206 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 281. 



mense size appears to be of patrlarclial age. By 

 the country people residing in the immediate 

 neighbourhood, this tree is said to have been 

 planted by one of the followers of William I., 

 although from its growth and general appearance 

 it would seem to date considerably anterior to 

 that period. Geo. Chambers. 



Kingsland. 



Author of " Palmyra" ^c, — Who is the author 

 of Palmyra, Rome and the Early Christians, and 

 Julian, or Scenes in Judea f They are American, 

 and were first published in this country, I believe, 

 by the Chambers of Edinburgh, in the years 1839, 

 1840, and 1843 respectively. W. E. Howlett. 



American Authors. — In Dunlap's History of 

 the American Theatre, ptiblished in 1833, there is 

 a catalogue (though a rather imperfect one) of 

 American dramatic authors. In this list I found 

 the names of Drs. Cooper and Grey, as authors 

 of a drama called The Renegade. Could any of 

 your American readers give me any account of 

 the authors ? I would also be obliged by being 

 informed whether Mr. Dunlap, author of the his- 

 tory above mentioned, is still living. R. J. 



Quotations wanted : — 



" If I lie now, may sixpence slit the tongue of Gasco 

 Mendez." W. E. Howlett. 



' Your ergo copulates strange bedfellows." F. J. G. 



■*' In many ways doth the full heart reveal 

 The presence of the love it cannot all conceal ; 

 But in far more th' estranged heart lets know 

 The absence of the love which yet it fain would show." 



Ballitoriensis. 



Nursery Hymn. — Can any of your readers 

 enlighten me as to the age or author of the well- 

 known nursery hymn ? 



" Gentle Jesus, meek and mild. 

 Look upon a little child, 

 Pity my simplicity, 

 And suffer me to come to thee. 



" Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, 

 Bless the bed that I lie on. 

 Four corners to my bed. 

 Six angels lying spread. 



*' Two at head, and two at feet, 

 And two to guard me while I sleep. 

 If any danger come to me. 

 Sweet Jesus Christ, deliver me. 



*' Before I lay me down to sleep, 

 I give my soul to Christ to keep. 

 And if I die before I wake, • 

 I hope that Christ my soul may take." 



Are not other verses of this rude hymn pre- 

 served among the peasantry, and is not one of 

 them an address to the Virgin ? J. Y. (1) 



Friday. — Why was it that Parliaments were of 

 old time, almost invariably, begun and held upon 

 a Friday ? J. F. F. 



Dublin. 



Dublin Election in 1654. — In Gale's Corporate 

 System of Ireland, there is given the return to a 

 writ of election for the county of Dublin to Crom- 

 well's parliament in 1654. It bears several sig- 

 natures of electors and their seals. I am desirous 

 of obtaining copies of one or two of the latter, if 

 at all perfect. Where is the original return ? 



Y. S.' M. 



Al-Teppe in Palestine. — The following curious 

 account is found in a late number of Zion's faith- 

 ful Watchman (Der treue Zions Wachter), an 

 organ to support the interests of orthodox Ju- 

 daism, published at Altona : 



" Much is still unknown to philosophers, and time alone 

 can reveal the facts and secrets of Natural History. In 

 Palestine is found a foor-footed beast, called in Arabic 

 Al-teppe. It is about the size of an ass, has a head 

 similar to that of a hog ; its voice is harmonious, its body 

 slender, and its motion rapid. At the sight of man, it 

 approaches and fawns upon him, makes laughable tricks, 

 and especially with its tail makes such ridiculous move- 

 ments, while springing and bounding about, that it is 

 impossible for the beholder to refrain from laughing. As 

 soon, however, as the unfortunate spectator smiles, he is 

 deprived of reason, and, like a sheep led to the slaughter, 

 follows the devilish beast over hill and dale, till the 

 cunning animal leads him into its den. There it sucks 

 out his blood and brains, and leaves him dead to seek 

 another victim. It sometimes happens that the senseless 

 wretch hurts himself against a stone, and as soon as blood 

 flows from the wound, he recovers his reason, and is de- 

 livered from the enemy. Some years ago, a peasant, who 

 resided not far from Zafel, had the misfortune to be carried 

 away by a teppe. Led by the beast to its den, the man 

 struck his head against a rock which overhung the 

 entrance, and, immediately coming to himself, saw several 

 men lying dead, bloodless and brainless. The beast then 

 fled. The holy Rabbi of Zafel, some time since on a 

 journey with several persons, heard a loud cry ; on ap- 

 proaching he found a teppe squeezed between two stones, 

 and a peasant sitting on them holding the beast fast by 

 his ears. Help was immediately sought in a neighbour- 

 ing village, and the creature was destroyed ; the poor 

 man, however, soon after died from the effects of fright. 

 It were to be wished that some rich European would 

 devote a sum of money to secure the animal and bring it 

 dead or alive to Europe." 



So far Zions Wachter. Does this singular 

 creature owe its existence to the credulous and 

 superstitious correspondent, or have intelligent 

 travellers met with anything that may have given 

 rise to the story? J. S. 



Norwich. 



French Protestant Refugees. — I am anxious to 

 collect for my projected "Dictionary of Sur- 

 names" all possible information respecting French 

 families who came into England at the Revocation 

 of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, as well as those 

 who settled here on account of their adherence 



