Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/216

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NOTES AND QUERIES.

[2n s. NO 11., MAR. 15. '56.

But there be some would have it now forgot

There was a Godfrey killed ; nor any Plot ;

So impudent in Lies, with perjar'd Breath,

They do deny the Plot and Godfreys Death.

As those of Old, which we may still remember,

Wou'd Cancel clean the fifth day of November.

Into the Calendar, let us advance,

The Murther of brave Henry King of France.

Let France and Savoy curse the Jesuits train,

Three hundred thousand were in Ireland slain.

All Bonds of sacred Friendship you! unty,

Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy.

You take, untake, neither God nor Man you fear,

What you have Sworn, the next hour you'l Unswear.

Unto the Test, with double mind you stand,

You have a Pardon ready to your hand.

These are the Men, brave BEDLOWE ! who unjust

Wou'd trample down thy Honour in the Dust;

That by their Hocus-Pocus Tricks, in fine,

Thy Testimony they may undermine.

When did the Apostles teach ; pray Read their Story,

That killing Kings was the next way to Glory.

David, the next Successor was appointed,

Durst not lay hands on Saul, the Lord's Anointed

But you, what in the World was never known

Have framed a New Gospel of your own.

And being mounted on Ambitions Wings

Would fly aloft to Heaven by killing Kings,

And had not Bed^f's hand come to deliver

Our Noble Prince had fall'n asleep for ever.

"An Anacrostick.

W hat Blessed hand directed thee to pry

I nto the Jesuites subtile Policy ?

L et Wisdom that did set thee in the Path,

L imit our Foes, and bind their Boundless Wrath.

I wish that their Repentance truly may,

A nswer the Mischief of this fatal day.

M ay they that unadvisedly did climb,

B e truly sorrowful for their foul crime

E rect their humble minds to Heavenly things,

D ash all their future hopes of killing Kings:

L end them a melting Heart fill'd ful of Terror,

O pen their eyes that they may see their Error

W isdom that tames the raging of the Seas,

E nd all our Difference in Love and Peace.

"London : Printed by Th. Dawks, His Majesties British Printer, at the lilew Anchor, at the West end of St. Pawls, 1679."

Bayonets (2 nd S. i. 32. 128.) In the annexed warrant is to be found, I think, the first mention of bayonets in the English service. I have not Grose's work to refer to, but I do not think it is mentioned by him. I have copied it from a MS. in my possession, but whence the MS. was ob- tained I know not. I have no doubt it was copied from some authentic source.

" CHABLES II., R.

" April 2, 1672.

" Our will and pleasure is that a regiment of Dragoons, which we have established and ordered to be raised in 12 troops of fourscore in each, besides officers, who are to be under the command of our most entirely beloved cousin, Prince Rupert, shall be armed out of our stores remaining within our Office of Ordnance as followeth ; that is to say, three corporals, two sergeants, the gentlemen of arms, and twelve soldiers of each of the said twelve

troops, are to have and carry each of them one holbard [sic in MS.], and one case of pistols with holsters; and the rest of the soldiers of the several troops are to have and to carry each of them one matchlocke musket, with a collar of bandileers [ ?], and also to hare and carry a bayonet or great knife; that each lieutenant have and carry one partizan, and that two drums be delivered out for each troop of the said regiment, &c. &c. " By His Majesty's command,

" (Signe

To Sir Thos. Chicheley, Master-General of the Ordnance."

R. R. A.

MAHOMET AND HIS SUCCESSORS.

I have no doubt the following, extracted from a MS. in the British Museum (a MS. by a Christian writer, and bel^ging to the eighth century), will be interesting to some of your readers :

u Memorial of the Life of Mahomet * of God.

" After he entered his city, and from what (time) he entered three months.

" From his first year, and how long the life of every thing that arose after him over the Mahagaroje.f After they constituted him king, and how long there was fac- tion among them. Three months from the time Mahomed came.

" And Mahomed lived ten years.

" And Abu-beer, son of Abu-cohapha, two years and six months.

" And Omar, son of Kitab, ten years and three months.

" And Othman, son of Aphan, twelve years.

" And a sedition after Othman, five years and four months.

" And Moawiyah, son of Abusyaphan, nineteen years and two months.

" And Yezid, son of Moawiyah, three years and eight months.

" And a sedition after Yezid, nine months.

" And Mirwan, son of Hakem, nine months.

" And Abdulmelek, son of Mirwan, twenty-one years and one month.

" \Valid, son of Abdulmelek, nine years and one month.

" And Suleiman, son of Abdulmelek, two years and nine months.

" And Omar, son of Abdulaziz, two years and five months.

" And Yezid, son of Abdnlmelek, four years and one month and two davs.

" We reckon all" these years to be 104, and 5J months, and two days."

The same volume contains some notices of the early conquests of the Saracens, which are inter- esting as coining from a Christian, and a contem- porary. The extract above given, may probably be relied on as authentic, both with respect to the order of the Caliphs, and the length of their rule. It would seem to have been written at the close of the supremacy of Yezid II., or about A.D. 7'24.

B. H. COWPEK.

f Probablv from an Arabic root, signifying "to flee" whence Hegira. This word would then mean fugitives. J The sum is 104 years, four months, and two days.
 * A word erased, most likely " prophet."