Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 7.djvu/427

 VIL MAY 25, loci.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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scholar. That the scheme originally adopted in the 4 Concise Etymological Dictionary ' was more ambitious than practical has now been discovered, and an improvement, for which we are grateful, has been effected. Those who purchase the work will do well to study the introductory matter, which, though occupying only half a dozen pages, is indispensable in order fully to utilize the infor- mation conveyed. A few lines on the ordinary vowel changes should, Prof. Skeat holds, be learnt by heart at once. Were this done, and were the work in the possession of our readers generally, much wild and inept conjecture would be spared, and certain backs would escape scarification at the hands of philologists justly indignant. Among the points to be noted is the manner in which the descent of a word is traced, as " Abbey (F. L. Gk. Syriac)" that is, a French word derived from Latin, which Latin word comes from a Greek word Syriac in origin. It is of course superfluous to praise afresh the labours of Prof. Skeat, by which readers of * N. & Q.' so constantly and happily benefit. As a scholar and an authority he enjoys a world-wide reputation, and we can do no more than announce to our readers the appearance of the latest, the most convenient, and the most serviceable edition of his ' Concise Dic- tionary ' that has yet been given to the world.

Aldermen of Cripplegate Ward from A.D. 1276 to A. D. 1900. By John James Baddeley. (Baddeley.) MB. BADDELEY'S book constitutes an acceptable addition to works dealing with the Corporation of the City of London. Numerous and important as are recent contributions to our knowledge of this subject, nothing exactly like the present volume has previously been attempted. From trustworthy records, with many of which we have dealt, Mr. Baddeley who is a deputy for Cripplegate Ward Without and has written more than one work illustrative of municipal affairs and institutions has obtained a list of the names of aldermen o Cripplegate Ward, which, with brief biographies anc with a portrait (where such is obtainable), consti tutes an important and a serviceable volume. His hope is that the example he sets will be followec in other wards, so that in due time a complete list with biographies of the aldermen of the City may be brought within reach of " the student of nationa" as well as municipal history." That accomplish ment such as this implies would be of high valu< for historical and genealogical purposes is obvious and we join in the aspiration that the example o Mr. Baddeley may be followed. Exact records con cerning the aldermen of the ward begin with Henr de Frowyck, pepperer, who in 1274 was Sheriff Pepperers were grocers or dealers in pepper, and according to Stowe, were first incorporated by the name of Grocers in 1345. No definite mention o an alderman of the ward previous to Frowyck is tc be traced, but various persons have been mentionec as having probably been aldermen of the Cripple gate Ward early in the thirteenth century . Fronr 1276 there is a regular sequence. The livery com pany is not in every case mentioned, but the alder men appear at first to have belonged principally t( the Goldsmiths'. Richard Costantyn in 1337 was Draper, Simon de Worstede in 1348 appropriate!} enough a Mercer, and Thomas Carleton in 138 a Broderer. In the fifteenth century there is 5 long succession of Mercers, and after that perioc names such as Haberdasher, Clothworker, Mer

hant Taylor, Upholder, Innholder, &c., are of nore or less frequent occurrence. The latest on tie list is a Spectacle Maker. More biographical articulars than were to be expected are fre- uently supplied from the wills in the Court f Husting, in the Letter - Books, and similar ources. Sometimes the information has already >een employed in the 'Dictionary of National 3iography.' S9me of the aldermen were entrusted >y the king with confidential missions. John de Sanquell was sent in 1296 as escort to Cardinal Albano on an important excursion to Scotland to negotiate with Edward I. a truce with France. Vlany of the aldermen naturally figure as mayors, and many were members of Parliament for the Jity. William Cantelowe, elected 27 May, 1446, carried money oversea for bringing Queen Margaret ,o England, and supplied gunpowder to the Castle of Cherbourg when in the hands of the English. Che first portrait reproduced is that of Rowland leylin (elected 1624), from a painting in Iron- mongers' Hall. Following the biographical par- ticulars comes an account of the aldermen of the ^!ity of London and of the various ordinances con- erning their qualification, nomination, election, duties, removal, &c., which is in turn followed by a short history of the Common Council, which again gives place to a series of miscellaneous extracts from the City's records which are of high archaeological interest. Mr. Baddeley's task has been admirably executed, and the sale of his book should advantage greatly the Fore Street Metropolitan Dispensary, to which he generously devotes the receipts.

Calendar of the Patent Rolls. Edward I. 1292-1307.

Edward II. 1307-1313. (Stationery Office.) THESE calendars are of immense value to every student of either general or local history, but it is hardly possible tc give any adequate notice of them except Toy writing a vast dissertation. One matter we may remark upon which testifies to the very great care with which the volumes have been pre- pared. The weak point of a book of this kind is commonly the index when there is one. We have here made many references how many we cannot remember and on every occasion have found what we sought on the page indicated.

Edward I. has met with due praise for having adapted the laws of England to the exigencies of the times. This is but just ; but we doubt whether sufficient honour has been awarded to the great king and those who served him for the zeal and fidelity with which the laws were admin- istered. No one can study these massive volumes without discovering that the country was passing from barbarism to what seemed likely to become a truly beautiful form of civilization. These fair promises could not be fulfilled under his weak successors, and in a country desolated by the long and savage Wars of the Roses.

The topographical information afforded is some- times of importance. The freeing of the laud from superfluous water, it is commonly assumed, was a work that was practically commenced in this country by Flemings and Netherlanders, and those who worked under them, in the seventeenth century. Dugdale, it is true, knew better ; but his ' Imbanking and Draining ' is in the hands of very few persons. We have evidence here that drainage of the soil and carriage of mer- chandise were alike thought of, and rational means taken to ensure improvement. For example, the