Queries.

" . . . . New fashions,Though they be never so ridiculous,Nay, let them be unmanly, yet are followed."

" . . . . New fashions,

Though they be never so ridiculous,

Nay, let them be unmanly, yet are followed."

H. E.

The following lines are understood to have been written by the late Mr. St. George Tucker of Virginia, U. S. Any information in support of this opinion, or, if it be unfounded, in disproof of it, is requested by

DAYS OF MY YOUTH.Days of my youth! ye have glided away,Hairs of my youth! ye are frosted and gray;Eyes of my youth! your keen sight is no more;Cheeks of my youth! ye are furrow'd all o'er;Strength of my youth! all your vigour is gone;Thoughts of my youth! all your visions are flown!Days of my youth! I wish not your recall,Hairs of my youth! I'm content you should fall;Eyes of my youth! ye much evil have seen;Cheeks of my youth! bathed in tears have you been;Thoughts of my youth! ye have led me astray;Strength of my youth! why lament your decay!Days of my age! ye will shortly be past;Pains of my age! yet awhile can ye last;Joys of my age! in true wisdom delight;Eyes of my age! be religion your light;Thoughts of my age! dread not the cold sod,Hopes of my age! be ye fix'd on your God!—St. George Tucker, Judge.

DAYS OF MY YOUTH.

Days of my youth! ye have glided away,Hairs of my youth! ye are frosted and gray;Eyes of my youth! your keen sight is no more;Cheeks of my youth! ye are furrow'd all o'er;Strength of my youth! all your vigour is gone;Thoughts of my youth! all your visions are flown!

Days of my youth! ye have glided away,

Hairs of my youth! ye are frosted and gray;

Eyes of my youth! your keen sight is no more;

Cheeks of my youth! ye are furrow'd all o'er;

Strength of my youth! all your vigour is gone;

Thoughts of my youth! all your visions are flown!

Days of my youth! I wish not your recall,Hairs of my youth! I'm content you should fall;Eyes of my youth! ye much evil have seen;Cheeks of my youth! bathed in tears have you been;Thoughts of my youth! ye have led me astray;Strength of my youth! why lament your decay!

Days of my youth! I wish not your recall,

Hairs of my youth! I'm content you should fall;

Eyes of my youth! ye much evil have seen;

Cheeks of my youth! bathed in tears have you been;

Thoughts of my youth! ye have led me astray;

Strength of my youth! why lament your decay!

Days of my age! ye will shortly be past;Pains of my age! yet awhile can ye last;Joys of my age! in true wisdom delight;Eyes of my age! be religion your light;Thoughts of my age! dread not the cold sod,Hopes of my age! be ye fix'd on your God!—St. George Tucker, Judge.

Days of my age! ye will shortly be past;

Pains of my age! yet awhile can ye last;

Joys of my age! in true wisdom delight;

Eyes of my age! be religion your light;

Thoughts of my age! dread not the cold sod,

Hopes of my age! be ye fix'd on your God!—St. George Tucker, Judge.

Randall Minshull and his Cheshire Collections.—Of what family was Randall Minshull, who, in the Addenda to Gower'sSketch for a History ofCheshire, p. 94., is stated to have professedly made a collection for theAntiquities of Cheshireby the desire of Lord Malpas? and where is such collection at the present time to met with?

Cestriensis.

Mackey's "Theory of the Earth."—I have a small pamphlet entitled,

"A New Theory of the Earth and of Planetary Motion; in which it is demonstrated that the Sun is Vicegerent of his own System. By Sampson Arnold Mackey, author ofMythological AstronomyandUrania's Key to the Revelations, &c.Norwich, printed for the Author."

There is no date on the title-page, but a notice on the second page indicates 1825. The book is extraordinary, and shows great astronomical and philological attainments, with some startling facts in geology, and bold theories as to the formation of the earth. I have endeavoured to procure the other two works of which Mr. Mackey is said to be the author, and also some account of him, but without success. I can hardly suppose that a writer of so much ability and learning can be unknown, and shall feel much obliged by any information as to him or his writings.

J. Ward.

Coventry.

Birthplace of King Edward V.—Can you give me any information as to the exact birthplace of this monarch?

Hume (vol. ii. p. 430.) merely says that he was born while his mother was in sanctuary in London, and his father was a fugitive from the victorious Earl of Warwick.

Commynes (book iii. chap. 5.) also says that she took refuge "es franchises qui sont à Londres," and "y accoucha d'ung filz en grant povreté."

Chastellain, at p. 486. of hisChronique, says: "Elle alla à Saincte-Catherine, une abbeye, disoient aucuns: aucuns autres disoient à Vasemonstre (Westminster), lieu de franchise, qui oncques n'avoit esté corrompu."

I should be glad to have some more definite information on this point, if any of your readers can supply it.

A Leguleian.

Name of Infants.—In Scotland there is a superstition that it is unlucky to tell the name of infants before they are christened. Can this be explained?

R. J. A.

Geometrical Curiosity.—Take half a sheet of note-paper; fold and crease it so that two opposite corners exactly meet; then fold and crease it so that the remaining two opposite corners exactly meet. Armed with a fine pair of scissors, proceed now to repeat both these folds alternately without cessation, taking care to cut off quite flush and clear all the overlappings on both sides after each fold. When these overlappings become too small to be cut off,the paper is in the shape of a circle,i. e.the ultimate intersection of an infinite series of tangents. PerhapsProfessor De Morganwill give therationaleof this procedure.

C. Mansfield Ingleby.

Birmingham.

Denison Family.—Can any correspondent of "N. & Q." inform me how the Denisons of Denbies, near Dorking, in Surrey, and the Denisons of Ossington, in Nottinghamshire, were related? Who was Mr. Robert Denison of Nottingham, who took a very active part in politics at the commencement of the French Revolution? His wife had a handsome legacy from a rich old lady, one Mrs. Williams, of whom I would much like to know something farther.

E. H. A.

"Came."—In Pegge'sAnecdotes of the English Language, p. 189., we read:

"The real preterit of the Saxon verbcoman, iscom.Cameis therefore a violent infringement, though it is impossible to detect the innovator, or any of his accomplices."

When was the wordcameintroduced into our language? Early instances of its use would be very welcome.

H. T. G.

Hull.

Montmartre.—By some this name is derived frommons martis; by others frommons martyrum. Which is the more satisfactory etymology, and upon what authority does it rest?

Henry H. Breen.

St. Lucia.

Law of Copyright: British Museum.—Observing that thenewlaw of copyright, which was passed and came into operation on the 1st of July, 1842,expressly repealsall of the statutes previously existing on that subject, I am anxious to know, through the medium of "N. & Q.," if the British Museum authorities can claim and enforce the delivery of any book,although not entered on the books of Stationers' Hall, which may have been printed and publishedbeforethe passing of the said act of 1842. If so, then what is the state of the act or statute which bears upon that particular privilege?

J. A.

Glasgow.

Veneration for the Oak.—The oak—"the brave old oak"—has been an object of veneration in this country from the primæval to the present times. The termoakis used in several places in Scripture, but nowhere does it appear to refer to the oak as we know it—our indigenous oak. Theoak, under which God appeared to Abraham, bears apparently a resemblance to thetree of lifeof the Assyrian sculptures; and, perhaps, theZoroastrianHoma, or sacred tree, and thesacred tree of the Hindus; and the same may yet be found in theBritish oak. Is there a botanical affinity between these trees? Are they alloaks? Was thetree of life, as described in the Bible, anoak?

G. W.

Stansted, Montfichet.

Father Matthew's Chickens.—Can any of your correspondents explain why grouse in Scotland are sometimes called "Father Matthew's chickens?"

M. R. G.

Pronunciation of Bible and Prayer Book proper Names.—I feel sure that many of your clerical correspondents would feel much obliged by any assistance that might be forwarded them through the medium of your columns respecting the correct pronunciation of those proper names which occur during divine service: such as Sabaoth, Moriah, Aceldama, Sabacthani, Abednego, and several others of the same class.—The opinions already given in publications are so contradictory, that I have been induced to ask you to insert this Query.

W. Sloane Sloane-Evans.

Cornworthy Vicarage, Totnes.

MSS. of Anthony Bave.—I possess a volume of MS. Sermons, Treatises, and Memorandums in the autograph of one Anthony Bave, who appears, from the doctrines broached therein, to have been a moderate Puritan. What is known concerning him? It is a book I value much from the beauty of the writing and the vigorous style of the discourses.

R. C. Warde.

Kidderminster.

Return of Gentry, temp. Hen. VI.—In what collection, or where, can the Return of Gentry of England 12th Henry VI. be seen or met with?

Glaius.

Taylor's "Holy Living."—In Pickering's edition of this work (London, 1848),someof the quotations are placed in square brackets (e. g.on p. xii.); andsomeof the paragraphs have an asterisk prefixed to them (as on p. 8.). Why?

A. A. D.

Captain Jan Dimmeson.—Can any one give me some information about him? I find his name on a pane of glass, with the date of 1667, in the vicinity of Windsor. I had not an opportunity to obtain a copy of some words that were painted on the glass, beneath a fine flowing sea with a ship in full sail upon its bosom.

F. M.

Greek and Roman Fortification.—Where can I obtain an account of Greek and Roman fortification? I am surprised to find that Smith'sClassical Dictionaryhas no article upon that subject.

J. H. J.

The Queen at Chess.—In the old titles of the men at chess, the queen, who does all the hard work, was called the prime minister, or grand vizier. When did the change take place, and who thought of giving all the power to a woman? Truly in the game "woman is the head of the man," reversing the just order.

C. S. W.

Vida on Chess.—I have had in my possession for more than five years a translation of Vida onChess. It is in the handwriting of a celebrated poet of the last century; but whether a mere transcript or a version of his own, is more than I can affirm. Now, I shall feel obliged by any information on the subject, whether positive or negative, and transcribe the exordium with that view. It is not the version which was made by George Jeffreys, and revised byAlexander Pope[1]:

"Vida's Scacchis, or Chess.""Armies of box that sportively engage,And mimick real battels in their rage,Pleas'd I recount; how smit with glory's charms,Two mighty monarchs met in adverse arms,Sable and white: assist me to explore,Ye Serian nymphs, what ne'er was sung before."

"Vida's Scacchis, or Chess."

"Armies of box that sportively engage,And mimick real battels in their rage,Pleas'd I recount; how smit with glory's charms,Two mighty monarchs met in adverse arms,Sable and white: assist me to explore,Ye Serian nymphs, what ne'er was sung before."

"Armies of box that sportively engage,

And mimick real battels in their rage,

Pleas'd I recount; how smit with glory's charms,

Two mighty monarchs met in adverse arms,

Sable and white: assist me to explore,

Ye Serian nymphs, what ne'er was sung before."

Bolton Corney.

Footnote 1:(return)The only one which I have seen.

The only one which I have seen.

Thornton Abbey.—Can any of your readers give me some information respecting an old and ruinous building called "Thornton Abbey," situate about ten miles from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, and also about two miles from the river Humber?

Victor.

Grimsby.

[Tanner states, the house was called Thorneton Curteis, and Torrington. It was founded by William le Gros, Earl of Albemarle, and Lord of Holderness, about the year 1139, for Austin Canons, and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Dugdale says, that when first founded it was a priory, and the monks were introduced from the monastery of Kirkham; but was changed into an abbey by Pope Eugenius III.,A.D.1148. Though Henry VIII. suppressed the Abbey, he reserved the greater part of the lands to endow a college, which he erected in its room, for a dean and prebendaries, to the honour of the Holy and Undivided Trinity. From the remains it must have been a magnificent building. Originally it consisted of an extensive quadrangle, surrounded by a deep ditch, with high ramparts, and built in a style adapted for occasional defence. To the east of the gateway are the remains of the abbey church. The chapter-house, part of which is standing, was of an octangular shape, and highly decorated. On the south of the ruins of the church is a building, now occupied as a farm-house, which formerly was the residence of the abbots. It was afterwards the seat of EdwardSkinner, Esq., who married Ann, daughter of Sir William Wentworth, brother to the unfortunate Earl of Strafford. The estate was purchased from one of the Skinner family by Sir Richard Sutton, Bart.; it is now in the possession of Lord Yarborough. In taking down a wall in the ruins of the abbey, a human skeleton was found, with a table, a book, and a candle-stick. It is supposed to have been the remains of the fourteenth abbot, who, it is stated, was for some crime sentenced to be immured—a mode of capital punishment not uncommon in monasteries. Four views of the abbey are given in Allen'sHistory of Lincolnshire, vol ii., and some farther notices of its ancient state will be found in Dugdale'sMonasticon, vol. vi. pl. i. p. 324.; Tanner'sNotitia, Lincolnshire, lxxvii.; andBeauties of England and Wales, vol. ix. p. 684.]

Bishop Wilson's "Sacra Privata."—In the new edition of this work, p. 381., there is given a table of "The Collects, with their Tendencies." Under the head of Fasting, references are made to the First Sunday in Lent,and the Tenth and Twenty-third after Trinity.—There must be some mistake in this, as the last two collects refer to prayer. This for your correspondentMr. Denton, to whom I understand the Church is indebted for the redintegration of the good bishop's journal.

A. A. D.

[We have submitted the above to theRev. William Denton, who expresses his obligations to A. A. D. for pointing out the error, which seems to have escaped the notice of all the previous editors of theSacra Privata. The second edition is now at press, and, if not too late, the correction will be made.Mr. Dentondoubts whether the list after all is the bishop's; but thinks it was only copied by him from some work. Can any one point out the source? It is singular that another mistake of the bishop's should have escaped the notice of all previous editors, namely, the tendency of the collect for Whit-Sunday being described asHumiliationinstead ofIllumination.]

Derivation of "Chemistry."—Are there any historical reasons for deriving the wordchemistryfromChemi, the name of Egypt, as is done by Bunsen and others?

T. H. T.

[Dr. Thomson, the writer of the article "Chemistry" in theEncyclopædia Britannica, thus notices this derivation: "The generally received opinion among alchymistical writers was, that chemistry originated in Egypt; and the honour of the invention has been unanimously conferred on Hermes Trismegistus. He is by some supposed to be the same person with Chanaan, the son of Ham, whose son Mizraim first occupied and peopled Egypt. Plutarch informs us that Egypt was sometimes calledChemia: this name is supposed to be derived from Chanaan. Hence it was inferred that Chanaan was the inventor ofchemistry, to which he affixed his own name. Whether the Hermes of the Greeks was Chanaan, or his son Mizraim, it is impossible to decide; but to Hermes is assigned the invention ofchemistry, orthe art of making gold, by almost the unanimous consent of the adepts." Dr. Webster says, "The orthography of this word has undergone changes through a mere ignorance of its origin, than which nothing can be more obvious. It is the Arabickimia, the occult art or science, fromkamai, to conceal. This was originally the art or science now called alchemy; the art of converting baser metals into gold." Webster says the correct orthography ischimistry.]

Burning for Witchcraft.—When and where was the last person burned to death for witchcraft in England?

W. R.

[We believe the last case of burning for witchcraft was at Bury St. Edmunds in 1664, tried by Sir Matthew Hale, although some accounts state that the victims, Amy Duny and Rose Callender, were executed. In the same year Alice Hudson was burnt at York for having received 10s.at a time from his Satanic majesty. The last case of burning in Scotland was in Sutherland,A.D.1722: the judge was Captain David Ross, of Little Dean. At Glarus, in Ireland, a servant girl was burnt so late as 1786. The last authenticated instance of the swimming ordeal occurred in 1785, and is quoted by Mr. Sternberg from aNorthampton Mercuryof that year:—"A poor woman named Sarah Bradshaw, of Mears Ashby, who was accused of being a witch, in order to prove her innocence, submitted to the ignominy of being dipped, when she immediately sunk to the bottom of the pond, which was deemed to be an incontestable proof that she was no witch!"]

The Small City Companies.—Where does the fullest information appear respecting their early condition, &c.? Herbert's work only occasionally refers to them, and I am aware of many incidental notices of them in Histories of London, &c.; but it does not amount to much, and I should be glad to know if there is no fuller account of them. The companies of Pewterers or Bakers, for example.

[Beside the incidental notices to be found in Stow, Maitland, and Seymour, our correspondent must consult the Harleian MSS.; and if he will turn to the Index volume at p. 294., he will find references to the following companies:—Bakers', Drapers', Painters', Stainers', Pinners', Scriveners', Skinners', Wax-chandlers', Wharfingers', Weavers', and other miscellaneous notes relating to the city of London generally.]

Rousseau and Boileau.—Are there any full and complete English translations of Rousseau'sConfessionsand Boileau'sSatires?

Alledius.

[The following translations have been published:—The Confessions of J. J. Rousseau, in two Parts, London, 12mo., five vols., 1790; Boileau'sSatires, 8vo., 1808: see also hisWorksmade English by Mr. Ozell and others, two vols. 8vo., London, 1711-12, and three vols. 8vo., London, 1714.]

Bishop Kennett's MS. Diary.—Where is Bishop Kennett's MS. Diary, from which his often-cited description of Dean Swift is taken, to be found?Sir Walter Scott (Swift'sWorks, vol. xvi. p. 76.) says "it was formerly in the possession of Lord Lansdowne, and is now in the British Museum." I have never been able to find it.

F. B.

[TheDiaryhere referred to by Sir Walter Scott will be found at p. 428. in Lansdowne MS. 1024., which forms the third and last volume of Bishop Kennett's "Materials for an Ecclesiastical History of England."]

(Vol. vi., p. 596.; Vol. vii., pp. 12. 134. 200. 375.)

It may be worth recording, that among the MS. papers of the late James Boswell, which were I believe sold by auction by Messrs. Sotheby and Co., there was the office copy and probate of the will of Milton's widow. She was described as Elizabeth Milton of Namptwich, widow; and it was dated the 27th of August, 1727. In the will she bequeathed all her effects, after the payment of her debts, to be divided between her nieces and nephews in Namptwich; and named as her executors, Samuel Acton and John Allcock, Esqs. Probate was granted to John Allcock, October 10, 1727.

Beside this, there was a bond or acquittance, dated 1680 from Richard Mynshull, described of Wistaston in Cheshire, frame-work knitter, for 100l. received of Mrs. Elizabeth Milton in consideration of a transfer to her of a lease for lives, or ninety-nine years, of a messuage at Brindley in Cheshire, held under Sir Thomas Wilbraham.

There were also receipts or releases from Milton's three daughters, Anne Milton, Mary Milton, and Deborah Clarke (to the last of which Abraham Clarke was a party): the first two dated Feb. 22, 1674; the last, March 27 in the same year; for 100l.each, received of Elizabeth Milton their step-mother in consideration of their shares of their father's estate. The sums were, with the consent of Christopher Milton and Richard Powell, both described of the Inner Temple, to be disposed of in the purchase of rent-charges or annuities for the benefit of the said daughters.

Two of these documents appear to be now in the possession of your correspondentsMr. MarshandMr. Hughes; but I have met with no mention hitherto of the destination of the others.

These may seem trifling minutiæ to notice, but nothing can fairly be considered unimportant which may lead to the elucidation of the domestic history of Milton.

S. W. Singer.

Mickleham.

(Vol. viii., p. 364.)

There can be no doubt that, as your correspondent suggests, the judicial oath was originally taken without kissing the book, but with the form of laying the right hand upon it; and, moreover that this custom is of Pagan origin. Amongst the Greeks, oaths were frequently accompanied by sacrifice; and it was the custom to lay the hands upon the victim, or upon the altar, thereby calling to witness the deity by whom the oath was sworn. So Juvenal,Sat.XIV. 218.:

"Falsus erit testis, vendet perjuria summaExigua, et Cereris tangens aramque pedemque."

"Falsus erit testis, vendet perjuria summa

Exigua, et Cereris tangens aramque pedemque."

Christians under the later Roman emperors adopted from the Greeks a similar ceremony. In the well-known case of Omychundv.Barker, heard in Michaelmas Term, 1744, and reported in 1 Atk. 27., the Solicitor-General quoted a passage from Selden, which gives us some information on this point:

"Mittimus hic, principibus Christianis, ut ex historiis satis obviis liquet, solennia fuisse et peculiaria juramenta, ut per vultum sancti Lucæ, per pedem Christi, per sanctum hunc vel illum, ejusmodi alia nimis crebra:Inolevit hero tandem, ut quemadmodum Pagani sacris ac mysteriis aliquo suis aut tactis aut præsentibus jurare solebant, ita solenniora Christianorum juramenta fierent, aut tactis sacrosanctis evangeliis, aut inspectis, aut in eorum præsentia manu ad pectus amota, sublata aut protensa; atque is corporaliter seu personaliter juramentum præstari dictum est, ut ab juramentis per epistolam, aut in scriptis solummodo præstitis distingueretur, inde in vulgi passim ore."

Lord Coke tells us, in the passage quoted at p. 364., that this was called the corporal oath, because the witness "toucheth with his hand some part of the Holy Scripture;" but the better opinion seems to be, that it was so called from the ancient custom of laying the hands upon thecorporale, or cloth which covered the sacred elements, by which the most solemn oath was taken in Popish times.

As to the form of kissing the book, I am inclined to think that it is not of earlier date than the latter part of the sixteenth century, and that it was first prescribed as part of the ceremony of taking the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. In theHarl. Misc., vol. vi. p. 282. (edit. 1810), is an account of the trial of Margaret Fell and George Fox, for refusing to take the oath of allegiance, followed by "An Answer to Bishop Lancelot Andrewe's Sermon concerning Swearing." At p 298., Fox brings forward instances of conscientious scruples among Christians in former times, respecting the taking of oaths. He says:

"Did not the Pope, when he had got up over the churches, give forth both oath and curse, with bell,book, and candle? And was not the ceremony of his oath, to lay three fingers a-top of the book, to signify the Trinity; and two fingers under the book, to signify damnation of body and soul if they sware falsely? And was not there a great number of people that would not swear, and suffered great persecution, as read theBook of Martyrsbut to Bonner's days? And it is little above an hundred years since the Protestants got up; and they gave forth the oath of allegiance, and the oath of supremacy: the one was to deny the Pope's supremacy, and the other to acknowledge the kings of England;so we need not tell to you of their form, and show you the ceremony of the oath; it saith, 'Kiss the book;' and the book saith 'Kiss the Son,' which saith 'Swear not at all.'"

Still the laying of the hand on the book seems to have been an essential form; for, during the trial, when the oath was offered to Margaret Fell, "the clerk held out the book, and bid her pull off her glove, and lay her hand on the book" (H. M., p. 285.). And directly after, when the oath had been read to Fox, the following scene is described:

"'Give him the book,'said they; and so a man that stood by him held up the book, and said, 'Lay your hand on the book.'"Geo. Fox.'Give me the book in my hand.' Which set them all a-gazing, and as in hope he would have sworn."

"'Give him the book,'said they; and so a man that stood by him held up the book, and said, 'Lay your hand on the book.'

"Geo. Fox.'Give me the book in my hand.' Which set them all a-gazing, and as in hope he would have sworn."

And it appears from the case of Omychund v. Barker, that, at that time, the usual form was by laying the right hand on the book, and kissing it afterwards (1 Atk. 42.). It seems not improbable that Paley's suggestion, in hisMoral Philosophy, vol. i. p. 192. (10th edit.), may be correct. He says:

"The kiss seems rather an act of reverence to the contents of the book, as, in the Popish ritual, the priest kisses the gospel before he reads it, than any part of the oath."

The Query respecting the Welsh custom I must leave to those who are better informed respecting the judicial forms of that country; merely suggesting whether the practice alluded to by your correspondent may not originally have had a meaning similar to that of the three fingers on the book, and two under, as described by Fox in the passage above quoted.

Erica.

Warwick.

In the bailiwick of Guernsey the person sworn lifts his right hand, and the presiding judge, who administers the oath, says "Vous jurez par la foi et le serment que vous devez à Dieu que," &c. Oaths of office, however, are taken on the Gospels, and are read to the person swearing by the greffier, or clerk of the court. The reason of this difference may be accounted for by the fact that the official oaths, as they now exist, appear to have been drawn up about the beginning of the reign of James I., and that in all probability the form was enjoined by the superior authority of the Privy Council.

Which of the two forms was generally used before the Reformation, I have not been able to discover; but in an account of the laws, privileges, and customs of the island, taken by way of inquisition in the year 1331, but more fully completed and approved in the year 1441, it appears that the juries of the several parishes were sworn "sur Sainctes Evangiles de Dieu par eulx et par chacun d'eulx corporellement touché,"—"par leurs consciences sur le peril de la dampnation de leurs ames."

I remember to have seen men from some of the Baltic ports, when told to lift their right hands to be sworn, double down the ring finger and the little finger, as is done by bishops in the Roman Catholic Church when giving the benediction.

In France the person making oath lifts his right hand. The oath is administered by the presiding judge without any reference to the Deity, but the person who swears is required to answer "Je le jure." I observed that in Britanny, when the person sworn was ignorant of the French language, the answer was "Va Doué," which, I believe, means in the Breton dialect, "By God."

In the Ecclesiastical Court of Guernsey I have seen the book presented to the person swearing open at one of the Gospels; but in the Royal Court the book is put into the right hand of the party making oath, shut. In either case it is required that the book should be kissed.

Honoré de Mareville.

Guernsey.

(Vol. viii., pp. 64. 153.)

Many inscriptions, comminatory or exhortatory, written in books and directed to readers, have been commemorated in "N. & Q." Towards the beginning of the present century, the most common epigram of the kind in the French public schools was the following elegant motto, with its accompanying illustration:

"AspicePierrotpendu,Quota librum n'a pas rendu!"

"AspicePierrotpendu,

Quota librum n'a pas rendu!"

Poor Pierrot is exhibited in a state of suspension, as hanging from the inverted letter L (Γ), which symbolises the fatal tree. Comminatory and exhortatory cautions not to soil, spoil, or tear books and MSS. occur so frequently in the records of monastic libraries, that a whole album could easily be filled with them. The coquettish bishop, Venantius Fortunatus, has a distich on the subject. Another learned Goth, Theud-wulf, or Theodulfus, Charlemagne'sMissus dominicus,recommends readers a proper ablution of their hands before turning the consecrated leaves:

"Utere me, lector, mentisque in sede locato;Cumque librum petis hinc, sit tibilotamanus!"—Saith Library.

"Utere me, lector, mentisque in sede locato;

Cumque librum petis hinc, sit tibilotamanus!"—Saith Library.

Less lenient are the imprecations commemorated by Don Martenne and Wanley. The one inscribed on the blank leaf of a Sacramentary of the ninth century is to the following effect:

"Si quis eum (librum) de monasterio aliquo ingenio non redditurus, abstraxerit, cum Juda proditore, Annâ et Caïphâ, portionem æternæ damnationis accipiat. Amen! Amen! Fiat! fiat!"—Voyage Littéraire, p. 67.

That is fierce and fiery, and in very earnest. A MS. of the Bodleian bears this other inscription, to the same import:

"Liber Sanctæ Mariæ de Ponte Roberti. Qui eum abstulerit aut vendiderit ... aut quamlibet ejus partem absciderit, sit anathema maranatha."

Canisius, in hisAntiquæ Lectiones(I. ii. p. 3. 320.), transcribes another comminatory distich, copied from a MS. of the Saint Gall library:

"Auferat hunc librumnullus hinc, omne per ævum,Cum Gallo partem quisquis habere cupit!"

"Auferat hunc librumnullus hinc, omne per ævum,

Cum Gallo partem quisquis habere cupit!"

Such recommendations are now no longer in use, and seem rather excessive. But whoever has witnessed the extreme carelessness, not to say improbity, of some of the readers admitted into the public continental libraries, who scruple not to soil, spoil, and even purloin the most precious and rare volumes, feels easily reconciled to theanathema maranathaof the ninth and tenth centuries.

P.S.—Excuse my French-English.

Philarète Chasles, Mazarinæus.

Paris, Palais de l'Institut.

(Vol. vi., p. 146.)

However remarkable the conduct of the rustic esquire of Downham may appear in the present duly, when he accepted and wore the livery of his neighbour the Knight-Baronet of Houghton Tower, it was a Common practice for gentlemen of good birth and estate to accept and wear, and even to assume without solicitation, upon state occasions, the livery of an influential neighbour, friend, or relation, in testimony of respect and affection for the giver of the livery.

Thus it appears in the Diary of Nicholas Assheton that, in 1617, to the Court at Mirescough "Cooz Assheton came with his gentlemanlie servants as anie was there," and that the retinue of menial servants in attendance upon Sir Richard Houghton was graced by the presence of more than one country gentleman of good family. Baines, in hisHistory of Lancashire, vol. ii. p. 366., also relates concerning Humphrey Chetham, that—

"In 1635 he was nominated to serve the office of sheriff of the county, and discharged the duties thereof with great honour, several gentlemen of birth and estate attending and wearing his livery at the assizes, to testify their respect and affection for him."

Evelyn, in hisDiary, gives a similar account of the conduct of "divers gentlemen and persons of quality" in the counties of Surrey and Sussex:

"1634. My father was appointed sheriff for Surrey and Sussex before they were disjoyned. He had 116 servants in liverys, every one livery'd in greene sattin doublets. Divers gentlemen and persons of quality waited on him in the same garbe and habit, which at that time (when thirty or forty was the the usual retinue of the high sheriff) was esteemed a great matter. Nor was this out of the least vanity that my father exceeded (who was one of the greatest decliners of it); but because he could not refuse the civility of his friends and relations, who voluntarily came themselves, or sent in their servants."

The practice of assuming the livery of a relation or friend, and of permitting servants also to wear it, appears to have existed in England in the time of Richard II., and to have had the personal example of this sovereign to support it. He seems, however, to have thereby excited the disapprobation of many of his spiritual and temporal peers. I produce the following passage with some hesitation, because it is by no means certain that any one of the liveries thus assumed by Richard was a livery of cloth:

"17thRichard II.A.D.1393-4."Richard Count d'Arundell puis le comencement de cest present Parlement disoit au Roy, en presence des Achevesques de Canterbirs et d'Everwyk, le Duc de Gloucestr', les Evesques de Wyncestre et Saresbirs, le Count de Warrewyk et autres...."Itemqle Roy deust porter la Livere de coler le Duc de Guyene et de Lancastr'."Itemqgentz de retenue de Roi portent mesme la Livere...."A qeinre Srle Roi alors respondi au dit Count ...qbientot apres la venue son dit uncle de Guyene quant il vient d'Espaign darrein en Engleterreqmesmenre Srle Roi prist le Coler du cool mesme son uncle et mist a son cool demesne et dist q'il vorroit porter et user en signe de bon amour d'entier coer entre eux auxi come il fait les Liveres ses autres uncles."Item (quant au tierce)nre Srle Roi disoitqceo fuist de counge de luy et de sa volunteqgentz de sa retenue portent et usent mesme la Livere de Coler."—Rolls of Parliament, vol. iii. p. 313."Richard Earl of Arundel, after the commencement of this present parliament, said to the King in the presence of the archbishops of Canterbury and of York,the Duke of Gloucester, the Bishops of Winchester and Salisbury, the Earl of Warwick, and others...."Item. That the King uses to wear the livery of the collar of the Duke of Guienne and of Lancaster."Item. That persons of the retinue of the King wear the same livery."To which our lord the King then answered to the said earl...."That soon after the coming of his said uncle of Guienne, when he came from Spain last into England, that himself our lord the King took the collar from the neck of the same his uncle and put it on his own neck, and said that he vowed to wear and to use it in sign of good love of whole heart between them also, as he did the liveries of his other uncles."Item (as to the third). Our lord the King said that it was by leave from him, and by his wish, that persons of his retinue wear and use the same livery of the collar."

"17thRichard II.A.D.1393-4.

"Richard Count d'Arundell puis le comencement de cest present Parlement disoit au Roy, en presence des Achevesques de Canterbirs et d'Everwyk, le Duc de Gloucestr', les Evesques de Wyncestre et Saresbirs, le Count de Warrewyk et autres....

"Itemqle Roy deust porter la Livere de coler le Duc de Guyene et de Lancastr'.

"Itemqgentz de retenue de Roi portent mesme la Livere....

"A qeinre Srle Roi alors respondi au dit Count ...qbientot apres la venue son dit uncle de Guyene quant il vient d'Espaign darrein en Engleterreqmesmenre Srle Roi prist le Coler du cool mesme son uncle et mist a son cool demesne et dist q'il vorroit porter et user en signe de bon amour d'entier coer entre eux auxi come il fait les Liveres ses autres uncles.

"Item (quant au tierce)nre Srle Roi disoitqceo fuist de counge de luy et de sa volunteqgentz de sa retenue portent et usent mesme la Livere de Coler."—Rolls of Parliament, vol. iii. p. 313.

"Richard Earl of Arundel, after the commencement of this present parliament, said to the King in the presence of the archbishops of Canterbury and of York,the Duke of Gloucester, the Bishops of Winchester and Salisbury, the Earl of Warwick, and others....

"Item. That the King uses to wear the livery of the collar of the Duke of Guienne and of Lancaster.

"Item. That persons of the retinue of the King wear the same livery.

"To which our lord the King then answered to the said earl....

"That soon after the coming of his said uncle of Guienne, when he came from Spain last into England, that himself our lord the King took the collar from the neck of the same his uncle and put it on his own neck, and said that he vowed to wear and to use it in sign of good love of whole heart between them also, as he did the liveries of his other uncles.

"Item (as to the third). Our lord the King said that it was by leave from him, and by his wish, that persons of his retinue wear and use the same livery of the collar."

This practice of one of our early sovereigns seems to afford a precedent for the mode in which divers gentlemen and persons of quality voluntarily showed civility towards Richard Evelyn, and for that in which several gentlemen of birth and estate testified their respect and affection for Humphrey Chetham. Nicholas Assheton also appears to have the support of this royal precedent in so far as relates to his accepting and wearing the livery of a friend and neighbour; and the custom of his day evidently lends its sanction to his forming, upon a state occasion, one of the body of menial servants in attendance upon Sir Richard Houghton, when he went to meet the king.

Another passage in theRolls of Parliamentseems to afford a respectable civic precedent for the services performed by Nicholas Assheton and other liveried gentlemen, when they waited at the lords' table at Houghton Tower:

"11thEdward III.A.D.1337."Anre Seigneur le Roy et a son conseil monstre Richard de Bettoyne de Loundres, qe come au Coronementnre Seigneur le Royqore est il adonge Meire de Loundres fesoit l'office de Botiller oveCCCeLXvadletz vestutz d'une sute chescun portant en sa mayn un coupe blanche d'argent come autres Meirs de Loundres ountz faitz as Coronementz descrossed pgenitours nostre Seigneur le Roy dont memoire ne court pars et le fee q appendoit a cel jorne c'est asavoir un coupe d'or ove la covercle et un ewer d'or enamaille lui fust liverecrossed passent du Counte de Lancastre et d'autres Grantz qu'adonges y furent du Conseil nostre Seigneur le Roycrossed pla mayn Sire Roƀt de Wodehouse et ore vient en estreite as Viscountes de Londres hors del Chekker de faire lever des Biens et Chateux du dit Richard xx/iiii ixli.xiis.vid.pur le fee avant dit dont il prie qe remedie lui soit ordeyne."Et le Meire et Citoyens d'Oxenford ountcrossed ppoint de chartre q'ils vendront a Londres l'Encorronement d'eyder le Meire de Loundres pur servir a la fest et toutz jours l'ount usee. Et si i plest anre Seigneur le Roy et a son Conseil nous payerons volonters la fee issent qe nous soyons descharges de la service."—Rolls of Parliament, vol. ii. p. 96."To our lord the King and to his Council sheweth Richard de Bettoyne of London, that whereas at the coronation of our lord the King that now is, he their mayor of London performed the office of butler with three hundred and sixty valets clothed of one suit each, bearing in his hand a white cup of silver, as other mayors of London have done at the coronations of the progenitors of our lord the King, whereof memory runneth not, and the fee which appertained to this day's work, that is to wit, a cup of gold with the cover, and a ewer of gold enamelled, were delivered to him by assent of the Earl of Lancaster, and of the other grandees who then there were of the council of our lord the King, by the hand of Sire Robert de Wodehouse, and now comes in estreat to the viscounts of London out of the Checquer, to cause to take the goods and chattels of the said Richard, eighty-nine pounds twelve shillings and sixpence, for the fee aforesaid, whereof he prays that remedy be ordained to him."And the mayor and citizens of Oxford have, by point of charter, that they shall come to London to the coronation, to help the mayor of London to serve at the feast, and always have so done. And if it please our lord the King and his Council, we will pay willingly the fee, provided that we be discharged of the service."

"11thEdward III.A.D.1337.

"Anre Seigneur le Roy et a son conseil monstre Richard de Bettoyne de Loundres, qe come au Coronementnre Seigneur le Royqore est il adonge Meire de Loundres fesoit l'office de Botiller oveCCCeLXvadletz vestutz d'une sute chescun portant en sa mayn un coupe blanche d'argent come autres Meirs de Loundres ountz faitz as Coronementz descrossed pgenitours nostre Seigneur le Roy dont memoire ne court pars et le fee q appendoit a cel jorne c'est asavoir un coupe d'or ove la covercle et un ewer d'or enamaille lui fust liverecrossed passent du Counte de Lancastre et d'autres Grantz qu'adonges y furent du Conseil nostre Seigneur le Roycrossed pla mayn Sire Roƀt de Wodehouse et ore vient en estreite as Viscountes de Londres hors del Chekker de faire lever des Biens et Chateux du dit Richard xx/iiii ixli.xiis.vid.pur le fee avant dit dont il prie qe remedie lui soit ordeyne.

"Et le Meire et Citoyens d'Oxenford ountcrossed ppoint de chartre q'ils vendront a Londres l'Encorronement d'eyder le Meire de Loundres pur servir a la fest et toutz jours l'ount usee. Et si i plest anre Seigneur le Roy et a son Conseil nous payerons volonters la fee issent qe nous soyons descharges de la service."—Rolls of Parliament, vol. ii. p. 96.

"To our lord the King and to his Council sheweth Richard de Bettoyne of London, that whereas at the coronation of our lord the King that now is, he their mayor of London performed the office of butler with three hundred and sixty valets clothed of one suit each, bearing in his hand a white cup of silver, as other mayors of London have done at the coronations of the progenitors of our lord the King, whereof memory runneth not, and the fee which appertained to this day's work, that is to wit, a cup of gold with the cover, and a ewer of gold enamelled, were delivered to him by assent of the Earl of Lancaster, and of the other grandees who then there were of the council of our lord the King, by the hand of Sire Robert de Wodehouse, and now comes in estreat to the viscounts of London out of the Checquer, to cause to take the goods and chattels of the said Richard, eighty-nine pounds twelve shillings and sixpence, for the fee aforesaid, whereof he prays that remedy be ordained to him.

"And the mayor and citizens of Oxford have, by point of charter, that they shall come to London to the coronation, to help the mayor of London to serve at the feast, and always have so done. And if it please our lord the King and his Council, we will pay willingly the fee, provided that we be discharged of the service."

There can be little doubt that the citizens of Oxford bore their own travelling expenses; and it seems probable that the citizens of London and Oxford bore the cost of the three hundred and sixty suits of clothes and three hundred and sixty silver cups; but this is scarcely sufficient to account for their willingness to pay a sum of money equivalent to about fifteen hundred pounds in the present day, in order to be relieved from the honourable service of waiting clothed in uniform, each with a silver cup in his hand, helping the Mayor of London to perform the office of butler at coronation feasts. However this may be, it is still somewhat remarkable that, in the seventeenth century, Nicholas Assheton of Downham, Esq., and other gentlemen of Lancashire, upon a less important occasion than a coronation feast, dressed in the livery of Sir Richard Houghton and voluntarily attended, day after day, at the lords' table at Houghton Tower, and served the lords with biscuit, wine, and Jelly.

J. Lewelyn Curtis.

(Vol. viii., p. 338.)

The cases of Rexv.Stubbs and Olivev.Ingram, mentioned in the following extracts from Prideaux'sGuide to Churchwardens, p. 4., may be of service:

"Generally speaking, all personsinhabitantsof the parish are liable to serve the office of churchwarden,and from the cases of Rexv.Stubbs (2 T. R. 395.; 1 Bott. 10.), in which it was held that a woman is not exempt from serving the office of overseer of the poor, and Olivev.Ingram (2 Str. 1114.), in which it was held that she may be a parish sexton, there may, perhaps, be some ground for contending a woman is not exempt from this duty."

Russell Gole.

A few years ago (she may still be so) there was a gentlewoman the parish clerk of some church in London; perhaps some of your readers may be able to say where: a deputy officiated, excepting occasionally. But many such instances have occurred.

In a note in Prideaux'sDirections to Churchwardens(late edition), the following references are given as to the power of women to fill parochial and other such offices: Rexv.Stubbs, 2 T. R. 359.; Olivev.Ingram, 2 Strange, 1114.

H. T. Ellacombe.

Rectory, Clyst St. George.

I beg to inform Y. S. M. that when I went to reside near Lincoln in 1828, a woman was clerk to the parish of Sudbrooke, and died in that capacity a very few years after. I do not remember her name at this moment, but I could get all particulars if required on my return to Sudbrooke Holme.

Rich. Ellison.

Balmoral Hotel, Broadstairs, Kent.

I am able to mention another instance of a woman acting as parish clerk at Ickburgh, in the county of Norfolk. It is the parish to Buckenham Hall, the seat of the Honourable Francis Baring, near Thetford. A woman there has long officiated as parish clerk, and still continues acting in that capacity.

F. R.

I beg to refer Y. S. M. to the following passage Madame d'Arblay'sDiary, vol. v. p. 246.:

"There was at Collumpton only a poor wretched ragged woman, a female clerk, to show us this church: she pays a man for doing the duty, while she receives the salary in right of her deceased husband!"

M. L. G.

At Misterton, near Crewkerne, in Somersetshire, Mary Mounford was clerk for more than thirty years. She gave up the office about the year 1832, and is now in Beaminster Union, just eighty-nine years old.

Herbert L. Allen.

(Vol. vii., p. 397.; Vol. viii., p. 112.)

To the one hundred and ten epithets poetically applied to the nightingale and its song, collected byMr. Bede, permit me to add sixty-five more.

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