Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 6.djvu/262

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [11 & vi. SKPT. 14, 1912.

both are perfumes. The former is a paste ; the latter consists of dry petals, powders, and spices. C. C. B.

According to the 'N.E.D.,' " pomander " is now historical. ' The Diet, of Practical Receipts,' 1851, by G. W. Francis, F.L.S., gives :

" Pomambra, or Sweet Balls. 1. Florentine iris root 1J oz., cinnamon J oz., cloves, rosewood, and lavender flowers of each 2 drachms, amber- gris and musk of each 3 grains ; mucilage of gum tragacanth made with rose-water enough to make the rest into a paste. It is worn in the pocket as a perfume. 2. Plaster of Paris 2 oz., sandal-wood, root of the round Cyprus, cloves each 2 drachms, benzoin, styrax and calomus aromaticus each J oz., ivory black 1J oz., civette and musk each scruple, Peruvian balsam 2 drachms, oil of cinnamon 5 drops, oil of rose- wood 15 drops, essence of jasmine 1 drachm, essence of neroli 1 scruple ; mix up into paste with mucilage of gum tragacanth, made with rose-water. These are made up into beads, pierced while wet with a large needle, strung as a necklace, and dried."

TOM JONES.

A pomander recently examined by me retained two of the original slides, or covers, of its sections ; on one was engraved NEGELK : B., on the other VIKEB : B.

I have always understood that spices, violent perfumes, or substances steeped in aromatic vinegar were the usual in- gredients, but Mr. Drane of Cardiff is possibly the best authority on that point. An illustrated article on his collection appeared in The Connoisseur for last March.

AITCHO.

Old receipts for a pomander are given with their references in Halliwell's ' Dic- tionary of Archaic and Provincial Words,' 1847, and in Halliwell and Wright's new edition of Nares's 'Glossary,' 1872. The former says :

" A kind of perfume, generally made in the form of a ball, and worn about the person. Some- times the case for holding pomanders was so termed. Receipts for making this perfume differ considerably from each other."

To the receipts given in these two dic- tionaries may be added one which appears in ' The Queen-like Closet ; or, Rich Cabinet, Stored with all manner of Rare Receipts,' by Hannah Woolley, 5th ed., 1684, 2nd part, p. 180 :

"124. To make a fine Pomander. Take two ounces of Laudanum, of Benjamin and Storax one ounce, Musk six grains, as much of Civet, as much of Ambergreece, of Calamus Aromaticusi and Lignum Aloes, of each the weight of a groat, beat all these in a hot Mortar, and with a hot Pestel, till it come to a perfect Paste, then take

a little Gum-Dragon steeped in Rosewater, and rub your hand withal, and make it up with speed, and dry them, but first make them into what shapes you please, and print them."

Probably " print " means " form in a mould " (see the ' New English Dictionary,' s.v. ' Print,' v., I. 5).

Sir Roger LTEstrange's licence for ' The Queen-like Closet ' is, in my copy, dated 16 Nov., 1669. ROBERT PIERPOINT.

There is a full reference to this word on p. 671 of Nares's 'Glossary,' vol. ii. (1901), and also on p. 636 of Halliwell's ' Dictionary of Archaic Words,' vol. ii. (5th ed.), where two recipes for making the perfume are given, dated respectively 1559 and 1675.

A. C. C.

In The Portfolio for 1886, pp. 165-8, your correspondent MR. J. PARSON will find an illustrated paper on pomanders.

ARTHUR H. CHURCH. [ST. SWITHIN is also thanked for reply.]

No TWIN EVER FAMOUS (11 S. v. 487 ; vi. 58, 172). Another exception to this dictum is to be found in the persons of the brothers Roberts, two distinguished Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin. Michael Roberts was famous as a writer of mathematical treatises, and occupied the Chair of Mathe- matics in Dublin University from 1862 to 1879. Sir Sidney Lee has given him a place in the ' D.N.B.' Some who knew the twin- brother, William Roberts, will probably think that he too ought to have been admitted. ALEX. LEEPER.

Trinity College, University of Melbourne.

FFAIRBANCK AND RAWSON FAMILIES (US.

vi. 166). A Richard ffirbancke, yeoman, dated his will at Shipmeadow, near Beccles, Suffolk, 12 Sept., 1651. He was probably identical with Richard Firbancke, who paid 7s. in that parish for

" a Rate made the 29th of March, 1640, for the settinge forthe of a Shipp of warr for his Ma tic * service for the sauegardinge of the Sees,"

in " Wangford Hundred." A Richard ffir- bancke was rector of the adjoining parish of Barsham from 1568 to 1617, and was there buried on 29 Nov., 1617.

A Charles Fairbarikes was married at Legbourne in Lincolnshire on 26 June, 1618, to Susan Dowse. She was probably born Susan Marshall of Legbourne, and was widow of Lawrence Dowse of the same place, married to him on 24 May, 1605. Lawrence was buried there 26 Nov., 1617.

F. H. SUCKLING.