256 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 124. 



Hell-Rake (Vol. v., p. 162.). — The explanation 

 given by J. Sansom of the Devonian use of the 

 term helling or heleing, signifying the roof or 

 covering of a church, corresponds to the Midland 

 meaning of the word hilling, s. bed-clothes or 

 coverlet : " She has got no hilling at all." Ger. 

 Hilllen, to wrap one's self up ; Saxon, hilan. In 

 Warwickshire used for the covers of a book : 

 " It is the hilling which makes it so expensive." 

 Hilled, p. hilled up, i. e. covered with bed-clothes. 

 Leicestershire is particularly rich in quaint phrases 

 and proverbs. 



In Leicestershire it is common for the wives of 

 farmers to style their husbands ''the Master," and 

 husbands to call their wives "Mamy;" and a 

 labourer will often distinguish his wife by the title 

 of " the O'man." There are people now living 

 who remember the time when Goody and Dame, 

 "Galfer" and "Gammer," Avere in vogue among 

 the peasantry. Kt. 



Ambassadors addressed as Peers (Vol. v., 

 p. 213.). — I must leave you to judge whether a 

 reference to Howell's Familiar Letters is likely to 

 be new to your correspondent Mr. J. G. Nicuols, 

 or of any service to him in liis inquiry on this 

 subject. His note reminded me that Howell 

 bad respectfully used the words " My Lord," and 

 " Your Lordship," apparently in the modern sense 

 of " Your Excellency," in his letters to the Hight 

 Hon. Sir Peter Wichts, and to the Right Hon. 

 Sir Sackvill Crow, ambassadors at Constantinople. 

 See Howell's Familiar ZeWers, Part I. Letters 115. 

 130. ; Part II. Letters 18. 27. C. Fokbes. 



Temple. 



Tied Book of the Irish Exchequer (Vol. iii., p. 6.). 

 — J. F. F. may find some information in Mr. 

 Mason's description of the sketch in the 13th 

 vol. of the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Pv. H. 



Yankee, Derioation of (Vol. iii., pp. 260. 437. 

 461.). — I send you a Note on the etymology of 

 this word, which I do not see noticed by any of 

 your correspondents : 



" When the New England Colonies were first settled, 

 the inhabitants were obliged to fight their way against 

 many nations of Indians. They found but little diffi- 

 culty in subduing them all except one tribe, who were 

 known by the name of Yankoos, which signifies invin- 

 cible. After the waste of much blood and treasure, 

 the Yankoos were at last subdued by the New Eng- 

 landmen. The remains of this nation (agreeable to 

 the Indian custom) transferred their name to their 

 conquerors. For a while they were called Yankoos ; 

 but from a corruption, common to names in all lan- 

 guages, they got through time the name of Yankee." — 

 New York Gazetteer, June 1, 1775. 



R. H. 



Indian Jugglers ; Ballad of Ashwell Thorp 

 (Vol. iv., p. 472.). — The correspondent who in- 



quires about the Indian jugglers' trick of " growing 

 a mango," is referred to Blomfield's History of 

 Norfolk, vol. V. p. 155. (8vo. edition), wliere he 

 will find a curious song, called the " Ballad of 

 Ashwell Thorp," (said to be made in Sir Thomas 

 Knevet's time, who was Sheriff of Norfolk in 1579, 

 and died about 1616), showing that a similar trick 

 was known in England at that time. An account 

 is here given of an acorn being sown in the middle 

 of a hall, growing up in a few minutes to a pro- 

 digious tree, bearing acorns, which ripened and 

 fell ; and how, after the tree had been witli much 

 difficulty cut down by two woodcutters, the trunk 

 and fragments were finally carried away by two 

 goslings. The feat is said to have been performed 

 by a Londoner. The ballad-monger has perhaps 

 improved a little upon the simple facts of the case. 

 He concludes by saying : 



" Tills story is very true 

 Which I have told to you, 



' Tis a wonder you didn't heare it, 

 I'll lay a pint of wine. 

 If Parker and old Hlnde 



Were alive, that they would swear it." 



C. W. G. 



Meaning of Crahis (Vol. v., p. 165.). — In 

 quoting the note to Lord Lindsay's Christian Art, 

 extracted from the MS. Collectanea of Sir David 

 Lindsay of the Mount, and illustrating a story of 

 the Pelican, your correspondent F. W. I. wishes 

 for a translation of the word crabis, which Sir 

 David makes use of in describing the undutiful 

 behaviour of the young pelicans towards their pa- 

 ternal parent. 



The old Scotch verb, crab, signified to tease, 

 vex, annoy. As an active verb it is now obsolete, 

 but it is still in use, at least its participles are, in 

 a passive sense. I have frequently heard crabbing 

 used to describe the state of mind of one out of 

 humour or sulking. Crabbed has long been an 

 English word, and as such has its place in John- 

 son's Dictionary. It is not in such common use to 

 the south as it is to the north of the Tweed ; but 

 from the Land's End to John-o'-Groat's, it is used 

 to designate a chronic form of the same failing, 

 which, in its temporary form, is described above 

 as " crabbing." It is, moreover, applied to man's 

 works as well as to his temper. A crabbed hand 

 and a crabbed style of writing are expressions of 

 every-day use in Scotland, and are eminently de- 

 scriptive of the effect of such writing upon the 

 temper of the reader. W. A. C. 



Ormsary. 



^^'Twas tvhisper'd in Heaven''^ (Vol v., p. 214.). 

 — In Number 122. you answer an inquiry of 

 DiABOi.us Gander, by stating your belief that the 

 enigma, " 'Twas whisper'd in Heaven," &c., is by 

 Lord Byron. - • 



