Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 2.djvu/117

 12 8. II. AUG. 5, 1916.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Ill

Bristol, and one of the most uncompromising opponents of the Reform Bill. His attempt to open the assizes at the end of October, 1831, led to the notorious Bristol riots, and Smith provides a vivid picture of the looting and plundering that he witnessed.

Smith, who had spent some of the time since his return from France in managing the private printing-press of a clergyman, now decided to try his hand as a schoolmaster, and obtained a post as an assistant in a private school. N. & Q.' has contained numerous references to " barrings-out," but these were usually routine proceedings not seriously objected to by authority. Smith gives a long account (pp. 203-6) of oae that took place at the school at which he was ; but this was a serious outbreak, directed against an unpopular master, and so deter- mined were the boys that the master had to hand in his resignation to the principal.

Smith, nevertheless, remained a printer at heart, and he soon returned to his old occupation. He was this time more success- ful in obtaining work in London first as a compositor, and then as a proof-reader. He was a real lover of books, and utilized the knowledge he had gained in Paris in editing ' The Reign of Terror ; or, the Diary of a Volunteer of the Year 2 of the French Republic,' translated by S. Copland, and published in London in 1855. The B.M. Catalogue further notes that he published in London in 1862-3 a volume entitled 'The Dead Lock : a Story in Eleven Chapters. Also, Tales of Adventure, &c.'

4 The Working-Man's Way in the World ' contains much that may be of service to the future historian of the second quarter of the nineteenth century. J. R. THORNE.

ENGLISH PRELATES AT THE COUNCIL OF BALE (12 S. ii. 28, 74). Robert Fitzhugh was consecrated Bishop of London at Foligno in 1431, and died in 1436 (see Bishop Stubbs's ' Registrum Sacrum Anglicanum,' second edition, 1897, p. 88, quoting from Fitzhugh's own 'Register' ). His name appears in the lists of Bishops of London in Stubbs, p. 222, and in Gams' a ' Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae ' (Ratisbon, 1873, p. 194), as well as in Eubel's ' Hierarchia Catholics Medii ^Evi,' vol. ii. p. 198 (Munster, 1901), where it is stated that he was the Archdeacon of Northampton. "John" is clearly a slip, as no " John " was Bishop of London between John Kemp (1419-21) and John Stokesley {1530-39). W. A. B. COOLIDGE.

Grindelwald.

THE SHIRES OF NORTHAMPTON AND SOUTH- AMPTON (12 S. ii. 29). That there was originally a connexion between Northamp- tonshire and Southamptonshire is impro- bable. Both counties were named after their central Saxon town, doubtless originally called " Ham ton," the letter p being a later intrusion. Hampton is a very common Anglo-Saxon place-name, meaning a home- town (ham, A.-S. a home ; ton, jA.-S. tun, a village or town), which may have been surrounded by a hedge or palisade. Hamp- ton is still the place-name of parishes in Devon, Hereford, Middlesex, Oxford, Salop, Warwick, and Worcester, although in most cases there is a distinguishing appellation, as in Hampton Bishop, Herefordshire. That the towns of Northampton and Southampton were originally called "Hamton" is sup- ported by the O.E. ' Chron.,' A.D. 837, in which Southampton is called " Hamtun." In Flor. Wore., A.D. 1100, it is styled Suthamtone. When the kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex were united it became necessary to distinguish the two counties of the same name in the respective kingdoms, so the prefixes North and South were applied ; even- tually the prefix was transferred also to their chief towns.

A. WEIGHT MATTHEWS. 60 Rothesay Road, Luton.

See Johnston's ' The Place-Names of England and Wales,' 1915, pp. 288, 382, and 451 ; and Blackie's ' Etymological Geo- graphy,' 1876, p. 124.

S. A. GRUNDY-NEWMAN.

Walsall.

THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR (12 S. i. 488). The following is from

"The Secretary's Assistant; exhibiting the various and most correct modes of Superscription

of Letters to Persons of every degree of Rank.

By the Author of the Peerage & Baronetage

Charts &c.," 5th edit., 1831, p. 95 (after " Lord Mayors " and " Lady Mayoress ") :

"The Mayors of all Corporations, with the Sheriffs, Aldermen, and Recorder of London, are styled Right Worshipful ; and the Aldermen and Recorder of other Corporations, and Justices of the Peace, Worshipful ; but these titles are seldom, or never used except in Court, or on matters solely relating to their office."

This book may be authoritative ; the first preface is dated 1821. According to my experience as a Justice of the Peace (if my memory is correct), the epithet " Worship- ful " is not used.

As to letters to Mayors, my practice right or wrong has been and is to begin a letter with " Dear (or My dear) Mr. Mayor,"