Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 2.djvu/617

. ii. DEC. 24, 1904.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

609

a custom ever actually exist in

Story of Two Slum Children,' by Lady Henry Somerset, the two children amuse themselve in Regent's Park by turning cat in the whee on the soft green grass. Is this an acceptec variant of "Catherine wheel"? I do no remember having come across it before.

SHERBORNE.

STEALING NO CRIME. Boccaccio's ' De cameron,' Day x. Nov. iv., makes Messei Gentil Carisendi say to his friend :

" Io mi ricordo avere alcuna volta inteso, in Persia essere, secondo il mio judicio, una piacevole usanza : la quale e, che quando alcuno vuole somma mente onorare il suo amico, egli lo'nvita a casa sua e quivi gli mostra quella cosa, o moglie o arnica o nghvola o checche si sia, laquale egli a piii cara aftermando che se egli potesse, cosi come questo gli mostra, molto piu volentieri gli mosteria il cuor suo."

Did such Persia? >

Apparently somewhat allied to this is what we read in Kitamura's ' Kiyu Shdran,' c. 1800 (reprint Tokyo, 1882, torn. viii. fol. 4a), re- lating to the saturnalian usages that were current in the Far East in past ages :

" [Before the sixteenth century in Japan] people used, on the sixteenth oi the seventh moon, to practise the so-called unexpected en trance ( Tsutoiri). which was to enter halls and apartments quite unceremoniously in order to behold whatever they were desirous of seeing on ordinary days, such as wares of rarity, the daughters, daughters-in-law,

wives, mistresses, &c In the Tartar empire of

Jim (ended 1231) laws were extremely severe against larceny. But on the sixteenth of the first moon stealing was sanctioned to pass as joking ; and no punishment followed the then stealing of even wives, daughters, treasures, money, carriages, anc horses. Therefore everybody had to watch strictly on that day, but to let any thief go off with laughter would not disdain to carry off such trifles as
 * lading no special treasure to steal, the intruder

owner. The card is very highly glazed, with the name of the owner printed (from stone, apparently) in faded script. I found it amongst some papers which belonged to his granddaughter, and of which the last bore traces of having been written in the year 1834. The name and address on the card were "Mr. Gwynne, Gwern Vale House." It would be interesting to learn if armorial cards were at any time customary ; in fact, personally, I should be glad to know the approximate date of their introduction into England. Gwern Vale House is near Crickhowell, in Brecon- shire. M. G. McELLIGOTT.

" CURSALS." In the Daily Telegraph of 19 November is an account of an annual payment of ten shillings by the Tenby Cor- poration to the Crown for a " farm of cursals," defined to be "reeds growing in the sea belonging to St. Michael's." The sea is pre- sumed to be at St. Michael's, Pembroke, where
 * he Corporation holds property under the

>own. The payment has been made un- nterruptedly for centuries, though the privi- ege of cutting the reeds has long ceased to be exercised. What is the explanation of 'cursals"? H. P. L.

II. _ ---.7 v .-. wwu WL IJLI.V/O 01*3 c

wallet, a pick, or what not. Even ladies woulc f nte r other households without veiling, to instigate the handmaids and concubines to steal drinking vessels whilst their master was receiving guests in the front room. Afterwards, when the proper owner recognized the stolen objects, or the stealer himself exhibited them, the former would redeem them with the present of tea and a collation, or a Dug Lof wine], or cakes. Further, instances were not scarce of lovers carrying off girls with whom they had previously arranged so to do. Should the girl wish to remain in the carrier's house, she was

allowed to do as she chose During the Mongol

dynasty of Yuen (1280-1367) for the first three days of the year theft was publicly allowed, and the thieves were let go with laughter, even the stealers of wives and daughters remaining unpunished."

KUMAGUSU MlNAKATA. Mount Nachi, Kii, Japan.

ARMORIAL VISITING CARDS. A visiting card has come recently into my possession bearing the coat of arms with motto of the

OXENHAM EPITAPHS.

(10 th S. ii. 368, 411.)

I AM afraid this stone will not be traced beyond the lapidary's shop in Fleet Street. It is mentioned in a rare tract, a copy of which is in the British Museum and Bodleian Library, and entitled :

"A True Relation of An Apparition in the likenesse of a Bird with a white brest, that

appeared hovering over the Death-Beds of some of the children of Mr. James Oxenham, of Sale Monachorum, Devon, Gent. Confirmed by sundry witnesses as followeth in the ensuing Treatise. London : Printed by I. O. for Richard Clutterbuck, And are to be sold at the Sign of the Gun in Little Brittain neere S. Botolph's Church. 1641."

It gives an account of the deaths within a few days of each other, and preceded in each instance by the appearance of a white- breasted bird, in September, 1635, of John, Thomazine, Rebeccah, and Thpmazine Oxen- bam (the last being a child in its cradle) ; and also mentions that the apparition appeared over the death - bed of Grace, grandmother of the said John Oxenham, in 1618, and that the

'reverend Father of our Church hath given

Approbation for a monument to bee erected in the Church for the perpetuall memoriall of the fact, which was accordingly performed by the care and