remembered by the congregation, for they must be repeated at the day of judgment.

2. If the clock strikes while the text is being given, a death may be expected in the parish.

3. A death in the parish during the Christmas tyde, is a token of many deaths in the year. I remember such a circumstance being spoken of in a village of Somerset. Thirteen died in that year, a very unusual number. Very many attributed this great loss of life to the fact above stated.

4. When a corpse is laid out, a plate of salt is laid on the chest. Why, I know not.

5. None can die comfortably under the cross-beam of a house. I knew a man of whom it was said at his death, that after many hours hard dying, being removed from the position under the cross-beam, he departed peaceably. I cannot account for the origin of this saying.

6. Ticks in the oak-beams of old houses, or death-watches so called, warn the inhabitants of that dwelling of some misfortune.

7. Coffin-rings, when dug out of a grave, are worn to keep off the cramp.

8. Water from the font is good for ague and rheumatism.

9. No moon, in its change, ought to be seen through a window.

10. Turn your money on hearing the first cuckoo.

11. The cattle low and kneel on Christmas eve.

12. Should a corpse be ever carried through any path, &c., that path cannot be done away with. For cases, see Wales, Somerset, Bampton, Devon.

13. On the highest mound of the hill above Weston-super-Mare, is a heap of stones, to which every fisherman in his daily walk to Sand Bay, Kewstoke, contributes one towards his day's good fishing.

14. Smothering hydrophobic patients is still spoken of in Somerset as so practised.

15. Origin of the saying "I'll send you to Jamaica." Did it not take its source from the unjudge-like sentence of Judge Jeffries to those who suffered without sufficient evidence, for their friendly disposition towards the Duke of Monmouth: "To be sent —— —— to the plantations of Jamaica?" Many innocent persons were so cruelly treated in Somerset.

16. The nurse who brings the infant to be baptized bestows upon the first person she meets on her way to the church whatever bread and cheese she can offer, i. e., according to the condition of the parents.

17. In Devonshire it is thought unlucky not to catch the first butterfly.

18. Mackerel not in season till the lesson of the 23rd and 24th of Numbers is read in church. I cannot account for this saying. A better authority could have been laid down for the remembering of such like incidents. You may almost form a notion yourself without any help. The common saying is, Mackerel is in season when Balaam's ass speaks in church.

M. A. Balliol.

IRISH RECORDS.

It not unfrequently happens that ancient deeds and such like instruments executed in England, and relating to English families or property, are

to be found on record upon the rolls of Ireland. The following transcripts have been taken from the Memoranda Roll of the Irish Exchequer of the first year of Edward II.:

"Noverint universi me Johannem de Doveria Rectorem Ecclesie de Litlington Lyncolnensis Dyocesis recepisse in Hibernia nomine domini Roberti de Bardelby clerici subscriptas particulas pecunie per manus subscriptorum, videlicet, per manus Johannis de Idessale dimid' marc'. Item per manus Thome de Kancia 5 marc'. Item per manus Ade Coffyn 2 marc'. Item per manus mercatorum Friscobaldorum 10 libri una vice et alia vice per manus eorundem mercatorum 100^s, fratre Andr' de Donscapel de ordine minorum mediante. Item per manus Johannis de Seleby 29^s. Item de eodem Johanne alia vice 2 marc' et dimid'. Item per manus ejusdem Johannis tertia vice tres marc' et dimid'. Item per dominum Willielmum de Estden per manus Ricardi de Onyng 100^s. Et per manus domini Johannis de Hothom pro negociis domini Walteri de la Haye centum solid? De quibus particulis pecunie memorate predictum dominum Robertum de Bardelby et ejus executores quoscumque per presentes quieto imperpetuum. Ita tamen quod si alia littera acquietancie ab ista littera de dictis particulis pecunie inveniatur de cetero alicubi pro nulla cassa cancellata irrita et majus imperpetuum habeatur. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum meum presentibus apposui. Datum apud Dublin', 28 die Februarij, anno regni regis Edwardi primo."—Rot. Mem. 1 Edw. II. m. 12. dorso.

"A toutz ceaux q' ceste p'sente l're verrount ou orrount Rauf de Mounthermer salutz en Dieu—Sachez nous avoir ordeine estably e assigne n're foial et loial Mons' Waut' Bluet e dan Waut' de la More, ou lun de eaux, si ambedeux estre ne point, de vendre e n're p'fit fere de totes les gardes e mariages es parties Dirlaunde q' escheierent en n're temps, e de totes autres choses q'a nous apartenēt de droit en celes p'ties, e q^cunque eaux ferount p^r n're prou, co'me est susdit, teignoms apaez e ferme e estable lavoms. En tesmoigne de quele chose a ceste n're l're patente avoms mys n're seal. Don' a Tacstede le quⁱt jour de Octobr lan du regne le Rey Edward pⁱmer."—Rot. Mem. 1 Edw. II. m. 17.

"Rogerus Calkeyn de Gothurste salutem in Domino Sempiternam. Noveritis me remisisse et quietum clamasse pro me et heredibus meis Johanni de Yaneworth heredibus suis et assignatis, totum jus et clameū quod habui vel aliquo modo habere potui, in tenemento de Gothurste in dominio de Cheddeworth. Ita quod nec ego nec heredes mei nec aliquis nomine nostro, aliquid juris vel clamei in prædicto tenemento habere vendicare poterimus imperpetuum. In cujus rei testimonium huic presenti scripto sigillum meum apposui. Hiis testibus, Magistro Waltero de Istelep tunc Barone domini Regis de Scaccario Dublin', Thoma de Yaneworth, Rogero de Glen, Roberto de Bristoll, Roberto scriptore, et aliis."—Rot. Mem. 1 Edw. II. m. 30.

James F. Ferguson.

Dublin.

DERIVATION OF CURIOUS BOTANIC NAMES, AND ANCIENT ITALIAN KALYDOR.

The generic name of the fern Ceterach officinarum is generally said to be derived from the Arabic Chetherak. I find however, among a list of ancient British names of plants, published in 1633 at the end of Johnson's edition of Gerard, the expression cedor y wrach, which means the joined or double rake, and is exactly significant of the form of the Ceterach. The Fernrakes are joined as it were back to back; but the single prongs of the one alternate botanically with those of the other. Master Robert Dauyes, of Guissaney in Flintshire, the correspondent of Johnson, gives the name of another of the Filices (Equisetum) as the English equivalent of the ancient British term. But the form of this plant does not at all correspond to that signified by the Celtic words. It is not improbable, therefore, that he was wrong as respects the correct English name of the plant.

The Turkish shetr or chetr, to cut, and warak, a leaf, seem to point out the meaning of the Arabic term quoted in Hooker's Flora and elsewhere. Probably some of your Oriental readers will have the kindness to supply the exact English for chetherak.

It appears to me, however, that the transition from cedorwrach to ceterach is more easy, and is a more probable derivation.

Hooker and Loudon say that another generic name, Veronica, is of doubtful origin. In the Arabic language I find virunika as the name of a plant. This word is evidently composed of nikoo, beautiful, and viroo, remembrance; viroonika. therefore means beautiful remembrance, and is but an Oriental name for a