Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/167

 2nd s. NO 8., FEB. 23. '56.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

159

" Lightly they'll talk of the spirit that's gone,

And" o'er his cold ashes upbraid him ; But little he'll reck if they let him sleep on, In the grave where a Briton has laid him.

" But half of our heavy task was done,

When the clock toll'd the hour* for retiring, And we heard the distant and random gun, That the foe was sullenly f firing.

" Slowly and sadly we laid him down,

From the field of his fame fresh and gory "VVe carved not a line, we raised not a stone, But we left him alone with his glory.

. C.

Since I despatched my paper on the Sir John Moore ode, I was apprised of the existence of a re- markable letter, at present preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, which cannot fail to establish Wolfe's claims to the authorship much more satisfactorily than the Slev. Dr. Millar's article, inquired after by ABHBA. I obtained access on this day to the letter in question, and transcribed any matter which it contains exclusive of the ode itself.

The document is, strictly speaking, the frag- ment of a letter only, the first sheet having been lost.

" I have completed the burial of Sir John Moore, and will here inflict it upon you. You have no one but your- self to blame for praising the two stanzas that I told you so much.

(Here follows the ode.")

"Pray write soon. You may direct as usual to Col- lege, and it will follow me to the country. Give my love to Armstrong, and believe me,

" My dear John,

" Ever yours,

" CHARLES WOLFE.

" I again say, remember Constantia's character is to be drawn among the rest. You will pardon me for being particular about any message from that quarter."

(Superscription.)

" John Taylor, Esq.,

" At the Eev. Mr. Armstrong's, " Clonoulty,

" Cashel."

The letter bears no date in MS., but the post- marks are, first a large " 10," and secondly, "Sep. 9, 1816." The foregoing matter has been accurately transcribed from the original letter.

The secretary to the institution recommended me to consult the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy for 1844, and I there found, at p. 89., the history of Mr. Wolfe's letter. Dr. Anster, on the part of Dr. Luby, T.T.C.D., read a paper twelve years since at one of the evening meetings of the Academy, stating tha.t Dr. Luby found the letter among the papers of a deceased brother, who was a college friend of the Rev. Charles


 * " Struck the note " usually.

t " Suddenly " is generally, but improperly, substi- tuted for this word.

Wolfe's, and of Taylor, to whom the letter is ad- dressed. Moore, Campbell, Byron, and Barry Cornwall, have each in turn got the credit of this magnificent poem. The various surmises as to the author, in Medwin's Conversations with Lord Byron, are amusing. The Rev. Charles Wolfe died at an early age in 1827.

WLLLIAM JOHN FITZ-PATBICK. Booterstoun, Dublin.

AEMOKIAL BEARINGS OF CLERE FAMILY.

(1 st S. xii. 84. 151.)

I am much obliged to the REV. W. M. CAM- PION for giving me reasons for assigning two of these shields ; but as several still remain unap- propriated, I am glad of the opportunity of a new series of " N. & Q." to repeat my desiderata. To be as brief as possible, I want the families bearing the following arms, and their probable connection with the Cleres. The tinctures I cannot give, as I have only the brass to guide me ; but I shall be happy to forward any heraldic correspondent rubbings of them.

1. Qn a chevron, three estoiles.

2. ... Three roses, two and one. The only Norfolk family bearing this is Southwell. Query, what connection with the Cleres ?

3. On a bend three raascles. Query, Carleton, Peart, or Pert, and connection ?

I have lately examined the fine altar-tomb of Sir Edward Clere in Blickling Church, Norfolk, which contains in sixteen panels emblazoned shields of the descents of Clere.

1. Cleremont, who came into England with William the Conqueror.

2. Clere [Arg. on a fesse az. three eagles dis- played or] impales Patele, or, three spears sa. The Lord Clarrey, or Clere, married a daughter of Godfrey, Earl of Patele.

3. Clere impales Martel.

4. Clere impales Amberfield.

5. Clere impales Molyns.

6. Clere quarters Ormesby.

7. Clere quarters Ormesby and impales Snecke.

8. Clere quarters Ormesby and Snecke, and impales Westlesse.

9. Clere quarters Ormesby, Snecke, and West- lesse, and impales Somerton.

10. Clere and his quarters impales Filby.

11. Clere, &c. impales Wichingham.

12. Clere, Ormesby, Snecke, Ormesby, West- lesse, and Wichingham impales Branche.

13. Clere, &c. as before, impaling Udale, quar- tering Rees and Rusteyn.

14. Clere and his quarters, viz. Ormesby, Snecke, Westlesse, Wichingham, Somerton, Udale, and his two quarters of Rees and Rusteyn, im- paling Boleyn.