466
NOTES AND QUERIES. [n s. in. JUNK n, 1911.
at Philadelphia in 1860 (the year of the
author's death), it was called ' The Man in
Black.' In recent years Mr. Stanley Wey-
man (who, I dare say, knew nothing of
James's work) has given that title to a story
of his own, and thus all the three titles
under which James's novel has appeared
Jiave been used also for other stories.
Bohn's edition of Lowndes's ' Manual ' is misleading about this work, as it implies that 1 Revenge ' and ' A Story without a Name ' are different novels, both published in Lon- don. If the tale was ever published in England at all as ' A Story without a Name,' I can safely say that it was only in some periodical, and at the same time as it ap- peared in The International Monthly Maga- zine of New York. W. A. FROST.
16, Am well Street, E.G.
GREEK CHURCH, SOHO. In the list of proprietary chapels to which parishes have been attached, printed ante, p. 150, mention is made of St. Mary's, Greek Street, Soho. This is evidently a mistake, for St. Mary's was and is in Crown Street, now Charing Ooss Road. It was originally built for the use of the Greek merchants living in the locality, but was never in Greek Street. It was afterwards used as a Nonconformist place of worship, and eventually became a -chapel of ease to St. Luke's until later a parish was attached to it. Possibly the compiler of the list was thinking of the chapel of the House of Charity, 1, Greek Street, dedicated, I believe, to St. John the Baptist. This is now kept entirely private, although years ago it was open to the public on Sunday afternoons. As a child I was in the choir of both churches.
HENRY BEAZANT.
Koundway, Friern Barnet.
APPARITION AT PIRTON, HERTS. During the Civil War, so the story runs, a skirmish took place upon the Herts and Beds borders, in which the Parliamentarians were victorious. The Cavalier officer in charge of the defeated force, with his men, took refuge in flight, and,' having friends among the Docwras of High Down, he turned his horse thither, closely pursued by the victors. He managed to give them the slip, and reached the house in safety, .and, as he thought, unperceived. He was, however, traced, and very soon the Round- heads were hammering at the door, demand- ing admission to search for the fugitive. He is stated to have taken refuge in the hollow trunk of a large elm tree standing in front of the house, and forming part of the
ancient avenue which led up to it ; but he was
speedily discovered, brought down, and
summarily executed. This was carried out
by decollation, presumably with a sword
as the instrument ; for upon the anniversary
of the fatal day the unlucky Cavalier's wraith
may be seen to descend from the tree, and
run down the avenue with his head in his
hands.
This story is so well known and widely believed in the neighbourhood that one cannot help thinking there must be some basis for it. Its source might possibly be traced to one of the many Civil War tracts that deal with isolated engagements.
W. B. GERISH. Bishop's Stortford.
' THE COMPLEAT ANGLER ' : MESSRS. SOTHEBY ON A COMMA. At Sotheby's sale on 26 May lot 644 comprised the first edition of Walton's * Compleat Angler ' and Charles Cotton's ' Compleat Angler ' (1653-76). At the foot of the description of these books there appeared a note made ex abundante cauteld, which, after stating that these works were perfect, sound, and clean through- out, ran thus : " but to be strictly accurate, we must mention that half a comma on the last leaf, of the Walton has been cut away in the binding."
This very special provision seems to have been unnecessary, because the well-known maxim De minimis would surely apply.
STAPLETON MARTIN. The Firs, Norton, Worcester.
SHEEP : THEIR COLOUR. I have been informed that sheep become black or white according to the nature of the water they drink. The reference given me is Grosse- teste, ' Epistolse,' p. 85. ASTARTE.
PIGTAILS IN THE BRITISH ARMY. The date when pigtails ceased to be worn by our soldiers may be gathered from a passage in 'A Boy in the Peninsular War : the Services, Adventures, .and Experiences of Robert Blakeney, Subaltern in the 28th Regiment ' (London, John Murray, 1899).
Blakeney tells us that his regiment arrived off Yarmouth, on its return from Sir John Moore's expedition to Sweden, about the middle of July, 1808. From there it sailed to Spithead, and while it was lying there an order arrived from the Horse Guards " to cut off the men's queues." As the regiment sailed for Portugal on the 31st of that month, the actual date would seem to be some time in the latter half of July, 1808. T. F. D.
