Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 8.djvu/388

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NOTES- AND QUERIES. [9 th s. VIIL NOV. 9, 1901.

of its motto and they are apt therefore, heraldically speaking, to be misleading.

It is indeed stated, at p. 4 .of the * History and Constitution' already referred to, that in the early period of the order a misappre- hension frequently occurred owing to the presumption that, because the order was con- fined to lonians and Maltese, it was an Ionian and Maltese order, whilst in reality it was always a strictly British order. But would it not be better that no such doubt could ever arise in the future 1 ?

And again, at p. 3, in giving an explana- tion why the names of the two saints were so conjoined, the author states that the name of St. Michael was prefixed to that of the patron saint of England as being that of a military saint who was respected by all Chris- tians alike, whether Protestants, Roman Catholics, or of the Greek Church, and that " the subsequent extension of the order to the colonies generally was therefore not incon- sistent with its original foundation." This may be so ; but I should like to see this ex- tension shown by something less enigmatical.

The British colonies no doubt have never been considered of sufficient weight or im- portance to found a claim for an order to themselves. India has. Recent events in South Africa and elsewhere, however, have shown that the value of the services of our colonies to us should not be placed at a less high standard than those of India. The visit to those colonies, and the triumphant progress through them, of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York conclusively show this.

By such an alteration as Dr. Woodward suggests a more fitting recognition of those services can be given. What those changes should be I leave to wiser and more experienced heads than mine to decide. But surely it should not be difficult, upon a proper- representation of this matter to the Chancery of the Order at the Colonial Office, for some insignia to be designed more emblematic of the object which this order is now intended solely to promote.

In other ways events are marching on towards the same point. The colonies are just now asking for representation in the title of the sovereign who rules our empire, and that claim has been grace- fully and willingly conceded, and is now occupying the attention of His Majesty's Government. Our late most gracious Queen recognized the great services rendered by another nation namely, Ireland (alas that it should be called " another nation " ! Is it not time that the hateful title "Great

Britain and Ireland" should give place to "Great Britain" alone, thus incorporat- ing Ireland, as it has already done Scot- land and Wales 1) by establishing a new regiment amongst her household troops, the Irish Guards. Here, again, why stop at Ireland ? Is not " gallant ' little Wales " of sufficient importance has it not rendered sufficient services in South Africa and else- where to merit this honour ? And can there be a more fitting time for such changes as I have indicated above to be carried out than at the approaching coronation of our new sovereign ? J. S. UDAL, F.S.A.

Antigua, W.I.

[By proclamation dated 4 Nov. the words " and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas" are directed to be inserted after " Great Britain and Ireland" in the King's title.]

MERRY TALES. (Continued from p. 298.)

LVIII. 'Of the frere in the pulpet that bad the woman leue her babelynge.' This is somewhat similar to the tale in Domenichi of a fool who said, "If you had not com- menced, the other people would have been quiet." It is the ninety-eighth of the ' Contes ou Nouvelles Recreations et Joyeux Devis ' of Des Periers, p. 245 of the edition of P. L. Jacob, Bibliophile (pseudonym of Paul Lacroix). Here it is told of Triboulet, the fool of King Francois I.

LX. ' Of the man that had the dome wyfe.' Moliere's ' Le Medecin malgre lui,' Act III. scs. vi. and vii. Similarly in Rabelais, book iii. chap, xxxiii., 'Le Conte du Mari,' the doctor says he cannot render the wife dumb ; the only thing he can do is to make the husband deaf.

LXI. ' Of the proctour of arches that had the lytel wyfe.' This is in Domenichi, but at present I cannot find the reference; in the 'Contes a rire,' 'Pourquoi Leonides epousa une Petite Femme,' p. 387 ; No. 81 of 1 Conceits, Clinches, .Flashes, and Whimsies/ reprinted inHazlitt, 'Shakespeare Jest-Books,' vol. iii. p. 24.

LXVII. l Of the scoler of Oxforde that proved by souestry II. chykens III.' No. 32 of ' Certaine Conceyts and Jeasts,' edited by Hazlitt in vol. iii. of 'Shakespeare Jest- Books,' p. 14 ; Domenichi, p. 113 recto. I fancy it is also in Sacchetti, but I am at present unable to find it.

LXIX. ' Of the frankelyns sonne that cam to take ordres.' In Henri Estienne, ' Apologie pour Herodote,' chap, xxix p. 149 of vol. ii.l of the edition by Ristelhuber, Paris, 1879 ;| ' Contes d'Ouville,' vol. i. p. 281.