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 *s.m.MAY2o,'99.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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to fiiid that it now possesses no copy of the ab >ve * Tales ' of an earlier date than 1630- th s date of that from which Mr. W. C. H; zlitt transcribed the stories for his 'Shake- peare Jest-Books,' 1864. I am anxious to ob ain, if possible, an earlier text than 1630 foi my forthcoming work, and shall be much pleased if any reader of ' N. & Q.' knows of such a copy, either in a public library or in private hands, and will tell me if it be possible to gain access to it.

A. STAPLETON. 3D, Notintone Place, Sneinton, Nottingham.

1 CHIFFNEY-BIT." In 'Epthen,' opening of

I chap. xii. p. 109, Bell's edition : "Born of his mother with a natural Chiffney-bit in his mouth." If any one can tell me, writing to me direct, what is meant by a "Chiffney-bit,"

I 1 shall be greatly obliged to him.

W. TUCKWELL. Waltham Rectory, Grimsby.

[For a "Chifney rush "arid a " Chifney bit" see Diet. Nat. Biog.,' under 'Chifney, Sam,' and H.E.D.' Chifney was a celebrated jockey, who

invented the " Chifney bit," and after whom the

"Chifney rush" is named.]

UNE NATURALISTE. On demande une notice et un portrait de Madame Jeannette Power, nee de Villepreux, qui a etudie 1'Argonaute Argo et correspondu avec Owen. Nee (1795) jet morte (1871) a Juillac (France), elle avait epouse un irlandais, employe superieur au Icable anglais sous-marin de Sicile.

A. REBIERE.

11^, Boulevard Arago, Paris.

j ABBOT : BENTHAM FAMILY. Are there any jiirectdescendantslivingof Jeremiah Bentham, the father of the distinguished political writer Jeremy Bentham ? The latter's stepmother 'was a Miss Farr, and her first husband was the Rev. John Abbot. Mr. and Mrs. Abbot's second son Charles was a distinguished poli- tician, was for many years Speaker of the louse of Commons, and was created Baron olchester in 1817. When Mrs. Abbot mar- ied Mr. Bentham she doubtless would have aken with her the family pictures, three of vhich I am anxious to trace. These are not, <nd never have been, in the Colchester ranch, as I am informed by the present Lord Colchester. W. ROBERTS.

Carlton Villa, Klea Avenue, Clapham, S.W.

SIR WILLIAM CORNWALLIS is mentioned 'epeatedly in the Cecil MSS., and was a Anight at least as early as 1594. In a engthy letter to Sir Robert Cecil, dated 5 December, 1594, he speaks of his " 24 years' service," and of 20,000. he had spent in service.

I am unable to place him satisfactorily in the Cornwallis pedigree. He could not be Sir William Cornwallis, of Brome, father of the first Lord Cornwallis, who did not receive knighthood before 5 August, 1599. A Sir William Cornwallis married Catherine, daughter of Sir Philip Parker, of Arwarton. In Collins's ' Peerage ' this knight is said to have been eldest son of Sir Charles Corn- wallis the ambassador, and a nephew of Sir William, of Brome ; but I am inclined to think that he must have been of an earlier generation. Sir Philip Parker, of Arwarton, died in 1551. Can any correspondent help me to the identity of Sir William Cornwallis ?

W. D. PINK. Leigh, Lancashire.

BARONETCY OFFERED BY GEORGE III. In a certain memoir or biography which I have seen recently occurs this statement, which I transcribe very imperfectly from memory. I shall be infinitely obliged if any of your readers can tell me the name of the book in question :

" A certain minister of George III., about the year 1780, had just returned from a visit to the repre- sentative of an ancient and untitled county family. The king, on learning the name of his host, said, 'Yes, indeed, that is a good Plantagenet house. Will you convey to him that if he desires to obtain the honour of a baronetcy, that dignity is always at his disposal ? ' "

There were a very considerable number of noble and knightly families elevated to that honour between the years 1780 and 1790, and I should be glad to obtain the evidence of some contemporary writer that this was the king's intention. GANTELET D'OR.

LAMB AND BANNER. I have come across, on an old deed (c. 1734), an impression in sealing wax of the Sacred Lamb bearing a banner and standing on a torse. I should be glad to know of any family, British or foreign, to whom this crest belongs, and also whether it is the device of any trade or other guild.

MARKEN.

[Are you thinking of the device of the Temple ?]

LITERARY REMAINS OF JAMES SHAW, TYNRON, DUMFRIESSHIRE. Can any one in- form me where a prose sketch called 'The Mental Progress of the Devil ' appeared about the end of 1894 1 ROBERT WALLACE.

University, Edinburgh.

CHARLES STUART. In a letter from David Hume to Sir John Pringle, given in the Scots Magazine, vol. 1. p. 210, we read :

"I find that the Pretender's visit in England in the year 1753 was known to all the Jacobites ; and