sense of a matron or elderly person in charge of a
young or unmarried lady. It was asserted that
the word was never so used in France.
This may
be true of the present time, but a reference to
Littré proves that the word was used by St. Simon,
who wrote in the early part of the last century,
with precisely the same meaning that it still bears
with us.
E. McC-
Guernsey.

all the house, as well in action as in speech.' On one occasion he is reported to have said, "that it was better one family should perish than that the people should be destroyed," and on being pressed for an explanation, he admitted that he referred to the family of the king. For this he was committed to the Tower, but was soon after released and reinstated in his place in parliament. In the beginning of the war he was governor of Reading, "which he very poorly quitted," and the town came into the hands of the king. In 1642 he TOKENS FOR THE SACRAMENT: ST. MARY earned for himself the contempt of all moderate OVERY, OR ST. SAVIOUR'S, SOUTHWARK (5th S. men by breaking open the iron chest at West- ix. 248, 398; x. 39, 77, 108; xi. 14, 51, 516).—In minster containing the crown, robes, sword, "N. & Q." 5th S. x. 108, I answered at some length sceptre, &c., of Edward the Confessor, with which MR. PATRICK'S inquiries as to St. Saviour's sacraSince then I have come upon very things he decked his comrades in ridicule of mental tokens. royalty. "The said Henry," adds Wood, "was a interesting and almost complete information contaker of all oaths, that of allegiance, covenant, en-tained in bills and mems. of the churchwardens, gagement, &c." He was also a great spendthrift, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as follows:and made use of his position of colonel to supply 1530 (about), "For leaden tokens at Easter, the means for his extravagance, so that he earned 38. Od." for himself the unenviable sobriquet of plundermaster general. He died early in September, 1680, of apoplexy, whilst at dinner, and was buried on the 9th of that month, not in November, as stated ante, p. 295. Wood's biography is, of course, that of a political enemy, and therefore one does not expect to find anything set down in extenuation either of his political or moral offences. Aubrey, on the other hand, treats Marten's political views with greater consideration, and allows them to have been honestly entertained, and not the outcome of mere pique; but at the same time he almost equals Wood in condemning Marten's vice and immorality. S. H.

32, Ainger Road, N.W.

ÉPERGNE (6th S. v. 269, 414).—It must not be taken for granted that because a word is not to be found in modern French dictionaries in the same form or in the precise sense that we use it in English it is therefore not a French word. Epergne, or rather espergne, is the ancient form of épargne, meaning what is spared, saved, or economized. I remember to have read somewhere that it was customary in the Middle Ages to place on the dinner-table a basket, or other vessel, into which the half-picked bones and scraps of food which encumbered the platters were thrown, to be distributed after the feast to the poor, and that this vessel went by the name of épergne. It is easy to conceive how, when the fashion came in of changing the plates with every fresh course, this receptacle ceased to be used, and became a mere ornament, retaining, however, its original name. It is curious how little the ordinary Frenchman knows of the antiquities of his language. I remember to have seen within a very short period a remark in some modern French author on the English use of the French word chaperon, in the

1556, a similar entry. Orders of vestry that the wardens shall cast tokens and keep lists in token books.

1576 to about 1646, occasional entries in accounts recognizing token money as a part of the church income.

1601. "På for mowld, 1s. Od." "Pd for casting the toakens, 3s. 4d."

1606. The wardens declare it to be part of their duty to cast tokens, to take the number of communicants, and to deliver tokens to about 1,442 householders.

1612. "Item, for a moalde for toakens, the some of 1s. 6d."

1613. "For a quire of pap' to make the toaken booke, 4d." "For writinge the borough side token booke, 38. 4d." "For writinge the Bankside token booke, 48. Od." "4,800 tokens,

601. Os. Od."

About this time, but no date shown. Tokens brought in 22nd March, 105; 29th March, 222; 2nd April, 60; 3rd April, 68; 5th April, 536; 12th April, 448; 19th April, 300.

WM. RENDLE.

HERALDIC (6th S. v. 247, 338).—As MR. JACKson is unable to give the tinctures of the arms he inquires about, they may belong to either of the two families of Hokeley or Eschalor, for the former of whom Edmondson, in his Complete Body of Heraldry (edit. 1780), gives, "6 Or, a fesse between three mascles gu."; and for the latter, “Gu., a fesse between three mascles ar." J. S. UDAL. Inner Temple.

THE COOMB OFF CHURCH BELLS A CURE FOR SHINGLES (6th S. v. 345, 375).—The following quotation, from Old Country and Farming Words (E.D.S.), p. 13, is corroborative of what your correspondents have given at the latter reference:

"Coom, "The black coom that is made by oiling
or greasing bells in a steeple,' Country Housewife,
287. Spelt coomb in Shepherd's Guide, 298."
F. C. BIRKBECK TERRY.

Cardiff.

PLACE-NAMES: FINKLE STREET (6th S. iv. 166, 356, 457; v. 257). The origin of this name was thoroughly threshed out in "N. & Q." many years back, leaving little doubt that, as Mr. R. Ferguson suggested in his Northmen in Cumberland and Westmoreland, p. 49, it is derived from the Scandinavian vinkel, a corner. Fennel, fenkel, is surely too common a plant, not in gardens only, but growing wild, to have given a distinctive name to so many streets. I well remember the pleasure with which, when on my way to pay Mr. Ferguson a visit, some fiveand-twenty years ago, after reading his book, as I passed through Kendal my eye fell on the name Finkle Street, at the angle of a most unmistakably corner street. I felt the proposed derivation required no further confirmation.

Lincoln.

EDMUND VENABLES.

FACIUNT ALIENA

PERICULA

though long after the beginning of the present
century "the navigation" was the term in general
use. On the introduction of the railway system,
the same class of men who had excavated the
canals were engaged upon them, and though
"
excavator was at first applied to them, the
term soon gave place to the older one of "navvy,"

which is still retained.
Birmingham.

J. R.

"THE GUY" (6th S. v. 229, 357, 377).-Bullet (Mém. sur la Langue Celtique) says, "FELIX QUEM Bungey is in some fashion environed by the river of WaveCAUTUM (1st S. iii. 373, 431, 482; iv. 75; x. 235; 6th S. v. 113, 295).-The saying is too old ney"; and he derives its name from bon, enviand common to need further illustration, so far as much as the Latinized name of both Waveney and ronné, gew (in compos. gey), rivière. But inasthe sentiment is concerned. The question is only "Waveney" has, as to the form in which it is expressed. Accord-Bungay was Avona, and as ing to the evidence as yet brought forward without doubt, been corrupted from the latter, it Nigellus Wireker must be credited with the is probable that "Bungay" is derived from the same name, by dropping the first letter, changing authorship, and the current form must be regarded as a contraction of his words-the two words, vation still would have been from Avon-ey, v into b, and inserting a guttural. A better deri"est igitur," which were necessary for its incor-island of the Avon," had it not been for the poration in his poem having been properly dropped when it became a popular saying detached from Waveney." Avona is, of its context. When the line, as commonly quoted, course, from the W. afon=avon, a river. is produced from any author anterior to Nigellus Wireker it will be time to admit that this writer expanded a current saying, and adopted it verbatim, otherwise there seems to be no ground for such a conjecture. W. E. BUCKLEY.

"NAVVY "-NAVIGATOR (1st S. xi. 424; 4th S. v. 554; vi. 182, 264, 312, 425; 6th S. v. 397, 417). -This word was most certainly invented about a century ago, when canals became extensively made in England. The canal was then generally called "the navigation," and the sturdy excavators who were brought together to do the work were called "navigators," or in short "navvies." Here in Birmingham are น number of public-houses, adjacent to the canals, known as "The Navigation " or "The Navigation Inn," and there is also a Navigation Street, which obtained its name from the same reason. The word canal has now superseded the use of the term "navigation"; the Navigation Office has become the Canal Office,

existence of the name

R. S. CHARNOCK.

DOLL (6th S. v. 206, 334).-It was a surprise to me, and no doubt to others, to learn that the word doll may be found in a book so early as Roger Edgeworth's Sermons, 1557. I have looked over it in a cursory way, and have not been able to find the passage referred to. Will MR. KERSLAKE kindly quote it at length, as it would be well worth recording? A. SMYTHE PALMER.

Leacroft, Staines.

23

Basingstoke in North Hants, and is the wife of
a carter. On my asking her where she had first
heard of this ill omen, she said from her father,
and that it was very well known and always true,
for even though it had at first seemed to have
failed in this particular case, yet she had since
heard that a valued friend of hers had died just at
the time when she had been so alarmed as to give
up her wood-cutting."

WILLIAM GEORGE BLACK.

1, Alfred Terrace, Glasgow.

CHARLES BULLER (6th S. v. 288, 414).
E. H. M.'s reply on the subject is hardly satisfac-
tory. If he had read the query with ordinary care
he would have avoided making the blunder which
occurs in his reply. As a matter of fact the Annual
Register for 1847 does include the name of Charles
Buller in the Cabinet, and it was for this reason
that the query was made. I should be much
obliged if readers of "N. & Q." would refer me to
more substantial authorities on this point than
Molesworth and the Illustrated London News.
G. F. R. B.

ORDER OF ADMINISTERING TO COMMUNICANTS
(6th S. v. 286, 414).—As a layman constantly
moving about, I have had the opportunity of com-
municating in many churches, and during an ex-
perience extending over many years I can only
recall two instances of administering from south to
north. In both cases the priests were men who
had passed the prime of life, as their silvered
locks betokened the one had been a consistent
Ritualist for more than a quarter of a century; the
other had no cure of souls when I saw him officiate,
and was quite of the other way of thinking.
Though the custom is quite exceptional, it was in
pre-1
-Reformation times undoubtedly the rule, and
for this reason: that in primitive times, when the
sexes were separated in church, the men on the
south side and the women on the north, the men
would in approaching naturally retain their side,
and would thus be the first to receive, as, according
to ancient custom, men always took precedence of
women in ecclesiastical matters. In primitive
times, when the laity were not permitted within
the chancel, those officiating would proceed into
the body of the church and administer first to the
men on the south side and then to the women on
the north side. That the custom of commencing
from the south side survived the Reformation is
evident from the pictorial representations of the
Holy Sacrament in the manuals of that period. It
is also manifestly the most convenient method, for,
as the celebrant should deliver the "Hostia " with
his right hand into the palm of the right hand of
the communicant, the most natural action is from
south to north. Though, as ANNIE B. observes,
many ritual reformations have recently taken place,
I think it is hardly correct to say, as she suggests,

that communicating from north to south is one of
them. If she can cite any instances I shall be glad
to hear of them.
F. A. B.

ministering Holy Communion to begin at the
It is still the custom in this parish when ad-
south end of the rail and to continue towards the
right; and the rector tells me that it was so when
he came, forty-two years ago.
Moreover, from
what I can learn, it had long been so in many
parishes around, though for the most part altered
now. Thus a different change has taken place from
that described by CHR. W.
E. FARRER.
Bressingham, Diss.

north side is undoubted, and that a change has
That the general custom was to begin at the
been made within the last forty years is equally
south side is this: the south side, being at the
indisputable. The reason for beginning at the
right hand looking towards the altar, is the place
of honour; the bishop's throne and the dean's stall
are on this side in cathedrals, and the rector's
stall in parish churches.
E. LEATON BLENKINSOPP.

"LE JUIF POLONAIS," ERCKMANN-CHATRIAN, ACTE I. SCÈNE VII. (6th S. iv. 28; v. 415).—Mr. Moss will find an allusion to the survival of this custom in more modern times in a story by Prosper Mérimée, entitled La Venus d'- (not having the book by me, I forget the exact title). In that case the garter consisted of a piece of ribbon tied to the bride's ankle, which was taken off by some little girl among the guests and cut up and distributed amongst the unmarried members of the party.

Chichester.

E. E. STREET.

THE DATE OF THE FIRST EASTER, APRIL 9 (6th S. v. 125, 293, 416).-So seldom has Easter fallen on April 9 that, within the period of seven centuries, viz. from 1000 to 1700 inclusive, it has happened only twenty-one times, e. g. in the years 1010, 1083, 1094, 1105, 1167, 1178, 1189, 1200, 1262, 1273, 1284, 1357, 1368, 1447, 1452, 1531, 1542, 1615, 1626, 1637, 1699.

WILLIAM PLATT. Callis Court, St. Peter's, Isle of Thanet.

THE BONYTHON FLAGON: BONYTHON OF BONYTHON, IN CORNWALL (6th S. i. 294, 345; ii. 108, 138, 157, 236; iii. 295, 334, 375; iv. 455, 491, 546; v. 413).-Bo in Cornish names is liable to become bob, bod, bot, bos, bus, bes, bis, ben, bodn, bon, bonn, generally, perhaps, for the sake of euphony. In the last four forms the n sometimes stands for yn, an; also in, on; or for in, en, in, between. The name Bonython is found written Bonithon and Bonithan, and corruptly Bonthron and Bonythorn. Several other Cornish names commence with bon. R. S. CHARNOCK.

NOTES ON BOOKS, &c. Notes from the Muniments of St. Mary Magdalen College, Oxford, from the Twelfth to the Seventeenth Century. By W. D. Macray, M.A., F.S.A. (Parker & Co.) THE authorities of Magdalen College have published a small volume which is calculated to be of much interest to the students of English antiquity. The notice of their charters has already appeared in the reports of the Historical MSS. Commission, but these, however valuable for reference, are from their size inconvenient for common use. The value of the Magdalen documents will be much increased by this smaller publication, which also goes over some points which could not so well appear in the report. It will afford in itself an excellent precedent, which may be followed in other cases by those who have the charge of such interesting records. From the locality of the college it naturally is most concerned with Oxford life and history, and such of our correspondents as take an interest in these will find fresh material for their researches. Will they inform us whether there is any anticipation of the present system of education at Cambridge in the "Aula Puellarum," the "

Mayden Halle," which is mentioned at p. 34? But from the wide extent over which the college estates are spread, the interest of their documents is by no means confined to Oxford itself. Half the counties in England are more or less noticed in the charters.

The History of the Parishes of Sherburn and Cawood, with Notices of Wistow, Saxton, Towton, &c. Second edition. By W. Wheater. (Longmans.)

WE are informed that this edition contains much more. matter than the previous one. As a local history it is still very imperfect. Documents from common printed books are given at great length, but very little research seems to have been made among manuscripts. The references to authorities are seldom given, and when we have them they come before us in a manner which sometimes renders them nearly useless. The chief value of the book consists in the monumental inscriptions and blazonry of coats of arms which it contains. There is also a plate of an old half-timbered house at Wistow, which we are glad to have as a memorial of a class of buildings which is now being rapidly swept away. Mr. Wheater has evidently read Carlyle or his imitators, and has injured his style thereby to such an extent as to render some of his pages almost unintelligible. He did not get from Mr. Carlyle his painful habit of quoting. poetry. A verse now and then, when it comes in aptly lights up a dull paragraph; but here we have these scraps not singly or in couples, but by the dozen and the score.. As to whether authors should quote verse or not is perhaps a matter of taste; but it is no matter of taste, but one of simple justice, that when a poet is quoted the words should be given as he wrote them. Mr. Wheater has forgotten this, and as he evidently thinks that he can improve upon his predecessors he is not sparing of emendation. This is the form which stanza xxxii. of Lord Macaulay's Horatius assumes under Mr. Wheater's editorship. We print the altered words in italic type; the punctuation is also his :

"Then, none were for a party,

But all were for the State;
The rich man loved the poor man,
And the poor man loved the great.
The lands were fairly portioned
They were neither bought nor sold
For the Romans were like brothers

In the brave days of old."

This surpasses in the way of improvement anything we remember to have seen except the "Dear brother Jim" which a certain editor inserted in Wordsworth's We are: Seven.

Jottings on some of the Objects of Interest in the Stonehenge Excursion. By Edward T. Stevens, F.S.A. (Salisbury, Brown & Co.)

It will be seen from a lawsuit respecting tithes between the convent of Sele and the rector of Findon that an ecclesiastical suit was no cheap amusement in the thirteenth century, and that even then it was able to drag its slow length along." There is a list of pre- THERE is nothing that we have made greater progress in Reformation clergy, pp. 39-82, with some others in of late days than the manner in which we construct our the "Addenda," which is likely to furnish fresh guide-books. If any one wishes for evidence of this let names for our parochial histories, to which so much him take unto himself a bundle of old guides published interest now attaches. In the list of surnames there is twenty or thirty years ago, and endeavour to read them. a good note that the saunterer has his name from being He will find the feat well nigh impossible. Written for а sans terre," a "lackland," and not from having once the most part by men very imperfectly furnished with been a pilgrim to "La Sainte Terre" (p. 97). There are language, they showed an absolute ignorance of the notices of the manners of our countrymen in Rich. plainest facts of history. Of course any knowledge of Stelewoman and Rich. Thousand pound, the forerunner such recondite matters as architecture, geology, or of our millionaires; while the personal habits which botany was not to be thought of. The better examples attract notice are seen in John le Scriveyn, Rich. le of the guide-book of our own day are the production of Oyselur, or Fowlere, John le Cok, and the personal men thoroughly qualified by education and habits for the peculiarities or special character in Will. cum Barba, task. It has been said that no one should venture on a John Littelbodi, Hugh Stepsofte, John Styfleg, and Rob. guide-book unless he is prepared, should need be. to write Makeblithe. There are others upon which we may an exhaustive history of the places he describes. Whether venture to anticipate the possibility of some future this rule should be made absolute in all cases we are not queries. At pp. 134-5 there are fac-similes of some sure; but it is so in the instance before us. Every page signatures, among which we notice that in the unique shows that if Mr. Stevens had chosen to give us not a letter of Cecily of York, the mother of Edward IV. We book for the pocket but a folio for the library, he has at might easily extend these remarks, for the college has hand full information for doing so. So very much has done good service to those who are interested, as we are, been written about Stonehenge that it would be rash to in these subjecte. assume that we have examined all the literature on the