Notes and Queries, Number 76, April 12, 1851

    H. C. C.

I would inform D. 2. and others (Vol. iii., p. 42.) that aver, or haver-cake, which he states to be the name applied in North Yorkshire to the thin oat-cake in use there, is evidently derived from the Scandinavian words, Hafrar, Havre, Hafre, oats.

    G. E. R. Gordon.

Stockholm.

"The Sword Flamberg" (Vol. iii., p. 168.)—An English Mother is informed that "Flamberge," or "Floberge," is the name of the sword won in battle from the Saracen admiral Anthenor by Mangis d'Aygremont, the hero of the romance of that name. Ancient swords were frequently "flamboyant," or with waved edges; more especially those used for purposes of state. The Dukes of Burgundy bore a two-handed sword of this form. Indeed, "flaming swords," as they were called, were worn down to the time of our Charles II., and perhaps later. It is rather singular that the ordinary synonyma for a sword should be "brand." The name of the weapon taken from King Bucar by the Cid was "Tizona," or the Fire-brand.

The flamboyant type may possibly be of Eastern origin. The krisses of the Malays, at the present day have serpentine blades.

    W. J. Bernhard Smith.

Temple.

Cockade (Vol. iii., pp. 7. 196.).—The cockade was simply the knot of the riband that served to cock the broad flapped hat worn by military men in the seventeenth century, and which in fine weather, or going into action, &c., they used to cock, by means of hooks, laces, and ribands. We see still in the cocked-hats of coachmen and beadles, the traces of these old ligaments. Hence the phrase to cock one's hat. Let me add one or two remarks on other points of dress arising out of old military habits. In old times coats were of the shape we now call frocks, and lined throughout, generally with a different colour from the outside. When a person in one of these coats was going about any active work, and particularly into fight, he doubled back his sleeves, and folded back the collar, which, being of a different colour, came to be what we now call the facings of military uniforms. The French, truer to their origin, still call them the "revers." So also on such occasions the broad skirts of the frock coat used to be hooked back not to impede the movements of the lower limbs, and thence the swallow tails of military uniforms. So also the high jack-boots, that covered the knees, used, in walking, to be turned down, and the inside being of a lighter colour, gave the idea of what are called top-boots.

    C.

Miscellaneous

NOTES ON BOOKS, SALES, CATALOGUES, ETC

In the belief that the time has arrived when the history of our national architecture must be reconsidered, with a view to a revision of the classes or periods into which it has hitherto been divided, Mr. Sharpe has just put forth a handsomely illustrated volume, under the title of The Seven Periods of English Architecture defined and illustrated. Mr. Sharpe's proposal is, that these seven periods should be thus formed:—three belonging to the division Romanesque, under the titles of Saxon, Norman, and Transitional Periods; and the remaining four to the Gothic, viz. the Lancet, Geometrical, Curvilinear, and Rectangular Periods. We must, of course, refer our readers who desire to know the principles upon which Mr. Sharpe proposes this great change to the work itself, which is plain and to the purpose.

Mr. Bohn some time since became the purchaser of a large number of the copper-plates of Gillray's Caricatures. Having had impressions taken, and arranged them in one large volume, he sought the assistance of Mr. Wright, who had just then published his History of the House of Hanover, illustrated by Caricatures, and Mr. R. H. Evans, the well-known bibliopole, towards an anecdotical catalogue of the works of this clever satirist: and the result of the labours of these gentlemen has just been published under the title of Historical and Descriptive Account of the Caricatures of James Gillray, comprising a Political and Humorous History of the latter Part of the Reign of George III. The volume will be found not only an interesting key to Mr. Bohn's edition of Gillray, and a guide to those who may be making a separate collection of his works, but a pleasant illustration of the wit and satire which lashed the politicians and amused the public

"In the old time when George the Third was king."

Those who know the value of those historical researches which Sir F. Palgrave has already given to the world, will be glad to hear that the first volume of his History of Normandy and of England will probably be published before the close of the present month. In this first volume, which is described in the advertisement as containing the general relations of Mediæval Europe, the Carlovingian Empire, and the Danish Expeditions into Gaul, we understand the learned author has treated those expeditions at considerable length, and enters very fully into that of the decline of the Carlovingian Empire,—a portion of the work as important, as it is in a great measure new, to the English reader. Not the least valuable part of the book will be Sir Francis Palgrave's account of the nature and character of the Continental Chronicles, which form the substratum of his work, but which, existing only in the great collections of Duchesne, Bouquet, Pertz, &c., are generally very imperfectly known to English students.

Messrs. Sotheby and Wilkinson will sell, on Monday next, a collection of very rare and interesting Autograph Letters, more particularly illustrative of the period of the Civil Wars. On the same day they will also commence a Four-days' Sale of valuable Books, and Books of Engravings, chiefly from the library of a gentleman deceased, including the original edition of Stuart and Revett's Athens, a copy of Merian's Topographia Germaniæ containing nearly one thousand engravings, and many other works of high character.

Books Received.—Boswell's Life of Johnson, Illustrated, vol. i. This is the first volume of the National Illustrated Library, which the projectors describe "as an endeavour to bestow upon half-crown volumes for the many the same typographical accuracy, and the same artistic ability, hitherto almost exclusively devoted to high-priced books for the few." In choosing Boswell's Johnson for their first work, the projectors have shown excellent judgment; and we are bound to add that the book is not only well selected, but neatly printed, and illustrated with a number of excellent woodcuts.—Illustrations of Medieval Costume in England, &c., Part II. This second part deserves the same praise for cheapness as its predecessor.—The Cape and the Kafirs, the new volume of Bohn's cheap series, is a well-timed reprint of Mrs. Ward's Five Years in Kafirland, with some little alteration and abridgment, and the addition of some information for intending emigrants, from information supplied by published official reports.

Catalogues Received.—J. Miller's (43. Chandos Street) Catalogue No. XX. of Books Old and New; T. Kerslake's (3. Park Street, Bristol) Catalogue of Books lately bought; W. S. Lincoln's (Cheltenham House, Westminster Road) Sixty-seventh Catalogue of Low-priced books, mostly Second-hand; Williams and Norgate's (14. Henrietta Street, Covent Garden) Catalogue No. III. of Foreign Second-hand Books, and Books at reduced prices.

BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES WANTED TO PURCHASE

The Complaynt of Scotland, edited by Leyden. 8vo. Edinburgh, 1801.

Thoms' Lays and Legends of Various Nations. Parts I. to VII. 12mo. 1834.

Passionael efte dat Levent der Heiligen. Folio. Basil, 1522.

Cartari—La Rosa d'Oro Pontificia. 4to. Rome, 1681.

Broemel, M. C. H., Fest-Tanzen der Ersten Christen. Jena, 1705.

Pullen's Etymological Compendium. 8vo.

Cooper (C. P.), Account of Public Records. 8vo. 1822. Vol. I.

Lingard's History of England. Sm. 8vo. 1837. Vols. X. XI., XII., XIII.

*** Letters stating particulars and lowest price, carriage free, to be sent to Mr. Bell, Publisher of "NOTES AND QUERIES," 186. Fleet Street.

Notices to Correspondents

We are again compelled by the number and value of the communications, which have reached us, to present our Readers with an extra Eight Pages. We trust, therefore, we shall be excused if, with reference to what we stated a fortnight since, on the subject of making this enlargement permanent instead of occasional, we quote from a valued correspondent the mode he has kindly adopted with the view of promoting that increase of our circulation, upon which such permanent enlargement of our paper must depend. Nocab writes thus:—"Whenever I find an article in any Number which I know to be peculiarly congenial to the taste of any of my literary or scientific friends, I forward them a copy. A letter of thanks and an intention of future subscription has almost invariably been the result." We are sure that this hint will not be lost upon our friends.

P. will find his communication on Averia inserted in No. 69. p. 157.

S. H. H. Received, and will be taken care of.

Comets and Eclipses. We are requested by our valued correspondent C. to say that his Reply, p. 253., should have been headed Eclipses, and was intended to refer to the list of Eclipses (not Comets) in the work to which he refers. He was probably led into this slip of the pen by the manner in which S. P. O. R. had, in No. 73. p. 223. mixed up Comets and Eclipses in the same Query.

Jarltzberg has our best thanks. We receive his friendly suggestions in the spirit in which they are offered; and will, as far as practicable, attend to them. We trust he will receive in the same spirit our explanation, that the delay in inserting his communications arises chiefly from the difficulty in deciphering them. Our correspondents little know how greatly editorial labours are increased by this apparently trifling cause.

E. T. C. Our correspondent will find, on referring to our First Vol., p. 445., that the so-called French original of "Not a drum was heard," is only a clever literary hoax from the pen of Father Prout, which first appeared in Bentley's Miscellany.

J. B. C. A proof of the Sovereign of 1820; and if in very good condition, would perhaps sell for Two or Three Pounds.

Llewellyn. Will this correspondent favour us with his address, that we may forward a communication which we have received for him?

Ache is requested to say how a communication may reach him.

F. R. R. We have a further Query for this correspondent on the subject of Sir Andrew Chadwick, if he will favour us with his address.

Replies Received.—Epitaph in Hall's Discovery—Disinterment for Heresy—Mistletoe—The San Grail—MS. Cat. of Norman Nobility—Inedited Poetry—Mazer—Whale in the Thames—Facts in Natural History—Nicolson Family—Yankee—Cowdray—Scandal against Elizabeth—Capt. John Stevens—Shakspeare's Captious—Epitaph on Countess of Pembroke—King Richard III.—Ten Commandments—Comets—Edmund Prideaux—Lost MSS.—Shakspeare's Use of "Strained"—Pilgrim's Road to Canterbury—Solid-footed Pigs—Meaning of Gig—Swearing by Swans—Places called Purgatory—Tu Autem—Thomas May—Pope Joan—Waste Book—Abbot Eustacius—Chiming, &c.

Vols. I. and II., each with very copious Index, may still be had, price 9s. 6d. each.

Notes and Queries may be procured, by order, of all Booksellers and Newsvenders. It is published at noon on Friday, so that our country Subscribers ought not to experience any difficulty in procuring it regularly. Many of the country Booksellers, &c., are, probably, not yet aware of this arrangement, which will enable them to receive Notes and Queries in their Saturday parcels.

All communications for the Editor of Notes and Queries should be addressed to the care of Mr. Bell, No. 186. Fleet Street.

THE QUARTERLY REVIEW, NO. CLXXVI., is just published.

CONTENTS:

1. POULTRY LITERATURE.

2. WOMEN IN FRANCE—MADAME DE MAINTENON.

3. JULIUS CÆSAR—MERIVALES'S ROMAN HISTORY.

4. THE REPUBLIC IN THE KING'S COACHES.