Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 7.djvu/428

 420

NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. VIL MAY 25, 1901.

river Ancholme, which divides Lindsey, and, flow- ing northward, falls into the Humber, had become obstructed, doubtless by the silt carried down from the wolds and by the weeds which grow so luxuriantly even to this day in the peat moss. An inquisition was therefore made, in the first instance by the sheriff, and then a commission was granted to two looal magnates, Gilbert de Thorneton and Ralph Paynel, to improve the river from the Bishop's Bridge to the Humber, so that the lands around might be drained and boats pass to and fro. This commission was issued in 1295, and it provided that the cost of the improvements should be paid by the tenants of the adjoining lands that is, by a rate. No such levy would, we appre- hend, in these days be legal unless levied under the authority of an Act of Parliament. We are apt to think that in the Middle Ages, however rough and violent the lives of our forefathers may have been, they always showed respect for churches and their furniture. Some evidence to the contrary might be produced from ' The Fasten Letters.' There is more here. In 1302 Walter de Stapeldon and others were complained against by the prior of the Friars Preachers of Exeter because they entered the church there, broke the lattices before the altars, carried away some of the church ornaments, and assaulted the friars.

The second calendar has been prepared on much the same lines as the preceding. We think that we can tell, in turning over its pages, that crimes of violence were on the increase, the natural result of a feeble Government ; but this may be a mistake on our part. No certainty could be arrived at without a minute analysis, which would require great labour. Murders, or what were reputed to be such, were common in both reigns ; but it must be remembered that the lawyers of those days, unlike the theologians, did not make tine distinc- tions, and many a crime would here appear as a murder which our milder judicial system would regard as manslaughter only. Sometimes, how- ever, we come on cases of leniency. Here is a case of some sad domestic tragedy, deeply impressed, we doubt not, on the hearts of the neighbours, but now forgotten. In 1309 we find Nicholas, son of Richard Gest, of Ribston, Yorkshire, pardoned for killing a little girl. He had not completed his seventh year. In the year following William, son of John de Burbank, who was in his eighth year, was pardoned for the death of a certain David Thackethwait. This is recorded to have been granted, not on the merits of the case, but on account of the good service in Scotland of Henry de Greystok, whom we must assume to have been a friend of the family. Cases of torture are happily rare, but they occur sometimes. Thus in 1308 we find commissioners appointed to try a case from Asshewick, in Somerset, where it was alleged a certain John de Asshelond had been set upon by divers people, bound to a table, had his feet pierced with a hot iron and his face burned to compel him to sign a bond for a hundred pounds. What was the result of the trial we do not know. Swans in the reign of the second Edward were estimated at a high price. Two brood-swans and three cygnets, which seem to have been unlawfully removed, were valued at sixty shillings.

M. ERNAULT'S collection of Breton sayings and proverbs is still continued in Melmine t but the

most notable article in the number for February- March is M. Chauvin's account of acervation, which name he applies to a curious usage found among the ancient Germans, the Arabs, and other peoples. According to this custom, he explains, a dog which has been unlawfully killed ought to be suspended by the tail with the point of its muzzle touching the ground. The animal is then to be concealed by pouring over it corn or flour, which becomes the property of its owner, to indemnify him for the loss sustained. In one remarkable Syrian instance, when it is a street dog which has been killed, the flour is made into bread for its fellows. An ana- logous custom of the Timannis is also cited, and probably many further instances will yet be found.

THE Intermediaire continues its work of spread- ing abroad philological, heraldic, and historical information. In a note on popular songs relating to England there is mention of a quaint ballade, which seems to be the oldest fragment of verse relating to the Maid of Orleans now known to exist. It probably dates from 1429, and its author raises a song of triumph to commemorate the deliverance of his country

Par le voloyr dou roy Jhesus

Et janne la douce Pucelle.

THE Duchess of Cleveland, whose death, in her eighty-third year, has been announced from Wies- baden, was a contributor to our columns. Her chief literary effort was the publication, in 3 vols. small 4to, of 'The Battle Abbey Roll* (Murray, 1889). See ' N. & Q.,' 8 th S. ix. 18. She also wrote and illustrated ' The Spanish Lady.'

txr

We must call special attention to the following notice* :

ON all communications must be written the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for pub- lication, but as a guarantee of good faith.

WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately.

To secure insertion of communications corre- spondents must observe the following rules. Let each note, query, or reply be written on a separate slip of paper, with the signature of the writer and such address as he wishes to appear. When answer- ing queries, or making notes with regard to previous entries in the paper, contributors are requested to put in parentheses, immediately after the exact heading, the series, volume, and page or pages to which they refer. Correspondents who repeat queries are requested to head the second com- munication "Duplicate."

W. B. W. (Edinburgh). -

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world is by Mr. William Ross Wallace, an American. See for full account 9 th S. ii. 358, 29 Oct., 1898.

NOTICE.

Editorial Communications should be addressed to "The Editor of 'Notes and Queries '"Advertise- ments and Business Letters to "The Publisher" at the Office, Bream's Buildings, Chancery Lane, E. C.

We beg leave to state that we decline to return communications which, for any reason, we do not print ; and to this rule we can make no exception.