It may not be superfluous to mention (on the authority of Allen's _History of Lambeth_, p. 142.) that formerly the three following lines were on the monument in Lambeth churchyard, until its {287} reparation by public subscription in 1773, when they were left out: "This monument was erected at the charge of _Hester Tradescant_, the relict of _John Tradescant_, late deceased, who was buried the 25th of April, 1662." ALFRED W. H. Kennington. _Origin of Harlequins_ (Vol. iii., p. 165.).--Your correspondent and querist E. L. N. wishes for an account of the Origin of Harlequins. I beg to refer E. L. N. to an account of the Hellequines, or "La Mesnie Hellequin," given by M. Paul Paris, in his work on the _Manuscripts Francois de la Bib. du Roi_, vol. i. p. 322. M. Paris says: "On donnoit ce nom (Hellequines) a des especes de feux follets ou genies plutot malfaisants que favorables, et plutot moqueurs que malfaisants.... L'origine de la tradition de la Mesnie Hellequin se perd dans l'obscurite des temps. On l'entendoit surtout bruire dans les environs de la ville d'_Arles_.... J'ignore la premiere origine de cette locution; mais ce qui me semble incontestable, c'est qu'on confondit facilement la Mesnie Hellequin avec celle '_de la Mort_,' famille bariolee de rouge et de noir, et dont le manteau de ceremonie devoit etre un grand pan de toile ou linceul. Deja le lecteur a devance la consequence qu'il faut tirer de tout cela; la Mesnie Hellequin, partie necessaire des corteges effrayants ou grotesques dans le moyen-age, est devenue insensiblement, sous la main des arrangeurs, notre _famille d'Arlequin_. Le costume bariole d'Arlequin n'est rien autre que le fantastique costume du representant de la Mort.... Et, si ce que je viens de dire est fonde, on ne repetera plus apres Menage (Gilles), que le mot _Arlequin_ fut pris d'abord, sur la fin du XVI siecle, par un certain bouffon italien que le President _Harlay_ avoit accueilli. Il est certain que le mot _Arlequin_ se trouve tres-anciennement dans un grand nombre de mysteres. "'Numquid me velis,' ecrivoit Jean Raulin, mort en 1514, 'antiquam illam familiam Harlequini, revocare, ut videatur mortuus inter mundanae curiae nebulas et caligines equitare?'" By the above extracts, which I fear you will find too long, harlequinades would seem rather to be derived from the wanton pranks of sprites than the coarse gambols of buffoons; and this derivation would certainly best agree with the accepted character of the modern harlequin. H. C. C. "_Predeceased_" and "_Designed_" (Vol. iii., p. 143.).--The former word is used in an active sense by Shakspeare, in his "Rape of Lucrece:" "If children _predecease_ progenitors, We are their offspring, and they none of ours." "Designed," in the sense of "designated," is employed by Locke: