Bacon (Vol. ii., p. 247.; Vol. iii., p. 41.).—I think that you have not noticed one very common use of this word, as evidently meaning beechen. Schoolboys call tops made of boxwood, boxers; while the inferior ones, which are generally made of beechwood, they call bacons.
H. T. Riley.
Angel-beast—Cleek—Longtriloo (Vol. v., p. 559.).—An account of these games, the nature of which is required by your correspondent, is given in the Compleat Gamester, frequently reprinted in the latter part of the seventeenth century. The first, which is there called beast, is said to derive its name from the French la bett, meaning, no doubt, bête. It seems to have resembled the game of loo. Gleek is the proper name of the second game, and not check, as your correspondent suggests. It was played by three persons, and the cards bore the names of Tib, Tom, Tiddy, Towser, and Tumbler. Hence we may conclude that it was an old English game. The third game, or lanterloo, is evidently the original form of the game now known as loo. Its name would seem to indicate a Dutch origin.
H. T. Riley.
Hans Krauwinckel (Vol. v., p. 450.).—When the ground in Charterhouse Square was opened in 1834, for the purposes of sewerage (I believe), vast numbers of bones and skeletons were found, being the remains, as was supposed, of those who died of the Plague in 1348, and had been interred in that spot, as forming a part of Pardon Churchyard, which had lately been purchased by Sir Walter Manny, for the purposes of burial, and attached to the Carthusian convent there. Among the bones a few galley halfpence, and other coins, were found, as also a considerable number of abbey counters or jettons. I do not recollect if there was any date on the counters but the name "Hans Krauwinckel" occurred on some of them which fell into my possession, and which I gave some years ago to the Museum of the City Library, Guildhall. If these were coeval, as was generally supposed, with the Plague of 1348, it is singular that the same name should be found on abbey counters with the date 1601. I should be obliged if any of your correspondents could inform me when the use of jettons ceased in England; and whether Pardon Churchyard was used as a place of sepulture after 1348, and, if so, how long?
H. T. Riley.
Revolving Toy (Vol. vi., p. 517.).—The Chinese have lanterns with paper figures in them which revolve by the heat, and are very common about New Year time.
H. B.
Shanghai.
Rub-a-dub (Vol. iii., p. 388.).—Your correspondent seems at a loss for an early instance of this expression. In Percy's Reliques there is a song, the refrain or burden of which is: