390 



NOTES AND QUEEIES. 



[No. 156. 



Pemberton Row, Gough Square, for Harrison 

 & Co., Newgate Street, in 1802 ; surely there must 

 be somebody living who can speak positively as to 

 the author. R. H. 



People talking in their Coffins. — What is the 

 force of the old phrase of people talking in their 

 coffins ? CoNSTAi^T Reader. 



Sin-eater. — Can any of your readers explain 

 the origin of " the sin-eater," and give instances of 

 that horrid practice still subsisting in parts of 

 England or Wales, as I am assured it does ? It 

 consists in the supposed transfer of the sins of a 

 person recently dead to a man of reprobate cha- 

 racter, who eats a piece of bread laid on the chest 

 of the corpse, whereby he is believed to have 

 released the dead man from the responsibility of 

 his sins, and to have taken it on himself; he then 

 receives half-a-crown for his services, and is driven 

 or pursued from the house with execration, 



This practice was the subject of an interesting 

 paper by Mr. Muggridge of Swansea, at the last 

 annual meeting of the Cambrian Archaeological 

 Association ; but its origin was not satisfectorily 

 traced. The scapegoat, and the sacrifice of 

 criminals in the arena at Athens, &c., have been 

 suggested. Jelingeb C. Symons. 



[The custom is generally supposed to have been 

 taken from the scapegoat in Leviticus xvi, 21, 22. See 

 a curious passage from the Lansdown MSS. concern- 

 ing a sin-eater who lived in a cottage on the Rosse 

 highway in Herefordshh-e, quoted in Brand's Anti- 

 quities, vol. ii. p. 247., edit. 1849.] 



"Nine Tailors make a Man." — I have heard it 

 stated, that this saying originated in the custom, 

 at the close of the passing bell, of tolling three 

 times three in the case of a man ; whereas for 

 women and children, the number of the closing 

 strokes upon the bell is respectively fewer. 



Can any better account be given of its origin- 

 ation ? J. Sansom. 



[This saying, we believe, had its origin in the fol- 

 lowing manner: — In 1742 an orplian boy applied for 

 alms at a fashionable tailor's shop in London, in which 

 nine journeymen were employed. His interesting 

 appearance opened the hearts of the benevolent gen- 

 tlemen of the cloth, who immediately contributed nine 

 shillings for the relief of the little stranger. With this 

 capital our youthful hero purchased fruit, which he 

 retailed at a profit. Time passes on, and wealth and 

 honour smile upon our young tradesman, so that when 

 he set up his carriage, instead of troubling the He- 

 ralds' College for his crest, he painted the following 

 motto on the panel : " Nine tailors made me a man." 

 Another, but a different version of this apophthegm, 

 will be found in Blackwood's Magazine, vol. xxv. 

 ,p. 345.] 



Picture of Charles I. — Can any of the readers 

 of " N. & Q." enlighten me as to the history of a 

 curious old painting on panel that has come into 

 my possession ? The person from whom I pro- 

 cured it said that it was brought by his brother 

 from a church in Gloucestershire (I think), but he 

 did not know the name of the place. 



Its size is about one foot by three quarters of a 

 foot, and it represents Charles I. (half-length) 

 with eyes and hands upraised, and dressed appa- 

 rently as at his execution, with white skull-cap, 

 long dishevelled hair, and dress embroidered with 

 gold. Round his head are golden rays, and a 

 hand from the corner of the picture stretches a 

 crown of glory over his head. Beneath him are 

 painted the axe and block. On either side of 

 the picture Is an extract from his speech on the 

 scaffold, and underneath are the following lines : 

 " Looking to Jesus, so our Soveraigne stood, 

 Praying for those who thirsted for his Blood; 

 But high in bliss, with his celestial crown, 

 Now with an eye of pity he looks down : 

 While some attack his other life, his Fame, 

 Ludlow reviv'd, to blast the Royal Name, 

 On Sacred Majesty profanely treads 

 Mad to sett up the Beast with many heads." 



The panel is framed in black, and at the top of 

 the frame is a thin Iron rod with small rings, to 

 which evidently a curtain was fastened. The 

 painting Is by no means devoid of merit, and the 

 likeness very characteristic, although much faded. 

 I have a vague idea of having heard that there 

 was an order In council (or something of the kind) 

 at the Restoration, for such representations of the 

 royal martyr to be suspended in churches, but I 

 can find nothing to corroborate It. Can any one 

 help me ? and what Is the meaning of the last 

 four lines about Ludlow, &c. ? J. R. M., M.A. 

 [An accurate description of this remarkable picture 

 will be found in the Gentleman'' s 3Iagazine, vol. IxvL 

 part ii. p. 911. ; and which contains eight additional 

 lines of poetry.] 



Heraldic Devices and Mottoes. — Will any of 

 your heraldic correspondents refer me to any work 

 or works containing a collection of devices and 

 mottoes ? I do not allude to arms or crests. 



C. Mansfield Ingeebt. 



[Consult Robson's British Herald, vol. iii. Appendix, 

 4to.,1830; Bnx\ie's Heraldic Illustrations^ 1^50; Berry's 

 Encydopadia Heraldica, vol. iv. ; but especially Moule's 

 Bibliotheca Heraldica Magnm Britannia, 4to., 1822.] 



Misprint in Prayer Books (Yol. vl., p. 170.). — 

 Mr. W. Sparrow Simpson has called attention 

 to a misprint in the Prayer Book of frequent 

 occurrence. Another error, which I should be 

 glad to make a note of, appeared at a very_ early 

 period, and still occasionally occurs. It Is the 

 interpolation of the word " may " in the General 



