Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 2.djvu/175

 ii s. VIIL AUG. 30, 1913.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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LETTERS OF GOVERNOR JOHN WINTHROP. The Massachusetts Historical Society has in preparation, under the supervision of its editor, Mr. Worthington C. Ford, a definitive edition of Governor Winthrop's ' Journal.' It is known that certain letters written by Winthrop were in existence in England, in the hands of the Carew family, up to a comparatively recent date, but have now disappeared. Mr. Charles Francis Adams, President of the Society, and Mr. Ford are now in England searching for the missing letters, which, it is natural to ^uppose, may be in the neighbourhood of Groton, co. Suffolk. Will not English scholars who need not be reminded of what inestimable value to the historians of New England would be the recovery of these letters join in the search ? It is earnestly hoped that any one having knowledge of the actual or possible whereabouts of the letters will immediately communicate with either Mr. Adams or Mr. Ford, whose address while in England will be care of B. F. Stevens & Brown, 4, Trafalgar Square, London, W.C. ALBERT MATTHEWS.

Boston, U.S.

" BUDS OF MARJORAM." In Sonnet XCIX. Shakespeare says to his friend :

And buds of marjoram had stol'n thy hair. Does this refer to the colour of the hair or to its scent ?

The author of the article on Shakespeare in ' The Encyclopaedia Britannica ' thinks the former : " His hair was auburn like marjoram buds." But are they not rather purple ? I understand that these buds are dried and used as an aromatic herb in cookery, or as a potpourri. If the line refers to colour, it seems to give the only clear indication in the book of Mr. " W. H.'s " personal appearance, for though he is often called " fair," the word can always bear the general meaning of " beautiful," and does not necessarily imply that he was blond in complexion. W. B. BROWN.

MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN MURRAY. I should much like to be placed in communication with the representatives of Major-General John Murray, who commanded the 100th Regiment in Canada in 1813. He was the son of Walter Murray of St. James, Jamaica. He had served in the 37th, 4th, and 39th Regiments before he joined the 100th as lieutenant-colonel.

He died at Brighton (leaving an only daughter), shortly after 1815, I think.

DAVID Ross McCoRD, K.C.

Temple Grove, Montreal.

SOURCE OF QUOTATIONS WANTED. Will any reader be so good as to assist me with references to the following quotations, which occur in an essay on Plagiarism appended to the ' Oxford Ars Poetica ' ?

1. "A favourite theme of laborious dulness," says Sir Walter Scott, " is the tracing of resem- blances in different writers," &c.

2. " Qui fatetur per quern profecerit, reddit mutuum ; qui non fatetur, Fur est."

WM. E. BROWNING.

" CERNE." I should like to know the significance of this in the name of a place e.g., Cerne Abbas in Dorset, Draycot Cerne near Chippenham. Mr. Flavell Edmunds in ' Traces of History in the Names of Places,' new edition, 1872, says : " From ciern, a churn, indicating a place where cheese - making is carried on." But this is not very satisfactory, a churn applying to butter rather than to cheese -making.

WM. H. PEET.

WEDDINGS FIELD, HARBORNE. In his ' Harborne "Once upon, a Time " ' Mr. Tom Presterne suggests that the name of Weddings Field was formerly Wodensfelt. Is this likely ? H. K. H.

GIFFARD OR GYFFARD OF BURES (NOW BOWERS GIFFORD). The parish of Bowers Gifford in Essex takes its distinctive suffix from the family of Gyffard, who held the greater part of the parish from 1250 (about) until 1348. The first on record is William Gyffard, who inherited the property by his marriage with Gundreda, sister and heiress of Hugh Bigod. Can any reader of ' N. & Q.' tell me who this William was ? The late General the Hon. G. Wrottesley believed him to be a descendant of the Brimsfield barons, but apparently could not trace the descent. Sir John, the last of the name in the parish, died 1348. During his lifetime there are frequent references in the Patent Rolls to another John Gyffard of Bures, who was exempted from knight- hood, and died about 1351. I shall be glad of any information respecting this latter. He was not a son of Sir John, who died without issue.

BURES. There are two or three parishes called by this name in Essex and Suffolk e.g., Bures St. Mary, Bures ad Montem, and Bures (now Bowers) Gifford. The last is called in the Domesday record " Bura." Can any one give the origin and correct meaning of the name ?

A. HARRISON, Rector.

Bowers Gifford.