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NOTES AND QUERIES. w* s. n. OCT. 22, %

such examples of carelessness in these useful and laborious works. The Kev. Robert Ellis, whose name also appeared in the 'Clergy List' and Crockford, not only held the united vicar- ages of Wharram-Percy and Wharram-le- Street from 1832, but was in some sense the last pluralist in the diocese of York, being also RC. of Birdsall from 1831 and P.O. of Acaster Malbis from 1829, all, however, poor livings. He never seems to have taken the trouble to correct this error, or inform the editors of these works that he was of Trinity Coll., Cantab., M.A. 1816, and from 1825 for a year or two rector of Escrick. The two P.C.s he retained till his death, 19 December, 1880, jet. ninety, being the oldest magistrate in the North and East Ridings at the time.

A. S. E. Westminster.

CLERICAL KNIGHTS. (See ante, p. 236.) The prefix "Sir" was not uncommon in the sixteenth century, as the following extracts from the 'Congleton Corporation Cash Books ' will show :

1589. S r Roger the Curate, his Q re Wage, II. 13s. 4d.

1590. S r Humphrey Phithion, the Minister, his Quarter's Wage, 21. 10s.

1597. S r James Broster more for saying Morning prayers this Quarter, 10s.

In 'The Merry Wives of Windsor,' as is well known, one of the persons represented is "Sir Hugh Evans, a Welsh parson." At Queen's College, Oxford, in former years, a B.A. was styled "Dominus," translated at the buttery and kitchen "Sir"; whilst an M.A. was " Magister," translated " Mr." Though it is needless to say that there have been innumer- able baronets in Anglican orders, Sir John Thoroton, who died in 1820, seems to have been the only instance of a clerical knight in orders in modern times. He was evi- dently a man of considerable taste and skill, and is called in his epitaph in the chancel of Bottesford Church " the valued friend and the faithful companion of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland."

JOHN PICKFORD, M.A.

Newbourne Rectory, Woodbridge.

HARLEQUIN. (See 'Li maisie hierlekin,' 8 th S. x. 472 ; xi. 108, 174, 271, 355, 430.) I had overlooked the fact that Mr. John Payne Collier, in the essay prefixed to the drama of 'Punch and Judy,' illustrated by George Cruikshank, discredited the derivation of " Harlequin " from Charles V. His words are :

" A good deal has been written on the etymology of the word ' Harlequin ' ; it is very clear that the fanciful derivations from Francis I.'s ridicule of

Charles Quint, and from M. de Harlay-quint in the reign of Henry III. of France, are unfounded. The Rev. M. Todd quotes a letter from Mr. Raulin dated 1521 which affords clear evidence that the familiam Harlequini were even then antiquam ; and as early as the time of Ordericus Vitalis, A.D. 1143, the same family is mentioned as ihefamilia Herli- chini. This decisive authority was not known to Mr. Todd. Whether Harliquiuus or Herlichinus were really the name of any family, or whether it was a corruption of the old French arlot, a cheat, must still, and perhaps will ever, remain a matter of dispute among the learned." Preface to ' Punch and Judy,' 1828.

JOHN HEBB.

Canonbury Mansions, N.

"CUTTING HIS STICK." I extract the fol- lowing from the Globe of 13 September ; but I fancy the same thing has been noted, before. Robinson Crusoe marked the lapse of time by cutting notches in a tree :

" The habits of M. Louis de Rougemont's canni- bals suggest an explanation of an old slang phrase. It appears that the only passport recognized by them as authorizing the bearer to leave the terri- tory of a tribe was a ' peculiarly -notched stick.' Hence any native going away was, of course, said to ' cut his stick.' "

S. J. A. F.

STEPHEN DE CAVENDISH. He was Sheriff of London in 1357-8, and Mayor in 1362-3. In his will, dated 13 July, 1372, and enrolled in the Hustings Court in the following October, he mentions his wife Matilda ; his son "Friar" Roger, of the Order of Friars Minors ; Cristina his daughter ; Roger Pyek, son of his younger brother John Pyek ; Thomas Pyek, son of his elder brother John Pyek ; and Richard, son of Richard de Cavendish. He also makes a bequest to a chantry in the church of St. Mary de Colcherche, founded by Thomas his father. He himself directs that he shall be buried in St. Thomas de Aeon.

This Stephen de Cavendish is said by all authorities to have been the third of the four sons of Roger de Gernon all of whom took the name of Cavendish and younger brother of John de Cavendish, ancestor of the Dukes of Devonshire ; but the foregoing will does not bear out this statement. Stow says that the mayor was buried in Mercers' Chapel, which appears also to be inaccurate

W. D. PINK.

THE DOMESDAY "MANSIO." Grantham, in Lincolnshire, had a mansion belonging to Edith, Harold's queen, and it fell in succes- sion to other queens consort. Margaret Tudor rested there in 1503 on her way to the Scottish capital. It is now said that the "Angel Inn" at Grantham represents this ancient site, having been "one of those wwiisons^ du Roi which were placed at the special service "