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NOTES 'AND QUERIES. [9 th s. vm. DEC. 28, 1901.

KOYAL ANTEDILUVIAN ORDER OF BUF- FALOES. While lately in the Midlands, chiefly in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottingham, and also in Lancashire, I saw at several hotels charters (or, as I think they are called, dispensations) for the opening of new lodges of the above order. They are appar- ently signed by different officers grand primo, deputy grand primo, and grand secretary. The latter appears to be the only permanent officer, as the other names vary from time to time. I shall be glad to know something of the chief officers who from time to time have been the rulers of this well-known philan- thropic society or order, which I was told in Manchester and Bolton was the " poor man's masonry." JAMES HENRY MORTON.

"THE BOOKS ARE ALL OPEN." In what song and by what author are the words :

The books are all open, the lawyers are met,

A terrible shew ?

The _" song" being mentioned as a "foolish" one in January, 1799, must have been written before that date, arid probably before 1760.

W. I. R. V. [It is in Gay's ' Beggar's Opera.']

BURIAL SERVICE READ OVER A RAIL. The brother of a friend of mine was some few years since a curate in one of the iron-work- ing towns of Lancashire. One day a man in the parish of which he had charge fell into a furnace of molten metal, and of course vanished for ever. The comrades of the poor felW were greatly concerned, and did not rest till the curate had consented to bury with religious rites one of the rails into which the iron was run. The rail selected was enclosed in a wooden box, borne to the grave- yard, and laid solemnly in the ground, though, I understand, it was not taken into the church. What was the motive which induced the iron - workers to demand this burial? Were they influenced by affection and sentiment ; or did they fear that the ghost of their old companion might prove unquiet and troublesome were the funeral rites neglected ? G W

BRONZE COIN. What is the coin in bronze about the size of a farthing, which has on one side the Queen's head, with the inscrip- tion encircling it Victoria Regina," and on the other side a king of diamonds, six of spades, and five of clubs, arranged over- lapping each other, with the king of diamonds in the centre ? Is anything whatever known about it? CHAS

Boston, U.S.

[Query a card-marker ?]

LONDON M.P.s. Capt. John Jones was M.P. for London in the two Cromwellian Parliaments of 1656-8 and 1659, and also in the lengthy " Pensionary " Parliament of 1661-79. From the fact that he was one of the 105 members " kept out of the Parliament house by armed men 17 Sept., 1656," we may assume that he was not an ardent Crom- wellian. I have failed further to identify him.

William Love, M.P. for London 1661 to 1681, and in 1689 till his death in May that year. He was elected alderman of Port- soken Ward 27 January, 1659, but was removed from his aldermanry by order of the king in June, 1662. He was elected Sheriff of London in 1659, but appears to have been discharged shortly afterwards, the remainder of his year of office being filled up by the appointment of Sir William Vincent. He was a supporter of the Rump Parliament, by which, in December, 1659, he was made a Commissioner of Customs, and on 1 January,

1660, placed on the Council of State. From these offices he withdrew when the secluded members returned to the House the following month.

Pepys in his ' Diary,' under date 20 March,

1661, expresses surprise at the

" strange election the City of London made yester- day for parliament men, viz., Fpwke, Love, and Jones, men that so far from being episcopall are thought to be Anabaptists and chosen with a great deal of zeale, in spite of the other party that thought themselves so strong."

Further information respecting these two republican M.P.s, whose Parliamentary ser- vices were retained by the City so long after the Restoration, will be acceptable.

W. D. PINK.

FIRE AT ILMINSTER. Collinson, i. 2, says that Ilminster "frequently suffered by fire, particularly in the year 1491, when it was nearly reduced to ashes." He gives no authority for this statement, but there are records of other fires. Can any reader of 'N. & Q.' supply the reference which Collin- son omits 1 F. T. ELWORTHY.

LORD BEAULIEU'S PICTURES AT DITTON PARK. When were these dispersed, and can any of them now be traced 1 Any particulars would be gratefully received by

ALLAN FEA.

Calice House, Newnham, Kent.

THE PARENTAGE OF CAESAR BORGIA. In ' Chronicles of the House of Borgia,' by Baron Corvo, just published, the author, amongst other strange theories, tries to prove that Caesar Borgia was the son, not of Pope