There is now living at Beaufort Iron Works, Breconshire, a respectable tradesman, bearing the name of Longfellow. He himself is a native of the town of Brecon, as was his father also. But his grandfather was a settler; though from what part of the country this last-named relative originally came, he is unfortunately unable to say. He has the impression, however, that it was from Cornwall or Devonshire. Perhaps this information will partly answer the question of Oxoniensis.
E. W. I.
It is by no means improbable that the name is a corruption of Longvillers, found in Northamptonshire as early as the reign of Edward I., and derived, I imagine, from the town of Longueville in Normandy. There is a Newton Longville in this county.
W. P. Storer.
Olney, Bucks.
Canting Arms (Vol. ix., p. 146.).—The introduction to the collection of arms alluded to was not written by Sir George Naylor, but by the Rev. James Dallaway, who had previously published his Historical Enquiries, a work well known.
G.
Holy Loaf Money (Vol. ix., p. 150.).—At some time before the date of present rubrics, it was the custom for every house in the parish to provide in rotation bread (and wine) for the Holy Communion. By the first book of King Edward VI., this duty was devolved upon those who had the cure of souls, with a provision "that the parishioners of every parish should offer every Sunday, at the time of the offertory, the just value and price of the holy loaf ... to the use of the pastors and curates" who had provided it; "and that in such order and course as they were wont to find, and pay the said holy loaf." This is, I think, the correct answer to the Query of T. J. W.
J. H. B.
"Could we with ink," &c. (Vol. viii., pp. 127. 180.).—The idea embodied in these lines was well known in the seventeenth century. The following "rhyme," extracted from a rare miscellany entitled Wits Recreations, 12mo., 1640, has reference to the subject.