Notes and Queries, Number 59, December 14, 1850. Various

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      May-dew.—Every one has heard of the virtues of "May-dew," but perhaps the complex superstition following may be less generally known. A respectable tradesman's wife in this town (Launceston) tells me that the poor people here say that a swelling in the neck may be cured by the patient's going before sunrise, on the 1st of May, to the grave of the last young man who has been buried in the church-yard, and applying the dew, gathered by passing the hand three times from the head to the foot of the grave, to the part affected by the ailment.2 This was told me yesterday in reply to a question, whether the custom of gathering "May-dew" is still prevailing here. I may as well add, that the common notion of improving the complexion by washing the face with the early dew in the fields on the 1st of May extensively prevails in these parts; and they say that a child who is weak in the back may be cured by drawing him over the grass wet with the morning dew. The experiment must be thrice performed, that is, on the mornings of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of May. I find no allusion to these specific applications of "May-dew" in Ellis's Brand.

      Piskies.—An old woman, the wife of a respectable farmer at a place called "Colmans," in the parish of Werrington, near Launceston, has frequently told my informant before-mentioned of a "piskey" (for so, and not pixy, the creature is called here, as well as in parts of Devon) which frequently made its appearance in the form of small child in the kitchen of the farm-house, where the inmates were accustomed to set a little stool for it. It would do a good deal of household work, but if the hearth and chimney corner were not kept neatly swept, it would pinch the maid. The piskey would often come into the kitchen and sit on its little stool before the fire, so that the old lady had many opportunities of seeing it. Indeed it was a familiar guest in the house for many months. At last it left the family under these circumstances. One evening it was sitting on the stool as usual, when it suddenly started, looked up, and said,—

      and vanished; after which it never appeared again. This distich is the first utterance of a piskey I have heard.

      The word "fine" put me in mind of the expression "fine spirit," "fine Ariel," &c., noticed by DR. KENNEDY lately in NOTES AND QUERIES (Vol. ii., p. 251.). It is worth notice that the people here seem to entertain no doubt as to the identity of piskies and fairies. Indeed I am told, that the old woman before mentioned called her guest indifferently "piskey" or "fairy."

      The country people in this neighbourhood sometimes put a prayer-book under a child's pillow as a charm to keep away the piskies. I am told that a poor woman near Launceston was fully persuaded that one of her children was taken away and a piskey substituted, the disaster being caused by the absence of the prayer-book on one particular night. This story reminds me of the "killcrop."

      1. The dun cow of Dunsmore filled with milk every vessel that was brought to her till an envious witch tried to milk her in a sieve.

      2. Lady Godiva.—A close-fitting dress might suggest the idea of nudity; but was not the horse borrowed from the warrior Lady of Mercia Ethelfleda?

      3. CAN DU PLERA MELEOR CERA. Quand Dieu plaira meilleur sera. Charm on a ring, olim penes W. Hamper, F.A.S.

      MINOR NOTES

      Circulation of the Blood.—About twenty-five years since, being in a public library in France, a learned physician pointed out to me in the works of the Venerable Bede a passage in which the fact of the circulation of the blood appeared to him and myself to be clearly stated. I regret that I did not, at the time, "make a note of it," and that I cannot now refer to it, not having access to a copy of Bede: and I now mention it in hopes that some of your correspondents may think it worth while to make it a subject of research.

      Culprit, Origin of the Word.—Long ago I made this note, that this much used English word was of French extraction, and that it was "qu'il paruit," from the short way the clerk of the court has of pronouncing his words; for our pleadings were formerly in French, and when the pleadings were begun, he said to the defendant "qu'il parait"—culprit; and as he was generally culpable, the "qu'il parait" became a synonyme with offender.

      Cambridge.

      Collar of SS.—In the volume of Bury Wills just issued by the Camden Society, is an engraving from the decorations of the chantry chapel in St. Mary's Church, Bury St. Edmund's, of John Baret, who died in 146-; in which the collar is represented as SS in the upright form set on a collar of leather or other material. It is described in the will as "my collar of the king's livery." John Baret, says the editor of the Wills, was a lay officer of the monastery of St. Edmund, probably treasurer, and was deputed to attend Henry VI. on the occasion of the king's long visit to that famed monastic establishment in 14—.

      The Singing of Swans.—"It would," says Bishop Percy (Mallet's North. Antiq., ii. p. 72.), "be a curious subject of disquisition, to inquire what could have given rise to so arbitrary and groundless a notion as the singing of swans," which "hath not wanted assertors from almost every nation." (Sir T. Browne.)

      Sir Thomas Herbert's Memoirs.—In consequence of the suggestion of Δ. (Vol. ii., p. 220.), I have applied to the owner of Sir T. Herbert's MS. account of the last days of Charles I., and the answer which I have received is as follows:

      Perhaps some of your readers may know whether there is such a volume in existence as that described by my friend.

      Portraits of Stevens and Cotton and Bunyan.—The plan of "NOTES AND QUERIES" appears well adapted to record the change of hands into which portraits of literary men may pass. I accordingly offer two to your notice.

      The portrait of George Stevens, the celebrated annotator on Shakspeare, who died in 1800, was bequeathed by him to a relative, Mrs. Gomm of Spital Square; and at that lady's death, some years after, it passed, I have reason to expect, into the possession of her relative, Mr. Fince, of Bishopsgate Street. I have no farther information of it.

      The portrait of Charles Cotton, by Sir Peter Lely, was, at the time (1814) when Linnell took a copy, and (in 1836) when Humphreys took a copy, in the possession of John Berisford, Esq., of Compton House, Ashborne, Derbyshire; and the following extracts of letters will show who at present possesses it:—