O.P.Q.

In answer to your Query relative to the death of Richard II., and his dying at Pontefract, I beg to refer you to Devon’s printed Pell Records, Hen.  III. to Hen.  VI., p. 275, for the following entry: 

“17 February.  To Thos.  Tuttabury, clerk, keeper of the king’s wardrobe, In money paid to him by the hands of Wm. Pampleon, Esq., for expenses incurred for the carriage of the body of Richard, late king of England, from the town of Pomferait to London, by Writ, &c., 66l. 13s. 4d.”

Again, at page 276.: 

“To a certain other valet, sent from London, by direction of the king’s council, to Pontfreyt Castle for the protection and safe custody of the body of Richard II., late king of England, In money paid to his own hands for his wages and expenses, 6s. 8d.”

This seems to be decisive of the question; but there are several other interesting entries bearing on the same point.

D.P.R.

Scottish Prisoners sold to Plantations (Vol. ii., pp. 297. 350. 379.).—­

“The judgements of heaven were never so visible upon any people as those which have fallen upon the Scots since [the sale of Charles I.]; for, besides the sweeping furious plague that reigned in Edinburgh, and the incredible number of witches which have increased, and have been executed there since; besides the sundry shameful defeats they have received by the English, who carried away more of them prisoners than they were themselves in number; besides that many of them died of mere hunger; besides that they were sold away slaves, at half a crown a dozen, for foreign plantations among savages; I say besides all this chain of judgements, with diverse others, they have quite lost their reputation among all mankind; some jeer them, some hate them, and none pity them.”—­Howell’s German Dict., p. 65., 1653.

Echard, in Hist.  Eng., vol. ii. p. 727., speaking of the prisoners taken at Worcester, says that Cromwell

“marched up triumphantly to London, driving four or five thousand prisoners like sheep before him; making presents of them, as occasion offered, as of so many slaves, and selling the rest for that purpose into the English plantations abroad.”

W. DN.

Lachrymatories.—­There is absolutely no authority in any ancient author for this name, and the best scholars speak of these vessels as the bottles usually called lachrymatories, &c.  It would be curious to discover when the name was first used, and by whom first this absurd use was imagined.  It [illegible] that their proper use was to contain perfumes, scents, and unguents, as sweet odours to rest with the departed.  Becker says: 

    “Bottles, filled with perfumes, were placed inside the tomb, which was
    besprinkled odoribus.  These are the tear-flasks, or lachrymatories,
    so often mentioned formerly.”—­Gallus, p. 413.  Eng.  Tr.