Illustrations of Chaucer, No. III. (Vol. iii., p. 258.).—

Fro Venus Valanus might this palais see."
(or) volant
? Might Venus, volans
(flying) 		fro this palais, see.

Φως.

Comets (Vol. iii., pp. 223. 253.).—If your correspondent S. P. O. R. wish to go fully into the history of comets, and be not alarmed at the prospect of three thick folios, through which I have gone, I can assure him, with considerable interest, let me recommend to him Theatrum Cometicum, Auctore Stanislao Lubienietz Lubieniecio Rolitsio, Amst., in 2 vols. (but generally bound in three) folio. The first contains an immense correspondence, not merely with astronomers, but with poets, critics, physicians, and philosophers, to whom the indefatigable editor wrote for their opinions on the subject of comets. The second vol. gives a history of comets from the Deluge to 1665, and is a repository of everything bearing upon the subject. From this work Bayle derived his learning, when he wrote his most amusing work on comets.

James Crossley.

Pope Joan (Vol. iii., p. 265.).—Nemo will find much information on the question, "Whether Pope Joan ever held the keys of St. Peter?" in Alexander Cooke's Dialogue between a Protestant and a Papist; manifestly proving that a Woman

called Joane was Pope of Rome: against the surmises and objections made to the contrary by Robert Bellarmini and Cæsar Baronius, Cardinals, Florimondus Ræmondus, and other Popish Writers, impudently denying the same, 4to, pp. 128, 1610. The work was dedicated to the Archbishop of York, and was reprinted in 1625 in 4to., and in French, 1633, 8vo. The author, in his address To the Popish Reader, says:

"I offer unto thee here a discourse touching Pope Joane (if thou darest read it, for fear of falling into thy Pope's curse), whose Popedome I will make good unto thee, not by the testimonies of Pantaleon, and Functius, and Sleidan, and Illyricus, and Constantinus Phrygio, and John Bale, and Robert Barnes, because thou hast condemned their persons, and their books too, to hell; but by the testimonies of thy brethren, the sonnes of thine own mother; because, as one saith, 'Amici contra amicum, et inimici pro inimico, invincibile testimonium est.'"

E. C. Harington.

The Close, Exeter.