tends to strengthen the notion that stones, laid upon each other by natural causes, have, by application of a little labour, been made to move, as the stones at Brimham Craggs in Yorkshire; and this seems more likely than that such immense masses should have been ever raised by mechanical force and poised."

Balliolensis.

Queries.

A RUBENS QUERY.

There is a somewhat curious mystery with regard to certain works of the immortal Rubens, which some of your readers, who are connoisseurs in art, may possibly assist to dispel. Lommeline, who engraved the finest works of Rubens, has left a print of "The Judgment of Paris," which

differs in several points from the subject of "The Decision of Paris," now in the National Gallery. For instance, in the one, Paris rests the apple upon his knee, and in the other he is offering it to the fair goddess of Beauty. This print has also five more figures than there are in the Gallery painting. Now, two questions arise hereon: first, what has become of the original painting from which this print was taken? and secondly, where is the line engraving of the picture now in the National Gallery?

J. J. S.

Downshire Hill, Hampstead.

THE PAXS PENNIES OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.

Perhaps some of your numerous readers may be able to satisfy me on a subject which has for a long time troubled me.

All coin collectors are aware that there are many different reverses to the pennies of William I. One is commonly called the pax-type: and why, is the question.

On the obverse, it is "PILLM REX," or sometimes differently spelt; but "P" always stands for "W," and pronounced so.

On the reverse, it is P Ā X S (each letter being encircled), but the "P" is here pronounced "P;" this is in the centre compartment: surrounding it is the moneyer's name, with place where the coin was struck—"EDPI (Edwi) ON LVND," "GODPINE (Godwine) ON LVND," &c. It is very inconsistent that letters should be pronounced differently on the same coin.

I am rather of opinion that we have not arrived at the right reading, and that pax has nothing to do with it. It is PAXS, AXSP, XSPA, or SPAX: for I find, on comparing nineteen different coins, the letters stand in different positions compared with the cross, which denotes the beginning of the inscription around them; so no one can tell which letter of the four in the circles near the large cross should come first. Besides, what does the "S" stand for, after you get the "PAX?"

I am not a member of the Antiquarian Society, but have asked gentlemen belonging to it to explain this puzzle (to me), without success. I now ask them and others, through your pages, to give a solution of the difficulty.

W. M. F.

Minor Queries.

Peculiar Customs at Preston, in Lancashire.—I wish to know if it be true that the use of mourning is nearly, if not altogether, discountenanced at the above town, even for the loss of the nearest and dearest friends; and that a widow's cap is only worn by those to whom another husband would be particularly acceptable? If these, and other peculiar customs prevail, I wish some correspondent from Lancashire would kindly enlighten the readers of "N. & Q." with respect to them.

Anon.

Obsolete Statutes.—There was published, in the pamphlet form (pp. 61.), in 1738, a capital piece of irony under the title of—

"A Letter to a Member of Parliament, containing a Proposal for bringing in a Bill to revise, amend, or repeal certain Obsolete Statutes, commonly called 'The Ten Commandments.' 4th Edition."

As this will doubtless be known to some of your readers, may I ask the name of the author, and the occasion of its publication?

J. O.

Sale of Offices and Salaries in the Seventeenth Century.—Has the subject of the sale of offices in former times ever been investigated? In the reign of Charles II., a new secretary of state, lord chamberlain, &c., always paid a large sum of money to his predecessor, the king often helping to find the required sum. Was this the case with all offices? I do not think the lord chancellorship was ever paid for. When and how did the practice originate, and when and how fall into disuse? Has the subject of salaries of offices (including fees) in these times ever been accurately investigated? What were the emoluments of the lord chancellor, chancellor of the exchequer, and president of the council, in the reign of Charles?

C. H.

Board of Trade.—A council for trade was appointed during the recess of the Convention Parliament after the Restoration. Are the names of that council anywhere published? Did this council continue to exist till the appointment (I think in 1670) of the Council of Trade, of which Lord Sandwich was made president?

C. H.

Sacheverell's and Charles Lamb's Residences in the Temple.—In which house in Crown Office Row, Temple, was Charles Lamb born? and which were the chambers occupied by Dr. Sacheverell, also in the Temple, at the time of the riots caused by his admirers?

An Admirer of your Publication.

Braddock and Orme.—Can you, or any of your correspondents, furnish me (in reply to an inquiry made of me by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania) with any information about the families of Braddock and Orme, in relation to General Braddock, who commanded and was killed at the battle of the Monongahela river; and to Orme, who, with Washington and Morris, were his aides-de-camp in the melancholy and fatal engagement.

F. O. Morris.

Nunburnholme Rectory, York.

Minor Queries with Answers.

Cromwell's Bible.—I have seen it stated that an edition of the Bible, "printed by John Field, one of his Highness's Printers, 1658," in 12mo., London, was printed by order of Cromwell for distribution to his soldiers. Can any of your correspondents furnish authority for such tradition? It is one of the most incorrectly printed books which I ever met with. In Cotton's list I do not find this edition: he has one in 8vo., 1657, Cambridge, J. Field.

W. C. Trevelyan.