S. S. S.
The Meaning of "Race" in Ship-building.—In Hawkin's Voyages ("Hakluyt Society, 1847"), p. 199., he says, "Here is offerred to speak of a point much canvassed amongst carpenters and sea-captains, diversely maintained but yet undetermined, that is, whether the race, or loftie built shippe, bee best for the merchant;" and again, p. 219.: "A third and last cause of the losse of sundry of our men, most worthy of note for all captains, owners, and carpenters, was the race building of our ship, the onely fault she had," &c. Can any of your correspondents explain what is meant by "race"; the editor of the Voyages, Captain C. R. D. Bethune, R.N., confesses himself unable to explain it.
E. N. W.
Southwark, May 27. 1850.
The Battle of Death.—I possess a curious old print entitled "The Battle of Death against all Creatures, and the Desolation wrought by Time." It bears the engraver's name, "Robert Smith," but no date. The figures, however, which are numerous, and comprise all ranks, seem to present the costume of the latter end of the 16th century. There is a long inscription in verse, and another in prose: query, who was the author of the verses, and what is the date of the engraving? As I am on the subject of prints, perhaps some person learned in such matters will also be kind enough to inform me what number constitutes a complete series of the engravings after Claude by Francis Vivares; and who was "Jean Rocque, Chirographaire du Roi," who executed several maps of portions of London, also a map of Kilkenny?
X. Y. A.
Kilkenny, June 8. 1850.
Execution of Charles I.—Is the name of the executioner known who beheaded King Charles I.? Is there any truth in the report that it was an Earl Stair?
P. S. W. E.
Morganitic Marriage.—In Ducange, &c., the adjective morganitic is connected with the morgangab (morning gift), which was usual from a husband to his wife the day after their marriage. How comes this adjective to be applied to marriages in which the wife does not take her husband's rank?