While on the subject of “News,” P.C.S.S. finds in Pepys’ Diary (vol. iii. p. 59.) another application of the word, in the sense of a noun singular, which he does not remember to have seen noticed by others.

    “Anon, the coach comes—­in the meantime, there coming a news
    thither, with his horse to come over.”

In other parts of the Diary, the word News-book is occasionally employed to signify what is now termed a newspaper, or, more properly, a bulletin.  For instance (vol. iii. p. 29.), we find that—­

    “This News-book, upon Mr. Moore’s showing L’Estrange Captain
    Ferrers’s letter, did do my Lord Sandwich great right as to the
    late victory.”

And again (at p. 51.): 

    “I met this noon with Dr. Barnett, who told me, and I find in
    the News-book this week, that he posted upon the ‘Change,’”
    &c. &c.

Much has been lately written in the “NOTES AND QUERIES” respecting the “Family of Love.”  A sect of a similar name existed here in 1641, and a full and not very decent description of their rites and orgies is to be found in a small pamphlet of that date, reprinted in the fourth volume (8vo. ed.) of the Harleian Miscellany.

P.C.S.S. {108}

Origin of Adur (Vol. ii., p. 71.).—­A, derived from the same root as Aqua and the French Eau, is a frequent component of the names of rivers:  “A-dur, A-run, A-von, A-mon,” the adjunct being supposed to express the individual characteristic of the stream. A-dur would then mean the river of oaks, which its course from Horsham Forest through the Weald of Sussex, of which “oak is the weed,” would sufficiently justify.  It is called in ancient geography Adurnus, and is probably from the same root as the French Adour.

C.

The river Adur, which passes by Shoreham, is the same name as the Adour, a great river in the Western Pyrenees.

This coincidence seems to show that it is neither a Basque word, nor a Saxon.  Whether it is a mere expansion of ydwr, the water, in Welch, I cannot pretend to say, but probably it includes it.

We have the Douro in Spain; and the Doire, or Doria, in Piedmont.  Pompadour is clearly derived from the above French river, or some other of the same name.

C.B.

Meaning of Steyne (Vol. ii., P. 71.).—­Steyne is no doubt stone, and may have reference to the original name of Brighthelm-stone:  but what the stone or “steyne” was, I do not conjecture; but it lay or stood probably on that little flat valley now called the “Steyne.”  It is said that, so late as the time of Elizabeth, the town was encompassed by a high and strong stone wall; but that could have no influence on the name, which, whether derived from Bishop Brighthelm or not, is assuredly of Saxon times.  There is a small town not far distant called Steyning, i.e. the meadow of the stone.  In my early days, the name was invariably pronounced Brighthamstone.