representative of the family, by the death, without issue, of her brothers.

W. S.

Denton.

Ink.

—Can any of your correspondents enlighten me as to the nature of the ink used in the ancient MSS.; its delightful blackness, even in examples of great antiquity, is most refreshing to the eye.

W. SPARROW SIMPSON, B.A.

Mistletoe excluded from Churches.

—Is mistletoe excluded now from any church in the mistletoe-producing counties at Christmas? And was it ever admitted in Roman Catholic times?

T. GOLDSEER.

Blind taught to read.

—Burnet, in the postscript of his Letter from Milan, dated Oct. 1, 1685 (ed. Rotterdam, 1687, p. 114.), speaking of Mistress Walkier, who had been accidentally blinded in infancy, states, that her father "ordered letters to be carved in wood;" and that "she, by feeling the characters, formed such an idea of them, that she writes with a crayon so distinctly, that her writing can be well read." What is the earliest known instance of the blind being taught to read or write by the instrumentality of raised letters?

J. SANSOM.

Hyrne, Meaning of.

—During my recent investigations into our local history, I met with three places in this town with this word affixed—such as North Hirne, now called North Street; also Cold Hyrne, now called All Saints' Street, in South Lynn; and a place called Clink's Heven, in North Lynn.

I have also met with another village, "Guyhirn," in Cambridgeshire, of which most of your readers are aware; and my present object is to learn the meaning of this word?

JOHN NURSE CHADWICK.

King's Lynn.

The fairest Attendant of the Scottish Queen.

—Mary (of Guise), Dowager Queen of Scots, passed through England, on returning from a visit to France, in November 1551: she was lodged at the Bishop's Palace in London, and on her departure "divers lords and ladies brought her on her way; and when she came without Bishopsgate, the fairest lady that she had with her of her country was stolen away from her; and so she went forth on her journey." This passage is from The Chronicle of the Grey Friars of London, now printing for the Camden Society. Can any one tell me whether "the fairest lady's" elopement has been elsewhere recorded?

JOHN GOUGH NICHOLS.

"Soud, soud, soud, soud!"

—In the Taming of the Shrew, Act IV. Sc. 1., Petruchio, on arriving at his house, says to his bride: