Thudt.
Babington's Conspiracy.—Miss Strickland, in her life of Queen Elizabeth (Lives of the Queens of England, vol. vii. p. 33.), after describing the particulars of this plot, adds in a Note,—
"After his condemnation, Babington wrote a piteous letter of supplication to Elizabeth, imploring her mercy for the sake of his wife and children."—Rawlinson MSS., Oxford, vol. 1340. No. 55. f. 19.
A copy of a letter to which the description given by Miss Strickland would apply, has been lately found among some papers originally belonging to Lord Burleigh; and it would be very desirable to compare it with the letter said to be in the Rawlinson collection. I have, however, authority for saying that the reference above quoted is incorrect. I should be very glad indeed to find whether the letter referred to by Miss Strickland is printed in any collection, or to trace the authority for the reference given in the Lives of the Queens. The MS. copies in the British Museum are known.
J. Bt.
Family of Sir John Banks.—R. H. wishes to be informed how many children were left by
Sir John Banks, Lord Chief Justice in Charles I.'s reign: also, whether any one of these settled at Keswick: and also, whether Mr. John Banks of that place, the philosopher, as he was called, was really a lineal descendant of Sir John B., as he is stated to have been by the author of an old work on the Lakes?
R. C. H. H.
Sewell, Meaning of.—It is usual in some deer-parks in different parts of England, but more especially, as far as my own knowledge goes, in Kent, for the keepers, when they wish to drive and collect the deer to one spot, to lay down for this purpose what they call sewells (I may be wrong as to the orthography), which are simply long lines with feathers attached at intervals, somewhat after the fashion of the tails of kites. These "sewells," when stretched at length on the ground, the herd of deer will very rarely pass; but on coming up will check themselves suddenly when in full career, and wheel about. The same contrivance was in use in Virgil's time for the same purpose, under the name of formido (Geor. iii. 372.):—"Puniceæve agitant pavidos formidine pennæ." Can any of your readers help me to the origin of the modern term sewell?
H. C. K.