408
NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. ILL MAY 27, 1911.
1772 and 1815 ; his wife was named Susanna,
and he had two children baptized at Romsey
in 1773 and 1777. His son (apparently),
the Rev. Nathaniel Fletcher, was married
at Romsey in August, 1789, to a Mary
Collins. He appears to have resided at
Lee House, and was buried at Nursling on
29 December, 1852, aged 80 (or 88 : the
figures are almost illegible)
F. H. SUCKLING. High wood, Romsey.
WEIGHT OF 1588. Can any one give me the explanation of a somewhat lengthy marking on an old weight ? The marking is XXVIII (this refers to the weight in pounds), EL surmounted by a large crown, 1588 A, AR XXX. This is a marking which I have seen on more than one weight. Thinking that in that year a statute or proclamation might have prescribed a fresh standardiza- tion, I have searched for such a statute or proclamation, but in vain. AVOIRDUPOIS.
COBBALLIS FAMILY OF IRELAND. I am anxious for information about the Irish family of Corballis prior to 1784. From that date I have a full record.
The name often occurs as that of houses, villages, and crossroads, and of one or two castles in Ireland, but in history there seems little record of the family or its origin.
In the village of Ratoath, where we have been since 1805, there is a tombstone to the memory of Marguerite Balfe, nee Corballis, daughter of Robert Corballis, gent., dated 1641.
There is a tradition among the people that Robert Corballis defended the Castle of Trim during the battle of the Boyne, and on the capture of the place forfeited his life and estates. Another tradition is that Robert Corballis and Caddell of Harvestoun, co. Meath, accompanied James II. in his flight from the battlefield, and that they halted at Harvestoun, 'where Robert Cor- ballis left the King and went to hold Trim Castle. But there does not seem to be any record of this, nor are -any of the name in James II. 's Army Lists.
The Corbally family are not, I believe, the same stock. D' Alton's * History of Ireland,' referring to Lord Netteville, says that when this well-known peer and member of the Catholic Confederacy was attainted and lost his estates, he left Corballis, near Dpnabate, with his two sons, James and Richard, and a daughter. The descend- ants of the latter seem to have eventually been restored to the estate and title, while
James and Richard are names always pre-
served in the Corballis family. I shall be
glad to learn the early history of the family.
Please reply direct.
(Capt.) JAMES CORBALLIS. Black Hall, Sallins, co. Kildare.
COL. JOHN HEWSON THE REGICIDE. A letter from Col. Hewson the regicide un- dated, but between 1650 and 1656 begins " Son Clarke." Who was this Clarke ? He was employed at the time in Ireland. Was he a son or a son-in-law ? With the letter is a detached wrapper addressed m Col. Hewson's handwriting to Ccl. Lawrence, Governor of Dublin. If this is Col. Richard Lawrence, it is difficult to see what con- nexion the wrapper can have with the letter
C. H.
JUNIUS AND BIFRONS. Why should the letter signed " Bifrons," which appeared in The Public Advertiser on 23 April, 1768, be still regarded as the production of Junius ? C. W. Dilke would not accept it ; and even Mr. John Wade, the editor of Bohn's edition of ' The Letters of Junius,' declared that "unquestionably Bifrons is spurious." The matter is important, as this letter contains the famous reference to the burning of the Jesuit books in Paris, and, starting from this clue, many attempts have been made to identify the writer. Thus Lecky in his admirable summary of the problem of the authorship of the letters said that if it could be proved that Francis was in Paris in August, 1761, " this fact would go far towards settling the controversy." Yet there seems to be evidence to prove that Jesuit books were burnt in Paris on more than one occasion, and numbers of Englishmen may have wit- nessed the ceremony. The annotated file of The Public Advertiser in the possession of the London Library may show what were Dr. Good's reasons for believing that the " Bifrons " letter was written by Junius. It appears as though it were a highly scented red-herring drawn across the trail.
HORACE BLEACKLEY.
[We cannot reopen the question of the authorship of the Letters of Junius. 1
GLASS AND PORCELAIN MANUFACTURED AT BELFAST. I understand there was glass of a very high order manufactured in Belfast for a short time. Can readers of ' N. & Q-' give me any particulars as to this ?
I also believe that there was some porce- lain manufactured in Belfast, and should like a reference for this also. ANTRIM.
