Minor Queries.

"DEUS DET NOBIS SUAM PACEMET POST MORTEM UITAM ETERNAM."

"DEUS DET NOBIS SUAM PACEM

ET POST MORTEM UITAM ETERNAM."

The clasps have engraven on them, in the same character,—

"LIB DNS ET MGER JOANNIS VAM MERE."

On the title-page, slightly varied in each volume, is the following inscription, in a hand not much later than the publication of the book:

"Liber M. Joachimi Moller ex testamento M. Johanīs vam mer optim et maximus deus illius anime misereatur. Amen."

I shall be much obliged to any one who will explain to me the figures on the cover, which, doubtless, have some legendary or symbolic meaning; and also give me any notes or references concerning either of the former possessors of the book, both of whom have, I believe, enriched it with manuscript notes.

Edward Peacock.

Bottesford Moors, Messingham,

Kirton-in-Lindsey.

Barristers' Gowns.—What is the meaning of the lapel, or piece which hangs from the back of the barristers' gown? Has it any particular name? In shape it is very similar to the representations we see in pictures of the "cloven tongues." It is not improbable that it may be intended figuratively to bear reference to them.

Henry T. Riley.

"Charta Hen. 2. G. G. n. 2. q."—In Cowell'sLaw Dictionary(ed. 1727), under the wordLusgul, I find the following reference: "Charta Hen. 2. G. G. n. 2. q." I should be much obliged to any person who would suggest for what "G. G. n. 2. q." stands.

Albany Wallace.—Can any of your correspondents, familiar with the drama, tell me who this gentleman was? In 1827, there appearedThe Death of Mary Queen of Scots, an historic drama in five acts, by A. W., Esq.: Worthing, printed for the author by W. Verrall. His name occurs again on the title-page ofThe Reigns of the Stuarts in England dramatised. The First Part of King James the First, a play in five acts: London, printed by the author, at his private press, Queen Ann Street, 1835.

I naturally turned up Mr. Martin'sPrivately Printed Books, but neither our dramatist nor his press is there alluded to. Touching the latter, Mr. Wallace says in his preface,—

"A certain picture was said by a connoisseur to be 'very well painted for agentleman!' a species ofnegative praise which gave but little satisfaction to the artist. Should the amateur printer, however, meet with as much, he will be very well contented. All he can himself say for his work is 'that it is legible;' and his type being of a pretty tolerable rotundity, he does not think it will need an additional pair of spectacles to be made out."

I am farther desirous of knowing if, in pursuance of his plan, Mr. Wallacedramatisedany more of the Stuarts?

J. D.

Leslie and Dr. Middleton.—In Dr. M‘Neile'sLecture on the Jews and Judaism, Feb. 14, 1854, the four rules given by Leslie as a test of historical truth are thus quoted:

"1. That the matter of fact be such that men's outward senses, their ears and eyes, may be judges of it."2. That it be done publicly, in the face of the world."3. That not only public monuments be kept in memory of it, but also that some outward actions be statedly performed."4. That such observances be instituted, and do commence, from the time at which such matter of fact is done."It is saidthat Dr. Middleton endeavoured for twenty years to find out some pretended fact to which Mr. Leslie's four rules could be applied, but in vain."

"1. That the matter of fact be such that men's outward senses, their ears and eyes, may be judges of it.

"2. That it be done publicly, in the face of the world.

"3. That not only public monuments be kept in memory of it, but also that some outward actions be statedly performed.

"4. That such observances be instituted, and do commence, from the time at which such matter of fact is done.

"It is saidthat Dr. Middleton endeavoured for twenty years to find out some pretended fact to which Mr. Leslie's four rules could be applied, but in vain."

"It is said." Where; when; by whom?

H. B. C.

U. U. Club.

Star and Garter, Kirkstall.—What isnowa large hotel, at Kirkstall Bridge, near to Kirkstall Abbey in Yorkshire, was many years ago a mere village roadside hostel, under whose sign (the Star and Garter) was inscribed in Greek capitals "ΤΟ ΠΡΕΠΟΝ." How could such an inscription have got into such a place? Could it have been the suggestion of some "learned clerke" of the neighbouring monastery, as more suited to the genius of the vicinity than the ordinary announcement of "Good Entertainment for Man and Horse?"

J. L. S., Sen.

Shrove Tuesday.—Happening to be at Newbury on Shrove Tuesday, I was struck with the tolling of the church bell as for a death, and, on inquiry, was informed that such was the custom of the place on this day. Does such a custom exist anywhere else, and what is the origin of it?

Newburiensis.

"Tarbox for that."—On reading a book of funny stories some years ago in the British Museum (a sort ofJoe Millerof Charles II.'s time), whenever any story was given that seemed "too good to be true," the anecdote ended with the words "Tarbox for that." Am I right in suspecting that this is equivalent to the expression, "Tell that to the marines," so well known in our day? "Tarbox" was probably a nickname for a bumpkin, or guardian of the tarbox, in which was kept the tar composition used for anointing sheep. Can anybody suggest another solution of the meaning of this expression?

Henry T. Riley.

De Gurney Pedigree.—Can any of your readers inform me whether the following pedigree is correct, so far as it goes?

1170. Robert Fitzhardinge = Eva.|-------------------------| |Maurice Robert = Hawisia de Gurney.|--------------------------------------| | |1230. Maurice = Alice de Henry.[1]Matthew =Gaunt. ||-----------------------|1269. Robert de Gurney.[2]

Who was the father of Simon de Gaunt, Bishop of Salisbury in 1300?

E. W. Godwin.

Footnote 1:(return)First Master of the Hospital of St. Mark in Bristol.Footnote 2:(return)Heir to Maurice, his uncle.

First Master of the Hospital of St. Mark in Bristol.

Heir to Maurice, his uncle.

"Πιστις,"unde deriv.—Scapula and Hederic both giveπειθωas the root; but by what process isπιστιςso obtained? What objection is there to takingἱστημιas the root? whenceεφισταμαι, επιστας, πιστος. No doubt one of your learned readers will kindly aid the inquiry.

Ψ.

Snush.—When did this name cease to be used forsnuff?I think I have met with it as late as the reign of Queen Anne. I believe the Scotch call snuffsnish, orsnishen.

Henry. T. Riley.

John Bale, Bishop of Ossory.—Acompletelist of the works of this voluminous writer, giving the titles in full, will be thankfully acknowledged; also any facts as to his life, not generally known. There is a very imperfect list of Bale'sWorksgiven in Harris'sWare's Bishops, and most of the Biographical Dictionaries.

James Graves.

Kilkenny.

Proxies for absent Sponsors.—Can any of your readers mention earlier instances than the following of the attendance of proxies on behalf of absent sponsors?

"My daughter, Elizabeth Burrell, was born on Thursday, 25th June, 1696 ... She was baptized on Monday, 15th February. My brother, P. Burrell (by Wm. Board, Esq.), Godfather, my Lady Gee (by my sister Parker), and my niece Jane Burrell, Godmothers."—"Extracts from the Journal and Account-Book of Timothy Burrell, Esq., Barrister-at-Law of Ockenden House, Cuckfield" (Sussex Archæological Collections, vol. iii. p. 131.).

E. M.

Hastings.

Heraldic Query.—Names of the families bearing the following coats of arms are requested:

1. Ermine, on a chief sable, two griffins segreant combatant argent.Crest, a demylyon affrontée or.

2. Azure, a bend or, between three spear-heads argent.Crest, an armed arm, embowed, grasping a broken spear.

3. Barry of six or and sable (with quarterings).Crest, on coil of rope a dog sable collared argent.

E. D.

Christmas Ballad.—Perhaps some of your correspondents may be able to throw some light upon the following verses, which are sung by the waits at Christmas in the neighbourhood of Falmouth:

"Twelve is twelve as goes to hell,Eleven is eleven as goes to heaven,Ten is the Ten Commandments,Nine is nine so bright to shine,Eight is the gable angels,Seven is the seven stars of the sky,And six is the six bold waiters,Five is the flamboys under the bough,And four is the Gospel preachers;Three of them is thrivers (shrivers?),Two of them is lilywhite babes, and clothed all in green oh!And One is One, and all alone, and ever more shall be so."

"Twelve is twelve as goes to hell,

Eleven is eleven as goes to heaven,

Ten is the Ten Commandments,

Nine is nine so bright to shine,

Eight is the gable angels,

Seven is the seven stars of the sky,

And six is the six bold waiters,

Five is the flamboys under the bough,

And four is the Gospel preachers;

Three of them is thrivers (shrivers?),

Two of them is lilywhite babes, and clothed all in green oh!

And One is One, and all alone, and ever more shall be so."

That the first line alludes to the fate of the twelfth apostle is evident. The meaning of the second, third, sixth, ninth, and last lines, is also apparent. The others I am quite at a loss to explain.

C. M. G.

Hay-bread Recipe.—The Query of your correspondent G. D. (Vol. ix., p. 148.) has reminded me of a question which I wish to ask. By what chemical process may hay be converted into bread?

E. W. J.

Te Deum.—We read frequently of this hymn being sung in the Russian Church after victories. Can any of your correspondents inform me in what language it is used in the Eastern Churches? It is, I believe, generally admitted that it was originally composed in Latin for the use of the Western Church; but if the Emperor Nicholas, in his famous manifesto (vide Vol. viii., pp. 585. 655.), quotes from this hymn and not from the Psalms, the one being quite as likely as the other, it would almost appear that the Latin version is the one with which he is the most familiar.

Honoré de Mareville.

Guernsey.

Mary Queen of Scots at Auchincas.—Auchincas is an interesting ruin on the bank of the Evan in Dumfriesshire, the residence of Randolph, Earl of Murray, Regent of Scotland in 1329. I have heard tradition to the effect that when Mary Queen of Scots was fleeing towards England, she paused to rest here. Can any of your readers confirm or contradict this tradition?

And can any of them furnish farther particulars regarding the history of the same castle, in addition to those given in the ordinary gazetteers, and in Black'sGuide to Moffat?

Annandale.

Right of Refuge in the Church Porch.—In one of J. H. Parker'sParochial Tales, a custom is spoken of as existing at the present time in Norfolk, by which every parishioner has a right to make the church porch his temporary home until he can find a lodging elsewhere. Is this a fact? In the parish register of Flamstead, Herts, is an entry under the year 1578, of the burial of a child and its father, "whbothe died in yechurch porche."

Cheverells.

Christopher Lemying of Burneston.—The undersigned would be obliged to any of the readers of "N. & Q." who would furnish him with the names of the children and grandchildren of Christopher Lemying of Burneston, nigh Lemying, in Richmondshire, com. York, who lived about A.D. 1600 and 1640? And also with any information concerning the births and deaths of the same? The Heralds' Visitations for the seventeenth century would probably afford the information, but the writer has no access to them at present.

C. P. L.

Ralph Ashton the Commander.—Your answer to my inquiry relative to "Isabella, the wife of Ralph the Commander" (Ashton, Vol. ix., p. 272.), induced me to refer to the work you quoted, Baines'sLancashire; but in the list of her sons I did not find named one who is mentioned in the ancient document I have spoken of, namely, "James, the son of Isabel, the wife of Ralph the Commander." Did she survive her husband and marry a second time; and, if so, what was his name? I ask this because, probably, that would be the name of the son here alluded to. A reply to this Query would oblige[3]

Jaytee.

Footnote 3:(return)We cannot discover that Elizabeth Kaye, the wife of Ralph the Commander, married the second time. See Burke'sExtinct Baronetcies, pp. 21. 285., ed. 1838.—Ed.

We cannot discover that Elizabeth Kaye, the wife of Ralph the Commander, married the second time. See Burke'sExtinct Baronetcies, pp. 21. 285., ed. 1838.—Ed.

Roman Roads in England.—Whose is the best treatise on the Roman roads in England?

Prestoniensis.

[Although the credit and fidelity of Richard of Cirencester have frequently been attacked, still, asGibbon remarks, "he shows a genuine knowledge of antiquity very extraordinary for a monk of the fourteenth century." In 1809, an edition was published in London, entitledThe Description of Britain, translated from Ricardus of Cirencester, with the original treatiseDe Situ Britanniæ, with a map and a fac-simile of the MS., as well as a Commentary on the Itinerary. It has been reprinted in theSix Old English Chroniclesin Bohn'sAntiquarian Library, but without the map. The Itinerary contains eighteen journeys, which Richard says he compiled from certain fragments written by a Roman general, and from Ptolemy and other authors. He mentions 176 stations, while Antoninus has only 113.]

Inscription on the Brass of Sir G. Felbrigge.—Can any of your numerous correspondents afford me an explanation of the following fragment of an inscription from the brass of Sir George Felbrigge, Playford, Suffolk? Each word is separated by the letterOld English M, and a demi-rose conjoined. The part enclosed in brackets is now lost, but was remaining in Gough's time:

"Funda de per a dieu loange et dieu pur lalme de lui al [dieu quil est pete ei(t) ceste]."

This is the order in which the words now stand; but as they are quite unintelligible, and the fillet shows evident signs of having been broken in several places, we may reasonably suppose that they were misplaced when the brass was moved from its original slab. The principal word, about which I am in difficulty, ispete. Can it be the same as "pitië?" If so, I venture to suggest the following explanation, till some one may offer me a better:

"...filsde pèrequifunda cesteplace, à dieu est loange et qu'il eit pitië,priezpur l'alme de lui à dieu."

The words printed in Italics are supplied to complete the sense.

F. G.

[Perhaps the following words in Italics may be supplied for those obliterated: "CesteChaunterie estaitfonde de partde George Felbrigge, Chr.A Dieusoitloangeet gloire... priez pur l'asme de lui a Dieu quil eit pite ..."The following notice of the destruction of this beautiful brass is given in Davy's Suffolk Collections, Add. MSS. 19,086. p. 342.: "The brass in memory of Sir George Felbrigge, which had for a long time been covered by the pews, was three or four years ago, in consequence of some repairs, uncovered, when the incumbent and his curate had it torn from the stone, and it was for some time lying in pieces at the mercy of any pilferer. Mr. Albert Way, the Director of the Society of Antiquaries in Feb. 1844, wrote to me, to ask what was become of the figure; and, in consequence, as I had not an opportunity of visiting the church myself, I wrote to Mr. Arthur Biddell for information; and the following is a copy of his answer, dated Feb. 23, 1844: 'Felbrigge's monument was removed, much against my wishes, from its former place in the N. E. corner of the church to the chancel under the communion table, where it is fixed; forming part of the pavement. The broken pieces of brass are again fixed in the stone; but so many of the pieces were long ago lost, and I think those which were lately separated from the stone are not placed in their original position: so, except the figure, there is little remains to convey an idea of the ornamental and beautiful work by which the figure was surrounded.'"]

The following notice of the destruction of this beautiful brass is given in Davy's Suffolk Collections, Add. MSS. 19,086. p. 342.: "The brass in memory of Sir George Felbrigge, which had for a long time been covered by the pews, was three or four years ago, in consequence of some repairs, uncovered, when the incumbent and his curate had it torn from the stone, and it was for some time lying in pieces at the mercy of any pilferer. Mr. Albert Way, the Director of the Society of Antiquaries in Feb. 1844, wrote to me, to ask what was become of the figure; and, in consequence, as I had not an opportunity of visiting the church myself, I wrote to Mr. Arthur Biddell for information; and the following is a copy of his answer, dated Feb. 23, 1844: 'Felbrigge's monument was removed, much against my wishes, from its former place in the N. E. corner of the church to the chancel under the communion table, where it is fixed; forming part of the pavement. The broken pieces of brass are again fixed in the stone; but so many of the pieces were long ago lost, and I think those which were lately separated from the stone are not placed in their original position: so, except the figure, there is little remains to convey an idea of the ornamental and beautiful work by which the figure was surrounded.'"]

Skipwith.—

"'Here lyeth the body of William Skipwith, Baronet, who deceased the 25th of February, 1764, aged fifty-six years. He descended from Sir Henry Skipwith of Prestwould, in Leicestershire, created baronet by King James I., was honoured with King Charles I.'s commission for raising men against the usurping powers, and proved loyal to his king, so that he was deprived of his estate by the usurper, which occasioned his and his sons' death, except Sir Gray Skipwith, grandfather of the abovesaid Sir William Skipwith, who was obliged to come to Virginia for refuge, where the family hath continued ever since.'"Inscription copied from tombstone of Sir William, who lies buried at Greencroft, near Petersburg, Virginia."—SeeSouth. Messenger, vol. ix. p. 591.

"Inscription copied from tombstone of Sir William, who lies buried at Greencroft, near Petersburg, Virginia."—SeeSouth. Messenger, vol. ix. p. 591.

I should be obliged for information as to Sir Henry.

T. Balch.

Philadelphia.

[Sir Henry Skipwith was created a baronet Dec. 20, 1622, and in 1629 obtained, jointly with Sir Thomas Walsingham, Knt., a grant of lands in the counties of Leicester, Derby, &c.; in 1631 a grant of free-warren for his lands in Leicestershire; in 1636 was high sheriff for the county; and in 1637 certain amerciaments against him on account of that office, which had been returned into the Court of Chancery, were certified to the Court of Exchequer. Heartily espousing the cause of Charles I., he was one of the Commissioners of Array for this county, and on May 28, 1645, had the honour of entertaining his sovereign at Cotes, after which he was fined 1114l.by the parliamentary sequestrators. He was the last of the family who resided at Cotes; and amongst his poems is "An Elegy on the Death of my never enough lamented master, King Charles I." The others are chiefly of a melancholy turn. Sir Henry, his second son, died soon after his father, unmarried; whereupon his title and estate went to his next brother Sir Gray, who, after the death of the king, went with several other gentlemen, to avoid the usurpation, over to Virginia, and there married, and left one son.—Nichols'sLeicestershire, vol. iii. p. 367., which also contains a pedigree of the family. Consult also Lloyd'sWorthies, p. 649.]

College Battel.—What is the derivation of a word peculiar to the universities,battels: is it connected withbatten?

S. A.

[In Todd'sJohnsonwe read, "Battel, from Sax.taelanortellan, to count, or reckon, having the prefixbe. The account of the expenses of a student inany college in Oxford." In theGent. Mag.for Aug. 1792, p. 716., a correspondent offers the following probable etymology: "It is probably derived from the Germanbezahlen; in Low German and Dutchbettahlen; in Welshtalz; which signifies to pay; whence may be derived likewise the English verbto tale, and the noun atale, orscore, if not the corrupted expressionsto tellornumber, andto tallyoragree."]

Origin of Clubs.—Can any of your correspondents inform me from whence the cognomen of "club" came to be applied to select companies, and which was the first society that bore that title?

F. R. B.

[Club is defined by Johnson to be "an assembly of good fellows, meeting under certain conditions." The present system of clubs may be traced in its progressive steps from those small associations, meeting (as clubs of a lower grade still do) at a house of public entertainment; then we come to a time when the club took exclusive possession of the house, and strangers could be only introduced, under regulations, by the members; in the third stage, the clubs build houses, or rather palaces, for themselves. The club at the Mermaid Tavern in Friday Street was, according to all accounts, the first select company established, and owed its origin to Sir Walter Raleigh, who had here instituted a meeting of men of wit and genius, previously to his engagement with the unfortunate Cobham. This society comprised all that the age held most distinguished for learning and talent, numbering amongst its members Shakspeare, Ben Jonson, Beaumont and Fletcher, Selden, Sir Walter Raleigh, Donne, Cotton, Carew, Martin, and many others. There it was that the "wit-combats" took place between Shakspeare and Ben Johson, to which, probably, Beaumont alludes with so much affection in his letter to the old poet, written from the country:"What things have we seenDone at the Mermaid! heard words that have beenSo nimble and so full of subtle flame,As if that every one from whom they cameHad meant to put his whole wit in a jest."Ben Jonson had another club, of which he appears to have been the founder, held in a room of the old Devil Tavern, distinguished by the name of the "Apollo." It stood between the Temple Gates and Temple Bar. It was for this Club that Jonson wrote the "Leges Convivales," printed among his works.]

"What things have we seenDone at the Mermaid! heard words that have beenSo nimble and so full of subtle flame,As if that every one from whom they cameHad meant to put his whole wit in a jest."

"What things have we seen

Done at the Mermaid! heard words that have been

So nimble and so full of subtle flame,

As if that every one from whom they came

Had meant to put his whole wit in a jest."

Ben Jonson had another club, of which he appears to have been the founder, held in a room of the old Devil Tavern, distinguished by the name of the "Apollo." It stood between the Temple Gates and Temple Bar. It was for this Club that Jonson wrote the "Leges Convivales," printed among his works.]

Royal Arms in Churches.—When were the Royal Arms first put up in churches?

Are churchwardens compelled to place them over the chancel arch, or in any part of the building over which their jurisdiction extends?

In a church without an heraldic coat of Royal Arms, can a churchwarden, or the incumbentrefuselegally to put up such a decoration, it being the gift of a parishioner?

Azure.

[For replies toAzure'sfirst Query, see our Sixth Volumepassim. The articles at pp. 227. and 248. of the same volume incidentally notice his other queries.]

Odd Fellows.—What is the origin of Odd Fellowship? What gave rise to the title of Odd Fellows? Are there any books published on the subject, and where are they to be had? Is there any published record of the origin and progress of the Manchester Unity?

C. F. A. W.

[Our correspondent should consultThe Odd Fellows Magazine, New Series, published Quarterly by order of the Grand Master and Board of Directors of the Manchester Unity of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. We have only seen vols. i. to vii., which appeared between 1828 and 1842. Perhaps some of our readers may wish to know what is an Odd Fellow. Take the following description of one as given in vol. iv. p. 287.: "He is like a fox for cunning; a dove for tameness; a lamb for innocence; a lion for boldness; a bee for industry; and a sheep for usefulness. This is an Odd Fellow according to Odd Fellowship."]

Governor-General of India.—Will some of your learned readers be good enough to inform me upon what authority the present Governor-General of India is styled, in all official notices, "The Most Noble?" I have always understood the style of a Marquis to be "Most Honorable."

Novice.

[Official notices from public departments are frequently incorrect in reference to the styles of persons. The style of a Marquis is onlyMost Honorable, that of DukeMost Noble.]

Precedence.—Supposing an earl's daughter marries a commoner, do her children by him take precedence as the earl's grandchildren?

Snob.

[The children take only the precedence derived from theirpaternalstatus.]

(Vol. ix., p. 217.)

Mr. Haas, a native of Bibrach, in Germany, was accustomed to lay claim to the invention of sand-painting; and would often with a little pride repeat to his friends the way in which it was first suggested to his mind. Simply this:—Once, while he was engaged ornamenting a plateau with an elaborate and rich design, King George III. entered the apartment; and after having regarded the design andmodum operandifor some considerable time in silence, exclaimed, in an impatient manner, as if vexed that so much beauty should be so short-lived: "Haas! Haas! you ought to fasten it." From that moment, the artist turned his ingenuity to the subject: and how successfully, his pictures show.

The remarks of F. C. H. as to the mode of painting are quite correct. The fixing of thesand was the last operation, inasmuch as I have heard of the artist's wrath visiting a poor pussy because she had shaken a picture, and thereby disturbed the sand not yet fixed. The secret died with him and a friend, a contemporaneous artist, to whom I believe he had communicated the secret; this friend's name I do not know. Mr. Haas painted landscapes, the friend painted cattle pieces. I have in my possession some of Mr. Haas' work. It is beautifully soft and quiet. The foliage is fine in the extreme, withal a rich depth of colouring. The Welsh scenery he felt most at home in, he threw into it a spirit of repose: while it was bold, there was nothing harsh or offensive to the eye. I have tried many experiments with one of this pictures: amongst other things, I find the least moisture will remove the sand. Mr. Haas had a gallery in London for some time (I believe in Regent Street), where there were portraits done in sand. A portrait of himself was considered the gem of the pictures: such a vitality and delicacy of colouring did it possess. I mention this merely to show that sand could be applied to other branches of art besides landscapes. The history of the pictures at Windsor Castle is to be seen in one of the oldWindsor Guides. Mr. Hans died at Bibrach, where doubtless many of his pictures are.

Sand-paintings cannot last long; they have in themselves the element of their own destruction, "their rough surface," which very soon collects and retains the dust. I never heard of their being cleaned.

John Mummery.

Queenwood College, Stockbridge, Hants.

(Vol. ix., p. 125.)

In corroboration of my former suggestion, that Nicholas Thosmound of Somersetshire was an O'Brien of Thomond, I beg to add some farther facts. Cotemporary with him was William Toutmound, who obtained in the sixth year of Henry IV. a grant of the office (in England) of chief carpenter of the king for his life. This singular office, "Capitalis Carpentarius Regis," must, I suppose, be called Lord High Carpenter of England, in analogy with the offices of steward, butler, &c. It is mentioned in theCalendar of Patent Rolls of Englandat the 6 Henry IV.; and in the same repository is mention of a grant long before by Henry III. of the land of Tosmond in Ireland, to A. R. Tosmond (R standing, I presume, for "Regi," for the Irish Toparchs were then thus designated by the English government). In this case then we have the lettersused fort, as in theInq. P. M.of Alicia, wife of the before-mentioned Nicholas Thosmound. In theAbbreviatio Rotulorum Originalium of England, in 15 Edw. II., is the expression "Regalitatem de Totamon," applied to the district of Thomond in Ireland. It seems not unlikely that the two cotemporary individuals mentioned above were sons or grandsons of Turloch, or Tirrèlagh, O'Brien, sovereign of Thomond from 1367 to 1370, when he was supplanted by his nephew Brien O'Brien, ancestor of the Marquis of Thomond. For this Turloch was in some favour with the government, by whom his distress was sometimes relieved. Thus it appears from the printed calendar of Irish Chancery Rolls, that a writ ofliberateissued in the 4th Rich. II. for the payment to him of forty marks; and again, 5 Rich. II., of twenty marks, "ei concord. p¯recompens. labor." He was much befriended by the Earl of Desmond, whose successor being high in favour with the kings Henry V. and VI., obtained a large grant of land in the county of Waterford, which he immediately conferred on the sons of Turloch. Yet some of those sons may, through his interest, have been established in England. It becomes, therefore, a matter of considerable interest to ascertain whether theInq. P. M.2 Henry IV. contains any proof that Nicholas Thosmound was an O'Brien.

While on this subject, may I inquire the reason why the O'Briens quarter with their own arms the bearing of three piles meeting in a point? These latter were the arms of the English baronial family of Bryan, not at all connected with the Irish family. I suspect the Irish were late in their assumption of arms, and borrowed in many cases the arms of English families of nearly similar names.

A. B.

(Vol. ix., p. 123.)

Possibly the following authorities may tend to throw light upon the question started by your correspondent.

InAnt. Univ. Hist., vol. xvii. p. 287., 4to. ed., London, 1747, it is said:

"St. Austin tells us that some of the Carthaginian divinities had the name of Abaddires, and their priests that of Eucaddires. This class, in all probability, was derived from the stone which Jacob anointed with oil, after it had served him for a pillow the night he had his vision; for in the morning he called the place where he lay Bethel. Now it is no wonder this should have been esteemed as sacred, since God himself says, he was theGod of Bethel, the place where Jacob anointed the pillar. From Bethel came the bætylus of Damascius, which we find called Abaddir by Priscian. This Abaddir is the Phœnician Aban-dir, that is, the spherical stone, exactly answering to the description of the bætylus given us by Damascius and others. The case seems to have been this; the Canaanites of the neighbourhood first worshipped the individual stone itself, upon which Jacob had pouredoil; afterwards they consecrated others of that form, and worshipped them; which false worship was perpetuated even to the time of St. Austin."—See note (N),Ant. Univ. Hist., vol. i. p. 310.

Now if such stones were an object of worship among the Phœnicians, nothing is more probable than that they should take such a stone along with them in their migrations to new settlements; and it may therefore well be that the Phœnicians, who first settled in Ireland, did bring such a stone with them; and hence possibly the tradition in question may have originated.

There is abundant evidence that the Phœnicians fled from Palestine in very early times (Ant. Univ. Hist., vol. iii. p. 479.), and probably some of the Jews also about the time when Samaria was taken; and there can be no doubt that some Phœnicians, if not some Jews, settled in these islands at a very remote period; and it is a very remarkable fact that the Welsh spoken in North Wales is said to be nearer to the old Hebrew than any other existing language, and varying no more from it than the great length of time which has passed would lead any one to expect. (Ant. Univ. Hist., vol. vi. p. 31. note.)

It should seem that some at least of the bætyli were round, and of such a size that they might be carried about by their votaries either by hanging at the neck or in some other way (Ant. Univ. Hist., vol. xvii. p. 287.x.). But probably they were originally in the shape of a pillow. In Gen. xxviii. 18., it is said that Jacob "took the stone that he had put for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it;" from which it is plain that the stone was not a sphere, but oblong and flat at the top and bottom; and probably not with square edges, as that would be most uncomfortable to lay the head upon.[4]

S. G. C.

Footnote 4:(return)Query whether from these bætyli our ancestors derived the wordbeetle, which denotes a wooden maul or hammer for driving wedges. Its head is about a foot long, flat at each end, and the rest round; so that it nearly resembles a pillow in shape, and the head, together with its handle, would well resemble a stone of similar shape suspended by a cord in the middle. Bailey derives the word in this sense, and as denoting the insect, from Sax.Bytel. If a handle was ever put in a bætylus, which was of the form I have suggested, it would form an excellent instrument for driving wedges or the like.

Query whether from these bætyli our ancestors derived the wordbeetle, which denotes a wooden maul or hammer for driving wedges. Its head is about a foot long, flat at each end, and the rest round; so that it nearly resembles a pillow in shape, and the head, together with its handle, would well resemble a stone of similar shape suspended by a cord in the middle. Bailey derives the word in this sense, and as denoting the insect, from Sax.Bytel. If a handle was ever put in a bætylus, which was of the form I have suggested, it would form an excellent instrument for driving wedges or the like.

Thirty years ago, the coronation stone in Westminster Abbey stood under a very old chair; and was a bluish irregular block of stone, similar both in colour and shape to stepping-stones in the shallow rivers of the north of England. It isnowa very nice hewn block, nicely fitted into the frame under the seat of a renovated chair. It does not look at all like the old stone of former days. Is the geological formation of the present block very difficult to ascertain?

H. R. Née F.

(Vol. ix., p. 246.)

In answer to the various Queries ofStylitesI have to observe:

1. That the Jews do not at present, in any country, practise polygamy, it being contrary, not to the letter, but to the spirit of the law of Moses, which nevertheless provides for cases where a man has two wives at the same time; the inconvenience of which practice is several times pointed out, and which was also inconsistent with the Levirate law. (See Jahn, § 151.; and the Mishna,סדר נשים‎, which designates more wives than oneצרות‎,trouble, adversaries.)

2. The practice was, however, allowed expressly to the Jewish kings only, perhaps to the extent offourwives, which is the Rabbinic exposition, and coincides with the Koran.

3. Marriage being a civil contract in most heathen countries, as also amongst the Jews and early Christians, polygamy is not forbidden or allowed on religious grounds. Marriage was included under the general head of covenants,כתובות‎, in the Mishna. Barbarous nations generally practised polygamy, according to Tacitus (Germ.18.); excepting the Germans, who, like the Greeks and Romans, "were content with a single wife," although some exceptions were found in this respect,non libidine, sed ob nobilitatem.

4. Polygamy was not practised amongst the early Christians, who followed the Jews in this matter.

5. Clement of Alexandria (Stromata, lib. iii. p. 461., edit. 1629) says:

"Ἀλλ' ὁ αὐτὸς ἀνὴρ καὶ Κύριος, παλαιὰ καινίζων, οὐ πολυγαμίαν ἔτι συγχωρεὶ· τότε γὰρ ἀπήτει ὁ Θὲος, ὅτε αὐξάνεσθαι καὶ πληθύνειν ἐχρῆν· μονογαμίαν δὲ εἰσάγει, διὰ παιδοποιίαν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ οἴκου κηδεμονίαν, εἰς ἢν βοηθὸς ἐδόθη ἡ γυνή."

Whence it appears that to have progeny and a helpmate at home were the objects proposed in matrimony, for which polygamy was unfavorable. He then remarks on the privilege conceded to some to form a second marriage, after the death of the first wife, which St. Paul forbids to a bishop, who was to be, in themodernsense of the word, a monogamist. Two wives at the same time were wholly repugnant to Jewish, as well as Greek and Roman, sentiment. Ignatius (ad Polyc. 5.) says it isproper(πρέπει) for married persons to unite under the bishop's advice, so that the marriage may beκατὰ Θεὸνand notκατ' ἐπιθυμίαν; whence it is inferred that a marriage wasvalid in his time, although no religious sanction was obtained.

It appears from Our Lord's remarks, Matt. xix. 8., Mark x. 5., that the consuetudinary law of marriage was not wholly abrogated, but was accommodated to the Jews by the Mosaic code. To understand this subject, therefore, the ancient usages and existing practices must be weighed, as well from ancient authors as from modern travellers. Whence it appears that the contract of marriage, whereby a man received a wife in consideration of a certain sum of money paid to her father, contemplated progeny as its special object.[5]In default of an heir the Jew took a second wife, it being assumed that the physical defect was on the wife's part. If the second had no child he took a third, and in like default a fourth, which was the limit as understood by the rabbins, and is now the limit assigned by the Mahometan doctors. But the Mosaic law proceeded even beyond this, and allowed, on the husband's death, the right ofIboom, usually called the Levirate law, so that in case of there beingnochild, someoneof the deceased's brothers had a right to take someoneof the deceased's wives: and their progeny was deemed by the Mosaic code to be his deceased brother's, whose property indeed devolved in the line of such progeniture. It would appear that it was usual for the eldest brothers to marry, the younger brothers remaining single. This was a remnant, as modified by Moses, of the custom of polyandry, several brothers taking one wife,—a sort of necessary result of polygamy, since the number of males and females born is equal in all countries, within certain limits of variation. The best authorities on this subject are the Mishna, Selden, Du Halde, Niebuhr, Süsmilch, and Michälis, the last in Dr. Smith's translation, at the beginning of the 2nd volume.

T. J. Buckton.

Lichfield.

Footnote 5:(return)In the recent ceremony of the French emperor's marriage, money was presented to the bride.

In the recent ceremony of the French emperor's marriage, money was presented to the bride.

Stylitessays, "On what ground has polygamy become forbidden among Christians? I am not aware that it is directly forbidden by Scripture." In reply to this I venture to say, that the Divine will on this matter was sufficiently indicated at the creation, when one woman was appointed for one man, as expressed in Gen. ii. 24., and quoted by Our Lord, with the significant addition of the wordtwain: "They twain shall be one flesh" (Matt. xix. 5.).Twain, i.e. two; not twenty, nor any indefinite number. Moreover, the law of nature speaks, in the nearly equal numbers of men and women that are born, or, as in this parish, by making the men the more numerous.

ButStylitesstarts a most interesting question in a practical point of view. It is admitted that the Gospel is not very explicit respecting polygamy; and why so? Possibly the Gospel was purposely kept silent; and the Church allowed some latitude in judgment upon a very difficult point, because it was foreseen that the custom of polygamy would prove one of the greatest obstacles to a reception of pure Christianity. This difficulty is of constant occurrence in heathen lands at the present day. The Christian missionary insists upon the convert abandoning all his wives, except the one whom he first married. This woman was probably childless; and because she was so, he formed other andlegalconnexions. But before he can be received as a Christian, he must dissolve all these later ties, and bastardise children who were innocently born in lawful wedlock. The conditions are very awful. An act of cruelty and injustice has to be performed by one who is on the point of entering the threshold of Christianity!

Perhaps these considerations may serve to account for the comparative silence of the Gospel upon a subject which seemed to require the expression of a direct command, whilst they will in no way obscure its universally-admitted meaning.

Alfred Gatty.

Ecclesfield.

(Vol. ix., p. 58.)

The subjoined lines address themselves to the traveller, as he looks on the sign of "The Rodney's Pillar" inn at Criggirn, a hamlet on the borders of Montgomeryshire and this county:

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