), born 1681, who- emigrated to America in 1698 with relatives named Benson. Where can records of Richard senior's family be found ?

Portland, Maine. J ' P * B<ir

" NABLETTE " : " BONTEFEU." - In recent reading of Clarendon's ' History of the Great Rebellion,' I ran across two words in the first volume which I do not find in any dictionary. These words are " Nab- lette," used in connexion with the word " murderer," as part of the equipment of a vessel, and " Bontefeu," used as a rather contemptuous expression referring to an individual. Can readers of ' N. & Q.' throw any light upon the meaning of these words ? ' BERNARD C. STEINER.

Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Md.

HENRY BUNNETT, ARTIST. About thirty years ago I employed an able English artist whose work will carry him down to- posterity. I should like to know some- thing of his history. It was said that the- name at the head of this query was only his nom de pinceau.

DAVID Ross McCoRD.

McCord National Museum,

Temple Grove, Montreal.

VIRGIL ON QUARRELS. Dr. Butler, th& Master of Trinity, quoted in 1888 from a translation of Virgil, ' ^En.' ii. 104 ("Hoc Ithacus velit, et magno mercentur Atridse "), Intestine quarrels place an obvious lever In every hand of every unbeliever. Whose translation is this ? G. H. J.

CREIGHTON ON HISTORY. Bp. Creighton is quoted as saying to the effect that " History is the best cordial for drooping spirits." What is the reference ?

G. H. J.