Earth thrown upon the Coffin.—Is there anything known respecting the origin of the ceremony of throwing earth upon the coffin at funerals? The following note is from a little German tale, Die Richtensteiner, by Van der Velde, a tale of the time of the Thirty Years' war. Whether the ceremony is still performed in Germany as there described, I do not know.
"Darauf warfen, nach der alten, frommen Sitte, zum letzten Lebewohl, der Wittwer, und die Waisen drei Hände voll Erde auf den Sarg hinunter ... Alle Zuschauer drangten sich nur um das Grab ... und aus hundert Händen flog die Erde hinab auf den Sarg."
J. M. (4.)
Family of Rowe.—Lysons, in his work Environs of London, gives an extract from the will of Sir Thomas Rowe, of Hackney, and, as his authority, says in a note:—
"Extracts of Wills in the Prerogative Office, by E. Rowe Mores, Esq., in the possession of Th. Astle, Esq., F.R.A.S."
Can any of your numerous readers inform me in whose possession the above now is? And whether, wherever it is, it is open to inspection?
Tee Bee.
Portus Canum.—Erim, one of the biographers of Becket, states that the archbishop's murderers
(S. Thom. Cantuar., ed. Giles, vol. i. p. 65.), having crossed from France, landed at Portus Canum. It has been conjectured that this means Hythe, which is close to Saltwood Castle, where the knights were received by Ranulph de Broc (English Review, December, 1846, p. 410.). Is the conjecture right? I believe Hasted does not notice the name.
J. C. R.