Notes and Queries, Number 65, January 25, 1851 by Various

V >> Various >> Notes and Queries, Number 65, January 25, 1851

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At page 64. of the same volume he states that Thomas de Brotherton died in
12 Edward III., which would be only eight years before his widow's son, by
a subsequent husband, is said to have become of age. That he did become of
age in this year we have unquestionable evidence. In _Cal. Ing. P. Mortem_,
vol. iv. p. 444., we find this entry:--

"Anno 20 Edw. III. Johannes de Cobham, Filius et Haeres Radulphi de
Cobeham defuncti. Probatio aetatis."

There is also abundant proof that Thomas de Brotherton died in 12 Edward
III. The most natural way of removing this difficulty would be to conclude
that John de Cobham was the son of Ralph by a previous marriage. But here
we have another difficulty to encounter. He is not only called the son of
Mary, Countess of Norfolk, or Marishall, by Dugdale, but in all
contemporaneous records. See Rymer's _Foed._, vol. vi. p. 136.; _Rot.
Orig._, vol. ii. p. 277.; _Cal. Rot. Pat._, p. 178., again at p. 179.;
_Cal. Ing. P. Mortem_, vol. iii. pp. 7. 10. Being the son-in-law of the
Countess, he was probably called her son to distinguish him from a kinsman
of the same name, or because of her superior rank. She is frequently styled
the widow, and sometimes the wife of Thomas de Brotherton, even after the
death of her subsequent husband, Sir Ralph de Cobham. In the escheat at her
death she is thus described:--

"Maria Comitissa Norfolc', uxor Thome de Brotherton, Comitis Norfolc',
Relicta Radi de Cobeham, Militis."

It is remarkable that this discrepancy in Sir John Cobham's age, and the
time of his supposed mother's marriage with his father, has never before,
as far as my knowledge extends, been noticed by any of the numerous writers
who have repeated Dugdale's account of this family.

Before concluding I will mention another mistake respecting the Countess
which runs through most of our county histories where she is named. For a
short period she became an inmate of the Abbey of Langley, and is generally
stated to have entered it previously to her marriage with Sir Ralph de
Cobham. Clutterbuck, in his _History of Hertfordshire_ (vol. ii. p. 512.),
for instance, relates the circumstance in these words:--

{54}

"In the 19th year of the reign of Edward III., she became a nun in the
Abbey of Langley, in the country of Norfolk; but quitting that
religious establishment, she married Sir Ralph Cobham, Knt., and died
anno 36 Edward III."

By _Cal. Ing. P. Mortem_, vol. i. p. 328., we find that Ralph Cobham died
19th Edward III.[2], that is, the same year in which the Countess entered
the Abbey, from whence we may conclude that she retired there to pass in
seclusion the period of mourning.

W. HASTINGS KELKE.

[Footnote 2: If my copy be correct, it is 19 Edw. II. in the printed
calendar: but it must have been Edw. III., for, from the possessions
described, it must have been Sir Ralph Cobham who married the widow of
Thomas de Brotherton.]

* * * * *

HENRY CHETTLE.

Dr. Rimbault, in the introduction to his edition of _Kind-Hearts' Dream_,
for the Percy Society, says, "Of the author, Henry Chettle, very little is
known: ... we are ignorant of the time and place of his birth or death, and
of the manner in which he obtained his living." (Pp. vii. viii.) I trouble
you with this note in the hope that it may furnish him with a clue to
further particulars of Henry Chettle.

Hutchins (_Hist. of Dorset._, vol. i. p. 53. ed. 1774) mentions a family
named Chettle, which was seated at Blandford St. Mary from 1547 to about
1690, and gives the following names as lineal successors to property in
that parish: Henry Chettle, ob. 1553. John, s. and h., ob. 1590. Edward, s.
and h., ob. 1609, "leaving Henry, his son and heir, eleven years nine
months old." Among the burials for the same parish (p. 57.) occurs "Henry
Chettle, Esq., 1616;" and at pp. 119. 208. the marriage of "Henry Chettle,
Gent., and Susan Chaldecot, 1610." This last extract is from the register
of the parish of Steple, in the Isle of Purbeck, which also contains, says
Hutchins, many notices of the Chettle family; but all, I should infer,
_subsequent_ to the year 1610.

I have ascertained that the statement in Hutchins corresponds with the
entry in the register of Blandford St. Mary, of the burial of Henry Chettle
in 1616; and that there is _no_ entry of the baptism of any one of that
name. In fact, the registers only begin in 1581. Now it is clear that there
were two persons of this name living at the same time, viz. H.C., aged
eleven years in 1609; and H.C., who marries in 1610. And if the conjecture
of the learned editor be correct, as probably it is, that the poet, Henry
Chettle, "died in or before the year 1607," it is equally clear that he was
a _third_ of the same name, and that he could not be the person whose name
occurs as buried in 1616. But the name is not a common one, and there seems
sufficient to warrant further research into this subject. I venture,
therefore, to make these two suggestions in the form of Queries:

I. Can any _internal_ evidence be gathered from the writings of Henry
Chettle, as to his family, origin, and birthplace? _Kind-Heart's Dream_,
the only one of his works which I have either seen or have the means of
consulting, contains nothing specific enough to connect him with Dorset, or
the West. It would seem, indeed, as if he were acquainted with the New
Forest, but not better than with Essex, and other parts adjacent to London.

II. Would it not be worth while to search the Heralds' Visitations for the
county of Dorset, the Will-office, and the Inquisitions "post mortem?" The
family was of some consequence, and is mentioned even in Domesday-book as
holding lands in the county. Hutchins blazons their arms--Az. 3 spiders,
or; but gives no pedigree of the family.

E.A.D.

* * * * *

COVERDALE'S BIBLE.

We are told by Mr. Granville Penn, in the Preface to the _Annotations to
the Book of the New Covenant_, that "in 1535 Coverdale printed an English
translation of the Old Testament, to which he annexed Tyndale's revision of
the New, probably revised by himself. These last constitute what is called
_Coverdale's Bible_. Now, the title-page of Coverdale's Bible expressly
states that it was faithfully and truly translated out of Douche and Latyn
into Englishe;" and that this is literally true may be seen by comparing
any portion of it with the common German version of Luther. The following
portion is taken quite at hazard from the original edition; and I have
added Tyndale's version of 1526, as edited by Mr. Offor:

1535.

JOHN, VI. 41.

The[3] murmured the Iewes ther ouer, that he sayde: I am yt bred which
is come downe from heaue[4], and they sayde: Is not this Iesus, Iosephs
sonne, whose father and mother we knowe? How sayeth be then, I am come
downe from heaue[5]? Iesus answered, and sayde vnto them: Murmur not
amonge youre selues. No man can come vnto me, excepte the father which
hath sent me, drawe him. And I shal rayse him vp at the last daye. It
is wrytten in the prophetes: They shal all be taughte of God. Who so
euer now heareth it of the father and lerneth it, commeth vnto me. Not
that eny man hath sene the father, saue he which is of the father, the
same hath sene the father.

_Luther._

41 Da murreten die Juden daruber, das er sagte: Ich bin das brodt, das
vom himmel gekommen ist.

{55}

42 Und sprachen; Ist dieser nicht Jesus, Joseph's sohn, dess vater und
mutter wir kennen? Wie spricht er denn: Ich bin vom himmel gekommen?

43 Jesus antwortete, und sprach zu ihnen: Murret nicht unter einander.

44 Es kann niemand zu mir kommen, es sey denn, das ihn ziche der Vater,
der mich gesandt hat; und Ich werde ihn auferwecken am jungsten tage.

45 Es stehet geschrieben in den propheten: Sie werden alle von Gott
gelehret seyn. Wer es nun hoeret vom Vater, und lernet es, der kommt zu
mir.

46 Nicht das jemand den Vater habe gesehen ohne der vom Vater ist, der
hat den Vater gesehen.

_Tyndale, 1526._

The iewes murmured att itt, be cause he sayde: I am thatt breed which
is come doune from heven. And they sayde: Is nott this Jesus the sonne
of Joseph, whose father, and mother we knowe? How ys yt then thatt he
sayeth, I came doune from heven? Jesus answered and sayde vnto them:
Murmur not betwene youre selves. No man can come to me except my father
which hath sent me, drawe hym. And y will rayse hym vp at the last
daye. Hit is written in the prophetes: And they shall all be taught of
God. Every man which hath herde, and lerned of the father, commeth unto
me, not that eny man hath sene the father, save he which is off God.
The same hath sene the father.

_Authorized Version._

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which
came down from heaven.

42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father
and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from
heaven?

43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among
yourselves.

44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw
him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God.
Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father,
cometh unto me.

46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he
hath seen the Father.

ECHO.

* * * * *

ANSWER TO COWLEY.

On the fly-leaf of a copy of Cowley's Works (London, 1668), I find the
following lines:--

AN ANSWER TO DRINKING (PAGE 32.).

"The thirsty earth, when one would think
Her dusty throat required more drink,
Wets but her lips, and parts the showers
Among her thousand plants and flowers:
Those take their small and stinted size,
Not drunkard-like, to fall, but rise.
The sober sea observes her tide
Even by the drunken sailor's side;
The roaring rivers pressing high
Seek to get in her company;
She, rising, seems to take the cup,
But other rivers drink all up.
The sun, and who dare him disgrace
With drink, that keeps his steady pace,
Baits at the sea, and keeps good hours.
The moon and stars, and mighty powers,
Drink not, but spill that on the floor
The sun drew up the day before,
And charitable dews bestow
On herbs that die for thirst below.
Then drink no more, then let that die
That would the drunkard kill, for why
Shall all things live by rule but I,
Thou man of morals, tell me why?"

On the title-page, in the same hand-writing as the "Answer," is the name of
the Rev. Archibald Foyer, with the date 1700.

Y.

* * * * *

FOLK LORE OF LANCASHIRE. NO. 1.

Lancashire, like all other counties, has its own peculiar superstitions,
manners, and customs, which find no parallels in those of other localities.
It has also, no doubt, many local observances, current opinions, old
proverbs, and vulgar ditties, which are held and known in common with the
inhabitants of a greater extent of county, and differ merely in minor
particulars;--the necessary result of imperfect oral transmission. In
former numbers of this work a few isolated specimens of the folk-lore of
this district have been noticed, and the present attempt is to give
permanency to a few others.

1. If a person's hair, when thrown into the fire, burns brightly, it is a
sure sign that the individual will live long. The brighter the flame the
longer life, and _vice versa_.

2. A young person frequently stirs the fire with the poker to test the
humour of a lover. If the fire blaze brightly, the lover is
_good-humoured_; and _vice versa_.

3. A crooked sixpence, or a copper coin with a hole through, are accounted
_lucky_ coins.

4. Cutting or paring the nails of the hands or feet on a Friday or Sunday,
is very unlucky.

5. If a person's _left_ ear burn, or feel hot, somebody is _praising_ the
party; if the _right_ ear burn, then it is a sure sign that some one is
speaking evil of the person.

6. Children are frequently cautioned by their parents not to walk
_backwards_ when going an errand; it is a sure sign that they will be
unfortunate in their objects.

7. Witchcraft, and the belief in its reality, is not yet exploded in many
of the rural districts. The writer is acquainted with parties who place
full credence in persons possessing the power to bewitch cows, sheep,
horses, and even those persons to whom the witch has an antipathy. One
respectable farmer assured me that his horse was {56} _bewitched into the
stable through a loophole twelve inches by three_; the _fact_ he said was
beyond doubt, for he had locked the stable-door himself when the horse was
in the field, and had kept the key in his pocket. Soon after this, however,
a party of farmers went through a process known by the name of "_burning
the witch out_," or "_killing the witch_," as some express it; the person
suspected soon died, and the neighbourhood became free from his evil
doings.

8. A horse-shoe is still nailed behind many doors to counteract the effects
of witchcraft: a _hagstone_ with a hole through, tied to the key of the
stable-door, protects the horses, and, if hung up at the bed's head, the
farmer also.

9. A hot iron put into the cream during the process of churning, expels the
witch from the churn; and dough in preparation for the baker is protected
by being marked with the figure of a cross.

10. Warts are cured by being rubbed over with a black snail, but the snail
must afterwards be impaled upon a hawthorn. If a bag containing as many
small pebbles as a person has warts, be tossed over the _left_ shoulder, it
will transfer the warts to whoever is unfortunate enough to pick up the
bag.

11. If black snails are seized by the horn and tossed over the _left_
shoulder, the process will insure _good luck_ to the person who performs
it.

12. Profuse bleeding is said to be instantly stopped by certain persons who
pretend to possess the secret of a certain form of words which immediately
act as a charm.

13. The power of bewitching, producing evil to parties by _wishing_ it,
&c., is supposed to be transmitted from one possessor to another when one
of the parties is about to die. The writer is in possession of full
particulars respecting this supposed transfer.

14. Cramp is effectually prevented by placing the shoes with the _toes_
just peeping from beneath the coverlet; the same is also prevented by tying
the garter round the _left_ leg _below_ the knee.

15. Charmed rings are worn by many for the cure of dyspepsia; and so also
are charmed belts for the cure of rheumatism.

16. A _red-haired_ person is supposed to bring in ill-luck if he be the
first to enter a house on New Year's Day. _Black-haired_ persons are
rewarded with liquor and small gratuities for "taking in the new year" to
the principal houses in their respective neighbourhoods.

17. If any householder's fire does not burn _through_ the night of New
Year's Eve, it betokens bad luck during the ensuing year; and if any party
allow another a live coal, or even a lighted candle, on such an occasion,
the bad luck is extended to the other part for commiserating with the
former in his misfortunes.

Many other specimens of the folk lore of this district might be enumerated;
but since many here have implicit faith in Lover's expression,--

"There is luck in _odd_ numbers;"

I will reserve them for a future opportunity, considering that _seventeen_
paragraphs are sufficient to satisfy all except the most thorough-paced
_folklorians_.

T.T. WILKINSON.

Burnley, Lancashire.

* * * * *

MINOR NOTES.

_Proclamation of Langholme Fair._--In an old paper I find the following
proclamation of a fair, to be held in a town in Scotland; it may, perhaps,
amuse some of your numerous readers:--

"O yes! and that's a time. O yes! and that's twa times. O yes! and
that's the third and last time: All manner of pearson or pearsons
whatsoever let 'em draw near, and I shall let you ken that there is a
fair to be held at the muckle town of Langholme, for the space of aught
days; wherein if any hustrin, custrin, land-louper, dukes-couper, or
gang-y-gate swinger, shall breed any urdam, durdam, brabblement, or
squabblement, he shall have his lugs tacked to the muckle trone, with a
nail of twal-a-penny, until he down of his hobshanks and up with his
mucle doubs, and pray to heaven neen times, Gold bles the king, and
thrice the muckle Lord of Relton, pay a groat to me Jammey Ferguson,
bailiff of the aforesaid manor. So ye heard my proclamation, and I'll
haam to dinner."

Perhaps some of your correspondents north of the Tweed can give the meaning
(if there be any) of a few of the choice expressions contained in this
document.

MONKBARNS.

_Seats in Churches._--The following curious notice of seats in churches
occurs in Thompson's _History of Swine_; which is quoted by him from
_Whitaker's Whalley_, 2nd edit. 4to. p. 228.:--

"My man Shuttleworth, of Harking, made this form and here will I sit
when I come; and any cousin Nowell may make one behind me, if he
please, and my son Sherburne shall make one on the other side; and Mr.
Catteral another behind him; and for the residue the use shall be,
_first come first speed; and that will make the proud wives of Whalley
rise betimes to come to church_."

Which seems to convey the idea, that it was at that time customary for
persons to make their seats in the churches. Query, When did pews come into
general use?

R.W.E.

Hull.

[The earliest notice of pews occurs in the _Vision of Piers Plouman_,
p. 95., edit. 1813:--

"Among wyves and wodewes ich am ywoned sute
Yparroked _in puwes_. The person hit knoweth."

See also _The History of Pews_, a paper read before the Cambridge
Camden Society, 1841.]

{57} _Flemish Account._--T.B.M. (Vol. i., p. 8.) requests references to
early instances of the use of this expression. In the _History of Edward
II._, by E.F., written A.D. 1627 (see "NOTES AND QUERIES" Vol. i., pp. 91.
220.), folio edition, p. 113., I find "The Queen (Isabella) who had already
a French and an Italian trick, was jealous lest she should here taste a
Flemish one;" because she feared lest the Earl of Henault should abandon
her cause. This instance is, I think, earlier than any yet referred to.

S.G.

_Use of Monosyllables._--The most remarkable instance of the use of
monosyllables that I remember to have met with in our poets, occurs in the
Fire-worshippers in _Lalla Rookh_. It is as follows:--

"I knew, I knew it could not last--
'Twas bright, 'twas heav'nly, but 'tis past!
Oh! ever thus, from childhood's hour,
I've seen my fondest hopes decay;
I never lov'd a tree or flow'r
But 'twas the first to fade away.
I never nurs'd a dear gazelle
To glad me with its soft black eye,
But when it came to know me well,
And love me, it was sure to die!
Now, too--the joy most like divine
Of all I ever dreamt or knew,
To see thee, hear thee, call thee mine,--
Oh misery! must I lose _that_ too?
Yet go! On peril's brink we meet;--
Those frightful rocks--that treach'rous sea--
No, never come again--tho' sweet,
Tho' Heav'n, it may be death to thee!"

This passage contains 126 words, 110 of which are monosyllables, and the
remainder words of only two syllables. The sentiment embodied throughout is
that of violent mental emotion; and it affords a further illustration of
the correctness of MR. C. FORBES'S theory (Vol. i., p. 228.) that "the
language of passion is almost invariably broken and abrupt."

HENRY H. BREEN.

St. Lucia, W.I., Nov. 1850.

_Specimen of Foreign English._--

"RESTORATIVE HOTEL, FINE HOK.
KEPT BY FRANK PROSPERI,
FACING THE MILITARY QUARTER
AT POMPEII.

That hotel open since a very few days, is renowned for the cleanness of
the apartments and linen; for the exactness of the service, and for the
eccelence of the true french cookery. Being situated at proximity of
that regeneration, it will be propitius to receive families, whatever,
which will desire to reside alternatively into that town, to visit the
monuments new found, and to breathe thither the salubrity of the air.

That establishment will avoid to all the travellers, visitors, of that
sepult city, and to the artists, (willing draw the antiquities) a great
disorder, occasioned by the tardy and expensive contour of the
iron-whay. People will find equally thither, a complete sortment of
stranger wines, and of the kingdom, hot and cold baths, stables and
coach houses, the whole with very moderated prices. Now, all the
applications and endeavours of the hoste, will tend always to
correspond to the tastes and desires, of their customers, which will
acquire without doubt, to him, in to that town, the reputation whome,
he is ambitious."

The above is a literal copy of a card in the possession of a friend of
mine, who visited Pompeii, 1847.

W.L.

_Epitaph._--While engaged in some enquiries after family documents in the
British Museum lately, I lighted on a little poem, which, though not
connected with my immediate object, I copied, and here subjoin, hoping your
readers will be as much attracted as I was by the simplicity and elegance
of the lines and thoughts; and that some one of them, with leisure and
opportunity, will do what I had not time to do, namely,--decypher in the
MSS. the _name_ of the "Worthie Knight" on whom this epitaph was composed,
and give any particulars which can be ascertained concerning him.

EPITAPH ON ----

(_Harleian MSS._, 78. 25. b. Pluto 63 E.)

"Under this stone, thir ly'th at reste
A Friendlie Manne--A Worthie Knight,
Whose herte and mynde was ever prest
To favour truthe--to furder righte.
"The poore's defense--hys neighbors ayde,
Most kinde alwaies unto his Kyne,
That stynt alle striffes that might be stayed,
Whose gentil grace great love dyd wynne,
"A Man that was fulle earneste sette
To serve hys prince at alle assayes,
No sicknesse could him from itt lette,
Which was the shortninge of hys daies.
"His lyf was good--he dyed fulle welle,
Hys bodie here--the soule in blisse;
With lengthe of wordes, why should I telle,
Or further shewe, that well knowne is,
Since that the teares of mor or lesse
Right welle declare hys worthynesse."

A.B.R.

* * * * *

QUERIES.

THE TALE OF THE WARDSTAFF.

Can any of your antiquarian correspondents furnish further elucidation of
the strange ceremony of the gathering of the Wardstaff (which was in old
time one of the customs of the hundred of Ongar, in Essex) than are to be
found in Morant's _History of Essex_, vol. i. p. 126.? from whence it was
incorrectly copied in Blount's _Jocular Tenures_ by Beckwith, 4to. ed. It
has been also more correctly given by Sir Francis Palgrave, in his _Rise
and Progress of the English Commonwealth_, Part II. p. clvii., who justly
styles it--

"a strange and uncouth fragment of the earliest customs of the Teutons;
in which we can still recognise {58} the tone and the phraseology of
the Courts of the Eresburg. The _Irminsule_ itself having been
described as a trunk of a tree, Thor was worshipped under the same rude
symbol; and it may be suspected that the singular respect and reverence
shown to the ward-staff of the East Saxons is not without its relation
to the rites and ceremonies of the heathen time, though innocently and
unconsciously retained."

At the time of publication of his learned and interesting work, Sir Francis
did me the honour to adopt some conjectural corrections of Morant's very
corrupt transcript of the rhyme, which I furnished at his request, in
common with others suggested by the late Mr. Price. Since that time, a more
mature examination of it has enabled me, I think, to put it into a form
much more nearly resembling what it must have originally been; many of the
corrections being obviously required by the prose details which accompany
it in the MS. from which Morant gave it. It may not, therefore, be
unacceptable to some of your readers, to subjoin this corrected copy. It
may be proper to premise, that "The _Tale_ of the Wardstaff" is the
_tallying_ or _cutting_ of it, and that it was evidently originally spoken
in parts, assigned as under; although it should seem that there is no
indication of this arrangement in the MS.

"THE TALE OF THE WARDSTAFF.

_The Bailiffe of the Liberty._
"Iche athied[6] the staffe byleve,
Thanne staffe iche toke byleve,
Byleve iche will tellen[7]
Now the staffe have iche got.

_Lord of Ruckwood Hall._
"Tho the staffe to me com
Als he hoveon for to don,
Faire and well iche him underfing
Als iche hoveon for to don.

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