Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 11.djvu/15

 10 s. XL JAN. 2, 1909.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

Tom Robin, Orrock Robin John, &c. We hear, in addition, of Grandy Ephrairn Robin John, Grandy King George, and also of " old Robin John," father of the former. Mr. Gomer Williams prints on p. 541 a letter, dated in 1773, to Mr. Thomas Jones from the captain of one of his slave ships, relating to the identity of some members of the Robin John family. There is also A letter from Grandy King George to a Liverpool shipowner asking, amongst other things, for bells, and that his name should be put on everything sent for him.

There was at this time great rivalry between Bristol and Liverpool in con- nexion with the slave trade, and every effort was being made by the merchants of the former port to retain the lucrative trade, much of which was passing to their rivals. The supply of slaves was to a large extent dependent on the goodwill of the chiefs at Old Calabar, and it may safely be con- jectured that the bell was given by the Bristol slave-trader for the purpose ot influencing Grandy Robin John to continue dealing with him.

The deletion of the letter d is curious, and ie probably due to negro superstition that the letter might bring bad luck. Or it might have been done to bring the words into conformity with negro pronunciation.

R. S. B.

COCK ALE.

" Cock ale is made by bruising an old Cock (the older the better), bones and all, with 3 Ibs. of rasins, mace, cloves, &c., and stirring it thoroughly with 2 quarts of Sack, digesting it for 9 days in 10 gallons of ale, and then bottling off and leaving it the same time to ripen as other Ale."

A correspondent contributes this to Country Life of 12 December last, and says he quotes from 'The First Letter-Book of the East India Company,' 1600 to 1619. Surely the " old cock " was not thus treated with feathers and all complete.

THOS. RATCLIFFE.

Worksop.

" COCOA - NUTTI " LANGUAGE. This mysterious language is quite unknown to philologists, although often spoken of by travellers returned from India. Mr. Thomas Atkins is very fond of referring to it. After exhaustive investigation I have traced it to the neighbourhood of Bombay. It appears to be a popular term for the Konkani language. The first n in Konkani is silent, the name being sounded Kokani, as it were " Cocoa-ni," so the temptation to add a syllable was irresistible. JAS. PLATT, Jun.

DICKENS AND PICKWICK : THE " BUSH TAVERN," BRISTOL. During a recent visit to Bath I discovered in the City Reference Library several transcripts of local parish registers, evidently copied and presented to that institution by the Rev. C. W. Shickle, Master of St. John's Hospital. In these several notes of interest to Dickens lovers are to be found.

In St. Michael's register, under date 14 Sept., 1766, the marriage occurs of Richard Fisher, bachelor, of Monckton- Combe, and Ann Pickwick, spinster.

Later, on 17 Aug., 1775, Eleazar Pickwick, bachelor, and Susanna Combs, spinster, were married, the witnesses on that auspicious occasion being Moses_ Pickwick and Frances Davis.

The name of Wintles frequently occurs, but no Winkles.

It is not a far cry from Bath to Bristol, an ancient city still possessing several fine old inns reminiscent of coaching days, although, I believe, " The Bush " of famous memory has passed into the shades, and become, as the epitaphs have it, " though lost to sight, to memory dear." In the ' Bristol and Bath Directory ' for 1787 we find a few words of advertisement that make it live again :

Bush Tavern in Corn Street,

Bristol.

John Weekes, Proprietor. To London, A Balloon Coach, with a Guard, every Afternoon, at Half after 2 o'Clock. To Bath, A Mail Coach, every Morning at 8 and 9 o Clock.

HENRY R. LEIGHTOX. East Boldon, Durham.

THE MUFFIN MARTYR. He was referred to in the 'Notes on Books' column of ' N. & Q.,' 10 S. x. 478, and has before faced the music of our band. I was pleased to discover that the gentleman has an analogue in Eastern story. In ' Folk-lore of the Holy Land,' p. 314, a note explains Bakldweh as being " a kind of mince-pie pastry covered with syrup of sugar," and goes on to say :

" A story is told of an Arab who, when threatened with immediate death if he took any more of it, coolly commended his family to the protection ot the would-be murderer, who stood over him with a drawn sword and took another mouthful. I Note 48, ' Tales told in Palestine.')"

ST. SWITHIN.

SNEEZING SUPERSTITION. In a Latin Reader I have been glancing at the editor remarks in a note: "Sneezing was some- times regarded as ominous of evil, some-