Pedigree of Richard, Earl of Chepstow.
—At a recent meeting of the Kilkenny Archæological Society, there was exhibited, by permission of the Marquis of Ormonde, an original charter, under seal, of Richard, Earl of Chepstow, surnamed Strongbow, whereby he granted certain lands in his newly acquired territory of Leinster, to Adam de Hereford. The charter, which is beautifully and clearly written on a small piece of vellum, commences thus:
"Comes Ric' fil' com' Ric' Gisleb'ti omnibus amicis suis," &c.
As the usually given pedigrees (see Sir R. Colt Hoare's Tour in Ireland, Introd. p. lxxv.) make Richard Strongbow the son of Gilbert, the second son, and not Richard, the eldest son, of Gilbert de Tonbrige; query, Are we to supply "fil'" before "Gisleberti" in the charter, or are we to suppose that the second "Ric'" is a slip of the pen,—a thing, however, not likely to occur in a legal deed of so important a nature.
JAMES GRAVES.
Kilkenny.
Twenty-seven Children.
—In Colonel James Turner's defence (English Causes Célèbres, vol. i. p. 111.) he says, speaking of his wife, who was then also on trial for her life:
"She sat down, being somewhat fat and weary, poor heart! I have had twenty-seven children by her; fifteen sons and twelve daughters."
Is there any well authenticated instance of woman having had more than twenty-five children?