Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 6.djvu/47

 9->s. vi. JULY 14, i9oo.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 37 although it could not have been so in Wai- pole's time, the belief may still have lingered that its boundaries, by virtue of the royal residence, were coextensive with the British dominions. J. HOLDEN MACMICHAEL. PROVERB (9th S. v. 434, 503).- The proverb quoted by MR. E. PEACOCK from Hearne is taken, with the introductory remarks, from Stow's 'Survey of London,' ed. 1603, p. 116, which is an follows : — " Thus much for famous Citizens, haue I noted their charitable actions, for the most part done by them in theyr life time. The residue loft in trust to their Executors : I haue knowne some of them hardly (or neuer) performed, wherefore I wish men to make their owne hands their Executors, and their eyes their Ouerseers, not forgetting the olde Prouerbe : ' Women be forget full,' 4c., as quoted by Hearne. The origin and mean- ing of " holydome " or " halidome " are given in the ' H.E."D.' H. A. HARBEN. The bad conduct of executors has been expressed in similar terms from an early date. Some verses which are often found upon encaustic tiles (e.g., in Great Malvern Priory Church), together with many refer- ences, may be seen in Dingley's 'History from Marble,' Camd. Soc., p. 90 and pi. ccxxi., and another specimen in the ' Catalogue of the York Museum.' Bishop Atterbury takes the same line in a sermon, 1709 (' Sermons,' 1723, ii. 226-7). The passage is too long to quote, but after pointing out that " many testamentary charities have been defeated by the negligence or fraud of executors," hia final advice is, " Be thou thy own executor." Something similar is in Bishop Joseph Hall's 'Meditations and Vows,' No. xxxii. (1851, p. 19). " Halidora " means neither the Holy Communion nor our Lady, as may be seen in the ' N.E.D.,' q.v. W. C. B. ROGEKS'S 'GlNEVEA1 (9th S. V. 3, 92, 154, 505). — The complete history of the ' Mistletoe Bough' will be found in my 'Stories of Famous Songs,' published by Mr. Nimmo in 1R98. It runs to fourteen pages, and cannot well be condensed. It will be found to be most intere-sting. I was many years gather- ing the particulars of this one song. I give Hay nes Bayly's words. S. J. A. F. " (9th S. v. 395, 500).-- W. I. R. V. may like to know that "dilling"=the smallest of a litter of pigs, is in common use in this part of Northamptonshire. Miss Baker cites Ray and Nares as considering "dilling"=darhng, and adds :— " As the youngest of a family is frequently the most petted and fondled, the (tilling might very appropriately be called the darling, but the darling is not necessarily the youngest, or di/ling." She also gives the following quotation from' Dray ton's ' Polyolbion':— The youngest and the last, and lesser than the other, Saint Helen's name doth beare, the tlilling of her mother. JOHN T. PAGE. West Haddon, Northamptonshire. "LES GRACES" (9th S. v. 336, 459).—You might add to the account of this game given by your correspondent that the two hoops were of different sizes, and the object was to send the smaller hoop through the larger backwards and forwards between the two players. To have only one hoop or more than two players would be inferior variations. F. J. CANDY. Norwood. A DESERTED VILLAGE (9th S. iii. 404, 490).— It seems proper to add that the vignette engraved upon the title-page of early copies of Goldsmith's ' Deserted Village' shows a place on the sea-coast with a ruined church on the edge of the cliff, features which bear a close resemblance to those of Auburn in Holderness. My copy is of the ninth edition, quarto, 1779. W. C. B. RONJAT, THE KING'S SERJEANT-SUEGEON (9th S. v. 475).—This name is, I believe, purely imaginary, like that of Dr. Slop. It is merely a transposition of tuTpov, in allusion, probably, to the fees supposed to be accumulated by members of the profession. A non-classical writer would have made it "Fleece "em," which is, perhaps, the nearest English equivalent. J. FOSTER PALMER. 8, Royal Avenue, S.W. "NowEE" (9th S. v. 476).—In 'Old Cottage and Domestic Architecture, South - West Surrey,' by Ralph Nevill, F.S.A., p. 115, a reference on this subject is made to the Gentleman's Magazine, reprint, 'Roman Bri- tain,' vol. ii. p. 490. The name is said to be a direct descendant from the Latin noverca, a mother-in-law, a term used by Hyginus and other Roman writers on castrametation for any point threatening or commanding a camp. Some other instances are given. The camp in the instance near Dorking is sup- posed to have been at Bury Hill. G. T. PILCHER. "CROWDY-MUTTON" (9th S. v. 375, 461).— Will MR. MAYHEW kindly «ive his authority for saying, " In Devon the term ' crowdy ' is used for a pie made of a mixed medley of materials from mutton-chops to onions and