MINOR QUERIES.

Dr. Timothy Thruscross.—What is known of the Rev. Dr. Timothy Thruscross, Thirscross, or Thurscross? I am in possession of the very little related by Wood, Ath. Oxon. et Fasti, Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy, Life of Barwich, and the interesting notices scattered in several parts of Sir H. Slingsby's Diary; but this only renders me anxious for more, and I should be glad to receive other references.

W. DN.

Echo Song.—Meaning of Thwaites.—Would you be kind enough to insert the inclosed poem as I am very desirous of being made acquainted with the name of the writer. I expect, from various reasons, that it was written about the year 1645:—

AN ECHO.

"What wantst thou, that thou art in this sad taking?

A King.

What made him first remove hence his residing?

Siding.

Did any here deny him satisfaction?

Faction.

Tell me wherein the strength of faction lies?

On Lies.

What didst though when the king left his parliament?

Lament.

What terms wouldst give to gain his company?

Any.

What wouldst thou do if here thou mightst behold him?

Hold him.

But wouldst thou save him with they best endeavour?

Ever.

But if he come not, what become of London?

Undone."

I also wish to know (if any of your readers will enlighten me I shall be obliged) what is the meaning of the name "Thwaites." It is a very common name, there being Thwaites, Thornthwaites, Hawthornthwaites, Haythornthwaites, in abundance through all part of England.

LLYD RHYS MORGAN.

Deus Justificatus.—Can any of your readers give any information respecting the authorship of the book entitled:—

"Deus Justificatus, or the Divine Goodness vindicated and cleared, against the Assertors of Absolute and Inconditionate Reprobation. Together with some Refections on a late Discourse of Mr. Parkers concerning the Divine Dominion and Goodness. London, 1668." 8vo. pp. xxxii. 280. iii.?

My copy (which has the autograph of Richard Claridge, the quaker) has written on the title in an old hand "By H. Hallywell." In the Biographia Britannica vol. iv., p. 546., 2d edit., it is said to be by Ralph Cudworth. If so, it has escaped Birch and the other editors of this celebrated writer.

JOHN J. DREDGE.

Death by Burning (Vol. ii., p. 6.).—In the Mendip mining district in Somersetshire, I am credibly informed that within seventy years a person has been burned alive for stealing ore from the pit mouth. There must be some old inhabitant who can attest this fact, and it would be desirable to obtain its confirmation.

J.W.H.

Irish Bull.—What is the exact definition of an Irish bull? When was the term first applied to the species of blunder which goes by that name?

GRIFFIN.

Farquharson's Observations on Auroræ.—A translation of the Course of Meteorology, by Professor Kaenitz, of Halle, by Mr. C.V. Walker, was published at London in 1845, in one volume 12mo. The work was written in German, and afterwards translated into French, and the English work is derived from the French translation. In p. 459. the following passage occurs:

"It is chiefly to the shepherd Farquharson, at Alford, in Aberdeenshire, that we are indebted for a long series of observations on auroræ; and he endeavoured to prove that their height is inconsiderable."

Lower down it is said:

"At the same time, another Protestant minister, Mr. James Paull, at Tullynessle, four kilometres from Alford, saw that the aurora possessed an unusual clearness in the zenith, so that its height did not perhaps exeed 1300 metres."

I have neither the original German work nor the French translation at hand to refer to; but I have a strong suspicion that the word translated shepherd is pasteur, and that it is used to designate Mr. Farquharson as minister of Alford.

Smith's Vitæ Eruditissimorum et Illustrium Virorum.—In his Life of Sir Peter Young he quotes Ex Ephemeride Cl. V.D. Petri Junii, but does not say where it was preserved. This (so-called) Ephemeris was written by Sir Peter in his later years, partly perhaps from memory, partly from notes, and, as might be expected, is not free from errors of date which admit of correction from other sources. Smith, following Camden, places Easter Seatown, Young's chief residence, in Lothian, whereas it is in Forfarshire, about a mile from Arbroath, and was part of the property of the great Abbey to which that town belonged. Is it known whether this Ephemeris is extant? and, if so, where?

SCOTUS.

Defender of the Faith.—In Banks' Dormant and Extinct Baronage, pp. 408-9., vol. iv., I find the following:—

"He ( Henry VIII.) was the first English monarch who obtained the title of Defender of the Faith, which was conferred upon him by Pope Leo X., for a book written by him against Martin Luther."

To which the following note is subjoined:—

"But in a letter from Christopher Wren, Esq., to Francis Peek, M.A. (author of the Desiderata Curiosa), it is thus stated, viz., 'that King Henry VII. had the title of Defender of the Faith, appears by the Register of the Order of the Garter in the black book, (sic dictum a tegmine), now in my hands, by office, which having been shown to King Charles I., he received with much joy; nothing more pleasing him than that the right of that title was fixed in the crown long before the Pope's pretended donation, to all which I make protestation to all posterity.' Αυτογραφω, hoc meo. Ità testor. Chr. Wren, à memoria, et secretis Honoratissimi Ordinis. Wrexham, 4 March, 1736-7."

In support of this note, I find in Chamberlayne's Present State of England, 1669, p. 88., this statement:

"Defender of the Faith was anciently used by the Kings of England, as appears by several charters granted to the University of Oxford, &c."

As the word anciently, I conceive, applies to a period anterior to 1521, may I express a hope that some of your learned subscribers at Oxford will favour your readers with the dates of the charters alluded to; and, if possible, some information as to the circumstances which led to the adoption of the title "Defender of the Faith" by the kings of England previous to the reign of Henry VIII.

ROBERT ANSTRUTHER, Lieut.-Col.

Bayswater.

Calendar of Sundays in Greek and Romish Churches.—Where can I find good authority on the calendar of Sundays in the Greek Church, and in the Roman? As to the latter, the missals and directories only give the current year: as to the former, there is no work I know of which gives anything.

Dandridge the Painter.—At Osterley Park (Lord Jersey's) is the only example of the pencil of Dandridge, bearing his signature and the date 1741.

Through neglect and the effect of time this able work has been dried up, so that we may say—

"The wine of life is drawn, and nothing

Left but the mere lees:"

but there's savour of merit and signs of goodly craft for the dark age of its birth. In the group of three children of life-size we have a rare work of the period when few men of genius wielded the brush or daubed canvas, even through the inspiring patronage of a wealthy banker, whose progeny they are—and this is executed too before academies and societies offered their fostering aid, and when Hogarth struggled on probably side by side with Dandridge. Some of your readers may have traces of him and of his works, and may be able to trace his memory to the grave. All that Walpole has of him is (p. 439.):

"Son of a house painter; had great business from his felicity in taking a likeness. He sometimes painted small conversations, but died in the vigour of his age."

QUESTOR.

Athenæum, Nov. 20. 1850.

Chaucer's Portrait by Occleve.—Is the portrait of Chaucer which Occleve drew in his translation of Egidius de Roma to be found in all the MSS. of that work? and, if so, has it ever been engraved. I have not Urry's Chaucer by me, or perhaps he could save you the trouble of answering the question.

On reference to Watts, I find he does not even mention this work of Occleve, but contents himself with a piece of supercilious criticism; whereas the notices which Occleve takes of passing events (of which the character of Chaucer is one) are at least valuable (although his poetry may not be the best in the world), and his work is also valuable in giving us the phraseology of the fourteenth century.

John o'Groat's House.—Does any authenticated view of the building called John o'Groat's House in Caithness exist, and are any traditions respecting it known beyond the certainly ridiculous account in the fifth volume of Beauties of Scotland, p.83.?

Can any of your readers point out an engraving of the old Konigs or Kaiserstuhl, at Rheuse, on the Rhine, as well as of its restoration in 1848, after being destroyed by the hordes of revolutionary France, in 1792? It is not in Merian or Zeiler. I have seen it, but cannot call to mind the author. Perhaps Alsatia Illustrata?

WILLIAM BELL, Phil. Dr.

Dancing the Bride to Bed—Old Hewson the Cobler.—I have a tune called "A round dance to dance the bride to bed." Can any of your readers favour me with notices of such a custom prevailing? The tune dates about 1630 or earlier, and resembles that of "The Hunt is up."

Another, printed about 1730, is called, "My name is Old Hewson the Cobler." Is this a cavelier's song in ridicule of the Roundhead Colonel Hewson; and are the words to be found?

WM. CHAPPELL.

[We trust these Queries may be regarded as a sign that Mr. Chappell is preparing a new edition of his valuable collection of National English Airs.—ED.]

Duke and Earl of Albemarle.—Albemarle has given a title of duke to the celebrated General Monk, and that of earl to the family of Keppel. Will some of your correspondents tell me where

there is any place called Albemarle, which gives rise to these dignities, or why this title was assumed by these families?