S. IX. Mar. 31. 'CO.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



241 



Italian vellicome, from the German willkommen. 

 (Diez, ib. p. 747.) The derivation of the latter 

 words from the German is consistent with the 

 European reputation of the Germans as drinkers. 



THE PULPIT OF THE VENERABLE LEDE. 



The whereabouts of Archbishop Leighton's and 

 Jeremy Taylor's pulpits have lately been men- 

 tioned in these pages (2 cd S. ix. 178.). Of Bax- 

 ter's pulpit, which had also been removed from its 

 original position, but is still preserved, I made 

 a Note in the First Series of this work (v. 363., 

 where, in the first column, second paragraph, 

 read " profusely " for " properly"), and soon after 

 published a copper-plate etching of it in the 

 Gentleman's Magazine. From a newspaper para- 

 graph, now going the round of the provincial 

 press, it would seem that Bede's pulpit must be 

 added to the list of those pulpits that have been 

 treated like Baxter's. Here is the newspaper ac- 

 count : — 



"A gentleman — a zealous antiquarian — of North 

 Shields has in his possession the veritable pulpit in which 

 the Venerable and Sainted Bede discoursed to his hearers, 

 in the old church at Jarrow, the truths of the Gospel. 

 The history of how this piece of antiquity was saved from 

 destruction is as brief as it is interesting. Seventy years 

 afro William Hall, a joiner, of West Boldon, near South 

 Shields, contracted with the churchwardens of Jarrow 

 church to renew the decayed pews. He took down the 

 ancient oak pulpit, replacing it with one of fir, which at 

 this day stands in the venerable edifice. After pulling 

 this ancient relic to pieces he packed it in a chest, with 

 tbe intention, as he then averred, of making it into a 

 cradle for his children! While he was contemplating 

 this sacrilegious act death laid his cold hand upon him, 

 and thus prevented him from carrying his plan into exe- 

 cution. The pulpit laid secure in the chest until a few 

 years ago, when it passed into the possession of the pre- 

 sent owner. The pulpit is a very fine specimen of the 

 high perfection which the art of wood carving had at- 

 tained in the days of the learned Bede. In the front 

 compartment is a representation of the vine, with hanging 

 bunches of grapes, the leaves of which are formed into 

 crosses. The whole is in perfect preservation, and must 

 cause regret to all who take an interest in beholding the 

 handiwork of our forefathers, to see it replaced by the 

 common mean substitute that now occupies its place." — 

 Northern Daily Express. 



The form and height of the pulpit are not given ; 

 but, from the concluding paragraph, we may un- 

 derstand it to be after the ordinary fashion. 



Now, the great stumbling-block to a belief that 

 tlic "zealous antiquarian" of North Shields has 

 acquired a genuine relic of the Venerable Bede, 

 is the great probability that that venerable gen- 

 tleman never occupied a Pulpit ! and this, from 

 the very sufficient reason that pulpits were not 

 then invented. The Pulpitum or Amho was a very 

 different affair to the Pulpit ; and, if the newspaper 

 writer means to say that Bede was preaching a ser- 

 mon when he " discoursed to his hearers the truths 



of the Gospel," then he would most probably not 

 occupy the Pulpitum. He would have "dis- 

 coursed " from the steps of the altar, or while he 

 sat upon his throne or chair, — perhaps on that 

 ancient chair that is still preserved in the vestry 

 of Jarrow church, and which passes by his name, 

 — if it can boast so great an antiquity. 



The newspaper paragraphist is, at any rate, 

 perfectly correct as to the meanness of the present 

 pulpit ; and he might (while he was about it) have 

 included in his condemnation all the other fittings 

 of the church. Of Bede's chair, with a stone carv- 

 ing, and a rich Perpendicular desk at Jarrow, very 

 good etchings will be found in Mr. Scott's Anti- 

 quarian Gleanings. Cuthbert Bede. 



THE TOURMALINE CRYSTAL. 



It is well known that this crystal is of the greatest 

 rarity. Some thirty years ago it was first found in 

 England under very peculiar circumstances. I ex- 

 tract the following account of its discovery from 

 the letter of a gentleman who was an eye-witness of 

 some of the facts. I am not aware that the circum- 

 stances have been published before. They will 

 recall to the memories of antiquaries the dis- 

 covery of the wooden image of Minerva which 

 was found near the AVatling Street, and cut up 

 for firewood : — 



" A farmer named Ellis, taking out stones from a hedge 

 to repair the roads, found a fine crystal a few inches below 

 the surface. He wondered ; so did all who saw it. He 

 then, however, dug awa}', and strange to say, cartloads, 

 good and bad, were carried to the adjoining lane, and 

 there beaten * and trodden and 'crushed by the cart- 

 wheels. One country yeoman wiser than the rest, specu- 

 lated and gave farmer Ellis 10s. Gd. for the finest one 

 (the same would now make 10 guineas!) The farmer 

 paused, and ordered no more to be removed ; but while 

 he slept, others stole them away. Miners from Cornwall 

 were caught in the very act, and were brought before 

 magistrates. Still the old man persisted in his folly, and 

 to show it to the passers-by, he built a pig-house ad- 

 joining his dwelling, in the wall of which he placed six 

 or eight fine pieces, with large beautiful crystals, and the 

 children having no better taste than Ellis or his neigh- 

 bours (and which could not be expected) struck off the 

 shining parts, battering every little speck to get it for 

 the purpose of adorning their little mudhouses in the 

 lanes for play ! However, the substance is left as a proof 

 how nature's most valuable productions may be neglected, 

 spoiled, and lost through unfortunate ignorance. 



" The source from whence they were procured is ex- 

 hausted. I have seen the place, and heard from Ellis 

 himself what I have related. A few pieces are in his 

 possession, which he values highly, too high for my 

 purse. The phosphate of lime, a six-sided crystal, is 

 often found with it, and the black rocky matter connected 

 with the crystal is scoria which bears affinity to it. 

 Some of the crystals are the size of a large cupping- 

 glass." 



Unfortunately the letter makes no mention o 

 the locality ! Ceammied. 



Athenaeum Club. 



* Query, broken 



