Part 3

My Query is, from whence and at what date these two offices sprang into existence, with a list of the persons who have occupied them. And it would be as well to inquire what their duties are: for although Stephen's _Blackstone_ derives the names from the _places_ in which the individuals themselves _sit_, still the explanation hardly conveys sufficient to gather what their duties are.

JOHN NURSE CHADWICK.

_Second Exhumation of King Arthur's Remains._--What chronicle narrates the circumstances of the _second_ disinterment of King Arthur's bones in Glastonbury, temp. Edw. I. (A.D. 1298)?

H. G. T.

_Stukeley the Antiquary, and Boston._--In _Anecdotes of British Topography, &c._ (Lond. 1768), occurs the following, speaking of Boston:--

"The Churchwardens' account from 1453 to 1597, and the town-book, wrote by Mr. John Stukeley, 1676, one of his (Dr. Stukeley's) ancestors, are in the hands of the Doctor's son-in-law, Mr. Fleming."

Query, into whose hands have the above records fallen? Did Stukeley leave a family?

The name of "Wm. Stukeley" is appended to sundry parish records, anno 1713, at Boston. I believe he practised here for some years.

THOMAS COLLIS.

_Letters of Arthur Lord Balmerino._--Can any one inform me if there are any letters extant of Arthur, seventh Lord Balmerino, and where they are deposited?

W. PELHAM A.

Rochester.

_Portrait of Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland._--Is any portrait known of Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who was beheaded at York, A.D. 1572, for the part he took in the "Rising in the North?"

E. PEACOCK, Jr.

_Newtonian System._--Is it known who was the author of a satirical pamphlet against Newton: _The Theology and Philosophy in Cicero's "Somnium Scipionis" explained_, London, 1751, 8vo.? And has an absurd story which it contains, relative to Newton, Locke, and Lord Pembroke visiting Patrick, the barometer-maker, to be shown that the mercurial vacuum was not a perfect one, ever been told elsewhere?

M.

_Antiquity of Vanes._--We are informed by Baron Maseres, as quoted by Lingard, that the Danes, in the last invasion by Sweyn, 1013, had vanes in the shape of birds or dragons fixed on their masts, to point out the direction of the wind. Is there any record of an earlier adoption of this method of ascertaining the way of the wind?

B. B.

_Richard of Cirencester de Situ Britanniæ._--Is this work a forgery or not? Charles Julius Bertram, Professor of English in the Royal Marine Academy at Copenhagen, wrote to Dr. Stukeley in 1747 that such a manuscript was in the hands of a friend of his. It was not until some time had elapsed, and after Dr. Stukeley was presented to St. George's Church, Queen Square, that he "pressed Mr. Bertram to get the manuscript into his own hands, if possible; which, at length, with some difficulty, he accomplished;" and sent to Dr. Stukeley, in letters, a transcript of the whole. Authors go on quoting from this work as genuine authority, and therefore are perhaps misleading themselves and their readers; and it would be conferring a great boon if "N. & Q." could clear up the doubt as to its authenticity.

Mr. Worsaae, the eminent Danish author, or his English translator, are exactly in the position to render this further service to antiquarian literature; and, as relating to the subject of Roman Britain, the question is of so much interest that a little trouble would not, probably, be deemed uselessly expended in the inquiry.

G. I.

_Spanish Vessels wrecked on the Irish Coast._--Is it true that sixteen Spanish vessels, with 5300 men on board, were wrecked on the coast of Ireland in 1589, and all put to the sword or hanged by the executioner, at the command of the Lord Deputy; who found that they had saved and got on shore a good deal of their treasure which he wanted to secure for himself. Where is any account of it to be found? How came Spanish ships so far north?

CYRUS REDDING.

_Analysis of Newton's Principia._--In the _Journal des Savants_ for April of this year, the celebrated mathematician Biot, in a review of the _Correspondence of Sir Isaac Newton and Cotes_ (Cambridge, 1850), makes mention, with the highest praise, of an analysis of Sir Isaac's _Principia_ contained in the _Acta Eruditorum_ for 1688. Mons. Biot says that at that time there were only two men who could have written such an analysis, Halley and Newton himself; but adds, that the style is not Halley's, being too concise and simple for him. His admiration could not have been contained within such bounds. M. Biot firmly believes that the writer of this analysis was no other than Newton himself (_ex ungue Leonem_), and earnestly calls on the learned of England and Germany to assist in discovering the origin of the analysis; should there perhaps be any means left for doing so in the literary depôts of the two countries. Permit a contributor to "N. & Q." to repeat M. Biot's inquiry through the medium of a publication far more extensively circulated in England than the _Journal des Savants_.

J. M.

Minor Queries Answered.

_Welsh Women's Hats._--What was the origin of the peculiar hat so universally worn by women of the lower orders in Wales; and at what period did it come into use?

TREBOR.

[A gentleman who has resided for the last half century in the Principality, and to whom we submitted our correspondent's Query, has kindly forwarded the following reply:--"I have consulted bards, Welsh scholars, &c., and am sorry that I cannot forward any satisfactory account of the custom alluded to by TREBOR. Some say, we remember the time when the women wore ordinary _felt_ hats manufactured from their own wool: one or two travelling hatters occasionally settled at Bangor, who made and sold _beaver_ hats. We do not think that the women here intended to adopt any particular costume; but retained the hat as agreeing with the peculiar close cap, and _projecting_ border, which it leaves in view, and in _possession of its own uprightness_! The fashion is going out; all our young people adopt the English bonnet with the English language. The flat hat, with a broad brim, is still retained in the mountain regions."]

_Pancakes on Shrove Tuesday._--Perhaps some of your readers will kindly inform the Pancake Eating Public as to the period "when," and the reason "why" such a custom grew into existence?

I have frequently heard the question mooted upon this anniversary, without ever hearing, or being able to give, a satisfactory elucidation of it; but it is to be hoped that "N. & Q." will supply the desideratum ere long, and confer a favour on

A LOVER OF PANCAKES AND AN UPHOLDER OF ANCIENT CUSTOMS.

Temple, Shrove Tuesday, 1852.

[Fosbrooke, in his _Encyclopædia of Antiquities_, vol. ii. p. 572., informs us that "Pancakes, the Norman _Crispellæ_, are taken from the Fornacalia, on Feb. 18, in memory of the practice in use before the goddess Fornax invented ovens." The Saxons called February "Solmonath," which Dr. Frank Sayers, in his _Disquisitions_, says is explained by Bede "Mensis placentarum," and rendered by Spelman, in an inedited manuscript, "Pancake Month," because in the course of it cakes were offered by the Pagan Saxons to the sun. So much for the "when:" now for the reason "why" the custom was adopted by the Christian church.

Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Tuesday, as it is sometimes called, from being the vigil of Ash Wednesday, was a day when every one was bound to confess, and be shrove or shriven. That none might plead forgetfulness of this duty, the great bell was rung at an early hour in every parish, called the Pancake Bell, for the following reasons given by Taylor, the Water Poet, in his _Jacke-a-Lent_ (_Works_, p. 115. fol. 1630). He tells us, "On Shrove Tuesday there is a bell rung, called the Pancake Bell, the sound whereof makes thousands of people distracted, and forgetful either of manner or humanitie. Then there is a thinge called wheaten floure, which the sulphory, necromanticke cookes doe mingle with water, egges, spice, and other tragicall, magicall inchantments, and then they put it by little and little into a frying-pan of boyling suet, where it makes a confused dismal hissing, like the Lernean snakes in the reeds of Acheron, Stix, or Phlegeton, until at last by the skill of the cooke it is transformed into the forme of a _Flap-Jack_, which in our translation is called a _Pancake_, which ominous incantation the ignorant people doe devoure very greedily, having for the most part well dined before; but they have no sooner swallowed that sweet-candied baite, but straight their wits forsake them, and they runne starke mad, assembling in routs and throngs numberlesse of ungovernable numbers, with uncivill civill commotions." In the "Forme of Cury," published with other cookery in Warner's _Antiquitates Culinariæ_, p. 33., and written in 1390, we find a kind of fried cakes called "comadore," composed of figs, raisins, and other fruits, steeped in wine, and folded up in paste, to be fried in oil. This suggests another savoury Query, Whether this is not an improvement on our apple fritters?]

_Shakspeare, Tennyson, and Claudian._--

"Lay her i' the earth, And from her fair and unpolluted flesh May violets spring!"

Hamlet_, Act V. Sc. 1.

"'Tis well; 'tis something we may stand Where he in English earth is laid, And from his ashes may be made The violet of his native land."

_In Memoriam_, XVIII.

I remember having seen quoted, _à propos_ of the lines of Shakspeare, a passage from some Latin poet (Claudian, I think) which contained the same idea. Can you, or any of your correspondents, favour me with it; as also where they are to be found? And can they give me the origin and reason of the idea.

H. JOHNSTON.

Liverpool.

[The passage to which our correspondent refers is most probably that already quoted by Steevens, from Persius, _Sat._ I.

"---- e tumulo, fortunataque favilla Nascentur violæ?"]

Replies.

THE RING FINGER.

(Vol. v., pp. 114. 371.)

My subsequent reading has not only confirmed, but added to the information conveyed in the reference quoted. I there surmised that the third was the ring finger, because the thumb and first two fingers have always been reserved as symbols of the blessed Trinity, and consequently the third was the first vacant finger. Both the Greek and Latin church agree in this, that the thumb and first two fingers signify the blessed Trinity. And whilst these three fingers signify the Trinity, the third and fourth fingers are emblematic of the two natures of Christ, the human and divine. As then the third finger served to symbolise the human nature, and marriage was instituted to propagate the human race, that was made the wedding finger. The right hand is the hand of power: hence the wife wears the ring on the ring finger of the _left hand_. The Greeks make each of the first three fingers, _i.e._ the thumb and two fingers, symbolise one of the divine persons. M. Didron informs us that, during his visit to Greece in 1839, the Archbishop of Mistra--

"Whom I interrogated on the subject, informed me that the thumb, from its strength, indicated the Creator, the Father Eternal, the Almighty; that the middle finger was dedicated to Jesus Christ, who redeemed us; and that the forefinger, between the thumb and middle finger, figured the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, and in representations of the blessed Trinity is placed between those two persons."

A bishop's ring is emblematic of the gifts of the Holy Ghost: and formerly bishops wore their ring on the forefinger of the right hand.

CEYREP.

"And the priest, taking the ring, shall deliver it unto the man, to put it upon _the fourth finger_ of the woman's left-hand."

_Rubric, Marriage Service._

Pray let the lady be comforted! Surely the most punctilious Rubrician will make no impertinent inquiries about the missing finger, so long as _a fourth_ remains. But even if all be wanting, I will engage to find her a priest whose conscience will not be hurt at allowing the stump to pass muster.

DIGITALIS.

THE MORAVIAN HYMNS.

(Vol. v., pp. 30. 474.)

Having followed with interest the late discussion in your pages upon the earlier specimens of those strange productions, the Moravian Hymns, it seems to me, that although much that is curious has been elicited, the Query of P. H., touching the genuineness of the extraordinary sample reproduced by him from the _Oxford Magazine_ for 1769, remains unanswered. It is therefore with a view to supply some information directly to this point, that I now beg to introduce to your readers _my_ earliest edition, which looks very like the _editio princeps_ of Part III.: at all events it takes precedence of that described by H. C. B. Its title is, _A Collection of Hymns, consisting chiefly of Translations from the German Hymn-book of the Moravian Brethren_. Part III. Small 8vo. pp. 168. London, printed for James Hutton, 1748.

At first sight there would appear to be no difference between H. C. B.'s volume and mine, beyond the latter being the earlier by one year; that year, however, seems to have been the exact period when the Brethren deemed it advisable, to avoid scandal, to revise and prune their hymn-book.

"In this part (especially) of our hymn-book," says the Preface, "a good deal of liberty has been taken in dispensing with what otherwise is customary and ornamental: and that for different reasons." Then follow these three reasons: the hymns being printed in prose, to save room; the retention of German diminutives which, although scarcely known in the English tongue, "have a certain elegance and effect" in the former language; and the use of "more antique, prosaic, and less polished diction, out of tenderness for the main point, the expressing more faithfully the doctrines of the congregation, rather than seek better at the expense of the sense."

"So much," continues the Preface, "seemed proper to mention to exempt this Book (which though calculated for our own congregation, will no doubt come into the hands of strangers) from the imputation of a needless singularity. Now we only wish that every Reader may also feel something of that solid and happy Bottom, from whence these free, familiar, and perhaps abrupt Aspirations, both in the composing and using of them, do sparkle forth: And so we commit this _Third Part_ of our Hymn-book to the Providence and Blessing of that dear Redeemer, who with his Ever-blessed Atonement, is everywhere the subject thereof."

As to the hymns themselves, I need say little more to describe them than to observe that the present edition contains not only the one quoted by P. H. from the _Oxford Magazine_, but all the others which are there to be found, and which have raised doubt in your correspondent's mind whether they are not rather the fabrications of Anti-Moravians than genuine productions, and at the periods in use among the Brethren. Here, too, is to be found the "Chicken Blessed" of Anstey: in his _Bath Guide_ he correctly quotes it as "No. 33. in Count Zinzendorf's Hymn-book,"--that being its position in the present volume. The satirist has, however, given only half of "the learned Moravian's ode," but that faithfully. Besides these there are some of the hymns enumerated by Rimius in his _Candid Narrative of the Herrnhuters_ (London, 1753), in support of his charges against them.

Probably your readers are content with the specimens which have already appeared in your columns. Had it been otherwise, this curious volume would have supplied some of a singular character: as it is, I cannot resist extracting No. 77. and a part of No. 110.; the former relating an adventure between the Arch-Enemy and Saint Martin; the latter, "Concerning the happy little Birds in the Cross's-air, or in the Atmosphere of the Corpse of Jesus:"

"Once on a time a man there was, A saint whose name was Martin, Concerning whom, Severus says, Satan came to him darting As Lightning quick and bright array'd; 'I am thy Jesus dear,' he said, 'Me thou wilt surely worship.'

"Martin looks straight towards his side, No Side-hole met his vision: 'Let me,' says he, 'in Peace abide, Thou hast no side's Incision; Thou art the Devil, my Good Friend! The place where Jesus' sign does stand Blindfold I could discover.'

"The same's the case ev'n at this Day With Jesu's congregation: For Larks who round his Body play, Have of his wounds sensation; Because our dear incarnate God, Will with his wounds as man be view'd, Be felt, and so believ'd on."

"How does a cross-air Bird behave, When of the Tent it will take leave? The Body grows a little sick, The soul may find it long or quick Till she the Bridegroom see; There stands he presently. She views the Side, Hands, Feet, each Part; The Lamb upon her weary Heart A kiss then gives her: This kiss Extracts the soul quite out, And on his dear Mouth home 'tis brought, The Kiss's Print the Body shews, Which to its Fining-place then goes; When done the Soul does fetch it, And to the wound-hole snatch it."

Parts I. and II. of these hymns I have never seen; but besides the above described, I have the following editions: _A Collection of Hymns of the Children of God, in all Ages from the beginning till now: in Two Parts. Designed chiefly for the use of the Congregations in union with the Brethren's Church._ Thick 8vo. London, printed in the year 1754: this is the larger hymn-book alluded to by SIGMA. _A Collection of Hymns, chiefly extracted from the larger Hymn-book of the Brethren's Congregation_: London, printed and sold at the Brethren's chapels, 1769,--noticed by H. C. B. These are both extraordinary productions, but yield to the edition of 1748: it having already been observed of these hymns, that the later impression is always the _tamer_.

J. O.

CAGOTS.

(Vol. iv., p. 190.)

I arrive at the conclusion, that the Cacosi of Latin writers, Cacous, or Cagous, represent the true name from which Cagots, the _t_ being mute, is but a slight deviation; while some other forms have scarcely retained more than the initial _Ca_. The etymology from the Goths (most absurd _in substance_, and worthy of the days when Languedoc was fetched from _Land-got_, Land of the Goths,) has reference only to one of the French spellings.

_Cacosus_, meaning a leper, as well as a Cacous or Cagot, was from κακὸν, κάκωσις, in Greek; and from it came _cacosomium_, contracted for _cacoso-comium_, not a mere _noso-comium_, but an asylum for lepers. See Ducange.

But the Cacous in question were not only lepers, but families in which leprosy was considered hereditary. For this reason they are called Giezites, les Gézits, les Gesitains, from Giezi, servant of Elisha and his posterity. (See Michel, vol. i. pp. 56. 148. 238. &c.) A simple leper was Lazarius or ladre. The latter were, like Lazarus, merely afflicted; but the former were deemed to be under an abiding curse, like Giezi.

But those who were Giezites by condition, as inheriting and transmitting the disease, were by many of the vulgar imagined to be Giezites by blood, and the real posterity of Elisha's servant, "Cagots de Chanaan." By an equally natural result, persons actually free from disease were shunned as Cacous; since the stigma attached to the race, not to the individual. Indeed, the wearing out of the malady has created the whole obscurity of the case.

Their most curious title, Crestiaas or Christians, was not given them in direct affirmation, but in denial of a negative, "not non-christian." Because, being considered of Giezi's lineage, not only Jews, but Jews under a curse, many would be disposed to repell them from communion. See Dom Lepelletier's _Dict. Bretonne_, in CACOUS.

Whether hereditary lepra was rightly thought to exist, or whether the negligence of the more abject and squalid families in communicating it to each other falsely raised that idea, is a separate question, which I must leave to physicians.

A. N.

SHERIFFS AND LORDS LIEUTENANT.

(Vol. v., p. 394.)

Dalton saith:

"Vice comites have the same authority that the antient comites had; and at this day there are some relicts of that dignity, for he hath _album baculum_, and the grant of the office is commisimus vobis [comitatum]. And also he takes place of every nobleman during the time that he is in office."

The Writ of Assistance ran thus:

"To archbishops, bishops, dukes, earls, barons, knights, freeholders, and all others of our county of C. Whereas we have committed to our well-beloved A. B. the custody of our said county, with the appurtenances, during our pleasure, We command you that ye be aiding, answering, and assisting to the said A. B. as our sheriff of our said county in all things which appertain to the said office."

This form was abolished in 1833. The Lord Lieutenant is a military officer, who appears to have grown into permanence under the Tudors. The office of Custos Rotulorum, which, though quite distinct, is usually joined with it, is much more ancient; its duties are to keep the records of the sessions, which involve the appointment of the clerk of the peace, and the power of recommending to the Great Seal of persons to be inserted in the commission of the peace.

As for instances of such precedence being _claimed_, it is not easy to recollect what is usually taken as a thing so much of course. Perhaps the instance of a Duke, who had been Lord Lieutenant forty years, apologising to a Sheriff for having inadvertently taken precedence, may serve.

VICE. COM. DEPUTAT.

In answer to L. J.'s inquiry, upon what authority the precedency of the Sheriff over the Lord Lieutenant is maintained; may it not partly be founded on the office of Sheriff being of greater antiquity, and on this officer having the command over, and the power of summoning all the people of the county above the age of fifteen, and under the degree of a peer? The office of Lord Lieutenant was first created in the third year of King Edward VI., to suppress, as Strype tells us, "the routs and uproars" in most of the counties. We might suppose that the Sheriff already possessed sufficient power for this purpose: the means then adopted to promote tranquillity were not well calculated to be popular among the people. No drum or pipe was to be struck or sounded. Plays were forbidden. In the churches of Devonshire and Cornwall, Lord Russell was to take down every bell in a steeple but one, so as to prevent a peal being rung.

The precedency in question is acted upon to the present hour; and a Lord Lieutenant, however high his rank in the peerage, gives place to the Sheriff as a matter of course. But do not both these officers yield precedence to her Majesty's justices of assize, when actually engaged on the circuit?

J. H. M.

ST. CHRISTOPHER.

(Vol. v., pp. 295. 334. 372.)

Two questions are asked by E. A. H. L. concerning St. Christopher: 1. _Are there any known representations of St. Christopher in painted glass?_ There is a very interesting example in a window in _St. Neot's Church, Cornwall_. It represents St. Christopher with the child Jesus on his back, and below has the legend: "Sante Christophere, ora pro me." This ancient window was presented to the church by three members of the Borlase family. Their benefaction is recorded in the inscription along the cill of the window:

"Orate pro animabus Catherine Burlas, Nicolai Burlas, et Johannis Vyvian, qui istam fenestram fieri fecerunt."