Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/343

 2"<i S. N 17., APRIL 26. '56.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

335

Horsetalk. I am desirous, for an antiquarian purpose, to be made acquainted with the different terms used by carters and waggoners, coachmen and postilions in all parts of England, Scotland, Ireland, France, and Germany, to excite or stay their horses, or to bring them to the near or to the offside of the road ; and as many of them are couched in an obscure vernaculai', I shall feel obliged to any of your correspondents who may favour this request with their notice and atten- tion, if they will, at the same time, give a trans- lation into the vulgar tongue of the times they record, and a statement of what the horse is ex- pected to do on receiving the word of command : such as, " Gee wo," or " Gee wut." This, to many of your correspondents, may seem a very trifling inquiry, and one not worthy of the pages of "N. & Q. ;" but I can assure them, that, at least in my opinion, it involves an etymological question of considerable interest to students of the legal and constitutional history of England, as I hope to be able to show in your pages hereafter.

J. K.

Wandsworth, Surrej'.

A[p]pollos Decker. An oval portrait, beauti- fully worked in floss- silk, represents a man attired in what I take to be legal costume, crowned with a wreath of olive ; standing, with a castle in the background. The portrait is edged with what has been gilt leather, bound in with silver cord ; and bears, in a bold hand, these lines :

" A[p]pollos Decker heare you see, In witt and grace appeares to thee.

" E. G."

Who was this man ? CHARLES REED.

Paternoster Bow.

Hunt of St. Allans, Herts, Can any reader of " N. & Q.," in that neighbourhood, give me any

information about one Hunt, who, in or

about the year 1770, is believed to have been the host of the " Woolpack" Inn in the abbey parish of that town ? I am anxious, if possible, to trace the parentage of himself and his wife (name un- known). He had a daughter Mary (married in 1773), and a sister or sister-in-law bearing the not very common name of Bethia. There was also a William in the family at that time. "Jo- hannes Hunt, Bibliopola," died March 6, 1722, and was buried in the abbey (Clutterbuck's Herts). I am told that no parish-registers exist prior to 1743. HARRY LEROY TEMPLE.

Campbell of Glenurchy. Where can I find a full pedigree of this family, giving the descent of the Monzie branch ?

2. In Burke's Landed Gentry, I find mention made of a " History of the Name of Campbell, by Mr. James Duncanson, of Inverary, in 1777." Where is this MS. preserved.. SIQMA THETA.

" Merrie" England. I should be glad to know when the epithet "merrie," in its present sense, was first applied to " old England ?" The word originally did not mean cheerful, joyous, gay, Sfc., but famous ; being descended from the Anglo- Saxon word Mere, excellent, illustrious.

EDWAKD F. RIMBAULT.

^ Starboard" "Larboard" " Port" What is the origin of " starboard" and "larboard," as used on board ship ? and why was "port" substituted for larboard? I mean the origin of the word port. I am aware of why it was substituted. G. A. J.

Peerage Query. I wish much some of your correspondents could answer me this same knotty point. A very old and high title was forfeited in the year 1435, but was restored to the legal re- presentative of that family in 1605 ; and about 150 years after became dormant. There are, however, legal descendants of the families. Who then is the lawful claimant, the nearest of kin to the original family, or the nearest of kin to the restored branch ? R. T.

Registers of Birth in Scotland. Which is the best place to go to find the registers of births, &c., in Scotland ? and to how many years back can one find such records ? R. T.

Holly for Fences. In Batty Langley's Sure Method of Improving Estates, Sfc., he says :

" I had almost forgot the plain or green holly, that makes an admirable good fence (but slowly) in very dry and poor lands, where the others will not grow."

But he does not treat on the time and manner of planting. Having seen some fences planted with holly, which did not grow, will any reader oblige an original and constant subscriber by saying the best month and manner for planting such a fence ?

W. P. A

The Sear and Ragged Staff. Being at War- wick about three years ago, I (as all strangers who admire the beautiful ought to do) went to see St. Mary's Church and the Beauchamp Chapel. The verger, who showed the place, informed me that the bear, who supports the staff, was origi- nally borne unmuzzled ; but that one of the Earls of Warwick having in a fit of passion struck King John, a muzzle was placed on his bear, where it was to remain for 600 years. He added, that the period being now expired, the present Earl of Warwick uses the bear in its original state. Whether this is true or not, I leave your corre- spondents to judge ; but I may remark, en passant, that a seal of Richard, Earl of Warwick (the celebrated king-maker), appended to a letter, dated circa 1460, has the bear without a muzzle (see it engraved in Fenn's Original Letters, vol. ii. pi. xiv.).

A somewhat similar legend is related of the