Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 7.djvu/419

 VII. MAY 25, 1901.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

411

item : " 21 Apostle spoons, 41 ounces at 4s. 8d. the ounce." M.

Your correspondent Miss E. LEGA-WEEKES will find a very interesting account of Apostle spoons in a book on ' Old English Plate,' by Wilfred Joseph Cripps, C.B., F.S. A., published by John Murray. f It contains a number of illustrations. The late Rev. J. Staniforth seems to have possessed the most ancient hall-marked Apostle spoon known, it being of the year 1493. CHARLES GREEN.

18, Shrewsbury Road, Sheffield.

In Mr. C. J. Jackson's learned and interest- ing article 'The Spoon and its History,' read before the Society of Antiquaries, 13 Febru- ary, 1890 (Archceologia, vol. liii. pp. 107-46), it is stated that no entry regarding Apostle spoons appears to have been found of a date earlier than the year 1494-5, but that a spoon of this kind is in existence dated with the London hall-mark of 1490-1.

EDWARD PEACOCK.

OFFICIAL LISTS (9 th S. vii. 289). I think the documents formerly in the Augmentation Office were removed to the Record Office, Chancery Lane, where it is probable the information required may be obtained.

EVERARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road.

"BULL AND LAST" (9 th S. vii. 128, 254, 331). The endeavour to find meanings for public- house signs has produced some absurd ex- planations, which, although purely conjec- tural, are advanced in many instances with perfect cocksureness. Not the least notorious or antiquated of these relates to " Bull and Mouth," which is affirmed to be a corruption of " Boulogne Mouth " a nonsensical phrase inconceivable save to the etymologer at any price, for Boulogne is not the name of a river. Without launching the mind across Channel, what would anybody understand by "Dover Mouth"? Of course a like "explanation" is devised for "Bull and Gate "; but one is astounded by so fantastic a conjecture as " Boulogne a 1'Est " for " Bull and Last " offered by a correspondent at the second reference, and still more by his suggestion of "Boulogne Bouche" as the original of "Bull and Bush." Brewer, in his 'Phrase and Fable,' asserts that "Boulogne Gate" and "Boulogne Mouth" were names "adopted out of compliment to Henry VIII., who took Boulogne in 1544." But what his- torical evidence is there of this ? Is it certain or at all probable that these particular tavern signs were existent 350 years ago ? As to " Boulogne Bouche "Boulogne bosh ! tlie

most elementary knowledge of French should have prevented the fabrication of so impos- sible a name. " Bouche de Boulogne " might pass, though it would be meaningless to a Frenchman ; and, as far as English is con- cerned, the only Boulogne mouth conceivable is the mouth of a native of that town. It is time that this haphazard kind of etymology were ended for ever. Why must enigmatical tavern signs necessarily be corruptions? Why not accept the fact that they are unintelligible, emanating as they do from individual caprice, and cease wasting brain-power in trying to explain the inexplicable 1 F. ADAMS.

HATELY FAMILY (9 th S. vii. 367). -The original seat of this family appears to have been Mellockstane, now called Mellerstain, in Berwickshire. Various members appear in the Coldinghame charters during the thir- teenth century. An Alexander and a John Hateley appear on Ragman Roll in 1296. James Haitlie was retoured heir to his father, John Haitlie of Millerstanis, in 1625. Another branch of the family owned Lambden, in the same county, during the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries. The seal of Alex- ander Hatele in 1296 bears a boar's head couped.

Mellerstain now belongs to the Earl of Haddington, to whom it descended from the Baillies of Mellerstain. Various notices of the family occur in Raine's ' North Durham,' Home Writs (Hist. MSS.), Marchmont Writs (Hist. MSS.). J. G. WALLACE-JAMES.

Haddington.

NELSON'S DEATH (9 th S. vii. 367). I think Arthur Wm. Devis (not Davis), 1763-1822, was the artist (see Bryan's 'Dictionary of Painters and Engravers '), but no mention is made of his being present. Consult Red- grave. G. T. SHERBORN.

Twickenham.

Has DR. GATTY forgotten or overlooked my reply in ' N. & Q.,' 8 th S. vii. 478, to his former and similar question (p. 429) f In it I furnished a brief account of the life and works of Arthur William Devis (not W. E. Davis), and how he happened to be on board the Victory at the death of Nelson. Portraits of Warren Hastings and Governor Herbert by A. W. Devis are in the National Portrait Gallery. EVERARD HOME COLEMAN.

71, Brecknock Road.

PATMORE AND SWEDENBORG (9 th S. vii. 345). Mr. Henry Septimus Sutton, the writer of the article on this topic mentioned by MR. CHARLES HICHAM, was buried on Satur- day, 4 May the date of the number of