Aug. 16. 1851.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



115 



other met with the same fate during the Great 

 Rebellion. 



Throughout the reign of Henry VIII., its blos- 

 soms were esteemed such gi-eat curiosities, and 

 sovereign specifics, as to become an object of gain 

 to the merchants of Bristol ; who not only dis- 

 posed of them to the inhabitants of their own city, 

 but exported these blossoms to different parts of 

 Europe. There were, in addition to these, relics 

 for rain, for avoiding the evil eye, for rooting out 

 charlock, and all weeds in corn, with similar spe- 

 cifics, which were considered, at this time, the best 

 of all property ! T. W. 



The miraculous Walnut-tree at Glastonburi/. — 

 This far-famed tree was at the north of St. Jo- 

 seph's chapel, in the abbey churchyard. It was 

 supposed to have been brought from Palestine by 

 some of the pilgrims, and was visited in former 

 days, and regarded as sacred by all ranks of peo- 

 ple ; and, even so late as the time of King James, 

 that monarch, as well as his ministers and nobility, 

 paid large sums for sprigs of it, which were 

 preserved as holy relics. T. TV^. 



The Three Estates of the Realm. — Some, even 

 educated persons of this day, if asked which are 

 the three estates of the realm, will reply, the 

 Queen, Lords, and Commons. That the three 

 estates do not include the Queen, and are tliere- 

 fore the Lords, the Clergy in Convocation, and 

 the Commons, is obvious from the title of the 

 " Form of Prayer with Thanksgiving to be used 

 yearly upon the 5th day of November, for the 

 happy Deliverance of King James I. and the Three 

 Estates of England from the most Traitorous," &c.; 

 and also from the following passage of the Com- 

 munion Collect for Gunpowder Treason : — 



" Etern.ll God, and our most mighty Pioteclor, we 

 Thy unwonhy servants do hambly present ourselves 

 before Tliy Majesty, acknowledging Thy power, wisdom, 

 and goodness, in preserving the kiny, and the three 

 estates of the realm of England assembled in Parlia- 

 ment, from the destruction this day intended against 

 them." 



W. FUASER. 



SSuericiS. 



BENSLETS OF NORWICH. 



As I am much interested in the above family, 

 which I know to have existed at Norwich, or 

 the vicinity, for a century or more, and have 

 reason to think was one of some consequence, 

 will you, through the medium of your useful co- 

 lumns, aHow me to ask some of your intelligeut 

 corresi)ondents who reside in that neighbourhood 

 the following Queries? 



1. Is anytiiing known of the family of the late 

 Sir William IJensley farther back than his father, 

 Thomas IJensley ? Sir William was born iu the 



county of Norfolk, and at an early age entered 

 the navy ; transferred himself to the Honourable 

 East India Company's service, made a large for- 

 tune, was elected a Director of the Company 1 771, 

 created a baronet 1801, and died without issue 

 1809. 



2. Was Mr. Richard Bensley, an actor of some 

 celebrity, who made his " first appearance" in 

 1765 (he had previously been an officer in the 

 Marines, and, as I am informeil, held the appoint- 

 ment of barrack-master at Knightsbridge till his 

 death in 1817), any connexion of the above, or at 

 all connected with Norwich ? 



3. Cowper, in one of his letters [to Joseph Hill, 

 Esq., dated Huntingdon, July 3, 1765], says : 



" The tragedies of Lloyd and Bensley are both very 

 deep. If they are of no use to the surviving part of 

 society, it is their own fault," &c. 



Any information as to who this Bensley was, 

 will be very acceptable; or anything concerning 

 the tragedies mentioned. 



4. A^iy intelligence respecting one "Isaac Ben- 

 sley" of Norwich, weaver; who was alive in 1723, 

 as his son was in that year baptized at the Octagon 

 Chapel iu that city. 



If any of your contributors, in their archaeo- 

 logical researches among tombstones and parish 

 registers, should have met with the name of Ben- 

 sley, by addressing a " note" to you thereon they 

 will confer a great obligation on your constant 

 reader and occasional contributor. Tee Bee. 



iHiiiar ducrieS. 



68. Heraldic Figures at Tonbridge Castle. — 

 In the court of the castle of this place, there stands 

 a colossal figure of what I take to be an heraldic 

 panther gorged with a ducal ci-own, supporting a 

 shield of the royal arms of France and England 

 quarterly, as borne before the accession of James I. 



The corresponding supporter is gone, but the 

 base and one claw remain, showing it to have been 

 a beast of prey, and with it is a broken shield, 

 thereon, "party per pale three lions r.ampant;" 

 the arms, and probably the supporter of the 

 Herberts, earls of Pembroke. 'Jhe two figures 

 have evidently capped the piers of a gateway. 



Can any of your readers account for the pre- 

 sence of these figures here, where the Herberts 

 are not recorded to have possessed any property ? 



Ermines. 



Tonbridge, July 29. 1851. 



69. English Translation of Nonnus. — I shall 

 be obliged if any of your correspondents will in- 

 form me if any translation of the jjoet Nonnus, 

 Avhich contains, perhaps, most that is known about 

 Bacchus, has ever been made into English ; if so, 

 by whom, and when? . ^grotcs. 



