Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 11.djvu/414

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NOTES AND QUERIES. en s. xi. MAY 22. wi&.

stockinner dead," framework-knitters being then found in every village. The short- handled shovel used in oven-work and for turning cakes baking on the " bak-ston " was known as a " cake-shrittle." I have one which was used by my mother, grand- mother, and great -grandmother. It is of oak, but still serviceable. The " covvrake " was also called " ass-rake," as it was used to " cow " the " asses " fallen out of the firegrate backward and forward over the grate of the " ass-hole " in the " hars-ston," and to riddle the finer ashes into the hole below, as well as to " cow " the " backin' " of '^sleck " at the back of the fireplace. The " wisket " was an oval shallow hand -basket, made of split withies interwoven, with a handle at each end a very useful thing for light-carrying. The " kmg-sittle " was a " squab " with a wooden back, no bed to it, but a hinged sloping framework on which to put a cushion for a headrest. This was usually put under the window or by the wooden screen just within the housedoor. The brewing vat was known as a " galliker " ; and to prevent the swallowing of dregs was to " sile through the teeth." " Sad ""bread was the result when the loaf did not rise when put in the oven after the dough had properly risen in the kneading-pancheon, the cause being " spent " or stale " barm." The net of a cap was called " a brink," and all loose coverings worn at the front were " brats." The kitchen beetle was a " black- cloek," and " clock " was? the name of nearly all other beetles. Tops were " dog- top?," and the spinning cord was " band." TITOS. BATCLIFFE. Southfield, Worksop.

CROMWELL'S IRONSIDES. (11 S. xi. 181, 257, 304, 342, 383.)

(c) S. R. GARDINER ON PRINCE RUPERT AND CROMWELL AT MARSTON MOOR.

S. R. GARDINER'S assertions about Crom- well's Ironsides may be usefully compared with a tale related by him about Prince Rupert sending a messenger to Cromwell before the battle of Marston Moor. The following passage occurs in Gardiner's ' Great Civil War,' vol. i. p. 376 (the italics are mine) :

" With a soldier's instinct Rupert had singled out Cromwell as the one soldier icorthy o/ his steel. ' Is Cromwell there ? ' he is reported to have asked of a prisoner. ' And will they fight ? ' continued Rupert, as soon as he was informed

of his presence. 'If they will, they shall have fighting enough.' Rupert bade the prisoner return to his own people to bear this message."

No quotation supports this passage, but Gardiner appends as his source the foot-note " The Parliament Scout, 5, 20."

Those familiar with the Thomason tracts will be aware that " 5, 20," should run " E. 5 (20)," and refers to tract 20 in volume E. 5 of the Thomason tracts at the British Museum. The unlucky reader who refers to this volume for the purpose of verifying Gardiner's assertions will ascertain that, instead of volume E. 5 containing twenty or more tracts, it contains but one, a book, and that a commentary on the Book of Job !

Previous to the end of the year 1908, when the ' Catalogue of the Thomason Tracts * was published, therefore, any one doubting the accuracy of Gardiner's statements and desiring to verify them would be left with the pleasing conviction that he would be entirely unable to do so, unless he undertook a search wearisome enough to have gained additional commendation for Job himself. I do not say that Gardiner made more than a mistake in giving a wrong press-mark, but wish to point out what the result of attempt- ing to correct him would have been, before the end of 1908.

Gardiner's foot-note should have been, "The Parliament Scout, No. 55, for 4-11 July, 1644." With this it would, even before 1908, have been possible to find the newsbook in question, without its true press- mark of E. 54 (20). The full passage in this newsbook, about Prince Rupert and Crom- well, is as follows :

" Prince Rupert having one of ours with him demanded who were in the Army. He answered, General Levin, my Lord Fairfax, Sir Thomas Fairfax. Said the Prince, ' Is Cromwell there ? r He answered he was. * And will they fight ? * said the Prince. ' If they will, they shall have fighting enough.' The soldier returned, told his discourse, and said to Lieutenant Generall Cromwell, ' he asked for you in particular, and said if we would fight we should have fighting enough.' ' And,' said Cromwell, ' if it please God so shall he.' "

It will be evident at once, (1) that it is rather more than doubtful whether the soldier in question was a prisoner, (2) that Rupert did not " single out Cromwell as the one foe worthy of his steel," and (3) that Gardiner's assertion that he "bade" a prisoner " return to his own people to bear this message" is quite unfounded. J. B. WILLIAMS.

(To be continued.)