62 HERMITS, FORDS, AND BRIDGE-CHAPELS. 



and a "garment" (undefined as to their use, but from their 

 trickings obviously designed for an image) are named with another 

 coat appropriated to '' o'' Lorde,'' from which it may be inferred 

 that the first-named were intended for " o' lady." Two of them 

 were of bhie, the colour usually selected for tlie Virgin's apparel. 

 By ' cote ' we may understand a kirtle or gown, and by "garment " 

 an outer cope or mantle. 



The quaint appearance of the images (the Sacred Infant wear- 

 ing a little cap) — arrayed in costly velvets, covered with rings, 

 rosaries with "gai/dies" (tlie larger beads for Ave Marias), shells, 

 arrows, flowers, brooches, all of silver, and some gilt — with 

 numbers of bent or lucky pennies, all stitched securely on, presents 

 a charming picture of the display of the votive offerings of the 

 middle ages. 



The hermit was a married man, and therefore a secular, whose 

 duty it was to collect the tolls ; no very agreeable task at any 

 time, but particularly so in these times— judging at least from the 

 tolls defined by the pontages. One of these for St. Mary's Bridge 

 is dated 19 Edward II., a.d. 1326. The following is a transla- 

 tion of a portion of it :— " The King, etc., Know ye that in aid of 

 the reparation and emendation of the bridge of the town of 

 Derby, which as we are given to understand is broken and ruinous, 

 we grant to you for the term of three years from the date hereof, 

 that ye may take by the hands of those in whom ye may cotifide, 

 and for whom ye wish to be responsible, the following tolls or 

 customs on account of those things coming and passing over :— 



" For any load of grass, l"^. 



" For any horse, mare, and cow, J''. 



" For any skin of horse, ox, or cow, — fresh, salt, or tanned, i"^. 



" For any cart carrying meat — salt or fresh, f*. 



" For 5 ' bacons,' i'*. (' Baconibus.') 



" For any Salmon — fresh or salt, i'^. 



" For any • centena mulvellorum congrorum et sticarum anguil- 

 larium sallicarum ven unu denar." (A centena contained 13^ 

 stones of 8 lbs. each, i.e., 108 lbs. The '^ mulvel " was a fish 

 taken plentifully in the North Sea in summer, and called bv the 



