Each printer hence, howe'er unblest his walls,
E'en to this day, his house a chapel calls."
Mr. Nichols acknowledges that what he calls a vulgar error was current and popular, that in some part of the Abbey Caxton did erect his press, yet we are expected to submit to the almost unsupported dictum of that gentleman, and renounce altogether the old and almost universal idea. With respect to his alarm that the vulgar error is about to be further propagated by an engraving, wherein the mistaken draftsman has deliberately represented the printers at work within the consecrated walls of the church itself, I may be permitted to say, on behalf of the painter, that he has erected his press not even on the basement of one of the Abbey chapels, but in an upper story, a beautiful screen separating the workplace from the more sacred part of the building.
JOHN CROPP.
COLD HARBOUR.
(Vol. i., p. 60.; Vol. ii., p. 159.)
I beg leave to inform you that Yorkshire has its "Cold Harbour," and for the origin of the term, I subjoin a communication sent me by my father:—
"When a youngster, I was a great seeker for etymologies. A solitary farm-house and demesne were pointed out to me, the locality of which was termed Căd, or Cŭdhāber, or Cŭdhārber. Conjectures, near akin to those now presented, occurred to me. I was invited to inspect the locality. I dined with the old yeoman (aged about eighty) who occupied the farm. He gave me the etymology. In his earlier days he had come to this farm; a house was not built, yet he was compelled by circumstances to bring over part of his farming implements, &c. He, with his men-servants, had no other shelter at the time than a dilapidated barn. When they assembled to eat their cold provisions, the farmer cried out, 'Hegh lads, but there's cauld (or caud) harbour here.' The spot had no name previously. The rustics were amused by the farmer's saying. Hence the locality was termed by them Cold Harbour, corrupted, Cădhārber, and the etymon remains to this day. This information put an end to my enquiries about Cold Harbour."
C.M.J.