Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 11.djvu/375

 9*8. XL MAY 9, 1901.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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Kemble, and when her husband was a militia captain in Newcastle, ninety years ago, he saw her on the stage and married her. Seventy years ago she used to delight Thomas Moore and her neighbour, the first Lord Denman, with her tasteful singing of her own songs, then known in every musical household ; and her 'Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers 'was in New England almost a national song. It is now rarely heard. Her beautiful setting of Kingsley's ' 8ands o' Dee ' has been appropriated by another composer. Her 'Treasures of the Deep is a fine solo, and would make a finer glee ; and her ' Hebrew Mother's Farewell' narrowly missed Handelian grandeur. These and other airs may still be bought in a shilling volume called ' Mrs. Hemans's Songs, with Music by her Sister,' the odd thing being that several of the songs are not by Mrs. Hemans, nor was Mrs. Arkwright her sister. Can any one explain why she published so much music under the name of ' Mrs. Hemans's sister' ? Mrs. Hemans had been Miss Brown, of Liverpool, lived apart from her husband, became one of our greatest song- writers, and is buried in Dawson Street, Dublin. Not only is Mrs. Arkwright Derbyshire's greatest composer, but she may be classed as the greatest female composer of England, except Mrs. Bliss."

W. B. H.

WESTMINSTER CITY ARMS. When I sent a note upon the 'Westminster City Motto,' which was inserted at 9 th S. ix. 485, I was fully under the impression that I had sent one respecting the arms of the city as reconstituted. Upon looking for it I find that I could not have done as I intended ; therefore I now repair the omission. The arms may be thus described : Azure, a portcullis or ; on a chief of the second a pallet of the first, thereon a cross flory between five martlets, also of the second, being the arms of King Edward the Con- fessor, between two united roses gules and argent. Supporters : On either side a lion ermine, that on the dexter gorged with a collar or, thereon three roses gules, bar bed and seeded proper ; that on the sinister with a collar azure, thereon as many roses argent, barbed and seeded also proper, and each charged on the body with a portcullis chained or. TJntil the recent creation of Greater Westminster the city arms had no supporters, the latter being added as a compliment to the Marquis of Salisbury, the High Steward, and being those belonging to that nobleman's arms. W. E. HARLAND-OXLEY.

C2, The Almshouses, Rochester Row, S.W.

THACKERAY'S CAREFULNESS AS TO DETAILS IN HIS HISTORIC NOVELS. In 'Esmond,' book ii. chap. vi. p. 194 of the " Biographical Edition," when Esmond goes to Winchester Cathedral on 29 December, 1702, the anthem is from Psalm cxxvi., " When the Lord turned the captivity of Zion, then were we like them that dream." I find that an anthem on these

words is by Blow, born 1648, died 1708, who was then in the fulness of his popularity as a composer; so that there is every proba- bility that this very anthem would be used in Winchester Cathedral at this very time. I cannot, unfortunately, supply the exact date of publication of the anthem ; perhaps some of your readers can furnish it.

WILLIAM SYKES, M.D., F.S.A.

Exeter.

[En revanche we may point out that Thackeray speaks of the spire of Winchester Cathedral, whereas the square Norman tower is the more con- spicuous because it lacks any such ornament.]

W must request correspondents desiring infor- mation on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that the answers may be addressed to them direct.

" CAHOOT " : ITS ETYMOLOGY. The word cahoot is used in colloquial speech in various parts of the United States with the meaning of partnership or secret understanding ; for example, "These persons are in cahoot (or cahoots)." Sometimes it is heard in another sense, as in " He knocked the thing out of cahoots," that is, into disorder. The origin of the word is a puzzle ; many authorities suggest the French or Spanish cohorte, com- pany, gang, while others give the French cahute, cabin. In Barrere and Leland's ' Dic- tionary of Slang' I find :

" There can be no doubt that it came from either Dutch kajuit or German kajiite, or perhaps the same in Old Saxon, meaning a cabin, implying living or messing together."

From a philological standpoint this ety- mology seems more reasonable. The French cahute (cajute) is akin to kajuit and kajiite. Possibly some of your readers can tell whether the word is peculiar to the United States alone, or can furnish definite information as to its origin. CHARLES BUNDY WILSON. The State University of Iowa, Iowa City.

LONG MELFORD CHURCH, SUFFOLK. I should feel obliged if you or any of your readers could inform me when the church at Long Melford, in Suffolk, was built, and whether any work published on the subject exists. This church, in my opinion, is one of the most interesting in England, and must have looked superbly beautiful before Crom^ well's followers destroyed all the magnificent windows but three remaining which act of vandalism was, I presume, carried out owing to the church at that period being a Koman Catholic building. CROMWELL.