ii s. vin. DEC. is, 1913.1 NOTES AND QUERIES.
475
SEVENTEENTH - CENTURY SCHOOL - BOOKS
(11 S. viii. 406, 455). If DR. MAGRATH
consults Mr. Foster Watson's ' English
Grammar Schools,' 1908, he may find some
assistance in his quest. Without that help
perhaps one may offer these suggestions as
to five items in his list :
1. Grsecorum Epigrammatum Florilegum novun cum aliis Veterum Poematis, &c., in usum Seholse Westmonasteriensis, 1684 (printed for H. Mort lock, St. Paul's Churchyard), or a Winchester ver sion of it.
4. The Young Secretaries Guide ; or, A speedy help to Learning. In Two Parts. Tenth edition 1699. Printed for H. Rhodes, at the Star, the corner of Bride Lane, Fleet Street.
5. The! Posing of the Parts ; or, a most plaine and easie way of examining the accidence anc i*%mmar by Questions and Answers. 1630. By John Brinsley. Fifteenth edition, 1687.
0. A Consolation for our Grammar Schools. 1622 Also by John Brinsley.
7. The Catechism explain 'd by way of Question and Answer ; and connrm'd by Scripture Proofs, &c. Second edition, 1707. Printed for W. Hawes at the Bible in Ludgate Street.
A. T. W.
" FIRING-GLASS " (11 S. viii. 429). I know nothing of the word, but I think I possess the thing. In 1910 I bought in a market at Florence a strongly made drinking-glass " having a thick and massive base," thinking it would do very well for a stand to hold a reservoir pen. The base is If in. across and 1 V in. high ; the total height, including the base, 4 in. ; the capacity, 2 oz. I do not know whether the Florentines use these glasses for " firing "' or not ; they took my fancy as being so little liable to be knocked over or broken. J. T. F.
Durham.
The firing-glass is still used by the mem- bers of Lodge Benevolent (Xo. 303) at Teignmouth in Devonshire. The glass is as described by Bate. It is short, sherry - n lass- or V-shaped, and has a heavy, thick l>ottom (about an inch of solid glass). These glasses were in common use long ago at Masonic banquets, and were dumped heavily on the table in one-two-three fashion, as a variation to the clapping of hands in applause or after drinking a toast.
In my Lodge St. John the Baptist, Xo. 39, at Exeter they were used in olden times, but not now, although we have some left, which we count among our relics. This Lodge was founded in 1732, and is the premier Lodge in the West of England ; these glasses, however, engraven on the side with the number of the Lodge as it was in 1832 No. 46 carry the custom only back
to that period, though I think it probable
it was in vogue long before.
The actual measurements of these firing- glasses are : height, 3| in. ; width at brim, 21 in. ; width at foot, 2 in. ; solid bottom, 1 in. deep. They are of very thick glass. ANDREW HOPE. Exeter.
The querist evidently does not belong to the "Craft," or he would know that the name and use of the firing-glass are a common- place of a Masonic Lodge, and its ritual punctiliously observed at the banquets. Should he desire to possess a specimen, he can purchase one (or more) at any Masonic outfitters e.g., Spencer's, Great Queen Street ; or at any restaurant where there is a Masonic room the proprietor would show him one. WILLIAM BRADBROOK.
Bletchley.
AGE OF YEW TREES (11 S. viii. 331, 391). In part viii. of ' Etchings of Views and Antiquities in the County of Gloucester,' by Samuel Lysons, are drawings (pi. xlvi.) of Almondsbury and Alveston Churches, and in the foreground of the latter is the famous Alveston Yew. The plate is dated May, 1793, and was one of those which were cancelled by Lysons when he reissued this work in 1803 under the title of ' A Collection of Gloucestershire Antiquities.' The text accompanying the plate in the original work states :
" The Yew Tree seen in the Fore-ground is a very remarkable one; the Trunk at a small Distance irom the Ground swells out to a considerable Size ; being twenty-three Feet in Circumference at the largest Part, and apparently sound."
Mr. H. W. Bruton of Gloucester possesses the original drawing prepared by Lysons, and on the upper margin of this is written :
" The Trunk of the Yew Tree in the churchyard s 21 feet in circumference. Sep. 13, 1789." tt will be noticed there is a difference of 2 ft. in measure compared with the printed statement, and I am inclined to think the atter was correct, for on 10 Oct., 1887, Mr. Bruton himself measured the tree and bund its girth to be 25 ft. 6 in.
An increase of 2 ft, 6 in. compares favour- ably with the growths over lengthened periods mentioned by MR. WILLIAM BRAD- BROOK. ROLAND AUSTIN.
Gloucester.
" SS " (11 S. viii. 350, 397). In 'X. & Q.' 1 S. ii. 89, 110, &c.) much, under the head- ng ' Collar of SS,' will be found to interest our correspondent on these cryptic letters. J. B. McGovERN.
