LONDON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1898.

CONTENTS. - No. 48. NOTES:-Within the Four Seas, 421-Robert AndrewsKhartum-Xeres-Place-names in "Head," 422-"Aerial tour"-Henry Scogan and Chaucer-Aurora Borealis Alured Cornburgh, 423-"st"-Two Quotations, 424Mann-Old Postage Stamps-" Canonicals"-Catherine

Maria Fanshawe- Le Pain Bénit de Monsieur l'Abbé de Marigny, 425- "Whisky" — Characters in Fielding's Novels, 426. QUERIES:-Ribbonism - John Wingfield Richard de Stourton, 426-Brampton-Pillatery-Rev. F. Stannard Biggleswade- -"Soot" - Parish Registers - "Developement"-Haileybury-"Welking"-Alabaster Group, 427 - Barclay's Argenis' - Evelyn's Diary'-ThorntonTheatre-Lighting-"Tipuler "-Browning's 'Pacchiarotto'

Le bon temps où nous étions si malheureux!"-Funeral Customs, 428-Wollaston Arms-" Pig-a-back"-Kendrick Family, 429. REPLIES:-The Church (?) at Silchester, 429 - Rounds or

Rungs-"Feggy"-" Fegges after peace"-The Farmer of St. Ives-Author Wanted, 430-New Testament Query Grammar of the A.V. and Prayer Book, 431-Collector's Mark-Writing Engine-Pattens, 432-Bridget CheynellSt. Fursey-Claret and Vin-de-Grave, 433- Comin' thro' the Rye, 434-Keats's Epitaph-The Domesday "Mansio❞ -Pillar Dollar-"La Trinité des Vins"-The Judge and the Treadwheel-Sir J. Rudston, 435-Hebrew NumeralsMountgymru-Books on Gaming-" Right Honourable" French Proverb-Silhouettes, 436-Peter the GermanArms Wanted-Mill Prison, Plymouth-The First Lord Mayor, 437-Herbert's Memoirs of Charles I.'-Byard's Leap-Obscurities of Authors, 438. NOTES ON BOOKS:-Lord Ashbourne's 'Pitt'-Groome's 'Gypsy Folk-Tales' - Hamilton's 'Mr. Gladstone'. Friswell's 'James Hain Friswell.' Notices to Correspondents.

Hotes.

WITHIN THE FOUR SEAS.

THE learned and industrious "T. B., of the Inner Temple, Esquire," amongst other matters not so attractive in historical and literary history, compiled the well-known collection of quaint Antient Tenures of Land and Jocular Customs of some Manors.' Amongst them is that of Renham in Middlesex, a tenure in chief by the service of finding for our lord the king in the army, wherever it should be within the four seas of England -"infra quatuor maria Angliæ' -a horse of price, a sack, and a buckle for forty days. Blount cites also the tenure of Upton, Northamptonshire, by finding a man-at-arms in the king's war whenever it should be necessary within the four seas of England. Sometimes the formula drops the England, and confines itself (as in the holding of Siberoft in Northamptonshire) to service "infra quatuor maria" (so Blount, quoting a Plea Roll of 3 Edward I.), which elsewhere-in the Testa de Nevill,' p. 32-appears as service infra metas Angliæ."

A good deal of minor importance attaches o an ascertainment, if it be possible, of the ime and circumstances of origin of this beculiar phrase. Has it been investigated

anywhere so as to trace the earliest occurrence? What were the four seas, and what the ancient names of each? Was the Scottish Sea, the Mare Scoticum or Scotswater, the Mare Fresicum of Nennius, now the Firth of Forth, one of them? And does the term point to a time when Lothian and Cumbria were reckoned English ground?

The early names of the different seas around the British coast are well worthy of inquiry. Thus Beda calls our "North Sea or German Ocean -so I was taught by rote to say at school-by the name of "Mare Orientale," which, from the insular standpoint, is a very proper title. Adam of Bremen (Hist. Eccl.,' ch. 208), on the other shore, calls it the Frisian Ocean (Oceanum Frisonicum), which the Romans had called British. Pomponius Mela and other Roman writers quite justify Adam's statement as to the comprehensiveness of the Oceanus Britannicus.

What we now call the English Channel, and our French friends dub La Manche, Strabo named the Bretannic Strait, whilst Asser entitled it the Southern Sea, Mare Meridianum. In the fourteenth century a current title was Mare Anglicanum ('Rotuli Scotia,' i. 440, 442); and the "Narrow Seas" soon had a wide vogue both in prose and verse.

On the west coast Nennius names for us the Mare Ibernicum, which Hoveden mentions as "Mare Magnum quo itur in Hiberniam." It appears to have been known to the Northmen as Irlands Haf, contrasting with the Great Haf ("Magnus Haff," Acts Parl. Scot.,' i. 420, and see map of Scotland in Dr. Joseph Anderson's translation of the Orkneyinga Saga'), lying further north and embracing the Hebrides. "La Mer de Irlande" was a familiar term from the thirteenth century ('Roll of Carlaverock,' ed. Wright, p. 25).

The ever-to-be- reverenced Coke upon Littleton (fo. 107) cut the knot rather than solved the problem. "Infra quatuor maria," he says, "that is, within the kingdome of England and the dominions of the same kingdome." But this leaves us in the dubiety we began with about the sea on the north. We need to date the phrase first, then we may proceed to expound it.

Finally, it should be stated that from at least a period well on in the twelfth century the sea on the north may be taken to have been the Solway. William the Conqueror's traditional grant of Cumberland to Ranulf le Meschyn extended on its northern bounds to "the river towards Scotland called Sulewaht, to the true marches there between England and Scotland" (Distributio Cum

briæ,' in Camden's 'Britannia,' 1695 edition, p. 845). This is an exceedingly questionable grant, however. Under Henry III. the tenants by cornage in Cumberland were bound ("Testa de Nevill,' p. 380) to march on the king's command in the army of Scotland, viz., in the vanguard in going, and in the rearguard in returning." Under Edward II. "la Marche de Solewathe" was claimed by the lieges of Cumberland and Westmorland as the limit of their obligatory military service (Bain's 'Calendar,' iii. 716). Seemingly, then, if the tenure phrase about the four seas had its beginning after 1157, when Malcolm IV. ceded to Henry II. the city of Carlisle, and the estuary became the definite English boundary, there could be little doubt where the waters of the desiderated "sea" flowed, although strictly the Solewathe was not then reckoned a sea. But what if the phrase was a tradition even in 1157? I shall not be surprised if the expression should prove untraceable so far back as the twelfth century, to say nothing of the eleventh and the Norman Conquest. This I say in spite of the picturesquely impossible tale of the puissant King Edgar's 3,600 strong ships stationed in squadrons on the east, west, and northern coasts-an apparent recognition not of four seas, but three-and of his annual circumnavigation of the island (Florence of Worcester, year 975). Likely enough the term may have taken rise tenurially, as definitive of the limits of feudal service, in which case ordinary analogies would make it of later birth than the feudal condition it expressed. GEO. NEILSON. Glasgow.

ROBERT ANDREWS, M.P. FOR WEOBLEY, 1646-53. He is one of the members of the Long Parliament whose identity has baffled all research to trace. He was elected in October, 1646, in the place of Arthur Jones, Viscount Ranelagh, disabled for Royalism, and managed to retain his seat, although not without difficulty, until Cromwell "put an end to their prating" in 1653. He was not an active member, although he certainly served on two important committees, being added to the Committee for Compounding in March, 1648, and that for Plundered Ministers in July, 1650. In Cromwell's three Parliaments he had no place, Weobley sending no members, but he was re-elected to that called by Richard Cromwell in 1659. The last trace of him is in February, 1662, when Francis Mansell petitioned the king for leave to resign to Robert Andrews his place of Customer Inward at Southampton, which through in

disposition he was unable to fulfil, and the petition was referred to the Lord Treasurer 'Cal. State Papers'). I should be obliged to any correspondent who could say who this member was and what became of him. It has been thought that he was a brother to Theophilus Andrews, M.P. and Recorder of Evesham in 1659, who died in 1670. Theophilus Andrews bore similar arms to those of Andrews of Redditch, Evesham, and Offenham, Worcestershire. He was admitted to Gray's Inn 7 Nov., 1644, as "of Offingham, Worcester," but unfortunately the Admission Register does not further indicate his parentage. A pedigree of Andrews of Redditch, Offenham, and London is given in the Visitation of London, 1634, but does not name Theophilus. The eldest son of Thomas Andrews of Redditch, with whom the pedi gree commences, is called Robert, but is, I fear, too early for the Weobley M.P.

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initial X in Xeres is a guttural, like the XERES.-Canon Taylor tells us that the German ch, so it probably equates the Greek X, chi; but see also the Semitic, cheth; thus Xeres French Kéresse (see ante, p. 256). In Hebrew we find kheres, "the sun," which varies to kheresh, a smith," and Assyrian khurasu for gold. All this may be compared with the Sanskrit sur, "to rule," so sura, çûra, surya, "the sun"; Greek knpów, kúpios. The comparisons are endless, but Sanskrit sur, as above, is a duplicate of chúr, "to burn, so kheres the scorcher, none the less the lord of day. Had Xeres a temple to the sun while Cadiz or Gades was still young?

13, Paternoster Row, E.C.

A. HALL

PLACE-NAMES IN "HEAD." (See ante, p. 285.) -In addition to the examples given by your correspondent as derived from hajo and heved, there are others in which "head" is manifestly from hida. Here in Somerset we have Nynehead - Flory, Fivehead, and Fitzhead. Nynehead explains itself. Fivehead is Fihida in Domesday, while the latter is described in a charter of Edward the Con

been puzzled by the name 'Aluredus,' which is common enough in Domesday. Mr. Freeman looked on those who bore it as Alfreds and Englishmen ; but it was really a Breton name, and seems to represent Auvré.'

I have been long interested in Alured Cornburgh; and, in the hope of ascertaining something further concerning him, I ask permission to give the following particulars gathered some years since :

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"In the thirty-third year of the reign of Henry VI. (1454-5) Alueridus Corneburgh' was appointed by patent Controrotulator omnium minerar auri, argenti, &c. Regis in comitatibus Devon' et Cornub' ad p'litum Regis' ('Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium,' p. 296 b); and in 1460-1 (39 Henry VI.) there was further granted by that king to Alveredus Corneburgh Custodiam Castri de Launceston, ac Officium Feodarii & Escætoris Regis, Ducatus Cornubiæ ad Vitam,' &c. (Originalia, 39 Henrici VI., Rotulo 10, Jones's 'Index to the Records,' vol. ii., Addenda). This was the last year of Henry VI.'s reign, but Corneburgh was evidently in equal favour with the victorious Yorkists who overthrew that monarch. As Alver Cordburgh' he figures in the accepted list of Sheriffs of Cornwall as having held the shrievalty in 1465 and 1469; and

his name twice occurs as the collector of a subsidy during the reign of Edward IV. Among the 'Lay Subsidies of the Exchequer' one (87-102) is the account of Alvered Cornebury, late Sheriff of Cornwall, of the 'Alien Subsidy' granted at Reading, March 6th, 31 Henry VI. (1453), the collection being from Michaelmas 4 Edward IV. (1464) to the next Michaelmas, William Beare (or Bere), the Sheriff for 1465-6, being the next to account; while another (87-101) is the account of 'Alvered Cornburgh, esq.,' Sheriff of Cornwall, collector of the alien subsidy of 16d., 6d., 408., and 20s., granted at the date and place before mentioned, and collected from Michaelmas 8 Edward IV. (1468) to the next Michaelmas. The accepted list of sheriffs gives Sir John Colshull of Tremadart as Bere's successor in 1466-7; but in the Launceston Mayor's Accounts of 6 Edward IV. (1466-7) is an entry of a payment for wine given to Aluered Cornburgh, Sheriff of Cornwall (Peter's "History of Launceston,' p. 148). And in the "Grants, &c., from the Crown during the Reign of Edward the Fifth' (published by the Camden Society in 1854) it appears (p. 44) that Alveredus Cornburgh was appointed to the controllership of the coinage of tin in Cornwall and Devon, May 19, 1 Edw. V. (1483); and he seems from the Harleian MSS. (433 art. 1421) to have been also under-treasurer of Cornwall."- Western Antiquary, vol. x. p. 40.

To these particulars I would now add that "Alveredus Corneburgh, armiger," was returned for Cornwall to the Parliament of Edward IV.summoned to meet at Westminster on 3 June, 1467, and as "Alfredus Cornburgh" was elected for Plymouth to the Parliament summoned for 16 Jan., 1477/8. It is further to be noted that in a letter of 15 July, 1462 (?), from John Russe to John Paston, referring to one Thomas Chapman, "an evyl disposyd man al wey ayens you,' the writer adds :

"The seyd Chapman supportors is Blakeney, clerk of the sygnet, and Avery Cornburght, yoman of the Kynges chaumbre. He hathe here of Avereyes xxiiij. tune wyn, whereof at the long wey he shal make the seyd Averey a lewd rekenyng."-airdner's edition of the 'Paston Letters,' vol. ii p. 17. DUNHEVED

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THE CONSONANTAL COMBINATION "ST."Under the heading 'Modestest' (ante, p. 351) DR. SPENCE affirms his conviction that "modestest" is a very ugly word, while Ma YARDLEY pronounces just the opposite opinion. Tastes differ, but I agree with DR. SPENCE, and take occasion to add that the st sound is far too prevalent in our language. It seems to me only a barbarous ear that prefers "amidst," amongst," "betwixt," "whilst," to "amid" 79 66 among," "between," "while." "Against" might be added to these, but it is no longer permissible to use "again," as it formerly was and in dialect still is. "Alongst" is for tunately obsolete. Harshness is imparted to the spoken language by the use of the st forms, owing to the aggregation of so many consonants, even before a word commencing with a vowel, "amongst" and "whilst being hideous. But the cacophony is much aggravated when they precede a word beginning with two or three consonants-in such verbal collocations, for instance, as "whilst dreading" and " amongst strangers," the latter pair presenting a concourse of seven consonants. The employment of these forms, eschewed by the Authorized Version of the Scriptures, is a sin against etymology as well as against euphony, for the final t in all is the work of corruption. Yet I have known writers alter while " and among in printers' proofs to "whilst" and "amongst, ignorant probably of the existence, certainly of the propriety, of the former. F. ADAMS.

TWO QUOTATIONS. Quotations in the issues of the Times and of the Globe respectively of the last few days suggest to me the following note, which may be useful.

1. "Mend or end."-Some fourteen years ago, when the House of Lords was not in the height of popularity with one of the great political parties in the State, a well-known leader on its side gave vogue to the saying that the House "must either be mended or ended."

In the Times of 23 October, 1884, I recalled the alliteration, as dating from at least as early as 1584, from Lyly's 'Alexander and Campaspe,' Act V. sc. iv. :

and one (Matt. v. 25) of the archaic adverbial form * There are three examples therein of “betwixt," "whiles." Elsewhere "among," "between," and "while" are invariably used.