gress of slang phrases to the
present day.

ALPHA.

_Mertens, Martins, or Martini, the Printer._--Can any of your
correspondents inform me what was really the surname of Theodoric
Mertens, Martins, or Martini, the printer of Louvain, and who {186}
was a friend of Erasmus? In a small volume of his, now before me,
printed in 1517, the colophon gives: "Lovanii apud Theodoricum
Martinum anno MDXVII mense April;" while, on the reverse of _the
same leaf_, is a wooden block, of his device, occupying the whole
page, and beneath it are inscribed the words "Theodoricus Martini."
This appears to put _Mertens_ out of the question.

W.

_Queen's Messengers_.--I should esteem it a favour conferred if any
of your readers could give me any memoranda touching the early
origin of the corps now termed Queen's Messengers, the former
"Knightes caligate of Armes." The only mention that I have read of
their origin is a brief notice in Knight's _London_, No. 131. p. 91;
but doubtless there exists, did I know what works to consult, many
more voluminous a history of their origin and proceedings than the
short summary given in the work of Mr. Knight. In whose reign were
they first created? and by whom were they appointed? In fact, any
data relating to their early history would very much oblige,

J.U.G.G.

_Bishop Lesly of Ross' Epitaph.--Machoreus or Macorovius, "De Praelio
Aveniniano."_--Would any of your readers be so kind as to favour me
with a copy of the Latin epitaph of Bishop Lesly, of Ross, inscribed
on his tomb in the abbey church of Gurtenburg, near Brussels?

Can any one furnish the _entire_ title and imprint of a Latin poem,
_De Praelio Aveniniano_, said to have been written in 1594, by a
Scottish Jesuit named Alexander Macorovius, or Machoreus? Any
particulars concerning this author would gratify

LLEWELYN ST. GEORGE.

_The Word "Cannibal."_--When was the word _Cannibal_ first used in
English books?--To what language does it belong?--and what is its
exact meaning?

W.

_Sir William Rider_.--"H.F." would feel obliged by a reference to
any work containing an account of Sir William Rider and his family.
He was Lord Mayor of London in 1600; and his daughter Mary was
married to Sir Thomas Lake, of Cannons, Secretary of State temp.
James I. He wishes more particularly to ascertain the date of Sir
William Rider's death.

_The Word "Poghele."_--What is the etymology and precise meaning of
the word "Poghele" (pr