| Nov. 24. 1849. | 
it seems pretty evident that in the article of 
_ food the labouring classes have been the 
greatest gainers since 1687. 
Few things are more suggestive of queries 
—as everybody knows from experience — 
than the products of culinary art. I will not, 
however, further trespass on space which may 
be devoted to a more dignified topic, than by 
submitting the following 
Query.— Does the phrase “to eat humble 
pie,” used to signify a forced humiliation, owe 
its origin to the “umble pye” specified above? 
J.T. Hammack. 
BISHOP BARNABY. 
Mr. Editor, —Legour asks, why the people 
in Suffolk call a lady-bird “ Bishop Barnaby?” 
I give the following from the late Major 
Moor’s Suffolk Words :— 
“*Bishop-Barney. The golden-bug. See Bar- 
nabee. In Tusser’s Ten Unwelcome Guests in the 
Dairy, he enumerates ‘the Bishop that burneth’ 
(pp. 142. 144.), in an ambiguous way, which his 
commentator does not render at all clear. I never 
heard of this calumniated insect being an unwel- 
come guest in the dairy; but Bishop-Barney, or 
Burney, and Barnabee, or Burnabee, and Bishop- 
that-burneth, seem, in the absence of explana- 
tion, to be nearly related—in sound at any rate. 
Under Barnabee it will be seen that burning has 
some connection with the history of this pretty 
insect ” 
“« Barnabee,” writes the Major, “the golden- 
bug, or lady-bird; also Bishop-Barney: which 
see. This pretty little, and very useful insect, is 
tenderly regarded by our children. One settling 
on a child is always sent away with this sad vale- 
diction : — 
“ Gowden-bug, gowden-bug, fly away home, 
Yar house is bahnt deown an yar children all 
gone.” 
To which I add another nursery doggerel 
less sad : — 
“ Bishop, Bishop-Barnabee, 
Tell me when your wedding be, 
If it be to-morrow day 
Take your wings and fly away.” 
The Major adds, “Itis sure to fly off on 
the third repetition.” 
* Burnt down,” continues the Major, “gives 
great scope to our country euphonic twang, 
altogether inexpressiblein type; bahntdeeyown 
comes as near to it as my skill in orthography 
will allow.” 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
55 
Ray, in his South and East Country 
Words, has this :— 
“ Bishop, the little spotted beetle, commonly 
called the lady-cow or lady-bird. I have heard 
this insect in other places called golden-knop, 
and doubtless in other countries it hath other 
names. (H.W. p.70.) Golden-bug is the common 
Suffolk name.” J.G. 
Southwold, Nov. 16. 1849. 
TRADE EDITIONS —COTTLE’S LIFE OF 
COLERIDGE. 
Sir,—In the 2nd vol. of Mr. Collier’s 
valuable and interesting Extracts from the 
Registers of the Stationers’ Company, p. 28, 
is the following entry : — 
“ Thos. Dason. Licensed unto him the praise 
of follie; to print not above xv° of any impression, 
with this condition, that any of the Company may 
laie on with him, reasonablie at every impression, 
as they think good, and that he shall gyve reason- 
able knowledge before to them as often as he shall 
print it.” 
This is both curious and important informa- 
tion as being, in all probability, the earliest 
recorded instance of a custom still kept up 
amongst booksellers, and which now passes 
under the designation of a “Trade edition ;” 
the meaning of which being, that the copy- 
right, instead of being the exclusive property 
of one person, is divided into shares and held 
by several. There are Trade editions of such 
voluminous authors as Shakspeare, Gibbon, 
Hume, and Robertson, for instance ; and 
Alison’s Europe, if published half a century 
back, might in all probability have been 
added to the list. The difference between the 
ancient and the modern usage appears to be 
this, that formerly when the type was set up 
for an edition “any of the company may laie 
on, (these two last words are still technically 
used by printers for supplying type with 
paper,) reasonablie at every impression,” &c.; 
in other words, may print as many copies 
from the type “as they think good ;” whereas 
now, the edition is first printed, and then the 
allotment of the copies, and the actual cost of 
them is made, according to the number of 
shares. 
If this is a “ Note” worth registering, it is 
much at your service, whilst for a “ Query,” 
I should be very glad to be informed, when a 
very able review, the date of which I neglected 
