Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 9.djvu/515

 9 S. IX. JUKE 28, 1902.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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will, I think, be considered as appropriate in view of the Coronation rejoicings :

She comes in the light of her loveliness In the joy of her golden days ;

And the hands of the people are raised to bless, And their voice in songs of praise :

And the thunder-peals of welcome swell Through the cities' crimson air ;

And the joy of the hamlets is heard as well, Though 'tis simple as their prayer ; And the mighty voice of Welcome, Of true heart and trusty hand The Realm's rejoicing Welcome- Fills the heaven's blue vault with Welcome, Like an anthem of the land :

For who but the Sea-King's child should be The Bride of the Sea-King's land ?

JOHN GRIGOR.

questioning as to the authorship of the beau- tiful and apposite lines quoted by the Bishop of London in his sermon at St. Paul's Cathedral on Peace Sunday, 8 June. The poem, entitled 'The Only Son,' was published in the Spectator of 20 January, 1900, over the name of Mr. Henry Newbolt. As the poem, which will appear in Mr. Newbolt's forthcoming volume, has been marred by frequent transcription, it may be well to give it textually correct in 'N. &Q.':-
 * THE ONLY SON.' There was considerable

O bitter wind toward the sunset blowing,

What of the dales to-night ? In yonder gray old hall what tires are glowing,

What ring of festal light ? " In the great window as the day was dwindling

I saw an old man stand ; His head was proudly held and his eyes kindling,

But the list shook in his hand."

O wind of twilight, was there no word uttered,

No sound or joy or wail ? " ' A great fight and a good death,' he muttered ;

' Trust him, he would not fail.' "

What of the chamber dark where she was lying

For whom all life is done ? " Within her heart she rocks a dead child, crying

' My son, my little son.' "

JOHN GRIGOR.

Qturits,

WE must request correspondents desiring infor- mation on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that the answers may be addressed to them direct.

KING'S CHAMPION. Was the ceremony of King's Champion instituted merely as pageantry, or was defiance in the Middle Ages really meant 1 ? If it was, what would have been the result if the Champion had been defeated? Would it not always have been necessary that he should be .a man of

great prowess and skill in arms, so as to be able to overcome any opponent who might dare to take up the gauntlet? Supposing the first Champion to have been such a man, his descendant (the office being an hereditary one) might have been the very opposite. Does this not prove that it was always pageantry and nothing more 1

G. H. C. CRISP. ?A, St. Botolph's Lane, Cambridge.

CORONATION SONG. Fifty years ago I used to hear sung in Yorkshire an amusing song called ' The Coronation.' It began with : At home and in our village, when

We 'd done our daily labour, The barber every night would read The news to each good neighbour. 1 heered it all, but wouldn't stay

For feyther's approbation, But started off to London town For t' see t' Coronation.

Ri tol de rol de rido.

But when I got there just at fust I felt mysen quite flustered, &c.

I shall be much obliged if any one of your contributors will kindly send me all the verses, as I have forgotten several of them. It was an old song when I heard it, and had evidently been written at the time of the coronation of one of our kings, as in one of the verses it says :

I simply axed which wor the king ;

A man wi' irritation Said, "Aren't thou a pretty fool To come to a coronation ? "

(Mrs.) E. JACOB. Brooklands, Tavistock.

" DAGGERING." This word appears in con- nexion with shipping or marine insurance. A correspondent, in looking over the minutes of the Merchant Venturers of Bristol, has found various entries condemning something called "daggering." For example:

" 1746, Feb. 6. The Master having acquainted the Hall that the pernicious practice of Daggering had increased greatly since the War, to the prejudice of shipowners and freighters, the standing Committee is empowered to petition Parliament, and to send up persons to prove its allegations." Other items show that the obnoxious custom was in some way connected with the insur- ance of vessels, though in what way is not explained. If any of your correspondents can throw any light upon the meaning of " daggering " I shall be grateful.

H. HOZIER, Secretary.

Lloyd's, London, B.C.

GAUTIER'S 'VOYAGE EN ITALIE.' I should be much obliged for any light on the fol- lowing : " C'est un voyage dans le noir aussi