Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 1.djvu/65

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n s. i. JA*. is, i9io.i NOTES AND QUERIES.


much eighteenth-century matter in it. Chap. xi. deals with ' The Rebuilding of the Parish Church, 1714-15.' The next chapter, on ' Old Rotherhithe Families, 1 refers to several local worthies of that period. There are chapters on ' Rotherhithe in 1800 l ;

' The Manor of Rotherhithe from 1740 to the Present Day ' ; and ' Prince Lee Boo,* who was brought to Rotherhithe in 1784 ;

4 A Chapter of Crimes l chronicles the cases of Mary Edmondson (1759) and Corbett the murderer (1764). G. L. APPERSON.

There is an account of Rotherhithe in the third volume of Manning and Bray's

  • History of Surrey.' A. RHODES.

The following histories of Rotherhithe or Deptford may be useful to MB.BLEACKLEY :

' Deptford Worthies,' Rev. A. K. B. Granville, 1854.

' History of Deptford,' Natharf Dews, 1883.

' Reminiscences of Old Deptford,' Thankful! Sturdee, 1895.

W. J. M. [MR. A. R. WALLER also refers to Mr. Beck's book.]

RESTORATION PLAYS (10 S. xii. 429). 1. ' A Cure for a Cuckold J was published in 1661. See Brewer's ' Reader's Hand- book, 1 Appendix III.

2. 'The Thracian Wonder,* by John Webster, was published in 1661.

3. ' Gammer Gurton's Needle.' - - The earliest edition extant was printed in 1575. It was long supposed to be the work of Bishop Still. Within recent years, how- ever, Mr. Henry Bradley has shown that the real author was a certain William Stevenson. It was probably written circa 1566, at which date it was played at Christ's College, Cam- bridge.

5. 'The Presbyterian Lash.' The full title is

" The Presbyterian lash, or Noctroff s maid whipt. A tragy-comedy. As it was lately acted in the

  1. reat roome at the Pye tavern at Algate. By

Noctroffe the priest and severall his parishioners at the eating of a chine of beefe. The first part." London, 1661, 4to.

This was a satire on Zachary Crofton, a Presbyterian teacher, accused of whipping his maidservant. The initials K. F., appended to the dedication, are supposed by Malone to stand for Francis Kirkman.

6. ' The Merry Conceited Humours of Botom the Weaver.' The full title is

"The merry conceited humours of Bottom the weaver. As it hath been often publikely acted by some of his Majesties comedians, and lately,

{trivately presented by several apprentices for their larmless recreation, with great applause." London, 1661, 4to.


Ascribed by Halkett and Laing to Robert Cox. Taken from the ' Midsummer Night's Dream. 1

9. ' Trdaydes, a Tragedy, translated out of Seneca.' Given in Halkett and Laing as " Troades Englished. By S. P. [Samuel Pordage]. London, 1660, 8vo, pp. 6 (besides title), 67. " W. SCOTT.

RESTORATION CHARACTERS : JANE LONG (10 S. xii. 328). In a collection of MS. notes, newspaper cuttings, &c., relating to the stage, and formed by that indefatigable collector James Winston (sometime joint- manager, with Colman and Morris, of the Haymarket Theatre, and the first secretary of the Garrick Club), there is the following reference to this lady :

"In Davenant's company in 1662 acted Flora, 'Adventures of Five Hours' Mrs. Nell in 'Mr. Anthony' Zarma in 'Mustapha' living in 1670. A portrait of her was in Colnaghi's Catalogue in 1827."

WM. DOUGLAS.

125, Helix Road, Brixton Hill.

" HE WILL EITHER MAKE A SPOON OR

SPOIL A HORN n (10 S. xii. 509). The saying originated in the domestic utensil, once in common use, that was invariably preferred when a dish of porridge was supped the horn spoon. The simplicity of its form was tempting to an unskilled handicraftsman, but the process of making it was really difficult. The horn of a beast was shaped from its tip to its broader end to form the shank of the spoon, all the material besides this narrow piece being cut away to waste. The broad end was then shaped and " dished - l to form the bowl. Failure in any part of the process was irreparable, for it ended in a spoilt horn.

The saying is still in use. In the north it is commonly applied to an enterprise begun in youthful ardour without experience. It is most familiar, perhaps, in the comment of Bailie Nicol Jarvie :

" Mr. Osbaldistone is a gude honest gentleman ; but I aye said he was ane o' them wad make a spune or spoil a horn, as my father the worthy deacon used to say." ' Rob Roy,' chap xxii. par. 36.

R. OLIVER HESLOP. Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The proverb was in common use on Tweedside at the middle of last century. At that time there were several itinerant hawkers of horn spoons and horn shoe-lifts, which were made by the vendors of these wares. The spoons were in common use among the townspeople, villagers, and peasantry, and many were of much beauty,