Notes and Queries, Number 40, August 3, 1850 | Page 6

l. 958. (G.):--
"How now! back friends! shepherd, go off a little."
_As You Like It_, iii. 2.
On l. 989. (D.) See Bethsabe's address to Zephyr in tire opening of
Peele's _David and Bethsabe_:--
"And on thy wings bring delicate perfumes."
On l. 995. (D.):--
"Her gown should be goodliness Well ribbon'd with renown, _Purfil'd_
with pleasure in ilk place Furr'd with fine fashioun."
Robert Henryson's Garment of Good Ladies. See Ellis' _Spec. of Early
Eng. Poets_, i. 362.
J.F.M.
* * * * *
FOLK LORE.

High Spirits considered a Sign of impending Calamity or Death (Vol.
ii., p. 84.).--
"Westmoreland. Health to my lord, and gentile cousin, Mowbray.
Mowbray. You wish me health in very happy season; For I am, on the
sudden, something ill.
Archbishop of York. Against ill chances, men are ever merry; But
heaviness foreruns the good event.
West. Therefore be merry, cos; since sudden sorrow Serves to say
thus,--Some good thing comes to-morrow.
Arch. Believe me, I am passing light in spirit.
Mow. So much the worse, if your own rule be true."
Second Part of _King Henry IV._, Act iv. Sc. 2.
In the last act of _Romeo and Juliet_, Sc. 1, Romeo comes on, saying,--
"If I may trust the flattering eye of sleep, My dreams presage some
joyful news at hand: My bosom's lord sits lightly on his throne; And, all
this day, an unacustom'd spirit Lifts me above the ground with cheerful
thoughts."
Immediately a messenger comes in to announce Juliet's death.
In Act iii. Sc. 2., of _King Richard III._, Hastings is represented as
rising in the morning in unusually high spirits. This idea runs through
the whole scene, which is too long for extraction. Before dinner-time he
is beheaded.
X.Z.
Norfolk Popular Rhymes.--On looking over an old newspaper, I
stumbled on the following rhymes, which are there stated to be
prevalent in the district in which these parishes are situated, viz.

between Norwich and Yarmouth:--
"Halvergate hares, Reedham rats, Southwood swine, and Cantley cats;
Acle asses, Moulton mules, Beighton bears, and Freethorpe fools."
They seem to proceed simply on the alliterative principle mentioned by
J.M.B. (Vol. i., p. 475.) as common to many popular proverbs, &c.
Two others I subjoin from my own recollection, which differ in this
particular:--
"Blickling flats, Aylsham fliers, Marsham peewits, and Hevingham
liars."
These are four villages on the road between Norwich and Cromer. A
third couplet alludes merely to the situation of a group of villages near
the sea-coast,--
"Gimingham, Trimingham, Knapton, and Trunch, Northrepps and
Southrepps, hang all in a bunch."
E.S.T.
Throwing Salt over the Shoulder.--This custom I have frequently
observed, of taking a pinch of salt without any remark, and flinging it
over the shoulder. I should be glad to know its origin.
E.S.T.
Charming for Warts.--In Vol. i., p. 19., a correspondent asks if the
custom of "charming for warts" prevails in England.
A year or two ago I was staying in Somersetshire, and having a wart
myself, was persuaded to have it "charmed." The village-charmer was
summoned; he first cut off a slip of elder-tree, and made a notch in it
for every wart. He then rubbed the elder against each, strictly enjoining
me to think no more about it, as if I looked often at the warts the charm
would fail.
In about a week the warts had altogether disappeared, to the delight of

the operator.
N.A.B.
* * * * *
NOTES ON COLLEGE SALTING; TURKISH SPY; DR. DEE;
FROM "LETTERS FROM THE BODLEIAN, &c." 2 VOLS. 1813.
Having been lately reading through this interesting collection, I have
"noted" some references to subjects which have been discussed in your
columns.
1. _College Salting. Salt at Eton Montem_ (Vol. i., pp. 261. 306. 321.
384. 390. 492.).--I am not quite clear as to the connection between
these two subjects: but an identity of origin is not improbable. A letter
from Mr. Byrom to Aubrey, "On the Custom of Salting at Eton," Nov.
15. 1693, is in vol. ii. p. 167.: {151}
"I could send you a long answer to your queries, but have not the
confidence to do it; for all that I can say was only heard from others
when I was at school at Eton, and if I should depend upon that, perhaps
I should make too bold with truth. 'Twas then commonly said that the
college held some lands by the custom of salting; but having never
since examined it, I know not how to account for it. One would think,
at first view, considering the foundation was designed for a nursery of
the Christian religion, and has not been in being much above 250 years,
that it is not likely any remains of the Gentiles, relating to their
sacrifices, should in so public a