272 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[2nd s. VI. 144., Oct. 2. '68, 



Kingdom came forward to claim it. At the close of the 

 session of 1857 it was aw'arded to him in the absence of 

 any other claimant. The present claimant, John Fraser, 

 who declares himself to be a descendant of Alexander 

 Fraser, was totally unaware of any steps having been 

 taken in the claim until the decision had been given, but 

 he has since that time been engaged in taking proper 

 means to reverse it, and to establish his own rights as the 

 lineal descendant of Alexander Fraser. His case promises 

 to offer many points of interest both to the genealogist 

 and to the legal student.'" — Inverness Advertiser, Sept. 

 14, 1858. 



A. S. A. states that tlie death of Alexander 

 Fraser was clearly proved in 169J). If he could 

 give references to the legal documents that prove 

 it, it would of course do away at once with the 

 hopes of the claimant referred to. Simon Fraser 

 was a man of unscrupulous cunning, and would 

 not have hesitated to represent his brother as 

 dead if it suited his own purpose. Indeed it is 

 evident on the face of the statements of facts 

 given by A. S. A., that the existence of a brother 

 known to be alive, but not forthcoming, or liable 

 to be tried for murder if he did appear, would 

 have been ruinous to the prospects of the Lovat 

 family. 



One other point in A. S. A.'s communication 

 seems note-worthy. He says " Alexander Fraser, 

 eldest son of Thomas of Beaufort, fought at the 

 battle of Killiecrankie, 27 July, 1G89, and died 

 shortly afterwards, in his twenty-sixth year, un- 

 married." Now what proof is existing of Alex- 

 ander's age ? In the Memoirs of the Life of Loi'd 

 Lovat, professing to be written by himself, it is 

 stated, in correction of the Memoirs concei'ning 

 the Affairs of Scotland written by George Lock- 

 bart : — 



" The author of these memoirs was probably igno- 

 rant that Lord Lovat was imprisoned for his exertions in 

 the Royal cause at the age of thirteen years, and at the 

 verv time that his elder brother was the first to join in 

 the expedition of Lord Viscount Dundee." — 3Ieinoirs of 

 Lord Luvat, p. 221. 



Now what proof is there that ^Alexander was 

 thirteen years older than his next brother, for 

 such Simon appears to have been. Is there any 

 evidence existing either of the date of Alexander's 

 birth or of his death ? M. S. C. F. 



JEST AND SONG nOOKS. 



(2"" S. vi. 206.) 



A complete answer to the inquiry of M. would 

 not only be beyond my powers, but would occupy 

 much more space than could be devoted to it in 

 your pages. I begin, however, by offering him a 

 list of a few of the jest books which are at the 

 moment within my reach : — 



A Banquet of Jests, new and old, 12mo., Lend., 1G57. 

 Bon-ton Jester, 12mo., Loud., n. d. 

 Cambridge Jests, 12mo., Lond., 1G74. 

 Coffee-House Jests, 12mo., Lond., 1C86. 



Comes Facundus in Via, by Democritus Secundus, 

 12mo., Lond., 1658. 



Complaisant Companion, or New Jests, &c., 8vo., Lond, 

 1674. 



Complete London Jester, 8vo., Lond., 1764. 



Court and City Jester, 8vo., Lond., 1770. 



Covenl Garden Jester, New Edition, Lond., n. d. 



Peter Cunningham's Jests, or Jlodern High Life below 

 Stairs, 12mo., Lond., n. d. 



Delight and Pastime, or Pleasant Diversion for both 

 Sexes, "by G. M., 8vo., Loud., 1697. 



Decker's Jests to make you Merie, 4to., Lond., 1607. 



Encyclopaxlia of Wit, 12mo., Lond., n. d., Several 

 editions. 



England's Jests, 12mo., Loud., 1693. 



England's Witty and Ingenious Jester, by W. W., 17th 

 Edition, 12mo., Lond., 1718. 



Sir John Fielding's Jests, or New Fim for the Parlour 

 and Kitchen, 12mo., Loud., n. d. 



Festival of Wit, or Small Talker, bj' G. K. Summer, re- 

 sident at Windsor, 12mo., 17th Edition, Lond., 1800. 



Gratia; Ludentes, Jests from the Vniversitie, 12mo., 

 Lond., 1638. 



Good-Fellow's Calendar, 12mo., Lond., 1826. 



Hobson's Jests, 4to., Lond. Mislaid, and reference mis- 

 sing. 



Ben Jonson's Jests, 12mo., London., n. d. (New Edi- 

 tion.) 



Kelt's Flowers of Wit, 2 Vols. 12mo., Lond., 1814. 



Laugh and be Fat, or the Merry Companion, 12mo., 

 Lond. Several editions. 



London Jests, 12mo., Lond., 1684. 



Joe Miller's Jests, 8vo. and 12mo., Lond. Many edi- 

 tions. 



New Joe Miller (by Bannantyne), 2 Vols. 12mo., Lond., 

 1801. 



Drawing-room Joe Miller, square 12mo., Lond., 18 — . 



Modius Saliuni, a Collection of such pieces of Humour 

 as prevailed at Oxford in the time of Anth. a Wood, 

 Oxon., 12mo., 1751. 



The Nut-cracker, by Ferdinando Foot, Esq., 12nio., 

 Lond., 1751. 



Original Jests, selected from Shakspeare, Garrick, &c., 

 12mo., Lond., 1810. 



Oxford Jests (by Capt. Hicks), 12mo.. Lond., 1684. 



The Polite Jester, or Theatre for Wit, 12mo., Lond., 

 1796. 



Peele's Merry and Conceited Jests, 4to., Lond., 1627. 



Hugh Peters's Tales and Jests, 4to., Lond. 1660. 



Mrs. Pilkington's Jests, or Cabinet of Wit and Humour, 

 2nd Edition, 12mo., Lond., 1764. 



Pinkethman's Jests. Mislaid, no reference. 



Quin's Jests, or Facetious Blan's Pocket Companion, 

 12mo. Lond., 1766. 



Royal Jester, or Prince's Cabinet of Wit, 12mo., Lond., 

 1792. 



The Scotch Haggis, consisting of Anecdotes, Jests, &c., 

 8vo., Edin., 1822. 



Scottish Jests fby Chambers), 2nd Edition, 12mo., 

 Edin., 1838. 



Scogin's Jests, gathered by Andrew Borde, 4to., Lond., 

 n. d. 



Scrapeana, or Fugitive Miscellany, 8vo., York, 1792. 



Shakspeare's Jest Book. So called by Mr. Singer in 

 his elegant reprint of " Tales and Quicke Answeres." 

 8vo., Chiswick, 1814. 



Tarleton's Jests, full of delight, wit, and honest mirth, 

 4to., Lond., 1638. 



Teagueland Jests, or Bogg Witticisms, 12mo., Lond., 

 1G90. 



Threatrical Jests, or Green Room Witticisms, 12mo., 

 Lond., n. d. 



