"This Catholicke Treatise, which I have hope to see ere it be long, and if it come in time, I may chance by some appendix, to give you more notice of the particulars." In the conclusion (cap. xiii. §ix. p. 553.):-- "And now at this very instant having written hitherto, cometh to my handes the Catholicke Treatise itselfe of _Equivocation_ before meneyoned," &c.... "Albeit the whole Treatise itselfe be not large, nor conteyneth above 8 or 9 sheetes of written paper." And (§ xi. p. 554.):-- "Of ten chapters he omitteth three without mention." I.B. * * * * * FURTHER NOTES ON THE DERIVATION OF THE WORD "NEWS." I have too much respect for the readers of "NOTES AND QUERIES" to consider it necessary to point out _seriatim_ the false conclusions arrived at by MR. HICKSON, at page 81. The origin of "news" may now be safely left to itself, one thing at least being certain--that the original purpose of introducing the subject, that of disproving its alleged derivation from the points of the compass, is fully attained. No person has come forward to defend _that_ derivation, and therefore I hope that the credit of expunging such a fallacy from books of reference will hereafter be due to "NOTES AND QUERIES". I cannot avoid, however, calling Mr. Hickson's attention to one or two of the most glaring of his _non-sequiturs_. I quoted the Cardinal of York to show that in his day the word "newes" was considered plural. MR. HICKSON quotes _me_ to show that in the present day it is used in the singular; therefore, he thinks that the Cardinal of York was wrong: but he must pardon me if I still consider the Cardinal an unexceptional authority as to the usage of his own time. MR. HICKSON asserts that "odds" is not an English word; he classifies it as belonging to a language known by the term "slang," of which he declares his utter disuse. And he thinks that when used at all, the word is but an ellipsis for "_odd chances_." This was not the opinion of the great English lexicographer, who describes the word as-- "Odds; a noun substantive, from the adjective odd." and he defines its meaning as "inequality," or incommensurateness. He cites many examples of its use in its various significations, with any of which MR. HICKSON's substitution would play strange pranks; here is one from Milton:-- "I chiefly who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Pre-eminent by so much odds."