Notes and Queries, Number 71, March 8, 1851 | Page 4

Put out your horns, For the king's daughter is Comings to town With a red petticoat and a green gown!"
I fear it is impossible to give a clue as to the meaning of the form of invocation, or who was the royal visitor, so nationally clothed, for whose sake the snail was expected to be so gracious.
F. J. H.
Nievie-nick-nack.--A fire-side game, well known in Scotland; described by Jamieson, Chambers, and (last, though not least) John M^cTaggart. The following version differs from that given by them:--
"Nievie, nievie, nick, neck, Whilk han will thou tak? Tak the richt, or tak the wrang, I'll beguile thee if I can."
It is alluded to by Sir W. Scott, St. Ronan's, iii. 102.; Blackwood's Magazine, August, 1821, p. 37.
Rabelais mentions à la nicnoque as one of the games played by Guargantua. This is rendered by Urquhart Nivinivinack: Transl., p. 94. Jamieson (Supp. to Scot. Dict., sub voce) adds:
"The first part of the word seems to be from Neive, {180} the fist being employed in the game. Shall we view nick as allied to the E. v. signifying 'to touch luckily'?"
Now, there is no such seeming derivation in the first part of the word. The Neive, though employed in the game, is not the object addressed. It is held out to him who is to guess--the conjuror--and it is he who is addressed, and under a conjuring name. In short (to hazard a wide conjecture, it may be), he is invoked in the person of NIC NEVILLE (Neivie Nic), a sorcerer in the days of James VI., who was burnt at St. Andrew's in 1569. If I am right, a curious testimony is furnished to his quondam popularity among the common people:
"From that he past to Sanctandrois, where a notable sorceres callit Nic Neville was condamnit to the death and brynt," &c. &c.--The Historie and Life of King Jame the Sext, p. 40. Edin. 1825. Bannatyne Club Ed.
J. D. N. N.
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RECORDS AT MALTA.
Let me call your attention, as well as that of your readers (for good may come from both), to an article in the December No. of the Arch?ological Journal, 1850, entitled "Notice of Documents preserved in the Record Office at Malta;" an article which I feel sure ought to be more publicly known, both for the sake of the reading world at large, and the high character bestowed upon the present keeper of those records, M. Luigi Vella, under whose charge they have been brought to a minute course of investigation. There may be found here many things worthy of elucidation; many secret treasures, whether for the arch?ologist, bibliopole, or herald, that only require your widely disseminated "brochure" to bring nearer to our own homes and our own firesides. It is with this view that I venture to express a hope, that a précis of that article may not be deemed irregular; which point, of course, I must leave to your good judgment and good taste to decide, being a very Tyro in arch?ology, and no book-worm (though I really love a book), so I know nothing of their points of etiquette. At the same time I must, in justice to Mr. A. Milward (the writer of the notice, and to whom I have not the honour of being known), entreat his pardon for the plagiarism, if such it can be called, having only the common "reciprocation of ideas" at heart; and remain as ever an humble follower under Captain Cuttle's standard.
One Corporal WHIP.
PRéCIS of Documents preserved in Record Office, Malta.
Six volumes of Records, parchment, consisting of Charters from Sovereigns and Princes, Grants of Land, and other documents connected with the Order of St. John from its establishment by Pope Pascal II., whose original bull is perfect.
Two volumes of Papers connected with the Island of Malta before it came into the possession of the Knights, from year 1397 to beginning of sixteenth century.
A book of Privileges of the Maltese, compiled about 200 years ago.
Several volumes of original letters from men of note: among whom we may mention, Viceroys of Sicily, Sovereigns of England. One from the Pretender, dated 1725, from Rome; three from Charles II., and one from his admiral, John Narbrough. Numerous Processes of Nobility, containing much of value to many noble families; of these last, Mr. Vella has taken the trouble of separating, all those referring to any English families.
Also a volume of fifteenth century, containing the accounts of the commanderies. This is a continuation of an older and still more interesting volume, which is now in the Public Library.
For further particulars, see Arch?logical Journal, December, 1850, p. 369.
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ON AN ANCIENT MS. OF "BED? HISTORIA ECCLESIASTICA."
Some gentleman connected with the cathedral library of Lincoln may possibly be able to give me some information respecting a