268 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[Oct. 6. 1855. 



The Vicar of Bray. — In this highly celebrated 

 song an expression occurs which I feel somewhat 

 at a loss to understand. I have never been able 

 to comprehend precisely' what was meant by the 

 expression "pudding time," which occurs in the 

 first line of the fifth stanza of this celebrated song. 

 It is reasonable to suppose, however, that it means 

 opportunely, " in the nick of time : " 



" When George in pudding time came o'er." 



And again I am at a loss as to the origin of the 

 phrase " cat-in-pan," which occurs in the third 

 line of the same stanza : 



" I turn'd a cat-in-pan once more, 

 And so became a Whig, Sir." 



I have made application to several literary men 

 without being able to obtain any satisfactory an- 

 swer in either case. Is it known who was the 

 writer of this celebrated song ? J. H. O. 



Leeds. 



[Our correspondent has rightly conjectured the mean- 

 ing of " pudding time," being in the nick of time. For- 

 merly dinners commenced with pudding, as they fre- 

 quently do among the humbler classes at the present 

 time. " I came in season, as they saj-, in pudding time." 

 (Withal's Dictionark, 1608, p. 3.) Whatever may have 

 been the origin of the phrase " cat-in-pan," which it is 

 not easy to trace, it has now come to mean a desertion 

 from his party ; a turncoat ; one who has changed his 

 principles Kara nav, totally ; which explains the verse in 

 the " Vicar of Bray ; " 



" When George in pudding time came o'er, 



And moderate men look'd big. Sir, 

 I turn'd a cat-in-pan once more. 



And so became a Whig, Sir." 

 Dr. Pegge has remarked, that " there being no connexion 

 between a cat and a pan, the rise of the phrase is very 

 intricate, all owing to a corruption of speech; for the 

 wwd, no doubt, is cate, which is an old word for a cake 

 OF other omelet, which being usually fried, and conse- 

 quently turned in the pan, does therefore very aptly ex- 

 press the changing of sides in politics or religion ; or, as 

 we otherwise say, ' the turning one's coat.' " Consult the 

 Gentleman's Magazine, vol. xxiv. pp. 67. 212. ; vol. Ixxxii. 

 pt. i. pp. 228. 308. 429. 627. ; and Nares's Glossary, p. 77.] 



Charter to the Town of Leeds. — Was a charter 

 granted to the town of Leeds in the reign of 

 King John ? If so, in what year, by whom, and 

 who were the attesting witnesses ? A quick 

 reply by the Editor of " N. & Q." or a contri- 

 butor, will much oblige. R. W. D. 



Seaton Carew, co. Durham. 



[The curious charter of privileges to the burgesses of 

 teeds, dated 9 John, is given in Whitaker's Loidis and El- 

 mete, p. 7. It thus concludes : — " Et, ut haec mea donatio et 

 concessio rata et inconcussa perseveret in posteris praefatae 

 cartse sigillum meum apposui — Test. Adam de Rein- 

 vile, Ivone de Lindesenibus, Wilmo de Stapleton, Adamo 

 de Beiston, Hugoni de Swillington, Wilmfls Pictaviculus 

 [sic], Radulpho de Leedes, qui banc cartam scripsit et 

 multis aliis. Dat. apud Leedes in Crastino Beati Martini 

 anno Coronationis Regis Johannis nono."] 



The Manningtree Ox. — Will you allow a 

 Query to be asked relative to the origin of the 

 No. 310.] 



following expression in Shakspeare's First Part of 

 Henry /F., Actll. ? — 



" That roasted Manningtree ox, with the pudding in 

 his belly." 



There is no local tradition of any such event 

 having taken place in this town, where the only 

 things usually cooked whole are sprats and red 

 herrings, for which articles it may be designated 

 the land of Goshen. 



An Inhabitant ov M4.nningtkeb. 



[Manningtree was formerly a famous plav.e for feasting 

 and sports, and Shakspeare probably alludes to the roast- 

 ing of an ox at its annual fair, which was held by 

 exhibiting a species of stage-play called "morals," or 

 " morality ; " thus noticed by Thomas Nashe in his poem, 

 The Choosing of Valentines : 

 " Or see a play of strange moralitie, 

 Showen by bachelrie of Manning-tree, 

 Whereto the countrie franklins flock-meale swarme." 

 Steevens, who was a native of Essex, says, that Man- 

 ningtree and its neighbourhood are famous for richness of 

 pasture. Some ox of an unusual size was, he thinks, 

 roasted there on an occasion of public festivity', or ex- 

 posed for money to public show. The pudding accom- 

 panied the ox at other fairs : 



" Just so the people stare 

 At an ox in the fair. 

 Roasted whole with a pudding in 's belly." 

 " Ballad on a New Opera, 1658," Nichols's Poems, 

 vol. iii. p. 202. 

 See Malone's Shakspeare, by Boswell, vol. xvi. p. 295. ; 

 and Nares's Glossary, p. 30i>.] 



POLLAED OAKS. 



(Vol.xU., pp.9. 54. 195.) 

 I have been struck with a memorandum of Mb. 

 Gantillon's regarding pollard oaks. As I had 

 never heard of such a practice, and it seemed to 

 me a curious idea, I inquired in Bedfordshire and 

 Berkshire, where I have since been, but could 

 hear nothing. Last week I went to shoot near 

 Warrington, and having met Mr. Selby, a well- 

 known and very intelligent gentleman of that 

 neighbourhood, and who has to do with estates 

 there, I mentioned the subject to him, and he 

 promised to inquire. 



I have this day received the enclosed, which, 

 with the letter, is at your aervice* C. Fox. 



Addiison Road, Sept, 24. 



Leigh, Manchester, 

 Sept. 21, 1855. 

 General, 

 You did me the favour at the Palten Arms to 

 ask my opinion as to the origin of pollards. On 

 referring to an old black-letter copy of Tusser, 

 chap, xxix., under the head of " Januarie's HuS' 

 bandrie," he says : 

 " Some burneth a lode at a tyme in his hall. 

 Some never leave burning, till burnt they have all, 



