As I have in the press a History of the Cathedral of St. Canice, Kilkenny, which latter contains a monument and a fine bust of Sir Dennis Pack by Chantrey, and of which his father the Rev. Thomas
Pack, D.D., was dean, any information which will enable me to complete the pedigree between Simon Pack and the above-named Thomas will be thankfully received.
James Graves.
Kilkenny.
Haveringemere.—Gervase of Tilbury, in the 4th book of his Otia Imperialia, sect. 88., mentions a certain pond or mere lying near the confines of Wales, and named Haveringemere, of which the peculiarity is, that if a person passing over it in a boat utters, in a loud voice, certain opprobrious words, a commotion arises in the waters and sinks the boat. The words, as printed in the edition of Leibnitz (Leibnitii Scriptores Brunsvicenses, tom. i. p. 990.), are "Prout haveringemere aut allethophe cunthefere;" which he explains to mean, "Phrut tibi, mare, et omnibus qui te transfretant." He adds with great simplicity: "Et satis mirandum, quod aquæ hujus modi concipiunt indignationes." It is plain that we ought to read, "Phrut Haveringemere, and alle thai that on thee fere" (i. e. ferry). Phrut or prut is a word of contempt, of which Mr. Halliwell gives an instance, s. v. Prut, from an Harleian MS.: "And seyth prut for thy cursing prest." Is anything known of this mere at the present day, and is there any remnant of this old superstition? Gervase wrote his book anno 1211.
C. W. G.
Old Pictures of the Spanish Armada.—At Beddington Hall, famous for its fine banqueting-hall, in which Queen Elizabeth feasted, I have heard that there used to be one or more pictures of the Spanish Armada, presented by Elizabeth herself to the family resident there. Can any reader of "N. & Q." inform me whether these pictures (if more than one) are still in existence: if so, where they are, and whether they are to be seen? A large gilt lock, also presented by Queen Elizabeth, still remains on one of the doors of the said banqueting-hall.
J. S. A.
Old Broad Street.
Bell Inscription.—The following inscription occurs on two bells formerly belonging to St. Sepulchre's Church, Cambridge. I should be glad of an explanation: