leading error. Botanists, however, long continued to use the correct form-some have never ceased to do so and Prof. Balfour now calls upon them to unite in banishing the blundering "cocoa-nut," and in putting an end to a mischievous confusion between coco, cocoa, and coca, which are the three entirely distinct vegetable products. For coco he is able to cite not only Dr. Johnson's own use as opposed to his 'Dictionary,' but the use of the Laureate, who in 'Enoch Arden' writes:

The slender coco's drooping crown of flowers.

Dr. Murray is also quoted as writing, "I shall certainly use coco in the 'Dictionary,' and treat cocoa as an incorrect by-form.

E. D.

SPARABLE—A sparable, i.e., a small nail used by shoemakers, is said to be a corruption of sparrow-bill. The following quotation helps to prove it :

Hob-nailes to serve the man i' the moone,
And sparrowbils to cloute Pan's shoone.
1629, T. Dekker, Londons Tempe' (The Song).

CELER.

Vincentio Saviolo, then one of the three most esteemed masters of fence in England, in his treatise fully and several times confirms the conclusion arrived at from this passage of Ben Jonson, and G. Silver, another master of fence, in his 'Paradoxes of Defence,' 1599, writes similarly. BR. NICHOLSON.

(See 7th S. i.

EFFECTS OF ENGLISH ACCENT. 363, 443, 482; ii. 42, 236.)—Prof. Skeat in his most useful book 'Principles of English Etymology' devotes a chapter (xxv.) to the consideration of the effects of the English accent, and refers to a controversy between Dr. Chance and himself on the subject which appeared some time ago in the the form of the two rules which appear to be the pages of N. & Q.' I beg to offer a remark on result of this amicable conflict.

ing to these formulas, the same result, namely a shortening of the vowel, is produced by a specific cause, namely "accentual stress," and likewise by the absence of that specific cause-" by the want of stress." This does not appear to me to be quite a complete account of the matter.

Rule 1 (in the shortened form) asserts that, "in words of augmented length, an original long vowel is apt to be shortened by accentual stress "; Rule 2 asserts that, "in dissyllabic compounds compare, for example, goose (A.-S. gós) and gosling. accented on the former syllable, the vowel in the RAPIER. By this is now understood a sword latter syllable, if originally long, is almost invariably adapted and used for thrusting only; and very shortened by the want of stress," the example given naturally, and generally at least, the same is un-being Dunstan, A.-S. Dúnstán. So, then, accordderstood of the rapier that in Elizabethan days succeeded the sword and dagger. But, on consideration, the transition is too abrupt, and the change of weapon a change to a less efficient one. It is impossible to suppose that Bobadil and Brainworm, the professing soldiers in 'Every Man in his Humour,' could have ever set forth their exploits The fact is the shortening of the vowel, as in the with either a Toledo or poor provant rapier, if case of gosling, is not due to accentual stress by these were only slender thrusting weapons, without itself; another condition is required. In dissyllabic exciting risible jeers from every bystander. When, words the tone vowel is shortened, as a rule, only too, we investigate the subject further, we find when it is stopped by the suffix beginning that the sword then called a rapier was a cut-and- with a consonant; when the suffix begins with a thrust sword. Thence, in 'Every Man out of his vowel or the aspirate h, the original quantity of the Humour,' IV. vi., we find that Fastidius, when de- tone vowel persists. For instance, from dún are scribing his duel, speaks thus: "Now he comes derived Dunbar, Dunstan, but Downham; from ác violently on, and withall advancing his rapier to the names Acland, Acton, but Oakham; from hwit strike, I thought to have tooke his arm......Sir, I the words Whitby, Whitstable, but whiting; from mist my purpose......rasht his doublet sleeve......stán the names Stanton, Stanstead, but stony, StoneHe againe lights me here [showing his hat],......cuts my hatband (and yet it was massie, goldsmith's worke), cuts my brimmes, which by good fortune [by their gold embroidery, &c.] disappointed the force of the blow: Neverthelesse, it graz'd on my shoulder......wee both fell out and breathed......Hee making a reverse blow, falls upon my emboss'd girdle......strikes off a skirt of a thick-lac't sattin doublet I had, cuts off two panes embroydered with pearle, &c." My italics, perhaps, make more plain what is plain without them--especially the sequence of the blow that cut the hatband, then, descending, cut the brimmes, and lastly grazed the shoulder-that here cuts and thrusts are intermingled.

ham; from east come Essex, Eston, but eastern; from héah is derived heifer, but Higham; from he's comes Heathcote, but heathen. Apparent exceptions, such as heath-er, south-ern, Ston-ham, Stanhope, may be accounted for as comparatively modern shortenings, as the spellings in many cases show.

In this connexion it is strange that the Cambridge professor should not have noticed the apparent exception to his first rule, the name of his own university-Cambridge. Here we have an instance of the very reverse of that which is asserted in that formula, for in this case an originally short vowel is lengthened or diphthongized, although it bears the accentual stress. It is lengthened, too, although it is stopped by the

second element of the compound beginning with a

consonant.

This phenomenon is, of course, to be explained by the influence of the following nasal; compare, for instance, the pronunciation of the Romance words chamber, cambric, angel. A. L. MAYHEW.

Oxford.

JOHN DROESHOUT, ENGRAVER. No particulars

of his life are recorded. As "John Droushout of the parish of St. Brides in ffleetstreete, London, Ingraver, being very sicke and weake in body but of sound and perfect minde and memory," he made his will January 12, 1651/2, and it was proved in the Prerogative Court by his widow Elizabeth on the following March 18. He there mentions his nephew Martin Droeshout, his son-in-law Isaac Daniell, and another son-in-law, Thomas Alferd.

L. I. L. A.

THE GURGOYLES.-In creating, as he has done, an imaginary society of Gargoyles, Mr. Punch has unwittingly committed an act of lése majesté against the real society of that name, which flourished at Lincoln's Inn and the Temple between the years 1855 and 1875, and which has never been formally dissolved. This company of Gurgoyles, affectionately termed "The Gurgs," was a revival of the old Cambridge Shakespeare Society, and it conLEADEN FONT.-In 'N. & Q.,' 5th S. xii. 443, a sisted mainly of Oxford and Cambridge men, with correspondent has published a list of baptismal one brilliant member of the London Universityfonts made of lead. Those who are interested in the Right Hon. Henry Matthews, and one foreigner, this subject may like to know that in Dawson an accomplished and energetic Neapolitan. Nearly Turner's Tour in Normandy,' vol. ii. p. 97, there all the Gurgs have belonged to their brotherhood is an engraving of a leaden font which exists (or from the first, and in more than thirty years did exist in 1818) at Bourg-Achard, in Normandy. there have been only two death vacancies. Taking It seems to be of twelfth century date. ANON. the names as they now stand, they include one Secretary of State, as aforesaid; one of Her MaTHE STAR OF BETHLEHEM. It is, perhaps'jesty's judges-Mr. Justice Mathew; one colonial worth while to "make a note" of the recent craze judge, who was also an "Essayist and Reviewer"; about the reappearance of the Star of the Magi. two thriving Queen's Counsel, and several other Persons completely ignorant of astronomy (and it more or less successful barristers; one university is melancholy to find how many there still are of professor, an Oxford man; one eminent Russian these) have apparently taken the planet Venus at scholar; two fellows (one of them a distinguished her recent season of greatest brilliancy for a new fellow) of the Society of Antiquaries; two able or unusual star. MR. HYDE CLARKE's informants, editors of London journals; one clever and orihowever (7th S. iv. 506), were wrong in supposing ginal artist; and at least one full-grown specimen that it could be seen even in November so early as of the genus irritabile. Besides all these, a certain one o'clock in the morning. popular novelist (I could not mention his name without pain) did earnestly desire to be enrolled among the brethren, and was enrolled accordingly; but showed his animus soon afterwards by describing them, and describing them inaccurately, in his very next novel.

A writer in Nature for Dec. 22 has suggested that though Venus is not the Star of Bethlehem, the Star of Bethlehem was Venus; in other words, that the Magi were attracted by a very briliant appearance of that planet in the morning, similar to that which we have had recently. Surely in this he does not give them sufficient credit for the knowledge of planetary appearances which they, in all probability, possessed, making them aware that there was nothing particularly unusual in the phenomenon. Moreover, is it possible to conceive that they, accustomed as they were to watch the heavens, would be so surprised to catch sight of the planet again after leaving Jerusalem as to rejoice with exceeding great joy"? It may be added that Venus was not at greatest morning brilliancy in any part of the autumn or winter of B.C. 5, when the Nativity probably took place.

But if this writer attributes too little knowledge of astronomy to the Magi, one in the Standard

Mr. Punch will observe that a society of this kind is not to be parodied with impunity; and he should further note that the Gurgoyles still occasionally affirm their existence, subject to the claims of matrimony and politics, by that truly British sacrament which is familiar to him-the sacrament of dinner. A. J. M.

THE DEVIL'S PASSING-BELL.-A very interesting custom obtains observance in this district every Christmas Eve, or rather morning, for so soon as the last stroke of twelve has sounded, the age of the year-as 1887, 1888—is tolled, as on the death of any person. This is termed "The Old Lad's, or the Devil's, passing-bell." I do not know date of

origin. Perhaps the custom holds elsewhere; it
must be ancient.
HERBERT HARDY.
Dewsbury.

Queries.

We must request correspondents desiring information on family matters of only private interest, to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that the answers may be addressed to them direct.

THE PUNISHMENT OF "CARTING."-All have heard of whipping at the cart's tail-a punishment inflicted up to the end of George III.'s reign. (See 'N. & Q.,' 6th S. vi., vii., viii., passim.) Amongst other malefactors, bawds were specially the subjects of it; so we are told by Chambers, 'Supplement to Cyclopædia,' 1753. But there was formerly in use another punishment, called "carting," which was also commonly and specially inflicted on the To this many allusions are made by writers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, though the memory of it seems to have been lost among moderns. Under the verb to cart, Johnson gives as one definition, "to expose in a cart for punishment." He quotes from Hudibras,

class above mentioned.

Democritus ne'er laughed so loud

To see bawds carted through the crowd. And from Prior,

She chuckled when a bawd was carted.

The nature of the punishment is clearly seen from the two passages following:

"For playing the whore, this is her comfort when she is carted, that shee rides when all her followers goe on

foot, that euery dunghill pays her homage, and euery tauerne looking glasse powres bountifull reflection upon her."-John Taylor, Works,' p. 101. 1630.

"Another priest, called Sir Tho. Snowdell, was carted through Cheapside, for assoiling an old acquaintance of his in a ditch in Finsbury Field; and was at that riding saluted with chamber pots and rotten eggs."-Strype, 'Eccl. Memls.' ch, xii. a. 1553.

of his education, the date of his marriage, and the
full names of his father-in-law, the Rev.
Millar.
G. F. R. B.

GOOGE'S 'WHOLE ART OF HUSBANDRY.'-Will
some reader of N. & Q.' who owns or who has
access to Googe's 'Whole Art of Husbandry' (of
an edition earlier than 1577, or of any edition
other than those of 1577, 1578, or 1596) kindly
enable me to collate my copy with one or more of
those editions, sufficiently to determine its date?
Without troubling the Editor further, I will ask
for direct communication with
W. C. MINOR, M.D.

Broadmoor, Crowthorne, Berks.

PALACE OF HENRY DE BLOIS, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER.-May I ask the able writer of A Few Particulars of Old Southwark,' contributed to the latest volume of N. & Q.,' if he can impart any information respecting the palatial residence of Henry of Winchester, near London Bridge"? The fact of this residence is recorded in one of the Cluni Charters' (vol. ii. p. 82), shortly to be G. F. D.

issued to subscribers.

66

FIRST INTRODUCTION OF GINGER INTO ENGLAND. -I have in my possession a document of the reign of Edward I. in which mention is made of ginger. The rent service of a tenement is reserved, consisting of ginger. In Woodvile's 'Medieval Botany' it is stated that ginger was first introduced into England early in the eighteenth century, and was brought from the shores of the Red Sea. Can any tion of ginger into England ought to be more one throw light on this? The date of the introducaccurately determined.

H. A. HELYAR.

Coker Court, near Yeovil, Somerset.

ENGLISH REGIMENTAL FLAG IN PARIS. — I should be glad of any information respecting the English flag that is now close to Napoleon's tomb in the Hotel des Invalides, Paris.

Freegrove Road, N.

HENRY GERALD HOPE.

From these places it appears that the person was fastened inside a cart, and dragged through the town, exposed to shame, ridicule, and the peltings of any who chose to pelt. In fact, he was in a CASTLE MARTYR PICTURES.-In the year 1796 moving pillory. Hence the word would seem to my grandfather, Hugh Hovell Farmar, gave five have been used to denote the infliction of any pictures of the Walsingham family to the second shame or ridicule. So I suppose we must under-Lord Shannon, and I am told all the pictures at stand a line in Fletcher's 'Loyal Subject,' Act III., BC. i.

What, are we bob'd thus still, colted and carted? Johnson's notice scarcely tells us whether the thing was still practised in his time. Can any one supply further information on the matter, specially as to the latest mention of it, and when it was discontinued? May I ask for direct answers?

C. B. MOUNT.

14, Norham Road, Oxford. WILLIAM GRANT, LORD PRESTON-GRANGE.-I wish to know the exact date of his birth, the place

Castle Martyr, co. Cork, were sold a few years ago. Can any one kindly tell me in whose possession these pictures now are?

W. R. FARMAR, Major-General. GRASSHOPPER ON ROYAL EXCHANGE.-Perhaps you could help me in searching for the prophecy relating to the Royal Exchange, viz., that when the grasshopper on the vane of the Royal Exchange met the griffin (?) on a church (what church ?) in the City, then some great misfortune would befall the Royal Exchange. How this prophecy was fulfilled-for in 1838 the grasshopper was taken to

a brazier's to be regilt, and it lay on the counter by the side of the griffin (?), which also had come to be regilt. The Royal Exchange was burnt down soon after this meeting (1838), and I want to find out the whole story of the prophecy.

W. B. WHITTINGHAM.
[Is the reference to the dragon on Bow Church,
Cheapside ?]
"LOOSE-GIRT BOY."-Kindly inform me to whom
this epithet was applied.
E. K. A.

"THE GOLDEN HORDE."-What was this?
A. OLDHAM.

SIR TIMOTHY THORNHILL, "of Barbados and
Kent, Bart.," created 1688.-He was one of the
Thornhills of Ollantigh, in Kent.
Can any
inform me where the Barbados branch of this
family joined on to the Kentish stock?

reader

F.S.A.

JOHN DONALDSON.-I have searched the periodicals in vain for a biographical notice of this once well-known writer on botany and agriculture. He was alive in July, 1860, when he published his British Agriculture'; but had died by 1877, when his 'Suburban Farming' was issued under the editorship of Mr. Robert Scott Burn. On the titlepages of his books he describes himself as "Professor of Botany" and "Government Land Drainage Surveyor." He is best remembered by his useful 'Agricultural Biography,' 1854. Even the approximate date of his death and the place would be of G. G.

use.

"PRICKING THE BELT FOR A WAGER." The above quotation is from Colquhoun's Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis, p. 135. What is its meaning? HENRI LE LOSSIGEL.

BALLADS ON THE SPANISH ARMADA, AND POEMS RELATING TO DRAKE AND OTHER ELIZABETHAN WORTHIES.-I shall be thankful to receive copies of any such curiosities of English literature, which are not to be found in 'The Roxburghe Ballads,' pt. xvii. vol. vi., edited by Joseph Woodfall Ebsworth, M. A. (1887). My collection already comprises many of the ordinary ballads and poems; but there are, doubtless, some appended to miscellaneous works of the period which I may not have met with. Copies of black-letter ballads of the time of Elizabeth will be acceptable.

W. H. K. WRIGHT, Hon. Sec.
Armada Tercentenary Commemoration.

Drake Chamber, Plymouth.

kindly sent me a list of some rarities in the British Museum, and I am indebted to Mr. Sam. Timmins, Mr. T. C. Noble, Rev. H. C. Leonard, and others for other valuable contributions. To relieve your columns at this time of heavy pressure, I would suggest that communications might be sent to me direct. W. H. K. WRIGHT, Hon. Sec. Armada Tercentenary Commemoration. Drake Chamber, Plymouth.

JOHN HUSSEY.-Can any of your readers throw any light upon the parentage and ancestry of John Hussey, of Old Sleaford, a Commissioner for Kesteven to raise funds for the defence of Calais in 1455; or trace his connexion with any other branch of the family, the main line of which was settled at Harting, in Sussex? John Hussey married Elizabeth Nessfield, and was the father of Sir William Hussey, Chief Justice of England, A. E. PACKE.

1481-95.

1, Stanhope Place, Hyde Park, W. ARTICULO. This word occurs in a charter of Edward I., dated April 28, 1298, to the Barons of the Cinque Ports, and is translated by Jeake "tackling," who tells us, however, in a marginal note, that "in the manuscript of Mr. Francis Thynn, Lancaster Herald, where this charter is transcribed, it is 'Attilio' for 'Articulo."" The whole passage runs as follows :—

"Sciatis quod pro bono et fideli servitio quod dilecti et fideles Barones et probi homines nostri Quinque Portuum nobis et progenitoribus nostris quondam Regibus Angliæ impenderunt et in futurum impendent, concessimus eis pro nobis et hæredibus nostris quod ipsi et eorum hæredes, Barones eorundem Portuum tallagiis et auxiliis nobis et hæredibus nostris de corde cætero imperpetuum sint quieti de omnibus poribus propriarum navium suarum et earum articulo præstand.'

Can any of your readers supply other instances of
the use of the word in this sense, or explain its
derivation?
H. H. S. C.

scription on a monument in a Devonshire church
CHRONOLOGICAL DIFFICULTY.-The Latin in-
to the memory of a noted Puritan member of the
Long Parliament, states that be died

Anno a Ducis sui riumpho 1631 partu 1644 This computation, put in the form, 1644-163113, appears to give A.D. 13 as the date of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Failing to comprehend how this was arrived at, I had set aside the problem as possibly, after all, caused by an error SPANISH ARMADA Literature.—I am collect- of the sculptor until lately, when, in an entirely ing bibliographical items relating to the above, independent quarter, I met with a precisely similar and shall be glad to receive information from computation made by a Puritan writer in the same any of your contributors who may have works decade. It occurs in a little book entitled 'Mans in their possession of a curious or out-of-the-badnes and Gods goodnes, or some Gospel truths way character, or such as may not be easily acces-laid down, explained, and vindicated,' &c., London, sible to the ordinary reader. Dr. Garnett has p by M. Symmons, 1647. The author,