[MR. A. F. ROBBINS had an interesting note on George III.'s birthday at 9th S. iv. 305. In it he called attention to the fact that George III. and Queen Victoria were both born on 24 May, and, besides citing The London Gazette of 26 May, 1738, gave an extract from The Morning Chronicle of 3 Jan., 1801, which pointed out that the king was born on 24 May, and not 4 June.]

MIDSUMMER DAY.-In the West Country on Midsummer Day, exactly at noon, maidens have been wont, for generations, to take a glass and half fill it with water. Into this is thrown the white of an egg, care being taken to keep it free from yolk. The receptacle is then left to stand for five minutes upon a window sill exposed to the sun's rays. The form the contents are then supposed to assume, as they float upon the water, is believed to indicate the trade of a possible prospective husband. If they look like a ship, he will be a sailor; if a house, a builder, and so on. Speculation is naturally rife on these occasions, and the various guesses afford much amusement. On Midsummer Day just past, in one hospital here, I heard a large wardful of women sorely lamenting they had not been able to procure eggs that morning for the purpose of reading their fortunes after the manner described.

HARRY HEMS.

Fair Park, Exeter. "PICCANINNY : ITS ORIGIN.-Prof. Skeat, in his 'Notes on English Etymology,' has shown the improbability of Ogilvie's explanation of this term from Spanish pequeño niño, .e., young child. Prof. Skeat thinks that it is all one word, and was originally pequeñin -diminutive of Spanish pequeño-and I am inclined to agree, except that perhaps instead of Spanish it is Portuguese. The Portuguese dictionaries have pequeno, small, and the diminutive pequenino, very small. There is, however, another possible etymology which has hitherto escaped lexicographers. Prof. Skeat quotes from Stedman the negro words for "small," peekeen, and for " very small," peekeeneenee. He does not seem to be aware that there is a good vocabulary of the jargon spoken by the blacks - Focke's 'NegerEngelsch Woordenboek,' 1855, written for the use of Dutchmen. It contains an entry, "Pikien, klein, weinig, jong; kind, jong, troost." This pikien is the Dutch spelling of peekeen. Focke has nothing equivalent to

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

HORSE-PEW=HORSE-BLOCK.-In the course of a recent investigation of the very difficult history of the word pew I have received from the Rev. Dr. J. C. Cox information of an interesting use of the word, which forms a link in its English history, and which, with Dr. Cox's permission, I think worth preserving in 'N. & Q.' He says:

"Walking out from Southwold to the neighbouring church of Reydon, on the afternoon of the last of the old horse-block in the churchyard wall by the Sunday in May, I was struck with the appearance side of the highway, with brick steps on the church side and then a flat stone on the top of the wall. I fancy it was early eighteenth-century date, and was evidently for the women to get off their pillions. As I was looking at this with interest a very old man-a Southwold fisherman-passed by. For curiosity, to hear what he would say, I asked him what the steps and flat stone were for. 'Oh,' he and dismount when they rode to church with the said, it is but a horse-pew that they used to mount, women behind them, as I have heard tell and seen in old pictures.' I asked him to repeat the word he had used, and he said again quite plainly horsepew. I asked him to spell it, but he said he was no for a seat in church, but he had never thought of scholar; he supposed it was the same word as used that before. pew,' &c."

He had always called it a 'horse

"

66

Now the interest of this lies in the fact that pew represents Latin podium, a "stump," platform, or raised post. and that poggio, the Italian representative of podium, is rendered by Florio "a hill or mounting side of a hill, a block to get upon horsebacke.' A kindred use is that of Middle Dutch puyde, later puye, explained by Hexham, 1687, as place elevated in a market, to proclaim or to a Pue, or cry of anything," the platform with steps on which a market-cross stands; in which sense also puie occurs, or used to occur, in Northern France. Thence we pass easily to mediæval Lat. podium, in Du Cange "Lectrum, analectrum in ecclesia, ad quod gradibus ad

I have sought the meaning of "vescalion" in three dictionaries-the Century,' CRY OF MACARIA.-Can any reader give Webster's, and that of Johnson published in the author of the following ?—

HARRIET: JOSEPH LANCASTER.-In an unpublished letter, dated "23 of 2nd mo. 1811," Joseph Lancaster writes:-

"I have carefully perused Harriet's report and address, and, however for a time it may take, I see she has not got Sampson's [sic] heifer, nor yet will she know his riddle. I see nothing but what is quite in a line with her regular conduct since she set up in trade for herself with a portion of my stock-in-trade as capital."

To whom does he refer? The chief women
writers on education living in 1811 were
Maria Edgeworth, Priscilla Wakefield, and
Hannah More. Harriet Martineau was only
nine years old. Lancaster's opponent, Mrs.
Trimmer, died in 1810, and her name was
Sarah.
DAVID SALMON.

Swansea.

"Since I went to the hair doctor I have had to get my hair cut in the moon-that is, between the new and first quarter of the moon. The theory is if you get it cut at the new of the moon it grows with the light of the moon, and is stronger in growth.

Now Thiselton Dyer, in his 'English Folklore,' writes::

varnishes before they are dipped in the acid bath. The figures are, of course, left with the original appearance of the tin, and may be brought out in great perfection; or they may be made by laying on gold leaf or silver, the latter metals with the varnish defending the surface of the tin covered with them from the acid.

"A variety of these ingenious improvements have lately been made. They furnish a very innocent amusement, and are also highly useful, as they find employment for many who would otherwise be much in want of it."

Can any of your readers tell me where I can find "moiree melanique" described fully? A. S. HUGHES.

The

JOHN ROLT NIXON. Can any of your readers inform me respecting Mr. John Rolt Nixon, who wrote a book of poems entitled 'Early Wild Flowers,' between 1840 and 1850 Mansell, 115, Fleet Street, but with no date Folk-one of them is dated 1845-published by G. all written before he was seventeen. attached? In a preface he says they were father resided in Farnsham, and took the business of Mr. Thiselton, a bookseller in Market Place, Farnsham, in 1846, but left it about four years later. When the poems were published, the author was living in Stepney, where by the list of subscribers he seems to have had many friends.

"In Devonshire it is said that the hair and nails should always be cut during the waning of the moon, as many beneficial consequences are supposed to result."

The Rev. Timothy Harley, in his 'MoonLore' (London, 1885), says:—

"A superstitious person will not commit his seed to the earth when the soil, but when the moon requires it. He will have his hair cut when the moon is either in Leo, that his locks may stare like the lion's shag, or in Aries, that they may curl like a ram's horn."

Does this superstition still survive? and, if so, where? EVERARD HOME COLEMAN.

71, Brecknock Road.

Farnsham.

CHARLES SMITH.

tion is made of a marble vase, with figures representing a sacrifice, found at Castiglione; and it is said, "The actual possessor of this vase is an Englishman, Mr. Styvens, who has for some years pleasantly sojourned in this city [probably meaning Naples], cultivating a love of antiquities and music."

note in the same newspaper for Saturday, 31 May, 1828, which is here given verbatim: "Yesterday being the anniversary of the restoration of King Charles II. the bells of the several churches in this city were rung frequently during decorated in the usual manner with branches or the day, and the houses throughout the town were sprigs of Royal Oak.' The children of the Blue At p. 56 of the same book mention is made Coat and Girls' Schools walked in procession to of an altar of Cibele, which Hadrava found attend morning service at the Cathedral, where an in the pergola of a house, and of which he excellent and appropriate sermon was delivered by gives a picture. He sent it to Rome to the Rev. W. S. Gilly, A.M., Prebendary of Durham. be repaired. Romanelli, 'Isola di Capri, has been in abeyance for the last seventeen years, "After evening service, an ancient custom, which Manoscritti inedite' (Napoli, 1816), at p. 86, was revived by the choristers singing anthems from says that it came into the possession of Cay. the summit of the principal tower of the Cathedral. Hamilton (meaning Sir William), who trans- This custom arose from the monks having sung ferred it to the British Museum. This state-Te Deum' from that elevated situation as soon as ment is not correct; or at least the altar is Cross in 1346. The anniversary of the victory was victory was declared at the Battle of Neville's not now in the Museum. similarly celebrated for many years afterwards; in later times the custom was kept up, but it was to commemorate another event, namely, the restoration of Charles II. on the 29th of May, 1660. The anthems sung by the choir yesterday were 'Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem,' Clarke; Praise the Lord, O my soul,' Child; O Lord, grant the king a long life,' Child. The first was sung from the south side of the tower, the second from the north, and the third from the east. A great number of persons assembled on the Palace Green and in the Bailey to listen to the music, which, however, was not very distinctly heard from so great a height. The sounds which did reach the earth had a sweet and pleasing H. R. LEIGHTON.

I should be glad if any of your readers could inform me of the present site of these two antiquities. J. F. ROTTON. Godalming.

Beylies.

ROYAL OAK DAY.

(10th S. iii. 446.)

effect."

East Boldon, R.S.O., co. Durham.

ROYAL OAK DAY is observed at Durham in a manner peculiar to that city, and hitherto, I believe, not noted in any standard work of general interest. Hutchinson, in his History and Anti-back as MR. T. RATCLIFFE, my knowledge of Although I cannot recollect quite so far quities of the County Palatine,' Newcastle. this locality dates back something like half 1787, writing on John Fossour, Prior of Durham, says (vol. ii. p. 90):a century. During that time I also have Oak Day-29 May. When I was a boy it noted the change in the observance of Royal was the invariable rule to place a huge branch of oak high up on the church steeple. The principal inns of the village also displayed similar branches over their doors, and early in the morning the ringers woke us with a merry peal. Every boy and girl wore a sprig of oak, and even some of the farmers and their men would don a sprig in their hats. Those children who had forgotten to provide themselves with oak leaves were set upon by their companions, and mercilessly pinched until they procured a supply from some friend. I do not remember that nettles were used to sting them with, but I have heard of the punishment before.

"In this prior's time was fought the great battle of the Red-Hills, in which David Bruce, was taken prisoner. The victory was announced to the people of the city by the ecclesiastics singing a solemn hymn or Te Deum on the top of the steeple of the cathedral church, in consequence of a signal from the monks at Maiden Bower. This custom was continued on the anniversary, till the times of general confusion in the sixteenth century. The restoration of King Charles was a matter of such great joy to this church, that the ceremony was revived on the 29th of May, on which day it is still annually performed."

The recent observance of the custom this year, after the afternoon service, when the choir sang "Lord, for Thy tender mercy's sake," "Give peace in our time, O Lord," and Therefore with angels and archangels," led to a search in the files of local newspapers, from which the following notes are taken.

In the first volume of the Durham County Advertiser, under date the 3rd of the month and year of Waterloo, it is stated that the "ancient custom......is now quite laid aside." The revival of it is told in a very interesting

I like these old customs, and I invariably

A notice in June, 1830, of the commemoration states that the Blue Coat and Sunday-School chilto the Cathedral, attired in their best clothes, "and dren, about 300 in number, walked in procession each decorated with a sprig of 'Royal Oak,' to attend divine service."

wear a sprig of oak myself on each succeeding Chudleigh, in Devonshire, nearly fifty years anniversary of Royal Oak Day. I have also ago. encouraged the school children to do the same. This year I saw several of them decorated, and on the evening before I noticed they were gathering bunches of oak leaves ready for the occasion. It is long since our church and inns displayed their branches, and the ringers have now given up their early peal.

In her Dictionary of Northamptonshire Words and Phrases' (1854), Miss Baker gives the following interesting account of how the day was observed at Northampton :—

On this day it was formerly the custom for all the principal families in the town of Northampton to place a large branch of oak over the door of their houses or in their balconies, in remembrance of the restoration of Charles the Second. The oak boughs are gradually disappearing, but the corporate body still goes in procession to All Saints' Church, accompanied by the boys and girls of the different charity schools, each of them having a sprig of oak, with a gilt oak-apple, placed in the front of their dress; and, should the season be unpropitious, and oak-apples be scarce, small gilded potatoes are substituted. The commemoration of this day has probably been more generally and loyally observed in this town than in many other places from a feeling of gratitude to that monarch, who munificently contributed 1,000 tons of timber out of Whittlewood Forest, and remitted the duty of chimney money in Northampton for seven years, towards the rebuilding of the town after the destructive fire in 1675. The statue of the King, which is placed in the centre of the balustrade on the portico of All Saints' Church, is always enveloped in oak boughs on this day.'

I may add that the custom of attending church as recorded above is still kept up. The Mayor, Corporation, and magistrates of Northampton, together with the charity trustees, the freemen, the boys of the Blue Coat and Orange School, and the girls of Beckett and Sargeant's School, walked in procession to All Saints' Church on Sunday, 28 May, this year, and the children received their annual prizes the next day.

In The Birmingham Weekly Post of 3 June reference was made to the decline in the observance of "Oakapple Day," and an account (illustrated) was given of the way the day is celebrated at the Leycester Hospital, Warwick. See also 10th S. i. 486.

We apply the dock leaf to nettle stings, but, our couplet being somewhat different from MR. RATCLIFFE's, I record it :In dock, out nettle;

Never let the blood settle.

I have often wondered since why the historical event of 29 May should have been thus so rigidly commemorated in the county of Devon-not that we, as boys, ever questioned the propriety of the celebration. I seem also to recollect some of the customs and penalties incident to the occasion, as mentioned by MR. THOS. RATCLIFFE and MR. HARRY HEMS. CECIL CLARKE.

Junior Athenæum Club.

On the occasion of the review of Kentish Volunteers by George III. at the Mote Park, Maidstone, on 1 August, 1799, the town was specially decorated with oak boughs, and the people, including the royal ladies, wore oak leaves. Why? E. SATTERTHWAITE, Col. R.U.S.I., Whitehall.

"BEATING THE BOUNDS" (10th S. iii. 209, 293, 390). The following articles referring to this interesting custom will be found under the above heading or 'Perambulations ':

Hone's Every-Day Book, vol. i. col. 651.
Hone's Year-Book, col. 1178.

Popular Pastimes.-London, published by Sher-
wood, Neely & Jones, 1816. Illustrated. (Who was
the author of this interesting book?)
The Graphic, 14 May, 1881.

Bumping a Curate.-The Daily Telegraph, Friday, 24 June, 188- (?).

A Caution to Bumpers.-The Standard, 20 November, 1874.

I have also a considerable amount of manuscript and printed matter in my local collection referring to perambulations of the parish in which I was born and still resideHornsey, Middlesex; but these items can hardly be of more than local interest.

Highgate, N.

GEORGE POTTER.

In some fifteenth-century Chancery proceedings, edited by Mr. C. Trice Martin, there is mention of a riot that occurred when which appear in the last issue of Archæologia, this custom was being observed. Mr. Martin thinks that the turmoil grew out of a dispute as to parish boundaries.

"Shewith yow William Phelipp, knyghte, on the parte of oure lord the kyng, that where as Nicoll Besonthyn, vickery of the chirche of Lesyngham in the Counte of Lincoln, Edmund Baxster of the same, and other parachones of the same toune, and tenauntes to the sayd William Phelypp, the xvjth of Maii last passyd, went procession aboute the boundes of the sayd toune liche as hath be usyd before, to praye for the peas and the good spede of oure soveraign lorde; ther come John Harvy of Evedon in the countie of Lincoln, swyer, Richard Hert of the same toun, laborer, John Cusson of the same, husbondman, Adam Cusson of the same