240 Notes and Illustrations. 
““A”=one, a single: a very common use in Early English; cf. 
William of Nassington’s ‘“‘ Myrrour of Lyfe,” lines 2, 3; 
“Fader and Sonne and Haly Gaste 
That er a God als we trowe maste’”’—that is, one God. 
10. 24. Some, upon Sundays, have their tables covered with 
smoking dishes, and then have to seek, z.e. do without dinners for 
the rest of the week. 
10. 28. “‘Skarborow warning.” Grose says it means, ‘‘A word 
and a blow and the blow first.” R. J. S. in Notes and Queries, 1st 
Ser. i. 170, adds that it is a common proverb in Yorkshire. Fuller 
states that the saying arose from ‘‘ Thomas Stafford, who in the 
reign of Mary, A.D. 1557, with a small company, seized on Scar- 
borough Castle, and before the townspeople had the least notice of 
their approach.” Another explanation is that, if ships passed the 
castle without saluting it, a shotted gun was fired at them. In a 
ballad by Heywood another derivation is given: 
“This term Scarborow warning grew (some Say) 
By hasty hanging for rank robbery theare. 
Who that was met, but suspect in that ‘way, 
Strait he was trust up, whatever he were.” 
This implies that Scarborough imitated the Halifax gibbet law.— 
N. & Q. 1st Ser. i. 138. In a letter by Toby Matthew, Bishop of 
Durham, to the Archbishop of York, Jan. 19, 1603, he writes: 
‘‘When I was in the midst of this discourse I received a message 
from my Lord Chamberlain that it was his Majesty’s pleasure that 
I should preach before him on Sunday next, which Scarborough 
warning did not only perplex me, but so puzzel me as no mervail if 
somewhat be pretermitted, which otherwise I might have better 
remembered.”—N. & Q. 4th Ser. xil. 408. ‘* Scarborough warn- 
mg. The antiquity of the phrase is shown by its occurrence 
in Puttenham’s ‘Arte of English Poetrie,’ ed. 1589. The following 
is the passage, from p. 199 of Arber’s reprint: [We have] ‘many 
such prouerbiall speeches: as, Totnesse 1s turned French, for a strange 
alteration: Skarborow warning, for a sodaine commandement, 
allowing no respect or delay to bethinke a man of his busines.’ ”— 
Note by Rev. W. Skeat. See also Ray’s Proverbs. 
10. 28. ‘‘Sir I arest yee;” that is, the Sheriff’s officer, who, 
touching your arm, w ould use these words. 
10. 29. “Legem pone,” a curious old proverbial or cant term for 
ready money. 
‘There are so manie Danaes now a dayes, 
That love for lucre, paine for gaine is sold; 
No true affection can their eae please, 
Except it be a Iove, to raine downe gold 
Into their laps, which they wyde open hold ; 
If /egem pone comes, he is receav'd, 
When v2x haud habes is of hope bereav’d.”— 
The Affectionate Shepheard, 1594. 
