Notes and Queries, No. 179. Saturday, April 2, 1853. | Page 8

times at the distance of about half an inch from each other. In the cathedral churches of Durham, York, Hereford, Worcester, Gloucester, and Oxford, I have remarked their almost universal adoption; but, to the best of my belief, I have never seen such a description of vestment in use among parochial clergymen, above half-a-dozen times, and I am desirous of knowing if the gaged surplice is peculiar to cathedrals and collegiate churches (I have even seen canons residentiary in them, habited in the lay vicar's surplice), or is the surplice used by choristers, undergraduates, and vicars choral, which, according to my early experience, is one without needlework, the correct officiating garment; the latter is almost universally used at funerals, where the officiating priest seldom wears either his scarf or hood, and presents anything but a dignified appearance when he crowns this négligée with one of our grotesque chimney-pot hats, to the exclusion of the more appropriate college cap.
AMANUENSIS.
John, Brother German to David II.--Can any of your readers solve the problem in Scotch history, who was John, brother german to King David II., son of Robert Bruce? David II., in a charter to the Priory of Rostinoth, uses these words: "Pro salute anim? nostr?, etc., ac ob benevolentiam et affectionem specialem quam erga dictum prioratum devote gerimus eo quod ossa celebris memori? Johannis fratris nostri germani ibidem (the Priory) humata quiescunt dedimus, etc., viginti marcas sterlingorum, etc." Dated at Scone, "in pleno parliamento nostro tento ibidem decimo die Junii anno regni sexto decimo."
The expression "celebris memori?" might almost be held to indicate that John had lived to manhood, but is perhaps only a style of royalty; nevertheless, the passage altogether seems to lead to the inference, that the person had at least survived the age of infancy. King Robert's bastard son, Sir Robert Bruce, had a grant of the lands of Finhaven, in the neighbourhood of Rostinoth.[6]
DE CAMERA.
[Footnote 6: Dr. Jamieson has a note on King David II., brother, in his edition, of Barbour's Bruce; but does not quote the words of the charter so fully as they are here given.--The Bruce and Wallace, 4to., Edin. 1820, vol. i. p. 485.]
Scott, Nelson's Secretary.--Can any of your readers give me information as to the pedigree and family of John Scott, Esq., public secretary to Lord Nelson? He was killed at Trafalgar on board the Victory; and dying while his sons were yet very young, his descendants possess little knowledge on the subject to which I have alluded. He was, I think, born at Fochabers, near Gordon Castle, where his mother is known to have died.
A SUBSCRIBER.
{332} The Axe which beheaded Anne Boleyn.--A friend of mine has excited my curiosity by stating, that in his school-boy readings of the history of England, he learned that the axe which deprived Henry VIII.'s second wife (Anne Boleyn) of her head was preserved as a relic in the Northgate Street of Kent's ancient citie, Canterbury. I have written to friends living in that locality for a confirmation of such a strange fact; but they plead ignorance. Can any of your numerous readers throw any light relative to this subject upon the benighted mind of
PHILIP WEST.
Roger Outlawe.--A friend of mine in Germany has met with some ancient rolls, said to have been from the Irish Court of Common Pleas, chiefly of the time of Edward III., and headed thus:
"Communia placita apud Dublin coram fratre Rogero Outlawe priore hospitii sancti Johannis de Jerusalem in hibernia tenens locum Johannis Darcy le Cosyn Justiciarii hiberni? apud Dublin die pasche in viiij mense anno B. Etii post ultimum conquestum hiberni? quarto."
Can any person state who this Roger Outlawe was? And is it not singular that a prior of a religious and military establishment should be qualified to sit as locum tenens of a judge in a law court?
H. T. ELLACOMBE.
Clyst St. George.
"Berte au Grand Pied."--I should be glad to know what is the history or legend of the goose-footed queen, whose figure Mr. Laing, in his Norway, p. 70. 8vo. edition, says is on the portals of four French cathedrals.
THOS. LAWRENCE.
Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
Lying by the Walls.--What is the origin of the phrase "Lying by the walls," an euphemism for dead? It was very commonly used in this county some years ago. Instead of saying "Poor M. or N. is dead," they always said "Poor M. or N. lies by the walls."
R. P.
St. Ives, Hunts.
Constables of France (Vol. vi., pp. 128. 254.).--Has no person been appointed to fill that high office since the death of the Duc de Luynes, in 1621?
A. S. A.
Wuzzeerabad.
St. John's Church, Shoreditch.--The church of St. John, within the priory of Holywell, Shoreditch, and the chapel adjoining it, built by Sir Thomas Lovel, treasurer of the household to King Henry VII., knight of the most noble Order of the Garter, &c.
Is