A Welsh woman, having heard it said at the ime of the late proclamation of George IV. that here is now no Prince of Wales, very goodaumouredly replied, "Our late Prince will make - very good king for you English-now we have one with him." A Mr William Protheroe, of Brecon, has written n the space of a penny piece the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the first, second, third, and fourth collects after the Epiphany, the collect for Sexagesima Sunday, the irst, second, third, and fourth collects after Lent, he writer's name, and the day of the month and year. A Welsh parson, preaching from the text "Love one another," told his congregation that, in kind and respectful treatment to our fellow creatures, we were inferior to the brute creation. As an llustration of the truth of the remark, he quoted an instance of two goats in his own parish that Once met upon a bridge so very narrow that they could not pass by without one thrusting the other off into the river. "And," continued he, "how do you think they acted? Why, I will tell you. One oat laid himself down and let the other leap over him. Ah! beloved, let us live like goats." QUERIES. EISTEDDFOD AT OSWESTRY.-The fixture of the Powis Provincial Eisteddfod for next year at Oswestry suggests the inquiry whether an Eisteddfod has ever been held at Oswestry before, and whether, in any other way, Oswestry has an historic connection with the Eisteddfod? W.O. ANIMAL SUPERSTITIONS IN WALES. I shall be greatly obliged, for the purposes of a paper on "Animal Superstitions in Wales," if readers of BYE-GONES will send any animal beliefs with which they are acquainted. I shall also be glad of quotations from Welsh writers on the subject, with translations. REPLIES. N.W.T. a in the parish of Worfield, a family of great SCHOOLS IN OSWESTRY (May 15, 1895). The school mentioned by your correspondent, I believe, was held in the old Guildhall (recently demolished) on the Bailey Head. Price mentions "The Oswestry National School" in his History of Oswestry, published 1815, as follows: The National Society gave £200, and the town as much as made up the deficiency, to purchase the present school room over the Town Clerk's office and the fitting up, for the instruction of schoolmasters for Wales, according to the plan adapted by that Society, and also for the educa tion of the children of the poor in the town and neighbourhood. There are upwards of one hundred boys in the school at present. Mr John Morris was schoolmaster at that time. The Town Clerk's office mentioned, Price describes as follows: Is a lofty building near the Guildhall, erected with the stone belonging to the town gates after their demolition, flanked with two neat brick built houses. The records of the Corporation are deposited here. The cells or place of temporary confinement are contiguous to the office. A room over the office is used as a school and for per forming the Church Service in Welsh. The present National schools under the Welsh Walls are a continuation of the old school on the Bailey Head, being erected in 1841 by Mr J. Vaughan, builder, from plana prepared by Mr Penson. In 1810 a girls' school was held in the Schoolroom, then situated in the church yard. Perhaps some correspondent will say if the building here mentioned is still standing. E.H. CURRENT NOTES. Mr Uvedale Corbett of Ashfield Hall, Neston, one of the oldest Cheshire magistrates, died on Saturday, at the London residence of Mr HarHe had been visiting Mr Banner, mood Banner. and on Wednesday ho was seized with pneumonia and inflammation, to which he succumbed. A new church for East Llandudno, called the THE BOTFIELD FAMILY OF SHROP-Duke of Clarence Memorial Church, erected on a SHIRE (Jan. 30, June 5, 1895).-" The Stem-site given by Lord Mostyn, was opened for public mata Botevilliana; Memorials of the families worship on Sunday. of de Boteville, Thynne and Botfield," was compiled at considerable cost for Mr Beriah Botfield. Before its final completion, Mr Botfield having married Miss Leighton, a daughter of the late Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bart., of Loton Park, he also included in the "Stemmata notice of the Leighton family. A friend lent me a copy which be had received from Mr Beriah Botfield, and I was informed that the work was only printed for private circulation. A copy could no doubt be procured for consultation at the Library of the British Museum. There is a notice of Thomas Botfield with the Botfield Arms "Barry of twelve, or and sable," in Blakeway's Sheriffs of Shropshire. Thomas Botfield was High Sheriff of Shropshire in 1818. He married the only daughter of William Baker of Bromley, VOL. IV. New Series (being Vol.13th from the beginning.] MR. CHARLES ASHTON.-We are glad to state that a grant of £100 has been made to Mr C. Ashton for his services to literature. The following letter was received by Mr Rowlands, solicitor, Machynlleth :-" Before leaving office last week Lord Rosebery gave directions for the payment of Mr Charles Ashton in recognition of his services a grant of £100 from the Royal Bounty Fund to in the cultivation of Welsh literature. Yours faithfully, GEO. K. MURRAY."-Mr Ashton is now busy on his Welsh Bibliography. 17 WILL OF THE LATE LORD TREVOR. The probate of the will has been granted, and the personal estate has been valued at £56,125 9s 6d, of Colonel Arthur Edwin, first Baron Trevor, of Brynkinalt, Chirk, Denbigh, J.P., D.L., M.P. for County Down, 1845-80, who died at his town house, 25, Belgrave-square, on the 25th December, 1894, aged 76 years, the son of the third Marquis of Downshire. Lord Trevor's will bears date May 17, 1889, and the executors are his widow, Mary Catherine, Baroness Trevor, sister of the fourth Lord Scarsdale, and Colonel the Hon. George Herbert Windsor Clive, of 12, Stratford-place. The testator bequeaths to Lady Trevor £1,000, his plate, household furniture, and effects at Belgrave-square, and such furniture at Brynkinalt, as she may choose, and the use and enjoy. ment of or income from 25, Belgrave-square,during her lifetime. The testator devises all his real estate in trust for sale, and he bequeaths the moneys to arise therefrom, and all the residue of his personal estate, in trust for Lady Trevor for her life, and, subject to her life interest, in equal shares for all their children,excepting any son who may succeed to the settled estates. But the will provides that no child of the testator who during his lifetime, or the lifetime of Lady Trevor, shall become a Roman Catholic, or shall marry a Roman Catholic, shall take any interest under this trust, and that the share of such child shall then be in trust for all the other children. The testator's eldest son, the present Lord Trevor, is to have the option of taking at a valuation the live and dead stock at Brynkinalt, and such furniture and effects there as Lady Trevor does not select; and the testator states that he makes no further provision for his eldest son only because he is amply provided for by succeeding to the settled family estates. The Late James Watson, Esq., of Berwick Hall. We regret to announce the death, which took place after a short illness at his residence, Berwick Hall, Shrewsbury, on Friday night, of Mr James Watson, formerly M.P. for Shrewsbury. Mr Watson, who was in his seventy-seventh year, was formerly a cheese merchant in a large way of business in Birmingham, and he was a director of the London and Midland Bank. About 1879 he bought the Berwick Hall estate for something like £192,000. He also had an estate at Silverdale, Cumberland. He sat for Shrewsbury from 1885 to 1892. His only daughter is married to Captain Phillips. The Late Rev. John Herbert of We regret to record the death, at the age of ninety-two, of one of the oldest inhabitants of Newtown, in the person of the Rev John Herbert, which took place on Thursday. The deceased was one of several children of Edward and Ann Her bert, who lived in a cottage known as Silver Hall, Oakley Park, near Llanidloes. His father, though in humble círcumstances, was descended from the Cardiganshire branch of the great Welsh family IN THE FIELDS AND LANES. At Churchstoke, Montgomeryshire, no less than 4.8 inches of rain fell during a terrific thunderstorm which occurred on Wednesday week. No more striking proof of the eccentricities of our climate could perhaps be afforded than the fact that at this little town on the borders of Wales the rainfall in the course of a very few hours amounted to within half an inch of the total amount recorded in London during the whole of the past six months. THE WEATHER IN JUNE. Rainfall, 0.87 inches; registered sunshine, 233 hours and ten minutes; maximum temperature in the shade (on the 25th) 79 degrees, minimum (on the 15th) 29.5 degrees. Slight showers of rain fell on eight days, and there were three days without any bright sunshine. With one exception (1889) it was the driest June on record here; that is since 1873. The above rainfall is but a little over three quarters of an inch. The most remarkable thing in connection with the month was the frosts we had on the 14th (2 deg.), 15th (2) deg.), and at the freezing point on the 16th and 17th. There was much injury done by the frost in many places, especially near boggy ground, or in the neighbour hood of water. The following were the most injured :—Potatoes, French beans, ferns, and young tops of ash, oak, and spruce trees. The potatoes were frozen to the ground in several places, and the common bracken fern was to be seen in black patches, but the lady fern suffered most of any. It may now be seen in black masses with the fresh fronds just pushing up through the frozen ones. I observed a potato patch on the ide of the railway near here (Llandderfel), the ground sloped down to a small bog. The potato ops were but slightly injured on the high ground; he injury increased gradually until the tops were rozen to the ground within a few yards of the Dog. I never before observed such injury done to vegetation in this month. There was no injury lone to the fruit crops. Rain is sadly wanted, specially on gravelly and rocky lands, but the iverside meadows and cold clay lands have suffered but little. Crops of hay and corn are short, and the pastures in many places are quite bare and brown. Since writing the above we have had copious and welcome rain, which will do an immense amount of good.-THOS. RUDDY, The Gardens, Palé, Corwen. A YOUNG CUCKOO IN THE NEST OF A When rambling with my boy on the evening of the 15th of June, we found a young cuckoo in the nest of a titlark, or meadow pipit as it is also called. The nest was snugly placed under the shelter of a tuft of grass. We were puzzled for a minute or two with the stranger, for it was the first time for us to find a young cuckoo in a nest. It was an ugly looking creature, with only a few stumps of feathers on the crown of the head, We parent of its young, but if the foster-parent is 1 also a grain-eating bird, it always feeds the young cuckoo with insects only. The eggs or young have been found in the nest of the pied wagtail, hedge sparrow, robin, chaffinch, greenfinch, blackbird, skylark, titlark, and a few others. As I have said above, when we first found the young cuckoo, it was an ungainly creature, almost naked; and it appeared to be two or three days old. We disturbed the titlark on the nest, and the only room for it would be on the cuckoo's back. thought we would watch how the creature got on, so paid it another visit on the Saturday evening following. It was still safe in the nest; the depression had left its back, and the head was of the natural shape. It was a pleasant-looking creature by this time, with its body nearly covered with pretty speckled feathers; and the inside of the mouth was af a beautiful coral red. It was quite lively, and took two small white slugs from my finger. We again paid it a visit on the 29th for the last time; it was still in the nest, and very little room it had under the tuft of grass. It perched on my finger and opened its coral mouth to peck at me. It also uttered an alarm note, which soon brought both titlarks to within a short distance of us. The foster-parents were very uneasy, and kept flying about. It was then nearly fledged, and was 151⁄2 inches from tip to tip of the wing, by eight inches in length. THOS. RUDDY, The Gardens, Pale, Corwen. JULY 17, 1895. NOTES. EPITAPH.-I do not know whether the fol. lowing epitaph at New Chapel, near Llanidloes, has ever appeared in BYE-GONES : Here lieth the remains of Rev. Thomas Thomas of Cefnhafodycoed, in this parish, who served this church and Nantgwyn fifty years. He died January 20, 1852, aged 82 years. Here lieth one of Abel race wings, and side. Ite skin was jet black, the body bulky, with a slight hollow in the back; its head was rather flat, and it had long legs and toes of a light yellow colour. The Hattened head and hollow back enables it to pitch out the eggs or young of its foster-parent; and this it never fails to do. There were three eggs of the titlark lying outside the nest, and on breaking one, we found it was within a few days of being hatched, and the little bird was dead. If the young cuckoo is first hatched, it pitches out the eggs that are in the nest, and if it is hatched after the other little birds, it soon clears them out of the nest too. Instinct, or some other mysterious power, teaches st that it will soon require all the nest for itself, H.W. and its foster-parent must have enough to do to CONSISTORY COURT OF ST. ASAPH.find food for such a large bird. The cuckoo 18 the only British bird that does not make a nest of RECANTATION FOR DEFAMATION OF its own; it always lays its egg in the nest of CHARACTER.-The following document, being another bird, and then leaves it to the care of that the recantation of one Thomas Jones, may serve bird to hatch and rear its young. It has been as a reminder of the ancient mode of trying suits called the "mysterious cuckoo," and well it may for slander before the Consistory Courts. C.A. be, for its strange but welcome voice and extraor dinary nesting habits at once separate it from other birds. The cuckoo's food consists of insects, such as caterpillars, spiders, &c. It is very fond of the gooseberry caterpillar, for I have often seen it in the gardens here within a few yards of me picking them off the gooseberry bushes. It usually selects an insectivorous hird to be the foster Wheras I, Thomas Jones of Pen Bryn, in the Parish of Llangar, in the County of Merioneth and Diocese of Saint Asaph, yeoman, have lately rashly and incautiously uttered and spoken several scan dalous and defamatory words to and of Ann, the now wife of William Ellis of Ty'n-y-Gwaunannay, in the Parish of Llangwm, in the County of Denbigh and Diocese aforesaid, yeoman (then Ann R.E.D. R.B.J. Williams, spinster), tending to Defame and injure Meadow." There is a "Gallant Tree Bank her Caracter and Reputation for which Offence near Holgate. These places of execution were, she hath instituted and prosecuted against me a doubtless. appurtenances of the castles which Certain cause or suit of Defamation in the Epicopal dominated the districts. Another "Gallantree Consistorial Court of Saint Asaph aforesaid and Bank" is on Prees Higher Heath, near the 22nd therein exhibited and preferred charges against me stating such Defamation. And Whereas I have milestone on the road from Newport to Chester. Shrewsbury. Omitted and Neglected to plead to and Answer MORRIS such Charges whereby the same have by the Decree (July 3, 1895).-I have always or Sentence of the Judge of the said Court been thought that the epithet "Morrus," for the wild Deemed and taken as admitted acknowledged and had its origin in "Boreas," the north wind. confessed and in consequence thereof I have been The following couplet is sometimes heard :— required and Injoined to make sign and execute Morrus y gwynt a Dafydd y gwlaw a Recantation of such Defamatory words and also Daflodd fy het i ganol y baw. Condemned to pay the Costs and Expenses of such Aagain, what has the name Dafydd to do with suit. Therefore in Obedience to the Decree and rain? In Welsh patois the sea is called " Dafydd Injunction of the said Court as well as the Dictates Jones," perhaps in imitation of the English of my own Conscience and being also willing and Davy Jones's locker." "Dafydd y gwlaw is desirous to make every reparation in my power beyond me. for the Injury by me done or occasioned to the said Ann Ellis. I do hereby so far as in me lies retract and recant the defamatory words which have been the subject of such prosecution and do acknowledge and confess myself heartily sorry for having so imprudently uttered and spoken the same, and do hereby also ask and desire the pardon and forgiveness of the said party Ann Ellis for the Injury she has sustained Declaring that I had no just grounds or reason for imputing to her any such Charges and promising for the future to govern and demean myself peceably quietly and decently towards her the said Ann Ellis and all Others. In Witness whereof I the said Thomas Jones have hereunto put my hand this Ninth Day of June in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and ninty Four. This Recantation was made Delivered and Signed by the above named Thomas Jones In the Thomas Jones. THE PRINCE'S FIELD AT LLANDYSILIO. -Has anything ever appeared in BYE-GONES as to the Prince's Field at Llandysilio, and the story attached to it, that a son of Charles the First's was born there? W.O. CURRENT NOTES. One of the last acts of Lord Rosebery before leaving office was to make a grant of £100 out of the Royal Bounty to Hwfa Mon (the Rev R. Williams, Llangollen), the well-known Welsh bard, for his services to Welsh literature. The grant was made on the recommendation of Sir G. O. Morgan. a conversazione and concert on Thursday The honourable Society of Cymmrodorion gave in the galleries of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, Piccadilly, London. The entertainment was attended by about 300 of the members and their friends, who were received by Sir Lewis Morris-in the unavoidable absence of the Marquis of Bute, the president of the Society-and members of the Council, An excellent programme of music was given by Mdlle, Aarienne, Miss Clara Williams, Miss Llewela Davies, Miss Mary Thomas, Mr Emlyn Davies, Mr Evan Evans, and Master Philip Lewis, Welsh songs naturally predominating. A special feature of the evening consisted of the excellent American recitations of Miss Helen Mar, which were much appreciated. Among those present were Mr George Griffiths, Mr Henry Owen, and Dr Isambard Owen. The late Mr Maurice Evans, Bronygarth. We regret to announce the death of Mr Maurice Evans, formerly of Bronygarth, which took place at Cae Llewelyn, Llanfair Caereinion, on Wednesday, in his 84th year. Mr Evans, who had always enjoyed good health until very recently, was very much beloved in the district, and for a long period he was consulted by the inhabitants of a wide area. He was chairman of the Llanfyllin Highway Board for many years, and he subsequently occupied the vice-chair for a considerable time." He was preacher, and his loss will be keenly felt in the a Wesleyan lay Llanfair Circuit. He leaves a widow and two sons to mourn their loss, as well as a large circle of relations and friends. Mr Evans was a brother A.D. YRS. .1700 33 .1733 8 .1741 12 .1753 18 ..1771 4 ..1775 8 .1783 26 .1809 6 .1814 23 1. Rev David Morgan, rector 2. Rev Owen Owens, rector... 3. Rev John Roberts, curate.. 4. Rev Thomas Jones, rector 5. Rev J. V. Garnons,curate...... 6. Rev Edward Mayrick, curate.. 7. Rev John Pryse, curate... 8. Rev Thomas Evans, curate 9. Rev William Williams, rector.. 10. Rev David Williams, rector 11. Rev Thomas Davies, rector.. 12. Rev Daniel Jones, rector 13. Rev David Lewis, rector 14. Rev Wm. Silvanus Williams, rector...1877 15. Rev Pierce Jones, rector 16. Ven. Thomas Williams (Archdeacon ... 1837 13 1850 12 .1862 2 .1864 13 .1887 10 3 of Merioneth), rector......1891 4 months 17. Rev Evan Benar Thomas, rector......1892. had a letter from Mr Travers of Lichfield that the Chancellor there designed to attempt the demolishing of my father's monument." Does this monument still exist in good preservation in Whitchurch Church B. AT CORWEN.-The memory of the fights of RHYFEL OWA(I)N (AN OWEN FIGHT) Owain Glyndwr with his foes, now near four centuries since, is (or was within late years), kept alive by the towns-people of Corwen in the following vernacular expression, and cry-" Mae hi yn rhyfel Owa(i)n yma," whenever a sharp bit of row or fight or disturbance took place in the town--"An Owen Fight! An Owen Fight!" Is it still heard? T.W.H. REPLIES. THE COAST OF NORTH WALES SEVENTY YEARS AGO (May 15, June 5, 1895). I cannot accept Mr C. S. Mainwaring's statement as a contradiction of what Mr Gladstone said, though it may be regarded as somewhat modifying his description of the coast of North Wales seventy years ago. Abergele, it must be remembered, is not on the Coast, but a mile away from it. Mr Gladstone distinctly referred to travelling along the Coast, and the existence of a town a mile away, where lodgings could be obtained, even though it might be called a watering place, is not of itself sufficient to invalidate Mr Gladstone's account. At the same time it is well to have the existence of BYE-GONES, in an interesting and entertaining Abergele as a watering place put on record in note. W.O. GUESSING IN WALES (June 5, 19, 1895).— With reference to MEIRION's note on guessing in Wales, I may say that when I was a boy living in the lower portion of Cardiganshire, it was a custom among my school fellows to use the following doggerel when guessing :Bwrddwn, barddwn, P'un o'r ddau ddwrn? CHESTER PARISH REGISTERS. - A HINT FOR GENEALOGISTS.-A number of years ago, in the course of my varied enquiries into early Welsh matters, I was told that it was a very prevalent custom, in the early years of the present century, and probably extended consider ably back, for gentlewomen, the wives of many of the gentry in North Wales, to go for a residence to Chester (arising out of pride mainly) for a term of weeks or months for their accouchement. This story was confirmed to me by a lady, now some As in Merioneth, each hand was touched alter. time deceased, who was well informed in the nately at each word, and the hand selected which history of certain distinguished families, whom was touched at the word "fe." The custom she named to me, who did so. The consequence was used in a game in which pins formed the would be that the child would be baptized and stakes. For instance a boy having a number of registered in one of the churches, probably pins in the lapel of his coat would put one pin the Cathedral, in that city. This in- in his closed hand, having nothing in the other. formation is possibly new to the greater The guesser would then touch each hand alterportion of your readers. And by those whose nately, saying the doggerel, and if his guess came opportunities are convenient for register-search-right, not only the one pin had to be handed ing at Chester some interesting finds no doubt over, but all the pins the challenger possessed may be had out of them for filling in gaps in at the time. CEREDIGION. Welsh pedigrees. T.W.H. CURRENT NOTES. The Cambrian Archæological Association are raising a fund to survey, photograph, and preserve the ancient fortress of Tre'r'ceiri, near the coast of Carnarvonshire, |