88 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
[2nd §, No 5., Fes. 2. ’56, 
trare for interpretares the French tremper is mo- 
dified from temperare. Similar transpositions 
abound in the old Italian writers, as strupo for 
stupro, preta for petra, catreda for cattedra, Adas- 
tro for Adrasto, capresto for capestro, sterlomia for 
astronomia, catrigole for graticole, cateratte for ca- 
rattere. Many of these metatheses recur in the 
popular dialect of ‘Tuscany, as represented in 
Baldovini’s poem of the Lamento di Cecco da 
Varlungo : thus, drento for dentro, brullo for burlo, 
Preto tor Pietro, gralima for lagrima. (See the 
edition of the Lamento di Cecco by Marrini, Fi- 
renze, 1817, pp. 63. 75. 98.) The river Acheron, 
near Pandovia, in Southern Italy, where Alex- 
ander, King of Epirus, lost his life, is now called 
the Arconti; that is to say, Acheronta has been 
changed into Arechonta. (See Blewett’s Hand- 
book of Southern Italy, p. 448.) L. 
ELEVEN THOUSAND POUNDS REWARD FOR THE 
* DISCOVERY OF A WILL. 
Your correspondent, the Rev. Jamus GRAvEs, 
of Kilkenny, furnished a Note (1S. xii. 365.) 
headed ** Stolen Deeds,” extracted by him from 
the Pictorial Times, Nov. 11, 1843. The follow- 
ing, respecting a ‘stolen will,” is infinitely more 
curious, and well deserves a place among the 
out-of-the-way scraps which have built the repu- 
tation of “ N. & Q.” It appeared in the Dublin 
newspapers of 1818. Can any of your correspon- 
dents tell whether Mr. Walker's will, for the dis- 
covery of which 11,0002. was offered, ever came 
to light? The delicate manner in which the 
proclamation alludes to the rogue’s motives, in 
keeping back the will, are especially amusing. 
WitrraMm Joun Fitz-Parricr. 
Dublin. 
* £10,000 Reward for a Will. 
“ Whereas, the late Thomas Walker, Fsq., of Belgrifiin 
Park, in the county of Dublin, but formerly of Dame 
Street, died on the 26th day of March, 1817, and having 
during his illness declared, in the most explicit manner, 
to an eminent physician, that ‘he had made his will, 
arranged his affairs to his satisfaction, and that same 
was safe, and would be found after his demise.’ And 
whereas there is reason to believe that, in his regularly 
executed will, a considerable sum of money has been be- 
queathed to charitable purposes, and that said will, with 
other testamentary papers, were deposited with some per- 
son who, from the importance of the trust, have with- 
held same, for the purpose of receiying such liberal re- 
muneration, as by the value which such documents (the 
testator dying worth upwards of 20,0002) they ought 
to be considered justly entitled to. Notice is hereby 
given, that any person or persons with whom said will 
and testamentary papers may have been deposited, and 
who will make a communication (private, if more agree- 
able), so that said will, as duly executed, may be brought 
forward, such person or persons will become entitled to 
the reward of 10,0002, which sum shall be deposited in 
the hands of any three respectable persons (the Secretary 
of the Bank of Ireland being one), who the parties making 
the communication may name, to be held in trust, and 
paid over the moment said will is proved. Communica- 
tions to be made (and also as to any other terms required) 
to any three of the following persons: — The Right Hon. 
John Radcliffe, or his Register, John Hawkins, Esq. ; 
Thomas Williams, Esq., Bank of Ireland; Thomas Kem- 
mis, Esq., Law Agent to Commissioners of First Fruits, 
Kildare Street; Wm. James M‘Causland, Esq., Secretary 
to Comissioners of Charitable Donations, 38. Merrion 
Street, Dublin; or if the said will and papers are in the 
possession of any person or persons in Great Britain, in- 
formation may be made to the Right Hon. Sir John 
Nichols, the Right Hon. Sir Wm. Scott, or their Register, 
Charles Moore, Esq., Prerogative Office, London. ~ ; 
“ Further Reward of £1,000 more. 
“And whereas it appears by the testamentary paper, 
or instructions for drawing said will (which has been 
lodged in the Prerogative Court, and which instructions 
have been proved by several of the most respectable wit- 
nesses to be the handwriting of the deceased ), that he has 
bequeathed a sum of money to my family, I do hereby 
offer a reward of one thousand pounds, in addition to 
the above; which sum shall be paid on demand to the 
person who shall deliver said will to any of the above 
named, or to any person who will give such information 
so.as to secure its production, on application to George 
Webb, Stock Broker, London; or at my office, 17, Dame 
Street, Dublin. Rogsert WEBB.” 
To the above the following cutting may not 
be inapplicably appended. It appeared in the 
Chester journals of 1819; 
“ Extraordinary Discovery of a Will. 
“ About four years ago, a man possessed of very con- 
siderable property died, bequeathing his effects to his 
daughter, in exclusion to his son and wife; his will, it 
seems, fell into the hands of his wife, with whom the son 
was a favourite, and to prevent its being carried into 
effect, she buried it, together with what other valuable 
papers she could collect, in the coffin with the husband. 
A few weeks ago, being on her death-bed, she confessed 
the particulars to a friend, enjoining her not to disclose 
the fact till after her death; the widow is now dead, and 
application is making at Doctors’ Commons to take up 
the coffin of the deceased man.” ; shes, 
HAMLET READINGS, NO. I. — GERTRUDE'S SHOES. 
« A little month; or e’er those shoes were old, 
With which she follow’d my poor father’s body, 
Like Niobe, all tears ;— why she, even she, — 
(O heaven! a beast, that wants discourse of reason, 
Would haye mourn’d longer,) married,” &c. 
‘ ‘Hamlet, Act I. Se. 2. 
The above is the received text, corrected in one 
particular, viz. by writing “‘e’er” for ere of the 
‘early quartos, eve being merely the contracted 
form of or ever. ‘The variations of the old coptes 
are unimportant, except that in the first and some 
of the later quartos, ‘‘ shoes” is spelt shooes, and 
that the first quarto reads the which instead of 
“ with which.” 
The integrity of the text has neyer been sus- 
pected; and except a passage in Voltaire, in 
