[Guineas].—What is the earliest instance of the use of the word guinea as a name for a coin? The common story is, that the piece of twenty-one shillings was so called in the reign of Charles II. from being made of gold from Guinea. What coin is meant in the following receipt?—
"Sachent tous que Mons. Gualhard de Dureffourt ... ad recue ... quatorze guianois dour et dys sondz de la mon[oye] currant a Burdeux."
The date is 12. Nov. 1387. The document is quoted in Madox's Baronia Anglica, p. 159. note d.
A.J.H.
[Parish Registers Tax].—In the Parish Register of Wigston Magna, Leicestershire, are the following entries against several dates in the Baptisms and Burials:—
1784. Septr. 5th (Burials), "P'd Tax to y's Day." —— Novr. 28th (Baptisms), "p'd Tax." 1785. Octr. 14th (Baptisms), "p'd Tax to this Day." 1786. Septr. 12th (Christenings), "p'd tax to this Day." 1786. Septr. 1st (Burials), "p'd tax to this Day." 1787. July 31st (Baptisms), "P'd Tax to this Day." —— Septr. 27th (Burials), "P'd Tax to this Day."
| 1784. | Septr. 5th (Burials), "P'd Tax to y's Day." |
| —— | Novr. 28th (Baptisms), "p'd Tax." |
| 1785. | Octr. 14th (Baptisms), "p'd Tax to this Day." |
| 1786. | Septr. 12th (Christenings), "p'd tax to this Day." |
| 1786. | Septr. 1st (Burials), "p'd tax to this Day." |
| 1787. | July 31st (Baptisms), "P'd Tax to this Day." |
| —— | Septr. 27th (Burials), "P'd Tax to this Day." |
I should be glad to be informed what tax is here referred to. These are all the entries of the kind.
ARUN.
[Charade].—Can any of your readers help me to a solution of the following poetical charade, which I believe appeared in the Times newspaper a few years back with this heading to it:—