Cromwell Poisoned.—At p. 516. vol. ii. of Burton's Parliamentary Diary it is stated, in a note upon the death of Oliver Cromwell, that his body exhibited certain appearances "owing to the disease of which the Protector died, which, by the by, appeared to be that of poison." The words, "Prestwich's MS." are attached to this note. Is there any other authority for this statement?
P. T.
Replies.
COLLAR OF SS.
(Vol. ii., pp. 89. 194. 248. 280. 330. 362.)
The dispute about the Collar of SS., between Mr. J. Gough Nichols and Armiger, is, as Sir Lucius O'Trigger would say, "a mighty pretty quarrel as it stands;" but I have seen no mention by either writer of "the red sindon" for the chamber of Queen Philippa, "beaten throughout with the letter S in gold leaf:" or the throne of Henry V. powdered with the letter S, in an illuminated MS. of his time, in Bennet College Library, Cambridge. I fancy there will be some difficulty in reconciling these two examples with the theory of either of the disputants. When Armiger alludes to the monument of Matilda Fitzwalter, "who lived in the reign of King John," I presume he is aware that the effigy is not of that period. I do not think any of the seekers of this hidden signification can be said to be even warm yet, much less to burn.
J. R. Planché.
Collar of SS.—As I conceive that the description of this Collar by your correspondent C. (Vol. ii., p. 330.) is not strictly correct, I forward you drawings of two examples: No. 1. from the monument of Sir Humphrey Stafford (and which is the general type); No. 2. from that of the husband of Margaret Holand, Countess of Somerset (Gough's Funeral Monuments). The latter example might have been called a Collar of 8, 8, were it not that that name is less euphonious than SS. The collar was worn by several ladies. (See the work above quoted.)
B. W.