Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 12.djvu/42

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [11 s. xn. JULY 10, 1915

Or, a chief indented az.; 2 and 3, Gu.. three covered cups or, which correspond to four of the quarterings on the shield of arms he is anxious to identify. The Marquis of Ormonde quarters these arms on his shield as a descendant of Theobald Walter, viz., 1 for Walter and 2 for Butler. Is P. M. correct in his blazoning of the arms impaled by 2 and 3 on the shield he mentions, viz., Argent, a lion passant gules (?) over two crescents of the last ? The nearest approach to them recorded by Papworth is " Argent, a lion passant between three crescents gules,' ' which are the arms of the Irish family of Dillon. A marriage at some time between members of the families of Butler and Dillon is highly probable, and a descendant may have possibly been owner of the shield of arms which P. M. wishes to identify.

CROSS-CROSSLET.

CORPUS CHRISTI IN ENGLAND : POST- REFORMATION (11 S. xi. 430, 496). Brand, in ' Popular Antiquities ' (Ellis's edition, 1813, vol. i. p. 235), cites Pennant's MS. to the effect that

" in North Wales, at Llanasaph, there is a custom of strewing green herbs and flowers at the doors of houses on Corpus Christi Eve."

Fosbroke, in his ' Encyclopedia of Anti- quities ' (1843, vol. ii. p. 656), states that this festival was first instituted by Urban IV., and was remarkable for the performance of a play which lasted eight days and treated on every subject from the Creation. The Coventry play was particularly famous. Numerous pageants were also arranged, each one of which consisted of a detached subject from the Scripture, beginning with the Creation, and ending with the Last Judgment. He says that these pageants were not abolished until the reign of James I. He also refers to Brand.

Chambers, in his well-known * Book of Days' (1864, vol. i. p. 686), describes the Catholic festival, and states that the mystery or miracle plays which formed a part of the celebration

"in some districts of this island long survived the Reformation, the Protestant clergy vainly endea- vouring to extinguish what was riot merely religion, but amusement."

Chambers, though he gives no authority for this account, clearly derives it from Barnabe Googe's translation of Thomas Naogeorgus's ' The Popish Kingdome, written in Latin verse, printed in London in 1570, and dedicated to Queen Elizabeth, which gives, in " the fourth Booke," fol. 53b, a striking picture of the customs

and amusements appertaining to this day. [t has been described as " a fierce denuncia- tion of the Roman branch of the Church Catholic in its period."

Hone, in his ' Every-Day Book,' vol. i. p. 375 (my edition is Tegg's, 1866). says that

' this grand festival of the Romish church is held on the Thursday next after Trinity Sunday, in which order it also stands in the Church of Enc-

and calendar, and in the English almanacs. It celebrates the doctrine of transubstantiation." And citing Brand (supra) he adds : " This is the usage still." And in vol. ii. p. 348 he states that

"on Corpus Christi Day, at about a quarter before one o'clock at noon, the worshipful company of skinners (attended by a number of boys which they have in Christ's Hospital school, and girls strewing herbs before them) walk in procession from their hall on Dowgate-hill to the church of St. Antholin's, in Watling Street, to hear service. This custom has been observed time out of mind.* This notice is communicated by one of the company."

Both Brand and Hone refer at some length to ' The Popish Kingdome ' of Naogeorgus as " englyshed " by Barnabe Googe, and cite many of his lines.

This work was reprinted in black-letter facsimile by Charles Whittingham at the Chiswick Press in 1880, and dedicated by its editor (Mr. R. C. Hope of St. Peter's Coll., Camb.) to the founder and first editor of our own ' N. & Q.' the late W. J. Thorns. As a subscriber to that reissue I still have my copy.

I am afraid that these notes may be too general for what MR. BTJXTON wants more particularly as to what customs and cere- monies still survive in England. In all probability, however, your correspondent will find something more to suit him what time the contemplated new and enlarged edition of the Calendar Customs and Super- stitions in Brand is issued. This is now en- gaging the attention of, and materials are being collected for it by, the Brand Com- mittee of the Folk-Lore Society, under the capable editorship of Miss Charlotte S. Burne.

I may say that references to ' The Popish Kingdome ' have occurred from time to time in ' N. & Q.'

J. S. UDAL, F.S.A.

In a book called

" The Psalter or Psalmes of David after the Trans- lation of the Great Bible, pointed as it shall be said or sung in Churches. With the Morning and Even- ing Prayer, and certaine additions of Collects, and other the ordinary Service. Gathered out of the

being within his knowledge.
 * This is probably what MR. BUXTON refers to as