Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 5.djvu/367

 9* s. v. MAY 5,

NOTES AND QUERIES.

359

May we not therefore conclude that Peter Ellis, jurisconsultus, has been run to ground ? But if so, what is the meaning of "1st" attached to his name?

GEORGE T. KENYON.

I most gratefully acknowledge the value and aid of your paper in this inquiry. It has brought out the fact that Peter Ellis was a great authority, a distinguished lawyer, and, as his work shows, a most careful genealogist. His will accounts for many of the owners of the book. Humphrey Lloyd, who possessed it after him, was ms executor. He was one of the Masters in Chancery- Extraordinary ; he died 1673.

I have proof now of Peter Ellis's hand- writing (independently of the book itself) from his will (1637) in the P.C.C. and a paper bound up with the book ; it is probably his autograph and a copy of Edward Puleston's. I wish to record my thanks to the HON. G. KENYON, to Mr. H. R. Hughes (of Kennel Park), and most especially to Mr. Alfred Neobard Palmer (the learned author of the * History of Wrexham '), for their most valuable information. This Peter Ellis MS. ought to be properly edited. Though not an official document or the work of a Herald, it is a careful copy of many Welsh authorities now, unfortunately, lost or inaccessible, and each author is carefully vouched and anno- tated, and thus it throws a clear light over the confused and badly compiled Welsh authorities, and enables a searcher to grope his way amongst them with some degree of certainty.

Since writing my previous letter I have had an opportunity of comparing my notes and photographs of several pages of the Prothero MSS. in the Bodleian with the volumes in the College of Arms, and it is clear that they form part of the same collection, and are by the same writer. I feel no doubt that my other surmise, that this was the work of David Edwards, the Deputy Herald, is ac- curate ; but the difficulty is to find examples of his handwriting. If any possessor of un- doubted MSS. of his will kindly communicate with me I will send him photos to compare. The point is of very great importance, since, if my view is accurate, these volumes are official records, and binding upon the College. I am happy to say that Mr. Watkin, Port- cullis, appears to assent to my views.

I have made considerable progress with investigations into the origin of ' The Golden Grove Book,' and feel no doubt that it is the work of Evan Evans, a great genealogist and poet, whom, unfortunately, the editor of

the 'Dictionary of National Biography' has noticed, but chiefly to record his vices, which ought to have been forgotten he was a Protestant clergyman. There is evi- dence, from the book itself, that it was compiled between 1752 and 1771 ; pp. B294, 297, 304-16, prove this. Evan Evans initials it himself; the water-mark is George Rex. Mr. Horwood, in his report to the His- torical Commission, states that it was the work of Hugh Thomas, the Deputy Herald. Can any one give me the date of his will ? There is a curious connexion between this book and the Peter Ellis MS., and Hugh Thomas bequeathed one volume (which is a copy of that work, and of Mr. Wynne's Peniarth volume) to the Earl of Oxford. Possibly his will, if it could be found, would give a proper description of it. Evan Evans's MSS. remained at Pan ton until the death of the late Mai or Priestley, when, it is said, they were sold, and I am unable to get access to any specimen of his handwriting. Will any correspondent state where they now are? PYM YEATMAN.

"IN GORDANO" (9 th S. v. 126, 254). The family of Gorges, many of whom lie buried in Wraxall Church, co. Somerset, held lands in that parish in the fourteenth century, and, I think, also in the neighbouring parishes of Easton, Weston, and Walton in Gordano. They bore for their arms Argent, a gurges (i.e., whirlpool) azure. Now, in later Latin, Gorgus and Gordus were synonyms of Gurges (see Du Cange, s.v.), and Gordanus would be naturally the derivative adjective of Gordus. I read, therefore, " in Gordano " as short for "in agro Gordano" in the land of the Gorges. ALDENHAM.

St. Dunstan's.

GOAT IN FOLK-LORE (9 th S. v. 248). As a very general rule the small farmers in many parts "of Ulster keep a goat to graze along with their milch cows. If one makes inquiry as to the reason he will very often be in- formed either that there is none in particular, or, less frequently, that " it is lucky." It is well known, however, that the real origin of the custom is due to the belief that the goat eats some herb which, although innoxious to this animal, is harmful to the cows. I have often endeavoured to ascertain what parti- cular plant this could be, but have completely failed to do so up to this, and should be much obliged for any suggestions as to its nature. The theory that the goat's effluvium " has an effect on microbes " is, I think, quite untenable, otherwise the same reason might be adduced for the occasional residence of