KIRKWALLENSIS seems to have been led into an error respecting the Orkneys. It is true that Orkney and Shetland belonged to the crown of Norway, to which the Scottish family of St. Clair, or Sinclair, rendered military service for the earldom. It was not, however, to an English king, but to James III. of Scotland that Christian gave the hand of "the Maid of Norway." In the marriage preliminaries the latter thus stipulates respecting the dower:--"Rex cedit sexaginta aureorum Rhenensium [florenorum] millia, ejus summæ priusquam è Danæ regno sponsa digrediatur numeraturus aureorum decem millia, quod verò reliquum esset supplerent insulæ regni Norvegici, jam memoratæ, _Orcades_, una cum jurisdictione ac cæteris eodem pertinentibus, hac tamen lege, ut insulas eas, eousque teneat Scotiæ Rex sub firma _hypotheca_ donec vel ipse, vel ejus heredes, Daniæ ac Norvegiæ Reges, æqua vicissim portione easdem redimant." This article was afterwards embodied in the marriage contract:--"Et terræ insularum Orchaden Regi nostro Jacobo _impignoratæ, ad Norvegiæ reges revertentur_," &c. Both documents are preserved in Torfæus (_Orcades_, pp. 188--191.). Mr. Auker's discovery of the original is, however, an interesting circumstance, as it would seem that the marriage in question was but the result of an attempt to settle amicably an ancient dispute respecting the sovereignty of the Hebrides--"vetus controversia de Hæbudis et Mannia magnis utriusque populi cladibus agitata"--which the king of France, as umpire, had been unable to pronounce upon, in consequence of the loss or concealment of the original instruments. W. G. A. * * * * * THE PASSAGE IN KING HENRY VIII., ACT III. SC. 2. (Vol. vii., pp. 5. 111.) Having no desire to enter into unnecessary controversy, I do not often reply to objections made to my conjectural emendations of passages in Shakspeare; but on the present occasion I think it incumbent on me to appeal to the common sense of those who take interest in such matters, by merely placing in juxta-position the reading I have proposed, and that of your Leeds correspondent, and thus leave it to their impartial decision without fear of the result. It may be necessary, as your correspondent has adverted to {184} what precedes, to give the passage as it stands in the folio at some length. Wolsey having said-- "For your great Graces Heap'd upon me (poore Undeserver) I Can nothing offer but my Allegiant thankes, My Prayres to heaven for you; my Loyaltie Which ever ha's, and ever shall be growing Till death (that Winter) kill it." The King replies: