Various

“ In reference to a question whether or not the chain was a present, a correspondent of the Derby Mercury says, 'I am sorry to admit, it was a bargain; it cost 100l., and is paid for. The chain is the property of the corporation, and will grace the neck of every succeeding mayor. The robes did not accompany the chain; they are bran new, gay in colour, a good cut, and hang well; they are private property, consequently not necessarily transferable. Every mayor will have the privilege of choosing the shape and colour of his official vestment, and can retain or dispose of it as he may deem proper. ”

“ We have now a clear meaning: it is as lawful because we desire to give much, to count violent thefts as holy, "and rob in the behalf of charity."
Mr. Collier also lays aside his aversion to vary from the old copy, and makes a bold innovation: he reads,—
"Do not count it holy
To hurt by being just: it is as lawful,
For us to give much count to violent thefts,
And rob in the behalf of charity."
Thus giving his reasons: "This line [the third] is so corrupt in the folio 1623, as to afford no sense. ”

“ But it may be doubted whether the originality of the phrase "Antiquitas sæculi juventus mundi" is, after all, worth speculating upon. In the sense in which Lord Bacon used it, it is rather a naked truism than a wise aphorism. It does not even necessarily convey the intended meaning; nor, if unaccompanied by an explanation, would it be safe from a widely different interpretation. A previous correspondent of "Notes and Queries" had termed it "this fine aphoristic expression;" ”

“ The Automachia is a poem of 188 lines, in heroic metre, and is followed by a shorter poem, entitled "A Comfortable Exhortation to the Christian in his Self-conflict."
Do any of your correspondents know of the existence or authorship of this little work? It is not in the British Museum, nor could the curators of the library there, to whom it was shown, make out anything about it.
The discovery of its authorship might tend to throw some light on that of "The Pedlar's Song," attributed to Shakspeare, and appearing in Vol. i., p. 23. of "Notes and Queries." ”

“ Forlot, Firlot, or Furlet (Vol. i., p. 371.) .—It may be interesting to your correspondent J. S. to be informed that there is a measure of capacity in universal use in this part of India called a fara or fura, which is identical in shape, and, as nearly as can be judged by the eye, in size, with the Scottish furlet. The fura is divided into sixteen pilys, a small measure in universal use here; in like manner as the furlet is divided into sixteen lipys, which measure was, and I presume still is, in general use throughout Scotland. ”

“ Hipperswitches (Vol. ii., p. 280.) .—I saw a story which was copied into the Examiner of Oct. 5. from "Notes and Queries," entitled "Sir Gammer Vans." The correspondent who has furnished {397}you with the tale says that he is ignorant of the meaning of "hipper switches." Now hipper is a word applied in this part of the country to a description of osiers used in coarse basket making, and which were very likely things to be bound up into switches. A field in which they grow, near the water side, is called a "hipper-holm." ”

“ Tyrwhitt read:
"For we would give much to use violent thefts,"
which is objectionable, not merely because it wanders from the text, but because it inserts a phrase, "to use violent thefts," which is awkward and unlike Shakspeare. The reading I have adopted is that suggested by Mr. Amyot, who observes upon it: "Here, I think, with little more than transposition (us being, substituted for we, and would omitted) , the meaning, as far as we can collect it, is not departed from nor perverted, as in Rowe's strange interpolation:
"For us to count we give what's gain'd by thefts." ”

“ Our last number contains communications not only from all parts of the metropolis, and from almost every county in England, but also from Scotland, Ireland, Holland, and even from Demerara. This looks well. It seems as if we were in a fair way to accomplish our design. But much yet remains to be done. We have recently been told of whole districts in England so benighted as never to have heard of "Notes and Queries;" ”

“ The word freight in Greek is ναῦλος or ναῦλον, and in Latin naulum. Have these any connexion with the Arabic word, or are they to be traced to an independent source, and the coincidence in sense and sound with the Arabic merely accidental? If distinct, are the words now in use in the Mediterranean ports derived from the Greek or the Arabic? If the words be not identical, may not the Greek be derived from the Sanscrit, thus nau, or in the pure form nawah, or resolved, naus, a ship or boat; nauyáyin quasi nouyáyil, or abbreviated naul, that which goes into a ship or boat, i.e. ”

“ He is a middled siz'd spare man, about forty years old, of a brown complexion, and dark brown-coloured hair, but wears a wig; a hooked nose, a sharp chin, grey eyes, and a large mole near his mouth; was born in London, and, for many years an hose-factor in Freeman's Yard, Cornhill, and is now owner of the brick and pantile works near Tilbury Fort, in Essex. ”

“ In Lord Bacon's life, by William Rawley, it is stated that his lordship was born in a house "infra plateam dictum Le Strand juxta Londinum."
Query, Was the Strand ever known as Le Strand, similarly to Adwick-le-street in Yorkshire?
A. E. B.
Replies to Minor Queries.
Sir Gammer Vans (Vol. ii., pp 89. 280.) .—The story related by S. G. is the same that I inquired after, and I admire the accuracy of his memory, for his version is, for the greater part, literally the same that I heard in Ireland sixty years ago. A few passages, as that about hipper switches, I do not recollect ”

“ We do what we can to make known our existence through the customary modes of announcement, and we gratefully acknowledge the kind assistance and encouragement we derive from our brethren of the public press ”

“ That there is some legend connected with Master John Shorne and "his bote, whereunto they do say he conveyd the devill," is evident from {388}a fact we learn from the Proceedings of the Archæological Institute, namely, that at the meeting on the 5th Nov. 1847, the Rev. James Bulwer, of Aylsham, Norfolk, sent a series of drawings exhibiting the curious painted decorations of the rood screen in Cawston Church, Norfolk, amongst which appears the singular saintly personage bearing a boot, from which issues a demon. ”

“ Our purpose is aided, and our usefulness increased by every introduction which can be given to our paper, either to a Book Club, to a Lending Library, or to any other channel of circulation amongst persons of inquiry and intelligence. ”

“ The ancient and more reverential practice of standing whenever any portion of God's word is read, had not fallen into entire disuse as late as 1686, as will appear from the following extract from The Life of Bishop Wilson, by Cruttwell, prefixed to the folio edition of his works. It occurs (p. 4.) under certain heads of advice given to that holy bishop, at the time he was ordained deacon, by his much-esteemed friend, Archdeacon Hewetson:—
"Never to miss the church's public devotions twice a day, when unavoidable business, or want of health, or of a church (as in travelling) , does not hinder. ”

“ Collier's better judgment has here given way to his deference for the opinion of his worthy friend; the deviation from the old copy being quite as violent as any that he has ever quarrelled with in others. ”

“ Traces of these tile-works are still discoverable in a field some three or four hundred yards on the London side of Tilbury.
[Wilson, in his Life of Defoe, vol. i. pp. 228. et seq., gives some interesting particulars of Defoe's share in these pantile works, and of his losses in connexion with them. Pantiles had been hitherto a Dutch manufacture, and brought in large quantities into England; the works at Tilbury were erected for the purpose of superseding the necessity for such importation, and providing a new channel for the employment of labour.—Ed.] ”

“ By such introductions scholars help themselves as well as us, for there is no inquirer throughout the kingdom who is not occasionally able to throw light upon some of the multifarious objects which are discussed in our pages.
Volume the First of "Notes and Queries," with very copious Index, price 9s. 6d. bound in cloth, may still be had by order of all Booksellers.
The Monthly Part for October, being the Fifth of Vol. II., is also now ready, price 1s. 3d. ”

“ The Liberal corporation have, therefore, very properly resolved on throwing no obstacle in the way of Free Trade, and it is their determination to enable all mayors, in the selection of their vestures, to buy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest.'"—Morning Post, Oct. ”

“ We may specify one lot as very interesting to lovers of illustrated works, viz. a copy of Robert Smythe's History of the Charter House, with two hundred and twenty-six sheets of prints illustrative of the printed text. ”

“ T. J. and his Dublin friend (Vol. ii., p. 350.) , appear to refer, one to the Latin version, the other to the original English text of Lord Bacon's Instauration; and, oddly enough, the inference to which either points, as a reason for disbelieving in the previous existence of the phrase "Antiquitas" &c., extends not to the authority consulted by the other. Thus, the circumstance of "ordine retrogrado" being printed also in Italics, is true only in respect of the English text; while, on the other {396}hand, "ut vere dicamus" is an expression to be found only in the Latin. ”

“ Reasonable, however, as is Mr. Collier's conjecture, it is not borne out by the facts of the case. The name Sir John Shorne is not a generic name, but the name of a personage frequently alluded to, but whose history is involved in considerable obscurity. Perhaps the following notes may be the means, by drawing forth others, of throwing some light upon it. In Michael Wodde's Dialogue, quoted by Brand, we read—
"If we were sycke of the pestylence we ran to Sainte Rooke ”

“ The inclosed paragraph, extracted from the Morning Post of last Saturday completes the history of the municipal collar of the corporation of Derby, concerning which I recently proposed a Query. The right to purchase does not, however, establish the right to wear such a decoration.
"The Insignia of Mayoralty.—Considerable excitement prevails just now in many municipal corporations respecting the insignia of mayoralty. At Derby the mayor has recently obtained the gold chain worn by Lord Denman when Lord Chief Justice. ”

“ I should not have thought it necessary to notice these insignificant errata, but for the purpose of showing Printer's errors do and will occur, and that Shakspeare's text may often be amended by their correction. You will recollect honest George's punning inscription round his juvenile portrait:
"I grow and Wither both together." ”

“ Anhawdd ein dala!"
which may be rendered [eater of] "hard baked bread, it is difficult to retain us!" Difficulties, however, but increased the determination of the shepherd; and day after day he watched beside the haunted lake, until at length his perseverance was rewarded by the discovery of a substance resembling unbaked bread, which floated on the water: this he fished up and ate, and on the following day he succeeded in capturing the nymphs: on which he requested one of them to become his wife ”

“ Root is twice printed instead of roof in the later editions, including, Mr. Milman's. "What comes from the roof," may not be very intelligible; still roof is the word in the original edition of Gibbon, where it corresponds to toit in Gibbon's authority, Fleury, and to tectum in Fleury's authority.
J. E. B. Mayor.
Traditional Story concerning Cardinal Wolsey.—In David Hughson (Dr. Pugh's) Walks through London and the surrounding Suburbs, 12mo. 1817, vol. ii. p. 366., I find the following:—
"Passing on to Cheshunt: here is a plain brick edifice, in which Cardinal Wolsey is said to have resided. ”

“ I find that Goldsmith's allusion is to this last passage, with some variation. Tony Lumpkin tells Marlow that Hardcastle will endeavour to persuade him that "his mother was an alderman and his aunt a justice of peace." (She Stoops to Conquer, A. i. sub fine.) I have not been able to find the allusion in Swift ”

“ THE HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. By Gilbert Burnet, D.D., late Lord Bishop of Sarum. A New Edition, with a Copious Index. 7 Vols. 8vo. 3l. 10s.
ORIGINES BRITANNICÆ; OR, THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE BRITISH CHURCHES. By Edward Stillingfleet, D.D. To which is added, AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT. By W. Lloyd, D.D. A New Edition, with Additional Notes. By the Rev. Thos. P. Pantin, M.A. 2 Vols. 8vo. 1l. 1s.
SOLD BY JOHN HENRY PARKER, OXFORD, AND 377. STRAND, LONDON; AND E. GARDNER, 7. PATERNOSTER ROW. ”

“ Vol. IV.
Dryden's Works, by Scott. 1808. Large paper. Vols. II., IV., VI.
*** Letters, stating particulars and lowest price, carriage free, to be sent to Mr. Bell, Publisher of "NOTES AND QUERIES," 186. Fleet Street.
{399}
Notices To Correspondents.
H. A. B. The superstition respecting the number thirteen in company most probably arose from the Paschal Supper. See Ellis' Brand, iii., p. 143. ed. 1841.
E. M. (Darlington) is thanked for his kind suggestion, which will not be lost sight of.
F. G. (Edinburgh) will find, upon reference to Vol. ii., p. 120., that the charade given in Vol. ii., p. ”