Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 4.djvu/301

 iff* s. iv. SEPT. 23, IMS.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 247 of Friends can also be picked out by the fact that they did not start them with the usual invocation, " In the name of God, amen." QERAtD FOTHERGILL. 11, Brussels Road, New Wandsworth, 8.W. FARM HELD FOR THREE AND A HALF CEN- TURIES. — The following extract from the Daily Mail (overseas edition), 23 June, seems worthy of a place in ' N. & Q.':— "A Link with the Past.—The recent death of Mr. Benjamin Slade, of Aston Upthorpe, Berks, father of the Mayor of Wallingford, has brought to fight the fact that the farm he had occupied for fifty-five years had been handed down in unbroken succession from father to son ever since 1553, when the lease was renewed by the monks of Cirencester. This lease is in possession of the family." It would be interesting to know of other instances of the kind. F. S. SNELL. Cape Colony. [Many instances of long leases are supplied at 9"1 S. xii. 25, 13i, 193, 234, 449; but the tenure of the property by one family was not touched on.] "CHRIST'S HOSPITAL."—Two contributors at 10th S. iii. 430-1, under the heading 'The "Old Bell" Inn, Holborn Hill,' write as above. This would appear to be wrong. In 'The Autobiography of Leigh Hunt' (Smith, Elder & Co., 1861), p. 52, occurs "Christ Hospital (for this is its proper name, and not Christ's Hospital)." Naturally, Christ Hos- pital is the form used by Leigh Hunt throughout. DUH AH Coo. Hongkew. Qiurit*. WE must request correspondents desiring in- formation on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that answers may be sent to them direct. PORTRAIT OF THE YOUNGER RICH.—At the dispersal of the effects of the "Sublime Society of Beef Steaks" at Christie's in 1869 an engraved portrait of Rich the founder, in his dress as a harlequin, was sold for Zl. 4s. I am writing a history of Covent Garden Theatre, built by Rich, and shall be very glad if any one can tell me where a copy o; this print can be seen. I have tried the British Museum Print Collection without success. I have also tried in many other •directions, but all to no purpose. I shal esteem it a very great favour it you can help tee through the medium of your valuabl publication. H. SAXE WYNDHAM. The Guildhall School of Music, B.C. RBV. JOHN DURANT.—I am interested in and collecting materials for, a history o Congregationalism in Kent, and shall be glad of particulars concerning the Rev. John )urant who was minister of the Independent Church at Canterbury from 1645 till 1679- Granger's ' Biographical History of England tates that he was born about 1620, ordained probably at Cambridge, and died about 1686 or 1687. I have seen three of his published works, but none of these contains a memoir •r any biographical facts. Any information or reference to sources from which it may bo gathered will be welcome, and if any of your readers have a portrait of him I shall be pleased to secure one. J. WATKINSON. The Quinta, Herne Bay. CORISANDE.—Can any one tell me the derivation of Corisande? It is occasionally used for a Christian name, and it appears, I jelieve, in Lord Beaconsfield's ' Lothair. If t is used by other writers, please name them. J * I./. POZZLE PICTURES. — Where can I obtain such suitable for children1! T. W. [At any Sunday-school or educational repository or large toyshop.] EARTHQUAKE IN CALABRIA. — Now that there has been an earthquake in Calabria can any one tell me the author of the follow- ing lines?— As Dutchmen hear of earthquakes in Calabria, And never stop to cry, " Alack-a-day!' M. FEW. DOWRIES FOR UGLY WOMEN.—I am very anxious to trace a passage I once read, but cannot find now, viz., that women were put up by auction to the highest bidder, and the result of the bids was disposed of as dowries for the uglier and older women, in order that they might get married. I hope some reader of ' N. & Q.' will come to my assistance. JONN. KING. 304, Essex Road, N. KIT'S COTY HOUSE.—This curious name of the well-known cromlech near Aylesford, Kent, may be of early British or Celtic origin. In the 'History and Antiquities of St. David s (Jones & Freeman, 1856) it is said that Ci/ttiau'r Gwyddelod means "huts of the Gael." In the Welsh language c is always hard. In modern Welsh cut means " a hovel, shed, or hut"; and cotty means a "cot or cottage." The word home is, of course, Anglo- Saxon (Aiw) and conveys the same idea. Has any other and more likely origin of the old and popular name ever been suggested or accepted? W. R. HOLLAND. [For the origin of the name see the discussion at 5'"S.ix. 427; x. 49,133,289.]