Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 1.djvu/456

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448


NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. i. JUNE 4, 1910.


French Was " Mont joy et St. Dennis, corresponding to the English " England and St. George."

Can any one refer me to an English book of Shakespeare's time in which the French battle-cry occurs ? W. S. BRASSINGTON.

Stratford -up on -A von .

" QUILT.'-' Is there such a Word in the Anglo -Irish or other dialect of English meaning to traverse swiftly, or " devour the ground as a greyhound does in coursing " ? It is not in Wright's ' English Dialect Dictionary.* A. SMYTHE PALMER.

THREE-LEGGED RACE OR COSTUME. Can any one tell me the origin of the "three- legged race " which frequently is indulged in by " grown-ups " as well as boys? I should like quotations concerning it or the three-legged costume formerly popular at carnivals and masquerades. Is this costume derived from some classic original ?

Any information on this subject, or reference to books containing illustrations of it, will be welcomed. W. G. S.

Indianapolis.

" HAND YMAN " = SAILOR. When, and in what circumstances, was the term " handy- men " first applied to our bluejackets ? I believe it became popular, with the present generation at least, after the expeditious and clever use of their guns by the Naval Brigade at Ladysmith in October, 1899. The ' N.E.D.' mentions the word, but not with this meaning a fact which seems to support the foregoing surmise. Was it used in the same sense previous to this ?

R. BURNETT. 2, Rubislaw Place, Aberdeen.

GEORGE SMITH (1761-1825) was a con- tractor, and built Howth and Kingstown harbours. The firm of contractors to which he belonged was Messrs. Smith, Henry Mullen & McMahon. Gaskin's ' Varieties of Irish History * says these gentlemen were appointed by the English Government to carry out the building of Kingstown Harbour, and that they brought skilled labour with them from over the channel.

I want to know the birthplace of George Smith, and where he resided previous to the building of Howth and Kingstown harbours.

Howth Harbour was begun in 1807, and Kingstown in 1817. George Smith died in 1825, and was buried in Monkstown Church- yard, co. Dublin.

Please reply direct. R. W. P. SMITH. 62, Mowbray Road, South Shields.


MR. AGNEW ON THE HUGUENOTS. Some years ago a three -volume account of the struggles of the Huguenots in France after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes was written by Mr. Agnew. The book I refer to was published, I believe, at 10Z. a copy, and gave an account of the Huguenot regiments engaged in the struggle. One of my Hugue- not ancestors was chaplain of one of the regiments. I shall be much obliged if one of your readers will kindly tell me which, of the many publications on the subject by Mr. Agnew, is the particular one in which I can find what I seek. C. J. DURAND.

The Villa, Guernsey.

CHAPLAINS TO THE KINGS OF ENGLAND. Can you kindly inform me whether there is any list of the Chaplains to the Kings of England ? I particularly wish to procure such a list, dating from 1750. E. MAYO. 14, Burgess Road, Basingstoke.

COMETS AND PRINCES : JULIUS CAESAR. It may be not untimely just now, when the beloved ruler of the United Kingdom has been suddenly called away, and Halley's Comet has reappeared, to ask a question concerning a well-known passage in ' Julius Caesar.' Calpurnia, trying to retain Caesar at home, says to him : When beggars die, there are no comets seen ; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of

princes.

Has that comet been identified ?

H. KJREBS.

Oxford.

PAUL KESTER. I shall be greatly obliged if any one will give me information regarding Paul Kester, poet and author. I desire to purchase the musical rights over some words of his. H. G.

LATIN LAW PLEADINGS. I have before me a memorandum with a reference to H. T. Buckle's ' History of Civilization/ first edition, i. 239, in which it is stated that law proceedings were changed from Latin to the vernacular in England in 1730. Another statement, where no authority is given, informs us that this change occurred at Easter, 1733.

Is either of these dates correct ? If both are errors, will some one record in ' N. & Q.* the true date ? ASTARTE.

STRETTELL-UTTERSON. Can any one help me to identify the owner of a collection of books sold by Evans in 1832, of which the title reads : ' Catalogue of Curious, Rare, and Valuable Books from the Library of a