68 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
{204 §, No4., Jan, 26. 56. 
miner had supposed it to be; at any rate, that 
it was not the remains of some work of a very 
ancient date. Within the past three or four years, 
however, some more diligent inquiries have been 
set on foot, and it has been lately ascertained that 
the writer of the Survey of the County Kilkenny 
has been “all wrong” in his speculations in “ Pe- 
lasgic” lore. 
A sort of red grit stone has been in use in 
Ireland for the purpose of making grindstones 
for the small country mills where oats and other 
coarse food is ground. In the neighbourhood of 
the hill mentioned some of this stone has been 
found. It was conjectured that the letters al- 
luded to might have been the work of a modern 
tradesman, having had the appearance of being 
cut with a tool called a “ mill-chisel,” an instru- 
ment well known to all millers, and one which 
would very quickly effect such indentations on a 
piece of comparatively soft stone. 
The conjecture was fully confirmed by the ob- 
server reading the letters upsidedown; and they 
would stand thus : 
*B. CONIC, 1731.” 
The observer, justly imagining that the person 
cutting the letters lay flat along the upper sur- 
face of the slab, and worked with his arms at the 
edge, thereby inscribing his name as it is read 
above, and, shall I add, perpetuating its fame for 
over a century. ° 
On farther pushing this inquiry, some old per- 
son was found in the neighbourhood who had 
known, or at least heard of, this “ Ned Conic,” 
and who had been told that he and some others 
had made an appointment to go to the top of the 
hill to cut some of these mill-stones, but that his 
party had disappointed him; and while waiting 
for them he had filled up his vacant time by thus 
unconsciously spreading abroad his humble fame, 
and innocently puzzling posterity for about one 
hundred and twenty years ! 
It is quite needless to enlarge on these remarks; 
but the circumstance serves as a caution to those 
who speculate on such matters to withhold their 
judgment until every test of common sense be 
brought to bear on the facts at issue. HH. H. H. 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF MACAULAY. 
Capture of Sir John Fenwick: — 
Herewith Isend you another contribution to your illus- 
trations of Macaulay’s History. It relates to the capture 
of Sir John Fenwick, and, if not hitherto printed, may be 
an acceptable addition to your interesting collection. 
May it please your Grace, 
This day, about nine of the clock in the fore- 
noone, were apprehended in this towne, att the 
house of Thomas Ladd, in bed there, two persons, 
being gentlemen ;—the one is a tall man, being 
60 years of age or above, supposed to be S* Jno. 
Fenwick, tho’ he denyes that name, and says his 
name is Thomas Ward, and that his lodgings are 
in Chancery Lane, att the house of one Spencer, 
near the St John Babtist Head ;—and there is in 
his company one who is known here to be M* 
Robert Webber, an attorney of Clifford’s Inn. - 
They pretend to come to survey an estate, late 
S' W™ Goulston’s, which they say is to be sold; 
but they have noe pticular, nor can I find any 
papers or letter about them, nor in their leather 
baggs (for they had both leather baggs beheind 
them on their horses, stuffed full of cloths and 
linen). The antient gent is doubtless one of those 
that, under the notion of merchants, was to be 
conveyed to France by Tho. Ladd and Nicho. 
Rolfe, of whom I informed M* Vernon, your 
Grace’s secretary, by my affidavit; and by an 
express letter I sent on Monday last to him; and 
they were both seized by Rolfe and his assistants 
(whereof a son of mine was one). I have them 
under a strong guard att present; but our goal or 
prison is very inconvenient, and M* Mayor of this 
towne is gone to a faire eight miles off before the 
matter happened, and Ladd, in whose house they 
were taken, went out yesterday morning to Can- 
terbury, in order to meet the two merchants, 
whereof this old is suipposed to be one, and Ladd 
is supposed to be with the other att Canterbury, 
in order to gett him downe this way; and I doubt 
nott but he will secure him if he comes in his 
company, for he faithfully promised me to appre- 
hend them both. I pray your Grace to send 
downe officers with a sufficient guard to convey 
these prisoners now in custody to such place as 
your. Grace shall direct, with as much speed as 
may be. Here is now in towne one Ensigne 
Scroop, belonging to the Duke of Bolton’s regi- 
ment of foot, who says he thinks verily ’tis S* 
John Fenwick that is here. I beg y* favor of 
your Grace to acquaint his Maj"'** Privy Councill 
therewith, and to send me directions and an an- 
swer by this bearer who comes on purpose, and 
for whose journey and the charge of guarding the 
prisoners I hope care will be taken to satisfy for 
the same, and am 
Y¥* Grace’s 
most humble Servant, 
Jo. Mascatt. 
New Romney, 
11 June, 96, 
near 12 o’Clock at noone. 
The persons that apprehended these two are 
Nicholas Rolfe. 
Rob‘ Mascall, my son. 
John Brakenbury, constable. 
Mr. Jo. Randolph. 
Tho. Dray ; 
and John Rawley ; 
