Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 4.djvu/15

 iv. JULY 1,1905.] NOTES AND QUERIES. "The upper part of this [Cordwainer] street towards Cheap was called Hosier Lane, of hosiers dwelling there in place of shoemakers; but now those hosiers being worn out by men of other trades, <w the homer* had worn niit the shoemakers, the same is called Bow Lane, of Bow Church." In another place he says :— " The hosiers, of old time in Hosier Lane, near unto Smithfielcl, are since removed into Cordwainer Street, the upper part thereof by Bow Church, and last of all into Birchoveries Lane by Cornhill. ihe shoemakers and curriers of Cordwainer Street removed, the one to St. Martin's le Grand, the other to London Wall, near unto Moorgate." The Cordwainers' or Shoemakers'Hall was, however, " in Distar Lane, on the north side thereof," in Bread Street Ward. It has been shown in 'Life-Records of Chaucer' that the name was really that of a French trade; but it does not of course follow that the Chaucers worked as shoe- makers after they came to England, although they at first resided among the cordwainers. R. E. G. KIRK. 27, Chancery Lane. His MAJESTY AND THE MOTOR-CAR.—It has been generally known that the King, since his accession to the throne, has used the motor-car frequently as a ready means of communication between London and Wind- sor, but record of the fact in the officially issued Court Circular assuredly is wortli noting. It is as follows :— "Windsor Castle, June 11. " Their Majesties the King and Queen, accom- panied by her Royal Highness the Princess V ictona. and attended by Colonel the Hon. H. C. Legge and Major F. Ponsonby, arrived by motor-car at the Royal Gardens this afternoon, where tea was served. Their Majesties afterwards proceeded to the Castle. I do not know if this is the earliest such record, but, in any case, it will be of some interest to the future historian of auto- mobilism in this country. A. F. R. FORTY DAYS' PERIODICITY.—In a tract en- titled ' The Forest of Dean,' by the late John Bellows, of Gloucester, published at Worcester, Mass., in 1900, there is a long explanation of why the Verderers' Court in the Forest of Dean invariably meets every forty days at noon. It is the case that by the earliest Forest charters Swatnmote was held three times a year,and theCourt of the Speech every forty days; and this was mere repetition, confirming what had always been. Bellows explains that the British year was one of 360 days, divided by what were really eight- day weeks, though called nine days. Swain- mote, held three times a year, and the Court of the Speech, nine times a year, became natural divisions. It is, however, difficult to see how "old May Day " could have been, as Bellows thought, the opening of the British year of 360 days, and yet remain constant to one date. , Bellows is always interesting, but never accurate. In this lecture, for example, he described "the Verderer" as being the chief Government official, although he gives in one place a list of the living Verderers. They are, in fact, elected by the freeholders of the county, and while they protect the Vert against encroachment, they also protect the rights of the public against the Crown— of which they are wholly independent. Another questionable statement by Bel- lows derives the title Gaveller, the chief mining official of the Forest-who is now merged in the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, but whose deputy presides over the Court of Mines —from some un- known Celtic word. Any student of old French knows that similar officials were so called in France, and that the name sur- vives in connexion with La Gabelle—formerly every tax or rent due to the Crown, though latterly the salt tax only—in the Provencal term Lou Gabelou = the tax-gatherer. The words are Latin—the ' N.E D.' says from a Teutonic source. "• DILLIANA. (See 10th S. iii. 459.) —The Christian name Dilliana is of Dutch origin. Henry van Cruyskercken, of Limerick (will dated 27 February, 1727, proved 25 March, 1728), left two daughters: Dilliana, wife of Henry Brady, and Jacoba Susanna, who married Thomas Beevin. The Molonys of Cragg, co. Clare, are descended from Mrs. Brady, and the Bevans of Camus, co. Limerick, from Mrs. Beevin. The name occurs in both families, though it appears to have died out amongst the Bradys of Myshall, co. Carlow. I do not know if it is still current in Holland. ALFRED MOLONY. 'ADVENTURES IN BORNEO.'— The writer of this octavo volume of 269 pp., published anonymously by Colburn in 1840, has not hitherto been identified. The author s secret was kept at least until the following letter passed from the possession of F. Shoberl, to whom it was addressed. Subsequent owners did not evidently think the contents of sufficient interest to be made public ; so it is here given for the first time ;— . . DEAR MR. SiiOBEKL,-It may save time for both of us if I write what I have to say. I have a little book to sell (240 pp. 8vo), which I had intended for a graver kind of gift-book—so many people disliking the facetious tone of the Christmas annuals, it n