May 18. 1850.] 
NOTES AND QUERIES. - 
477 
“ three dove-cotes,” I venture to conjecture “Sous 
cote unissons,” as not very far from the letters given. 
If it be objected that the word “ cote” is not in use 
in this sense, it may be remarked that French,“‘After 
the scole of Stratford atte bowe,” might borrow 
such a meaning to suit the sound, from “ cote,” in 
the sense of a side or declivity. And if the objec- 
jection is fatal to the conjecture, I would then 
propose “Sous toit unissons.” If we reject the 
supposed flourishes at the beginning and ending 
of the inscription, and take it to be — 
co TOOT VNIC 
conc, 
the c being a well-known ancient form of s, 
there is a difference of only one letter between the 
inscription as decyphered and the proposed motto. 
If either of these is adopted, the sentiment of 
family union and family gathering, “ As doves to 
their windows,” is well adapted for a family device. 
T.C. 
Durham, May 2. 1850. 
Finkle or Finkel (No. 24. p. 384.).—Is not 
“Finkle” very probably derived from Fine, a finch, 
in the A.-S.? Fingle Bridge, which spans the river 
Teign, amidst some most romantic scenery, has 
the following etymology assigned to it by a local 
antiquary, W.T. P. Short, Esq. (vide Essay on 
Druidical Remains in Devon, p. 26.) : “ Fyn, a ter- 
minus or boundary ; and Gelli, hazel, the hazel- 
tree limits or boundary.” But, Query, is not the 
second syllable rather Gill, akin to the numerous 
tribe of * gills” or * ghylls,” in the North Countrie? 
J.M.B. 
Meaning of Finkle. — Referring to No. 24. p.384. 
of your most welcome and useful publication, will 
you allow me to say, touching the inquiry as to 
the derivation and meaning of the word “ Finkle” 
or “ Finkel” as applied to a street, that the Danish 
word “ Vincle” applied to an angle or corner, is 
perhaps a more satisfactory derivation than “ fyn- 
kylsede, feniculum,” the meaning suggested by 
our correspondent “ L.” in No. 26. p.419. It is 
in towns where there are traces of Danish occu- 
pation that a “Finkle Street” is found; at least 
many of the northern towns which have a street 
so designated were inhabited by the Danish peo- 
ple, and some of those streets are winding or 
angular. Finchale, a place, as you know, of fame 
in monastic annals, is a green secluded spot, half 
insulated by a bend of the river Wear; and God- 
ric’s Garth, the adjacent locality of the hermitage 
of its famous saint, is of an angular form. But 
then the place is mentioned, by the name of Fin- 
chale, as the scene of occurrences that long pre- 
ceded the coming of the Danes; and the second 
syllable may be derived from the Saxon “ alh” or 
“healh,” as the place was distinguished for a build- 
ing there in Saxon times. Wi SiG. 
Neweastle, May 4. 1850. 
= | eS a EET = 
Your correspondent “ W. M.” (“ Finkel,” p.384.) 
may not have recollected that there is a beautiful 
ruin on the river Wear near Durham, of which 
the name is pronounced (though not spelt) Finkel 
Abbey. 
Christian Captives (No. 27. p. 441.).— As a 
very small contribution towards an answer to 
“R. W. B.'s” inquiry, I may inform you that Lady 
Russell mentions in her Letters (p. 338., ed. 1792) 
that Sir William Coventry left by his will 30000. 
to redeem slaves. CH. 
Christian Captives (No. 27. p.441.).—“R. W.B.” 
may be referred to the case of “Attorney-General 
v. the Ironmongers’ Company,” which was a suit 
for the administration of a fund bequeathed for 
the redemption of the captives. See 2 Mylne & 
Keen, 576.; 2 Beavan, 313., 10 Beavan, 194. ; and 
1 Craig § Philips, 208.: all of which I mention to 
be Reports in Chancery, in case he be not a 
lawyer. A. J. H. 
Ecclesiastical Year (No. 24. p. 381.).— “ Na- 
THAN” is informed, that, according to the legal 
supputation, until a. p. 1752, the year of Our Lord 
in that part of Great Britain called England be- 
gan on the 25th day of March, as he will find 
stated in the 24 Geo. II. e. 23., by which Act it 
was enacted, that the Ist day of January next 
following the last day of December, 1751, should 
be the first day of the year 1752; and that the 
lst day of January in every year in time to come 
should be the first day of the year. 
Philippe de Thaun, in his Livre des Créatures, 
which was written in the first half of the twelfth 
century, p.48. of the edition published for the 
Historical Society of Science, has some remarks 
which may interest your correspondent, that are 
thus literally translated by Mr. Wright : — 
‘In March, the year ought always to begin, 
According to that explanation which we find in the 
book, 
That in the twelve kalends of April, as you under- 
stand, 
Our Creator formed the first, 
Where the sun always will begin his course. 
But at all times we make the year begin in January, 
Because the Romans did so first ; 
We will not un-make what the elders did.” 
ARUN. 
Hanap.— Among the specimens of ancient and 
medieval art now exhibiting in John Street, 
Adelphi, I was struck with the number of gilt cups, 
called in the catalogue hanaps. The word was 
new to me; but I have since met with it (as fre- 
quently happens after one’s interest has been ex- 
cited with respect to a word) in Walter Scott's 
Quentin Durward, in vol.i. chap. 3.; or rather, 
vol. xxxi. p. 60. of the edition in 48 vols., Cadell, 
