[Footnote 1: See _Journal des Savants_, Mars, Avril, Mai, Juin,
1848.]

* * * * *

CRAIK'S ROMANCE OF THE PEERAGE.

If I knew where to address Mr. G.L. Craik, I should send him the
following "Note:" if you think it deserves a place in your columns, it
may probably meet his eye.

In the article on the Lady Arabella Stuart (_Romance of the Peerage_,
vol. ii. p. 370.), a letter of Sir Ralph Winwood, dated 1610, is quoted,
in which he states, that she is "not altogether free from suspicion of
being collapsed." On this Mr. Craik observes, "It is difficult to
conjecture what can be here meant by _collapsed_, unless it be fallen
off to Romanism." Now it is not a little curious, and it proves Mr.
Craik's capability for the task of illustrating family history from the
obscure allusions in letters and documents, that there exists
cotemporary authority for fixing the meaning Mr. Craik has conjectured
to be the true one, to the word _collapsed_. A pamphlet, with the title
_A Letter to Mr. T.H., late Minister, now Fugitive_, was published in
1609, with a dedication to all Romish _collapsed_ "ladies of Great
Britain;" which bears internal evidence of being addressed to those who
were converts from the Church of England to Romanism. {395}

Theophilus Higgons, whom the above initials represent, was himself a
convert to the Church of Rome.

It may be worth while making a further note, that the copy of the