[Barrett, in his _History of Bristol_, p. 72., gives a clue to the origin of this local name: "Before the quay was made the usual place, as Leland says, for landing goods out of the ships was at the Back (or _Bec_, a Saxon word for a river), where was the old Custom-house. The quay being completed, and the marsh of Bristol thereby effectually divided from that {518} of St. Augustine, houses and streets began to be built there; Marsh Street terminated with a chapel, dedicated to St. Clement, and a gate; and Back Street, with a gate also, and a chapel near it, dedicated to St. John, and belonging to St. Nicholas; the church of St. Stephen and its dependent parish, and the buildings between the Back and the quay, seem to have taken their rise at this period, and were all enclosed with a strong embattled wall, _externa_ or _secunda moenia urbis_, extending from the quay to the Back, where King Street has since been built."] _Broom at Mast-head._--Whence did the custom originate of a broom being fastened to the mast-head of boats and small craft, to indicate their being for sale? J. R. G. Dublin. [It originated from the old custom of putting up boughs upon anything which was intended for sale; and "this is the reason," says Brande, "why an old besom (which is a sort of _dried bush_) is put up at the top-mast-head of a ship or boat when she is to be sold."] * * * * * Replies. THE ADVICE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO JULIUS III. (Vol. viii., p. 54.; Vol. ix. _passim_.) Your correspondent NOVUS has very judiciously warned controversialists on the use of a document as emanating from the papal court, which, to every one who reads it through (if a shorter examination will not be satisfactory), must carry evidence of its not being papal authority, but intended as a satire on Rome. A writer in the _Christian Remembrancer_, vol. xii., attaches undue importance to the signatures, in the absence of which, he admits, "we should conclude that this was the production of some enemy in disguise." In a 4to. volume of Tracts now before me is a copy of the genuine document-- "Consilium delectorum cardinalium et aliorum prælatorum, de emendanda ecclesia. S. D. N. Papa Paulo III. ipso jubente conscriptum et exhibitum anno 1538;" two copies of the supposititious "Consilium quorundam episcoporum Bononiæ congregatorum quod de ratione stabiliendæ Romanæ ecclesiæ Julio III. Pont. Max. datum est. Quo artes et astutiæ Romanensium et arcana imperii papalis non pauca propalantur. Ex bibliotheca W. Crashauii. Londini, 1613;" and several other tracts, so rare that an enumeration of them, and a few extracts, will perhaps be acceptable to many of the readers of "N. & Q." Fourth in order: "Marcus Antonius de Dominis archiepiscopus Spalatensis, suæ profectionis consilium exponit. Londini, 1616."