Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 11.djvu/555

 10 s. XL JUNE 5, 1909.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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confidently attributed to Aytoun a satire on Lord John Russell named ' Little John and the Bed Friar,' which contains the following allusion :

But Little John was weak of fence, And his strength began to fail ;

Whilst the friar's blows came thundering down Like the strokes of a thrashing flail.

Every reader when the verse was written would at once realize what was meant ; now many people would, we believe, require an interpreter. Before another ten years had passed the steam thrasher had come into common use, and the flail was rapidly becoming a thing of the past, though it was sometimes employed by cottagers to thrash the little patches of corn which they cultivated in their gardens. Now it seems to have been almost utterly abolished, only one or two instances of its survival being recorded in the discussion on flails in the third volume of the present Series. It is probable that many a farmer has never seen one, and that still fewer have been wakened by the monotonous rhythm that aroused their grandfathers early in the morning.

Mr. Julius P. Gilspn contributes a paper on St. Julian the Harbinger and the first English member of the house of Percy. The story has not, we believe, been printed before, but exists in its Latin dress in an early MS. in the British Museum. It is evidently fabulous, but whether intended as a romance or as something to convey religious instruction it is hard to say. William de Percy, when he went out even for a single day, was in the habit of devoutly invoking St. Julian, and while he did so was always successful in what he undertook ; but at length a change came over him. One day when near his house at Topcliffe presumption got the better of him. He had had so long a run of good fortune that he could not believe in change, so determined not to call upon St. Julian any more. His chaplains protested, but it was useless. Before his cavalcade arrived at the house it and all the contents were burnt. After passing a comfortless night, he and his following went to Tadcaster, but with the like result. Then he journeyed to York, where a mighty wind wrecked the Percy dwellings. Nafferton was the next place visited ; here his wife was residing. Percy got there just in time to see her carried from the burning dwelling in a moribund state, with her new-born son by her side. To the retainers she had been a good and kind mistress, and was much beloved by all. The turning-point of the tale lies here. They were prostrated by this new affliction, and earnestly prayed to St. Julian for help. After another wretched night Sir William and his retinue crossed over the Humber into Lincolnshire. When they landed, they were met by the reeve of Immingham manor, who reported that, five weeks before, he had received letters under seal from his lord bidding him get together provisions for himself and his large retinue for forty days, so as to be ready to receive him the very day on which he actually arrived. Notary and chamberlain were asked if letters had been sent. Their answer was no. All marvelled at so great a miracle. Sir William was converted, and became once more a worshipper of St. Julian. A great festival took place, alike for the lord, his wife (who seems to have been once more in good health), and his infant son, as well as in

honour of St. Julian. Many neighbouring people were there, and the number of retainers was very large, all of whom shared in the feast ; but the food took full fifty days to consume.

BOOKSELLERS' CATALOGUES. JUNE. MR. BARNARD'S Manchester Series No. 3 contains works under Alpine. American items include a map of the Middle British Colonies in 1758, 4:1. 10s. Under Boccaccio is Bigg's trans- lation, 21. 15s. ; under Sacred Books of the East, those edited by Max Miiller ; and under Chatterton the Bowley poems, 1794, II. Ws. Other works are Payne Collier's ' Dramatic Poetry,' 3 vols., 1831, II. Is. 6d. ; Hutchinson's ' Cumberland,' 31. 3s. ; and Florio's ' Italian Dictionary,' 11. 17s. 6d. Under Huguenots is a volume containing 59 scarce pieces, Arrests du Conseil d'Estat, Declarations, &c., 1680-1780, 15Z. ; also another volume con- taining 21 similar pieces, 51. A detailed list will be sent on application to Mr. Barnard. Shelley items include first edition of ' The Masque of Anarchy,' 1832, 21. There is a curious work on tea by Thomas Short, in which its nature and properties " are explained by many new experi- ments," and its " various effects on different constitutions," 1730, 69. A good clean copy of Strutt's ' Dress and Habits of the People of Eng- land,' 2 vols., 4to, morocco, 1796-9, is 3Z. 15s.

Mr. B. H. Blackwell of Oxford devotes hi Catalogue CXXXII. to an interesting collection of European Philology, divided into sections General and Comparative, Anglo-Saxon, Gothic, Old, Middle, and New English, Dialects, German Language, Old and Middle High German Lite- rature, Boman Languages, Italian, Northern Languages and Literature, &c. Mr. Blackwell! has also some clean second-hand copies of the original series of the Early English Text Society.

Mr. James G. Commin's Exeter Catalogue 251 contains under America Stephens's ' Incidents of Travel,' 4 vols., half-calf, 1842-3, 21. 5s. Under Bartolozzi are Thomson's ' Seasons,' royal 4to,. 1797, 31. 15s. ; and twelve plates, oblong folio^ from drawings by Cipriani, 1787, 21. 5s. Under Blake is Blair's ' Grave,' 4to, full purple morocco,. Ackermann, 1813, 21. 10s ; and under Lady Hamilton is Behberg's 'Attitudes,' 4to, 1794*. 11. 15s. Other works are Linton's ' Sketches in Italy,' folio, 1832, 11. 5s. ; Milton, 3 vols, Picker- ing, 1845, 15s. ; The Portfolio, 12 vols. (vol. ii. wants title-page), 11. Is. ; and Scot's ' Witch- craft,' small 4to, 21. 10s. (offered with all faults). Swinburne first editions include ' Chastelard/ Moxon, 1868, 21. 5s. ; and ' Bothwell,' 1874, 11. 2s. Qd.

Mr. Ellis (Messrs. Holdsworth and Smith) has in Catalogue 125 rare and valuable books printed in the fifteenth century at Florence, Venice, and Cologne. There are also books printed in Eng- land, and books by English writers printed abroad, up to 1640. We note Bacon's ' Essays,' small 4to, morocco extra by Biviere, 1625, 211. ; also the. first complete edition of ' The Advancement of Learning,' 1640, 10Z. 10s. There is a fine tall copy of ' Batman uppon Bartholome, his Booke de Proprietatibus Berum,' morocco by Biviere, 1582, 21Z. Bayly's ' The Practice of Pietie,' 12mo, in fine contemporary binding, 1623, is 11. 15s. ; and the first edition in English of Bede's c History ofjthe Church of Englande,' 1565, with Stapleton's