h taking hold of the end of a handkerchief, fired,
and although the balls went through both their bodies, neither
of the wounds proved mortal! The friars at Cape Francois, with
great humanity, took charge of them till they were cured of
their wounds."

J. LOCKE.

Dublin.

_Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester._--I should be glad if any of your
correspondents would refer me to any authentic account of the death of
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Queen Elizabeth's favourite. He is
said by some to have been _accidentally_ poisoned by his wife; by others
_purposely_, by some of his adherents. This affair, though clouded in
mystery, appears not to have been particularly inquired into. Likewise
let me ask, on what authority is Stanfield Hall, Norfolk (the scene of a
recent tragedy), described as the birthplace of Amy Robsart, the
unfortunate first wife of this same nobleman?

A. S.

_Abbott Families._--Samuel Abbott, of Sudbury, in the county of Suffolk,
gentleman, lived about 1670. Can any of your genealogical contributors
inform me if he was in any way connected with the family of Archbishop
Abbott, or otherwise elucidate his parentage? It may probably be
interesting to persons of the same name to be acquainted that the
_pears_ worn by many of the Abbot family are merely a corruption of the
ancient inkhorns of the Abbots of Northamptonshire, and impaled in
Netherheyford churchyard, same county, on the tomb of Sir Walt.
Mauntele, knight, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Abbot, Esq.,
1487, viz. a chev. between three inkhorns. The resemblance between pears
and inkhorns doubtless occasioned the error. I believe the ancient
bottles of Harebottle were similarly corrupted into icicles.

J. T. ABBOTT.

Darlington.

_Authorship of a Ballad._--In the _Manchester Guardian_ of Jan. 7, the
author of a stanza, written on the execution of Thos. Syddale, is
desired; as also the remainder of the ballad. From what quarter is
either of these more likely to be obtained than from "N. & Q.?"

P. J. F. GANTILLON.

_Elias Petley._--What is known of the life or works of Elias Petley,
priest, who dedicated to Archbishop Laud his translation of the English
Liturgy into Greek. The book was published at the press of Thomas Cotes,
for Richard Whitaker, {106} at the King's Arms, St. Paul's churchyard,
in 1638. Is it remarkable for rarity or merit?

J. O. B.

Wicken.

_Canaletto's Views round London._--An