Welsh Journals

Oct. 11, 1893. BYE-GONES. 191 nearly to the top of Snowdon, and comprising the land around the station and the village of Rhyd- du, on the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway. This is an important addition to Sir Edward's already large estate, and he now owns nearly all the Beddgelert slope of the mountain. There has been discovered in the Public Record Office a manuscript book oontaining a list of all the knights, esquires, gentlemen, and freeholders within the county of Chester, together with an ac¬ count of their horses, armour, and other furniture, dated in the early part of the reign of Queen Eliza¬ beth. There are 356 names in all, and they will furnish a roll of honour of great antiquarian value. In the course of certain restorations now being car¬ ried out at Llanbeblig Church, Carnarvon, several discoveries of considerable archaeological interest have been made. The first is a beautiful Perpen¬ dicular window found behind a gallery in the south transept. Underneath the window was brought to light a founder's tomb, and a piscina of the 14th century. The foundations of an altar were also discovered in the south transept. In the chancel, at the east end, was found in the wall a stone credence. A further discovery of a holy water stoup was made behind the door. The Vicar of Carnarvon, the Rev J. Wynne Jones, has had the interesting relics photographed. IN THE FIELDS AND LANES. On Sunday evening a meteor of extraordinary brilliancy was seen in the neighbourhood of Oswestry. It flashed towards the west, increasing in brilliancy, lighting up the earth in a most unusual manner, until it disappeared. The Weather in September.—Rainfall 3-68 inches ; registered sunshine, 108 hours, 30 minutes; maximum temperature in the shade (on the 5th), 68 degrees ; minimum (on the 21st), 29 degrees. There were only two days without bright sun¬ shine. The first half of the month was pretty fine, but the rest of the month was wet and cold, the last week especially being very wet. Rain, more or less, fell on 20 days, but as the corn was har¬ vested before the heavy rain, there was nothing to damage. Indeed the rain has done much good, for pastures are quite luxuriant, and many farmers were able to mow a second crop of clover, a very unusual thing in this part of the country. Thos. Ruddy. Pale Gardens, Corwon. OCTOBER 11, 1893. NOTES. DEATHS COPIED FROM LLANSIUN REGISTERS. William Maurice died between 1680-1690. • Antiquarian, Cefnbraich," Sir W. Williams married April 14th, 1664. " Speaker of the House of Commons." Died July, 1700. Charles Edwards, Publisher, 1671. "Rhydy- croesau." Huw Morus died 1709. " The old Poet of Pontymeibion." John Davies, Rhiwlas, died 1716. " Anti¬ quarian." John Wynn Williams, son to Watkin Williams of Llangedwyn, was interred April 12th, 1717. Lloran, a child of the Rev Peter Morris, buried Feb. 7th, 1766. Peter, son of the late Rev Peter Morris, Lloran, burryed June 28th, 1767. Lloran. Pryse Maurice, Esq., was burriedNov. 16th, 1779. " The last of the ancient family of Maurice, who owned and resided at Lloran Ucha. The estate has long been sold, and a family bear¬ ing the same name but not related tenant the farm." Collestinda. FUNERAL CUSTOM IN SHROPSHIRE.— The current number of Folk-Lore contains the following letter signed Gertrude Hope, and dated July 27, 1893:—" In connection with Mr Hart- land's article on * The Sin-Eater ' in Folk-Lore for June, 1892, the following occurrence at a funeral near Market Drayton in Shropshire may interest you. The funeral took place on the first of this present month. The minister of the chapel where the deceased woman had been a regular attendant held a short service in the cottage be¬ fore the coffin was removed. The lady, who gave me the particulars, arrived rather early, and found the bearers enjoying a good lunch in the only downstairs room. Shortly afterwards the cofBn was brought down and placed on two chairs in the centre of the room, and the mourners having gathered round it the service proceeded. Directly the minister ended, the woman in charge of the arrangements poured out four glasses of wine and handed one to each bearer present across the coffia, with a biscuit called a ' funeral biscuit.' One of the bearers being absent at the moment, the fourth glass of wine and biscuit were offered to the eldest son of the deceased woman, who, how¬ ever, refusedto take them, and was not obliged to do so. The biscuits were ordinary sponge biscuits, usually called ' sponge fingers' or «lady's fingers.' They are, however, also known in the shops of Market Drayton as 'funeral biscuits.' The minister, who had lately come from Pembroke¬ shire, remarked to my informant that he was sorry to see that pagan custom still observed. He had been able to put an end to it in the Pembrokeshire village where he had formerly been." Ed. QUERIES. ORSEDD-WEN, SELATTYN. — Could any of your antiquarian readers give information about the ancient history of this place, or refer me to any