Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 8.djvu/60

 NOTES .AND QUERIES. [9* s. vm. JULY 13, 1901.

make them as a prelude to the understanding of a quotation which has a bearing on the meaning of it, and which you may allow me to make from a sermon preached in St. Giles's Church, Edinburgh, in April, 1638, by the Rev. James Row, of Monzievaird, grandson of John Row, the coadjutor of John Knox. I take it from 'Memorials of the Family of Row,' Edinburgh, 1828, a volume limited to forty copies. The parallel is between Balaam and his ass, which he drove till it spake back, and the bishops and the Church, which they drove till it rebelled :

"So the Bishops (being as blind as Balaam) have ridden and beaten our Kirke so long, and taken us at such a strait, as wee were even ready to be des- troied. But God hath heard our cry, and wee pray him also open the eyes of our adversaries, who were even as blind as Balaam, and were going as unlucky a way as hee, for they were posting to Rome with a Poakmantie behind them ; and what was in their Poakmantie (trow ye?) Marry, even the book of Common praier, the book of Canons, and orders of the High Commission. Now, as sone as the Asse saw the Angell, shee falls to flinging and over goes the Poakmantie, and it hung on the one side or the Asse by one string, and the Bishops hang by the hamme on the other side, so as they hang crosse the Asse (like a paire of paniers) stuft full of Popish trash and trinkets. Fame would the blind Carle have beene on the saddle againe, but hee could not ; nay, so he might be set to ride again, he would be content to leave his Poakmanty amongst us. But let me exhort yee (deare Brethren) not to let such a swinger ride any more on your Religion, for, if he do, he will be sure one time or other to get the Poakmantie behind him againe."

There is no doubt there as to what the preacher meant by a portemanteau or "poakmantie," as he calls it after the manner of the times, and as it was still called in my youth and the illustration must have greatly impressed the people, for he came to be after- wards known among them as Poakmantie Mr. James. J. L. ANDERSON.

Edinburgh.

HAYDON FAMILY (9 th S. vii. 469). The old English families seem to have spelt the name Heydon, while the American branches have usually spelt it Hayden. There are twenty-four different printed pedigrees to be found in various American books. The book which I believe would prove most useful to your correspondent is ' Records of the Con- necticut Line of the Hayden Family '('The Hayden Genealogy'), by Jabez Haskell Hayden, of Windsor Locks, Conn., 1888. Genealogical sketches are given of the old English families The author appears to have made very careful researches in the different parts of England where the Heydons have resided. The book is tastefully produced, and illustrated with photographs. As no doubt it

was published by subscription (and only a few hundred printed), I hardly think it would be possible to buy a copy in open market ; but it is pretty certain that many of the public libraries in the U.S. possess copies. Another book which contains useful information upon the subject is 'Virginia Genealogies,' by the Rev. Horace Edwin Hay- den, M.A., Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 1891.

HERBERT B. CLAYTON. 39, Renfrew Road, Lower Kennington Lane.

Four very long and interesting articles respecting this family, from the pen of FRANK SCOTT HAYDON, the son of the famous histori- cal painter Benjamin Robert Haydon, have already appeared in ' N. & Q.,' for which see 4 th S. vii. 143 ; viii. 149 ; 5 th S. x. 370 ; xi. 111.

EVERARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road.

"SNICKET" (9 th S. vii. 348, 512). One day last autumn I travelled on the Great Nortn of Scotland Railway between Aberdeen and Inverness. When we reached Elgin station a gentleman in the compartment handed out to a friend on the platform what appeared to be a small covered cage with a bird in it. Sitting as I was at the platform window of the carriage, I could not help overhearing the conversation which passed between the two, to .which I paid not the slightest atten- tion. But as the train was about to start I was interested to hear my travelling com- panion, in the best Nortn-Country Doric, evidently referring to the little prisoner within the cage, make this parting remark : " Gin its tail grows owre lang, just snick a bit aft." A. S.

"Snicket" and "snigit" are words with the same meanings generally as used in Derbyshire. In cricket a ball is "snicked," that is " cut " to an unexpected quarter. Boys "snick" and "snig" things with their knives, and they " snick " or " snig " along in certain games where to be half hidden is necessary. Taking a short cut or doing things rapidly so as to cause surprise is " snicking it " or " sniging it."

THOS. RATCLIFPE. Worksop.

A HULL SAYING (9 th S. vii. 445). MR. ANDREWS'S communication produces for a native of Hull, who long ago left his first home, the kind of experience which one has in hearing again once familiar tones. I can remember very little of the Yorkshire ver- nacular, but one phrase, that has clung to me from childhood's days, is comparable with " Ah '11 travis tha " as to the severity of its