The size of the oak panel, which is thick, is seventeen inches wide, and twenty-two in height. The motto is in a cursive hand, apparently of about the time of Edward VI.
T.W.
Wives, Custom of Selling.—Has there ever been any foundation in law for the practice of selling of wives, which our neighbours the French persist in believing to be perfectly legal and common at the present day? What was the origin of the custom? An amusing series of "Notes" might be made, from instances in which the custom is introduced as characteristic of English manners, by French and other foreign writers.
G.L.B.
Hepburn Crest and Motto.—Can some of your numerous readers give me the origin of the crest and motto of the family of Hepburn, namely, a horse argent, furnished gules, passant, and tied to a tree proper. Motto, "Keep Traist."
I should also be glad to know the name of any book containing the legends, or authentic stories, relating to the heraldic bearings of various families?
R.E.
Concolinel.—I have recently met with a curious manuscript which contains numerous tunes of the time of Queen Elizabeth, one of which is stated in a recent hand to be the "tune of Concolinel mentioned by Shakspeare;" but the old index, if there was one that indicated this, is now missing. My reason for writing to you is to ask whether Dr. Rimbault, or any of your other correspondents, can refer me to any information that will enable me to ascertain whether my MS. really contains that tune. It certainly does contain several others noticed by Shakspeare.
R.
"One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church."—Can any of your correspondents inform me how, or why, the word "holy" is omitted in the above article of the Nicene (Constantinopolitan) Creed, in all our Prayer-books? It is not omitted in the original Greek and Latin.