Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 10.djvu/258

This page needs to be proofread.

250


NOTES AND QUERIES. [* s. x. SEPT. 27, 1902.


remarkable picture ' The Raising of Lazarus ' is now in the possession of the Plymouth Corporation, and hangs on the wall of the Council Chamber in this the birthplace of the distinguished painter. The picture was loaned to the Corporation in 1884, under the terms of the National Gallery Loan Act of 1883. The Corporation are responsible for the safe custody and insurance against fire. The history of this colossal work of art is remarkable. It was exhibited at the Egyptian Hall in March, 1823, and, although the exhibition was a success, the picture was seized by creditors almost immediately, with the rest of Haydon's property, includ- ing a large canvas on which he had already commenced a picture of 'The Crucifixion.' Haydon was imprisoned in the King's Bench till 25 July. ' Lazarus ' was sold to his upholsterer for 30., and the 'Entry of Christ into Jerusalem ' (now at Phila- delphia) for 240J. In June, 1823, ' Lazarus,' with other pictures, was put up at auction, "under circumstances," says Mr. Crook, the auctioneer, " that will not admit of any re- servation," and realized 350. According to Tom Taylor, Haydon's biographer, it was for many years at the Pantheon in Oxford Street, but it was presented to the National Gallery by Mr. R. E. Lofft in 1868.

Another of Haydon's big pictures is at the present time on loan to the Corporation of Nottingham under the same conditions as prevail at Plymouth.

For the purposes of a lecture recently de- livered before the members of the Plymouth Institution, I sought for and was able to obtain a great deal of interesting information as to the whereabouts of Haydon's pictures, and I have many of his letters and sketches. I shall be pleased to communicate with W. B on the matter. W. H. K. WRIGHT.

Public Library, Plymouth.

"TAYNTYNGE" (9 th S. x. 207). " Taynt- ynge" in this quotation is obviously the tenting or tentering of cloth, which was dried, after bleaching, on tenter-hooks.

H. SNOWDEN WARD.

LEGEND OF LADY ALICE LEA (9 th S. x 68 138, 192) 1 ana sorry that what I wrote was not helpful to D. K. T. His question led me to believe that, having read the legend in a newspaper, he wished to know where it had been recorded in a print more permanent I am afraid the Editor of ' N. & O.' would not care to repeat Mr. Hawker's version of the story, so 1 will summarize it, and D K T must content himself with knowing that 'his newspaper has not led him astray until he


has access to some good library and can read the original narrative.

Alice of the Lea ( = meadow), proud of her beauty, her garments, and of everything, desired the love of Sir Beyil Granville, of Stowe. She attired herself in velvet, put on her jewels, including a glorious ring, and was about to go forth to a banquet in his halls when her mother declared that she should offer prayer for her child's success. "Prayer!" was the scornful reply. "With the eyes I see in that glass, and tnis vesture meet for a queen, I lack no doubting prayer." At once she vanished from human ken ; but one day a delver found a beauteous ring which bore an inscription in the old Cornish tongue that the priest of Morwenna con- strued as

The earth must hide

Both eyes and pride,

and as he did so a mole appeared with a low, faint cry ; its velvet skin and its invisible eyes were proof enough that it was the em- bodiment of the haughty Alice. This was the first Cornish mole.

I am aware that this is no reply to D. K. T.'s question as to Alice's family. I regret I know nothing about it. ST. SWITHIN.

" CHIEN ou RAT " (9 th S. x. 208). I dare say that, unless my native instinct is very much at fault, the commas which appear to MR PIERPOINT " worse than unnecessary " are quite necessary, and give the sentence its meaning. I should propose the following explanation : The success of a coup de main is absolutely dependent upon luck, so much so, indeed, that the slightest motion of a dog or a rat may be enough to ruin it, which is tersely put in a few French words and two or three commas : " Le succes d'un coup de main depend absolument du bonheur, d'un chien, ou d'un rat." MAURICE KUHN.

Ecole Normale d'Instituteurs, Paris.

THE DUCHY OF BERWICK (9 th S. viii. 439, 534 ; ix. 130, 258, 295, 433 ; x. 153). Writers differ as to Nest's father. One, as followed on 9 th S. ix. 296, states he was Jestyn, and that this chief defeated and slew Rhys ap Tewdwr in 1093, with the help of Robert FitzHamon ; also that Jestyn was himself defeated in his turn by his nephew, Einion and FitzHamon. Others, as stated 9 th S. ix. 434, say that this Rhys ap Tewdwr (King of Deheubarth) was Nest's father, and the balance of the evidence appears to be in their favour. Rees ap Gryffyths and Reese ap Theodore (p. 434) have also been named for the post of parent. On p. 434 mention is made in error of Gerald of Windsor as having