2nd S. VI. 134., July 24. '58.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 



79 



picta was a small coin of the counts of Poitou 

 (Pictavium). Afterwards pictantia, or pitantia, 

 came to mean a portion of food, or a meal gene- 

 rally. The officer who distributed the rations of 

 the monks in a convent was hence called pictan- 

 tiarius, or pitancier ; and the same name was ex- 

 tended to a steward, or mailre (Thotel. Roquefort, 

 Gloss, de la Langue Rom., explains pitancerie as 

 " lieu d'un convent ou se faisoient des distribu- 

 tions de vivres pour les repas des religieux." As 

 the word pictantia, or pitantia, appears to have 

 been sometimes extended to distributions of food 

 made to the poor at monasteries, its origin was 

 misconceived, and it was supposed to be derived 

 from pietas or pitie. Hence, in Italian, it is writ- 

 ten pietanza, in allusion to pietd. L. 



University Hoods (2°'' S. vi. 39.)— The statutes 

 of Elizabeth for the government of the Universitj 

 of Cambridge direct the wearing of the hood as 

 well as of the gown by graduates within the pre- 

 cincts of the University : — 



"Statuimus ut Nemo ad aliquem in universitate gradam 

 evectus nisi toga talari caputioque ordini congruente .... 

 indutus Collegio exeat .... Et si quispiam disputationi 

 publicae in sua facultate, publiois in ecclesia Beataj Manse 

 precibus, concioni ad clerum, sepulturis, congregationibus 

 sine toga habitu et caputio gradui conveniente juxta an- 

 tiquum academia; morem interfuerit, eandem mulctam in- 

 currat." — Cap. xlvi. 



In the pulpit of St. Mary's church the non- 

 regent hood, and not that proper to the degree, 

 was to be worn : — 



" Concionatores autem in concione sua utentur caputio 

 usitato non-regentis." — Cap. xlv. 



On the •24th May, 1414, a statute was passed by 

 the senate enacting, — 



" Quod nuUus baccalaureus, cujuscunque fuerit facul- 

 tatis, in scholis, processionibus aut aliis actibus quibus- 

 cunque uti praesumat penula aliqua vel pellura aut 

 duplicatione de serico, sindone, aut veste altera consirailis 

 pretii seu valoris in tabardo, caputio aut in alio habitu 

 quocunque scbolastico sed tantum fuiruris buggeis aut 

 agninis, quibus in suis caputiis solummodo uti debent, 

 . . . ." — Statuta antiqua in ordinem redacta, 176. 



I have not time at present to enter more fully 

 into the subject. W. M. C. 



(iueen's College, Cambridge. 



Payment of M. P.'s (2"* S. iv.440.)— In 1660, 

 as appears by an entry in their books, the Com- 

 mon Council of Newcastle-upon-Tyne ordered 

 Mr. Elliot to be paid 182^. 10s., or at the rate of 

 10s. per diem for the time he sate as Burgess for 

 the town in the Long Parliament, 1647-8. 



E. II. A. 



Engravers Impressions (2"'' S. vi. 37.) — Your 

 correspondent H. M. is very nearly correct in his 

 description. If any of your readers arc interested 

 in the matter, I should have great pleasure in 

 showing them the modus operandi, as there are 

 several little mutters to attend to, such as the 



peculiarity of the wax, and also the different heat 

 required for metal and stone seals, which cannot 

 well be described. To a collector the information 

 would be valuable, as the proof impressions will 

 keep much better than those taken in the ordinary 

 manner. I enclose my own 



" Instructions for taking Impressions from Metal and 

 Stone Seals. — Warm the seal a little by holding the face 

 of it near the side of a candle, — make it so as you can just 

 feel it warm against your face. Then take the stick of 

 wax and hold it above the candle, that the end of it may 

 be melted without burning ; apply it to the letter, and 

 stir it to the required shape. Press the warm seal down 

 quickly ivhile the wax is tolerably hot, let it remain a few 

 seconds, and remove it carefully. Metal seals require to 

 be made warmer than stone." 



" To produce the Dead Surface, as in Proof Impressions. 

 — Warm the seal, take a soft plate brush, and rub it in 

 a little olive oil; brush over the warm seal with it by 

 sticking the ends of the hair on the face of the seal ; then 

 dip a good size pencil brush in the best Chinese vermi- 

 lion, and tap it lightly on the greasy seal; blow off the 

 loose vermilion from the seal, and melt the wax and 

 seal as above." 



T. MOKING. 



44. High Holborn. 



To obtain Copies of Seals from Impressions 

 (2""* S. vi. 171.) — When the impression is not 

 cracked or underset. The best manner is with 

 plaster of Paris ; first having oiled the surface, 

 mix the plaster, and work the same in with a 

 brush, so as to prevent any air-bubbles being on 

 the surface. After that, thicken the back up to a 

 point so as to form a knot to pull it off with, 

 which, if the plaster is good, will be in about five 

 minutes. Then place the cast near the fire to 

 dry, which will take some time ; then shape it 

 with a sharp knife to the required thickness, and 

 then immerse it into clean boiled linseed oil for 

 five minutes ; take it out, and let it stand with 

 the impression part upwards for a few hours, and 

 then it will be ready for all ordinary uses for 

 taking impressions ; the oil preventing it sticking, 

 and likewise hardening the plaster. 



When the impressions are cracked and underset. 

 Bread, kneaded up as described in " N. & Q." is 

 the best method. 



Gutta Percha is not well adapted for the pur- 

 pose, in consequence of its being affected by heat. 

 In use the sharpness and shape is soon lost. 



The electrotype, where the impression can be 

 destroyed or others obtained, is by far the best 

 method of reproducing the original. T. Moring. 



HOOK SALES. 



One of the most remarkable collections of Waltonian 

 literature was sold by Messrs. Sotlieby & Wilkinson, on 

 Friday, .July IG, 1858. Of course the most covetable lot 

 was No. 121)., being a collection of the whole five editions 

 of The Compleat Angler, published -during the author's life : 



