Nov. 24. 1849.] 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
61 
able information upon the subject will be found in 
the published Proceedings of the Society, and in 
the last part of the Archeologia. We should like 
to know whether there are Cold Harbours in 
every county in England. Mr. Hartshorne pub- 
lished a long list in his Salopia Antiqua. If our 
correspondents can give us any addition to that 
list, they will be acceptable. We are aware that 
there are several in Kent. ] 
STATISTICS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 
Mr. Editor,—If any reader of your valu- 
able and much-needed periodical can, through 
its medium, supply me with the title of some 
recent and authentic work containing Séatistics 
of the Roman Catholic Church —e. g. the 
number of its members, or reputed members, 
in the different European States ; the number 
and temporalities of its sees, clergy, &c.— he 
will confer on me a great obligation; one 
which it will be a pleasure to me to repay to 
some other “ Querist,” should it lie within 
my power to supply any desired information, 
in my turn. Your faithful servant, E. E. 
INCUMBENTS OF CHURCH LIVINGS. 
Sir, — perhaps some of the readers of your 
useful publication could inform me where I 
can find the name and birth-place of incum- 
bents of church livings prior to 1680, and the 
patrons of them. Your well-wisher, L. 
THE CURSE OF SCOTLAND— WHY IS THE NINE 
OF DIAMONDS SO CALLED? 
I shall be obliged to any of your corre- 
spondents who will inform me why the Nine 
of Diamonds is called the curse of Scotland. 
I have heard two causes assigned. One, that 
the Duke of Cumberland, on the field after 
the battle of Culloden, wrote upon the back 
of this card a very cruel and inhuman order 
for the destruction of the persons and property 
of the rebels. ‘This cannot be true, for I have 
in my possession a print entitled “ Britons 
Association against the Pope’s Bulls.” In it 
the young Pretender or Prince is represented 
attempting to lead across the Tweed a herd 
of bulls laden with curses, excommunications, 
indulgences, &c. &c. &c. On the ground be- 
fore them lies the Nine of Diamonds. This 
print is dated Oct. 21. 1745, some months 
previous to the battle of Culloden. 
The other cause assigned is, that the nine 
lozenges with which the saltire is charged in 
the armorial bearings of the Earl of Stair, 
are so arranged as to resemble the nine of 
diamonds, which was called the curse of Scot- 
land, from the active part taken by that Earl 
in promoting the Union, which was most 
unpopular in Scotland. I cannot positively 
deny that the card in question owes its evil 
name to this cause, but I am not aware that 
the Earl of Stair was so conspicuously active 
as to occasion his being peculiarly selected as 
an object of popular aversion on that account. 
He was indeed a commissioner for drawing 
up the articles of the Union, and he was 
sent ambassador to the court of Louis XIV. 
chiefly for the purpose of watching the pro- 
ceedings of the Jacobites; these circumstances 
may have added to the odium which attached 
to his name from the part which was taken 
by his predecessor, who was Secretary for 
Scotland, and was charged with having ex- 
ceeded his authority in ordering the massacre 
of Glencoe. Epw. Hawkins. 
Nov. 12. 1849. 
[We would add to Mr. Hawkins’s Query, another, 
viz.: What is the earliest known instance of the 
card in question being so designated? For it is 
clear, if such was the case before the Union, the 
second explanation is as little satisfactory as the 
first. ] 
NOTES OF BOOK SALES—— CATALOGUES, ETC. 
The collectors of British portraits—and there 
are doubtless many such among our readers— will 
shortly have such an opportunity of enriching 
their portfolios as rarely presents itself. Messrs. 
Sotheby and Co. commence, on the 3rd of Decem- 
ber, the sale of the second portion of the import- 
ant and valuable stock of prints belonging to the 
well-known and eminent printsellers, Messrs. W. 
and G. Smith, whose shop in Lisle Street, Leices- 
ter Square, has been for so many years the favourite 
resort of all who were in search of the rare and 
curious in calcographic art. Messrs. Sotheby de- 
scribe the present Sle as ‘comprising one of the 
most numerous and interesting collections of Bri- 
tish Historical Portraits ever offered for sale ;” 
and the following Lots, which exhibit specimens of 
the rarities it contains, justify their statement. 
33 ArcuipaLp Ears or ArGy tt, by Logyan, first state, 
before the inscription round the oval, vERY FINE 
AND RARE ° ° : 1 
56 Sin Wm. Asuurst, Lord Mayor of London, 1694, 
after Linton, by R. White, very FINE AND 
RARE ° : . 1 
