The _Biographia Dramatica_ states that this play was never acted or printed. C. I. R. _Mary Howe_ (Vol. v., p. 226.).--Mary Howe was probably one of the three daughters of Scrope, first Viscount Howe, by his second wife, Juliana, daughter of William Lord Allington. She was, in 1720, appointed a maid of honour to Caroline, Princess of Wales; and in 1725 married Thomas, eighth Earl of Pembroke, whom she survived, as well as her second husband, John Mordaunt, a brother of Charles, Earl of Peterborough. She died in 1749 _s. p._ BRAYBROOKE. _Dutch Chronicle of the World_ (Vol. v., p. 54.). "_Historische Chronica._ Mit Merianischen Kupfern. viii. Theile. Frankf. 1630. sqq. in 4. Hæc editio propter elegantiam figurarum rara est. Bibl. Solger. ii. p. 298."--Bauer. _Bibl. Libror. Rariorum._ "_Historische Chronica_, &c., folio. Francf. 1657. "---- 3 vol. fol. Francf. 1743, 45 and 59."--_Bibliothecæ Regiæ Catalogus_ (_in Mus. Brit._) s. v. _Abelinus_. "Abelin John Philip, an historian, born at Strasburgh, died 1646; often known by the name of John Louis Gottfried, or Gothofredus. _Historical Chronicle from the beginning of the World to the year 1619_; being a number of plates by Merian, with letter-press descriptive of them."--_Watt's Bibl. Brit._ The life of Merian is given by Sandrart, in his _Academia Artis Pictoriæ_. Strutt, in his _Dictionary of Engravers_, neglects to mention that Matthæus Merianus Basileensis was employed at Nancy, together with Brentel, A.D. 1608, in designing _Pompæ_ (funebres) _Caroli III. Lotharingiæ Ducis_. They are etched in a slight style, but with great spirit. The procession consists of a great many plates: these, bound up together with the description, make a large folio volume. I bought a copy six years ago. Can any of your readers inform me whether there is another in England? BIBLIOTHECAR. CHETHAM. _Thistle of Scotland_ (Vol. i., pp. 24. 90. 166.).--I have just accidentally stumbled upon my promised note on this subject; and as it appears to be entirely different from any yet offered to you, I gladly send it for the information of your correspondents. I copied it from an old scrap-book: "_The Scotch Thistle._--The origin of the national badge is thus handed down by tradition:--When the Danes invaded Scotland it was deemed unwarlike to attack an enemy in the darkness of night, instead of a pitched battle by day: but, on one occasion the invaders resolved to avail themselves of stratagem; and in order to prevent their tramp from being heard, they marched barefooted. They had thus neared the Scottish force unobserved, when a Dane unluckily stepped with his foot upon a superbly prickled thistle, and uttered a cry of pain, which discovered the assailants to the Scots, who ran to their arms, and defeated the foe with great slaughter. The thistle was immediately adopted as the insignia of Scotland." R. H.