Y.
[* John Darke of Breedon, Esq. See Nash's Worcestershire, Supplement, p. 102.—Ed.]
Tree of the Thousand Images.—Father Huc, in his journey to Thibet, gives an account of a singular tree, bearing this title, and of which the peculiarity is that its leaves and bark are covered with well-defined characters of the Thibetian alphabet. The tree seen by MM. Huc and Gabet appeared to them to be of great age, and is said by the inhabitants to be the only one of its kind known in the country. According to the account given by these travellers, the letters would appear to be formed by the veins of the leaves; the resemblance to Thibetian characters was such as to strike them with astonishment, and they were inclined at first to suspect fraud, but, after repeated observations, arrived at the conclusion that none existed. Do botanists know or conjecture anything about this tree?
C. W. G.
De Burgh Family.—I shall feel much obliged for references to the early seals of the English branch of the family of De Burgh, descended from Harlowen De Burgh, and Arlotta, mother of William the Conqueror, especially of that English branch whose armorial bearings were—Or a cross gules: also for information whether the practice, in reference to the spelling of names, was such as to render Barow, of the latter part of the fifteenth century, Aborough some fifty years afterwards.
E. D. B.
Witchcraft Sermons at Huntingdon.—In an article on Witchcraft in the Retrospective Review (vol. v. p. 121.), it is stated that, in 1593—
"An old man, his wife and daughter, were accused of bewitching the five children of a Mr. Throgmorton, several servants, the lady of Sir Samuel Cromwell, and other persons.... They were executed, and their goods, which were of the value of forty pounds, being escheated to Sir S. Cromwell, as lord of the manor, he gave the amount to the mayor and aldermen of Huntingdon, for a rent-charge of forty shillings yearly, to be paid out of their town lands, for an annual lecture upon the subject of witchcraft, to be preached at their town every Lady-Day, by a doctor or bachelor of divinity, of Queen's College, Cambridge."
Is this sum yet paid, and the sermon still preached, or has it fallen into disuse now that it is unpopular to believe in witchcraft and diabolic possession? Have any of the sermons been published?
Edward Peacock, Junior.