Notes and Queries, Number 40, August 3, 1850 | Page 7

manner be suffered in it; however, I
cannot but own with those that understand anything of antiquity, that
the Christians very early assumed some rites of the heathens; and
probably it might be done with this design,--that the nations, seeing a
religion which in its outward shape was something like their own,
might be the sooner pursuaded to embrace it. To be free, sir, with you, I
am apt to believe, for the honour of that society of which I was once an
unworthy member, that the annual custom of salting alludes to that
saying of our Saviour to His disciples, '_Ye are the salt of the earth_;'
for as salt draws up all that matter that tends to putrefaction, so it is a

symbol of our doing the like in a spiritual state, by taking away all
natural corruption.... If this will not please, why may it not denote that
wit and knowledge by which boys dedicated to learning ought to
distinguish themselves. You know what sal sometimes signifies among
the best Roman authors: _Publius Scipio omnes sale facetiisque
superabat_, Cic.; and Terent, Qui habet salem qui in te est."
The Editor has a note on this letter:--
"There have been various conjectures relative to the origin of this
custom. Some have supposed that it arose from an ancient practice
among the friars of selling consecrated salt and others, with more
probability, from the ceremony of the bairn or _boy_-bishop, as it is
said to have been formerly a part of the Montem-celebration for prayers
to be read by a boy dressed in the clerical habit."
A letter from Dr. Tanner to Mr. Hearne on Barne or _Boy-bishops_, is
in vol. i., p. 302.
2. The Turkish Spy (Vol. i., p. 324.; vol. ii., p. 12.).--The letter or the
authorship of this work quoted by DR. RIMBAULT from the Bodleian
MSS., is printed in vol. i. p. 233.; and I observe that DR. R. has
incorporated in his communication the Editor's note on the passage.
3. _Dr. Dee_ (Vol. i., pp. 216. 284.).--A letter about Dr. Dee from Mr.
Ballard to T. Hearne occurs in vol. ii. p. 89. It does not throw light on
the question of why Dr. Dee left Manchester College? There are also
notes for a life of Dee among Aubrey's _Lives_, appended to these
Letters (vol. ii. p. 310.) Both letters and notes refer to original sources
of information for Dee's Life.
CH.
* * * * *
MINOR NOTES.
Alarm.--A man is indicted for striking at the Queen, with intent (among

other things) to alarm her Majesty. It turns out that the very judge has
forgotten the legal (which is also the military) meaning of the word. An
alarm is originally the signal to arm: Query, Is it not formed from the
cry _à l'arme_, which in modern times is _aux armes_? The judge said
that from the courage of her family, most likely the Queen was not
alarmed, meaning, not frightened. But the illegal intent to alarm merely
means the intent to make another think that it is necessary to take
measures of defence or protection. When an alarm is sounded, the
soldier who is not alarmed is the one who would be held to be
frightened.
M.
Taking a Wife on Trial.--The following note was made upon reading
_The Historical and Genealogical Account of the Clan of Maclean_, by
a Seneachie, published by Smith, Elder, and Co., London, 1838. It may
be thought worthy of a corner amongst the Notes on Folk Lore, which
form so curious and entertaining a portion of the "NOTES AND
QUERIES."
In the beginning of the year 1608 a commission, consisting of the
Archbishop of Glasgow, the Bishop of the Isles (Andrew Knox),
Andrew Stewart, Lord Ochiltree, and Sir James Hay of Kingask,
proceeded to the Isles with power to summon the chiefs to a conference,
for the purpose of intimating to them the measures in contemplation by
the government. A meeting for this purpose was held at Aross Castle,
one of the seats of Maclean, in Mull, at which the principal barons and
heads of houses attended.
The regulations contemplated had for their object the introduction of an
additional number of pious divines, who were to be provided for out of
the lands of the great island proprietors; the abolishing a certain
remarkable custom which till then prevailed, namely, that of taking a
wife on approbation, or, in plain intelligible terms, _on trial_!
The following are two examples recorded of this singular custom.
John Mac-Vic Ewen, fourth laird of Ardgour, had handfasted (as it was

called) with a daughter of Mac Ian of Ardnamurchan, whom he had
taken on a promise of marriage, if she pleased him. At the expiration of
two years he sent her home to