Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 6.djvu/308

 254 NOTES AND QUERIES. p» s. VL SEPT. a, woo. house does, indeed, say that it was " the scene of some of their blooay contentions," but he has no more evidence of this than the pre- sumption that before the battle of Hethneld (Hatfield) Penda would " most probably " pass through the isle. Hatfield itself is not in the isle; and it seems highly improbable that a country so marshy and difficult as the isle then was would be deliberately chosen by any one as a battle-field. 0. C. B. "Sous"(9"- S. v. 437 ; vi. 14).—In Bailey's ' Dictionary of Cant Words' I find : " Souse. —NotaSouse,notaPenny. FromSous,French Money." As those who use the words and terms of theaforesaid collection includegipsies —a class of people largely settled in Scotland —we may assume that souse, like other words in the same collection, was derived from the Scottish dialect. Examples of the French terminal -ous riming with housea.r& furnished by Dryden in his 'Prologue for the Women,' 1672 — We can't appoint our house, Ihe lovers' old and wonted rendezvous— and by Samuel Butler, who wrote (leaving Dryden far behind) : — Conven'd at Midnight in Out-houses, T' appoint New-rising Rendezvouses. 'Hudibraa,' JII. ii. 183, ed. 1679. Such a rime is perhaps unique in English verse. F. ADAMS. 115, Albany Road, S.E. DEDICATION OF AUTHOR TO HIMSELF (9th S. v. 167, 237, 320; vi. 176).—It may be of inter- est to note the following passage, which occurs in the Guardian, No. 4, vol. i. p. 25,1751. The writer of this paper is very much averse from dedications, and ends thus :— "As I am naturally emulous, I cannot but en- deavour to be the first Producer of a new kind of Dedication, very different from most others, since it has not a Word but what the Author religiously thinks in it. It might run in this manner. The Author to Himself. Most honoured Sir,—These Labours, upon many Considerations, so properly belong to none as to you: First, as it was your most earnest Desire alone that could prevail upon me to make them publick : Then as I am secure (from that constant Indulgence you have ever shewn to all that is mine] that no man will so readily take them into Pro- tection, or so zealously defend them. Moreover, there's none can so soon discover the Beauties ; and there are some Parts, which 'tis possible few besides yourself are capable of understanding. Sir, the Honour, Affection, and Value I have for you are beyond Expression ; as great, I am aure, or greater, than any man else can boar you. As for any Defects which others may pretend to discover in you, I do faithfully declare I was never able to perceive them; and doubt not but those Persons are actuated purely >y a Spirit of Malice or Envy, the inseparable Attendants on shining Merits and Parts, such as I lave always esteemed yours to be. It may perhaps >e looked upon as a kind of Violence to Modesty, to say this to you in Publick ; but you may believe me, tis no more than 1 have a thousand times thought of you in Private. Might I follow the Im- pulse of my Soul, there is no Subject I could [anch [*jcl into with more Pleasure than your Panegyrick. But since something is due to Modesty, let me conclude by telling you, that there's nothing so much I desire as to know you more thoroughly than I have yet the Happiness of doing. I may then hope to be capable to do you some real Service: but till then can only assure you that 1 shall con- tinue to be, as I am more than any Man alive, Dearest Sir, Your Affectionate Friend, and The greatest of your Admirers." S. M. Y. fRestif de la Bretonne dedicated, in 1777, "A Moi" his very curious and wholly unedifying ' Monsieur Nicolas.'] "BHIDEWAIN" (9th S. vi. 189). —In 'The Wedding Day in all Ages and Countries,' by E. J. Wood (London, 1869), it is explained that a similar custom to the Welsh biddings prevailed in Cumberland, Westmoreland, and other | >;irt s of the north of England, at the end of the last century. A wedding in these places was not a private affair, but was Cublicly celebrated and called a bride wain, or idden wedding. After a match had been arranged, the parties gave notice of its in- tended celebration to the public in every possible way, even by advertisements in the newspapers, which, giving the names of the parties and the place and time of the wedding, invited any one who pleased to come to it. Such an advertisement appeared as late as 1803. From another source I find that during June of that year Jonathan and Grace Mus- grave announced in the same way their pur- pose to have " a public bridal" at Law Lorton Bridge End, near Cockermouth, where races with norses and greyhounds, leaping matches, and wrestling trials would enliven all who favoured the orideand bridegroom with their company. The bridewain wedding was first so called because persons low in their fortunes sent round carts or wains and horses to their friends, and received from them corn or what- ever they could get. Hutchiuson, writing of Whitbeck, in Cumberland, says : " Newly married peasants beg corn to sow their first crop with, and are called corn-laiters." EVEEARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road. "IvERs" (9th S. v. 188, 291; vi. 92).—My thanks are due to two correspondents for their replies. The ivy theory of ME.