Notes and Queries, Number 26, April 27, 1850 | Page 8

The incidents are truly remarkable, pointing most
suspiciously toward Barnard; but he escaped. Can any of your readers
refer me to where I can find any further account or elucidation of this
affair?
Buriensis.
"_M. or N._"--Of what words are "M. or N." the initials? Vide the
answers to be given in the Church Catechism, and some of the
occasional offices in he liturgy.
J.C.
[It has been suggested that "M. or N." originated in a misreading of
"NOM," a contraction for "nomen." This is certainly an ingenious
explanation, though not a satisfactory one.]
_Song of the Bees._--Who was the author of the lines under this title
beginning,
"We watch for the light of the moon to break and colour the grey
eastern sky With its blended hues of saffron and lake," &c.
I have always understood them to be Dr. Aikin's, but latterly that has
been contradicted.
Buriensis.
_William Godwin._--Can any of your correspondents tell me where I
can find an account of the leading events of the life of William Godwin,
author of _Caleb Williams, St. Leon, Mandeville_ &c., or any reference

to his last hours? His sentiments, political and religious, are said to
have been peculiar.
N. Woodbridge, April 15.
_Regimental Badges._--When were the regimental badges granted to
the first nine infantry corps of the line, and under what circumstances
were they so granted?
J.C. London, April 15. 1850.
_Mother of Thomas à Becket._--The well-known romantic legend of
the origin of this lady has been introduced into the _Pictorial History of
England_, on the authority of "Brompton in X. Scriptores." And on the
same page (552. vol. i.) is a pictorial representation of the "Baptism of
the Mother of Becket, from the Royal MS. 2 B. vii."
Now, Lord Campbell, in his _Lives of the Chancellors_, repudiates the
story in toto; but without assigning any other reason for doing so, than
an inference from the silence of Becket himself and his secretary,
Fitzstephen, on the point.
Can any of the learned gentlemen, whose distinguished names adorn
your valuable pages, direct an humble student to the fountain of truth,
for the settlement of this _verata questio_?
W. Franks Mathews. Kidderminster, April 7. 1850.
_Swords worn in public._--Can any of your correspondents say when
swords ceased to be worn as an article of ordinary dress, and whether
the practice was abolished by act of parliament, or that they gradually
went out of fashion.
J.D.A. April 17. 1850.
_Emblem and National Motto of Ireland._--How long has the harp
been the emblem, and _Erin-go-bragh_ the national motto of Ireland?
To this I give another query,--What is the national motto of England?
E.M.B.
_Latin Distich and Translation._--Who were the authors of the
following Latin Distich, and its English translation?
"Mittitur in disco mihi piscis ab archiepisco-- --Po non ponatur, quia
potus non mihi datur." "I had sent me a fish in a great dish by the
archbish-- --Hop is not here, for he gave me no beer."
E.M.B.
_Verbum Græcum._--Who was the author of
"Like the _verbum Græcum_ Spermagoraiolekitholukanopolides,

Words that should only be said upon holidays, When one has nothing
else to do."
The _verbum Græcum_ itself is in Aristophanes' _Lysistrata_, 457.
E.M.B.
_Pope Felix._--Who is "Pope Felix," mentioned in Ælfric's _Homily on
the Birthday of St. Gregory_? Ælfric, in speaking of the ancestors of St.
Gregory, states that "Felix se eawfaesta papa waes his fifta
faeder,"--"Felix the pious pope was his fifth father," (i.e. great
grandfather's grandfather).
E.M.B. April 15. 1850.
"_Where England's Monarch," and "I'd preach as though._"--Will any
of your subscribers have the kindness to inform me who was the author
of the lines
"Where England's monarch all uncovered sat And Bradshaw bullied in
a broad-brimm'd hat."
And also of these, quoted by Henry Martyn as "well-known:"
"I'd preach as though I ne'er should preach again, I'd preach as dying
unto dying men."
H.G. Milford, April 15. 1850. {416}
_Latin Epigram._--I should be much obliged to any of your readers
who can inform me who was the author and what is the date of the
following epigram. The peculiarity of it, your readers will observe,
consists in the fact, that while read directly it contains a strong
compliment; yet it is capable of being read backwards, still forming the
same description of verse, but conveying a perfect reverse of the
compliment:--
"Laus tua, non tua fraus; virtus non copia rerum, Scandere te fecit hoc
decus eximium, Pauperibus tua das; nunquam stat janua clausa;
Fundere res quæris, nec tua multiplicas. Conditio tua sit stabilis! non
tempore parvo Vivere te faciat hic Deus omnipotens."
When reversed, it reads thus:--
"Omnipotens Deus hic faciat te vivere parvo Tempore! Non stabilis sit
tua conditio. Multiplicas tua, nec quæris res fundere; clausa Janua stat,
nunquam das tua pauperibus. Eximium decus hoc fecit te scandere
rerum