Notes and Queries, Number 184, May 7, 1853 | Page 9

fact, so high did his
character stand, that a proposal was made to him by the electors (which,
however, he deemed it prudent to decline) to come forward as a
candidate for the representation of the university in the imperial
parliament, and good grounds were given him to expect a triumphant
return.
Now, this man was doubtless an honour to the "silent(?) sister" in
Ireland; and, as an Irishman, I feel some little degree of pride in our
having educated him so well for his subsequent career. With surprise,
then, do I find, on referring to the Dublin University Calendar for the
present year, the name of a "Mr. John Powell Buxton" in the list of
gold medallists. The editor appears to be sadly ignorant of the proper
person, and cannot lay the blunder at the printer's door, having very
unaccountably repeated it from year to year. I have taken the trouble of
examining many volumes of the Calendar.
ABHBA
Anagrams.--I beg to forward the following:
"Antonius B. Magliabechius"

(He was the librarian at Florence, about the end of the sixteenth
century). This name makes--
"Is unus Bibliotheca magna."
In the poems of some Jesuit father (Bacchusius, I think) the following
rather offensive one is mentioned, on the celebrated father Costerus:
"Petrus Costerus Jesuita!"
i. e.
"Vere tu es asinus: ita!"
PHILOBIBLION.
* * * * *
Queries.
SEAL OF WILLIAM D'ALBINI.
A few years since there was published a History of the Parish of
Attleburgh, in Norfolk, by the then rector, Dr. Barrett. It is a very
handsome volume in quarto, and reflects great credit upon the learning
and taste of the reverend editor.
What I wish more particularly to allude to is an engraving of the seal of
William de Albini, who was called "William with the Strong Hand;" of
whom Dugdale records, that having distinguished himself at a
tournament appointed by a queen of France, then a widow, she became
so enamoured of him that she offered him marriage. But he, having
plighted his troth to Adeliza, widow to {453} King Henry I. of England,
refused her. In revenge for this refusal, the queen of France inveigled
him into a den in the garden, where was a fierce lion. Being in this
danger, he rolled his mantle about his arm, and putting his hand into the
mouth of the beast, pulled out his tongue by the root; followed the
queen to her palace, and gave it to one of her maids to present to her.
Returning to England with the fame of this glorious exploit, he was

forthwith advanced to the earldom of Arundel, and for his arms the lion
given him.
Amongst the many illustrations in Dr. Barrett's book is the seal of this
William de Albini, representing a knight on horseback, in the usual
style of such knightly seals; but in front of the knight is a young lion,
and under the feet of the horse some sort of animal of the lizard kind.
In elucidation of this seal, there is a long and elaborate note, with
remarks by Mr. Hawkins of the British Museum, with a view of
showing that the device on this seal alludes to the story of his combat
with the lion.
The attempt to establish this point appears to me amusing; for there
seems nothing on the face of the seal different from the usual seals of
royal and knightly rank in ancient times.
It strikes me, that the true interpretation of this device, and the
introduction of the lion and the lizard-like animal under the horse's feet,
may be found in the 13th verse of Psalm xci.:
"Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon
shalt thou tread under thy feet."
I should like to learn from some of your correspondents, whether this
Psalm, or this portion of it, was used in the solemnities attendant on the
installation of a knight, which would tend much to confirm my
conjecture.
SENEX.
* * * * *
FORMS OF JUDICIAL OATH.
The forms of an oath are different among different denominations of
Christians. The Roman Catholics of the Continent swear by raising the
hand; the Scotch Presbyterians follow the same practice. The

Protestants of the Church of England are sworn on the Gospels; so also
are the Irish Roman Catholics. The Quakers reject every form of oath,
and confine themselves to a simple affirmation. Upon these points I beg
leave to submit the following Queries.
1. What form of judicial oath was first sanctioned by the professors of
Christianity as a body? It is stated in Haydn's Dictionary of Dates, that
"oaths were taken on the Gospels so early as A.D. 528." How were they
taken before then?
2. Did the practice of swearing on the Gospels prevail