450 NOTES AND QUERIES. JAMES LOBIMEB. James Lorimer ma- triculated at Marischal College, Aberdeen, in 1670; M.A., 1674; Regent, 1679; Minister of Kelso, 1683 ; Second Master, St. Mary's College, St. Andrews, 1686 ; First Master and Principal, 1687 ; Rector and D.D., 1688 ; ejected (with the whole staff), 1690. Is anything known of his subsequent career ? P. J. ANDERSON. Aberdeen University Library. FOBDBAUGHT OB FOBDBAFT. This is a common word in Warwickshire for a little by-road that leads to nowhere. What is the etymology of the word ? I don't know how it should be spelled ; and I can't find it^in the ' N.E.D.' nor in Skeat. HABBY K. HUDSON. Stratford Lodge, Twickenham. [The ' English Dialect Dictionary ' has it with the first spelling but notes the second for Worcester, and some other spellings. The meaning given is " a lane or path for purposes of draught between two farms." The word is used in Warwick, Worcester and Sussex. The only thing approaching an etymological suggestion is that it signifies " leading forth from a farm or house to a high roal or fields."] THE BBONTE POEMS. Can the following excerpt from the Miscellany Column of The Manchester Guardian of May 2 be answered in ' N. & Q.' ? The inclusion in the sale catalogue of Sir Arthur Brooke's library of a first edition of ' Poems by Currer, Acton, and Ellis Bell,' which formerly belonged to Charles Dickens, raises an inter- esting query as to how the great novelist came by that particular book. . . . Charlotte had to lament that ' in the space of a year the pub- lisher had disposed of but two copies. . . .' There are, of course, a number of ways in which Dickens may have acquired his copy, but one would like to be able to believe that he was the purchaser of one of those two copies sold. J. B. MCGOVEBN. St. Stephen's Rectory, C.-on-M., Manchester. ANSTBUTHEB : VANSITTABT : YULE : CAB- DEW. I should be grateful if anyone could tell me whether any member of the above families was in the 12th Regiment. I possess a portrait in pencil, well executed, of a soldier of that Regiment wearing many orders nine crosses, one star and a small oval order. The date of the portrait is about 1820, and it is signed " Emily," which was probably the Christian name of Mrs. Van- sittart, nee Anstruther, wife of William Vansittart, H.E.I.C.S. and M.P. for Windsor. She died in 1844-5. LEONABD C. PBICE. Essex Lodge, Ewell. THE " PLAGUE PITS." What is known regarding the sites of the so-called " Plague Pits " ? Are there any books on the sub- ject ? J. W. G. HANGING A SCOTCH FALCONEB, 1616. | In Oct., 1616, Mr. Justice Warburton was I in some disfavour for hanging a Scotch
- falconer of the King's at Oxford, contrary,
j as alleged, to the express command that he should be reprieved. It was generally said that he should be displaced and have a writ of ease, as it was called ; but it appears the royal wrath was appeased, as the judge continued on the bench of the Court of Commons Pleas. This is the substance of a foot-note in J. P. Hore's ' History of New- market,' 1886 (vol. i., p. 193). Reference ! is made to a manuscript in the British Museum (Birch MS., 4173), and also to ! The Field of Dec. 27, 1854, p. 880, presum- i ably for details. But on turning to the latter no mention of the case is to be found. As I am unable to get to London to consult the MS. referred to, I should be glad to know whether the details of the case are to be found printed elsewhere, and to learn the name .of the royal falconer and the nature of his offence. J. E. HABTING. CHUBCH BUILDING AND PABLIAMENTABY COMMISSIONEBS. In Cooke's ' Topography of Devon,' c. 1832, there appears on p. 186 the following statement referring, of course, to Plymouth : Application for two new Churches in the parishes of St. Charles and St. Andrew was made to the Parliamentary Commissioners in 1828. I should like information as to : When these Commissioners were ap- pointed ? By what authority ? What were their powers ? What funds they controlled ? When they ceased to exist ? W. S. B. H. WILLIAM THOMAS, M.P., 1640-41. Can anyone say whether this man was a descend- ant of Sir Rhys ap Thomas, K.G., fifteenth century ? R. E. THOMAS.
- JOHN INGLESANT.' Can one of your
readers tell me if there is any edition ol
- John Inglesant,' or other work, published
in which a key is given to the different places referred to in that book ? Lucis.
