Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/420

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NOTES AND QUERIES.

[2<S. N 21., MAY 24. '56.

1770, or at all events during the early part of the reign of George III., may I pause for a reply as to when it was discontinued ?

" la the case of such as at their trial refuse to plead guilty or not guilty, the prisoner is laid upon his back, and his arms and legs being extended with cords, and a considerable weight laid upon his breast, he is allowed only three morsels of barley- bread, which is given him the next day without drink, after which he is allowed nothing but foul water until he expires. This punish- ment is, however, seldom inflicted; hut some offenders have chose it in order to preserve tlieir estates for tlieir children. Those guilty of this crime are not now suffered to undergo such a length of torture, but have so great a weight placed on them that they soon expire,"

R. W. HACKWOOD.

Personage referred to by Pascal,

" Would any have thought that a man who enjoyed the friendship of the kings of England and Poland, and the queen of Sweden, should at length have wanted a safe retreat, a shelter, and asylum in the world?" Pascal's Thoughts, Edinburgh, 1751, p. 155.

Who is the individual referred to in the above ? * G. N.

Submarine Duel: Some years ago, when Mr. Deane and his corps of divers were employed in clearing the wreck of the " Eoyal George " from the anchorage at Spithead, two privates in the Sappers and Miners at work under water, squab- bled and had a set-to in the briny deep : one of them succeeded in breaking a window in his an- tagonist's helmet, and the unfortunate diver was dragged up to the surface half drowned. I shall be much obliged to any engineer or marine officer who is well acquainted with the circumstance, to give particulars as to the date, depth of water, name of the men, the occasion of the quarrel, and moreover, if they were brought to a court-martial.

Formerly terrestrial duels were of frequent oc- currence, but if this " affair of honour " really happened, such a submarine duel ought to be chronicled in " N. & Q.," and might be added to the list of the[seven wonders of the world !

CENTURION.

Athenaeum Club.

" Elucidarium." I have a MS. volume in small 4to., which is, according to the note of a former owner, of the twelfth century ; and from the consistency of the vellum, and the character (abounding in contractions), probably may be so. It is entitled Elucidarium, and is in three books, in the form of a dialogue between Magister et Diseipulus, commencing thus :

" Incipit Prologus in libros elucidarii. Ssepius rogatus a condiscipulis quasdam qusestiunculas enodare: impor- tunitati illorum non fuit facultas negando obviare. Prse-

[* It may help to the solution of this Query to state that the reference of Pascal is to the contemporary sove- reigns Charles I. of England, John Casimir of Poland, and Christina, Queen of Sweden.]

sertim metuens illo eulogio multari : si creditum talentum mallem intra silendo occultari."

This rhyming, however, from which Dean Swift might have borrowed the idea of his own ludicrous long measure, does not extend beyond the pro- logue, the dialogue being carried on in sober prose.

I shall be much obliged to any reader of " N. Q." for accurate information respecting the mediaeval abridgments of theology called Eluci- daria, or Libri Elucidarii, of which there are, I believe, several extant, one being attributed to St. Anselm. PHILOBIBLOS.

Prebends of Stow Longa, Sfc. I shall be obliged by information, which may be briefly given, when and by whom the Prebend of Stow Longa in the cathedral church of Lincoln was founded, of what the endowment consisted, and where the deed of foundation, or a copy, may be seen ?

Also for similar particulars with respect to the prebends of Leighton Bromswold Ecclesia, and Spaldwick alias Sanctas Crucis, in the same ca- thedral. STOKE.

Glycerine for Naturalists. In a newspaper article on glycerine, which I read a few weeks ago, it was stated, among other important pro- perties, that glycerine was the best means known for preserving specimens in natural history, ena- bling the objects to retain even their natural colour. I have lately been experimenting with this substance on Actinias, Molluscs, &c., but very unsuccessfully : the objects have decayed very rapidly in the glycerine.

Can any readers of " N. & Q." explain this, or instruct me in the mode of using the above ? Or can they furnish me with any other method of attaining the same end ?

Goadley's recipes I am acquainted with.

I. M. 4.

Churches under Sequestration. In the time of the Commonwealth I find certain churches, or chancels of churches, repaired at the expense of the sequestrators. Can any of your readers refer me to the act which gave power to the Committee of Sequestrations to expend money for this pur-

pose

J. A.

Medals of the British Army. Everything con- nected with the army of England is now an object of interest to all, and the fact of her soldiers having acquired a new decoration for the Crimea does not supersede the value of respect for pre- vious honours. Some time has now elapsed since the Peninsular war and naval medals were granted, and perhaps there are no instances of the possessors of either wearing similar clasps or bars. I hope that through your valuable pages we may