10 APRIL 1993, Page 30

Long-winded

Sir: The story about the courtier who farted when bowing to Queen Elizabeth I, which Byron Rogers attributed to John Aubrey but has been unable to trace, (Books, 3 April) is in his Brief Lives. It concerns Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford. It is very short and goes as follows:

This Earle of Oxford, making of his low obei- sance to Queen Elizabeth, happened to let a Fart, at which he was so abashed and ashamed that he went to Trovelle 7 yeares. On his returne the Queen welcomed him home, and sayd, My Lord, I had forgott the Fart.

'Abu Hassan's Fart' in the Tales of the Arabian Nights is an older version of the same story.

C.J. Arthur

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