B.W.

Leicester’s Commonwealth (Vol. ii., p. 92).—­See Gentleman’s Magazine, December, 1845, for many remarks upon this work.

J.R.

Midwives Licensed (Vol. ii., p. 408.).—­I find the following question among the articles of inquiry issued by Fleetwood, Bp. of St. Asaph, in the year 1710.

    “Do any in your parish practise physic chyrurgery, or undertake the
    office of a midwife without license?”

E.H.A.

Volusenus (Vol. ii, p. 311).—­Boswell, writing to Johnson from Edinburgh, Jan. 8. 1778, asks: 

    “Did you ever look at a book written by Wilson, a Scotchman, under the
    Latin name of Volusenus, according to the custom of literary men at a
    certain period?  It is entitled De Animi Tranquillitate.”

E.H.A.

    [Mr. Croker, in a note on this passage, tells us that the author,
    Florence Wilson, born at Elgin, died near Lyons, in 1547, and wrote two
    or three other works of no note.—­ED.]

Martin Family (Vol. ii., p. 392.).—­CLERICUS asks for information touching the family of Martin, “in or near Wivenhoe, Essex.”  There is a large house in the village, said to have been the seat of Matthew Martin, Esq., member for Colchester in the second parliaments of George I. and II.  He died in 1749.  He had been a commander in the service of the East India Company.  Only one party of the name now lives in the neighbourhood, but whether he is of the family or not I cannot say.  He is described as “Edward Martin, Master, Royal Navy.”

A.A.

Swords used in Dress (Vol. i. 415.; vol. ii. 110. 213. 388.).—­Might it not have happened that swords went out of fashion after the middle of the last century, and were revived towards its close?  In old prints from 1700 to 1720, they appear to have been universally worn; later they are not so general.  In 1776-90, they appear again.  My grandmother (born in 1760) well remembers her brother, of nearly her own age, wearing a sword, say about 1780.  Some of Fielding’s heroes wore “hangers.”

A.A.

Clerical Costume (Vol. ii., pp. 22. 189.).—­The use of scarlet cloth is popularly recommended in Berks and in Devon as a cure for the rheumatism.  It should be wrapped round the “ailing” limb.

H.G.T.

Tristan d’Acunha (Vol. ii., p. 358.).—­The latest and best description of this isle is to be found in A Narrative of a Nine Months’ Residence in New Zealand, together with a Journal of a Residence in Tristan d’Acunha.  By A. Earle.  Longmans, 1832.

GOMER.

Swearing by Swans (Vol. ii., pp. 392. 451.).—­Though I can give no reason why the birds of Juno should have been invoked as witnesses to an oath, the Query about them has suggested to me what may perhaps appear rather an irrelevant little note.