Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 5.djvu/223

 12 S. V. Arc, 1919. ]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

217

NORFOLK MANUSCRIPTS (12 S. v. 182). ..ot 10 in the Frere Catalogue of 1888 was mrchased by Mr. Walter Rye, the eminent Norfolk antiquary, who now resides in Norwich. These manuscripts, which are till in his possession, are catalogued as ollows in his printed catalogue of MSS., entitled ' A Catalogue of Fifty of the Norfolk Manuscripts in the Library of Walter Rye at Winchester House, Putney,'
 * 889:

fo. 4. 2 vols. folio, containing 305 Pedigrees of Norfolk Families, compilea by Anthony Norris of Barton, with an 8vo index of all persons named therein. There is an index to persons and places in vol. 1 8vo, of indexes (No. 5 of present catalogue). [No. 10 in Frere Sale Catalogue]. The names of the families of which there are detailed pedigrees are : &c.

fa. 5. Index (8vo) to the last collection [Frere Catalogue No. 10], containing : &e.

Mr. Rye has by his will left these manu- cripts to the Norwich Public Library, and

am authorized to state that they can be een here by appointment.

GEO. A. STEPHEN, City Librarian. Public Library, Norwich.

"Pno PELLE CUTEM " (12 S. v. 93, 132, 64). MR. BOTTOM'S suggestion is the best have seen. It is far more probable than a aference to Job iv. The significance of the wo words also is important. They seem o have changed places during the voyage, owever. J. FOSTER PALMER.

JACK STRAW AND WAT TYLER (12 S. -. 153). In a sense both were Wai worth's 3 somewhat less dramatic than the legend, "he interview between the King and Tyler ras fairly amicable until one of the royal uite (Sir John Newentone, who had lost lochester Castle to Tyler) interfered to say hat he recognized in Tyler a notorious hief and marauder. For this the rebel rould have killed him with his dagger had tot Walworth interfered. He struck at Valworth, whose armour turned the blow, ,nd who then drew sword and wounded ]"yler, who turned and fled to his followers ; thereupon another Kingsman (Ralph >tandish, afterwards knighted) pursued and aortally wounded him. Tyler fell from lis horse and was carried half dead into St. Bartholomew's, close at hand. Walworth, >n his return from rousing the city for the ing, missed the body of the rebel chief, ,nd on learning his refuge h&d him out and >eheaded him. The head was carried on a >ole " to intimidate the commons," and Afterwards, with that of the other chief
 * victims " Tyler more directly. The truth

ringleader, Jack Straw, replaced those of Tyler's victims on London Bridge.

Who Straw was is somewhat uncertain. According to the ' Diet. Nat. Biog.' a pro- clamation of the rebels in Thanet Church (June 13, 1381) ran in the names of Wat Tyler and John Rackstraw, and it is con- jectured that the latter is to be identified with Jack Straw. Tyler himself has been mistaken for others of his name. Thus the slayer of the poll-tax collector was ona John Tyler of Dartf ord ; and there is further confusion with another Walter Tyler " of Essex " the historic Wat being of Maidstone.

The story of Walworth's dagger in the city arms seems also to be mythical. It was originally a sword of St. Paul, and an old device before the fourteenth century. GEORGE MARSHALL.

There can be no doubt that Jack Straw was hanged, in the company of Robert Starling and other chiefs of the rebellion, as it was not until the night of" June 15, 1381, the day of Tyler's death, that Richard gave authority to a commission, composed of Sir William Walworth, Sir John Philpot, and Sir Nicholas Bramber, to- deal with criminals according to law " or by other ways ancl means," whereupon Straw and the others were arrested. Indeed it is not even strictly accurate to say that Walworth killed Wat Tyler ; he wounded Tyler in the shoulder, causing him to fall on his horse's neck, but the actual coup de grace came from the sword of John Stand- wich, one of the King's squires, who followed up Walworth's blow by instantly running Tyler twice through the body.

W. A. HUTCHISON.

There is apparently an old tradition that it was Jack Straw and not Wat Tyler who was stabbled by William Walworth, Lord Mayor of London. See ' Life and Death of" Jack Straw,' Dodsley's ' Old English Plays ' (Hazlitt, 1874, vol. v.). The author isr unknown. In this play Jack Straw was stabbed by Walworth. Wat Tyler and John Ball were hanged after the rebellion was suppressed.

The heading of the play is as follows :

" The Life and Death of Jack Strawe a notable Bebell in England : who was kild in Smithfield by the Lord Maior of London. Printed at London by John Danter and are to be sold by William Barley at his shop in Gratious- Street over and against Leaden Hall. 1593."

GEORGE DENTON.

Eiverdale Eoad, Sheffield.