Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 9.djvu/384

 314 NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s.ix. OCT. 15,1921. THREE-COIN TRICK (12 S. ix. 271). Probably the trick referred to is that in which the object is to count ten with three coins. The operator lays three pennies on the table and after saying " Can you do this ? " he picks them up one at a time, counting " One, two, three." He then puts them down on the table again one at a time, counting "four, five, six." He then picks two of them up, saying " seven, eight," and pointing to the penny laid on the table says " one down." He lastly lays the two pennies he has in his hand on the table one at a time, counting " nine, ten." He then picks up the ccins and handing them to one of the vic- tims sa^s, " Now you try." The catch con- sists in the fact that those who do not know the trick always begin by putting down the coins, whereas it is essential to commence ! by having the coins on the table and picking them up. If this is not done, it leaves two down instead of one and the trick fails. JOHN A. KNOWLES. CHURCH OF ST. MARY, LITTLE OAKLEY, ESSEX (12 S. ix. 212, 257, 298). I visited this church in 1910 to examine the architecture and memorials. On referring to the notes I made then I find " there are no less than five doorways in the walls, two of which are blocked up. The finest is the western one, which is of the fifteenth century ; the hood mould has carved dripstones repre- senting crowned lions with human faces. In the spandrils are the arms of De Vere and Howard." I do not know if these are identical with the arms MR. YOUNGER refers to, but in any case there is no doubt MR. CLEMENTS (at the second reference) is correct. The Manor of Little Oakley Hall passed to Joane de Walton, who married Sir John Howard. He died in 1424, leaving an only daughter, Elizabeth, who brought this manor to her husband, John De Vere, the 12th Earl of Oxford, and that family presented to the living from 1448 to 1540. In 1913 I again visited the church and noted the whole of the memorials in the church- yard. One of more than usual interest was contributed to ' N. & Q.' (11 S. viii. 505). WILLIAM GILBERT, F.R.N.S. BERNARD CAPES: INSCRIPTION AT WIN- CHESTER (12 S. ix. 250). This is taken from the author's last book, ' Where England sets her Feet.' C. B. EVANS. Beechcroft, Berwick Road, Shrewsbury. GENTLEMEN-PENSIONERS, 1684 (12 S. ix. 249, 293). The Yeomen of the Guard, the corps which still exists, was established by Henry VII. in 1485, and in 1509 Henry VIII. established a second body-guard of men-at- arms (Fortescue, ' Hist, of the British Army,' 1899, vol. i., pp. 110, 112). This second body-guard was known as " The Spears of Honour " and was soon discontinued. Lord Herbert of Cherbury describes the' arrival in England of Anne of Cleves, December, 1539. Henry VEIL was dis- satisfied with her, nevertheless, he outwardly cherished her, without making any publick demonstration of dis -favour towards her, or neglect of any Solemnity for her reception at London and elsewhere. All which made the greater shew, that the King remember- ing what enemies he had abroad, and discontented persons at home, had renewed the Guard of fifty Pensioners, intermitted since the first year of his Reign (' The Life and Raigne of King Henry the eighth,' fol. 1649, p. 454). The Corps of Gentlemen- Pensioners is, I believe, now existing as the Gentlemen-at- Arms or Body Guard, and the relation of this corps to the Spears of Honour of 1509 is discussed by Colonel John Glas Sandeman in ' The Spears of Honour and the Gentle- men Pensioners,' pp. 1-34, 8vo, 1912 (Robert Higginbottom, printer, Hayling Island, Hants). HORACE W. MONCKTON. THE LAND OF GORE (12 S. ix. 248). King Bagdemagus was not the only, or most famous, King of " Gore " mentioned by the Romancers. A more outstanding figure is that of Urience, father of Owain and brother of Lot, King of Orkney. Concern- ing him, much interesting information will be found in the notes to the ' Mabinogion,' Everyman's Library, vol. 97, pp. 355-358. He was, according to ' The Genealogy of the Saints,' quoted in Camb. Biog. (Cambrian Biography, presumably) a Prince of Rheged, a district comprising Cumberland and adjacent territory, who came into South Wales and assisted in expelling certain invaders who had gained a footing there in the time of Maxen Wledig, the Emperor Maximus, A.D. 383. " The old Romancers," the note goes on, " connect him with South Wales, and call him King Uryens of Gore r evidently intended for Gower in Glamor- ganshireV' I do not think the topography of Malory and the Trouveres can be taken very seriously. F. L. WOOD.