Sept. 8. 1855.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



185 



vol. ii. p. 383., vol. vii. pp. 400, 401. 410., vol. ix. 

 p. 696. ; Boswell's Life of Johnson (edit. Croker), 

 vol. vii. p. 264. What Dr. Johnson says of the 

 Chevalier's extreme ignorance renders the latter's 

 statement, that he had had an academical edu- 

 cation, rather doubtful, and any elucidation of 

 that point will be acceptable. C. H. Coopee. 



Cambridge. 



"■ Heemskirlie's Voyage." — In what collection is 

 the Voyage of Heemskirke, a Dutch navigator, to 

 be found ? Y. 



Grants from Queen Elizabeth. — An ancestor of 

 mine had a grant of land assigned to him by 

 Queen Elizabeth ; but during the troublous times 

 of King Charles it was, I believe, seized, and no 

 longer remained in our family. I shall feel par- 

 ticularly obliged if you can inform me where I 

 ■can find (in what office in London) the copy of 

 this regal grant ? I should mention that it was 

 at one of the Cinque Ports that the land was 

 given. Could the Trinity House or the Woods 

 and Forests assist me in my research ? 



Centurion. 

 The Athenasum. 



History of the Post Office. — What book, or 

 books, should I consult in order to obtain an ac- 

 ■quaintance with the history of postal communi- 

 cations at various periods in this country ? 



H. T. G. 



Hull. 



Coote Family. — John Coote, bookseller and 

 farce-writer, in Paternoster Row (vide Nichols's 

 Lit. Anecd., vol. iii. p. 719.), was born at Horsham, 

 in Sussex; and died at Pentonville, Oct. 20, 1808. 

 He is styled "cousin" by Gen. Sir Eyre Coote, 

 K.B., in a letter from the latter ; and of his two 

 :Sons, Charles Coote, D.C.L., the elder, had Dean 

 Coote for his godfother ; and John Eyre Coote, 

 the younger, had Sir J. Eyre Coote for his god- 

 father. I wish, if possible, to trace the cousinship 

 between the bookseller and the general ; and 

 should be glad of any information which might 

 show the connexion of this branch with the Cas'tle 

 Coote family. H. T. G. 



Hull. 



Ancient Cements. — Can any of your readers 

 refer me to passages in ancient or modern au- 

 thors, illustrating the composition or the use of 

 mortar, cement, &c., in building ? 



lioBEBT J. Allen. 



Prior}-^, Croydon. 



Old Deeds. — I have a quantity of these, reach- 

 ing from about 1604 to 1764. They are of no 

 legal value; but I, and perhaps others, would 

 like to know if such things are of any value, and 

 should be preserved. An opinion will much 

 <^^l'Se. B. H. C. 



No. 306.] 



Old English Proverbs. — What do the follow- 

 ing proverbs mean ? They are from Camden's 

 Remains : 



1. "An inch breaketh no square." 



2. " A fair pawn never shamed his Master." 

 8. " ' Bate me an ace,' quoth Bolton." 



4. " God sendeth cold after clothes." 



5. " Give, gave, was a good man." 



6. " How can the foal amble, when the horse and mare 

 trot ? " 



7. " Leave is light." 



8. " There is no Asking to the sea, nor service to the 

 king." 



" The Four Alls.'" — A public-house at Ham- 

 mersmith is called "The Four Alls." What is 

 the answer to this riddle ? Centuriow. 



"Men of GrcEcia, heirs of glory." — Who was 

 the author of the often-quoted lines, — 

 " Men of Graecia, heirs of glory ! 

 Heroes of unwritten story ! 

 Nurslings of one mighty mothei," &c. ? 

 and in what poem do they occur? S. C. L- 



Oxford. 



Peerages in Female Line. — Can you inform me 

 how I can ascertain which British peerages descend 

 to female issue? Is there any work containing 

 such a list, or copies of the original patents ? 



DONEC. 



"Lewis and Kotska" by Father Serrao. — The 

 following extract is from a book, entitled A brief 

 Narrative of a Visit to Portugal by an English 

 Merchant, London, 1731. By printing it, or so 

 much as may enable any of your readers who can, 

 to tell me whether the tragedy is known, and who 

 the famous Father Serrao was, you will much 

 oblige me. 



" Every body was talking of a play called Lewis and 

 Kntska, written in Latin by the famous Father Serrao, a 

 Jesuit, which had been acted before the court, and was to 

 be seen in the outbuildings of the monastery in the Rua 

 de Romaa. It was very showy, and the dresses very fine. 

 The actors were a mixture of monks, students, and some 

 from the theatre. Thej' spoke in Latin ; but when they 

 did not know their parts, they made it out in Portuguese. 

 I did not very Avell understand the mixture. In one 

 scene, where Lewis was praying to an image of the 

 Virgin, it told him to take care of himself and follmo up 

 his luck. In another, the Devil, disguised as a dog, at- 

 tacked a young woman in bed. The young man invoked 

 the Virgin, the Devil, the Stygian Virgins, the Furies, 

 who could not help him. He had the worst till the end, 

 when he had made out so strong a case that Divine jus- 

 tice could not deny his claim, and the angel with the 

 flaming sword could only keep him at bay ; but St. Igna- 

 tius coming in, took the sword and drove him round the 

 stage, howling and declaring that he had done nothing. The 

 audience were in raptures. I was told that this nonsense 

 was not in the original, which is v;ell written. 1 tried te 

 get one at the booksellers, but all were sold; and though 

 more were said to be printing, none were ready when I 

 left." 



* E. H. M. 



