2nd s. N" 51., t)KO. 20. '56.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



485 



corporeal and mental, the teachings of astrology 

 are certainly of a most extraordinary kind. To 

 mention but a small portion of the " ills flesh are 

 heir to," of which Luna gets the blame, as enume- 

 rated in Livre D'Arcandam par Avger JFerrier, 

 Medecin, Lyon, 1625, would of itself be sufficient 

 for us to pray that she might be obliterated from 

 the face of heaven : 



"Apostumes de matierea humidea, flstules, imbecility 

 d'estomach et de reins, folic provenante de trop aimer, mal 

 de Naples avee ses supposts, et de venins — sur I'eau, sur 

 le phlegme, sur ses sueurs, et semblables superfluitez, 

 vertigo ou tournement de tete, legerete' de cerveau sem- 

 blable a folie, folles imaginations, empeschemens de 

 langue, phthisis, excoriations des jambes, pieds et mains, 

 et autres qui ont causes iatentes, et reviennent par cer- 

 tain temps," &c. 



It is no doubt from the remnants of such a 

 wretched philosophy that many yet will not ad- 

 minister medicines to themselves, nor let blood 

 except under a particular state of the moon. I 

 believe no intelligent physician would now hesitate 

 to prescribe to his patient till he had consulted 

 the age and aspect of the planet, and as in bodily 

 diseases, so may it be similarly predicated in re- 

 ference to those of the mind. A gentleman of 

 the highest information who had long the super- 

 intendence of a large asylum for the insane, stated 

 to me that he could never discern any difference 

 in the condition of those afflicted with this malady 

 when the moon was at the full more than at any 

 other of her periods, and that he had no faith in 

 the common dogmas entertained. This being the 

 case, may not such phrases as " lunatics " and 

 " moon-struck " with propriety be discarded from 

 our language, in their usual acceptations ? G. N. 



JESSE ALTAR IN ST. CUTHBEHT S CHURCH, WEIXS. 



The church of St. Cuthbert In Wells is a large 

 building chiefly of the Third Pointed Period, and 

 consists of a nave, aisles, chancel, and north and 

 south transepts. The western tower is known as 

 one of the finest examples of tower architecture 

 in Somersetshire. On each side of the chancel, 

 and in each transept, are chantry chapels with 

 separate dedications. In the year 1848, Mr. H. 

 Powell, the then churchwarden, commenced some 

 extensive restorations, and in the course of his 

 labours made some most interesting discoveries. 

 Against the eastern wall of each of the transeptal 

 chapels were found reredos, brought to light on 

 removing the plaster from the walls. Each re- 

 redos consisted of tiers of niches with canopies, 

 &c., the sculptured ornaments of which were of 

 the richest and most elegant designs. That in the 

 south transept was apparently of a later date than 

 the other, and not so elaborate in its details. It 

 was intended to illustrate the genealogy of our 

 Lord, At the base was the recumbent figure of 



Jesse, from whose body the stem could be traced, 

 and no doubt ran through the whole series of 

 statues which formerly stood in the niches above. 

 The figure of Jesse was boldly and beautifully 

 carved ; but portions of this, as well as the orna- 

 mental canopies, &c., where they projected from 

 the wall, had been chopped off, the figures broken 

 into fragments, thrown into the niches, and then 

 plastered over, so as to present an even surface, — 

 an example of the mischiefs effected by the icono- 

 clastic Vandals of the Reformation. Nothing was 

 known of the history of these beautiful remains 

 until a short time since, when the following cu- 

 rious document was found among the city re- 

 cords : — 



" The Model of ye Blessed Virgin's Alter Piece. 



"An Indenture made betwixt M' William Vowell, Master 

 of y® Towne of Wells, Willyam Stekylpath and Thomas 

 Coorset of the one parte (Chosen Wardens for Our 

 Ladye's Alter) and John Stowell ffreemason of the othor 

 parte ; For the makinge of the frounte of the Jesse at 

 our Ladyes Alter at St. Cuthbert's Church in Welles 

 aforesaide. 



" This Indenture made at Welles in the Shire of Somer- 

 set y8 25"' daye of Feby in y" yeare of our Lord 1470 and 

 y« yeare of Kinge Henrye y<= VI from y= beginninge 49 

 betweene M'' William Vowell Master of y® City of Welles, 

 William Stekylpath and Thomas Coorset, Wardens of our 

 Ladye's Alter in the Church of St. Cuthbert in Welles 

 foresaid on that one parte, and John Stowell of Welles 

 foresaid ffreemason on that other parte. Witnesseth that 

 the said John Stowell hath take to make and shall make 

 or do to be made well sufficientlye and workemanly and 

 pleymorlj' performe and within 16 Moneths next suing 

 the date of this Indenture. All the Workmanshipp and 

 Masonry Crafte of a Frounte Innynge to y* Alter of our 

 Ladye within y« Charche of St. Cuthbert in Welles fore- 

 said in ye South He of the same; The which Frounte 

 shall extend in breadth fro the Koyne of the Arch beinge 

 the North parte of the said Alter unto the Augill beinge 

 in yo south side of the Alter foresaide. Alsoe y* said 

 Frounte shall arise in heighte from the groundinge of y° 

 saide Alter unto the Wall plate of y yle foresaid or else 

 littlelake so as it may moste convenyentlye be propor- 

 tioned and moste stablish'd. In which Frounte shal 

 stand three stagis of Imagery accordinge to y" geneology 

 of our Ladye wy th theire basyngs, hovelis and tabernaclis, 

 well and workmanlye made and wroughte. There shal 

 alsoe arise from the basyngs of y" said Frounte by- 

 twene Image and Image, Coorses well and workemanlye 

 wroughte trayles runninge in the said Coorses accordinge 

 to the workes foresaid with two wyngis comyinge out 

 from the said frounte after the bredth of the Alter, freight 

 with Imagery such as can be thought by the Master and 

 his brothers moste accordinge to the story of y« saide 

 frounte. In y" lowest p'te of y® whiche stagis shall be a 

 Jesse ; the which Jesse shall linially runne from Image 

 to Image through all the foresaid frounte and coorses as 

 workmanly as it can be wroughte. To all the whiche 

 workes and businesse the foresaid John Stowell shall 

 finde or do finde all maner of StufFe, as well freeston fair 

 and profitable as rough stone, lyme, sand, yron, lead and 

 scafold Tymber and all other stuffe necessary to the said 

 workis to be had. For the which workmanship and 

 stuffe as it is above writ the foresaid John Stowell shall 

 have and receyve of the said Maister or Wardens or 

 theire deputies Forty poundes in good and lawful moaey 



