have already appeared are chiefly, if not altogether, confined to French historical occurrences, But there are others connected with English and other history none the less singular. As these things are, I think, likely to prove sources of entertainment to a circle of friends assembled round a Christmas fireside, I forward the following, which I have jotted down at random: Accession of George I. 1714 Sir Thomas Gresham 1 1 knighted. . 1559 1 9 1579 The years of the births of Oliver Cromwell and Milton, although nine years apart, result, when added, in the same year, viz. 1608 1 0 8 1623 WESTERN ENGLAND FOLK LORE. [Being this autumn on a visit in the neighbourhood of Launceston, on the borders of Cornwall and Devon, I made inquiries as to the existence of any peculiar customs, or the prevalence of superstition in the locality; and having had several instances of the latter feeling narrated to me, an intelligent young friend was kind enough to note down the same, which I now forward to you, deferring the subject of Customs and Provincialisms to a future number of " N. & Q.”—PHILIP S. KING.] Superstition still prevails to a great extent in many districts of Devon and Cornwall, not only among the very poor and ignorant, but among those who, standing in the higher position of farmers or landowners, would be supposed to have received either such an education as would dispel from their minds in some degree the idle fears of their ancestors, or that their reason would have been so exercised as to forbid belief in the many legends handed down to them. But though naturally one would presume that the superstitious fears of centuries ago had gradually died out, and that the present generation would relate the numerous tales of their grandparents, when ghosts, fairies, and other supernatural beings, in good or evil shape, formed the chief actors of the scenes, only as things of the past, the case is very different: every village and hamlet still have their witches and fairies; and among the many legends of the past told around the cottage hearth on a stormy 5 night are interspersed not a few fantastic tales of the present day, making both scenes more real, more exciting to the hearers. The scattered parish of Werrington, on the borders of Devon and Cornwall, possesses many a tale of the noted pixies of Western England; and even Yeolmbridge, a little village on the Attery, in this same parish, boasts of a supernatural being in the form of a large black dog, which, when the moon is at the full, at the hour of twelve, with muffled feet and silent mouth, starts from the direction of Boyton, over the bridge, ascends the opposite hill, and disappears up the Egloskerry road. Ask him the hour and he will tell you. But no one has ever yet seen this midnight visitant, no one knows of his return, yet no one presumes to doubt his advent. The following incident was related to me in the winter of 1869 by one of our own servants, whose belief in the power of witches was perhaps made stronger from the supposed fact of her father About a month previous a farmer's wife from North Tamerton had travelled to Launceston, attended the market, sold her eggs and poultry, bought a good healthy pig, and, well pleased with her bargain, retraced her steps homeward. That very night, however, her new treasure, the pig, showed signs of ill health, and in a few days became so seriously indisposed that the good dame was greatly disturbed, and remembering that she had, on the day of her purchase, seen in the market the Werrington Witch, who lives at Wingsdown, half a mile from Yeolmbridge, the fear that her pig had been "overlooked" took possession of her mind, and without hesitation off she started to Tregidillet, to consult the White Magician. To him she related her story, and from him received instructions, whereby, if strictly attended to, the further power of the witch might be baffled, or in case of the pig's decease, a just punishment would overtake the sorceress. As is usual among the uneducated, these words, so solemnly uttered, and in such form, were received in faith, and the woman left, trusting in the wisdom of the magician, or "White Witch," as he is generally called, and feeling, like many of higher station than herself, that revenge would have sweet comfort. On the following Saturday she proceeded to carry out the directions of the soothsayer. Placing in her basket, beside her articles for sale, a hammer, some nails, and a horseshoe, she set off to market, following the same road as on the eventful preceding week. The horseshoe, should she find the track, was to be placed backwards on the marks, the hammer was to knock the nails into the ground; and this treatment would, in case of the pig's decease, produce in one leg of the unfortunate witch a certain lameness surely a sufficient revenge! Looking on the ground, both on her outward and return journey, she sought eagerly and diligently for the track-how to be known remains a mystery; but that lessened not her firm belief that she would find it in time. For four weeks did the farmer's wife travel on foot to market, regardless of wind or cold, anxious for the discovery of the track of the witch who had "overlooked " her precious pig and brought such anxiety and possible loss to her household; in vain, for no track could be found, and each Saturday evening saw her return home with the instrument of torture, untouched as in the morning. I asked if she intended to pursue her object, and the answer was in the affirmative; nothing would induce her to relinquish it. Whether she met with success, found the track, and hammered the shoe into the ground, or that her pig died, I did not afterwards learn; but, strange as it may appear, and if either of those circumstances occurred, to the superstitious there would seem apparent truth in the words of the Tregidillet magician, the poor woman, the reputed Black Witch, was, a few weeks subsequent to the incident related, afflicted with a lameness, most probably rheumatism, on one side. The poor thing, ignorant, I hope, of the strange North Tamerton tale, as I knew she was innocent of the cause, limping about, holding her side with one hand, a stick with the other, told me how, some years before, she had become lame in the other leg; this I found afterwards to be the result of her "overlooking" a neighbour's pig and causing its death. In this case it is supposed the shoe and hammer had had their effect also; the track had been found, and punishment had overtaken her. Such is one among the many instances of superstition that still exist in this neighbourhood. ALICE M. CURIOUS DEED.-The following deed is copied from the transcript in Dr. Coningsby's MS. in the library at Whitfield, Herefordshire, and seems sufficiently curious to merit insertion and notice: "Edwardus filius Henrici Regis Angliæ, &c. noveritis nos pro quadam summa pecunie quam dilectus et fidelis noster Dominus Will'mus de Grandisono nobis solvet p manibus remisisse p nobis et heredibus nostris et in petuum quiete clamasse Domino Will'o de Eneroys idem Will'us unquam tenebatur Aron filius (filio ?) unius militi hæredibus et assignatis suis omnia debita in quibus Judei nostri p cartas tallias obligatus, seu quæcunque alia instrumenta sub nominibus predictorum Willmi Deveroys et Aaron a creatione mundi usque in diem confectionis presentis scripti confecti. "Testibus "Johanne Trego3, Waltero de Helion. Roberto de Hastinge, Willo de Oddingsells, militibus. Johanne de Eneroys, Grimbaldo Pauncefote. "Data apud Bernes ao regni regis Edwardi filii Henrici 20." C. J. R. ANECDOTE OF THE WAR.-The Times of November 22 contains a very pretty anecdote of the King of Prussia's accidentally getting to know that the sister of one of his soldiers was about to be married, and that her relations were a good deal troubled by the thought that her brother could not possibly be at the wedding. The good king most gracefully and kindly gave the man a fortnight's leave of absence to enable him to be present at the important family event. This kind and thoughtful act of the king reminds me of a somewhat similar one on the part of the great Napoleon, only still kinder, as being done not towards one of his own soldiers, but towards an English sailor. The man, who was a prisoner in France, was attempting to escape across the Channel in a most crazy and unseaworthy boat which he had built with his own hands. He was discovered and brought before Napoleon (who was at the time at Boulogne) and examined. The man said in reply to the emperor's question, that he had no sweetheart, but was very anxious to see his mother. Napoleon was so affected by this filial piety, that he not only gave the brave sailor a safe conduct to England, but presented him with a gold piece, which-so the anecdote says-the man never parted with, but kept as a memento of the great leader's kindness. This story has been versified by Campbell. Graceful and kindhearted acts like these gleam through the lurid atmosphere of war like a ray of sunlight from under a thundercloud, and prove that in the midst of the fiercest national animosities "one touch of nature makes the whole world kin." JONATHAN BOUCHIER. JEU D'ESPRIT RESPECTING THE FIRST NAPOLEON. Perhaps the following jeu d'esprit, which made its appearance on the return of Napoleon I. from Moscow, may be worth preserving in " N. & Q." "When Emperor Nap. to France returned, The nurse, whose anxious bosom burned T' increase the father's joy, "How much he talks! how much he's grown!' A caricature appeared shortly after, in which the King of Rome was represented on his father's knee, repeating his letters to him. Thus A baissez (ABC) papa, Cédez (CD) papa." Z. Z. CHRISTIAN NAMES. The taking of the United States' census, now nearly completed, has brought to light some curious specimens of given names. A man in Illinois has five children, who have been christened-Imprimis, Finis, Appendix, Addendum, and Erratum. In Smythe County, Virginia, a Mr. Elmadoras Sprinkle has called his two sons Myrtle Ellmore and Onyx Curwen, and his six daughters Memphis Tappan, Empress Vandalia, Tatnia Zain, Okeno Molette, Og Wilt, and Wintosse Emmah. The great number of persons surnamed Sprinkle in that county is given as the excuse for these extraordinary names. Philadelphia. BAR-POINT. JUDICIAL SACRILEGE.-Mr. F. H. Stuart-Menteath of Glan Ebury, St. Asaph, writing to the editor of the Church Times, Nov. 18, 1870, p. 488, makes the following statement: "Your correspondent Mr. John Place is mistaken in saying that the last four lines, O vos transeuntes in Domum Domini in Domum orationis orate pro conservo tuo,' on the tombstone of Bishop Barrow, had been obliterated. They were never on the tombstone, but were engraved on a small brass plate inserted on the flagstone at the bottom of the tomb. This brass plate was sent to the Court of Arches in the suit of Brecl:s v. Woolfrey, but was never returned.” Surely steps might and should be taken to restore the brass plate to its proper place; for all the officers connected with the Court of Arches at the time of the suit might easily be known. M. Y. L. COINCIDENCES.George Hazard was born in South Kingston, Rhode Island, on March 3, 1737. Thomas H. Hazard, the eldest son of George, was born at the same place on March 3, 1765. Sylvester R. Hazard, the eldest son of Thomas, was born at the same place on March 3, 1783. Christopher G. C. Hazard, the eldest son of Sylvester, was born at Newport, Rhode Island, on March 3, 1818. BAR-POINT. Philadelphia. HUNGERFORD OF BLACK-BOURTON.-There are two well-preserved monuments in the Hungerford chapel in Bourton church-one to Dame Eleanor, wife of Sir John Hungerford of DownAmpney, Knt. She died in 1591. Her first husband was Masters, co. Berks, whose arms, with those of Hungerford, are carved on the monument. The other is to Colonel Anthony, second son of Anthony Hungerford of Farleigh Castle. He married Mary, daughter of Santtbarbe of White Parish, Wilts, and died June 7, 1703, in the sixtyninth year of his age. There is in the same church another monument, a note of whose existence it may be well to make, that of Sir Arthur Hopton, Knt., ambassador to the court of Spain temp. Charles I. He died March 6, 1649. This monument was removed from its place, I presume, when the church was restored not long since, and was placed with its head to the north, immediately under the altar. Ancient monuments should be left alone if possible, but if their removal be unavoidable for the due restoration of our churches, they should at least be laid as nearly as possible in their original places, and in a fitting position. In some country parishes, within living memory, it was the custom to bury suicides lying north and south, instead of east and west. W. M. H. C. A query as to Edward Hungerford appeared in these columns on August 13 last, p. 134, to which we shall be glad to receive some reply.-ED.] "The Lutheran Dame may be-gone, Our fees shall addresse us no more, If the Treaty should never goe on, She for ever is kickt out of Door. To Bondage we now bid adieu, The English shall no more oppresse us, There's something in every man's view That in due time we hope shall redresse us. "These hundred years past we have been Dull slaves, and ne'er strove to amend: It came by an old barren Queen, And now we resolve it shall end. "But grant the old woman should come, And England with Treaties should wooe us, We'l clog her before she comes home, That she ne're shall have power to undoe us. "Then let us goe on, and be great, From parties and quarrells abstain, Let us English Councills defeat, And Hannover ne'er mention again. "Let Grievances now be redress'd; Consider, the power is our own; Nor England lay claim to our Crown. "Let Montross and Dundee be brought in And hold out but as you begin. Like them, the next age will adore you. "Here's a Health, my brave Lads, to the Duke then, Who has the great labour begun! He shall flourish, whilst those that forsooke him, "Here's a Health to those that stood by him, The Hero that still keeps his ground- That so often have foil'd us before, SAMPLERS. The course of my avocations taking me a good deal into the dwellings of the humbler classes, it not unfrequently happens that my attention is arrested by a framed and glazed specimen of that bygone "institution," the "sampler," and the two following characteristic poesies," met with in this way in the course of the past week, have suggested to me the idea whether it might not be worth while to invite in the pages of "N. & Q." the contribution of any such anonymous pieces from the same humble source which may be within the knowledge of your large circle of readers, and may seem in any way worthy of preservation in your pages. A short account, from any competent correspondent, of the origin and history of the sampler might, I think, prove by no means devoid of interest. The moral influence capable of being exerted through apparently trifling instruments defies calculation; and the association, in my experience, of a well-preserved sampler of the last generation with worth and honesty in the household where it is found, has, I venture to say, been remarkably constant: 1. "Children, like tender oziers, take the bow, 2. "During the time of life allotted me, M. D. CLARENCE. One of your correspondents (I think it was HERMENTRUDE) queried some while ago whether Lionel Duke of Clarence might not. have left a son as well as his daughter Philippa. Can she or any other reader throw any light on the identity of the Clarence named in the following extract from the Act of Resumption 28 H. VI. (1450) ? "Provided also that this Act .... extend not ne be prejudiciall to eny Graunte or Grauntes, Confirmation or Confirmations by us made to oure servaunt William Clarence, nor that he be not hurt ne prejudiced by the seide Act in eny wyse." Does this clause afford any constat that any grant had been then made to this man? None appears recorded in the printed index to Pat. Rolls 1— 28 H. VI., but the printed index omits many. It seems possible that W. C. may have been a son of the Bastard of Clarence; the date exactly fits that hypothesis. The next mention of this name which I have met with, occurs in the Lay Subsidy Rolls, where Robert Clarance (the name is spelt in several ways) is assessed at one shilling for land in the parish of Great Sampford, Essex. Any clue or suggestion will much oblige. L. B. C. "LETTERS, CONVERSATIONS, AND RECOLLEC TIONS OF COLERIDGE.". Who edited these two volumes, published by Moxon, 1836 ?* Is there any distinct record of the extraordinary manifestations attributed (vol. i. p. 212) to Lamb's friend Manning? Was the "outburst of his unembodied spirit" anything akin to the absurdities of modern spiritualism? As Manning was evidently a person of unusual capacity (see Lamb's Correspondence, passim) information on this point would be interesting. MAKROCHEIR. DUR, OR DOUR. -This syllable appears as a prefix to many places or names. I suppose it is of Celtic origin. Can it be explained? I give a [* Thomas Allsop.] EATING FOALS IN DONEGAL.-What may have given rise to the very prevalent idea that the inhabitants of the county of Donegal (or rather, perhaps, of the barony of Inishowen in that county) make use of foals as an article of food? It is not founded, I think, on fact. Авива. FALLS OF FOYERS AND GLAMMA.-Will J. CK. R. or other correspondent of " N. & Q." kindly oblige me with some explanation of the name of those beautiful cataracts in the North of Scotland called the Falls of Foyers; also of another waterfall situated in the north-west Highlands of Scotland called Glamma, about which I also desire to be informed? Western Villas. EMMA MARSH. INGALL AND SCOFIELD, OR SCHOFIELD, FAMILIES.-Can readers of " N. & Q." give any information of the family of Daniel Scofield of Kent, descended from Scofield of Lancaster, and of an estate called "Woodrold," belonging to them previous to 1640? Daniel Scofield had brothers, Richard and Arthur. The former emigrated to America. Also, does any one know anything of the family of Ingalls, living in Lincolnshire previous to 1628? Address, H. BRIDGE, Mr. Lewis, 136, Gower Street, Euston Square. OLD SONG: "GOODY BOTTLED ALE."-I remember in my youth hearing in the Yorkshire dales a song of which I can only call to mind the chorus. The boys at the school would often roar it out in the playground. It was as follows:— "Goody bottled ale Gets into my noddle; It makes me widdle waddle."" The air was "Bob and Joan," Moore's "Fill the bumper fair." I should like to have all the words. The occurrence of stout and pale would seem to indicate that such epithets were applied to malt liquors long ago, for there is no doubt that the song is a very old one. Perhaps my friend MR. CHAPPELL can answer the inquiry, and give some information as to the date, &c. JAMES HENRY DIXON. "INDEX LIBRORUM PROHIBITORUM," ANTWERPLE, MDLXX. Will any reader acquainted with the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, &c. (Antwerpiæ, ex oficina Christophori Plantini 1570), kindly give me a reference to some authority where I will see a collation of that edition? Petzholdt in his Catalogus Indicis Librorum Prohibitorum, Dresde, 1859, mentions it as having 119 pages, but in a note adds, "Hujus editionis exempla inter se paululum diversa extant; and then proceeds to note one of these, but does not give a full collation. With this my own copy seems to correspond; it has the prefatory edict of Philip II. in three languages, with separate title, sixteen pages, unpaged, then index p. 108, ending with "Ex Decreto Sacrosancti Concilij Tridenti Sess. IIII. sub. Paulo IIII." occupying pp. 107108.* Supposing, as seems probable, that this issue is so far identical with the Index above mentioned by Petzholdt as containing 119 pages, what do pp. 109-119 contain? Brookville, Bray. AIKEN IRVINE. PORCELAIN MEMORIAL OF CHARLES II. — I have lately seen in the possession of a poor woman, who says that it has been in her husband's family for several generations, a large round dish of coarse earthenware commemorating the escape of Charles II. at Boscobel. It bears of course a representation of the Royal Oak, a most remarkable plant, surmounted by three crowns. From a hole in the trunk the face of his most sacred majesty is visible anxiously surveying the scene. On either side of the tree is the date 1680. Can any of your readers give me any information as to the rarity or value of such a relic? Windsor. W. F. R. ROBERT RICART, TOWN CLERK OF BRISTOL, AND THE CALENDARIES.-I shall be much obliged to anyone who can tell me where to find the will of Robert Ricart, who was made town clerk of Bristol in 1479, and seems to have continued till [* This collation is the same as the copy of the edition of 1570 in the British Museum.-ED.] |