Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 2.djvu/515

 9 th S. II. DEC. 24, '98.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

507

on to show his learning by adding, "or is the beetle a ' three-man beetle,' not a scarab of any kind?" The reference to the scarab is as absurd and unnecessary as the statement he makes that the "bear and ragged staff are the well-known cognizance of the Dudleys," whereas it has been for ages the badge of the famous Earls of Warwick. He concludes with the most wonderful discovery that "probably an inquirer would find the cog- nizances of old families to be the commonest signs of inns in rural England." To which one might add that where there was fire there might be some smoke ; and that as inns are frequently styled the "Arms" of some one, as the "Norfolk Arms," some heraldic reference might be intended, and generally is. WALTER HAMILTON.

TOLLING BELLS FOE PAYMENT OF CHURCH RENTS. On 5 December I heard the bells of St. Mary's Church here (Beverley, E. Yks.) tolling in a peculiar way. I called in to see what it was about, and found an old man of seventy-four tolling. He said he was helping the verger " to toll for payment of the church rents." I asked, "Where?" He said, "In the vestry ; the churchwardens are waiting for the money." He also said it had been the custom to do this " twice a year as long as he could remember." I never knew such a case before. Are there any cases ?

H. J. F. A.

" RANDAN." The ' Century Dictionary ' gives as one of the meanings of this word : " A spree : used only in the phrase on the randan (also on the randy), on a spree (prov. Eng.)."

It appears from a newspaper cutting of an advertisement dated 19 February, 1787, in Lysons's 'Collectanea' that the word is de- rived from a character in a comedy by Monvel, in which the celebrated Mile. Contat (the original Suzanne of Beaumarchais's ' Mariage de Figaro,' afterwards Madame de Parny) took the part of Madame Randan.

The following is the advertisement referred to:

" Coeffure [sic] d la Randan. The Randan Cap is now very prevalent among the polite circles in Paris. Its form displays novelty, elegance and majesty. It was invented by that admirable Actress and Arbitress of Fashion, Mademoiselle Contat, whose dresses are universally approved. She introduced it to the Public in the performance of the character of Madame de Randan in Monvel's new comedy of the ' Amours de Bayard.' "

Randan is the name of a town near Cler- mont Ferrand in the Auvergne, in the department of Puy de D6me.

There is another Randan, namely, Chateau-

neuf de Randan, in the Lozere, in front of which Duguesclin expired in his tent, after many hairbreadth escapes in the field, and where, it is said, the keys of the fortress were delivered up on his coffin :

" Je voudrais bien placer Chateauneuf de Ran don en Auvergne ; il en est si pres ! C'est la que Duguesclin regut sur son cercueil les clefs de la forteresse ; nargue des deux manuscrits qui ont fait capituler la place quelques heures avant la mort du constable." Chateaubriand, 'Voyage a Clermont.'

JOHN HEBB.

Canonbury Mansions, N.

[That Madame Randan appears in Monvel'a 'Amours de Bayard,' produced 24 Aug., 1786, in certain. Another derivation of randan is suggested 5 th S. iv. 254, 375.]

WE 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.

" FOUNDET." " There was not a foundet in the house," i.e., there was nothing. This idiom is found in Patterson's 'Antrim and Down Glossary ' (1 880). It is also known in Scotland, as we may see in Jamieson (s.v. 'Foundit'). What is the origin of the ex- pression? A. L. MAYHEW.

Oxford.

WILLIAM BRAMFIELD was elected from Westminster School to Trinity College, Cam- bridge, in 1580. I should be glad to have any particulars concerning him.

G. F. R. B.

JAMES NESTON was elected from Westmin- ster School to Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1584. Any information concerning him would be of use. G. F. R. B.

STONARD : VINCENT : NEWCOMBE. A Faculty Office licence was granted 12 April, 1722, for the marriage of William Newcombe, of the parish of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, London, twenty-six years, bachelor, and Mary Stonard, of the same parish, twenty-four years, spinster, daughter, I believe, of a Francis Stonard. Mary Newcombe died 19 March, 1729. Administration, with the will annexed, was granted at Exeter, 28 May, 1747, as to William Newcpmbe's estate, and in the letters he was described as late of the city of Exeter, merchant. In 1726, or some- what earlier, George Vincent married Ann Stonard, but a search in the Faculty, Vicar- General's, and Bishop of London's offices does not disclose any licence for this marriage.