214 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[Sept. 15. 1855. 



Scotch Nursery Song (Vol. xii., p. 28.). — This 

 song of "Elsie Marley" seems to have been one of 

 those which are common to Scotland and the north 

 of England ; or rather, which have a leading idea 

 variously worked out in the two countries, and 

 even in the different districts of the two countries. 

 In the Bishopric Garland^ or Durham Minstrel, 

 the last edition of which is a posthumous work of 

 Joseph Ritson (London, 1810, 8vo.), this song 

 seems to have ascended to Durham yVom Cheshire. 

 It is headed ' A new song made on Alice Marley, 



an alewife at , near Chester." There is 



full identification of what I have called the " lead- 

 ing idea" in the first verse : 



" Elsie Marley is grown so fine, 

 She won't get up to serve her swine, 

 But lies in bed till eight or nine, 

 And surely she does take her time. 

 And do you ken Elsie Marley, honey? 

 The wife who sells the barley, honey ; 

 She won't get up to serve her swine, 

 And do you ken Elsie Marley, honey ? " 



This looks very modern in form : but I suspect 

 that the provincial editions of earlier date adopted 

 modern forms for finery. Ritson himself notes 

 that, in the one that came before his, " Elsie " was 

 altered into "Alice" throughout. The Durham 

 version betrays its secondary character, as follows : 



" The farmers as they come that way 

 They drink with Elsie every day. 

 And call the fidler for to play 

 The tune of Elsie Marley, honey." 



The apportionment of the ballads of the north 

 country between England and Scotland, as to 

 authorship, may perhaps only need a little more 

 criticism than has been applied. For instance, 

 the ballad of the " Heir of Linne " is given to 

 Scotland because certain Scottish phrases occur, 

 and because by the tenor it appears that the hero 

 was a laird whose title came and went with his 

 estate. But what Scottish phrase is there of any 

 period to which this ballad can be assigned which 

 was not current in the north of England ? And 

 was no such thing known in England as a barony 

 by tenure ? The first stanza of the song furnishes 

 a presumption that the ballad is English : 



" It is of a lord of faire Scotland 

 Which was the unthrifty heire of Linne." 



A Scotch writer, writing a Scotch ballad, would 

 hardly particularise the country; an English 

 writer, laying his scene in Scotland, would be 

 sure to do so. M. 



Mothering Sunday (Vol. xl., pp. 284. 353. 372.). 

 — It seems obvious that Mid-Lent Sunday was so 

 called on account of its being the day of matricu- 

 lation. Not that matricula is of necessity a di- 

 minutive of mater ; it more probably comes from 

 matrix. Children do not go home to their mothers 

 more on one holiday than on another. A. H. 



No. 307.] 



On the Words " Parson," " Clerk," ^c. 

 (Vol. xii., p. 160.). — Having read with much in- 

 terest the Rev. C. R. Davis's essay on the " Con- 

 fusion of Ideas," &c., I may perhaps be permitted 

 to remind you that in the nomenclature of the 

 French ecclesiastical hierarchy, the word cure 

 represents the incumbent of a church, and the 

 word vicaire represents the curate. These appel- 

 lations are thus far more appropriately given than 

 they are with us. Cure means " one who has the 

 cure of souls ; " vicaire means " one who fills a 

 vicarious office," and is consequently the delegate, 

 deputy, or missionary, for some superior authority. 

 Geobge W. M. Reynolds. 

 Gothic House, Heme Bay. 



The Drapers' Motto (Vol. xii., p. 25.), said to 

 be " Honour and glory," is a much better motto, 

 viz., " Unto God only be honour and glory," as 

 may be seen by the inclosed summons to pne of 

 their worshipful body. In Herbert's History of 

 this very ancient company it is stated that " they 

 were incorporated by letters patent of Henry VI., 

 1439, by the title of master, wardens, brethren, 

 and sisters of the guild or fraternity of the 

 Blessed Mary the Virgin, of the mystery of 

 Drapers of the City of London." The original 

 grant of arms by W. Bruges, Garter, is dated 

 March 10, 1439, and is in Dethick's book, fol. 20., 

 Harleian MSS. 4900. E. D. 



Old College of Physicians (Vol. xii., pp. 66. 

 113.). — The question asked is not answered by 

 W. J.'s note. The house, figured at p. 121., 

 though belonging to the College, was never used 

 by that learned body. It was rebuilt, after the 

 fire of 1666, on or near the spot where Linacre's 

 original house, the first meeting-place of the 

 College, had previously stood. The building 

 figured at p. 137. is the College in Warwick Lane, 

 still standing ; and not that in Amen Corner,^ to 

 which Harvey added the Museum, and which, 

 like Linacre's house, was destroyed in 1666. 



W. MuNK, M.D. 



Lay Preachers (Vol. xi., p. 153.). — I cannot 

 vouch for Mr. Tavernour being licensed, but I 

 give the following entry as it appears in a register 

 book for burials in a parish in the west of Dorset, 

 and was written by the Rev. J. Upton, the then 

 incumbent of the parish : 



"Anno Salutis, 1554. 



" Reg. Eliza. Mr. Tavenour of Water Eaton, Ox- 

 fordshs High Sheriff, being as y^ times then were a 

 learned man, came up into S'. Maries pulpit, and gave y" 

 scholars a sermon, not out of ostentation, but cliarity, and 

 thus began : ' Arriving at y« mount of S'. Maries, in y^ 

 stormy stage where I now stand, I have brought you 

 some fine biskits baked in y^ oven of charity, and care- 

 fully conserved for y« chickens of y" church, ye sparrows 

 of V® spirit, and y» sweet swallows of salvation,' " &c. 



Simon Wakd. 



