That is, the whole number of Orations of the different Orators is forty-one."

Such are the contents of this precious volume, precious I say, because I believe it stands alone as to its contents as a MS. in this country. What may be still lurking in the libraries of Italy, or to be found among the literary spoliations of Paris, it is not possible to say: but it is worthy of remark, that the Medicean MS. written on paper, seems of inferior note compared with this. A Dutch scholar of the name of Janus Otto Sluiter has lately published (i. e. 1804) at Leyden, an octavo volume, entitled LECTIONES ANDOCIDE E, interspersed with conjectural emendations from the papers of Valkenaer, and readings gathered from a MS. collation on the margin of a copy of Aldus. These readings are mostly corroborated by the Codex Crippsianus, as well as the greater part of the conjectures of the great Valkenaer.

M. R.

This MS. was brought over by W. Cripps, Esq. and purchased by Messrs. Nicol, for 355 guineas.

ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS, &c.

ART. DCCCXCVII. Explanation of some obsolete English Words.

TO THE EDITOR OF CENSURA LITERARIA.

SIR,

I AM tempted to explain some of the words of which S. desires to know the meaning in CENSURA, Vol. V. p. 214.

P. 217. "What are gayes?" Gayes is probably a corruption (as S. suspects in p. 225) or different way of spelling gise, a goad, or pike; but guisarme is not a "walking stick armed with an iron head," but is explained in Bailey's Dictionary as a "military weapon with two points or pikes," from Chaucer.

P. 217. "What are baselardes ?" This is also said by Bailey from Chaucer, to mean "a dagger or wood-knife."

P. 220. "What is noone meate different from dinner?" Noone-meate is the same as noonchion, since corrupted into lunchion, originally an afternoon's repast, but now used for that taken between breakfast and dinner.

P. 221. "Curle or cockle." To cockle is explained by Bailey to mean "to pucker, shrink, or wrinkle up as some cloth does;" to " curle" therefore in its common acceptation is nearly synonimous.

P. 221. "What is the nature of horse bread?” I dare say you are correct in your reference to the Northumberland Household Book, but horse bread is probably no longer used in this island. In Flan

ders, and some parts of France, it is still common to give horses rye bread, which is cut for them in large slices from the loaf, and given them to eat in their mangers, mixed with beer. I have frequently seen it, even so lately as in the year 1791.

P. 222. "What are salets and pelletts?" Salet, sallad, or salade, is a helmet or skull cap. The word is still in use in Ireland, as Miss Owenson affirms in her novel of the "Wild Irish Girl." It is common in old French and English writers. Вгantome and Du Belley both use it; and you will find in Shakspeare, Henry VI. Part II. act iv. scene 9, "but for a sallet my brain-pan had been cleft with a brown bill." Pellets are, according to Bailey, “little balls;" in the present case I take them to be such balls as were used to be shot from 'the cross-bow; for the cross-bow sometimes discharged short arrows, sometimes balls, and sometimes bolts, which last are frequently mentioned by Froissart.

P. 222. "What means by the borde?" I doubt whether borde means border or edge; if it does, the conjecture is probably just. But is not borde a corruption or abbreviation of bordage, (as "bord-halfpenny" is) a duty paid for selling in a market? If so, by the borde may mean "according to the custom of the market."

P. 223. "Foricis duploibus defensivis," I should be tempted to translate "a double breast plate for defence," the Latinized Norman or English in old law proceedings is frequently incapable of being reduced to any rules of grammar. I think it has no'thing to do with doublet, which did not use to be considered as a "coarse thick waistcoat," but was a part of a gentleman's apparel. Sir George Sondes

uses the word in his narrative, in 1656, in speaking of the dress of both his sons.

P. 224. "Geasse ne other enchantment.". I find in Bailey, geason, an old word for " rare, uncommon;" possibly geasse may have the same meaning, and be here applied to "rare or uncommon" arts: in the Acts of the Apostles (ch. xix. v. 19) we find curious arts, for magic or sorcery. Geasse can hardly mean gayes or gys, because no weapon seems to be aliuded to in the oath, but only unlawful means of defence.

The vindication of Blackstone is very clear and satisfactory.

P. M.

ART. DCCCXCVIII. Concerning the different classes in the kingdom of Denmark, 1016. By Baron Maseres.

IN the fourth volume of this work, p. 147, I have given an account of the "Emma Encomium, &c." extracted from Duchesne's Scriptores Normanni, and edited by Baron Maseres. I have been favoured with two additional sheets, to that very learned and interesting volume, which, I hope, will soon be given to the public; and from which I am permitted to copy some important additions to the following words, at p. 3.

"Omnes enim erant nobiles, omnes plenæ ætatis robore valentes, omnes cuivis pugnæ satis habiles, omnes tantæ velocitatis, ut despectui eis essent equitantium pernicitates."

Additional note concerning the different classes of men

in the kingdom of Denmark in the beginning of the 11th century; or about A. D. 1016.

*

The foregoing passage of the Encomium Emma plainly shews that there were at this time in Denmark several men in a state of slavery, called in this passage servi; and others that were freed-men, or that, after having been slaves, had been made free, ex servis liberti; and a third set of men who had always been free, but were not noble, and who are in this passage called ignobiles, and who probably were the husbandmen and handycrafts-men of the country; and, lastly, a fourth set, who were called noblemen, nobiles, and who seem to have been the warriors, or military part of the people, and who must have been very numerous since all the whole army of Canute the Dane, when he invaded England after the death of king Swein, his father, is said to have been composed of men of this class, omnes enim erant nobiles. And the people of England were, probably, at this period distinguished into different classes of nearly the same kinds. At least it is certain that, before the Norman conquest as well as after it, the great body of the cottagers and handycraftsmen, (such as blacksmiths, millers, and cart-wrights,) in country villages were slaves, or what our old law books call Villains regardant, or belonging, to the manor, or servi adscriptitii glebæ, and were alienated, as such, by name, together with their families, and all the goods and chattels they were possessed of, by their lords, or owners. Of this we have a notable example in the history of Crowland-Abbey in Lin

colnshire, written by Ingulphus, (who was made