Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 5.djvu/260

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9*8. V. MARCH 31, 1900.

failing when challenged to produce his evi- dence, or acknowledge that his opponent was right.

The comparison of the bounds proves that Wulf rices broc was a stream near the Thames south-west of Oxford, and it does more, for as Occenes gserstun die is the last in Eadwy's bounds, it proves that this gcerstun, or mead, was also close to Oxford, and it must have been close to West Osney mead, the ditch of which was the actual boundary of the abbot's land from the earliest time to which records of the abbey land extend. Further, as Occenes gserstun die occurs in Cead walla's bounds, we identify a known place in his bounds close to Oxford. His bounds certainly come back from the south up the river, round the large island at the mouth of the Cherwell to this same ditch, and proceed along Eccen, or Eoccenes, to Eoccenford, whence they started. We are led consequently to this further con- clusion, that Eoccenford must have been somewhere close to Occenes gserstun, which is proved by Eadwy's two charters to have been close to Oxford. There certainly was a ford over the river west of Oxford, and the com- parison of these charters and bounds shows that there was a ford called Eoccenford at, or quite close to, this same spot. By this evi- dence also the Ab bodes die is shown to have been close to Occenes gserstun die, probably a connexion of, or an extension of, the same water boundary, which could not have been continued westward for any great distance, as the elevation of the land rises. We are consequently led to the conclusion that the Abbodes die must have been a ditch going to- wards Binsey, and the actual boundary of the abbey land and that of the liberty of Oxford had a known boundary of this description from the earliest recorded time.

A parallel case to the change in sound from Eoccenford to Oxenford by the cc sound being equivalent to, or passing into, cs or x occurs in the name of the Mercian province Hwicci and that of Wixena brook, a boundary brook of this province, mentioned in the 'Codex Diplomaticus,' No. 570, and in ' Cartularium Saxonicum,' vol.iii.p. 583. The same shortenec tribal name Wixna is also probably a paralle name to Oxna. T. W. SHORE.

105, Ritherdon Road, S.W.

VICE- ADMIRAL (9 th S. v. 149). The office o vice-admiral, attached to certain places rounc the coasts of England and Ireland, wa usually a sinecure conferred upon som nobleman who discharged the duties b deputy, said deputy being usually a attorney. Here, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne

le corporation, by favour of successive monarchs, exercised Admiralty jurisdiction nd had a court of their own, with power to the judge, &c. Few vice-admirals of Newcastle appear in local history. The first them of which we have any record was Charles Howard, Earl of Carlisle, who died February, 1684. He is described on his monument at York as " Vice- Admiral of the oasts of Northumberland, Cumberland, nshopric of Durham, town and county of Newcastle, and maritime parts adjacent." appointments of later date show the manner in which the office was conferred and he method of delegating the duties belonging oit:

"By letters patent, under the great seal of his Majesty's High Court of Admiralty, dated May 6, 761, Hugh, Duke of Northumberland, was consti- uted, during the king's pleasure only, vice-admiral, ommissary, and deputy in the office of vice- admiralty in the county of Northumberland and -own of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. By a grant, dated November 11, 1776, the Duke appointed Thos. )avidson, Esq. [a solicitor], his deputy." Brand's History of Newcastle.'

This was a renewal by George III., on his accession, of letters patent which had been originally granted to the duke in 1755, as appears in Doyle's ' Baronage,' where also is recorded the d uke's appointment in December, 1764, to the office of " Vice- Admiral of North America." At his death in 1786 the office was conferred upon his son Hugh, second duke, who handed over the deputyship in ike manner to Mr. Thos. Davidson's son John. RICHARD WELFORD.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

A list of "Admiralli Boreales" ("ab ore aquse Thamesis versus partes boreales"), beginning "34 Ed. I. Edward Charles Borealis Admirallus," is to be found in Sir H. Spelman's 'Glossary,' s.v. * Admiralius.' He describes his list as ** seriem ab Archivis Regiis petitam." I. S. LEADAM.

Lord Stradbroke is Vice- Admiral of Suffolk ; Lord Dufferin, Vice-Admiral of Ulster. Pro- bably there are many others.

J. H. RIVETT-CARNAC.

"IGNAGNING" (9 th S. v. 147). Forty -two

years ago there was an inquiry in * N. <fe Q.' for the meaning of this word, which is still waiting an answer (2 nd S. v. 315). The anonymous writer, from Blackpool, said that fifty years ago there were seven actors, and he possessed a copy of the play which differed from that published in an old number of the Quarterly. This would carry the word back to an earlier date than 1837. The writer added he had been told the festival was held