led to the bombardment of Tangiers by a WILSON THE "RANGER OF THE HIMAFrench fleet under Prince de Joinville: an LAYAS."-Bayard Taylor in his Travels in expedition mercilessly ridiculed by Punch. India, China, and Japan,' speaks of meeting England resented this action by France; in Rajpore, India (1853), Wilson, the but was this difference sufficient to promote noted Ranger of the Himalayas,' as he is anything like a general enrolment of volun- called." teers ? Was there any other cause, or only the memory of the Waterloo campaign?

K. S.

EARLY HISTORY OF THE SCOTTISH AND

Who was he? I can find no mention of him in the 'D.N.B.,' and will be glad of any details, including dates of birth and death, if possible. From Taylor's account he must

IRISH GAEL.-What amount of credibility is have been born about 1803.

to be attached to the Chronicles of Eri,' published by Sir Richard Phillips & Co. in 1821 ?

WILLIAM ABBATT.

INNYS COLLECTION OF MAPS.-In Gough's 'Camden,' vol. i., 1789, p. 274, occurs the following passage :—

6

This purports to be a translation from the original records of the Irish Olam or "In Westbury-on-Trim is Redlands,' the official reccrders. The two volumes pub-residence of John Innys, Esq., elder brother of lished extend only up to B.C. 7, and the the eminent bookseller of that name, whose translator, The O'Connor of the time, gives matchless collection of maps, views and plans of a lengthy dissertation intended to prove since his death, passed into the library at all parts of the world in near 100 volumes are that the Hebrews, Greeks and Romans were Holkham." offshoots of the original stock now directly represented by the Scots.

I have hitherto failed to find any reference to this work in any modern historian. A. D. M.

"THE SWORD OF BANNOCKBURN."I have been much exercised to find the English original of the words said to be engraved on the ancient "Sword of Bannockburn" belonging to the Douglas family. In Theodore Fontane's account of his trips to England and Scotland, I came upon a German version, containing the distich :Dann trag du, wenn ich gestorben bin Mein Herz zum heil'gen Grabe hin. These words inspired the much admired ballad The Heart of Douglas,' by Leo von Strachwitz. I have not been able to lay hands on a book called: 'Old Scottish

Who is the present owner of this collection ? O. G. S. CRAWFORD.

PHAESTOS DISK.-This is a round piece of pottery, covered with Cretan pictographs; and as the inscription is rather a long one, and well preserved, it, ought to give some evidence, or be capable of an explanation. Sir Arthur Evans was inclined to see in it a hymn, or metrical composition of some kind. I should be glad to know if any progress has been made in its decipherment during the last ten years. W. H. GARLAND.

M. L. R. BRESLAR.

AMERICAN CUSTOMS: A LONG GRACE.We are told by Mr. Herbert Paul in his 'Life of Froude,' that in America in 1872 a very long grace is always said before dinner. Has that practice been modified somewhat since ? Will someone learned in Weapons,' by Drummond, Edinburgh, 1881, American manners give us the grace in which might very likely contain the infor: extenso, if it is not too long for printing in mation desired. Might I appeal to yourself. & Q.' It cannot exceed in length the and your learned correspondents for the ritual of the Hebrews, probably the longest authentic words and whatever else may be known about the sword and its inscription grace in the world. in literature? J. L. CARDOZA. 117 Middenweg, W-meer, Amsterdam. HAWKE FAMILY.-Can any reader of N. & Q.' give me information of the ancestry of Edward Hawke, Esq., father of the great Admiral Hawke ? resident at Towton during the seventeenth century? Information of his uncles J. HILLSTONE. Sr J. K. Laughton in the 'D.N.B.' says that this family had been for generations resident at Treriven, Cornwall.]

aunts desired.

Was his family

or

maiden name

BONTÉ. One of my maternal ancestors was the first wife of Dr. William Roxburgh, Superintendent of the Calcutta Botanic Gardens, 1793 (see 'Dict. Nat. Biog."). Her was Bonté; according to family tradition, her father (Christian name unknown) was of French or Swiss extraction, and was at one time "Governor of Penang." But this cannot I think have been the case, for at 11 S. iii. 325-6, MR. A. FRANCIS STEWART points out that Penang was from

The women who went a gooding (as they call it in these parts) on St. Thomas's Day might, in return for alms, have presented their benefactors with sprigs of palms and bunches of primroses." Brand has, however, underestimated the vidence for the custom. In addition to the information contributed by corre ondents at the last of the above references, Thiselton Dyer (British Popular Customs,' London, Bell, 1891) states that

in some parts of the country (Northamptonhire, Kent, Sussex, Herefordshire, Worcesterbire, &c.), St. Thomas's Day is observed by a rastom called Going a Gooding. The poor people round the parish and call at the houses of the Principal inhabitants begging money or provisions wherewith to celebrate the approaching

stivity of Christmas."

He further states that in Cheshire

the poor people go from farm to farm athomasin and generally carrying with them a 4g and a can, into which meal, flour and corn are Begging on this day is universal in this and the neighbouring counties."

In some

as

and he explains "Mumping Day
“the 21st of December when the poor go about
the country begging corn, &c., Herefordshire.
See Dunkin's History of Bicester,' p. 270,
Ed. 1816."
The practice of "mumping formerly
existed at Clitheroe about Christmas time.
My informant now dead was not certain of
the exact day, but it was no doubt St.
Thomas's Day. It seems to have been
longest kept up at the residence of Mr.
Jeremiah Garnett, whose wife was a Miss
Eddlestone, of an old Clitheroe family.

"One condition rigidly exacted was that the
recipients were not to talk, but merely knock at
the door and say nothing but present themselves,
On account of this the
receive, and go away.
custom was known as Mumping Day."
The gifts appear to have been "something
very good to eat."

As

St. Thomas's Day was often chosen as the day for the distribution of parochial or other local charities. Edwards 7 Old English Customs and Remarkable Charities," London, 1842) gives cases as occurring at Horley (Oxfordshire), Nevern (Pembrokeshire), Taynton (Oxfordshire), Alrewas (Staffordshire), Wokingham (Berks), MelIn Herefordshire a similar custom is bourne (Derbyshire), Cliffe Pypard (Wilts), called "going a mumping." In StaffordSlindon (Sussex), Oxford, Reading, St. hire not only the old women and widows, and Ottery St. Mary (Devonshire). Andrew Undershaft (London), Cambridge at in many places representatives from very poor family, went round for alms. from the Reports of the Commissioners for Edwards only made a selection of cases places in this country the money inquiring into the Charities of England and lected was given to the clergyman and Wales, it is probable that a search through churchwardens who distributed it in the try on the Sunday nearest to St. Thomas's the whole of the reports would furnish many Day. The fund was called St. Thomas's more examples. Dile (see 2 S. iv. 103, 487). In Cope's fix the doing of acts, or the payment of In medieval times it was the practice to Hampshire Glossary (English Dialect Society, 1883), we find :— money, by reference to a Holy Day-a usage still often kept up, probably without thinking about it. The four usual quarter days originated from their being Church festivals, and in this district the days fixed for payment of rent in old leases, were often the Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of St. Martin the Bishop in winter (Nov. 11), usually end, and farm servants often change and our tenancies of agricultural land still their situations, on Feb. 2, which the older country people still refer to as Candlemas. So ingrained was the habit of regulating go about a-gooding on St. dates by Holy Days that in some Court Rolls of the Manor of Gisburn, which I

"To go gooding is when poor old women go about on St. Thomas's Day to collect money for the wives of holders of cottages goodmen," householders (ep. St. Matt. xxiv. 43) and were cailed Goodwife or Goody. Hence the name. In old lists of Goodings of Bramshill, the recipients are all entered Goody so-and-so.'" A writer in The Quarterly Review for July, 1874, p. 32, in an article on the Isle of Wight, when referring to old customs then still prevailing there, says

"Old women Thomas's Day.

Halliwell (Dictionary of Archaic and Pro-recently had the opportunity of perusing,

vincial Words ') has

although Parliament had abolished the use

"To go a gooding, among poor people, is to of the Prayer Book, together with the observance of Christmas and many other

go about before Christmas to collect money or

Co to enable them to keep the festival-Kent " holidays, and although the Lord of the

Hence, although St. Thomas appears to have had no particular connexion with almsgiving, we can understand that his day was selected as a convenient day before Christmas on which to make gifts to the poor, so that they might be the better enabled to enjoy the coming festival.

A St. Thomas Dole" is still sometimes used as if it were a proverbial expression. Some years ago, after having carried through some professional business for a client to his satisfaction, I received from him just before Christmas a pair of silver candlesticks, and in the letter which accompanied them, which was dated Dec. 21, he referred to them as a St. Thomas Dole.'

It should be recollected that Christmas took the place of the pre-Christian festival of the winter solstice, and that the various sun festivals were celebrated by the burning of lights or fires. WM. SELF-WEEKS.

Westwood, Clitheroe.

A lady speaking from personal recollection tells me that in the middle of the nineteenth century at Harworth in Notts, a gentleman farmer used on St. Thomas's Day to give three pints of wheat each to poor families, and two pints each to widows in the parish. At Plumtree, Notts, and afterwards at Beeford Grange, Yorks, the same lady's father gave cree'd wheat to all who came for it, and raised mutton pies to widows. To cree grain is to soften it by boiling. Wheat was cree'd preparatory to the making of frumenty.

66

J. T. F.

Pancake Bell" until some few

as the
years
ago, when it was discontinued.
Children, victims of a perennial hoax, use !
to watch for pancakes to drop from the
mouth of the famous sanctuary knocker
on the north door, year after year, and 1
have seen them on the look out since the
bell has ceased to ring. It seems not un-
likely that the orginal object of this bell
was to invite people to confession__before
Lent.
J. T. F.

THE PANCAKE BELL (12 S. viii. 106).-With reference to the "St. Thomas's A single bell was rung in Durham Cathedral Candle" mentioned by C. C. B., it may be doubted whether it has any other connexion with St. Thomas than the fact that it was begged on St. Thomas's Day. As other gifts on this day were for the purpose of helping the poor to keep Christinas, so the gift of a candle was probably to furnish them with a "Christmas candle." Brand says that on Christmas Eve our ancestors were used to light up candles of an uncommon size called Christinas candles, and he quotes from Blount that Christmas was called the Feast of Lights in the Western Church, because that they used many lights or candles at the feast, or rather because Christ the light of lights, that true Light, then came into the world--hence the Christmas candles. the Buttery of St. John's College, Oxford, there is an ancient Sachs Villatte, German stone candle socket formerly used to burn the Christmas candle (1) grauer Wein schmutzig rötlicher Wein Brand states that at Ripon on Christ-vin gris; (2) Franziskaner or Graue Brüde mas Eve the chandlers sent large mould Meyer's 'Lexicon' says that their habit wa candles to their customers. Nicholson's a dunkel braun. 'Folk-Lore of East Yorkshire (London, 1890) speaking of Christmas customs says:

in.

66

GREY IN SENSE OF BROWN (12 S. viii. 68 116).-Gasc's Concise French Dictionary 1903, gives grey,' gris brown bread), Bis, "brown": pain bis brown bread In ; pain blanc, "whity-brow bread."

"At this season of the year Shopkeepers are expected to send presents to their customers. With Grocers almanacks have superseded the coloured Christmas Candle. On Christmas Eve this candle is lighted and burns in the post of honour either in the middle of the table or on the mantel piece."

Hazlett (National Faiths and Popular Customs) has a quotation from the 'Country Farmer's Catechism' (1703), in which the term "Christmas candle " is used in such a way as to show it was a thing well known.

bis.

,,

66

Dict., gives

Prof. Herdener, of Du ham, who has sent me the German refe ences, adds that he knows British tailo and dyers call a brown suit a grey suit.

Winterton, Lincs.

J. T. F.

HAMILTONS AT HOLYROOD (12 S. vii. 11 172: viii. 115). Count Gustavus Day Hamilton was created a Count of Swed in 1751. He married Jacobina Hildebra and had eight sons (Heraldry of t Hamiltons,' 110). He was seventh of t ten sons of Baron Hugo Hamilton, by 1 wife Margaretta Hamilton. This Hugo, a

Public Library, Shrewsbury.

his elder brother Malcolm, a Major-General | relate entirely to families and property. in the Swedish Army, were both created The list under Shropshire in Humphreys's Barons of Sweden in 1689. They were the County Bibliography contains 155 items. sons, by Jean Somerville, of John or Johan H. T. BEDDOWS. Hamilton, who settled in Sweden, a younger brother of Hugo Hamilton, created Lord Hamilton of Glenawly in 1661, and son of Malcolm Hamilton of Ballygally and Moyner, co. Tyrone, Archbishop of Cashel, who died in 1629. Unfortunately, the heraldry of the Hamiltons makes no mention of daughters.

C. K. S. M.

66

Some years ago, when chairman of the 'Books Committee of the Free Library, at Shrewsbury, I did what I could-strongly backed by members of this Committee, and the Council of the Shropshire Archæological Society-to start on the lines suggested by MR. GEORGE SHERWOOD, who gives a very good idea of what is required. We obtained by means of special subscriptions and gifts, many valuable county deeds, pedigrees, and such like: especially all the deeds concerning the county of Salop, which were formerly in possession of the late Mr. Henry Gray. These we owe to the generosity of Sir Offley Wakeman. Also, there are in the library a number of deeds relating to the same county, and to the counties of Worcester and Hereford,

which are there on "Permanent Loan."

I have always tried to impress on people that all books, pedigrees, deeds, Poll-books, assessments for taxation,. &c., should be found in the public library of the county town, so that any person desiring to note such matters connected with the particular county, need only go to this place for the bulk of the information, and save much be a separate card-index for books and MSS. time and money. I think that there should relating to the history, and another for genealogy.

The Poll-books are of great consequence, as they show-up to a certain date-the names of all Freeholders. HERBERT SOUTHAM.

Loxley House, Woking.

SHILLETO (11 S. ix. 71, 136, 212, 296, 335). The Rev. William Shilleto (1817

1883), Vicar of Gooshaigh, Lancs, who

collected much information on the origin end genealogy of his family, declared that the Shilletos care to England as Flemish merchants and settled in the West Riding of Yorks, during the reign of Edward III., and that the name owed its derivation to the River Schelte in Flanders. That tradition, he declared, had been handed down to successive generations from a very early date.

I have since discovered that a family of the name was still residing at Ypres in Flanders in the seventeenth century and that at the Revocation of the Edict of