"Watch House," Ewell, Surrey.—I should be glad to know the date when Watch Houses in villages were first started and if there are any still existing and dated. Mr. Gordon Home, in his guide to Epsom and district, 1901, says:—
"At Ewell, near the opposite corner of Church Street, the quaint little Watch House may still be seen, its stucco-covered wall pierced by two doorways, and an opening above filled with iron bars. Here the disorderly folk of the village were locked up overnight, being taken on to Epsom the next morning. An old and highly respected inhabitant of Ewell clearly remembers, when a boy, seeing ne'er-do-wells confined in the little house. He also recalls how it was no one's concern to watch prisoners, whose chums he has actually seen passing pewter pots of ale and long churchwarden clay pipes through the grating still remaining in one of the solid oak doors. But the advent of the Metropolitan Police has removed such proceedings to the picturesque days of beadles and stocks."
Some years ago (since Mr. Gordon Home's time), when the stucco was removed, carved in stone beneath was discovered "Watch House," which may now be seen.
Another specimen existed at Sutton, Surrey, till about eight years ago; and that at Epsom was pulled down in 1848.
Essex Lodge, Ewell.
Richard Swift.—I am anxious to learn particulars of the parentage and career of Richard Swift, who was the first Catholic Sheriff of London (1851-2) since the Reformation, and especially to trace a portrait of him. He was also member of Parliament for Sligo about the same period. All likely sources of information at the Guildhall have been consulted without success. The Illustrated London News of the time gives a representation of his carriage, but not a portrait. G. Potter.
10 Priestwood Mansions, High gate, N.
Theager's Girdle.—An allusion to this was made in an article of The Times recently—query=pain or suffering. The context infers that good literature is a solace to those who wear "Theager's girdle." What is the origin of the phrase? Hie Et Ubique.
William Vaux and Nicholas Ridley.—In 1586 William Vaux, with two others, was indicted for the murder of Nicholas Ridley; all three were acquitted. Was this Nicholas Ridley the bishop who was burnt in 1555, thirty-one years before? Six years afterwards the charge was renewed, and William Vaux was executed at Newcastle-on-Tyne. G. B. Vaux.
Carshalton Rectory, Surrey.
'Northanger Abbey': "Horrid," Romances It will be remembered that in 'Northanger Abbey' Isabella Thorpe gives Catherine Morland a list of novels of the Radcliffe school, all of which are recommended as being "horrid." Their names are as follows: 'Castle of Wolfenbach,' 'Clermont,' 'Mysterious Warning,' 'Necromancer of the Black Forest,' 'Midnight Bell,' 'Orphan of the Rhine,' 'Horrid Mysteries.' It might well be supposed, and is sometimes stated, that such titles are purely fictitious, but I have good reason to believe the contrary. Indeed, I recently saw 'Horrid Mysteries' in a bookseller's catalogue which was some dozen years old. If I remember right, the book was in four volumes and published circa 1795.
I should be very grateful if any reader could supply me with the names of, and particulars concerning, the authors of the above romances, or in any way help me to locate copies, as I am most desirous of reading them. Montague Summers.
[Information on this subject will be found at 11 S. vii. 14, 97, 238, 315, 396.]
Peat and Moss: Healing Properties.—What kind of peat is supposed to have healing properties when applied to wounds? I am aware that "rock moss" has healing properties when bound upon a crushed foot or hand, and I have seen it so applied by workmen, who took the moss from a patch growing upon a rock in a quarry. It was bound with the underside, i.e., the root part of the moss, in contact with the wound. I believe that several moss growths are so used in folk medicine, and I have also heard it said that moss taken from the skull of a dead man has special healing properties.
Thos. Ratcliffe.
St. Madron's Well, near Penzance.— In Southey's 'Commonplace Book,' Second Series, at pp. 121-2 Bishop Hall is cited, without a reference, as follows:—
"Of this kind was that marvellous cure which was wrought upon a poor cripple at St. Maderus, in Cornwall, whereof, besides the attestation of many hundreds of the neighbours, I took a strict examination in my last visitation. This man, for sixteen years together, was obliged to walk upon his hands, by reason the sinews of his legs were so contracted. Upon an admonition in his dream to wash in a certain well, he was suddenly so restored to his limbs that I saw him able to walk and get his own maintenance. The name of this cripple was John Trebble."
Mr. J. Harris Stone, in 'England's Riviera,' at pp. 211, 212, gives Bishop Hall's work as the 'Great Mystery of
