_Ecclesiastical Year_ (No. 24. p. 381.).--"NATHAN" is informed, that, according to the legal supputation, until A.D. 1752, the year of Our Lord in that part of Great Britain called England, began on the 25th day of March, as he will find stated in the 24 Geo. II. c. 23., by which Act it was enacted, that the 1st day of January next following the last day of December, 1751, should be the first day of the year 1752; and that the 1st day of January in every year in time to come should be the first day of the year. Philippe de Thaun, in his _Livre des Creatures_, which was written in the first half of the twelfth century, p. 48. of the edition published for the Historical Society of Science, has some remarks which may interest your correspondent, that are thus literally translated by Mr. Wright:-- "In March, the year ought always to begin, According to that explanation which we find in the book, That in the twelve kalends of April, as your understand, Our Creator formed the first, Where the sun always will begin his course, But at all times we make the year begin in January, Because the Romans did so first; We will not un-make what the elders did." ARUN. * * * * * _Hanap._--Among the specimens of ancient and mediaeval art now exhibiting in John Street, Adelphi, I was struck with the number of gilt cups, called in the catalogue _hanaps_. The word was new to me; but I have since met with it (as frequently happens after one's interest has been excited with respect to a word) in Walter Scott's _Quentin Durward_, in vol. i. chap. 3.; or rather, vol. xxxi. p. 60. of the edition in 48 vols., Cadell, 1831; in which place the context of the scene appears to connect the idea of _hanap_ with a cup containing treasure. Now I cannot find _hanap_ in any dictionary to which I have access; but I find _hanaper_ in every one. Johnson, and others, give the word _Hanaper_ as synonymous with _treasury_ or _exchequer_. They also contract _Hanaper_ into _Hamper_. For example, in Dyche's _English Dictionary_, 17th ed. Lond. 1794, we have,-- "_Hamper_, or _Hanaper_, a wicker basket made with a cover to fasten it up with; also, an office in Chancery; the clerk or warden of the _Hanaper_ receives all monies due to the king for seals of charters, &c.... and takes into his custody all sealed charters, patents, &c.,... which he now puts into bags, but anciently, it is supposed, into _Hampers_, which gave the denomination to the office." And perhaps it may be remarked here, since we commonly say of a man in difficulties that he is "exchequered" or in "chancery," that so we probably intend to express the same, when we say a man is _hanapered_, or _hampered_.