St. Werburgh's (Cathedral) Chester, Acton, Audlem, Nantwich, Wybunbury; all in Cheshire and adjoining parishes.
Madeley, Staffordshire. In this place also (Audlem) the very ancient custom of chiming at funerals is still maintained.
T. H. Kersley, B.A.
Audlem, Nantwich.
Thomas Blount (Vol. viii., p. 286.).—Since forwarding the monumental inscription inserted as above, which makes this gentleman's death to take place on Dec. 26, I find that Sir William Dugdale, with whom Blount was on terms of intimacy, as he calls him "my very worthy friend," has the following notice of him in his Diary under the year 1679:
"December 16. Mr. T. Blount dyed, at Orlton, Herefordshire, of an apoplexie."
Thus making a difference of ten days, which is probably an error made by the engraver of the inscription. It may be interesting to know from the same authority, that Mr. Blount's chamber was in Fig Tree Court, on the back side of the Inner Temple Hall, London, his country residence being at Orlton. From his correspondence with Sir William, it appears that he rendered him much assistance in his works.
J. B. Whitborne.
Pronunciations of "Coke" and "Cowper" (Vols. iv. and v. passim; Vol. vi., p. 16.).—So much, and so well to the purpose, has already been said in "N. & Q.," in support of the averment that the former of these names was originally pronounced Cook, that it may appear needless to adduce additional evidence; still, considering the source from which the testimony I am now bringing forward is derived, I think I may stand excused for recurring to the subject. It is from the Court Books of the manor of Mitcham (the birthplace of Sir Edward Coke), and from the parochial registers; in which, and, indeed, in all cotemporary records where sound was followed in the spelling, I find the name of this family written
Cook or Cooke. The great Sir Edward's own baptismal register is thus entered—1551, Feb. 7. "Edward Cooke genero." Surely this is conclusive. The same pronunciation was vulgarly followed almost up to the present time. There must be many who remember at the Norfolk elections the cry of "Cook for ever," as well as that of the opposite political party who threw up their caps for Woodhouse; for so Wodehouse was in like manner pronounced. Again, the Hobarts, another Norfolk family, were always called Hubbarts; and more anciently Bokenham, Buckenham, Todenham, Tuddenham, and others I could name, showing that in the Norfolk dialect the usage was in pronunciation to soften the o.