There are two or three of these concerning which I should be obliged to any
reader of your publication who would satisfy my Queries.
No. 119., "The Battle of Forty," by P. Snayers. This seems a kind of
_combat a outrance_ of knights _armes de pied en cap_. Where can I find any
account or detail of it?
No. 314., "Mary of Lorraine, mother of Mary Queen of Scots." This is a very
pleasing picture, in good preservation, and as it was not in its present
position two years ago, I conclude it has recently been added. She was
ninth child of Claude de Lorraine, first Duc de Guise, born in 1515, and
married in 1538 to James V. of Scotland, and she died in the forty-fifth
year of her age, 10th June, 1560. There are the arms of the Guise family in
the right-hand corner, with a date of 1611. Pray by whom was it painted,
and where can find any notices respecting it?
No. 166., "George III. reviewing the 10th Light Dragoons, commanded by the
Prince of Wales." This picture was considered the _chef d'oeuvre_ of Sir
William Beechey, and was painted in 1798; and it has been supposed the
likeness of the Duke of York was the best taken of that Prince. Could any
reader inform me on what day this review took place?[1]
When one sees a picture of Shakspeare, No. 276., and more especially in the
palace of his cotemporary sovereigns, one is naturally led to inquire into
its authenticity. I am therefore desirous to obtain some information
relative to it.
In "N. & Q.," vol. vi., p. 197., you had several correspondents inquiring
concerning the custom of royalty dining in public: perhaps it may interest
them to know that there are two very attractive pictures of this ceremony
in this collection, numbered 293 and 294: the first is of Charles I. and
Henrietta Maria; the other Frederick V., Count Palatine and King of
Bohemia, who married Elizabeth, daughter of James I. These two pictures are
by Van Bassen, of whom, perhaps, some correspondent may be enabled to give
an account.
[Phi].
Richmond, Surrey.
[Footnote 1: George III. had one or two copies of this picture taken for
him; and there is a curious circumstance relative to one of these, which
Lady Chatterton mentions in her _Home Sketches_, published in three vols.
8vo., 1841: "In one respect the picture (which George III. gave to Lord
Sidmouth, and which the latter had put up at the stone lodge in Richmond
New Park) differs from the original at Hampton Court: it is singular enough
that in this copy the figure of the Prince is omitted, _which was done by
the King's desire_, and is a striking and rather comical proof of the
dislike which he felt towards his son. When the Prince became King, he
dined here, and remarked to Lord Sidmouth that his portrait had been
omitted, and hinted that it ought to be restored. This, however, was
evaded, and the copy remains in its original state."--Vol. i. pp. 18, 19.]
* * * * *
Minor Queries.
_Helmets._--What is the antiquity of the practice of placing helmets over
the shields of armorial bearings; and what are the varieties of helmets in
regard to the rank or degree of persons?