Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 2.djvu/521

 9< s. H. DEC. 24,

NOTES AND QUERIES.

513

representation of the Nativity. While read- ing P.'s note under the above heading I remembered that an ox and an ass are depicted in this rude sculpture as overlook- ing the infant Saviour. As I am at present ignorant of the tradition referred to, I shall be glad if P. will kindly supply the particulars.

JOHN T. PAGE. West Haddon, Northamptonshire.

Your correspondent furnishes a copy of the lines which appeared in ' N. & Q.,' 2 nd S. x. 386, but omits any reference to the two replies which are given on p. 456 of the

volume.

Has he seen them ?

EVERARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road.

SIR THOMAS COTTON, BART., OF COMBER- MERE, co. CHESTER (9 th S. ii. 189). He died 2 June, 1715, and was buried at Esher (Betham's ' Baronetage,' vol. iii. p. 8). Dame Philadelphia Cotton, of Finchley Lodge, Middlesex, widow, by her will, dated 3 Nov., 1756, codicil 6 May, 1758, administration 8 Feb., 1759, 49 Arran, desired to be buried at Esher (Misc. Gen. et Her., New Series, vol. iv. p. 397). 30 Dec., 1758, relict of Sir Hob. (sic) Cotton, Bart. (Gent. Mag. for 1759, p. 46). An ex- amination of the Esher registers will probably give much information. V. L. O.

THE USE OP MORTAR AND PESTLE IN FARM- HOUSES (9 th S. i. 248, 389). In the summer of 1897 I found a fine old iron mortar serving to prop open the door of the inn at the remote village of Trellech, Monmouthshire.

JOHN HOBSON MATTHEWS.

Town Hall, Cardiff.

FRENCH PROVERB (9 th S. ii. 344, 436). Should not the proverb ST. SWITHIN quotes run, "Sing before breakfast, you'll cry before supper " ? This is certainly how I have heard it. There is another variant, " Sing before seven, you '11 -cry before eleven," in which sorrow is represented as treading still more closely on the heels of joy. C. C. B.

" CHERRY-COB " (9 th S. ii. 206). In London the word for cherry-stones is " cherry-bobs." One often hears the expression, " Playing at cherry-bobs." I remember the time when it was a common practice for the children to go a-hunting the streets for " cherry - bobs," which were stored in a small bag, and used in the various games played with them. One game in particular have I in mind, that of " playing up the gutter-spout." I have often seen a number of youngsters seated on the ground, round one of the numerous gutter- spouts, playing this game. Whether they do

so now, I cannot say. Perhaps this is another childish game going or gone out of fashion.

C. P. HALE.

CHINESE PUNISHMENTS (9 th S. ii. 27, 214). The pictures Miss MATILDA POLLARD refers to still adorned the walls of the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussaud's when I visited the place a few afternoons ago. "I do not imagine, however, the scenes represent by any means a complete list. HARRY HEMS.

Fair Park, Exeter.

RELICS OP CHARLES I. (8 th S. vi. 226, 315). Since I sent a book programme with a list of relics of King Charles I. which were exhibited at Memorial Hall, Manchester, I have come across the following from the Manchester City News of 12 November. It will be an addition of interest on this topic, as the programme made no mention of the vest described underneath :

"210/. for the vest of Charles I. Mr. Stevens offered for sale in London on Tuesday the 'sky- coloured vest ' which Charles I. wore at his execu- tion before Whitehall. This interesting relic was guaranteed by several letters which gave the history. After the execution the vest came into the hands of Dr. Hobbs, his physician, who was with him at the time. From him it passed to his daughter, Susannah Hobbs, afterwards the wife of Mr. Temple Stanger, of Rawlins, Oxford. From Stanger the vest de- scended to Mr. T. Hardy, and at his death to Admiral D'aeth, of Knoulton Court, Kent, who died in 1873. Thus the history of the vest had been clearly traced, and never before has it made an appearance in an auction-room. Mr. Stevens has photographed the vest, in which not only the pat- tern, but the stains of blood and every thread appears. The silk is of the finest possible texture, and the vest measures in length thirty-two inches, sixteen and a half under the armpits, fifty- four inches from wrist to wrist, and six [sic] and a half inches round the neck. Biddings began at twenty guineas, which quickly advanced to one hundred guineas, and then the bids came from two gentlemen only ; at length the vest was knocked down, at two hun- dred guineas, to Mr. Ernest A. Brocklehurst."

FREDERICK LAWRENCE TAVARE". 30, Rusholme Grove, Rusholme, Manchester.

INSTRUMENTAL CHOIR (7 th S. xii. 347, 416 469; 8 th S. i. 195, 336, 498; ii. 15). The following amusing little episode in the history of old village church music I think is worth adding to the notes on the subject at the above references. It is from a review of Mr. S. Baring-Gould's 'An Old English Home and its Dependencies,' in the tit. James's Gazette of 26 October last.

" Mr. Baring-Gould has much that is entertaining to say about the village orchestra, which preceded the choir as we know it now: 'The first stage in getting rid of the village orchestra was taken by the introduction of the barrel-organ. I can well recall that stage. Now the barrel-organ had but a