It seems, however, that in spite of all these formalities, the oath did not sit very heavily on the conscience of the taker: for we are told immediately after that—
"Cette ardeur dura peu.... le duc de Bourgoyne resta dans ses états."
Michelet gives, as his authority, Olivier de la Marche, t. viii. De la Collection des Mémoires rélatifs à l'Hist. de France, edit. de M. Petitot.
X. Z.
Jurare ad caput animalium (Vol. ii., p. 392; Vol. iii., p. 71.).—Schayes, a Belgic writer (in Les Pays Bas avant et durant la Domination Romaine, vol. ii. p. 73. et seq.), furnishes references to two councils, in which this mode of swearing was condemned, viz. Concil. Aurelianense (Orleans), A.D. 541, and Concil. Liptinense (Liptines or Lestines), 743. On the Indiculus Paganiarum of the latter he subjoins the commentaries of Des Roches (Anc. Mém. de l'Acad. de Brux.), de Meinders (de statu relig. sub Carolo M., p. 144.), d'Eckart (Francia Orient, lib. i. p. 407.), de Canciani (de Legibus barbaror., tom. iii. p. 78.). The enquirer may also consult Riveli Opera on the Decalogue; Petiti, Observ. Miscell. lib. iv. c. 7.: "Defenditur Socrates ab improba Lactantii calumnia et de ejus jusjurando per canem:" and Alex. ab Alexandro, Geniales Dies, lib. v. c. 10.
I may avail myself of this opportunity of noticing the misprint in p. 152., Vezron for Pezron.
T. J.
Ten Children at a Birth (Vol. ii., p. 459.; Vol. iii., p. 64.).—We are indebted to the obliging courtesy of the editor of the Leeds Mercury for the following extract from that paper of the 9th October, 1781:—
"A letter from Sheffield, dated October 1, says, 'This day one Ann Birch, formerly of Derby, who came to work at the silk-mills here, was delivered of TEN children; nine were dead, and one living, which, with the mother, is likely to do well.'"
Our informant adds—