According to the traditions of the Church, Saint Bartholomew was flayed alive, and his skin rolled up and tied to his back. When the religious dramas, called _Mysteries_, came into vogue, this martyrdom was represented on the stage at Melun, and the character of the saint was personated by one _Languille_. In the course of the performance, the executioner, armed with a knife, made his appearance; and as he proceeded to counterfeit the operation of flaying, Languille became terrified and uttered the most piteous cries, to the great amusement of the spectators. The audience thereupon exclaimed, "Languille crie avant qu'on l'écorche;" and hence the "jeu de mots," and the proverb. HENRY H. BREEN. St. Lucia, June, 1851. _Derivation of Mews._-- "Muette. C'est le nom qu'on donne à un Edifice élevé au bout d'un parc de maison royale ou seigneuriale, pour servir de logement aux officiers de la venerie, et dans lequel il y a aussi des Chenils, des cours, écuries, &c. Ce terme _Muette_, vient, dit-on, de _Mue_, parceque c'est dans ces maisons que les Gardes, et autres officiers de chasse, apportent les _Mues_ ou bois que les Cerfs quittent et laissent dans les Forêts."--Lacombe, _Dictionnaire portatif des Beaux Arts, &c._ Nouvelle Edition: Paris, 1759. Is this a better explanation of the English word _mews_ than has generally been given by writers? W. P. _Curious Monumental Inscriptions._--In the south aisle of Martham Church, Norfolk, are two slabs, of which one, nearly defaced, bears the following inscription: Here Lyeth The Body of Christo Burraway, who departed this Life ye 18 day of October, Anno Domini 1730. Aged 59 years. And there Lyes [pointing hand symbol] Alice who by hir Life Was my Sister, my mistres My mother and my wife. Dyed Feb. ye 12. 1729. Aged 76 years. The following explanation is given of this enigmatical statement. Christopher Burraway was the fruit of an incestuous connexion between a father and daughter, and was early placed in the Foundling Hospital, from whence, when he came of age, he was apprenticed to a farmer. Coming in after years by chance to Martham, he was hired unwittingly by his own mother as farm steward, her father (or rather the father of both) being dead. His conduct proving satisfactory to his mistress she married him who thus became, successively, mother, sister, mistress, and wife, to this modern OEdipus. The episode remains to be told. Being discovered by his wife to be her son, by a peculiar mark on his shoulder, she was so horror-stricken that she soon after died, he surviving her scarcely four months. Of the other slab enough remains to show that it covered her remains; but the registers from 1729 to 1740 are unfortunately missing so that I cannot trace the family further. E. S. T.