363 



On a Spoon of the Renaissance period found at Mousin, 

 near Belford ; with a notice of Mousin. By Jas. Hardy. 



This small ornamented spoon, although 

 only of pewter, is a very fine example of 

 Renaissance — perhaps 16th century — work- 

 manship, and has been figured for the 

 preservation of the style from a drawing 

 by Miss Dickinson. It was found at 

 Mousin some years since, and belongs to 

 Mrs Lumsden, Castle Heaton, who sent it to 

 be exhibited at the Berwick Meeting, 

 October, 1883. The figure has rather a 

 diminutive appearance, being only one half 

 of the original size, which is Q-h inches long. 

 The length of the mouth is about 2 J inches ; 

 breadth of ditto, Irt inch ; length of free 

 part of handle, 3 inches ; of ornamental part, 

 about 1 in. The stamp contains a cross, 

 with the initials T. P. 



As it may have belonged to an occupant, 

 and not to an owner of the place, it is in 

 vain to search after its former possessor. 



MOTJSIN. 



Of the township of Mousin and its owners there is no written history, and 

 I am tempted, after looking over the references to it in some of the records , 

 to draw up a short statement of what the information they yield, 

 amounts to. 



Mousin or Mowson is a hamlet and township in Bamburgh parish. If mile 

 S. by E. of Belford. The present name is a corruption of the ancient 

 Mulesfen, Molesfen, Millisfen, Mulfen, etc. The name is of Anglo-Saxon 

 origin ; the first half possibly from A.S. mold, Scotch, muldes, mools earth, 

 soil ; or from A.S. mulo, a mule, and fen a marsh ; or even from A.S. m^len, a 

 mill ; the mill at the marsh. Moll is also an A.S. personal appellative. The 

 double II and single I, readily combine, or fade into w. The name is pro- 

 nounced as a labial. — " Moosn, " in the manner Scotch people say moose for 



As holding by dr engage, the earliest known owners represent old native 

 proprietors who succumbed to the Conquest, and were reinstated in their 

 lands under Norman auspices ; and holding as they did directly from the 

 crown, and officially connected with the royal castle of Bamburgh, two of 



