328
NOTES AND QUERIES. [9- s. m. APRIL 29,
variety of these tokens. What is the history
of the various issues? Have the varieties
been published ? W. H. PATTERSON.
FORCED LOANS. In the * Calendar of Pro- ceedings of Committee for Advances of Money ' 9 May, 1644 there is a notice of "assessed at 1,000." This was levied on one of the Royalist party. I should be much obliged for notice of any book in which par- ticulars are given of this levy of money. Did the Parliament resort to the forced loans of which so many complained 1 Was interest paid lenders'? Did they ever get back the principal? JOHN WILLCOCK.
Lerwick.
BALLAD OF DEAN AND PREBENDARY. There is a very spirited ballad given in Durfey's 'Pills to Purge Melancholy,' 1719-20, at vol. vi. 213, beginning :
A Dean and Prebendary
Had once a new vagary,
And were at doubtful strife, Sir,
Who led the better life, Sir,
And was the better man.
Who was the dean and who the prebendary ?
Who also was "The Master of the Charter"
who
Said both had got a Tartar, For Gods that there were none ?
I should be glad to learn the first date of this song, and what were the circumstances that gave rise to it. JOHN NEWTON.
RAT-RIME. What is the exact meaning of this, and why is it so called ? It has evi- dently a depreciatory sense : " ' I cannot use a prayer like a rat-rhyme,' answered the honest clergyman" ('The Heart of Mid- lothian,' chap. viii. vii. in later editions). JONATHAN BOUCHIEB.
THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM IN SCOTLAND. In addition to the following books, are there any others relating specially to the above as regards Scotland ? (1) ' Tem-
plaria,' (2) 'Notes of Charters to the
Vassals of the Barony of Drem,' (3) ' Abstract of the Charters recorded in the Chartulary of Torphichen,' (4) 'The History and Anti- quities of the Parish of Mid-Calder.'
CLYNE-MONK.
AMWAS v. EMMAUS-KUBEIBEH. Can any of the readers of 'N. & Q.' refer me to a recent magazine article bearing on this sub- ject and summing up in favour of Kubeibeh ?
A. P.
SIR PHILIP HOBY. In the 'Dictionary of National Biography' Sir Philip Hoby, a diplomatist of the sixteenth century, is
stated to have been frequently employed I
the English Government to negotiate loai
with foreign merchants. Did his nanl
become proverbial as one who benefited I
such transactions ? H. T. B.
HERNE THE HUNTER. Is this mythologic; person mentioned by any old writer besidt Shakspere ('Merry Wives of Windsor,' P iv. 28)? A. SMYTHE PALMER. I
AUTHOR OF SATIRICAL LINES WANTED.- A friend has repeated to me the following It may relate to Nottingham, but I am nc sure that it does so. Can any one identif its author and inform me where the rest, I there be any more, is to be found ?
We are poor stocking-weavers Who in the streets do lurk,
And if you don't relieve us We shall be forced to work.
And that would deeply grieve us And make our hearts full sore,
With nothing to relieve us But work for ever more.
ASTARTE.
"NEITHIOR" OR " BIDDING." It is stater in the accompanying newspaper extract tha there is a tendency in Wales to revive th< custom of "bidding," which appears to b< something similar to the Jewish custon known as "sitting for joy":
" ' Neithior,' or 'Bidding,' was once a mosl popular matrimonial custom in Wales, and there is at present a tendency to revive its popularity. Or such occasions it was usual for the couple intending to get married to acquaint their friends of thf happy event by written or printed circulars, oi which the following is a rare and genuine sample :-j Llandovery, April 13, 1858.
As we intend to enter the matrimonial state, wej are encouraged by our friends to make a Bidding on the occasion, on Thursday and Friday, the 6th and 7th days of May next ; the young woman at her father's house, situate in Stone-street, Llandovery, on Thursday, the 6th ; and the young man and the young woman, at their own house, situate in High- street, Llandovery, on Friday, the 7th, when and where the favour of your good and most agreeable company is humbly solicited, and whatever dona- tion you may be pleased to bestow on us then will be most thankfully received, warmly acknowledged, and readily repaid whenever called for on a similar occasion, By your most obedient servants, EVAN JONES, MARY PHILLIPS."
Can any correspondent speak as to any recent revival of this custom ? JNO. HEBB. Canonbury Mansions, N.
ENDOWING PURSE. In a letter to
Berry, 23 April, 1791, Horace Walpole says
(describing Lord Cholmondeley's wedding):
"The endowing purse, I believe, has been
