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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. v. JUNE 2, 1900.

edged with the legend " Sigillum Monasteri Beate Marie De Hayles." The relic was kepi at the high altar in a small _ shrine, anc must have had special monastic custodians both to look after it and display it to the devoted pilgrims who in quiet times flockec thither (cf. Pynson's ' Little Treatise of Divers Miracles shewn for the Portion of Christ's Blood in Hayles ').

It is surprising to reflect that such bejewelled relics as this survived the peculiar storm and stress to which the monasteries were victims in those perilous days. For instance, it is well known that the plague which desolated England in 1361 was only less calamitous than its precursor of 1349 ; and this is how the fact is recorded in a letter of Urban V. to the Bishop of Wor- cester, in whose diocese Hayles was (VIII. Kal. Jun. Anno IL, i.e., 1364), " Cum in pesti- lentia ultima jam elapsa in diversis monas- teriis, domibusque religiosis, quasi omnes seniores presbyteri viam universse carnis sunt ingressi, supplicat," &c. Following upon this seems to have occurred a sanguinary outbreak of violence in Hailes monastery, owing to a mutiny of certain monks arid lay brethren against their superiors. Further, on 31 October (1364) certain "satellites of Satan" broke into the sacristy and carried off chalices, patens, &c., worth 40s., which apparently gave the Cardinal of S. Lorenzo in Lucina (then Grand Penitentiarius) something to write to the prior about (cf. Royal MS., Brit. Mus. 12, E. XIV. f. 266). Moreover, Pope Urban himself (cf. 'Arch. Seer. Vatic. Reg. Aven.,' No. 158, Urbani V., Anno II., parte iii. tome ix. f. 324) makes mention of a Hayles monk, John And over, appealing in person to him at Avignon.

If any of your learned readers happen to be conversant with documents relating to the Counts of Holland in the thirteenth century, or with those relating to the diocese of Worcester, it is more than probable they will be able to enrich this subject by discovering fresh facts. It has been impossible for me, while in Rome, to search the vast number of volumes in the Vatican at all to my satisfac- tion ; nevertheless,! have found adocument of value regarding the archaeological evidences, referred to in my first communication, of a fifteenth-century restoration of the abbey, fully confirming conjectures formed last year by my able colleague, the Rev. Wm. Bazeley, and myself while excavating the site. It is dated 18 April, 1458 (Callixtus III., N. 463) :

"Cum itaque, sicut accepimus, Monasterium S-. (M.) de Hayles, Ord. Cist., Vigorn. Dioc. in suis structuris et edificiis magnam ruinam patiatur,

fructusque redditis et proventus dicti Monasterii ad faciendum structurarum, edificiorum hujusmodi reparatlonem non sufficient, sed Christifidelium suffragia sint quamplurimum opportuna, nos

cupientes, c septem annos et totidem quad-

rigenis singulis misericorditer relaxamus."

The royal monastery, then, during the wars of the Roses was tumbling about the ears of its inhabitants, and practically looked to its relic of "the holy Blood" to save it from absolute ruin. That the relic in course of time V 1 so is quite certain. We have now founa the cloister six well-preserved heraldic bf 3s bearing the arms of three successive * John Huddlestones, of Henry Percy, Earl r Northumberland, quartering Fitz-Alan, oi ' William Compton quartering Poynings, ar, le boss bearing the arms of the abbey of sham, all of which indicate early sixtee j century workmanship. It was due to those generous patrons, doubtless, that the Royal Commissioners of 1539 spake well of the condition of Hailes, declaring it to be free from debt, and granted Stephen Seagar (of Whalley), the last abbot, a pension, permitting him to reside at Coscombe, near by. ST. CLAIE BADDELEY/

"CmNK." In discussing with my agent the difference between the wood of the sweet chestnut and that of the oak, he spoke of the chink of these woods, meaning the variegated pattern which they present when sawn. I bad never heard the word used in this sense, and thought it might be an East Anglian term, but by reference to the 'H.E.D.' I gather that Forby only gives it in connexion with "chine-hoop." It is curious that the word given variously in different dictionaries as chine* or cheyney has, in connexion with silk, the very same meaning, and that though chine and chink appear to have been at one time interchangeably used and to lave a common origin, they bear no relation though chine" and cheyney are obviously the same word, the one is said to be derived (vide Stormonth) from the French chiner, to dye, while the other is stated to be a variant of
 * o chine*. It is also worthy of note that

ina (vide ' H.E.D.').

The discussion led on to another statement

which may be of interest. I had previously

)een informed that the woods above referred

o are very hard to distinguish, and that

architects had never yet been able to make

up their minds whether the wood used in the

dome of St. Paul's was oak or sweet chestnut.

3e that as it may, my agent informed me

hat the question could always be settled by

xamining the bottom of the wood which is