Has "H. EDWARDS" seen the _History of St. Cross Hospital_, by Mr. Moody, published within the last six months? It may materially assist him.
_A living Dog better than a dead Lion._--Your correspondent "MR. JOHN SANSOM" may, perhaps, accept the following as an answer to the first part of his Query (No. 22. p. 352.). In an ancient MS. preserved in the archives of the see of Ossory, at fol. 66., is entered, in a hand of the latter part of the fourteenth century, a list of ancient proverbs under the following heading:-- { 405}
"Eux sount les proverbes en fraunceys conferme par auctorite del _Dibil_?
"Chers amys receiuez de moy Un beau present q vo' envoy, Non pas dor ne dargent Mais de bon enseignment, Que en escriptur ai trove E de latin translatee, &c. &c."
"Meux valt un chien sein e fort Qe un leoun freid e mort; E meux valt povert od bountex Qe richeste od malueiste."
Jesus, the Son of Sirak, is not, however, the authority for this proverb; it occurs in the 9th chapter of Ecclesiastes and 4th verse.
And now, to ask a question in turn, what is meant by "auctorite _del Dibil_?"
_Monumental Brass_ (No. 16. p. 247.).--On the floor of the Thorncombe church, in the co. of Devon, is a splendid brass, representing Sir T. Brooke, and Joan, his wife, dated respectively 1419 and 1436. At the lower corner of the lady's robe is engraven a small dog, with a collar and bells. May not these figures be the private mark of the artist?
_The Wickliffite Version of the Scriptures._--I have in my possession a very fair MS. of Wickliff's translation of the New Testament; and should the editors of the Wickliffite Versions like to see my MS., and let me know to whom I may send it, I shall be happy to lend it them.
_Hever_ (pp. 269. 342.).--In confirmation of the meaning assigned to this word, there is an estate near Westerham, in Kent, called "Hever's-wood."
_Steward Family_ (No. 21. p. 335.).--Though not an answer to his question, "O.C." may like to be informed that the arms of the impalement in the drawing which he describes are (according to Izacke's _Exeter_) those which were borne by Ralph Taxall, Sheriff of Devon, in 1519. Pole calls him Texshall. Modern heralds give the coat to Pecksall of Westminster. If a conjecture may be hazarded, I would suggest that the coat was a modification of the ancient arms of Batishull: a crosslet in saltier, between four owls.