Notes and Queries

Works by Daniel Defoe -Bell Inscriptions - Vulcan
Dancy Meaning of "Lun"- Origin of the Word" As-
monean"- Monumental Brass -Boggarts - Sir T. Flimer
-Seal of Hawise, Lady of Cyveilioc-"Three Ladies
playing at Ball"-Old French Words- Hewes: Pitmye
Hildyard Motto - The Phrase "Dear me" - English

Wines, &c., 21.

Notes on Books, &c.

Notes.

A BUNDLE OF OLD NEWSPAPERS.

I have lately met with a small parcel of old
newspapers, in the shape of thirty numbers of the
Weekly Packet, for the year 1721. This paper
seems to be of uncommon occurrence, as I do not
find a single number in the Hope Collection at
Oxford, and it is seldom mentioned by writers on
the manners and customs of the last century.
This being granted, I have strung together a few
extracts from my bundle which may perhaps
amuse the readers of "N. & Q." for a passing
moment whilst resting from graver studies.

First of royalty. A paragraph carrying us back

to the Eternal City makes the following announce-

Lewis-John Casimir-Silvestre. Each Cardinal gave 20

Pistoles to the Midwife, and every one of the ladies 10.

It is said the Pretender has declar'd the Midwife a

Countess."

There is something so comical in the idea of the

members of the "sacred college" leaving their
religious duties to rush into the presence of a
suffering woman, upon an occasion like the pre-
sent, that we can hardly keep our countenance
whilst reading the paragraph. The young prince,
of course, was the Pretender of '45 celebrity.

By a singular coincidence the same paper, of
only a few weeks later, records another event of
a similar kind having considerable bearing upon
that just quoted : —

"On Saturday the 15th Instant [April], a little after

seven o'clock in the Evening, her Royal Highness the Prin-

cess of Wales was happily deliver'd of a Prince at Leicester

House, there being then present in the Room his Royal

Highness the Prince of Wales, the Dutchesses of Dorset

and Shrewsbury, the Countesses of Pembroke, Grantham,

Cowper, and Bristol, Ladies of her Royal Highness's Bed-

chamber, the Countess of Picbourg, the Women of her

Royal Highness's Bed-chamber, Sir David Hamilton,

and Mrs. Crane, the Midwife, who laid her Royal High-

ness," &c.

The prince whose birth is thus recorded was

the Duke of Cumberland, the "hero of Culloden,"
or, as we prefer calling him, "Billy the Butcher."
The midwife upon this occasion was not raised to
the peerage! The paper for Saturday, May 20,
records merely that -

"Mrs. Crane, the Midwife, having received the Thanks
of the Prince and Princess, and the usual Presents, took
her Leave of their Royal Highnesses, in order to return
Home to St. Edmund's-Bury in Suffolk."

Leicester House, in which the event took place,
was for many years a royal residence. When the
Prince of Wales, afterwards George II., quar-
relled with his father in 1717, he took up his
abode here. The mansion, described in 1773 as
"a large old brick building with a court-yard
before it," was pulled down in 1806.

We have still another event connected with

royalty worth the quoting. The paper for July 15

thus mentions a royal visit to a celebrated place

of entertainment:

"On Saturday last the Prince and Princess of Wales

dined at Belsize House near Hampstead, their own

Cooks being there to dress the Dinner for their Royal

Highnesses and their Retinue, afterwards they saw the

Diversions of the Place, particularly that of Deer hunt-

ing, and were well pleas'd therewith; and at their going

away were very liberal to the Servants."

"Rome, Jan. 4.-On the 31st a chapel was held, being