Notes and Queries | Page 8

I have never yet been able
to discover. I may ascertain, through the medium of your very useful
publication, whether there exists a work under the title of a "Descriptio
utriusque Britanniæ," by Conrad of Salisbury, from a MS. of the time
of Henry I. I should feel much obliged to any one who would favour
me with this information.
JAMES LOGAN.
_Peruse or Pervise--Passage in Frith's Works._--Your correspondent
T.J. rightly conjectured that the peruse of a modern reprint of Frith was
an error. I have been able since to consult two black-letter editions, and
have found, as I suspected, "pervise" and "pervyse."
If your same correspondent, or any other, can help me to correct, or to
understand another erroneous clause in Russell's edit. of Frith, vol. iii. p.
227., I shall be still further obliged.
It is probably meant for some old rule in logic, but is printed there, "Ab
inferiori ad suis superius confuse distribue." Foxe, however, has
"suum" instead of "suis."
H.W.
_Cromlech._--I shall feel much obliged if any of your readers will
kindly refer me to any authority for the use of the word Cromlech, prior
to the sixteenth century, whether in the Welsh or English language.
JAS. H. TODD.
Trin. Coll. Dublin, Jan. 31, 1850.
_Meaning of "Grummett."_--A Constant Reader is desirous of
addressing such of your correspondents as are well versed in maritime
history,--Mr. Bolton Corney to wit,--on the following subject. In the
early ages of our Navy there was a distinct rating, called "Grummett,"

on board each man-of-war, and he was generally, as may be seen in the
Cottonian MSS., placed after the "maryners and gonners." Now, the
reader will be highly obliged to any one who will trace the designation
to its source, and give information as to what were the special duties of
the Grummett, or Gromet.
[Greek: Sigma].
_Vertue's Manuscripts._--Steevens and Malone, in fixing the dates of
Shakspeare's Dramas, frequently quote from _Vertue's_ MSS. George
Chalmers, in his Supplemental Apology, says, "On making some
inquiries, by a friend, what manuscript of _Vertue's_ it were, which I
saw so often quoted about scenic matters, Mr. Steevens was so obliging
as to say, 'The books, from which those extracts were made, with
several others lost, belonged to Secretary Pepys, and afterwards to Dr.
Rawlinson, who lent them to Mr. Vertue.' When the said MSS. were
consulted by the two commentators, they were, I believe, in the
possession of Garrick." Chalmers adds, "Much is it to be lamented, that
any MS. or book, which furnished an illustration of Shakespeare, and
having once been seen, should ever disappear." Every true lover of our
great poet will heartily agree with this remark.
EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.
_Loscop._--The Patent Roll, 1 Edw. III. part I, membrane 27, contains
the exemplification or copy of a grant by Henry I. to his butler William
de Albini of--"Manerium de Snetesham cum duobus hundredis et
dimidio scil. Fredebruge et Smethedune cum wreck et cum omnibus
pertinentiis suis et misteria de Luna cum medietate fori et theloneis et
cum ceteris consuetudinibus et portu cum applicacione navium et
loscop et viam ipsius aquæ et transitu cum omnibus querelis." I should
be greatly obliged to any of your learned correspondents who would
explain the word loscop. Luna is the town or port of King's Lynn.
Misteria {320} may probably be translated "offices." See Ducange
(Paris Edit. 1845) under the words misterium and ministerium. Loscop
appears to be a word of similar formation to Laudcop and Lahcop,
which occur in the Laws of Ethelred (Thorpe's Ancient Laws, vol. i. pp.
294, 295.). Can it mean a fee paid on loosing the vessel in order to

leave the port?
C.W.G.
_Ormonde House._--Perhaps some of your annotators on
Cunningham's _Hand-book of London_, will be so kind as to inform
me whereabouts "Ormonde House" stood in St. James's Square; also to
state any particulars respecting its history before and after it was
occupied by that noble family.
J.G.
_As Morse caught the Mare._--I shall be glad to be informed the
meaning of this expression--it is to be met with in the translation of
Rabelais. There is also a song sung among the farmers of South Devon,
of which the last line of each verse is "As Morse caught the Mare."
R.S.B.
_Dustpot--Forthlot._--In a Manorial Compotus, temp. Hen. V., I find
the following entry, under the head of Out-goings:--
"In custodes carucarum et carectarum nil quia per firmarium. Item pro
eorum duspot (xij'd) nil, causa predicta. Item pro eorum forlot (iiij'd)
nil, causa predicta," &c.
I have in vain consulted the glossaries within my reach,--Ducange,
Spelman, Halliwell, for the meaning of the terms dustpot and forlot (or,
as spelt in another Compotus, dustpot and _forthlot_). They appear to
have been customary payments to the servants who had the care of the