310 NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s.x. APRIL 22, 1922. " HlLDEBBAND OAKTBEE." In 1716 was published in London ' An Answer to a Colonel's Letter,' by Hildebrand Oaktree (or Corporal Oaktree). Can anyone tell me the real name of the author ? I do not find the information in Halket and Laing. BUBDOCK. MALTBY FAMILY. I seek genealogical details of the ancestry of "William Maltby, b. 1645, said to be a descendant of the Mautby family of Mautby, a parish three miles west of Caister, and about five and a half miles north-west of Great Yarmouth. In the south wall of the nave of the church of SS. Peter and Paul is a tomb, with cross- legged recumbent effigy in armour, to a member of the Mautby family, formerly lords of the manor of Mautby. TVilliam Maltby, with his brother John, emigrated to America about 1666. They are said to have been of the rank of " gentle- man " were cultured men of prominence in the colony. The family tradition is that the father of William and John was active in the Civil Wars, that the family thus came into disfavour, and that their estates were confiscated. William Maltby had issue, by his first wife, Hannah . . . (1) Jane, (2) John, (3) Mary (b. 1672), (4) William (b. 1673), (5) Elizabeth (b. 1676), (6) David (b. 1679) ; by his second wife, Abigail, daughter of Deputy-Governor James Bishop, he had (7) Samuel (b. 1693), (8) Jonathan (b. 1698). A branch of the family appears to have migrated to Leicestershire. A Colonel Mautby or Maltby fell at the head of his volunteers in Sir Arthur Hesilrigg's corps at Roundway Down. William Maltby evidently had a near relative named Robert, as in 1673 a Robert Maltbye "witnesses a deed for William Maltby." The family had also property in Barbados in 1701. I shall appreciate any information re- garding the father of William and John. JAMES SETON-ANDEBSON. 39, Carlisle Road, Hove, Sussex. FBOGS AND SNAILS AS PUBIFIEBS OF WATEB. At the Cape in 1885 it used to be thought that frogs and toads purified the water which they frequented, and I think I have heard the same idea expressed here. It is certainly said here that water-snails should be kept in small aquaria to purify the water. Is there any foundation in fact for these beliefs ? ALFBED S. E. ACKEBMANN. BEEF : EFFECT ON ONE'S WIT. " I am a great eater of beef, and I believer that does harm to my wit " (' Twelfth Night,' I. iii. 84). Is this idea current and is there any truth in it ? The converse does not seem true, for vegetarians have no re- putations as wits ! ALFBED S. E. ACKEBMANN. THUMB BIBLES. I have recently ex- amined what I believe to be an unknown issue of the third edition of Taylor's Thumb Bible. It agrees with Col. Johnston's No. 6 in all particulars, except that the imprint of the general title bears the date " 1701.' r The bibliography of this book has been discussed in ' N. & Q.' from .time to time during the last 50 or 60 years, and on one occasion at least the date of this edition has been mentioned as a matter of uncertainty Col. Johnston also appears to be doubtful on the point ; it is, therefore, possible that the present copy is unique. Query, does any reader know of another copy (dated) t So far as I am aware the only biblio- graphy of this book is that of Col. William Johnston, originally published in the Edin- burgh Bibliographical Society Papers, vol. ix., and subsequently reprinted separately. I also beg to quote the following references in 'N. & Q.' : 1 S. iv. 4842 S. i. 232 ; xii. 122 3 S. iv. 528 10 S. ix. 366 ; xii. 367. The present copy, which is bound in black morocco, gilt tooled, with clasps, is in the possession of Mr. James Tregaskis, 66, Great Russell Street, W.C.I. R. LEWIS. PEEL YATES. Wanted, particulars of the Peel Yates families. Why are the names coupled ? Are they of English origin ? E. C. WIENHOLT. 3, Ellachie Road, Alverstoke, Hants. THOMAS ADAMS of Warkworth, North- umberland, published a volume of poems in 1811 with vignettes by Thomas Bewick. Can any reader give date and place of birth and death of Adams ? W. N. C. CHABLES (OB CHBISTOPHEB) ALCOCK, writer on cricket and football. When and where did he die ? W. N. C. DANIEL DE LIGNE was admitted on the foundation at Westminster School in 1673. Any information about him would be acceptable. G. F. R. B. WILLIAM JOHNSTOUN NEILSON NEALE, novelist, born in 1812, died in 1893. Any information will be esteemed. FBANK JAY.
