Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 5.djvu/97

 11 8. V. JAN. 27, 1912.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

11

whence it is assumed that the Conqueror took them into his Curia Regis, and left them to his successors as a permanent part of his Council. In time they followed the peers into the Upper House.

A bishop, however, sat in the Witenagemot as a lord of the Church, and the view that a bishop is summoned to Parliament more as an ecclesiastical lord than a baron is maintained to this day, chiefly on the evidence supplied by the fact that in the early days of our Parliament, if a see was vacant, the guardian of the spiritualities was called to take the place of the bishop. More- over, Gibson points out in his ' Codex ' that a bishop as soon as confirmed may have his writ of summons, although he has not clone homage for his temporalities. Bishop War- burton of Gloucester in his ' Alliance between Church and State ' strongly main- tains their right to be called to Parliament as ecclesiastical dignitaries. From which, by no great stretching of the argument, it follows that all bishops are entitled by the dignity episcopal to a title distinguishing them from the commoners.

If this were followed out, it would be argued that all bishops of every Church are to be " lorded," and this is found to be true, as Sir Walter Phillimore points out.

Suffragan bishops were appointed at a very early date, and, though not entitled to their " Dominus " as barons, were always referred to by the King as " Dominus Episcopus." Their position, however, was a slightly higher one on most occasions than at present, as they often were appointed to administer a diocese on behalf of a bishop sent abroad on diplomatic negotiations.

The Bishop of Sodor and Man has time out of mind been " my Lord," though never a Lord of Parliament.

Many Colonial bishops appointed by patent a method of appointment now in abeyance had the title preserved to them in their patents. About a retired bishop's claim to it there may be some doubt. The title evidently appertains to the man himself on account of the functions deputed to him when consecrated ; but, as a bishop not holding the spiritualities of a see, his dignity might conceivably be decreased so that he could hold the title only as by courtesy.

C. H. R. PEACH.

SIGNS OP OLD LONDON (11 S. v. 4). It may be questioned whether Symond's Inn, Chancery Lane, is appropriately included in the list given by MB. McMuBRAY at the above reference. Symond's Inn was well

known down to 1873, when it was demolished, and the large pile of buildings numbered 22, Chancery Lane, erected on its site. The Inn was entered by an archway for pedes- trians only (as Serjeants' Inn was until a few months ago) between two law stationers' shops, and consisted of a qiiadrangle sur- rounded by houses let out in suites of offices to solicitors and other limbs of the law. There was no indication of " Symond's " ever having been the sign of a victualler's inn or of any other tradesman's premises.

A. T. W.

HALFACBEE SURNAME (11 S. iii. 467 ; iv. 134, 179). The suggestion made at the last reference that the name Halfacre arose from a foundling being picked up on a piece of land called a half-acre is a mere gues's ; so, too, is Canon Bardsley's attempt to associate it with Halnaker or Halfnaked. The earliest citation he gives is from the year 1801, and the name is undoubtedly quite ancient. It is a corrupt spelling, I feel pretty sure, of the A.-S. Jiafecere, one who flies hawks, a falconer ; and is therefore a doublet of Hawker. The earliest instance in the ' N.E.D.' is from 975 : " We laaracS ]?aet preost ne beo hunta, ne hafecere." ("We forbid that a priest be a hunter, or hawker.") In the same manner Kettle and Chettle descend from A.-S. cytel, as was lately shown in these columns.

N. W. HILL.

New York.

PBIME SERJEANT (11 S. iv. 470, 516). MB. HOBNEB quotes from Duhigg that the Third Serjeant-at-Law in Ireland was a new office created in 1726. This is not quite accurate. The first person appointed Third Serjeant was John Lyndon, the date of whose patent was dated 5 Sept., 1682. The post was held by him and several successors until August, 1716, when John Witherington was promoted from Third to Second Serjeant, and no one was appointed to fill the vacancy thus created until March, 1726, when Robert Jocelyn received a patent as Third Serjeant. ALFBED B. BEAVEN.

Leamington.

SIB WILLIAM DAVENANT'S ' ENTEBTAIN- MENT AT RUTLAND HOUSE' (11 S. v. 8). In connexion with this ' Entertainment,' I have the reference ' Calendar of State Papers, Domestic,' 128. A good many years have passed since I noted it, but if I remem- ber rightly, the particulars of the attendance are stated there. The date was 23 May, 1656. H. DAVEY.