2"* S. No 83., Aug. 1. 'o7.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



95 



JOHN SOBIESKI AND CHARLES EDWARD STUART. 



(2"'> S. iii. 449.) 



I presume that L. M. M. R.'s version of the 

 story of these gentlemen is derived from them- 

 selves, as it tallies with the account I have from 

 an informant who was accustomed to meet them 

 in Edinburgh society, not very many years ago. 

 I find, however, that their claims to legitimate de- 

 scent from the Royal Stuarts were treated in such 

 society quite as a joke, though the claimants were 

 feted and lionised, as might be expected in such 

 a case, in fashionable circles. They usually ap- 

 peared in full Highland costume, in Royal Tartan. 

 The likeness to the Stuart family, I am told, was 

 striking, and may have been, without improving 

 their claim a whit. No doubt, many of your 

 readers may remember how numerous were the 

 young ladies thought striking likenesses of our 

 beloved Queen on her accession : and who made 

 a point of dressing their hair, and otherwise adorn- 

 ing themselves, to make the resemblance more 

 obvious. If the two claimants have no better 

 foundation to rest on, their case is but weak ; for 

 it is obvious there may be likeness without legiti- 

 mate descent ; and I fancy. If the real history is 

 gone into, that is the point to be decided here. 



L. M. M. R.'s version rests on the simple state- 

 ment that the young Pretender (Prince Charles 

 Edward Stuart) had a son by his wife (Louisa of 

 Stolberg). If that statement is false, as I believe 

 it to be, the whole story falls to the ground. 

 There is no reason to doubt that his wife had a 

 son. She may have had a dozen, but the import- 

 ant Query in this case is. Was this son her hus- 

 bands f The late case of the Townshend peerage 

 may serve to show how spurious claims of this sort 

 may have a show of foundation given them. 



If I am rightly informed, the unhappy young 

 Pretender ruined his constitution by intemperate 

 and profligate habits ; and there was no child of 

 his marriage, and no probability of any. His 

 wife's abandoned character was notorious. The 

 inference to be drawn need only be hinted at. 

 The question Is not of any Importance as a matter 

 of state. The succession to the English crown is 

 secured by Parliament, and is not affected by a 

 descent from the young Pretender ; but as an his- 

 torical fact, It is desirable that the truth of the 

 story set afloat by these two gentlemen should be 

 settled at once and for ever, M. H. R. 



STONE SHOT. 



(2"^ S. iv. 58.) 



As stone shot will soon be numbered with the 



things that were, the record of their use becomes 



more important for the information of future 



generations, as illustrative of a detail in ancient 



military architecture necessary for their appli- 

 cation, and which is likely, from the solid con- 

 struction required, long to survive the missile for 

 which they were originally designed. 



Your correspondent, Giaour, has sought his 

 information in foreign countries ; following this 

 example, these elucidatory remarks are suggested 

 by the destruction of the Porte d'Eau at Malines, 

 In Belgium. Portions of this beautiful piece of 

 castellated architecture, built in 1381, originally 

 spanned the dyke ; but the^ bridge, and probably 

 the sluices, had long been removed, leaving only the 

 Porte, formed of three towers closely huddled toge- 

 ther, and protecting the guard-room over the public 

 way. This remain, consigned to destruction in 

 1846, possessed all the requirements for disputing 

 the passage of the river, as well as the conveni- 

 ences necessary for a " sally port." A portcullis 

 guarded the narrow outlet, and the requisite aper- 

 tures were protected by triple-Iron casements. 

 In the interior was an "oubliette:" the very per- 

 fection of these correctly termed receptacles for 

 human victims — precisely formed after the shape 

 of an egg a little flattened at the bottom — was 

 the only indulgence vouchsafed to the prisoner; 

 the small circular entrance and only aperture at 

 the top was similarly formed ; and through which 

 the prisoner was suspended, and conveyed by 

 cordage to the limited flooring beneath. 



The long loop-holes for the use of the bowmen 

 were divided by circular apertures, which were 

 repeated at the head, and again at the base ; 

 from the latter projected "shoots," which slant- 

 ing served to shield the bowmen from the assail- 

 ants' missiles ; and as troughs, along which the 

 stone balls Impelled by the slope traversed and 

 fell with frightful effect on the assailants, and, 

 if on the river, staving their boats. 



On removing this old and lofty pile, the stone 

 was applied to the restoration of the justly cele- 

 brated tower and cathedral of St. Rombaud ; and 

 the numerous stone balls found in the river were, 

 by order of the government, conveyed to Brussels, 

 and are now piled with others in front of the well- 

 known "Porte d'Hal," a noble fragment of the 

 city walls, commenced In 1381, and one of the 

 strongest defences, which served also as a granary 

 for the public service. Afterwards it became a 

 military prison, then a depository for the Bur- 

 gundian MSS., and now Is the well-selected re- 

 ceptacle of mediaeval treasures in arts and armour. 



Henrt D'Avenet. 



There are some stone shot of a large size in 

 one of the forts at Malta, said to have been used 

 by the Turks. They are of white mai'ble, chipped 

 round, but not polished. J. C. J. 



