Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 1.djvu/50

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NOTES AND QUERIES.


[9 th S. L JAN. 15, '98.


parts of this Snytterfield land (one of the seven coheirs being then dead), which Agnes Arden held in dower of the inheritance of the said Mary Shakspere. This Robert Webb was first cousin to the poet, his father, Alexander, having married Mary Arden's sister, and Agnes, who claimed dower as widow of Robert Arden, was aunt of Robert Webb as well as stepmother -in -law of his father.

There is, therefore, absolute proof that John Shakspere, the poet's father, was en- titled in reversion to the estate of Snytter- field, which Robert Arden purchased, and of which Richard Shakspere was his tenant, as well as tenant of his widow, down to the time of his death ; that Richard left a son John; and if MB. VINCENT cannot see the inference that the two Johns were identical, it can only be by the rejection of the clearest inference which follows from the facts. I venture to say that the case is proved, and that the evidence is sufficient for any jury to find it ; unless, indeed, it can be laid down that inferences are not to be drawn from facts a manifest absurdity.

PYM YEATMAN.

Thorpe Cottage, Teddington.


DUELS IN THE WAVERLEY NOVELS.

As everything connected with these won- derful and evergreen romances is interesting, those of your readers who, like myself, are loyal subjects of " le roi des romanciers," as George Sand calls Sir Walter, may like to see the following list of duels in the Waverley novels. Those where there is only a chal- lenge, but where the parties do not actually fight, I have distinguished by an asterisk. It may be objected that some in my list are single combats rather than what we under- stand by "duels." However this may be, I have not included any that take place during an actual battle, or in "the current of a heady fight," such as the Black Knight's hand-to-nand encounters with Front-de-Bo3uf and De Bracy at Torquilstone, or Bothwell's terrible single-handed fight with Burley at Drumclog. When one reads this long list of duels one feels thankful that there is no fear of any one at least in our own land having his life snuffed out in this wretched way now, though I believe that duels were fought in England so lately as the forties.

If any of your readers should notice any omissions from my list, will they kindly point them out ?

  • Waverley.' The Baron and Balmawhapple.
  • Waverley and Fergus Mac-Ivor.


' Guy Mannering.' Col. Mannering and Vanbeest Brown (Bertram), in India. ' The Antiquary.' Lovel and Capt. M'Intyre. 'Rob Roy?-Frar'


ank Osbaldistone and his cousin Rashleigh, "in Glasgow. Thorncliff Osbaldistone was killed in a duel with "a gentleman of the Northumbrian border, to the full as fierce and ntractable as himself."

'The Bride of Lammermoor.' Ravenswood and Bucklaw. *Ravenswood and Col. Ashton. Col. Ashton was finally "slain in a duel in Flanders," the details of which are not stated.

  • Ivanhoe.' Ivanhoe and the Templar.

' The Monastery.' Halbert Glendinning and Sir Piercie Shafton.

' Kenil worth.' Tressilian and Varney. Tressilian and the Earl of Leicester (twice).

' The Fortunes of Nigel.' Glen varloch and Lord Dalgarno.

Peveril of the Peak.' *Sir Geoffrey Peveril and Major Bridgenorth.

' St. Ronan's Well.' *Tyrrel and Sir Bingo Binks. Mowbray and Lord Etherington.

' Redgauntlet.' *Redgauntlet and Lord (not

named). (This quarrel was " southered " as soon as begun.)

' The Talisman.' Sir Kenneth and the Emir. Sir Kenneth and Conrade of Montserrat.

' Woodstock.' Louis Kerneguy (Charles II.) and Col. Everard. *The same, later in the story.

The Fair Maid of Perth.' Hal of the Wynd and Bonthron.

Anne of Geierstein.' Arthur Philipson and Rudolph Donnerhugel.

'My Aunt Margaret's Mirror.' Sir Philip Forester and Major Falconer.

' The Two Drovers.' Robin Oig M'Combich and Harry Wakefield (not strictly a "duel," although fatal enough).

' The Surgeon's Daughter.' Richard Middlemas and the Lieutenant-Colonel of Fort St. George.

' The Death of the Laird's Jock.' Young Arm- strong and Foster.

In Sir Walter's poetical romances the duels that I at present remember are those of Cranstoun with William of Deloraine, and Cranstoun with Musgrave, in 'The Lay of the Last Minstrel'; Marmion with the sup- posed Elfin Warrior (really De Wilton) ; and Fitz- James with Roderick Dhu, in ' The Lady of the Lake.' JONATHAN BOUCHIEK.

Ropley, Alresford, Hants.


ROBERT BURTON. Burton's 'Anatomy of Melancholy ' has been a favourite work with the publishers and booksellers ; few books of the seventeenth century have been reissued more frequently in this nineteenth century. Why this has been so it is hard to under- stand, for it would seem to be essentially a book for the few, and most readers would agree with Lamb when he exclaimed, " What hapless stationer could dream of Burton's ever becoming popular?" The eight folio editions (1621 to 1676) seem to have an- swered all demands until the beginning of the present century, although Watt quotes,