Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 12.djvu/77

 o*s. xn. JULY 25, 1903.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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was of opinion that it was Dr. Gumming. Very likely it was. But (2) who was Cardinal Boccavera 1 Is he, as Camerlingo, Cardinal Rampolla, a possible candidate for the Papacy 1 The identification would be interesting, even though it be purely con- jectural. Zola is no longer here to provide the key, but Mr. Vizetelly might be able to do so. J. B. McGovERN.

St. Stephen's Rectory, C.-on-M., Manchester.

LEGITIMACY OF MONMOUTH ASSERTED BY HIS HEIRS. In the Sphere for 16 May the following sentence appeared :

" Not only have crowned heads visited Dalkeith Palace,, but the heir of Dalkeith himself was enthusiastically proclaimed king at Sanquhar in 1692, notwithstanding the severance of his father's head (in 1685) for laying claim to the throne of

England and allowing himself to be proclaimed

king of England."

I am most anxious to learn where I may obtain a detailed account of the above pro- ceedings, and to know if it is the last occasion upon which the family .have moved in the matter. Any facts relating to a claim or claims subsequent to 1685 will prove interesting. GEORGE GILBERT.

9, Marlborough Place, Brighton.

ROYAL INFIRMARY, EDINBURGH. Mai tland, on p. 450 of his * History of Edinburgh' (1753), after a few preliminary remarks upon the want of a charitable foundation for the relief of sick poor, goes on to say that " divers well disposed Persons, having with great Concern, observed this to be the Case of Edinburgh, resolved to attempt to remedy this Defect; for which Purpose, in the Year 1721, they published an exhprtatory Pamphlet, setting forth the great Necessity and Advantage of such an Hospital to the Nation; and published Proposals for raising a Fund to accomplish so good a Work : But there appearing so little Probability of Success, dropt the Prosecution of their Scheme."

Can any reader give me information con- cerning the "exhortatory Pamphlet" referred to as being published in 1721 1 I am making a search at the British Museum, but so far without result.

CUTHBERT E. A. CLAYTON. Richmond, Surrey.

BLACK CATS.

" A fine black cat, a pet, belonging to one of our neighbours in the fort, had been knocked off a tree in his compound and cruelly beaten to death by a man who was passing with a bamboo in his hand. It came out in evidence that the Mahrattas are fond of eating black cats. Full of this story, I related it to our English nurse, who, turning round to the ayah, 5 said: 'Surely the Mahrattas do not eat cats?' 'Yes, yes,' was the reply; 'eat white cat, but black cat best.' ' Is it possible,' exclaimed the European, ' that you have ever eaten cat? ' * Me!

no, no,' said the old lady, licking her lips; ' but black cat very good.' Other Hindoos would die rather than eat cat, and the fact of its being done by the Mahrattas goes to confirm the notion that they are a people who have never been subdued by conquest." Mrs. Guthrie, ' My Year in an Indian Fort '( 1877), ii. 136.

Are these statements correct? I cannot find any reference to them in Sir J. Camp- bell's ' Notes on the Spirit Basis of Belief and Custom.' EMERITUS.

PREMIER PRUDENT, A FRENCH OFFICE. In the first volume of the Coke Manuscripts, published by the Royal Historical Manu- scripts Commission, is given (pp. 461-2) a letter of 24 June, 1632, from Richard Bogan, at Rouen, to Sir John Coke, Secretary of State, in which reference is made to "the premier prudent of this Parliament, who

)verneth this city in the absence of the overnor." Is anything known of this office? Were the members of the Parlement at Rouen known as prudenU, and the senior among them as the premier 1 POLITICIAN.

PECULIARS. Can any reader of 'N. & Q.' direct me to a book dealing with the question of church peculiars, such as Hawarden once was 1 There were many such parishes in England in the past with special jurisdiction. A list of them should be put on record in your pages.

T. CANN HUGHES, M.A., F.S.A.

Lancaster.

[At 9 th S. vii. 421 and 463 the REV. C. B. MOUKT gave a history of ecclesiastical peculiars and a sketch of several of them. See also 9 th S. viii. 71.]

ADVENT OF THE TYPEWRITER. Is it a fact that the treaty of peace signed by the Boer generals was "typed," and is the first such treaty 1 The army on active service has long found the advantages of typewriters, as is evidenced by numerous drawings in the illus- trated papers; the navy also seems to have officially used the instruments for several years. For the past ten years the registered copies of wills at Somerset House have been typewritten, and all copies of wills now issued from the principal probate registry are in typewriting. Only two or three of the pro- vincial probate registries, have yet adopted the system, the reason for delay being a dislike on the part of the registrars to make any changes in their staffs, the present clerks having as yet not become typists. This is a little surprising, considering that even that conservative fraternity the solicitors are now getting a great deal of their work done in typewriting, and for many years wills have been typewritten and admitted to probate.