Notes and Queries, Number 55, November 16, 1850Various
History
Notes and Queries, Number 55, November 16, 1850
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
28. _Schomberg House, Pall Mall_, (now, I believe, about to be pulled
down), was once the residence of that celebrated "quack" Dr. Graham. Here,
in 1783, he erected his _Temple of Health_. He afterwards removed to Panton
Street, Haymarket, where he first exhibited his _Earth Bath_. I do not find
any mention of Graham in Mr. Cunningham's book.
EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.
* * * * *
FOLK LORE.
_Laying a Ghost._--Frequent mention is made of the laying of ghosts, and in
many localities the tradition of such an event is extant. At Cumnor, Lady
Dudley (Amy Robsart's) ghost is said to have been laid by nine Oxford
parsons, and the tradition is still preserved by the villagers; but nowhere
have I been able to ascertain what was the ceremony on such an occasion.
Is anything known on the subject?
A.D.B.
Abingdon, Nov. 1850.
_A Test of Witchcraft._--Among the many tests applied for the discovery of
witchcraft was the following. It is, I believe, a singular instance, and
but little known to the public. It was resorted to as recently as 1759, and
may be found in the _Gentleman's Magazine_ of that year.
"One _Susannah Hannokes_, an elderly woman of Wingrove, near
Ayleshbury, was accused by a neighbour for bewitching her
spinning-wheel, so that she could not make it go round, and offered to
make oath of it before a majistrate; on which the husband, to justify
his wife, insisted upon her being tried by the Church Bible, and that
the accuser should be present: accordingly she was conducted to the
parish church, where she was stript of all her cloathes to her shift
and undercoat, and weighed against the Bible; when, to the no small
mortification of her accuser, she outweighed it, and was honorably
acquitted of the charge."
A.D.N.
Abingdon, Nov. 1850.
* * * * * {405}
MINOR NOTES.
_Quin's incoherent Story._--The comic story of Sir Gammer Vans (Vol. ii.,
p. 280.) reminds me of an anecdote related of Quin, who is said to have
betted Foote a wager that he would speak some nonsense which Foote could
not repeat off-hand after him. Quin then produced the following string of
incoherences:--
"So she went into the garden to pick a cabbage leaf, to make an
apple-pie of; and a she-bear, coming up the street, put her head into
the shop, and said 'Do you sell any soap?' So she died, and he very
imprudently married the barber; and the powder fell out of the
counsellor's wig, and poor Mrs. Mackay's puddings were quite entirely
spoilt; and there were present the Garnelies, and the Goblilies, and
the Picninnies, and the Great Pangendrum himself, with the little round
button at top, and they played at the ancient game of 'Catch who catch
can,' till the gunpowder ran out of the heels of their boots."
L.
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