Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 1.djvu/91

 io- s. i. JA.V. 23, 1904.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

71

was restored in 1884, the chancel being rebuilt. The "bowre" alluded to might be the hill, or down, or elevated peninsula, which extends a mile into the sea, and is strikingly conspicuous from various parts of the surrounding country. It is called Brean Down, is the most western extremity of the Mendip Hills, and the only ground in the parish of Brean which is appreciably raised above the level of the sea. On the highest point of the hill, 321 ft. above the sea, are some loose stones, usually regarded as the remains of a beacon or fire-signalling station. Brean Down is, in fact, the longest and by far the most picturesque and interesting of the three promontories that break the coast- line of the Mendip (see Francis A. Knight's most interesting work, 'The Seaboard of Mendip,' 1902, pp. 297-9). "Bridget's Bowre" is not, however, marked on a map printed in the seventeenth year of Queen Elizabeth's reign (1575) ; but the expression is, no doubt, merely poetic licence, although the associa- tion with the spot, and that a picturesque promontory, of a church dedicated to St. Bridget would afford some ground for supposing that Brean Down was intended. Indications of a beacon light, too, are very suggestive of the possibility that "Kent "is a press error for ' Brent."

J. HOLDEN MAcMlCHAEL.

CARDINALS AND CRIMSON ROBES (9 th S. xii. 486). Misses Tuker and Malleson, 'Hand- book to Christian and Ecclesiastical Home,' Part IV. p. 447, say :

"It was enacted in a constitution of Boni- face VIII. in 1297 that cardinals should wear the

royal purple The red robes have been worn

since 1464 ; the purple is now only worn in Lent and Advent, when cardinals can be distinguished from bishops by the red skull-cap, stocking, and berretta which they retain."

JOHN B. WAINEWRIGHT.

Mackenzie Walcott, in his 'Sacred Archaeo- logy,' under the heading ' Cardinal,' says :

" In 1299 Pope Boniface gave the cardinals a purple dress in imitation of the Roman Consuls."

ANDREW OLIVER.

EARLIEST PLAYBILL (10 th S. i. 28). The earliest announcement of the nature of a play- bill of which I have any record is in my own collection, and is fully described in 'Rariora' (iii. 53). It relates to a public contest announced to take place at the Red Bull (Theatre), at the upper end of St. John's Street, on " Whitson Munday," 30 May, 1664. This theatre was spoken of by Prynne in 1633 as one that had been " lately re-edified and enlarged/' The next in order of date

was printed about the year 1688, and gives notice of the formation of a company of what we should now call acrobats, including the celebrated Jacob Hall, but no particulars are supplied about the theatre or other public place at which the performances were to be given. The text of each of these pieces is surmounted by a large woodcut of the royal arms, but there is nothing else to distinguish either from an ordinary handbill. A more important sheet, distinctly entitled to the designation of a playbill, has also received notice (ut supra, p. 120). Although a century later than the date mentioned by your corre- spondent, it might possibly serve as a model. It is an announcement in folio form of an entertainment (entitled ' The English Diver- sion ') which very closely corresponds to that offered at a music-hall of the present day. It is headed by the royal arms with the legend "Semper Eadem," and concludes with the words " Vivat Regina," so that its date must be between 1702 and 1714. If I can be of any assistance to MR. SIEVEKING in this matter, I shall be very happy to correspond with him. J. ELIOT HODGKIN.

" OWL-LIGHT" (9 th S. xi. 349, 411, 452 ; xii. 511). Anent the origin of the French expression "entrechien et loup," may I say that, although some authorities give the two explanations mentioned, only the first is assigned by earlier works, such as, for instance, the Abbe' Tuet's ' Matinees Senohoises' (1789), P.-J. Le Roux's 'Diet. Comique,' &c. (1752), and the 'Diet, de Trevoux' (1771)? All these agree in only giving the first explanation, and the follow- ing lines seem to corroborate the idea, viz. :

Lorsqu'il n'est jour ni nuit, quan \ le vaillant berger Si c'est un chien ou loup, ne peut au vray juger. J.-A. de Baif (1532-89), Liv. I. de ' La Francine.'

G. Bautru (1588-1665), alluding to this pro- verbial phrase, used to say, " J'ai rencontre une femme entre chienne et louve." Although M. Quitard, in his ' Diet. Etymologique, <fec., des Proverbes,' throws doubt on the first explanation, to my mind I may be wrong it is the correct one. EDWARD LATHAM.

CASTLE SOCIETY OF MUSICK (9 th S. xii. 486). This was a society for the cultivation of harmony, of considerable repute in the middle of the eighteenth century. It was so designated because its " concerts of music, vocal and instrumental." were for some time held at the " Castle " Tavern in Paternoster Row. In 1768, however, the performances were conducted at the Haberdashers' Hall, and then business meetings were held at the "Half Moon" Tavern in Cheapside (see