Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 1.djvu/493

 n s. i. JUNE is, i9io.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

485

Tower. Some years ago the parishioners were successful in their appeal for the return of the colours, and the Rev. St. Vincent Beechey (then Rector of Newton Heath) and other trustees undertook their safe custody."

FREDERICK LAWRENCE TAVARE. 27, Shepley Street, Longsight, Manchester.

DEVONSHIRE MARRIAGE CUSTOM. The following appeared in April last in The Daily Telegraph in connexion with a trial at Hull :

" A seafaring man, who is alleged to have been wed at least half a dozen tunes, was charged with marrying Sarah Stubbins, a tobacconist's assistant at Hull, when, it was alleged, he knew that his wife, Annie Melbourne, whom he married at St. Paul's Church, Hammersmith, in August last, was alive. The following extraordinary docu- ment, dated December last, was read in court :

" ' To all whom it may concern. This is to certify that I, John Carmichael, only son of the late John Carmichael, yacht builder, of Torquay, in the county of Devon, do take as my wife Miss Susie Stubbins, the said Susie Stubbins having taken oath in accordance with the customs of Devon, and I now solemnly declare before God and man the aforesaid Susie Stubbins to be my lawful wife, and from this date to be acknowledged by all this may concern, and to receive all my personal property or any goods or chattels that may be mine in the event of death, which God prevent. (signed) ' JOHN CARMICHAEL.'

" A large seal was attached to the document."

It places on record ' ' the customs of Devon ? - as still in existence in 1910. R. B.

Upton.

" ONION

ITS PRONUNCIATION. 1

recently came across a curiosity at Somerset House while searching a calendar. In May, 1675, administration was granted to the estate of Henry Inyon, alias Onyon, alias Vnyon. These three ways of calling the vegetable are still heard.

A. RHODES.

BARNSTAPLE CHURCH : ANCIENT CHASUBLE RESTORED. The following extract from The Devon and Exeter Daily Gazette of 2 June will, I have no doubt, prove interesting to many readers of ' N. & Q. J :

" Since the restoration to Barnstaple Parish Church of the old and beautiful chasuble which was used in the church 348 years ago has become more generally known, interest has been excited in all parts of England, and influential Churchmen state that the ' find ' is the most important one for the past 100 years. Mr. Sydney Harper, of Barnstaple, to whom belongs the credit of origin- ally moving in the matter, has had an enlarged photograph of the chasuble taken, and, after being picked out in colours by Miss Boyle, mounted and framed. Mr. Harper yesterday personally presented the photograph of Mrs. Peard, of Braunton, in acknowledgment of her gracious gift of the chasuble to Barnstaple Parish

Church. In 1562 a Mr. John Peard and Mr. Nicholas Whichalsea (the latter being the Mayor at the time) were churchwardens, and the chasuble has been In the Peard family ever since. The fact that it was used in the church is confirmed by the inclusion of it in the original inventoryr at the present time at the Barnstaple Athenaeum. The restoration and gift of the chasuble to the church w r as a kind and voluntary act on the part of Mrs. Peard, who deserves the thanks of Barn- staple Church -people for her consideration."

W. G. WILLIS WATSON. 19, Park Road, Exeter.

PETERHOUSE DINNERS IN THE EIGH- TEENTH CENTURY. The following extracts from an article in The Athenaeum of 27 Jan.,, 1906, on the subject of 'Thomas Gray in Peterhouse, 3 may perhaps be admitted to< these columns :

On Christmas Day, 1755, Gray sat down to- dinner in Peterhouse together with six Fellows and five Fellow Commoners. Their menu and the cost of the provision stand thus :

s. d.

Hott Salmon & Lobster Sauce 11 Potates and Sallad. . 016

LoineBeef .. .. 096

Wildfowl .. .. 076

Mince Pies .. .. 036

Host Turkey & forstmeat 060

1 19

Pane. Potu. Poc. Gr. ..

8. d.

6

3

1 5

2 2

The last entries represent bread, beer, and " Grace Cup." This might pass for something more modern. But what of the following Candlemas dinner Gray's last Peterhouse feast when the poet fed with seven Fellows and four Fellow Commoners in company, including the graceless Forester and Williams ?

s. d. Pikes and Eyls 14 6

Bound Beef Greens & Brokly Lemmon Pud ing Hasht Calfs Head Wild Fowl Mince Pies Lobsters Sweet Breads Turkey

11 S 016 030 050 060 040 056 069 056

335

Pane. Potu. Poc. Gr. .

s. d. ..16 ..09 .. 5 10

8 1 WILLIAM MCMURRAY.