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was also done between the Metropolis and Ireland, Holyhead, Chester, and Exeter. Thomas Randolf was appointed postmaster in 1581. James I. established a post-office under Mathew de Quester or de l'Equester (Latch. Rep. 87; 1 Black, 327), and other offices were erected in 1643 and 1657. Mathew de Quester was succeeded by Lord Stanhope, Wm. Frizell, Thomas Witherings, and Philip Burlamachy. But our present system was first conceived by Edmond Prideaux, at one time Attorney-General, and afterwards Post-Master, and it is founded on the statute 12 Car. II. c. 35, and moderated, regulated, and improved by 9 Anne, c. 10; 6 Geo. I. c. 21; 26 Geo. II. c. 2 and 13; 4 Geo. III. c. 24; 5 Geo. III. c. 25; 7 Geo. III. c. 50; 24 Geo. III. st. 2, c. 37; 28 Geo. III. c. 9; 34 Geo. III. c. 17; 35 Geo. III. c. 53, &c.

WYNNE E. BAXTER.

The word translated post in the Old Testament means runner. These runners were similar to the running footmen of a recent age. The same name rats, was applied also to those who were sent out on horses, mules, camels, and young dromedaries. (Esther, viii. 10.) They were properly a body-guard (1 Sam. xxii. 17; 2 Kings, x. 25, xi. 6; 1 Kings, i. 5, xiv. 27; 2 Sam. xv. 1), called sometimes runners, post, guards, and captains in our version. (See Kitto on Esther, viii. 10; 1 Sam. viii. 11.)

In the Old Testament there is no evidence of fixed stations for relays of horses or men, which is essential to our notions of posting and postal arrangements. Such arrangements were first regal; and it is only in modern times that they were made general for the accommodation of the public, as well as for the advantage of the state.

Herodotus (viii. 98) and Xenophon (Instit. Cyr., viii. 6), mention that, among the ancient Persians, stations were appointed at intervals along the great roads of the empire, where couriers were constantly kept in readiness, night and day, to bear despatches and intelligence. Similar institutions, as we learn from Suetonius, were maintained amongst the Romans in the time of Julius Cæsar (57). These were royal posts. General posts were first instituted in modern Europe by Charlemagne, Louis XI. (19 June, 1464), by the Emperor Charles V., and by our Edward IV. (1481). In the reign of Henry VIII. men and horses were pressed for the post, sent not so often as twice in a month, at the rate of twelve pence daily to the government for one horse and man. Sir Brian Tuke was the first post-master (1533), succeeded by Sir Wm. Paget and John Mason, Esq., in 1545, their wages being 667. 13s. 4d. a year, in addition to cost of carrying letters, of which they had to render accounts periodically for reimbursement. See Encyc. Brit., art. "Post-Office.") The rail

ways have effected a great change, and the old system of relays of horses and men, which gave the name of post to the conveyance of the mails of letters, is nearly superseded. Before the railways, the mail-bags were deposited in a receptacle above the boot, which opened at the top, and on which the Guard placed his feet when mounted on his iron chair behind, with his long metal horn in his hand, and a blunderbuss within reach. The four horses were changed at stations or inns about ten miles apart; the coachman or driver was changed after a spell of sixty or seventy miles, whilst the guard went about three times that distance. T. J. BUCKTON.

The first institution of posts is ascribed to the Persians (see Diodorus Siculus, book xix.) They placed sentinels on eminences at different distances, who gave notice of public occurrences to one another with a very loud shrill voice, by which means news was transmitted speedily from one end of the kingdom to the other. But as this could not be made use of for private purposes, Cyrus, as Xenophon relates (Cyropædia, book viii.), set up couriers, places for post horses on all high roads, and offices where packets were delivered from one to another. This, says Xenophon, they did night and day, neither rain nor hard weather stopping them. Herodotus (book viii.) gives similar testimony; and he tells us also, that Xerxes, in his expedition against Greece, planted posts from the Egean Sea to Shushan at the distance which a horse could go with speed. The Greeks borrowed the use of posts from the Persians, and in imitation of them called them ayyapui. In the Roman empire the Emperor Augustus first set up public posts; which were running footmen, afterwards changed into post chariots and horses for the greater expedition. Adrian reduced them to regularity: he also discharged the people from the obligation they were under of finding horses and chariots. They fell with the empire. About 807, Charlemagne endeavoured to restore them; but was not successful, and his successors did not follow up his intentions.

In France, Louis IX. set up posts at two leagues distance through the kingdom. In Germany, Count Taxis made a postal arrangement; and, in 1816, he had the office of PostmasterGeneral conferred on him and his heirs for ever.

In our own country, Postmasters existed in very early times; but their duty was only to find post-horses for persons who wished to travel expeditiously, and dispatching extraordinary packets upon special occasions. In the time of James L. a government post office was created, under the control of one Matthew de Quester, or L'Equester, for the conveyance of letters to and from foreign parts. This was claimed by Lord Stanhope; but was continued to William Frizell and

Thomas Witherings by King Charles I., 1632, for the better accommodation of the English merchants. In 1635, Charles I. erected a letter office for England and Scotland: and the same Thomas Witherings settled the rates of postage and directed it. The postmasters on the road were to find horses for the mail at the rate of 24d. per mile. This Witherings was found guilty of abuses in 1640, and Philip Borlamachy exercised his power under the Secretary of State. On the breaking out of the Civil War great confusion was occasioned; but the outline of the present postal system was conceived by Mr. Edmund Prideaux, who was Attorney-General to the Commonwealth after the murder of King Charles. He was chairman of a committee, in 1642, for considering what rates should be set upon inland letters, and afterwards was appointed Postmaster by an ordinance of both Houses (see Commons' Journal). He first established a weekly conveyance of letters into all parts of the kingdom. The Common Council of London endeavoured to oppose his post office, and Parliament declared it had the disposal of posts. One Manley afterwards farmed the office in 1654. The Protector and his Parliament modelled it nearly the same as it continued until the reign of Queen Anne. After the Restoration a similar office, with some improvements, was established by statute 12 Car. II. c. 25. The rates of letters were altered, and other regulations added, by 9 Anne, c. 10. Alterations were made by Georges I. II. and III., and penalties were exacted to confine the sending of letters by post only. The privilege of sending letters free through post, or franking, was claimed by Members of Parliament in 1660; when the post office was regulated nearly as it has continued, except some slight alterations regarding weight, franking, &c., until the present Penny Postage was introduced by the great benefactor of letters-Rowland Hill. W. I. S. HORTON.

The literal translation of 7, Job ix. 25, is, than a runner, or courier; and does not of necessity imply the existence of anything corresponding to our postal system.

In Esther viii. 10 and 14, however, we find the definite article employed, D', "the couriers ;" and these couriers appear to have been mounted on horses and other swift animals, though it is by no means certain what those animals were.

Houbigant translates thus: "Missæque sunt per cursores litteræ vectos equis celeribus," &c. This verse certainly appears to support the idea that there was a certain class of men who were usually employed in this specific occupation. C. J. ELLIOTT.

Winkfield Vicarage.

HOOPS AND CRINOLINES, ETC.

(3rd S. iv. 85, 238, &c.)

"Pars minima est ipsa puella sui."

This line which, incorrectly quoted by J. L. in LORD LYTTELTON (p. 260), was prefixed by Adp. 238, jars so unpleasantly on the musical ear of dison to the Tatler, No. 116; in which he lashes with no sparing hand the then prevailing mode of wearing large petticoats, which "monstrous inthe modern Tatler - Punch (for both the ventions" he appears to have detested as much as papers attributed to him): observing (Spectator, 127,) on this subject in the Spectator and Tatler are that the first time he saw a lady so attired, he could not help blaming her in his thoughts for walking abroad when "so near her time;" and insinuating, that the fashion was introduced by some crafty women, in order to conceal their condition and so escape the censure of the world. But the fact is, that this same fashion was far from being a novelty even in the Augustan age: for it is as old, if not older, than the time of Queen Elizabeth; whose august person, in common with that of Sir Roger de Coverley's greatgrandmother (who, Addison tells us, wore 66 one of the modern petticoats"), was adorned with a farthingale - certainly the ancestor of the farfamed crinoline.

Farthingales, or fardingales, seem to have died out before 1640, as they do not appear in Holbein's dresses ("N. & Q.," 1" S. iii. 53). Queen Anne's era, however, revived them under another name; and they continued to be worn more or less either in ordinary, or court dress, till they were ignominiously expelled from St. James's by the "first gentleman in Europe;" who, as the "slave of buttons and tight breeches," strongly objected

to so loose a costume.

In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1753 (p. 483), is a poem, styled "A Recipe for a Lady's Dress,' in which the sex is enjoined to

"Make your petticoat short, that a hoop eight yards wide,

May decently show how your garters are ty'd."

About 1793 the hoop, or fardingale, took a peculiar form called the "pad," which excited the abuse of the scribblers of George III.'s reign, as much as its predecessor had done those of Anne. A farce was brought on the stage to ridicule it; and the press teemed with scurrilous pamphlets and lampoons, attributing the wearing it, as Addison had done before, to the worst of purposes.*

*The following is a portion of the title of a brochure of 1793: "Humorous Hints to Ladies of Fashion, who wish to appear perpetually Prolific. In Letters from Lady Tabitha Twins in London, to her Friends in the Country. Embellished with a portrait of a lady of extraordinary fecundity," &c. (Symonds, 8vo, 1793.)

It is odd that this fashion should have had its rise under Queen Elizabeth, been revived under Queen Anne, and, finally let us hope, reached its climax under Queen Victoria.

Let us console ourselves, however, that the introduction of hoops has at least not been followed by the revival of the other fashionable absurdities of a bygone day: such as pet monkeys, china moñsters, musty snuff;* and though last, not least, that monstrous abortion the perriwig.t

It is said that the "flowing peruke," worn by Colley Cibber in the character of Lord Fopping ton, was so immense, that when it was carried across the stage in a sedan chair, his own absence from under, or rather out of, it was not discovered by the audience! In fact, to quote from the play itself, "it would serve him for hat and cloak in all weathers."

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"A peasant from Trehörningssjö Kapell,' says a physician at Oernköldsvik, in his official report to the Royal

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In the Prologue to Haut Ton, written by Geo. Swedish Sanitary College, visited me at the beginning Colman, I find enumerated:

"The Tyburn scratch, thick Club and Temple tyes,
The parson's feather-top, frizzed, broad, and high!
The coachman's cauliflower, built tiers on tiers!"§
There were also "triple-bobs' and "bob-
majors," &c.

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Although I fear my paper is much too long already, I cannot resist transcribing the following observations, of Addison's at the end of the "Petticoat Trial” (Tatler, 116): —

"I consider," says he, "woman as a beautiful romantic animal, that may be adorned with furs and feathers, pearls and diamonds, ores and silks. cast its skin at her feet to make her a tippet; the peaThe lynx shall cock, parrot, and swan, shall pay contributions to her

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A great quantity of musty snuff was captured in the Spanish fleet which was taken, or burnt, at Vigo, 1703: it soon became fashionable to use no snuff but what had this musty flavour."-Nichols's Tatler, No. 27, note.

66

Sincerity in love," say Lady Betty Modish, "is as much out of fashion as sweet snuff; nobody takes it now."-Cibber's Careless Husband, A.D. 1704.

The dandies of Queen Anne's time used to carry a comb in their pockets, and it was considered a fast thing to comb the periwig in public! This monstrously absurd custom is frequently alluded to in contemporaneous literature. Molière, in the Impromptu de Versailles, giving directions to La Grange how to enact the part of a Marquis ridicule, bids him remember to enter "avec cet air qu'on nomme le bel air, peignant votre perruque, &c. It is noticed in the Tatler, and, not to multiply instances, in the following extracts from Some Observations on the Answer to Echard's?] Enquiry into the Grounds of the Contempt of the Clergy, by J. B., 1696:

"As having nothing (poor heart) to say against the clergyman, he combs his peruke at him."

"It is no such easy matter, upon my word, to judge how much of the handkerchief shall hang out of the coat pocket, and how to poyse it exactly with the tortoiseshell comb on the other side," &c.

In Vanbrugh's Relapse, better known as altered by
Sheridan, A Trip to Scarborough.

§ Comp. Juvenal, Sat. VI. 500:
"Tot premit ordinibus, tot ad huc compagibus altum
Edificat caput."

of this year to consult me regarding an unwelcome guest that had got into his stomach, namely, a snake. During a journey, he had slept one night in a peasant's cottage in a wicker basket which stood upon the floor, and at once he woke, feeling something which resembled a cold live body sliding down his throat. He remembered that he had seen some large and half-decayed logs brought in for the fire-place, and at once bethought himself that in these logs, and during the night have come out to seek very likely a snake might have lain in one of the holes a warmer dwelling by sliding down the sleeper's open mouth into his stomach. This idea became quite rooted with him. When he got home he took Epsom salts and aloes in enormous doses, but the snake, which had at once notified its presence by suckings just below the light. After this the poor sufferer drank at once half-anavel and bites in the abdomen (!), was not brought to gallon or more of warm mare's urine, but of no avail. Now he drank a quartern of nitric acid mixed with three Had he had more, he said, he should have drank more. pints of water, but equally unavailing; the snake only grew more restive. Next a sort of soup was made of thin sour ale and the juice from tobacco pipes which had retchings, and at last vomiting followed, but the man only not been cleaned for more than a year. Cold sweatings, got worse. He now tried, assisted by two friends, to kill continued during nine hours to knead away, and the snake the snake by squeezing it to death; and he and his friends really became more quiet for about twenty-four hours, of turpentine to no use, an attempt was made at angling but that was all. After having drunk several quarterns lump of dough composed of flour, white of eggs, treacle, for it. A sort of fish hook was made of iron wire, and a and butter, was put on as bait. The hook, fixed to a string, was then swallowed, and after about half an hour, a bite' was felt, and the string was therefore hauled in, and the patient could distinctly feel how the snake clung to the hook; but unfortunately, just as it came to the gorge the snake let go its hold, and down it sank again fortunate, as the hook got fixed in the throat, and it took into the stomach, The next attempt was still more unlong to get it loose again. It would have been thought that this would have induced the patient to give up any made, and an extra tackle fixed at the hollow part of the further attempts at angling; but no, a third attempt was hook, to be able to get it loose if it should fix again. This time the snake would not bite at all; the hook was drawn up bare, and all further attempts at angling relinquished. Quite in despair, the peasant now consulted

me (the physician spoken of above). I tried to reason with him, but it was no use; he clung to his idea. I have since heard that he has consulted both physicians and others, and was at last obliged to return home unalleviated. When he got home he became addicted to drink, which seems to have been the only remedy which after some time really has cured him.' The tale seems so wonderful that it is difficult to believe it, but as it is taken from an official report of a Swedish physician, there can be no doubt of its truth."-Swedish Paper.

BISHOPS' ROBES.

(3rd S. iv. 267.)

GRIME.

The impression of J. B. regarding the dress of an Anglican bishop of the present day is not quite accurate. This dress consists of-(1) the cassock; (2) the sleeveless rochet; (3) the chimere, with lawn sleeves attached; (4) the scarf; (5) the trencher-cap. On each of these I propose to say a few words. The cassock when worn without the other episcopal vestments, is most improperly cut short at the knees, which has led to the vulgar error of calling it "the bishop's apron;" the same thing has occurred with the cassocks ordinarily worn by deans and archdeacons. At the present time, too, the bishop's cassock is black instead of purple, as it should be. Bishop Twells wore one of the proper colour.

The rochet is a linen vestment less ample than a surplice, but made in plaits, and having close sleeves like an alb. The lawn sleeves are the sleeves of the rochet, although now very improperly fastened to the chimere, and exaggerated to an almost ludicrous extent. The rochet was the canonical dress of a bishop in public until the Reformation, but was also worn by doctors of laws, canons of cathedrals, and other dignitaries, as may be seen from many brasses, tombs, and pictures. A priest too often wore a sleeveless rochet at baptisms, in order that his arms might be more at liberty.

The chimere is generally considered to be a sort of cope with holes for the arms: its colour was scarlet, and its material silk until the time of Bishop Hooper, who got the black satin chimere substituted for the more ancient one. A scarlet silk chimere is worn by the bishops at the meetings of convocation, and when the sovereign opens Parliament. Jebb says, "Perhaps, however, the origin of both the chimere, the Oxford habit, and Cambridge doctorial cope, and the episcopal mantelletum may all be derived from the dalmatic or tunicle, which was formerly a characteristic part of the dress of bishops and deacons." If this supposition be correct-which is very probable as the Greek dalmatic or colobion, as it is called by the Eastern Church, unlike the Roman vestment, has no sleeves the chimere should not reach much below the knee, instead of extending to the feet,

as now usually worn. The Roman fashion has curtailed the dalmatic as it has all other ecclesiastical vestments-a practice which has quite spoilt their beauty (this is particularly noticeable in the chasuble and surplice), and is justly stigmatised by Jebb as corrupt.

Of the scarf but little need be said: it is worn by all cathedral dignitaries and chaplains as of right, and represents probably the choir tippet; the stole ought to be worn over it. The modern practice of the ordinary clergy wearing the scarf instead of the stole has, like many other customs, no warrant whatever.

I do not think that the trencher cap so much in vogue with our bishops was ever worn during divine service, although the zuchetto and biretta were so worn by priests. The proper head dress of a bishop during the divine mysteries is a mitre; and it is to be hoped that the use of this most ancient and symbolical ornament will become common once more. Some of the colonial bishops have revived its proper use, but the majority of our right reverend prelates are content to see it figured as an heraldic (pace Mr. Lower) embellishment, although it is by no means uncommon to find the marble effigies of deceased bishops adorned with mitres. York Minster furnishes numerous instances of post-reformation archbishops represented with mitre and pastoral staff. J. B. is doubtless aware that by the rubric a bishop is bound to wear an alb or surplice over his rochet and a cope when celebrating the Holy Communion, and also to have his pastoral staff with him. J. A. PN.

The rochette, according to Tyrwhitt, was a woman's loose upper garment. (Chaucer's Romaunt of the Rose). From Palmer's Origines Liturgica and the dress of Bishop Fox, represented in Fairholt's Costume of England (p. 275), it appears that the lower part is the chimere, and the upper part (breast and sleeves) is the rochette, defined as "a black satin dress, with lawn sleeves worn by Protestant bishops." "The word rochette is not of great antiquity, and perhaps cannot be traced back further than the thirteenth century." (Fairholt, p. 276). It was adopted by the clergy in the Middle Ages, and is still worn (id. p. 591). "The alb is the origin of all surplices and rochets, and the former article only varies from it now in having wider sleeves." (Id. p. 409, and pl. at p. 50; Jebb's Choral Services, p. 219).

If the square cap of the universities was formerly that part of the amice which covered the head, and afterwards became separated from it, as Du Cange supposes, it was originally worn during divine service. (Fairholt, pp. 276, 410.) It was customary in France to wear the amice on the head from the Feast of All Saints until Easter, letting it fall back upon the shoulders during the

gospel. Anciently, as capuchon or hood, it was, according to Durand, typical of the helmet of salvation. (Id. 411.) A bishop of the time of Charles II. wears a cap approximating to the present square cap, as represented by Fairholt (p. 327). T. J. BUCKTON.

Your correspondent J. B. inquires if the "square cap," now carried by bishops, was not at one time worn by them during divine service? I should say certainly not; for the cap in question is the ordinary out-door college cap, and is very different from the square priest's cap still worn by Roman Catholic clergy, and which was retained in our own church up to the last century. There is, or was, one of these square caps preserved in this town, which was unquestionably worn by a vicar of one of the parish churches about the time of the invasion of the Pretender. He must have been a high-churchman, for it is recorded of him, that he prayed publicly for " King James" during the occupancy of the town by Prince Charles Edward. Derby.

J. B.

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BRIAN KING AND MARTYR (3rd S. iv. 304.)-I presume that the martyr king in question is no other than the celebrated Brian Boromhe, or Boru, slain by the Danish admiral, Bruadair, at the battle of Clontarf. The battle was fought on Good Friday, A.D. 1014. The aged Brian was slain whilst earnestly engaged in prayer, and while the shouts of his victorious soldiers were ringing in his ears. "Brianus, rex Hiberniæ, Parasceve Paschæ, sexta feria 9 calendas Maii, manibus et mente ad Deum intentus necatur are the words used by the chronicler. The monks of St. Patrick kept watch over the dead monarch for twelve days and nights, commending his soul to the mercy of God. If this be the Brian sought for by HIBERNICUS, it certainly does seem strange that he should be commemorated March 12, and not on April 23, the day of his murder.

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W. BOWEN ROWLANDS.

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"Dr. Pusey's opinion is-1st. That in the ancient church, prayers were offered for all the departed, including apostles and martyrs, in the same manner. 2ndly. That such prayers had reference, not to the alleviation of pain, but to the augmentation of happiness, or the hastening of perfect joy, not possessed by them till the end of time. 3rdly. That the cruel' invention of purgatory is modern. 4thly. That the English Church allows prayer for the dead, in that more comprehensive and general form. As to the first, there is no doubt that, in the ancient liturgies, the saints are mentioned in the same prayer as the other departed faithful: from the simple circumstance, that they were so united before the public suffrage of the church proclaimed them to belong to hoppier order. Dr. Pusey, too, is doubtless well acquainted with the saying of the same father (St. Augustine), that he does injury to a martyr who prays for a martyr, Injuriam facio martyri, qui orat pro martyre."

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It is well known that the Church of Rome distinguishes between those who die in a state of grace, but have yet to satisfy (as she teaches) in Purgatory for the temporal punishment due to words of Liguori) "leave this world purified from their sins; and "the perfect," who (to use the all stain by patience and holy works."

There is a difference of opinion in the Church of Rome with regard to the former, whether they can pray for others or not. Thomas Aquinas maintaining the affirmative, and Bellarmin and others the negative; but with regard to the saints "reigning together with Christ," in the words of the Council of Trent, the Roman Church teaches that they are undoubtedly to be invoked and their intercession to be sought.

I may add that whilst Berington and Kirk, in The Faith of Catholics, appeal to the same pas sage of Epiphanius- which is cited by Daillé, as proof of the practice of the ancients-they omit that portion of it in which Epiphanius makes mention of the Apostles, Evangelists, and Martyrs.

Winkfield Vicarage.

C. J. ELLIOTT.

MRS. HEMANS'S FAMILY (3rd S. iv. 323.) — I have always supposed "The Graves of a Household" to be imaginary. Is there evidence to

The italics are mine.

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