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NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. vn. MAK. is, 1913.

"On Shrove Tuesday the seventh is rung for about 10 minutes, as Pancake Bell, some time between 10A.M. and noon, usually from 11.50 A.M. to 12 noon.

"At Winslow the Curfew is still rung on the fifth bell from Michaelmas to Lady Day.

"At Newport Pagnell the fifth is rung every weekday throughout the year at 8 P.M.

" At Chesham on the third bell every evening at 8, from the first Sunday after New Michaelmas Day until the Saturday preceding the 10th of March. The day of the month is now added at the end."

I hope to send a few more particulars later. L. H. CHAMBERS.

Amersham.

The Curfew, so called, is rung at St. Martin's Parish Church of Fenny Stratford from 11 Oct. to 25 March at 8 P.M., the Lord of the Manor paying 17. per annum to the ringer, whose duty it is to perform this service regularly. As Fenny Stratford was without bells or a tower to hang them in after the destruction of the church of SS. Margaret and Catherine, temp. Edward VI., until the building of St. Martin's Church, a period of about 200 years, it is plain that the Curfew bell is a revival. Dr. Browne Willis, F.S.A.. who was instrumental in building the church in 1726, refers to the great bell in his MS. B. 52 (Bodleian Library):

" Dedit viginti Libras in acquisitionem magnse oampanae pulsanda in concionibus Funeribus et in hora octava nocturna antique vocat curfew bell."

It is more likely a reminder of the evening Ave or Angelus.

In 1905 an unsuccessful attempt was made to repudiate the payment of the yearly 17. above mentioned. Under the " Parish Award " a field called Bell Close was awarded to the Lord of the Manor in consideration of a perpetual rent of 17., the money in question. WILLIAM BBADBROOKE.

" Bletchley.

[MR. W. G. WILLIS WATSON also thanked for reply.]

JOCKEY DOCTORS (11 S. iv. 470 ; v. 517). In my original query, which was resp onded to by MR. ALAN STEWART, I expressed the belief that the creation of " jockey doctors " arose with Charles II. According to Wadd, however, whom I quote below, the sovereign responsible for this innovation was not Charles II., but George II. :

" 1740. King George II. used to m ake a great number of Doctors of Physic when he went to New- market. These, by way of joke, were called 'Jockey Doctors.' Qu. ? Can any medical man be quoted who signed himself M.D. created in this manner?" ' Mems, Maxims, and Memories,' by William Wadd, F.L.S., Surgeon Extraordinary to George IV. (London, 8vo, 1827.)

S. D. CLIPPINGDALE, M.D.

0it

Calendar of Entries in the Papal Registers relating to Great Britain. Papal Betters. Vol. IX. A.D. 1431-1447. Prepared by J. A. Twemlow. (Stationery Office.)

THE main body of the documents printed in the volume before us is drawn from the years 1437-47, i.e., from the second half of the pontificate of Eugenius IV., those of the first half having been

Krinted in vol. yiii. of this Calendar. One Register, owever (ccclxiv.), contains papers which belong to the earlier period, whence it is that the time covered by these pages extends backwards to 1431.

The matters concerned are the usual ones : absolutions and rehabilitations, dispensations on account of illegitimacy or to marry -within the prohibited degrees, indulgences, grants of benefices, and mandates of different kinds. Among the many indults the most interesting is that to William de Oldhallin 1443 "to have ...... mass celebrated before

daybreak or at one o'clock," the latter alternative being a somewhat rare privilege, of which another instance does not occur in this Calendar, but which, a foot-note informs the reader, is enjoyed by the Carmelites, and is a matter of common practice at Naples.

Included here are the letters of confirmation and approbation from Eugenius to Henry VI. upon the founding of Eton College, with the grant to Provost and scholars to have a common chest and seal, and to wear at divine office*! and in the university a habit assigned by the King and an almuce of grey. Other letters provide for the administration of the sacraments at King's College, Cambridge, and empower persons who study therein to deal with their benefices conveniently.

Among the mandates dealing with the affairs of religious houses, an interesting one is that on behalf of Walter Meone, priest of the diocese of Winchester, whom Peter de Monte, doctor of canon law and apostolic notary, is ordered to absolve from excommunication and declare to be not bound to the observance of the Premonstra- tensian rule. Meone, "in or about his eleventh year, had been induced, or rather seduced, by the suasions and blandishments of a certain Thomas," to enter the monastery at Dureford ; had been compelled by threats on the part of the abbot, against his will and the will of his parents, to take the habit ; and had been promoted to minor orders. At the first opportunity he left the monastery, but, desiring priesthood, returned to it again under distinct protest that he was not thereby returning to the rule. He was ordained, once more went back to the world, and ministered in a secular habit as a priest, incurring thus the excommunication from which the Pope hereby relieved him.

The difficulties between the religious and secula r clergy are illustrated among: other instances by the faculty granted to the Archbishop of Canterbury to exhort and monish those abbots and priors of England who "wear the mitre and pastoral staff and publicly bless the people like bishops," and those priors and others who, without having the requisite exemption, fail in the observances of respect due to a bishop on his coming among them, and walk side by side with him, claiming equal honour.