2nd s. No 83., Aug. 1. '57.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



n 



bore ? and whether at any time they were higher 

 an rank than mere yeomen ? 



2. Any knowledge of the family of Leetham of 

 Yorkshire or Lincolnshire, with the arms of that 

 family ? 



In conclusion, perhaps some gentleman who 

 may see this may take the trouble to say whether 

 any gentleman, marrying a widow, is justified in 

 impaling, along with her arms, those of her former 

 husband, and what position they ought to occupy 

 Id the shield ? 



The above is sought for genealogical purposes. 

 Blackett Leetham Steee. 



Sheffield. 



:^tn0r €nttviti lattlb ^n&iutxS, 



Way- Goose. — Many of your readers must 

 Lave noticed the assembling of printei's recently 

 at the Crystal Palace, Richmond, and other 

 places, holding their annual festival, which they 

 call the Way-goose. Can you enlighten me as to 

 the origin of the phrase ? Cl. Hopper. 



[The derivation of the term way-goose is from the old 

 English word wayz, stubble. Bailey informs us that 

 " Wayz-goose, or stubble-goose, is au entertainment given 

 to journeymen at the beginning of winter." Hence a 

 wayz-goose was the head dish at the annual feast of the 

 forefathers of the typographic fraternity, and is not alto- 

 gether unknown as a dainty dish in our daj'S. Formerly, 

 however, this festival was holden in autumn, on com- 

 mencing work by candle-light : 



" September, when by custom, right divine, 

 Geese arc ordain'd to bleed at Michael's shrine." 



Churchill. 

 Bloxon, in his Mechanick Exercises, 1683, tells us, that 

 " it is customary for all the journeymen to make every 

 year new paper windows, whether the old will serve 

 again or no ; because that day they make them the 

 master -printer gives them a way -goose; that is, he makes 

 them a good feast, and not only entertains them at his 

 own house, but besides, gives them money to spend at 

 the ale-house or tavern at night ; and to this feast they 

 invite the corrector [now called the reader], founder, 

 smith, joiner, and ink-maker, who all of them severally 

 (except the corrector in his own civility) open their 

 purse-strings, and add their benevolence (which work- 

 men account their duty, because they generally choose 

 these workmen) to the master- printer's; but from the 

 corrector they expect nothing, because the master-printer 

 choosing him, the workmen can do him no kindness. 

 These way-gooses are always kept about Bartholomew- 

 tide; and till the master-printer has given this way- 

 goose, the journeymen do not use to work by candle- 

 light." The same custom was also formerly peculiar to 

 Coventry, where it was usual in the large manufactories 

 of ribbons and watches, as well as among the silk dyers, 

 when they commenced the use of candles, to have their 

 annual way-goose."] 



Circumstantial Evidence. — I have reason to be- 

 lieve that there has been published, within the last 

 thirty years, a work which gives a detailed account 

 of the trials of persons who have been put to death 

 in this country for murdei', and have afterwards 



been proved to have been the victims of perjury 

 or mistake. I am unable to ascertain the title of 

 this work. Will some one help me to it ? 



Edward Peacock. 

 The Manor Farm, Bottesford, Brigg. 



[The work inquired after by our correspondent is pro- 

 bably the following: An Essay on the Rationale of Cir- 

 cumstantial Evidence, illustrated by numerous Cases, by 

 William Wills, Attorney-at-law, London, 8vo., 1838. See 

 also an article in Chambers's Miscellany, No. 82., entitled 

 " Cases of Circumstantial Evidence."] 



Mrs. Clerhe's Case: Thomas Rawlinson. — I have 

 an old volume of pamphlets in my possession, the 

 first one of which is entitled — 



" The true Case of Mrs. Gierke set forth by her Brothers 

 Sir Edward and Mr. Arthur Tumor. London, printed 

 for John Morphew near Stationers' Hall." 



And in ink the date 1719. On this title-page 

 is written in a neat hand : 



" Suum cuiq; Tho. Hearne, ex dono amicissimi viri 

 Thomae Kawlinsoni, armigeri, ITjs, Feb. 3." 



Who was Thomas Rawlinson ? and what made 

 Mrs. Clerke's case so celebrated ? A. T. L. 



[Our correspondent's pamphlet is a reply to one en- 

 titled, Mrs. Clark's Case, 8vo. 1718, pp. 12.,' from which 

 it appears that this lady was unjustifiablj' treated as a 

 lunatic by her relations and four physicians. Her case 

 having been twice heard in a court of law, she was 

 eventually set at liberty — her house and goods restored, 

 and her relatives severely reprimanded. The writer of 

 her Case has favoured his readers with the following tit- 

 bit of Folk Lore : " Why," says he, " were not gentle 

 methods prescribed by the doctors at first to reduce this 

 pretended lunatick, before they came to extremity ? 

 Why did they not direct ass's milk and crabs' claws, so 

 much in fashion, not only in the greatest chronical dis- 

 tempers, but in all inflammatory and malignant fevers? 

 I do not know whether these powerful remedies have been 

 yet directed in apoplexies, and for prevention of sudden 

 death ; but I am informed there is a Dissertation ready 

 for the press, in which they are recommended to be used 

 in clysters, instead of cow's milk and sugar, for the cure 

 of the most inveterate and obstinate diseases : whence it 

 appears that the milk of the ass and the claws of the 

 crab are endowed with as great variety of wonder-work- 

 ing virtues, as the praj'er addressed to the Virgin Mary 

 for women in labour, which was formed and printed some 

 years ago in France, to which as a postscript was added, 

 * And this Prayer is likewise good for fevers and thunder.' 

 Now why, I say, were not these easy, generous and 

 pleasant medicines first tried, before those acts of force 

 and cruelty were insisted on?" — Thomas Rawlinson 

 was a distinguished book-collector, satirised in The Taller 

 under the appellation of Tom Folio. His Catalogues, 

 published separately in parts, are rarely to be met with 

 complete. He died in 1725. See Reliquvz Hearnianw, 

 passim.'] 



English Dictionaries. — What Reviews have 

 reviewed Dr. Richardson's and Dr. Webster's 

 English Dictionaries, and Dr. Latham's English 

 Language f <i'i\ofm9'fis. 



[Dr. Webster's Dictionary was reviewed by Professor 

 Kingsley in The North American Review, vol. xxviii. 

 p. 433. ; Westminster Review, vol. xiv. p. 56. ; and Ante-' 



