Weever, who mentions this custom, says, that he was informed that "this servile attendance was imposed, at the first, upon certaine tenants of divers mannors hereabouts, for conspiring in this place, at such an unseasonable time, to raise a commotion."] _Motto on old Damask._--Can your correspondents furnish an explanation of the motto herewith sent? It is taken from some damask table napkins which were bought many years back at Brussels; not at a shop in the ordinary way, but privately, from the family to whom they belonged. I presume the larger characters, if put together, will indicate the date of the event, whatever that may be, which is referred to in the motto itself. The motto is woven in the pattern of the damask, and consists of the following words in uncials, the letters of unequal size, as subjoined: "SIGNUM PACIS DATUR LORICAE." the larger letters being IUMCIDULIC. If the U's are taken as two V's, and written thus X, it gives the date MDCCLXIII. Perhaps this can be explained. H. [The chronogram above, which means "The signal of peace is given to the warrior," relates to the peace proclaimed between England and France in the year 1763. This event is noticed in the _Annual Register_, and in most of our popular histories. Keightley says, "The overtures of France for peace were readily listened to; and both parties being in earnest, the preliminaries were readily settled at Fontainebleau (Nov. 3rd). In spite of the declamation of Mr. Pitt and his party, they were approved of by large majorities in both Houses of Parliament, and a treaty was finally signed in Paris, Feb. 18, 1763." The napkins were probably a gift, on the occasion, to some public functionary. For the custom of noting the date of a great event by chronograms, see "N. & Q.," Vol. v., p. 585.] {12} _Explanation of the Word "Miser."_--Can any of your readers explain how and when _miser_ came to get the meaning of an avaricious hoarding man? In Spenser's _Faerie Queene_, II. l. 8., it is used in its nearly primary sense of "wretch:" "Vouchsafe to stay your steed for humble _miser's_ sake." Again, _Faerie Queene_, II. 3. 8.: "The _miser_ threw himself, as an offall, Straight at his foot in base humility." In Milton's _Comus_, which was written about fifty years after the first three books of the _Faerie Queene,_ the present signification of the word is complete: "You may as well spread out the unsunn'd heaps Of _miser's_ treasure by an outlaw's den, And tell me it is safe, as bid one hope Danger will sink on opportunity," &c. J. D. GARDNER. Bottisham. [The modern restricted use of the word _miser_ is subsequent to Shakspeare's time for in Part I. _King Henry VI._, Act V. Sc. 4., "Decrepit _miser_! base ignoble wretch!" Steevens says has no relation to avarice, but simply means a _miserable_ creature. So in the interlude of _Jacob and Esau_, 1568: