aad §, No 4., JAN. 26. °56.] 
Florina, a Tale of the first Crusaders, that she gives 
the name to the translation into French of my 
book, it being there entitled La fille du Renégat. 
I must own that I am quite shocked —“severely 
shocked by hearing” —that I have been trench- 
ing on the same ground as Tasso. I thought I 
had avoided the risk of doing so, by keeping 
closely to the original narrative of the Crusader- 
writers, and by confining myself to the siege of 
Antioch, not venturing to go farther than that 
city with the first Crusaders. 
Tasso’s description of Erminia would lead one 
to suppose that she was the daughter, not of a 
simple Emir, but of Baghi Sian, the supreme 
ruler of Antioch: 
“Volle che quivi seco Erminia andasse, 
Erminia bella ch’ ei raccolse in corte, 
Poich’ a lei fu dalle cristiane squadre, 
Pressa Antiochia, e morto il re suo padre.” 
Cant. ut. S. 12. 
It is a great many years since I read the Gerusa- 
lemme Liberata ; and as the copy in which I studied 
it was without notes, there may be an authority 
for Xty.’s statement with which I am unac- 
quainted. He will oblige me by mentioning it. 
I may observe, however, that Michaud (no 
mean authority), in his History of the Crusades, 
maintains that the “ Erminia,” as well as “ Clo- 
rinda,” of Tasso, “are the invention of the poet.” 
(See vol. i. p. 205., English Translation, London, 
1852.) 
As the book Florina, in which I have intro- 
duced “the daughter of the Emir of Antioch,” is 
certain to reach a second edition ; and, as it is my 
intention to affix historical notes to that edition, 
I hope Xrv. will supply me with the information 
I seek for. Should he be so kind as to comply 
with my request, it will be an additional advan- 
tage to the many already conferred upon me by a 
perusal of the “ N. & Q.” W. B. Mac Cane. 
Minar Queries. 
Etymology.— Can you favour some of your 
country readers with the derivation of two well- 
known and long-used words, erysipelas and theo- 
dolite? Also, with the derivation and exact 
meaning of a few others of modern date, and re- 
cently admitted by naturalization into the English 
language, viz. platitude, caucus, clique, jacquerie # 
Q—r. 
* Seal.” — What is the meaning and derivation 
of the word seal in Hexham Seal, a spot of ground 
to the west of the abbey; and in Sanson Seal, 
two miles north-west of Berwick, on the Dunse 
Road ? CEYREP. 
_ London Architecture. — Which is the most an- 
cient piece of architecture in London ? H. 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
73 
Handbills, §:c. —There are, lam sure, several 
of the readers of “ N. & Q.” who, like old Pepys, 
take pleasure in collecting handbills, placards, and 
broadsides — the frailest of the children® of the 
press ; they are valuable as expressions of popular 
opinions and doings of the hour. 
The historians of the social and domestic life of 
the nineteenth century, will find such sheets his 
most valuable aids next to a file of The Times: 
the latter is frequently found; there are not, that I 
am aware of, any public collections of the former. 
I wish to suggest, that now the postage on 
printed matter is reduced, there is every facility 
for the exchange of such papers. Will the Editor 
of “N. & Q.” give collectors’ names “a local habi- 
tation” in his pages ? HANpDBILL. 
Oiros. — Obros is sometimes applied, with special 
emphasis, to persons who are well known, famous, 
or notorious. Thus, ‘’Ijcots 6 Nafwpatos ovTos,” 
“the well-known Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts vi. 
14.). See Liddell and Scott’s Greek Lexicon, 
v. ooros. I am desirous of ascertaining whether 
odros is ever so used of things, or events in history, 
which may be supposed well known to the persons 
concerned. For example, would odros 6 karaxav- 
guds, obTos 6 Aowuds, abrn H Eumpnots, arn 1 wapoimta, 
be good expressions for the great Deluge, the great 
Plague, the great Fire, the well-known adage, sup- 
posing the allusions would at once be understood, 
and especially if floods, plagues, fires, and adages 
respectively, were the topics under consideration 
at the time? i should feel greatly obliged to any 
of your correspondents who would produce ex- 
amples of such a use of ofros from the Greek 
writers, as they would erable me to illustrate 
what I conceive to be the meaning of a difficult 
passage in the Greek Testament. Veh ec 
The two-headed Eagle. — Russia, Austria, and 
Prussia have each a double-headed eagle for their 
arms. What is the meaning of this fabled bird 
as an armorial ensign? and how happens each 
| country, so sympathetic with each other on many 
questions, the partition of Poland for example, to 
have the same arms ? PRESTONIENSIS. 
The Eagle in Heraldry. —It is stated in the 
Book of Family Crests, 7th ed. vol. i. p.154., that— 
“William Rufus, King of England, gave for a device, 
an eagle looking against the sun. From this we may 
infer its use in heraldry.” 
To whom, and under what circumstances, was 
this device given? And where may be found the 
authority for the above statement ? 2H. 
Andrea Ferrara.—What is the value of an 
Andrea Ferrara sword-blade, in fair condition ? 
Is there any work, besides Meyrick, giving a de- 
scription of the various kinds of old sword-blades ? 
CLERICUS. 
