Of this work it is said, in a note in the _Catalogue_ of Geo. Chalmers' library (fourth day's sale, Sept. 30, 1841), that-- "On June 30, 1703, the Scotch parliament ordered this book to be burned by the hands of the common hangman, and that the magistrates of Edinburgh should see it carried into effect at eleven o'clock on the following day." Will any correspondent of yours furnish me with some notice of Dr. Drake, the author, and also explain the ground of offence upon which his book was condemned? I confess to be unable to discover anything to offend; neither, as it seems, could Mr. Surtees, for he says: "I quote Drake's _Historia Anglo-Scotica_, 1703, a book which, for what reason I never could discover, was ordered to be burned by the common hangman."--_History of Durham_, vol. iv. p. 55. note _l_. Any notices of books which have been signalised by being subjected to similar condemnation, would much interest me, and perhaps others of your readers. BALLIOLENSIS. [The ground of offence for burning the _Historia Anglo-Scotica_ is stated in _The Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland_, vol. xi. p. 66., viz.: "Ordered, that a book published by the title of _Historia Anglo-Scotica_, by James Drake, M.D., and dedicated to Sir Edward Symour containing many false and injurious reflections upon the sovereignty and independence of this crown and nation, be burnt by the hand of the common hangman at the mercat Cross of Edinburgh, at eleven o'clock to-morrow (July 1, 1703), and the magistrates of Edinburgh appointed to see the order punctually executed." It would appear from the dedication prefixed to this work, that Drake merely pretended to edit it, for he says, that "upon a diligent revisal, in order, if possible, to discover the name of the author, and the age of his writing, he found that it was written in, or at least not finished till, the time of Charles I." But he says nothing more of the MS., nor how it came into his hands. A notice of Dr. Drake is given in Chalmers's _Biographical Dictionary_, and in the preface to _The Memorial of the Church of England_, edit. 1711, which was also burnt by the common hangman in 1705. See "N. & Q.," Vol. iii., p. 519.] _Captain George Cusack._--It appears by an affidavit made by a Mr. Thomas Nugent in the year 1674, and now of record in the Exchequer Record Office, Dublin, that--