—In Dalyell's Fragments of Scottish History, I find the following:—
"The oldest known English watch was made, it is said, in the sixteenth century. There exists a watch, which, antiquarians allow, belonged to King Robert Bruce."—Preface, p. 3.
Can any correspondent of "N. & Q." give information regarding such an interesting relic of antiquity?
R. S. F.
Minor Queries Answered.
Hornchurch; Wrestling for the Boar's Head.
—I have extracted from the Daily News of the 5th instant, the following paragraph, which appears to have been quoted from the Chelmsford Chronicle, relative to this custom:—
"By ancient charter or usage in Hornchurch, a boar's head is wrestled for in a field adjoining the church; a boar, the property of the parish, having been slaughtered for the purpose. The boar's head, elevated on a pole, and decorated with ribbons, was brought into the ring, where the competitors entered and the prize awarded."
The paragraph goes on further to observe that if the prize be taken by a champion out of the parish, the charter is lost. And I shall be glad to know the origin of the custom, and of the notion of the charter or usage, as it is called, being lost if the prize be taken away as before alluded to. I observe that it is noticed in the Gentleman's Magazine for April, 1828, p. 305.