* * * * *

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 91:  The following are the dimensions of the church, in French measure, according to Beziers.

FEET. 
Height of the central tower            224
Ditto of the two western ditto         230
Length of the interior of the church   296
Width of ditto                          76
Height of ditto                         76
Length of the nave                     140
Width of ditto                          38
Ditto of side-aisles                    17
Ditto of chapels                        15
Length of the transepts                113
Width of ditto                          33
Length of the choir                    118
Width of ditto                          36

]

[Footnote 92:  A new St. Lupus is now wanted for the see; for wolves are by no means extinct in the neighborhood of Bayeux.  We saw a tame one, kept near the cathedral, which had been taken in the woods, about a year ago, when it was quite young.  Wild boars are likewise found in considerable numbers, and the breed is encouraged for the purposes of hunting.]

[Footnote 93:  In its origin, the Baiocco of Naples seems to have been the two-penny piece of Bayeux, its denomination being abbreviated from the last word in the legend.  It has been supposed that the coin was struck and named by lusty Joan, as a token of her affection towards a Frisick warrier, who, in his own country, was called the Boynke, or the Squire; but we think that our etymology is the most natural one.]

LETTER XXIX.  CHURCH AND CASTLE OF CREULLY—­FALAISE—­CASTLE—­CHURCHES-FAIR OF GUIBRAY.

(Falaise, August, 1818.)

Previously to quitting Bayeux, we paid our respects to M. Pluquet, a diligent antiquary, who has been for some time past engaged in writing a history of the city.  His collections for this purpose are extensive, and the number of curious books which he possesses is very considerable.  Amongst those which he shewed to us, the works relating to Normandy constituted an important portion.  His manuscript missals are numerous and valuable.  I was also much pleased by the inspection of an old copy of Aristophanes, which had formerly belonged to Rabelais, and bore upon its title-page the mark of his ownership, in the hand-writing of the witty, though profligate, satirist himself.  M. Pluquet’s kindness allowed me to make the tracing of the signature, which I send you.—­

[Illustration:  Rabelais hand-writing]

Such an addition as we here find to Rabelais’ name, denoting that the owner of a book considered it as being the property of his friends conjointly with himself, is not of uncommon occurrence.  Our friend, Mr. Dibdin, who had been here shortly before us, and had carried off, as we were told, some works of great rarity from this collection, has enumerated more than one instance of the kind in his Bibliographical Decameron; and the valuable library of my excellent friend, Mr. Sparrow, of Worlingham, contains an Erasmus, which was the property of Sir Thomas Wotton, and bears, stamped upon its covers, Thomae Wotton et amicorum.