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NOTES AND QUERIES, [ii s. ix. MAT 23, wu.

Why he repudiated his first wife and his son by her does not appear. Nor can I find a place in Scotland called Kettleston. But the name may afford a clue to the baronetcy.

ALBERT MATTHEWS. Boston, U.S.

TOUCHWOOD (US. ix, 370). My impres- sion is that it is not Eastern wisdom, but Western superstition, that gave birth to this mascot. It is made of old oak, and the folded card on which it is sold bears the motto " Touch wood for luck." L. L. K.

With reference to the lines about which PHCENIX inquires, does not " touching wood " to avert calamity arise from the ancient custom of touching a piece of the True Cross with the same object ? Such would seem to account for the Eastern origin of the superstition. C. B. PROWSE, Major.

[The origin of the custom of touching wood to ward off some misfortune was discussed at con- siderable length at ID S. vi. 130, 174, 230, 476. MR. T. RATCLIFFE is thanked for a reply.]

ROYAL DESCENTS (11 S. ix. 368). The Plantageriet descents of Charles, Earl of Egremont, could be very easily traced. He was son and heir of Sir William Wyndham by Lady Catherine Seymour, a daughter of the proud Duke of Somerset by Lady Eliza- beth Percy. Through the " Proud Duke " there is a Tudor descent, his great-grand- father having married Lady Catherine Grey, sister of Lady Jane Grey. Through the Percies there are several Plantagenet de- scents, but I do not make out nineteen, unless descents through the Beauforts are counted. There are also Plantagenet de- scents from earlier kings than Edward III. HELEN EMILY FORBES.

Hatch House, Thorndon Park, Brentwood.

A cursory view of such members of the Wyndham family as are contained in the ' D.N.B.,' vol. Ixiii., previous to Charles, second Earl of Egremont, reveals alliances with the ancient arid noble families of Howard (Dukes of Norfolk), Scrope, Port- man, Leveson-Gower, arid Seymour (Dukes of Somerset). Evidently royal descents must abound in that family.

A. R. BAYLEY.

BRYDGES (11 S. ix. 370). Francis and Edmund were frequent names in the family of Brydges of Old Colwall, Tyberton Court, and Bosbury, co. Hereford.

William Brydges the elder of Old Colwall (will proved P.C.C., December, 1704) men- tions his " cousin Mr. Francis Brydges," his

" cousin Marshall Brydges and his son Edmund," also his " kinsman Edmund Brydges of London, Linendraper," and his " kinsman Francis Brydges."

William Brydges of the Strand, woollen draper and mercer (will proved P.C.C., February, 1762/3), a member of the same family, mentions his " kinsman Edmund Brydges," and also refers to " Edmund Brydges of Berkshire, Esquire," who may be the same person. PERCY D. MUNDY.

DUELLING (11 S. ix. 230, 276). The engaging of seconds as well as principals does not seem to have been subject to any rule. It had evidently become prevalent in France at the end of the sixteenth cen- tury, for Montaigne speaks of it. with dis- approval, as a new fashion :

"It is.... a kind of dastardliness, which has brought this fashion into our single combates, to accompany us in the fields with seconds, thirds, and fourths. They were anciently single coin- bates, but now they are skirmishes and battels .... In ancient time they were wont to employ third persons as sticklers, to see no trechery or disorder were used, and to beare witnes of the combates success. But now this fashion is come up, let any man be engaged whosoever is envited, cannot well containe himself e to be a spectator, lest it be imputed unto him, it is either for want of affec- tion or lacke of courage." Bk. ii. chap, xxvii., Florio's trans.

It is alluded to as an irregular practice in Webster and Rowley's play ' A Cure for a Cuckold' (I. ii.):

LessingJiam. I by composition am engag'd To bring with me my second, and he too, Not as the law of combat is, to stand Aloof and see fair play, bring off his friend, But to engage his person.

Instances of the fighting of seconds are, however, to be found in several other plays of the early seventeenth century (1613-24),

</., Beaumont and Fletcher's 'Honest Man's Fortune,' ' Little French Lawyer,' and ' Lover's Progress,' and Massinger's * Par- liament of Love.' H. D. SYKES.

Enfield.

WALTER DE LECHLADE (11 S. ix. 370). In case MRS. ROSE-TROUP has not got the fol- lowing notes, they may be of use to her as bearing directly upon the nrurder of Walter de Lechlade:

" Commission of oyer and terminer to W. de Wymburne and W. de Braybof touching an appeal which Roger de Cryde brings against Master Walter de Lechelade and others for robbery in the county of Devon." Patent Rolls, 11 Ed- ward I., March 1.

" The same to N. de Stapelton, Richard de Boyland, and William de Braiboef touching the persons who by night slew Master Walter de