Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 4.djvu/440

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NOTES AND Q UERIES. in s. iv. NOV. 25, 1911.

Bishops,' edited by W. J. H., 1830; 'The Character of Miriam,' London, 1844 ; ' The Crucifixion,' London, 1841 (both the above are single sermons) ; ' The Doctrine of Purgatory and the Practice of Praying for the Dead as Maintained by the Romish Church Examined,' London, 1843 ; ' Many Mansions ' (sermon), London, 1849 ; ' Popery or Mystical Jericho ' (sermon), London, 1840 ; and ' Prayers for the Use of Families, to which are added others for Private Devotion,' London, 1847. The history of the evolution of Hall's period of Church of England hymnody is given in Julian's ' Dictionary of Hymnology,' pp. 334-8, and Hall's position as a compiler is dealt with on p. 336 of the same work.

The Rev. William John Hall, Rector of St. Clement, Easttheap, was a son of the above, b. 17 March, 1830, son of William J. and Anne ; entered Merchant Taylors' School February, 1838; Trin. Coll., Camb., B.A. 1853, M.A. 1857 ; P.C. Holy Trinity, Tottenham, 1862 ; Rector of Eastcheap, 1865.

Authorities : Robinson (Charles John), ' A Register of Scholars admitted in to Merchant Taylors' School,' 2 vols., Lewes, 1882-3; J. D. Brown, 'Dictionary of Musicians,' 1886 ; Julian's ' Hymnology,' passim (Julian appears to have used what he calls " Hall's MSS." in compiling his book) ; Boase's ' Modern Biography ' ; and Reading Observer, 21 July and 28 July, 1888. A. L. HUMPHREYS.

187, Piccadilly, W.

The Rev. W. J. Hall's ' Psalms and Hymns -adapted to the Services of the Church of England,' known as the ' Mitre Hymn- book,' was published in 1836, and went through many editions. Mr. Hall was a Minor Canon of St. Paul's, and held other posts. He died in 1861. There is an account of him in Boase's ' Mod. Engi. Biog.' ; see also Crockford's ' Clerical Direc- tory,' 1860, Miller's ' Singers and Songs,' ed. 2, 1869, p. xi. and Cansick's 'Epitaphs of Middlesex,' 1875, iii. 61. W. C. B.

" CYTEL " IN ANGLO-SAXON NAMES (US. iv. 187, 233). MB. RAVENSHAW says his surname is derived from Ravenchil in Domesday Book. So is the surname of Rawson, which became first Ravenson, then Rawson. This family is mentioned in the Domesday Book as holding three carucates of land in Shipley (Yorks) and other properties in Yorkshire in 1086, and it had been located in the valley of the Aire

long before the Norman Conquest. The crest is a raven's head, and the conversion from Ravenchil (child of the Raven) to Ravenson is very obvious. RAVEN.

I trust MB. RAVENSHAW' s endeavour to de- rive the patronymic Churchill from Thurchil (Thurcytel) will be successful. A far more unlikely change is noted by Canon Bardsley, namely, Anketil into Arkell or Archill, the name of a prominent thegn in North- umberland who took part in the revolt of 1068 against William I. Bardsley also cites Grinketel, which became Grinkle. Cytel as a surname developed into the modern Chettle, though Kettle is also to be met with,

PBOF. SKEAT'S remarks on the formation of quasi-surnames in Anglo-Saxon times are most original and illuminating.

N. W. HILL.

New York.

' KNIGHT OF THE BTJBNING PESTLE ' : "FS. = 3s. 2cT' (11 S. iv. 348). The only difficulty is in supposing that the custom of denoting numbers by letters is so old as the date of this play. It is common enough now. Take any word or words that consist of ten letters, all different ; they need not make sense. Take, for example, the words " as friendly." Now let a denote 1, s denote 2, and so on, using y for 0. Then it is obvious that fs means 3s. 2d.

WALTEB W. SKEAT. [MR. RICHARD WELFORD also thanked for reply.]

VANISHING LONDON -. PBOPBIETABY CHAPELS (US. ii. 202, 254, 293, 334 ; iii. 149, 193, 258). Readers of ' N. & Q.' may be interested to know that Grosvenor Chapel a chapel of ease to St. George's, Hanover Square in South Audley Street has recently been thoroughly done up, the brickwork painted, spire repaired, and vane regilt. One scarcely recognizes the old edifice in its present spick-and-span condition.

CECIL CLABKE.

Junior Athenaeum Club.

TOUCHING A COBPSE (11 S. iv. 48, 95, 178). Within the memory of my informant, there was an old custom in this place, which is an interesting variation of the cases cited by your correspondents. Children used to be taken to kiss the body of a dead person so that they should not dream about him. The practice named seems to have prevailed here at least till 1855, and probably later.

F. S. SNELL.

Hendon, N.W.