2''d S. VIII. July 9. '69.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



25 



large in happy freedom in the streets, like the 

 dogs that prowl through an Eastern city ; while a 

 fourth makes an invasion on the narrow street, of 

 a porch or of a shed, or perhaps of a bay window, 

 within which to drink or smoke, and otherwise 

 enjoy himself. In some places ponderous signs, 

 swung across from house to house, and overhang- 

 ing stories above and covered ways beneath, as in 

 the ancient " Mercerie," made it a marvel that 

 anyone who entered s^t one end of these " thoro- 

 fares " should ever make his exit at the other. 



But to return to the prisoners' basket carrier : 

 A.D. 1711, he is ordered to have a new coat. 

 Thirty-five years later, to his other duties is 

 added the Augean duty of keeping clear the 

 great sewer at King's Bridge. Doubtless such a 

 duty was not very repugnant to an individual in 

 his humble capacity, when we find that in the 

 preceding year Alderman Blotting received two 

 guineas for making the gallows and cofBn of a 

 man named William Hulke,who was hanged in 

 the city. The shaft of a gibbet, probably one of 

 Alderman Blotting's manufacture, still lies on the 

 under floor of the Guildhall. 



A.D. 1707, a practice obtained of certain pri- 

 soners from Westgate being allowed to go at 

 large. This was afterwards prohibited, except 

 under special licence from the mayor, whose 

 jurisdiction, with that of the sheriff, seemed to 

 be conflicting, or not properly defined in respect 

 of the prisoners and the gaol. 



The executions in Canterbury, judging by the 

 number of gibbets, must have been numerous ; 

 and among the individuals who suffered we may 

 note, A.D. 1661, two reputed witches. The she- 

 riff''s expenses on this occasion were 38^. The 

 ancient corporation of Canterbury, in connexion 

 with the administration of the laws, had a power 

 to admit parties to act as'attorneys. a.d. 1665, 

 this privilege was restricted to those persons who 

 had been brought up as clerks under the Re- 

 corder and the Town Clerk, or had served under 

 attorneys. 



Law was conrparatively cheap, a.d. 1636, the 

 town clerk was paid 65. Sd. for engrossing every 

 lease, and 6*. 8c?. for enrolling the same ; the mayor 

 and aldermen being allowed 12d. conjointly for 

 wine on the sealing of each lease. 



A.D. 1640, Isaac Bond is appointed bellman, and 

 one department of his duty consisted in perambu- 

 lating the city of a night to look out after the 

 fires and candles of the inhabitants, and to knock 

 at every one's house " who had gone to bed with 

 his doors open." Also, " to inform Mr. Mayor, or 

 the master of the family, of all such servants as 

 he should find in the streets at unseasonable 

 hours." 



A few years later, a.d, 1660, the bellman was 

 allowed a coat of green cloth at the city's ex- 

 pense ; a perquisite not badly earned, if he faith- 



fully reported all he saw. The night watch about 

 this period consisted of twelve persons, four of 

 whom had to stand at St. Andrew's Church as a 

 corps de reserve. The old church stood then in 

 the centre of the main street. The remainder of 

 the watch (eight) were divided into two com- 

 panies, who walked up and down throughout the 

 city. The watch was set at ten o'clock by the 

 constable of the watch, and continued until four 

 o'clock of the morning. Aldermen of the watch 

 were appointed. John Brent. 



iHitior ^aXzi. 



Lord Erskine and Rev. Wm. Cochin. — In Re- 

 collections of Samuel Rogers, Lond. 1859, 12mo. 

 under reminiscences of Thos. Lord Erskine, by 

 the poet, at p. 167., is an anecdote related by the 

 former, after dinner at Lord Holland's, which 

 states that he was employed to establish a will by 

 which a clergyman came into a large property 

 bequeathed to him by two old maiden ladies, from 

 some small courtesies which they were pleased to 

 value so highly. No place or names are particu- 

 larised ; but as the date of the events is now at 

 least seventy years, there can be no objection to 

 stating that the reverend gentleman was Mr. 

 William Cockin, then curate, but afterwards rec- 

 tor, of Minchinhampton *, a clergyman of the 

 highest respectability, and the name of the ladies 

 (sisters) was Penfold. The trial took place at 

 Gloucester Assizes, and Mr. Erskine came down 

 specially, with a fee of three hundred guineas. I 

 should thank any reader of " N. & Q." who would 

 point out to me where I can find a detailed re- 

 port of the said trial, or even the speech delivered 

 by Mr. Erskine on the occasion. S. 



TTie Hanoverian Jewels. — From a political 

 letter of 1717 I extract the following : — 



" S* that King George declares peremptorily ag* these 

 three things, ever to let Prince Fred come over, to bring 

 over the Hanover Jewels, or to part with any of his 

 numerous studd of horses in Hanover." 



Cl. Hoppbk. 



A Lover of Matrimony. — The following extract 

 from the Public Advertiser of July 17, 1792, if 

 true, records the most determined pursuer of 

 wedded bliss I have ever heard of. Can you 

 spare a corner for it ? 



" On Thursday se'nnight [July 5] was married, at 

 Billingborough, after a courtship of one hour and fifteen 

 minutes, Mr. Nicholas Wilson, of Five Willow Walk, in 

 the parish of Hetkinson, to Mrs. Pepper, of the parish of 

 Billingborough ; this being his eighth wife, and he her 

 third husband. The number of relations that celebrated 



* The Rev. William Cockin was of Brasenose College, 

 Oxford, M.A. 1790, and was presented to Minchinhamp- 

 ton cum Rodborough in 1806, and to Cherrington, 

 Gloucestershire, in 1814. Ob. Mardi 3, 1841. 



