312 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[Oct. 20. 1855. 



title-page. This portrait is said to have been the 

 last published in the king's lifetime. W. H. H. 



" Theodora"" (Vol. xii., p. 205.). — Dr. Morell, 

 the author of the oratorio set to music by Handel, 

 in an advertisement prefixed to the edition of 

 1750 (query that issued for the first performance), 

 says that he took the story chiefly from (what he 

 calls) a treatise by Robert Boyle, published in 

 1687, and reprinted in the author's works, entitled 

 The Martyrdom of Theodora and Didymus. He 

 states that Boyle in his preface tells us that, — 



" Having had occasion to turn over a martyrology, and 

 some other books that related to the sufferings of the 

 primitive Christians, he chanced to light on those of a 

 virgin, who, though (to his wonder) she was left un- 

 named by the other writers that mention the fact, seem'd 

 plainly to be the same that is by one of them expressly 

 called Theodora. And that in another author he found 

 mention made of a person about Dioclesian's time, whom 

 he tooli to be our martyr, that was intimated to be of 

 high quality, if not m. princess ; which title, saj'S he, I 

 had without scruple given her, if I had been half as sure 

 that she was a princess as that she deserved to be one." 



JMorell then proceeds : 



" But the French tragedian, I think, has styled her a 

 daughter, or descendant, of Antiochus, and herein I have 

 followed him; but in no other circumstance or sentiment 

 whatever ; the rest being chiefly taken from Mr. Boyle's 

 plan, as far as the scantiness of a performance of this 

 kind would permit." 



W. H. H. 



Coningshy Family (Vol. xii. , p. 222.). — I observe 

 that Mr. Cuthbert Bede writes an article on the 

 Coningshys of Herefordshire, descendants of Sir 

 Humphrey Coningsby who was buried at Alden- 

 ham in 1551. Is he aware that a branch of the 

 family remained in Aldenham and in the neigh- 

 bouring parish of North Mirams ? Of Aldenham 

 were Mr. John Coningesbye, born 1638 ; and 

 Mr. Robert Conishy, or Cunningsbie, his father, 

 Gent. ; and Sir Henry Coningsby, whose daughter 

 Theophania married, in 1670, Edward Briscoe, 

 Esq. They possessed the Weild House in the 

 parish ; which, to j udge from an old map, was 

 also " a moated grange." * 



Robert Coningsby was son of Sir Ralph, of 

 North Mimms. Henry H. Gibbs. 



Frognal. 



General Wolfe (Vol. xi., p. 257.)- —The fol- 

 lowing extract is from a publication little known, 

 having been printed for the authoress, who was a 

 literary lady of high character and attainments, 

 and appears to have known the hero personally. 

 It is on p. 745. of vol. i. of Miscellanies in Prose 

 and Verse, by Mrs. M. Deverell, of Nails worth, 

 Gloucestershire, 1731. " N. & Q." contain so 



* Might not this have been the moated grange, and 

 should we not read Hertfordshire for Herefordshire ? The 

 date about coincides. 

 No. 312.] 



many curious particulars of this great man, that 

 this additional notice cannot fail to be acceptable 

 to his admirers : 



" And I remember the great General Wolfe to have 

 been much admired for his talent in this science (dancing) 

 likewise ; but he was generally ambitious to gain a tall 

 graceful woman to his partner,- as well as a good dancer, 

 and when he was honoured with the hand of such a lady, 

 the fierceness of the soldier was absorbed in the politeness 

 of the gentleman. When thus innocently animated, the 

 general seemed emulous to display every kind of virtue 

 or gallantry that would render him amiable in a private 

 character. Such a serene joy was diffused over his whole 

 manners, mien, and deportment, that it gave the most 

 agreeable turn to the features of that hero who died for 

 his countrv." 



E. D. 



CromweWs Portrait (Vol. xii., pp. 205. 253.). 



— A beautiful miniature portrait, also by Cooper, 

 of John Hampden, Cromwell's bosom friend, and, 

 " rara avis in terris," the honest man of his party, 

 was disposed of by lottery in Chester a year or 

 two ago, and is now in the possession of the for- 

 tunate winner, a lady resident in this city. 



T. Hughes. 

 Chester. 



Boohs chained in Churches (Vol. xi., pp. 93. 

 213.). — Add to the list the old church at Brid- 

 lington, Yorkshire, where the following books are 

 chained : Bishop Jewel's Works ; Hooker's Ec- 

 clesiastical Polity ; Heylin's Works ; Comber's 

 Companion to the Temple. 



C. Mansfield Inglebt. 



Birmingham. 



Inscriptions on Sun-dials (Vol. xi., pp. 61. 133. 

 184.). — Add the following to the list. 

 Whitby, St. Hilda's : 



" Our days pass as a shadow." 

 Bridlington Old Church : 



"Tempusfugit." 

 Beverley Minster : 



" Now or when ? " 

 Louth Church : 



" Sic transit gloria mundi." 

 Threekingham Church : 



« Sic vita." 

 Middle Temple (and query New College, Ox- 

 ford) : 



" Periunt et imputantur." 



From Martial. 



C. Mansfield Inglebt. 

 Birmingham. 



Umbrellas (Vol. iii., p. 483. ; Vol. xii., p. 233.). 



— The word used by Aristophanes is a-KtdSetov., of 

 which the Italian Ombrella is a literal translation, 

 meaning "little shade" (Aves, 1508), and corre- 

 sponds in sense with i\iQ parasol, the use of which 



