WESTMINSTER HALL ROOF (12 S. v. 121). -A tract published in 1625 can scarcely be regarded as the “printed source of the tradition that there are no spiders in the roof of Westminster Hall because the timber is Irish. In Southey's 6 CommonPlace Book,' first series, p. 138, there is the following extract from an earlier and more famous work than that of Benjamin Spenser : 66 Thus it hath been the complaint of all ages, leges esse telas aranearum, vel quia juridici sunt araneae, vel quia muscas capiunt. et vespas dimittunt. But I am not of their mind; for I think that God in his providence hath so fitly ordained it, as propheoying or prescribing a lesson, that the timber in Westminster Hall should neither admit cobweb nor spider; and God make us thankful for the free course of our justice."-Godfrey Goodman, "The Fall of Man, or the Corruption of Nature proved by the Light of his Naturall Reason.' appeares in that vast roof of King's College Chappel Wilkin wrote to a friend in Cambridge and gave an extract from his reply, which referred to the traditional account of the roof, and more particularly the organ loft of King's College Chapel, being formed of Irish oak, and that no spiders or their webs are to be found upon it." After personal inquiry and investigation Wilkin's friend said that he could discover no cobwebs or spiders, but was informed that spiders' webs were very abundant in some parts of the stone roof underneath the wooden roof. Wilkin also refers to a paper in the Philo- Some of these references were given by me ALDELIMA, 1280: ITS LOCALITY (12 S. v. 96).-It appears from Domesday Book that Aldelime was in the hundred of Warmendestrou in Cheshire. Cheshire formed part of the diocese of Lichfield until the formation of the diocese of Chester temp. Henry VIII. Aldelime would therefore be described in 1280 as in the diocese of Lichfield (see Hemingway's 'Hist. of the City of Bishop Goodman's book was published in Chester,' i. 296). The hundred of War1616, and the superstition referred to was, it mendestrou became, about the time of may be presumed, already familiar. The com- Edward III., the hundred of Nantwich parison of laws to cobwebs is ascribed by('Hist. of Cheshire,' published by Poole of Valerius Maximus and Plutarch to Anacharsis, and by Stobaeus to Zaleucus. The form of the saying as given by Goodman is most like that in Stobaeus. Chester, 1778, p. 865). In the work last GEORGE NEWALL. BLUECOAT SCHOOLS (12 S. v. 126).-The Bluecoat School, Birmingham, was founded in 1722, by public subscriptions and donations, and was stimulated by the erection of St. Philip's Church, now the Pro-Cathedral. The burial-ground attached to this church is of considerable extent, and a strip of land from it was granted at a nominal rent by the church authorities, on the ground that profaneness and debauchery were greatly owing to gross ignorance of the Christian religion, especially among the poorer sort." Liberal contributions were received from many of the old Birmingham families, and a brick building was opened in 1724 accommodating 22 boys and 10 girls. As early as 1690 a Birmingham mercer of the name of rentham had provided for the education of about 20 boys, and his trust was amalgamated with the Bluecoat School, the boys being, however, clad in green for distinction. Another benefaction provided for the education of a number of Welsh children, there being many Welsh families in the neighbourhood, mostly poor, and the poorer because they had no assistance from the rates. 66 The school has been greatly enlarged on two occasions, and is now a large stonefronted edifice, with no pretension to architectural ornament, but so simple and so good in its proportions as to be by no means unpleasing, especially as it faces the large and well-planted churchyard. The only decoration consists of two figures of a Bluecoat boy and girl by Edward Grubb. Of these William Huttor says: They are executed with a degree of excellence that a Roman statuary would not have blushed to own." Of Hutton's knowledge of Roman statuary art we may entertain grave doubts, but the figures are certainly simple and pleasing. Of these the legend has long been told to Birmingham children that when they hear the church bells strike midnight they come down and disport themselves in the churchyard. The legend is of course perfectly truthful, provided that the proper emphasis be placed on the when. 66 The Birmingham Bluecoat School has an uneventful but most honourable history. It has always been liberally supported and excellently managed, and has done incalculable good in its existence of nearly two centuries. Many who have found there their only chance of education have attained wealth and honour. One grateful pupil gave a donation of 1,000l. when he became a successful man. The school has also constantly grown, and now educates about 200 boys and 100 girls. The costume of the time of George I. is still continued, and the boys, as they are led by their masters through the streets, form a quaint and pleasant spectacle. The present school, large as it is, is overcrowded, and its removal to Harborne would already have been effected, but for the hindrance caused by the war. In suburban quarters the children will have purer air and adequate playgrounds, though they can scarcely be healthier than they are in their present close quarters. HOWARD S. PEARSON. The Bluecoat School in Wolverhampton was founded in 1696, and, so far as I am aware, is still in existence. When I resided in Wolverhampton the number of scholars was about 80, of whom 22 were boarders. In addition to these the boys in the Wolverhampton Orphanage, some 150 in. number, wore the Bluecoat dress. The Orphanage was founded in 1850. In the town of Leicester there used to be, and doubtless still is, the Greencoat School (Alderman Newton's). JAS. M. J. FLETCHER. The Vicarage, Wimborne Minster. The following appears to give the required. information. There is no date on my copy:Liber Scholasticus: Being an Account of All The Parent's School And College Guide, I or, 1. The Fellowships, Scholarships, And Exhibitions, At The Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and Dublin: | By Whom Founded, | And Whether Open Or Restricted To Particular Places And Persons: Also, Of Such Colleges, Public Schools, Endowed Grammar Schools, Chartered Bodies, Trustees &c. As Have University AdCompanies Of The City Of London, Corporate vantages Attached To Them, | Or In Their Patronage; With The | Ecclesiastical Patronage Of TheUniversities, Colleges, Companies, Corporate References Second Edition, Much Enlarged. | Bodies, &c. With Appropriate Indexes And London: | Whittaker And Co. Ave Maria Lane. Your correspondent will perhaps find all he needs in that encyclopædic work, Carlisle's History of Endowed Schools in England and Wales'-2 vols., stout royal 8vo, issued early in the nineteenth century. I am miles from nearest library, so cannot give precise date, but copies are believed available at British Museum, Guildhall, and Bishopsgate Institute. At the last-named is an excellent London collection (including nearly all the known literature on London schools), for which feature scholars are not a little indebted to Mr. Goss the Librarian. WM. JAGGARD, Capt. In the History of Reading,' p. 391, by Rev. Charles Coates, 1802, is the following: "In St Giles's parish [Reading], near the corner of Silver Street, on the south side of the London Road, is the building called the Blue-School. This school was originally founded, in the year 1646, for twenty blue-coat boys, and a master, by a gentleman of great worth and character, Richard Aldworth esq: to which six more were added by Sir Thomas Kich, baronet, three of which are to be chosen from the Parish of Sunning." 66 DEACON IN Love (12 S. v. 42, 104).We ought to have the words of Cantilupe's Register. Has there been a misunderstanding of the common phrase 'intuitu caritatis," used in records of bestowals of preferment ? If a deacon was admitted to serve a chantry, it must have been on the understanding that he would at onceproceed to priest's orders. J. T. F. Winterton, Lincs. HON. LIEUT. GEORGE STEWART (12 S.. v. 12, 75). The inscription at the first. reference seems to me to be either & hoax or a manufactured epitaph, or, as has been said, a case of “sending a man to his gravewith a lie on the lips of the people." Hecertainly was not what the epitaph makes him out to be. What is the entry in theburial register? This may throw somelight on the matter. The only solution at, present seems that he was a bar sinister." Is there such a name in the Army Lists ? J. W. FAWCETT. Consett, co. Durham. METAL-BRIDGE, DUBLIN (12 S. ii. 487;: iii. 59).-This bridge has now been madefree to the public. For nearly 105 years a. toll of one halfpenny was levied, the annual rent being 3351. J. ARDAGH. 35 Church Avenue, Drumcondra, Dublin.. WRIGHT OF ELMSALL (12 S. iv. 190, 285).. WAR SLANG (12 S. iv. 271, 206, 333; v. 18, 79).—J. R. H. is perhaps correct in-Concerning the part played by James, his impression that "fed up was brought home by soldiers from the Boer War, as the words are used in the City article of The Times of Oct. 1, 1904, and also in The Daily Telegraph of Oct. 20, 1900, and in both cases in the same sense as they are used to-day. ARCHIBALD SPARKE. "Yellow peril" is the name given to a well-known brand of cigarettes packed in yellow paper. They are also called gaspers." A. S. E. ACKERMANN. THE WORD "MACARONI": ORIGIN OF (12 S. iv. 326).--The story told by the Italian to a querist as to the origin of this word is of no etymological value, and was evidently concocted by some wag for the diversion of his audience. The Italian form maccheroni is a plural, signifying a mixture of flour, cheese, and butter. It is derived by Diez with great plausibility from It. maccare or ammacare, to bruise, pound. Maccherone, a Jack-pudding; macaroon, a cake originally of much the same composition; and macaronic (medley) come from the same root N. W. HILL. Duke of York, in the descent of this family the following supplementary facts may be of interest. The uncle of his victim, viz, Sir Arthur Darcy of New Park, Hornby, brother of the Earl of Holderness, was Comptroller of the King's palace at York in 1665 (12 S. iv. 161). In Pepys's 'Diary' we read: "July 27, 1665, to Hampton Court, where On pp. 572 and 573 of vol. v. of 'Lives of the Court, their Majesties and the Court left on the This is corroborated in the State papers. Amongst the archives of the Hartley family was a sheet of notepaper (now in the present writer's possession) stamped in blue fancy type Middleton Lodge, Richmond, Yorks," and containing the following jottings written between 1793 and 1809 by a female hand : George Wright of South Kirkby married a bastard daughter of James Stuart, Duke of York. He and his wife Anne, who was born May, 1666, were buried at South Kirkby in 1729.James Wright of South Elmsall and Thurnscoe Grange.-George Wright of Thurnscoe Grange: shield, Or, fesse componed az. and arg. betw. three erased eagles' heads; crest, a unicorn pass. reg. Sarah Wright, the wife of Sampson George of Middleton Tyas." "THREE BLACK CROWS' (12 S. v. 123).The piece will be found in the 'Miscellaneous Poems' of John Byrom, 66 name well known in literary history for his versatile genius, and varied accomplishments," as Bishop Monk wrote of him in his Life of Richard Bentley. 66 Though Byrom describes his tale as a London story," it is taken, with very beseeming alterations," as Swan remarks in a note to his English version, from the 'Gesta Romanorum,' 125 (117). In the mediæval version the number of the crows rises to sixty. J. G. T. Grösse in his German translation of the Gesta,' and Oesterley in his edition of the Latin text, refer to Byrom's verses, and Oesterley gives a long list of literary references in his note on this story. EDWARD BENSLY. John Byrom of Manchester, whose Christmas hymn, Christians, awake! salute the happy morn,' is so well known, was the author of Three Black Crows,' which he wrote to be recited at one of the breakingsup of the Manchester Grammar School. There is an interesting article on this piece in the 'Palatine Note Book' (vol. i. p. 21). The writer observes that it immediately hit the public fancy, and became a stock piece wherever there was a demand for sly satire couched in facile verse. It still has admirers, although it must be confessed that younger rivals have arisen and somewhat pushed it backwards into the shade." The article investigates the literary sources of the story, and refers to Lafontaine's 'Fables (livre viii. fab. vi.), Lodovico Guicciardini's 'Detti e fatti pacevoli' (which first appeared about 1569), the Fables of Abstemius' (of which a French translation appeared in 1572), The Book of the Knight BIRD-SCARING SONGS (12 S. v. 98, 132).I append some Worcestershire versions of similar lines. From Tredington. by James Barnet, aged 72, Oct. 17, 1912 :— Sho! all away, you birds that are so black, While I lies down to have a nap. From Wenbold-on-Stour, by Tho. Baldwin, aged 70, Oct. 17, 1912 Sho! all away! Sho! all away! Come here to steal my master's crop. Ye pigeons and crows, away! away! This is corroborated as the correct Warwick- HEDGEHOGS (12 S. iv. 76, 140; v. 105).— Will MR. CLAUDE MORLEY be good enough to quote some more (even second-hand) instances of the alleged sucking of cows' teats by hedgehogs ? The information he gives at the last reference is not very satisfactory. 66 He writes of a letter he received in 1911 from in the Rectory of Orpington till 1566. He Mr. Cockaday, who apparently claims to have went with Thomas Goldwell, Bishop of seen the alleged act on several occasions"; St. Asaph, to Rome, where we find both in but, for all this, only one (in 1906) is men- January, 1563/4. In 1567 he became tioned by MR. MORLEY. We are told, too, Camerarius, and in 1578 Custos, of the that hedgehogs are very common in that English Hospice there, and was fist Rector district." This being so, one would have of the English College, 1578-9 (ep. Catholic thought MR. MORLEY might have tried to Record Society's Publications, i. 23, 48; see the event for himself—for "what the ii. 3). In P.R.O., S.P. Dom Eliz., cxlviii. 61, soldier said is not evidence. Then is not mention is made, among "the doctors that fifteen or twenty yards rather a long be at Rome," of D. Morris Clenocke, distance from which to see and be sure of seer of the Englishe hospitall." This docuwhat was happening? My faith is greatly ment is considered as belonging to 1581;. stretched when we are told that at that but Clenock had certainly ceased to residedistance the contraction of the cheeks at Rome in that year. He was unpopular [of a hedgehog !] in the act of suction also among the English exiles, as he was con-was evident ....and "only the extremity of sidered to favour the Welsh unduly. the mouth touched the teat, and the teeth JOHN B. WAINEWRIGHT. were not in contact at all" ! 66 66 ALFRED S. E. ACKERMANN. over- There is quite a lengthy bibliography off this individual in the 'D.N.B.,' the Catholic BISHOPS OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY Encyclopædia,' Gillow's Bibliographical (12 S. iv. 330; v. 107). The Rev. Joseph Dictionary of the English Catholics, Foley's Hunter in his South Yorkshire: The His-Records,' and in the Transactions of the tory and Topography of the Deanery of Catholic Record Society, but the birth and Doncaster in the Diocese and County of death dates are not given. In the TransYork,' ii. (1831), 97, writes: actions above he is usually referred to as either Mr. or Dr. Morrice. ARCHIBALD SPARKE.. "On August 18th, 1491, a commission issued from the Ecclesiastical Court at York, to William, Bishop of Dromore, to consecrate anew the chapel of Wentworth, in the parish of Wath, with its chapelyard." George Brann is said to have been Bishop of Dromore from 1489 to his translation, April 15, 1499, to the see of Elphin. If the above extract is correct, George cannot have been appointed until after Aug. 18, 1491. That being so, who was Bishop William ? Brann's predecessor at Dromore is said to have been Thomas Radcliffe, 1440-89, and his successor William 1500-4. The succession of these Irish bishops is very uncertain. J. W. F. BOASE BROTHERS (12 S. v. 95).-Inere is a portrait of Mr. George Boase in The Illustrated London News, Oct. 16, 1897, p. 521. च I have a photograph of the late Mr. Frederic Boase, and will be pleased to lend it to MR. HAMBLEY ROWE if it is of any service · for the purpose he has in hand. I am sending on the query to Mrs. Lewis Thom-son, who is sister to the three brothers. Boase. She might be able to help in the above matter. A. KATE RANER. 25 Boscobel Road, St. Leonards-on-Sea. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF EPITAPHS (12 S. v. 68,. 129). Here are the titles of a few books that I have :· tion of about 900 of the most remarkable Epitaphs, REV. DR. CLENOCK (12 S. v. 124).— Maurice Clenock took the degree of B.C.L. at Oxford in 1548, and, according to Mr. Gillow (Bibl. Dict. Eng. Cath.,' i. 500), subsequently became D.C.L. and D.D. Nicolas Sander says he was a Prebendary of York, and, though this has been doubted, Dom Norbert Birt, O.S.B., has shown that Sander was quite accurate ('Elizabethan Religious Settlement,' p. 152). Clenock was also Chancellor of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, and Rector of Orpington, Kent, and was Bishop-nominate of Bangor at Queen Mary's death. He was one of the witnesses to Cardinal Pole's will. He seems Faithful Servants: being Epitaphs and Obituaries to have gone abroad early in Queen Eliza-in part collected by Arthur J. Munby, M.A., F.S.A.. recording their Names and Services. Edited and beth's reign, though he was not succeeded 1891. Churchyard Gleanings and Epigrammatic Scraps :: Epigrams. By William Pulleyn. [Undated.] being a Collection of remarkable Epitaphs and Sepulchralia, or "Sermons in Stones": being Epitaphs from the Churchyards in the neighbourhood of Blackpool. 1873. Among the Tombs of Colchester. 1880. |