“Meux valt un chien sein e fort
  Qe un leoun freid e mort;
  E meux valt povert od bountex
  Qe richeste od malueiste.”

Jesus, the Son of Sirak, is not, however, the authority for this proverb; it occurs in the 9th chapter of Ecclesiastes and 4th verse.

And now, to ask a question in turn, what is meant by “auctorite del Dibil?”

JAMES GRAVES. 
Kilkenny.

Monumental Brass (No. 16. p. 247.).—­On the floor of the Thorncombe church, in the co. of Devon, is a splendid brass, representing Sir T. Brooke, and Joan, his wife, dated respectively 1419 and 1436.  At the lower corner of the lady’s robe is engraven a small dog, with a collar and bells.  May not these figures be the private mark of the artist?

S.S.S.

The Wickliffite Version of the Scriptures.—­I have in my possession a very fair MS. of Wickliff’s translation of the New Testament; and should the editors of the Wickliffite Versions like to see my MS., and let me know to whom I may send it, I shall be happy to lend it them.

DANIEL ROCK. 
Buckland, Faringdon.

Hever (pp. 269. 342.).—­In confirmation of the meaning assigned to this word, there is an estate near Westerham, in Kent, called “Hever’s-wood.”

S.S.S.

Steward Family (No. 21. p. 335.).—­Though not an answer to his question, “O.C.” may like to be informed that the arms of the impalement in the drawing which he describes are (according to Izacke’s Exeter) those which were borne by Ralph Taxall, Sheriff of Devon, in 1519.  Pole calls him Texshall.  Modern heralds give the coat to Pecksall of Westminster.  If a conjecture may be hazarded, I would suggest that the coat was a modification of the ancient arms of Batishull:  a crosslet in saltier, between four owls.

S.S.S.

Gloves (No. 5. p. 72.).—­In connection with the subject of the presentation of gloves, I would refer your correspondents to the curious scene in Vicar’s Parliamentary Chronicle, where “Master Prynne,” on his visit to Archbishop Laud in the Tower in May 1643, accepts “a fair pair of gloves, upon the Archbishop’s extraordinary pressing importunity;” a present which, under the disagreeable circumstances of the interview, seems to have been intended to convey an intimation beyond that of mere courtesy.

S.S.S.

Cromlech.—­As your learned correspondent “Dr. TODD” (No. 20. p. 319.) queries this word, I think it is very doubtful whether the word was in use, or not, before the period mentioned (16th century).  Dr. Owain Pughe considered the word “cromlech” (crwm-llech, an inclined or flat stone,) to be merely a popular name, having no reference to the original purpose of the structure.  The only Triadic name that will apply to the cromlechs, is maen ketti (stone chests, or arks), the raising of which is described as one of “The three mighty labours of the Isle of Britain.”