Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 2.djvu/244

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [11 s. vm. SEPT. 20, 1913.

with marjoram ; and the myth of Amaracus has been thought to refer to this flower, which again points to its scent as a possible explanation of the passage under considera- tion. Is it possible that Shakespeare is reminded of some pomade used by his friend ? The suggestion may seem bathos, but Gerard says sweet marjoram was used in " all odoriferous ointments, waters, powders."

In an old book of receipts for cosmetics, &c. ('The Toilet of Flora,' London, 1779), I find two washes for the hair into which marjoram enters, probably for the sake of its scent only. One of them is for pro- moting the growth of the hair, the other for changing its colour. C. C. B.

ACEMANNESCEASTER (11 S. Vli. 446).

This name, differently spelt, is given in

" An Alphabetical List of the Latin Sir-Names, and Names of Places in England, as they are written in our old llecords, explained by the Modern Names,"

"An Index to the llecords .... To which is

added A List of the Latin Sir - Names &c.

London : Printed for G. Hawkins, 1739."

The name there appears as

Aquae Calidse, "I

Aquae Solis, >Bath in Somersetshire.

Akeman-Cester,J

ROBERT PIERPOINT.

"THE Six LORDS" (11 S. viii. 170). Possibly this inn-sign commemorates the six lords of Parliament Lord Kimbolton, Pym, Hampden, Hollis, Sir Arthur Hesil- rige, and Stroud whom Charles I. vainly endeavoured to arrest on 4 Jan., 1642.

John Hampden was, of course, M.P. for Buckinghamshire and Deputy-Lieutenant of his county. A. R. BAYLEY.

" AT SIXES AND SEVENS " (11 S. viii. 190). Admitting the possibility of this expres- sion having been originally " on five and six," there remains the question of why the change was made. Light may be thrown on it by the Provenal equivalent of the English " left at sixe and seven " ( ' N.E.D.,' c. 1583). The Proven9al says, " Ai leissa tout en des-e-vuc " " I have left everything at eighteen" (in ten and eight). Mistral's ' Trcsor ' explains this expression by the cabalistic idea that eighteen was an un- lucky number. May it not be that " six and seven " making the unlucky number thirteen, this caused the change in the English expression ? A contrary expression in Proyen9al is " Estre sus soun trento-un "

= to be in "full fig," to go about with a very satisfied air. If I mistake not, 31 was a lucky number in ancient Rome, while 30 was unlucky. EDWARD NICHOLSON.

Cros de Cannes, near Nice

SEVER OF MERTON (11 S. viii. 181). I have not Hutchinson's or Surtees's * History of Durham,' or the 'D.N.B.,' here to refer to, but according to ' The Diocesan History of Durham ' (S.P.C.K.,p. 204) William Sever, Sinews, or Senhouse, Bishop of Carlisle, who was translated to Durham in 1502, had been Warden, of Merton, Chancellor of the Uni- versity of Oxford, Provost of Eton, and Ab- bot of St. Mary's at York. It is remarkable that he should have held three of the great offices that had been held by Henry Sever. The plates of episcopal seals in Surtees's the same arms. He may have been a nephew, or possibly a younger brother of Henry. J. T. F.
 * History ' perhaps show whether he used

Although there may be no persons of the name of Sever now living in Reading, there are several called Silver, which I believe is a corruption of the original Sever or Sievier.

The old family of Sievier gave its name to a street in Reading ; it was formerly called Sievier Street, and now is Silver Street.

Robert William Sievier, 1794-1865, was a clever sculptor and engraver.

CONSTANCE RUSSELL.

Swallowfield Park, Reading.

THE ANTECEDENTS OF JOB CHARNOCK (11 S. vii. 389, 472, 500). G. H. F. of the Bedfordshire Historical Record Society kindly sends me the following information, with his permission to send it on to you. Writing from the Old House, Aspley Guise, he says :

" We have Charnockes a plenty in the next parish from about 1487 to 1799 ; and the Char- nocke-Smiths, their representatives, still hold Holcote (wrongly Hulcote), their little manor. They certainly adhered to the old religion : Sir Robert Charnocke (there was a baronetcy) occurs in Subsidy Roll of this (Aspley Guise) parish in 1627-8 as ' miles recusans ' (L.S.R. 72/269). There was generally a 'Robert ' in the family, but I fail to trace any ' Job ' : on the other hand, I have record of few but eldest sons and heirs. The founder was a cadet of the Lancashire Charnockes . . . . ' Job ' does not sound likely for the Charnockes of Holcote ; they did not run to such Biblical names. They mostly took heiresses' surnames for the eldest son ' St. John,' ' Villiers,' ' Pynsent,' ' Boteler ' and their descendants keep them."

WfLMOT C'ORFIELD.