knight of Norfolk, was arraigned before the King's Justices (sitting in the great hall at Greenwich) master Gage controller of the king's household, Master Suthwell, Sir Anthonie Browne, Sir Anthonie Wingfielde, Master Wrisley, and Edmonde Pecham cofferer of the king's household, for striking of one Master Clere of Norfolke, seruant with the earle of Surrey, within the king's house in the Tenise Court. There was first chosen to go vpon the said Edmond a quest of gentlemen, and a quest of yeomen, to inquire of the saide stripe, by the which inquests, he was founde giltie, and had judgement to lose his right hande: whereupon was called to do the execution, first the sergeant chirurgion (surgeon) with his instruments appertaining to his office: the sergeant of the wood-yarde with the mallet and a blocke whereupon the hande should lie the master cooke for the king with the knife: the sergeant of the larder to set the knife right on the ioint: the sergeant farrier with his searing irons to seare the veines: the sergeant of the poultrie with a cocke, which cocke should haue his head smitten off upon the same blocke, and with the same knife: the yeoman of the chandrie with seare clothes: the yeoman of the scullerie with a pan of fire to heate the irons: a chafer of water to coole the ends of the irons and two fourms for al officers to set their stuffe on the sergeant of the seller with wine, ale, and beere: the yeomen of the ewrie in the sergeants steed, who was absent, with bason, ewre, and towels. Thus euery man in his office ready to do the execution, there was called foorth Sir William Pickering knight marshall, to bring in the said Edmonde Kneuet, and when he was brought to the barre, the chiefe Justice declared to him his trespasse, and the said Kneuet confessing himselfe to be giltie, humbly submitted him to the king's mercie: for this offence he was not onely judged to lose his hand, but also his bodie to remaine in prison, and his lands and goodes at the king's pleasure. Then the saide Sir Edmonde Kneuet desired that the king of his beninge grace would pardon him of his right hande, and take the left: for (quoth he) if my right hande be spared, I may heereafter do such good seruice to his grace, as shall please him to appoint. Of this submission and request, the Justices foorthwith informed the king, who of his goodnes, considering the gentle hart of the saide Edmonde, and the good report of lords and ladies, granted him pardon, that he should lose neither hand, land, nor goods, but should go free at libertie."-(P. 980.)

I will now hasten to conclude this lengthy note without further digression. The officers, attendant on a bishop, or on the members of an ecclesiastical corporation, are denominated vergers (i. e. bearers of the wand.) This is, as it should be. Those, whose peculiar duty it is to inculcate peace, and, by their acts, to exemplify the harmlessness of doves, would present an appearance in ill accordance with their stations and profession, were they preceded by the warlike mace. The slender wands, tipped with the representations of the Sacred Book, the lambthe scallop or the dove, are much more appropriate. These are the insignia of the Cathedral Establishment of Salisbury. The ecclesiastical attendants are as a guard of honour alone; for, as the preachers, and the lovers, of peace, the members of such a corporation have not to expect, nor to fear, external violence.

Although I cannot, decidedly, prove, that the mace is, both as to its name, and as to the article itself, of Indian Origin, it only remains for me to close these observations by strong corroborative evidence.

As Dr. Meyrick, in the "Introduction" to his work on " Ancient Armour," imputes the use of the mace as an implement of war, generally, amongst the ancient nations of the East, so even in the present day is that of the club very prevalent with the Asiatic States. The use of the mace, however, in the East, as an instrument denotive of civil distinction, is well demonstrated. In the 16th Vol. of the Archæologia, Anthony Carlisle, Esq., gives the description (with a plate) " of five maces, which were found in the fort of Agra, when captured by the British Army in the month of October, 1803."

"These instruments" (says he) were taken out of the Arsenal, together with some treasure, and are stated to have been carried before the native Princes on grand public processions." The whole bear the appearance of civic instruments. Two have ornamental iron heads; but, from their massiveness, they may have been considered as protecting guards. The third is thus described: "An iron hand with a smooth stem, the thumb and little finger of which are ornamented with imitations of rings and jewels. The curved position of the fingers is said to denote protection; so that this instrument may be considered as the symbol of power offering protection." The remaining two " are blades of an alloy of copper fixed on iron handles: one side of each is sharpened, and they are said to allude to

criminal punishment, but are not models of any instrument now

used for that purpose." Mr. Carlisle further observes, "that at the bottom of each shaft is a smooth space apparently intended for the hand of the bearer; and that these instruments, from their weight, must have rested upon the shoulder." Their length varies from 25 to 30 inches.

I here feel it necessary, briefly, to mention the instrument used at the billiard-table under the name of the mace. Of the origin of the game of billiards little is known. Etymologists derive its name from the French Language, and it is supposed to have been introduced from France, or Italy. That Shakspeare was acquainted with the game of billiards is evident; he makes Cleopatra say to Charmian, one of her attendants, "Let us to billiards." Spencer also alludes to the game in "Mother Hubbard's Tale." The industrious Strutt, in his "Sports and Pastimes of the People of England," speaks of billiards. He attributes, and rightly so, I think, its origin to an early game played with a bowl, and "a battoon, or mace," on the ground, when the bowl was driven through an arch towards a mark at a distance from it. Strutt, however, appears to be ignorant as to the country, in which the game of billiards originated, nor does he make any observation whatever as to its principal instrument -the mace. Chess is generally believed to have originated in the East; but I have no reason to think, that this was the case with billiards, and the instrument attached to that game under the name of the mace, I have no doubt, received that appellation from its thickened termination, and propelling power-from its, somewhat, assimilation in this respect to the mace of war. In the Sanscrit Language, or in some one of its varied dialects, I am strongly inclined to think, that the Oriental Scholar might develope the etymon of mace as an implement of war, or honour. Mace (however it may be derived) is eminently a word of Indian Use. A small native gold coin is current in the Island of Sumatra under the name of the mace; and the well-known spice, called the mace, is also an Indian Product. It is the fulvous, tough, reticulate covering, which, beneath the husk, envelopes the nut of the nutmeg-tree, or the Myristica aromatica, the product of Banda, and other neighbouring Isles of the Indian Ocean.

Minshieu, in his definition of the word mace, when used to

"Antony and Cleopatra." Act ii. Scene v.

denote an implement of war, or honour, saith thus: "Quidam deducunt ab Arabicè Maçmah, idem omninò significante. Quidam ab Hebr. Matsa, i. e. præmo; vel ratione ponderis, vel ratione finis, qui est autoritatis & iurisdictionis alicuius signum." Thus the word seems allied to the Hebrew and the Arabic, which latter tongue is known to be more peculiarly connected with the Sanscrit, the venerable parent of all the Indian Dialects.

It does appear, then, that mace, in other significations, is eminently in use in India-that the instrument of war, and the insigne of civil dignity, so called, were, and are, in use in the Eastern States, and from hence we may feel considerable confidence in the assurance, that the mace, both as a weapon of war and the token of honour, primarily attaches itself to India.

66

Since the committal to the press of the earlier portion of this dissertation on the mace, an illustrative example of the office of the Grecian 'Paßdexos has presented itself to my notice; indeed so clearly descriptive is it, that I cannot refrain from here introducing it to the notice of my readers. This example of that office occurs in the 16th chapter of the "Acts of the Apostles," where Paul and Silas are delivered from their imprisonment at Philippi, as thus it is said in the 35th verse: Ἡμέρας δὲ γενομένης, ἀπέστειλαν οἱ στρατηγοὶ τοὺς ῥαβδούχους, λέγοντες" ̓Απόλυσον τοὺς ȧrogwπous insívous."-" And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go." The following two verses succeed-36. "And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go now therefore depart, and go in peace." 37. "But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison, and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out." And these two verses are succeeded by this again illustrative 38th verse : “ 'Ανήγγειλαν δὲ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς οἱ ῥαβδἔχοι τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα· καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν, ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Ῥωμαῖοί εἰσι.” "And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard, that they were Romans."

NOTE 5-(p. 22.)

"Quod Thomas Halle tertius claviger habeat de maiore et communitate pro salario suo vis. viiid. et esculeta sua et liveratus

de maiore." Thus was it decided, that Thomas Halle, the third mace-bearer, should receive as his salary six shillings and eightpence from the Mayor and Commonalty, and his board and livery from the Mayor. Six shillings and eightpence for a year's wages, gentle reader, does appear, at first sight, a very slender remuneration; but let us remember, that he was supplied also with food and clothes. Henry, in his "History of Britain," calculates, that, by the depreciation of money, its mean value in the fifteenth century was tenfold greater than that of the period, of which he wrote, the eighteenth century; consequently, the foregoing sum of six shillings, and eight pence, was equal to that of three pounds, six shillings, and eightpence, of the present day. Wages, however, have advanced in a greater ratio than this.

NOTES TO ESSAY III.

NOTE 1-(p. 27.)

"Labarum." This word signifies that peculiar Roman Standard, which was adopted by Constantine, the Great, and also used by his successors. In my text (whence the reference to this note) I was somewhat incorrect in the statement, that, prior to the use of the Labarum, the Romans had but one standard-the eagle. I should have said, that this was their principal one, but that, amongst others, they had, also, a banner of a square form, but not possessing the name of the Labarum. "The Romans" (says Fosbroke) "borrowed it" (this square banner)" from the Germans, Dacians, &c., and, upon coins of Augustus, and of the Emperors preceding Constantine, it refers to some conquered nation."* I cannot, at present, vouch for the fact, but, I think, it is probable, that, during the Republic at least, they bore a square vexillum inscribed with the letters S. P. Q. R., i. e. "Senatus, Populusque, Romanus," indicative of the national union, and power. The vexillum is supposed to have differed from the Labarum in being only attached to the upper edge, whereas the latter was preserved more securely in

Encycl. of Antiq." Vol. 1, p. 281.