“Le Duc de Monmout donna six guinées au Bourreau de Londres, pour lui bien couper la tête; mais le misérable ne mérroit par ces guinées, puisqu’il la lui coupa très mal.”
This anecdote is introduced, in the form of a note, into the folio Dictionary of Pierre Richelet, a most valuable work, and full of history, ancient and modern. Can any of your correspondents produce the authority for this anecdote? Richelet himself does not give any, but merely relates the story, apparently with a view of illustrating the term “guinea,” as applied to the gold coin of Charles the Second. Vid, voc. “Guinée.”
J.I.
By Hook or by Crook.—I send you a note, which I made some years ago.
This expression is much more ancient than the time of Charles I., to which it is generally referred. It occurs in Skelton, Colin Clout, line 31. a fine:—
“Nor wyll suffer this boke
By hooke ne by crooke
Prynted for to be.”
In Spenser, f. 2. v. ii. 27.:—
“Thereafter all that mucky pelfe he tooke,