Burghwallis, 1850.
_Queen of Hearts._--Permit me to request some explanation of a passage
in Miss Strickland's _Life of Queen Elizabeth_ (vol. vii. p. 292.),
where we are told that--
"Lady Southwell affirms that the two ladies in waiting discovered
the _Queen of Hearts_, with a nail of Iron knocked through the
forehead, and thus fastened to the bottom of the chair: they durst
not pull it out, remembering that her like thing was used to the
old Countess of Sussex, and afterwards proved a witchcraft, for
which certain persons were hanged."
The author moralises upon this, but does not refer us to any authority,
or tell where the affirmation of Lady Southwell is to be found, or where
the account of the old countess is given; defects which I hope some of
your correspondents will be good enough to supply.