Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 8.djvu/152

 144

NOTES. AND QUERIES. [9 th s. vm. AUG. 17, 1901.

"PACK." In the 'Standard Dictionary (Funk & Wagnalls) the meaning of this word is given as "a lewd or low person."

In 1572, at a visitation of the Archdeacon of Canterbury, a presentment was made at Preston next Favershara concerning William Russell, the vicar (1562-72), " that he keepeth in his house one Mary Cryndall a naughty pack, such a one as hath ridden in a carl in Shorediche by London, who robbed him the said Russell of gold, silver, napery, and other house hold stuff.

"Further he is presented to be a common cow keep and one that useth commonly to drive beasts through the town of Faversham, being a town oi worship, and in other places, in a jerkyn with a bill on his neck, not like a prelate, but rather like s common rogue, who hath oft times been warned thereof, and he will not be reformed."

Several other complaints were made about thi vicar, who resigned (or was removed) in 1572. What is the meaning of " such a one as hath ridden in a cart in Shorediche by London " 1 Was it some form of punishment 1

ARTHUR HUSSEY. Tankerton-on-Sea, Kent.

RICHARD WELLSBORN. I shall be glad of particulars of above, who was fifth son of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, by Eleanor, daughter of King John. A de- scendant of his married John Latten, High Sheriff of Berks temp. Elizabeth, who also wrote an account of the Wellsborn family. Where can this family history be seen, and what is its title 1 ALEX. P. HAIG.

PORTRAIT OF ROBSON. Sala's essay on Robson, reprinted from an American journal by John Camden Hotten in 1864, has on the mauve paper cover a sketch of the actor, presumably as Jem Baggs in 'The Wandering Minstrel.' By whom was this drawing made ? Has Sala's essay been republished in any of his books ? CHARLES HIATT.

POWNEY FAMILY. Penyston Powney, Esq., of Ives Place, Berkshire, was born about 1744, died 1794 ; M.P. for Windsor, 1780 until his death. I should be glad to have further particulars about him and the family to which he belonged. He was trustee under a will proved 1783 (P.C.C. Rockingham, 49) for the three daughters of William Long Kingsman. Was he any connexion or relative of this tamily? BERNARD P. SCATTERGOOD.

Moorside, Far Headingley, Leeds.

REV. F. BARLOW, or BURTON. I have searched your columns for any mention of two most amusing volumes to which my attention was directed by an article in an early volume of the Bookworm, about 1889

'The Complete English Peerage,' by the Rev. Frederic Barlow, M.A. There appears to be more than one edition, from 1772 to 1775, and a more thoroughgoing chronique scandaleuse, under the guise of moral plati- tude, it would be hard to find. I am not personally acquainted with the ' Biographical Peerage/ in four vols., from 1808 to 1817, generally attributed to Sir Egerton Brydges, but should suppose the two works have a good deal in common. The Rev. Mr. Barlow is described on his title-page as "Vicar of Burton, and Author of the Complete English Dictionary." Can any of your readers locate his particular Burton ? I have tried in vain to find any record or notice of this somewhat singular author except in the article men- tioned. W. B. H.

THE LONGBOW. Can any reader give me information on the following points regard- ing the longbow of Crecy and Agincourt ?

1. Was St. Christopher the patron saint of archers ? If not, why did the archer wear the silver " Christopher " ] If St. Christopher was not their patron saint, who was 1

2. As the sheaf consisted of twenty-four arrows, and as a bowman could discharge fifteen or more shots a minute, is there any authority for supposing that an extra supply of arrows was carried ; or did the archer depend on renewing his supply during a battle by gleanings from the field between the enemy's charges 1

3. While I presume there is little doubt that the length of the longbow was the distance between the archer's outstretched finger tips, or about his height, several authorities make it longer, and by more than one law six-and-a-half-feet bow-staves are expressly admitted free of duty. Can the length of the longbow be substantially settled? C. E. D.

VERSES WANTED. I shall be very much Dbliged if you or any of your readers can give me the name of the poem or hymn in which the following line occurs :

Comes then at length a stillness as of even.

J. A. S.

MARENGO, NAPOLEON'S HORSE. What was e fate of Marengo, the celebrated horse of Napoleon I. ? J. F.

HERALDIC. I should be very much obliged

f any of your correspondents could give me

he origin of the three couped hands, argent

and or, that are borne on the shields of several

'amilies ; and tell me why these have mostly

stags' heads for crest. T. P. I.