MINOR QUERIES.

Duke of Marlborough.—The Annual Register for the year 1758 (pp. 121-127.) contains an account of the circumstances connected with the trial of one Barnard, son of a surveyor in Abingdon Buildings, Westminster, on a charge of sending letters to the Duke of Marlborough, threatening his life by means "too fatal to be eluded by the power of physic," unless his grace "procured him a genteel support for his life." The incidents are truly remarkable, pointing most suspiciously toward Barnard; but he escaped. Can any of your readers refer me to where I can find any further account or elucidation of this affair?

Buriensis.

"M. or N."—Of what words are "M. or N." the initials? Vide the answers to be given in the Church Catechism, and some of the occasional offices in he liturgy.

J.C.

[It has been suggested that "M. or N." originated in a misreading of "NOM," a contraction for "nomen." This is certainly an ingenious explanation, though not a satisfactory one.]

Song of the Bees.—Who was the author of the lines under this title beginning,

"We watch for the light of the moon to break

and colour the grey eastern sky

With its blended hues of saffron and lake," &c.

I have always understood them to be Dr. Aikin's, but latterly that has been contradicted.

Buriensis.

William Godwin.—Can any of your correspondents tell me where I can find an account of the leading events of the life of William Godwin, author of Caleb Williams, St. Leon, Mandeville &c., or any reference to his last hours? His sentiments, political and religious, are said to have been peculiar.

Woodbridge, April 15.

Regimental Badges.—When were the regimental badges granted to the first nine infantry corps of the line, and under what circumstances were they so granted?

J.C.

London, April 15. 1850.

Mother of Thomas à Becket.—The well-known romantic legend of the origin of this lady has been introduced into the Pictorial History of England, on the authority of "Brompton in X. Scriptores." And on the same page (552. vol. i.) is a pictorial representation of the "Baptism of the Mother of Becket, from the Royal MS. 2 B. vii."

Now, Lord Campbell, in his Lives of the Chancellors, repudiates the story in toto; but without assigning any other reason for doing so, than an inference from the silence of Becket himself and his secretary, Fitzstephen, on the point.

Can any of the learned gentlemen, whose distinguished names adorn your valuable pages, direct an humble student to the fountain of truth, for the settlement of this verata questio?

W. Franks Mathews.

Kidderminster, April 7. 1850.

Swords worn in public.—Can any of your correspondents say when swords ceased to be worn as an article of ordinary dress, and whether the practice was abolished by act of parliament, or that they gradually went out of fashion.

J.D.A.

April 17. 1850.

Emblem and National Motto of Ireland.—How long has the harp been the emblem, and Erin-go-bragh the national motto of Ireland? To this I give another query,—What is the national motto of England?

E.M.B.

Latin Distich and Translation.—Who were the authors of the following Latin Distich, and its English translation?

"Mittitur in disco mihi piscis ab archiepisco—

—Po non ponatur, quia potus non mihi datur."

"I had sent me a fish in a great dish by the archbish—

—Hop is not here, for he gave me no beer."

E.M.B.

Verbum Græcum.—Who was the author of

"Like the verbum Græcum

Spermagoraiolekitholukanopolides,

Words that should only be said upon holidays,

When one has nothing else to do."

The verbum Græcum itself is in Aristophanes' Lysistrata, 457.

E.M.B.

Pope Felix.—Who is "Pope Felix," mentioned in Ælfric's Homily on the Birthday of St. Gregory? Ælfric, in speaking of the ancestors of St. Gregory, states that "Felix se eawfaesta papa waes his fifta faeder,"—"Felix the pious pope was his fifth father," (i.e. great grandfather's grandfather).

E.M.B.

April 15. 1850.

"Where England's Monarch," and "I'd preach as though."—Will any of your subscribers have the kindness to inform me who was the author of the lines

"Where England's monarch all uncovered sat

And Bradshaw bullied in a broad-brimm'd hat."

And also of these, quoted by Henry Martyn as "well-known:"

"I'd preach as though I ne'er should preach again,

I'd preach as dying unto dying men."

H.G.

Milford, April 15. 1850.

Latin Epigram.—I should be much obliged to any of your readers who can inform me who was the author and what is the date of the following epigram. The peculiarity of it, your readers will observe, consists in the fact, that while read directly it contains a strong compliment; yet it is capable of being read backwards, still forming the same description of verse, but conveying a perfect reverse of the compliment:—

"Laus tua, non tua fraus; virtus non copia rerum,

Scandere te fecit hoc decus eximium,

Pauperibus tua das; nunquam stat janua clausa;

Fundere res quæris, nec tua multiplicas.

Conditio tua sit stabilis! non tempore parvo

Vivere te faciat hic Deus omnipotens."

When reversed, it reads thus:—

"Omnipotens Deus hic faciat te vivere parvo

Tempore! Non stabilis sit tua conditio.

Multiplicas tua, nec quæris res fundere; clausa

Janua stat, nunquam das tua pauperibus.

Eximium decus hoc fecit te scandere rerum

Copia, non virtus; fraus tua, non tua laus."

Any additional information would much oblige.

April 15. 1850.