P. will find on turning to the ceremonies and religious customs of Leo of Modena, a Rabbi of Venice, edit. 1638, that the day which the Rabbis have assigned for marriage "is Wednesday, which if possible must be in the first quarter of the moon." The practice of the Jews is also alluded to par le Sieur de Simonville, who however, says the nuptials were on the Wednesday or the Friday for a maiden, and Thursday for a widow.

"Lorsqu'on a arresté un jour pour les nôces qui se prend d'ordinaire dans la nouvelle lune & un Mercredi ou un Vendredi si c'est une fille, & un Jeudi si c'est une veuve." [134 edit., Paris, 1684.]

Loddon.

J. C.

NORFOLK SONGS

I beg to solicit the assistance of the correspondents of the East Anglian in collecting the remains of the rustic ballads formerly common in the county, now fast becoming forgotten under the influence of wishy-washy translations from operas, and slang songs of various degrees of indecency. I think no collection has been formed of these far healthier efforts of the rustic muse for this district at any rate, though there are several for the northern counties, and I think it would prove an interesting subject for the pages of the East Anglian. Many years ago, while passing a country public house, I remember hearing a voice, by its nasal twang pretty well diguised in drink, trolling a song, of which I was only able to catch the chorus:

"Of all the towns of merry En-ge-lond,
North Yarmouth for me."

A friend has since supplied me with two other fragments, apparently belonging to it:

Now it would be very desirable to recover this, as it is evidently of no modern date I have seen a Newcastle edition, and also a Glasgow one, of a song called "Jemmy and Nancy of Yarmouth"; but, I believe, it is unknown in the locality. I have no doubt they were plentiful at the time of the old war, and that they celebrated the success of Nelson, and other Norfolk naval heroes.

In the central and northern parts of the county there were several hunting and sporting songs, of a purely local character; one I have heard of describing the exploits of some celebrated horse, called "Bluecap." The winner

"Was Hewitt bold of Mintlyn hall,
And his Bluecap for ever."

Of dialectic songs, there have been some capital ones, now past recovery, unless remembered by tradition. One was sung in Norwich, about twentyfive years ago, when the Duke of Sussex honored the Musical Festival with his presence. It began

Giles Jolterhead, from Ashwelthorpe,
A joskin raw was he

On Tuesday last, to Norwich came
Our festival to see.

It was rich in dialect and rustic wit, but excepting a verse or two, I have been unable to recover it. I have a capital song also variously called "Roger the Miller;" "Beautiful Kate;" The Grey Mare," a great favourite at rustic gatherings, but three or four lines in my copy are repetitions and want correcting before printing. If the Editor would admit remembered scraps of strictly local ballads, other correspondents might supply the deficiencies.-E. S. TAYLOR, Ormesby, S. Margaret.

We shall be happy to receive such communications.-EDIT.]

CHRISTOPHER BURRELL (p. 116).

Was instituted to the Rectory of Great Wratting 12 Nov. 1631, on the presentation of Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston, Bart. On the 19 Oct., 1638, John Owen was instituted to the same Rectory, vacant by the deprivation of Christopher Burrell. Unsuccessful in finding the date of his decease, I turned to The Register Book of Subscriptions, and found a person who on the 18 Nov., 1662, signed himself thus-Christophe Burrell, Schole of Clare, Suff." Whether this was the person who matriculated in 1619-20, I cannot pretend to say, but I noted as a coincidence that the preceding declaration was made by Nathaniel Burrell, Rector of Wratting parva.JOHN L'ESTRANGE.

JOHN CHRISTMAS (p. 116).

Was ordained priest, 30 May, 1686, being then in his 24th year; and on the following day was instituted to the Vicarage of Great Cornard, vacant by the deprivation of Nathaniel Fairclough, last Incumbent. On the 16 April, 1689, Peter Testas was instituted on the resignation of John Christmas.-JOHN L'ESTRANGE.

QUERIES.

Col. John White.-I am desirous to know when, and where, John White died; and whether he left any children. When Colonel of the West Suffolk Militia, he lived at Stow Upland, in Suffolk. Mary, his wife, died at Stow Upland, Feb. 9, 1776, aged 22, and was buried at Heigham, near Norwich, as appears by a tombstone there.

Norwich, 4th Feb., 1861.

TRIVET ALCOCK.

London Arms on Clere brass.-In the 12th vol. of the parent Notes and Queries, is an article by the Rev. E. S. Taylor, on the armorial bearings on the Clere brass at Ormesby, Norfolk. At No. 23, he describes what must be, certainly, the arms of the city of London. No notice has, I think, been taken of this extraordinary fact, but I think it deserves the consideration of heraldic and antiquarian correspondents, and I should like to see a probable suggestion made as to the reason of its occurring among so many knightly families.-POLINÆUS.

THE DENES.

Does this name originate from the A. S. noun denu, pl. dena? or from Dene, pl. Danes, those pirates who landed from their ceols (yawls), on the level sands under the cliffs of this coast? Also, are many places, the names of which end in den, like Tenterden, in Kent, so called solely from being situated in a plain or valley; or what other peculiarity gives the terminating syllable den? Would the Kentish proverb that connects Goodwin Sands with Tenterden Steeple, afford any clue for unravelling this knotty question? At Sidmouth, a fashionable bathing place in Devonshire, there is a spacious circular drive for carriages, on the beachin sicco littore arena-called the Den, a little above high water mark from the tide. Will this at all explain the peculiarity of position? In other words, are sands a distinctive mark of plains called Denes; or of the adjunct den to the name of a town or village? Any information on these points will be acceptable.-R. C.

DILKE AND WALFORD FAMILIES.

Admiral Sir Thomas Dilkes, Knighted in

1704 for his services in the Mediterranean; Died at Leghorn, 1707; portrait in Greenwich Hospital.

Thomas Dilkes, Esq., a Major in the Army. Margaret, 3rd daughter of Robert Denny, Esq., of Eye, in Suffolk.

General William Thomas Dilkes, late of the Scotch Fusileer Guards, and Lieut. Governor of Quebec; died at Teignmouth, about 25 years since.

Can any correspondent give me any additional information as to the locality, descent, and eollateral branches of this family, especially as regards the Admiral. I have an idea that Anne his sister, married a Leicestershire man of the name of Perkins. His seal bears a lion rampant; crest, on a knight's helmet, a dove close; and if I could ascertain where he lived, I should doubtless be able to obtain from registers much of the information I require.

Joseph Walford, Esq., of Woodbridge ;=Ann......; died 1761, and buried at died 1756; buried at the East end of Woodbridge, Suffolk.

the church.

Is this William Green Walford, the Commander R.N., who died at Ipswich, London Road, Nov. 24th, 1859, and was senior Lieutenant of the "Bellerophon," when Napoleon surrendered to that ship off Rochford, in I should be glad also of any information to fill up the gaps in the above pedigree, either in the next number of the East Anglian, or privately by letter.-E, S. TAYLOR, Ormesby, Norfolk.

1815?

GIPPING CHAPEL, NEAR STOWMARKET.

On the entrance arch of this interesting old chapel is this ancient inscription :

"PRAY FOR THE SOULS OF SIR JAMES TIRELL, AND DAME ANN HIS WYF."

It is surmised that the chapel was built by Sir James, who married Ann, daughter of Sir John Arundell, of Lanherne, in Cornwall, in expiation of his participation in the murder of the sons of Edward the Fourth, in the tower-supposing the crime to have been committed, which I think doubtful.

With this preface, I beg to enquire what is the meaning of the letters, which I read AWLA, in bold relief in stone, on a bend, or broad label,

sloping across the front of each buttress, on the south side of the chapel. The letters are of remarkable character, and there may be some doubt as to the W. Is it one word, or are they the initials of two persons? There are some remnants of the same inscription glazed with the heterogeneous mixture of old glass in the chancel window.-R. A.

THE RIDING GEORGE AT LOWESTOFT.

Can any of your readers tell me any thing about the "Riding George at Leystoft? It is referred to as a model for a George in a Norfolk church, the only difference that in the "Leystoft" one the dragon lay beneath the horse, and in the other he was to be rampant before it. I should like to know if there be any thing now known about the figure at Leystoft, which I judge was placed in the church, on a beam, by a guild.-—H. H.

Meaning of Valet.-In perusing details of Medieval History, I have several times met with the title of "King's Valet," and applied to persons not likely to undertake so menial an office as the word suggests, even for royalty. Will any correspondent inform me if this was merely a nominal title, or if "Valet" had a different meaning in the 14th century from what it has now ?-POLIN ÆUS.

Colvile, of Carlton Colville, co. Suffolk, and Newton, co. Cambridgeshire. -Any information, not published, respecting this ancient East Anglian family, and more especially respecting the birth place and burial of William Colvile, Master of St. Michael house, Cambridge, and Chancellor of that University, in 1388, 1390, 1391, and 1394, is particularly requested by C. R. COLVILE, Lullington, Burton on Trent.

ERRATA.

P. 107, line 15 from bottom, for meij read m'cij; p. 108, line 18 from top, for Reslond read Keslond; line 20, insert "and" between horolog' and horesonij.

*

"Suffolk. Nich' as Wendon, D. of Lawe, Archdecon, ibm."-He was instituted to the Archdeaconry of Suffolk 17th April, 1559; to the 4th Prebendal Stall in Norwich Cathedral, 4th June, 1561; and to the Rectory of Witnesham, in Suffolk, on the 16th of the same month.

He obtained a licence from the Queen, dated 25th May, 1561, to travel beyond the seas, a copy of which I annex :

"Elizabeth by the grace of god Quene of Englonde, ffraunce, and Irelonde, defendor of the faythe, &c. To all maiers, Shreifes, baleifs, Constables, Custamers, Comptrollers and Serchers, and to all other our officers, ministers, and Subiects, to whome in this case yt shall apperteyn, greting. We Let you wit that of or grace esp'iall we haue lycenced and by thies p'ntes (presents) do Licence or welbeloued Nicholas Wendon, Archdeacon of Suff, to Passe p'ntlye oute of this or Realme of Englonde, into the partes of beyonde the sees, for his better increse in Lerninge, wt one Sr'unt, Two horss or geldings, amblinge or trottinge, the some of twentie pounds in monye or vnder and all other there baggs, baggags, and necessaries. And of or further grace We are not onlye pleased and contented that the sayed Wendon shall and maye at his lyb'tie Remayne and abyde in the sayed p'ties of beyond the Sees for and Duringe the space of fower yeres next insuing the Date herof; but also that he the sayed Wendon shall and maye haue and Jnioy the promo'cons he nowe hathe and Dothe Possesse, During his abode oue (over) the other syde the Sees, Prouyded that he do not haunte or resorte into the Territories or company of any potentate or other p'son not being wt vs in League, amitie, and frendeshippe; prouided also that not wtstandinge [anything] in this Licence conteyned whensoeuer yt shall seme good and convenient for vs to haue the s'ruice of the

He is described in the institution as "Magr. Nicholaus Wendon, cl'icus in Artibus Mr."