Notes and Queries, Number 54, November 9, 1850 | Page 4

which were to be distributed to be borne by various persons in a procession upon a relic Sunday. St. George's dagger having been given to one Master Hake, Testwood said to Dr. Clifton,--'Sir, Master Hake hath St. George's dagger. Now if he had his horse, and St. Martin's cloak, and Master John Shorne's boots, with King Harry's spurs and his hat, he might ride when he list.'"
That there is some legend connected with Master John Shorne and "his bote, whereunto they do say he conveyd the devill," is evident from {388} a fact we learn from the Proceedings of the Arch?ological Institute, namely, that at the meeting on the 5th Nov. 1847, the Rev. James Bulwer, of Aylsham, Norfolk, sent a series of drawings exhibiting the curious painted decorations of the rood screen in Cawston Church, Norfolk, amongst which appears the singular saintly personage bearing a boot, from which issues a demon. An inscription beneath the figures gives the name "Magister Johannes Schorn." It is much to be regretted that fuller details of this painting have not been preserved in the Journal of the Institute.
The earliest mention of Master John Schorne is in the indenture for roofing St. George's Chapel at Windsor, dated 5th June, 21 Henry VII. (1506), printed in the Reliqui? Antiqu?, vol. ii. p. 115., where it is covenanted
"That the creastes, corses, beastes, above on the outsides of Maister John Shorne's Chappell, bee done and wrought according to the other creastes, and comprised within the said bargayne."
WILLIAM J. THOMS.
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CORRIGENDA OF PRINTER'S ERRORS.
In my note on Conjectural Emendation (Vol. ii., p. 322.), your printer, in general so very correct, has by a fortunate accident strengthened my argument, by adding one letter, and taking away another. Should my note be in existence, you will find that I wrote distinctly and correctly Mr. Field's pr?nomen Barron, and not Baron. And I have too much respect for my old favourite, honest George Wither, to have written Withers, a misnomer never used but by his adversaries, who certainly did speak of him as "one Withers." I should not have thought it necessary to notice these insignificant errata, but for the purpose of showing Printer's errors do and will occur, and that Shakspeare's text may often be amended by their correction. You will recollect honest George's punning inscription round his juvenile portrait:
"I GROW AND WITHER BOTH TOGETHER."
PERIERGUS BIBLIOPHILUS.
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FOLK LORE OF WALES.
No. 3. Meddygon Myddvai.--On the heights of the Black Mountains, in Caermarthenshire, lies a dark-watered lake, known by the name of Lyn y Van Vach. As might be predicated, from the wild grandeur of its situation, as well as from the ever-changing hues which it takes from the mountain shadows, many a superstition--gloomy or beautiful--is connected with its history. Amongst these may be reckoned the legend of the Meddygon Myddvai or "surgeons of Myddvai." Tradition affirms that "once upon a time" a man who dwelt in the parish of Myddvai led his lambs to graze on the borders of this lake; a proceeding which he was induced to repeat in consequence of his visits being celebrated by the appearance of three most beautiful nymphs, who, rising from the waters of the lake, frequently came on shore, and wandered about amongst his flock. On his endeavouring, however, to catch or retain these nymphs, they fled to the lake and sank into its depths, singing--
"Cras dy fara, Anhawdd ein dala!"
which may be rendered [eater of] "hard baked bread, it is difficult to retain us!" Difficulties, however, but increased the determination of the shepherd; and day after day he watched beside the haunted lake, until at length his perseverance was rewarded by the discovery of a substance resembling unbaked bread, which floated on the water: this he fished up and ate, and on the following day he succeeded in capturing the nymphs: on which he requested one of them to become his wife; to this she consented, on condition that he should be able to distinguish her from her sisters on the following day. This was no easy task, as the nymphs bore the most striking resemblance to each other; but the lover noticed some trifling peculiarity in the dress of his choice, by means of which he identified her. She then assured him that she would be to him as good a wife as any earthly maiden could be, until he should strike her three times without a cause. This was deemed by the shepherd an impossible contingency, and he led his bride in triumph from the mountain; followed by seven cows, two oxen, and one bull, which she had summoned from the waters of the lake to enrich her future home.
Many years passed happily on, and three smiling children--afterwards the "surgeons of Myddvai"--blessed the shepherd and