A corner in or "Kentish Men." When the meal is over, the chairman of the Kentish Men, standing up at the Junior table, bows gravely to the Principal, takes from the hand of a servitor standing by four small rolls of bread, silently dashes them three times on the table, and then pushes them down to the farther end of the board, whence they are removed. Perfect silence is preserved during this mystic ceremony. It has been suggested by some antiquaries that this singular custom typifies offerings to Ceres, who first taught mankind the use of laws, and originated those peculiar ornaments of civilization their expounders, the It appears lawyers. that the four little loaves are baked together so as to form a cross, and that the chair man, raising this symbol above his head, strikes it down on the table three times. This has been supposed to have reference to the three persons of the Trinity. The removal of the little loaves along the table is supposed to intimate that what is left of the repast is to go to the poor. Till a few years ago this was done, a number of old women waiting at the buttery, to receive the broken meats. The grace before meat consists of the words "Pro hoc convivus-Deo Gratia." The only toasts are Ancient and Honourable " and "Absent Members," and no speeches are allowed. Leigh Hunt declares that there are three things to notice in Clifford's Inn: its little bit of turf and trees, its quiet, and its having been the residence of Robert Pultock, author of the curious narrative of 'Peter Wilkins,' with its flying women. Who he was is not known; probably a barrister without practice; but he wrote an amiable and interesting book. The garden of Clifford's Inn forms part of the area of the Rolls. The sketch-map of Chancery Lane and its immediate neighbourhood is founded upon the excellent plan which was made by Rocque in the first half of the eighteenth century. This plan of London, begun in 1737 and completed in 1746, sets forth the streets and buildings in considerable detail, and enables us to form a tolerably perfect idea of the disposition of houses, open spaces, and connecting streets and alleys of this locality about a century and a half ago. TOOK'S COURT. Took's Court, represented on the map (where it is denominated "Tuke's Court"), is memorable as having contained the spunging-house where Sheridan, in the last year of his life, was confined, and wherein he wrote the angry letter to Whitbread which has been printed in Moore's 'Memoirs of the Life of the Right Hon. R. B. Sheridan.' In more recent times Took's Court has been tenanted by law-stationers and law-writers; but it has been chiefly known, perhaps, as containing the publishing offices of the Athenæum and Notes and Queries, and the premises of the Chiswick Press, which will now be next to the new Patent Office. The first number of Notes and Queries printed in Took's Court (at No. 4) was that which was published at 20, Wellington Street, Strand, on October 5, 1872; and the first number printed and published in Took's Court was that of December 19, 1885. "Artachthos; or, A new Booke declaring the Assise or Weight of Bread by Troy and Averdupois Weights, and conteining divers Orders and Articles made and set forth by the Lords and others of his Majesties most honble. Privie Councell. 4to. Printed by R. Bishop and Edward Griffine, and are to be sold at the Stationers Shops, or at the Chamber of John Penketbman, the Composer, in Simons Inn, in Chancerie Lane." These extracts comprise accounts of the great dearths with which this country was afflicted from the middle of the eleventh until the end of the sixteenth century, and, in the light of the existing distress in Russia and Germany, are of peculiar interest. It will be observed, indeed, that the more exceptional circumstances attending the Russian famine, in particular, bear a striking analogy to those accompanying the famines which occurred during the period between the Norman Conquest and the close of the reign of Queen Elizabetb. The first account given relates to the year 1069, and is as follows: "In the third and fourth yeare of the said King (William the Conqueror), by meanes of the Normans wasting of England in Northumberland and other places in the yeare precedent, such a dearth encreased through all England, especially Northumberland, and the Countries next_adjoyning, that men were glad to eat Horses, Catts, Dogges, and mans fleeb, for all the land lying betweene Durham and Yorke lay waste without Inhabitants and people to till the ground, for the space of nine yeares, except only the Territory of Saint John of Beverlake." Seventeen years later "was a great dearth of cattell, and sore distemperature "the 23 yeare of King Henry the first, by meanes of During the reign of the tyrannical John there appears to have been only one dearth of a serious character, 3s. 4d. being asked for a quarter of oats, which were wont to be sold for 4d.; but in the Build-eighteenth year of Henry III. (1234) The alterations and improvements now in active progress will speedily obliterate the familiar features of the court and its surroundings immortalized by the pen of Charles Dickens, and although Notes and Queries knows Took's Court no more, it is satisfactory to those whose natures are apt to cling to old associations to hear that the new offices are situated in Bream's ings, within a stone's cast of Chancery Lane, environed by the same legal atmosphere as before, and removed by but a short distance from the site of the old office, which many of us have become used to regard with a sort of affection for the sake of old ties and old associations. GEORGE CLINCH. [Concerning the venerable gateway of Lincoln's Inn, we hear with sincere regret that the structure is in a most dilapidated condition, and believe that the greater part of it cannot possibly be kept standing.] OLD TIME FAMINES. I have in my possession an old magazine, containing a number of extracts from a scarce and curious pamphlet, entitled "was a great Frost at Christmasse, which destroyed the Corne in the ground, and the Roots of hearbs in the Gardens, continuing till Candlemasse without any snow, so that no man could plough the ground, and all the yeare after was unseasonable weather, so that barrennesse of all things ensued, and many poore folks dyed for want of victualls, the rich being so bewitched with Avarice, that they could yeeld them no reliefe. Amongst whom Walter Gray, then Archbishop of York, was not least covetous, of whom it is recorded that his Corne being then 5 yeares old, hee doubting the same to spoild with vermine, did command that it should be delivered to the Husbandmen that inhabited his Mannours, upon condition, that they should pay him the like quantity of new Corne after Harvest, but would give none to the poore for God's sake, whereupon it came to passe that when men came to a great Stack of his Corne, which stood neere the Towne of Rippon, there appeared in the Sheaves all over the same, the heads of "the excessivenesse of a Feast in the yeare before [1368] Wormes, Serpents, and Toads, besides, a voice was heard out of the Corne-mow, saying 'Lay no hands on the Corne for the Archbishop, and all that hee hath is the Devills.' To conclude, the Bailiffes were forced to build a high wall round about the Corne, and then to set it on fire, lest the venemous wormes should have gotten out and poysoned the Corne in other places. How this" it came to passe that when the time of fruits, as Nuts, Bishop died I have not read, and whether he went to Apples, Plummes, Peares, &c., was come, many poore God or the Devill, it is not for me to determine." people through over-feeding thereof died of the Flux"; and in 1527, The year in which was fought the Battle of Bannockburn saw great distress owing to the "such scarcitie of Bread was at London, and throughdearness of provisions. In consequence Parlia-out England, that many dyed for want thereof. The ment ordained that the prices of victuals should not exceed the following: "An Ox stalled or Corne fed 24s.; a grasse fed Ox 16s. A fat stalled Cow 128.; another 10s. A fat Mutton Corne fed, or whose wooll is well growne 20d.; another fat Mutton shorn 14d. A fat Hog of two yeares old 3s. 4d. A fat Goose 2d. ob.; in the Citie 3d. A fat Capon 2d.; in the Citie 2d. ob. A fat Hen ld.; in the Citie 1d. ob. Two Chicking 1d.; in the Citie 1d. ob. Foure Pidgions 1d.; in the Citie three ld. 24 eggs 1d.; in the Citie 20. Neverthelesse," adds the chronicler, "all things were sold deerer than before; no flesh could be had. Capons and Geese were not to be found, Eggs were hard to come by, Sheepe died of the rott, Swine were out of the way, a quarter of wheat, Beanes, and Peas, was sold for 20s., of Malt for a mark, of Salt for 35s., &c." The following year (1315), however,"the King in Parliament at London revoked the provisions before made for selling of victualle, and permitted all men to make the best of their owne. Neverthelesse," the account continues, "the dearth increased through the abundance of Raine that fell in Harvest, so that a quarter of Wheat was sold before Midsummer for 30s., and after for 40s. "There followed hereupon a grievous mortalitie of people, so that the living might hardly bury the dead. The Beasts and Cattell also through corruptnesse of the grasse whereon they fed, died. Horse flesh was accounted great Delicates: The poore stole fat Doggs to eat: These Doggs became fat by feeding on the Beasts and Cattell that died: Some others in hidden places did mitigate their hunger with the flesh of their owne Children. The Thieves that were in prison, did pluck in pieces those that were newly brought in amongst them, and greedily devour'd them halfe alive. "The Londoners, the same yeare considering that Wheat was much consumed by the converting thereof into Mault, ordained, that from thenceforth it should bee made of other graine, and also that a gallon of the better Ale should be sold for 3 halfe pence, and of small Ale for one penny, not above. "The King, according to the Statute of London, sent his Writs through the Realme, commanding that in Cities, Boroughes, Townes, and Villages, as well within the Liberties as without, a gallon of Ale should bee sold for one penny. And that from thenceforth, no Wheat should be made into Mault, which if he had not the sooner caused to be proclaimed, the greatest part of the people should have perished through famine.' During the next two hundred years there was frequently great scarcity of corn, the dearth in one instance being supposed to be due to King sent to the Citie, of his owne provision, six hun dred Quarters; The Bread-Carts then comming from Stratford towards London, were met at the Miles end by a great number of Citizens, so that the Maior and Sheriffes were forced to goe and rescue the same, and see them brought to the Markets appointed; Wheat being then at 15 shillings the Quarter. But shortly after, the Merchants of the Stiliard brought from Danske such store of Wheat and Rye, that it was better cheape a London, then in any other part of the Realme." Towards the close of Elizabeth's reign there occurred a famine which bears no slight resemblance to that prevailing in the land of the Czar. The account is given as follows: By the late Transportations of Graine into forreine parts, the same was here growne to an excessive price, a the Quarter, and more, as the Poore did feele; and all other in some parts of this Realme, from 14 shillings to 4 marke things whatsover were made to sustain man, were like wise raysed, without all conscience and reason. For remedie whereof, our Merchants brought back from Danske much Rye and Wheat, but passing deere though not of the best, yet serving the turne in such extremitie. Some Prentices and other young people about the Citie of London, being pinched of their Victuals more then they had beene accustomed, tooke Butter from the Market folkes in Southwarke, paying but three pence, where the owners would not afford it under five pence by the pound. For which disorder the said young men were punished on the 27 of June by whipping, setting on the Pillorie, and long imprison ment." After such an awful record of famine and dis tress, thankful must we in "Merrie England" be that with us the sun of plenty is never now obscured by the clouds of national want. West Hartlepool. JOSEPH H. ELGIE. THE ORIGINAL OF LORD CRANSTOUN'S GOB- In his notes to the 'Lay,' Sir Walter says that the idea of the goblin page "is taken from a being called Gilpin Horner, who appeared, and made some stay at a farmhouse among the Border mountains.' The following account is taken from a manuscript volume, entitled "The Memorabilia of the Parish of Eskdalemuir. Begun by William Brown, 1793. Dr. Brown was minister of the parish from 1792 until his death in 1835. The account, so far as I am aware, has only appeared in print once before, and that was twenty years ago, when it received decent burial in the pages of the Transactions of In had flesh and blood like other folks, took it in his arms, "About the year 1691, at Michaelmas, on a misty morning, the following persons went away to fasten the Todshawhill horses at the head of the Todshawhill bog, viz., John Moffat, son of James Moffat, one of the tenants of Todshawhill, and grandfather to the present Mr. John Moffat, tenant in Garwald; James Anderson, son of another of the tenants in Todshawhill, and uncle to James Anderson, at present residing (this was written in 1795) at Watkerrick Dinnings; and William Nichol, uncle to James Nichol, at present at Watkerrick, and also to James Dickson, at present at Grassyards. While these young lads were fastening the above-mentioned horses, they heard a voice at some little distance, crying to them through the mist, We'll tine, we'll tine. William Nichol instantly answered, "You shall not tine, and me here.' On this they saw a creature come run. ning towards them, having the appearance of an old woman above the middle, and with very short legs and thighs. So unexpected a sight made them run for the Cow loan, where the women were milking the cows. their haste John Moffat fell in a mire, and the little creature waddled by him to get at the rest. When it came to the women, they were as much afraid as the lads had been. But on one of the cows attempting to push at it, and its saying,' God help me, what means the Cow?' they became less terrified, for they imagined that if it had been an evil spirit it would not have mentioned the name of God in the manner it did. They therefore at still to finish the milking, and when James Anderson's mother called out to one of the women, whose name was Meggy, to bring her another calf to get its milk from the bught [sheepfold] where they were confined, it said How many Meggys hast thou?" After this the women went home, and it followed. When they were come to the Todshawhill it went into the house of James Moffat, and sat down by the fire. James's family happening that night to have barley and milk for supper, they offered it some, and asked if it would take any. It answered, 0 yes, we can sup barley and milk'; and when it had done it said 'It was very good,' and added that 'it had not got the like of it since the ill winter,' meaning probably 1674, or about seventeen years before. They then gave it an old knife, with which it seemed much delighted. On the family going to worship, it sat silent all the time, and when they had done it said, Many such sweet psalm as that has our John Herron of Burtley sung.' After all this had happened they took it out to a barn, where they intended it should lie during the night; but they had no sooner shut the door than they saw it on the house top. Another account, however, speaks more probably, for it says that it remained in the barn till morning, and then came in to breakfast at the request of the family. Its stay at Todshawhill and the neighbourhood was for about a week, always going to lonely places through the day, but returning in the evening. During one of these days the family, having heard as it were the noise of carts in the close, ran to the door to see what it was, but saw nothing. When they came back it said, 'It would be some of our folks." At another time, when one of the men was changing his shirt before JOHN RICH (1691-1761), LESSEE OF COVENT it, it said, 'Ay, sic a braw white sark! it is just like our GARDEN THEATRE.-The annexed announcement bridegroom's, John Herron of Burtley.' So strange aig found in the London Evening Post of Tuesday, spectacle naturally collected many spectators, and bouring farmer (grand-uncle to the present Thomas mong the rest Thomas Bell of Westside, and the neigh- November 27, 1744 :— A GREEK LEGEND.- In one of my Greek journals I find the following story, which may perhaps be thought worthy of record: "Livadia (Lebadeia) to Charoneia.-We began by going along one side of the plain of Charoneia; had to cross a low limestone ridge which skirts the plain. When we came to the highest point of this, our Agogiates picked up and showed to us a stone about four inches long, and marked with lines over its length, bearing possible resemblance to a piece of ram's horn. Apparently there were many like it lying about. He told us how a shepherd had long ago seen a large flock of birds: he wished, and prayed to our Lord, that they might all be turned into póßara, sheep or goats. His prayer (small) portion to every passing wayfarer. One day our was granted: and he used to make cheeses, and give a Lord himself came in the guise of a poor shepherd, and cut through half a cheese, as if to take one portion for himself. The shepherd scolded him rudely, and was at once, with his flock and his cheeses, turned to stone. large round mass of stone, split as by a cut through the As we went down the slope, the Agogiates pointed out a middle: this was the cheese: and up above, on the rock side, a cave where the shepherd sits. All this he related to my courier, who translated it to me. The courier said he had never heard the story before." Stanley (Sinai and Palestine") mentions saint." I dare say persons learned in folk-lore might adduce other similar instances. C. B. MOUNT. "Sunday Morning was married at St. Paul's, Covent Bell, Esq., of Crurie), who, in order to testify whether it Garden, John Rich, Esq.; Master of the Theatre, to |