fast as he can, and all his business by the way is to make himself and others as happy as he can. Take him in two words—a man, a Christian.'"

1. What is the source of the passage? 2. On what manor house (if any) was it carved, and at what date?

66

H. C-D.

66

Replies.

"BROKENSELDE."

(10 S. xi. 10, 58.)

MAY I venture to suggest that this name originally applied to a seld, sild, or shed used for warehousing goods, and in need of repair? With it may be compared such names as Broken Cross and Broken Wharf, frequently mentioned in the City's records. Both PROF. SKEAT and the late H. T. Riley, the editor of the City's 'Liber Custumarum,' refer seld to the Anglo-Saxon word denoting a shield or protection (see Glossary, 'Lib. Cust.,' 8.v. Selda '). The former, however, appears to refer to a "shield as the defensive arm in warfare. In this connexion it is quite possible that in course of time the name Brokenselde lost its original meaning, and denoted the "broken shield," and as such was used as a tavern sign. A tavern called Le Brokenselde " is recorded in the Husting Rolls under date 1348 as being situate near the church of St. Mary le Bow. It was probably at this taverndescribed in Latin as atte seldam fractam that an affray took place in 1325, one Sunday evening, which led to a coroner's inquest.

66

There was also a tenement of this name situated on the south side of Westchepe, opposite "le Standard," which became converted into a Sheriff's Compter-probably the one known as the Bread Street Compter, as the tenement was declared, on inquisition held in 1412, to be wholly situated in Bread Street Ward (Cal. Letter-Book I,' pp. 108-9).

Guildhall.

R. R. SHARPE.

This, the " 'great Seld" in Cheap, is probably the same as the " Brodeselde above mentioned. In 1370 the Mayor and Aldermen, on the petition of Adam Lovekyn, "ordered that no strange tanner, bringing his hides to the City for sale, should expose them for sale any where within the City, or the suburbs thereof, than in the Seld in Frydaystret' belonging to Adam Lovekyn (Letter-Book G, quoted in Riley's 'Memorials,' p. 343).

Stow in his Survey of London' (ed. 1603, 259) refers to a fair building of stone called in record " Seldam, a shed," on the north side of St. Mary le Bow, West Chepe, which King Edward III. had caused "to be made and strongly to bee builded of stone, for himselfe, the Queene, and other Estates to stand in, there to beholde the Justinges and other shewes at their pleasures."

He states that in 1410 Henry IV. "confirmed the saide shedde or building to Stephen Spilman, William Marchford, and Iohn VVhatele, Mercers, by the name of one new Seldam, shed or building, with shoppes, sellers, and edifices whatsoeuer appertayning, called Crounsilde, or Tamarand in the parrish of Saint Mary de Arcubus in silde, situate in the Mercery in West Cheape, London, &c."

There is also mention made of a "seld" in West Cheap held by John de Stanes, mercer, in 1304 (Letter-Book B, fo. Ixiii b), and of a Cheap belonging to Richard and Margery seld in the parish of St. Mary le Bow in West Godchep in 1320 (Letter-Book E, fo. cxii), which would probably be the Great or Brodeselde above mentioned. Riley

various passages in the City books, that the Selds "There seems every reason to conclude, from were extensive warehouses: very similar probably to the Eastern Bazaars, with numerous rooms in them, fitted with aumbries, or cupboards, chests, and locks, and let to various tenants; while in some instances a mere vacant patch of ground (placea) within the Seld is mentioned as being let."

Although this may have been the early meaning of the word, it was in later times apparently used as synonymous with what we now call "lock-up shops," as e.g., in a feoffment of a seld or shop with a vacant place of land in Henley in "le Sho, perowe,' 5 Aug., 11 Henry VIII. (A. 7619, Calendar of Ancient Deeds,' vol. iv.).

This is of course in accordance with PROF. SKEAT'S second suggestion; but if this were the origin of the word, it would surely sometimes appear with the sh. I have, however, never met with it in this form.

66

66

66

Bosworth and Toller give as the meaning of the A.-S. seld, 1, a seat, a throne 2, a seat, residence, mansion, hall," and quote as an example Hié tempel strudon, Salomanes seld," from Cædmon's Metrical Paraphrase. They also quote "a heallícan seld palatias zetas" from Wright's 'Vocabulary,' ii. 81, 223. The feminine form "selde' (which would agree with the Latin selda found in mediæval records) is defined as a "porch, proaula "; and the words " selde" and winter-selde are quoted from Wright's Vocabulary' as meaning "summer house" and "winter house respectively

66

6

sumor

sumerselde, zetas æstivales and winterselde, zetas hyemales." I would therefore suggest that "seld" is derived from the A.-S. fem. word selde. H. A. HARBEN.

The word "seld" frequently occurs in the 'Calendars of Husting Wills,' and denotes a shed, or open shop, in which the proprietor publicly sat in order to attract customers, in the manner seen in most Oriental cities and many old-fashioned Continental towns. It is of course the Anglo-Saxon word, and the article "le" gives it no Anglo-French connotation, but is merely a legal survival. It precedes nearly a all the sign-names in the wills. The real difficulty lies in the adjective "broken," which we find also in the "Broken Wharf," the Broken Cross," &c. I do not remember to have seen the exact signification of this epithet determined, and, not having the 'N.E.D.' at hand, cannot say from which of the many meanings of the verb "to break it is derived. W. F. PRIDEAUX.

66

The latter statement is quoted by Mr. Wheatley in London, Past and Present,' vol. i. p. 279. Mr. Wheatley also says that there is a token in the Beaufoy Collection inscribed At the Broken Cross in Westminster, 1659." In Sir Walter Besant's 'Westminster,' p. 152, is an engraving of Broken Cross within the Abbey precincts, but no authority is given for it.

Westminster.

W. E. HARLAND-OXLEY.

THE CURIOUS HOUSE, GREENWICH (10 S. x. 469; xi. 32).-I regret that I have no more explicit information as to the exact situation of this house, but the friend on

whose behalf I sent the query is a descendant (through families of the name of Ridley and Whitfield) of the first owner, Gibson, and she is positive as to the facts given, which were told her by her mother about twentyfive years ago. The mother did not know whether the house was then standing or not. Probably the name "Curious was only a nickname given it by a few people, and I think we must go back to the eighteenth century for information about it.

Stromness.

ALEX. RUSSELL.

ELIHU YALE'S EPITAPH : THE PILGRIM FATHERS (10 S. x. 502).-It is pleasant to Americans to know that Englishmen find attractive any items connected with the makers of the U.S.A." But as the brief paragraph quoted by MR. CLAYTON contains two errors and one omission, these ought to be corrected. First, Wrexham is not in Flintshire, as stated by Miss Boyes, but in Denbighshire. Secondly, Miss Boyes has given the epitaph only in part. The following is copied from a pamphlet entitled Elihu Yale, Esq., and the Parish Church of Wrexham,' printed at Wrexham in or about 1901, and presumably prepared by Canon William H. Fletcher :Born in America, in Europe bred, In Africa travelled, and in Asia wed; Where long he lived and thrived; in London dead: Much good, some ill, he did; so hope all's even, And that his soul through mercy's gone to heaven. You that survive and read this tale, take care For this most certain exit to prepare, Where, blest in peace, the actions of the just Smell sweet, and blossom in the silent dust.

This epitaph is not original, as the first part is imitated from that on Duns Scotus at Cologne, while the latter part is adapted from James Shirley's well-known lines. "In Africa travelled is poetic licence, as Yale is not known to have been in Africa.

Thirdly, Miss Boyes is in error in stating that "Elihu Yale's paternal ancestor was one of the Pilgrim Fathers "-though the error is excusable in an English writer. Elihu Yale, born at Boston, Mass., about 1649, was the son of David Yale, The latter came to Boston about 1637, was one of the early settlers at New Haven, Connecticut, then returned to Boston, and finally went back to England. Probably all the Yales in New England in the eighteenth century lived either in Massachusetts or in Connecticut. The following passage, based on material furnished by the present writer, is copied from the 'N.E.D.' :

"Governor Bradford [of Plymouth Colony] wrote of his company as 'pilgrims' in the spiritual sense referring to Heb. xi. 13. The same phraseology was repeated by Cotton Mather and others, and became familiar in New England. In 1798 a Feast of the Sons' or 'Heirs of the Pilgrims' was held at Boston on 22 Dec., at which the memory of the Fathers' was celebrated. With the frequent juxtaposition of the names Pilgrims, Fathers, Heirs or Sons of the Pilgrims, and the like, at these anniversary feasts, Pilgrim Fathers' naturally arose as a rhetorical phrase, and gradually grew to be a historical designation."

The Plymouth Colony was settled in 1620. The Massachusetts Colony was organized in 1630. The two were entirely distinct until 1691, when, by royal charter, they were joined together to form the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, now the State or Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We in New England make a distinction between the early settlers of the Plymouth Colony, calling them" Pilgrim Fathers," and the early settlers of the Massachusetts Colony, calling them Puritans." As David Yale was an early Massachusetts settler, and was never (so far as is known) in the Plymouth Colony at all, he was not a Pilgrim Father, as that term is now used in New England.

Boston, U.S.

ALBERT MATTHEWS.

THE DUFF, EARLY MISSION SHIP TO SOUTH SEAS (10 S. x. 503).—Being a native of Portsmouth, I was much interested in MR. CLAYTON's note on this ship.

In a book that I have not by me now (published 1798 ?) was a detailed account of this missionary enterprise. The only portion of the account that I can call to mind at the moment is that (1) the Duff sailed from

Spithead 24 Sept., 1796, and arrived at Tahiti, South Sea Islands, 5 March, 1797; (2) that the Rev. James Griffin was pastor of the old Orange Street Chapel, Portsea; (3) that the name of one of the Duff's crew was Orange, and, if I remember rightly, he was a member of the chapel. The Orange family lived in Portsea for many years after the above date. Is it known if the street or chapel was named after any member of that family?

It may also be interesting to note that not very far from Horndean (where Capt. Wilson lived) is Bunker's Hill. Perhaps some reader can state if there is any historic connexion between this Hampshire country-side and the seat of the first battle of the American War of Independence.

F. K. P.

[The inscription mentions that Wilson was present at the battle of Bunker's Hill. Is not this likely to account for the name ?]

The reference for the text quoted in the inscription_concerning Capt. Wilson should have been Ps. lxxvii. 14.

HERBERT B. CLAYTON.

With reference to this note it may be of ADVERTISING EPITAPH (10 S. x. 503).— interest to mention that in the old churchyard of Exeter (now closed) a large number of the epitaphs give the trade of the deceased. G. H. C.

WORKSOP EPITAPHS (10 S. x. 503).—The first of these epitaphs is also in the churchyard of the parish of Fleet in Lincolnshire, on a gravestone in memory of Joseph Barrow, who died 8 Oct, 1844. There it runs thus :

LEGENDS ABOUT THE MOON (10 S. x. 347,

456).-I am enabled to furnish another to those already given, from 'Old-World

Japan: Legends of the Land of the Gods,' retold by Frank Rinder. On pp. 17-24 is a poetic tale describing how Susa-no-o, the Moon-God, was jealous of the extra power, influence, and splendour of his sister Ama-Terasu, the Sun-Goddess. To spite her he flayed her horse, the "Beloved of the Gods." Indignant at her brother's cruelty, she withdrew into a cave and closed behind her the door of the Heavenly Rock Dwelling, leaving the earth in darkness. The rest of the tale, too long to summarize, describes

A. RHODES.

TRAVELLING UNDER HADRIAN (10 S. xi. 10). -A perusal of chap. ii. of Gibbon's 'Decline and Fall' gives us some indication of the rate of travel possible about the time of Hadrian. See p. 57 of vol. i. ("World's Classics"):

"Houses were everywhere erected at the distance only of five or six miles; each of them was constantly provided with forty horses, and, by the help of these relays, it was easy to travel an hundred miles in a day along the Roman roads." In a foot-note we read :

"In the time of Theodosius. Cæsarius, a magistrate of high rank, went post from Antioch to Constantinople. He began his journey at night. was in Cappadocia (165 miles from Antioch) the ensuing evening, and arrived at Constantinople the sixth day about noon. The whole distance was 725 Roman, or 665 English miles."

A note on the previous page gives the route which a traveller would have taken in going from Rome to Boulogne. He would have gone by way of Milan, Lyons, and Rheims, covering a distance of 1,254 Roman miles. If we may take the marvellous performance of Cæsarius as a criterion, an express journey from Rome to Boulogne would have taken about 81 days. With regard to the Channel crossing, we may bear in mind that Cæsar on his first invasion of Britain took roughly ten hours to perform the journey. Cf. De Bello Gallico,' Bk. IV. chap. xxiii. :

·

"Nactus idoneam ad nauigandum tempestatem tertia fere uigilia soluit,.....ipse hora diei circiter quarta cum primis nauibus Britanniam attigit.' No precise data are given with reference to

the return voyage.

When Cæsar again sailed across the Channel to invade Britain, his progress was not so rapid, owing to the perversity of wind and tide, and the voyage took about eighteen hours (Bk. V. chap. viii.). On the second occasion, however, the return voyage to Gaul was accomplished in about half the time. A single galley, with every facility afforded it, would, no doubt, have done even better than this. Let us convert our 8 days into 9, and we shall have allowed abundance of time for the sea voyage. In view of the fact that our traveller would have had a far greater distance to cover than Cæsarius had, and a very formidable obstacle to surmount

bility that the posting system had been improved by the time of Theodosius, we shall not be too generous if we add another full day, making up the total to 10 days. We must remember that this is travelling at record-breaking speed. Anybody but a Cæsarius would, I suspect, have been more than satisfied if he had reached Britain within the fortnight. I have used Gibbon's remarks as the basis of my computation, but being at present away from books, I am unable to verify his statements. Perhaps others will be able to give more precise references to the time of Hadrian.

Henbury, Macclesfield.

C. E. LOMAX.

YEW TREES (10 S. x. 430; xi. 58).Churchyards in former days being less completely enclosed than at the present day, and the adjacent lands then frequently unfenced, trespass by cattle was of constant occurrence, and much injury was done to the graves by the trampling and rubbing of the beasts. Hence another explanation, often given, of the planting of yew trees, so universal in graveyards, is that little pains were taken to keep the cattle out of the churchyards by their owners until it was found that the trespass was a fatal one, i.e., that there were poisonous trees among the graves. The extensive planting of the yew in churchyards may have been a protective measure," but in another way. R. B. Upton.

It was