May 20. 1854.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



465 



some indirect working among our enemies to dash 

 our launching." 



The prince however arrived at the yard, went 

 on board a little before two a. m., when the word 

 being given to get all taught, the ship went away 

 without any straining of screws or tackles, till she 

 came clear afloat in the middle of the channel. 

 He then describes the christening of her by the 

 prince, by the name of the " Prince Royal "; and 

 while warping to her mooring, his royal highness 

 went down to the platform of the cock-room, 

 where the ship's beer stood for ordinary company, 

 and there finding an old can without a lid, drew 

 it full of beer himself, and drank it off to the lord 

 admiral, and caused him with the rest of the at- 

 tendants to do the like. The hawsers laid ashore 

 for landfasts had been treacherously cut, but with- 

 out doing any injury to the ship. The prince left 

 for Greenwich at nine a. m. J. H. P. 



"notes and queries on the ormulum, BT DR. 

 monicke" (Programm der Handels-Lehranstalt 

 zu Leipzig, 1853). 



Under the above title, Dr. Monicke has pub- 

 lished what are considered by a foreign critic 

 some valuable observations on the admirable 

 Oxford edition (by Dr. Meadows White) of The 

 Ormulum, an Anglo-Saxon work, now first edited 

 from the original MS. in the Bodleian Library. 

 The attention of the readers of " N. & Q.," who 

 are occupied in the study of the Anglo-Saxon, 

 with its cognate dialects, and direct descendant, 

 will be doubly attracted by a title with which they 

 are so familiar, and which is associated with some 

 of the happiest and most peaceful moments of 

 their life. The title of the Essay (which I have 

 not yet seen, and which appears to be written in 

 English) seems to be entirely the choice of the 

 author, and must be somewhat flattering to the 

 Editor of the original " N. & Q." J. M. 



Oxford. 



[We have received, with something like a sense of 

 neglected duty, this notice of The Ormulum, now first 

 edited from the Original Manuscript in the Bodleian ; 

 with Notes and a Glossary by Robert Meadows White, 

 D.D., late Fellow of St. Mary Magdalene College, and 

 formerly Professor of Anglo- Saxon in the University of 

 Oxford, 2 vols. 8vo. The fact is, we have long in- 

 tended to call attention to this book, alike creditable 

 to the scholastic acquirements of Dr. White, and to 

 the authorities of the Oxford press; but have from 

 week to week postponed doing so, that we might enter 

 at some length into the history of The Ormulum, and 

 a notice of the labour of its editor. In the mean time 

 Dr. White's labours have received from foreign scholars 

 that recognition which his countrymen have been too 

 tardy in offering Ed."N. & Q."] 



THE LEGEND OE THE SEVEN SISTERS. 



Will the Editor of " N. & Q.," or any of his cor- 

 respondents, kindly inform me of the true circum- 

 stances from which the following legend has sprung ? 

 The locality which was the scene of the tragedy is 

 the little village of Ballybunion, situated within a 

 few miles of Kerry Head. The scenery around 

 is of the wildest and most striking description. 

 Frowning, rugged cliffs, rising abruptly out of the 

 water to the height of over one hundred feet, and 

 perforated with numerous caves, into which the 

 ocean rushes with fearful fury in winter, — for it is a 

 stormy coast, and rarely does a month pass without 

 beholding some dead, putrified body washed ashore ; 

 while inland, a barren, uncultivated plain, con- 

 sisting mostly of bog, stretches away to nearly the 

 foot of the Reeks, which, looming in the distance, 

 seem to rear their giant masses even to the sky, 

 and form, as it were, an impenetrable barrier be- 

 tween the coast and the interior. On the brink of 

 one of those precipices we have mentioned, there 

 stands the ruins of a castle, seemingly of great 

 antiquity. Nothing now remains but the basement 

 storey, and that seems as if it would be able to 

 withstand the war of winds and waves for hundreds 

 of years longer. According to the legend, this 

 castle was inhabited by a gallant chieftain at the 

 period of the incursions of the Danes, and who was 

 the father of seven blooming daughters. He was 

 himself a brave warrior, animated with the greatest 

 hatred against the Ostmen, who, at that period, 

 were laying every part of Erin waste. His sword 

 never rested in its sheath, and day and night his 

 light gallies cruised about the coast on the watch 

 for any piratical marauder who might turn his 

 prow thither. One day a sail was observed on the 

 horizon ; it came nearer and nearer, and the pirate 

 standard was distinguished waving from its mast- 

 head. Immediately surrounded by the Irish ships, 

 it was captured after a desperate resistance. Those 

 that remained of the crew were slaughtered and 

 thrown into the sea, with the exception of the 

 captain and his six brothers, who were reserved 

 for a more painful death. Conveyed to the fortress, 

 their wounds were dressed, and they were allowed 

 the free range of the castle. Here, gradually a 

 love sprung between them and the seven Irish 

 maidens, who yielded to their ardent protestations, 

 and agreed to fly with them to Denmark. Every- 

 thing was arranged for the voyage, and one fear- 

 fully stormy night in winter was chosen for the 

 attempt. Not a single star shone in the sky, the 

 cold blast came sweeping from the ocean, the rain 

 fell in torrents, and the water roared and raged 

 with terrific violence amid the rocky caverns. 

 Escaping down from the battlement by a rope- 

 ladder, they discovered to their horror, that on 

 reaching the ground they were surrounded by 

 armed men. Not a word was uttered ; but they 



