“Te colui virtutem ut rem ast tu nomen inane es?”

It is a translation of part of a Greek tragic fragment, quoted, according to Dio Cassius, by Brutus just before his death.  As much as is here translated is also to be found in Plutarch De Superstitione.

E.

“Illa suavissima Vita.”—­Where does “Illa suavissima vita indies sentire se fieri meliorem” come from?

E.

Christianity, Early Influence of.—­“The beneficial influence of the Christian clergy during the first thousand years of the Christian era.”

What works can be recommended on the above subject?

X.Y.Z.

Wraxen, Meaning of.—­What is the origin and meaning of the word wraxen, which was used by a Kentish woman on being applied to by a friend of mine to send her children to the Sunday-school, in the following sentence?—­“Why, you see, they go to the National School all the week, and get so wraxen, that I cannot send them to the Sunday School too.”

G.W.  Skyring.

Saint, Legend of a.—­Can any of your correspondents inform me where I can find the account of some saint who, when baptizing a heathen, inadvertently pierced the convert’s foot with the point of his crozier.  The man bore the pain without flinching, and when the occurrence was discovered, he remarked that he thought it was part of the ceremony?

J.Y.C.

Land Holland—­Farewell.—­In searching some Court Rolls a few days since, I found some land described as “Land Holland” or “Hollandland.”  I have been unable to discover the meaning of this expression, and should be glad if any of your correspondents can help me.

In the same manor there is custom for the tenant to pay a sum as a farewell to the lord on sale or alienation:  this payment is in addition to the ordinary fine, &c.  Query the origin and meaning of this?

J.B.C.

Stepony Ale.—­Chamberlayne, in his Present State of England (part. i. p. 51., ed. 1677), speaking of the “Dyet” of the people, thus enumerates the prevailing beverages of the day:—­

“Besides all sorts of the best wines from Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Grecia, there are sold in London above twenty sorts of other drinks:  as brandy, coffee, chocolate, tea, aromatick, mum, sider, perry, beer, ale; many sorts of ales very different, as cock, stepony, stickback, Hull, North-Down, Sambidge, Betony, scurvy-grass, sage-ale, &c.  A piece of wantonness whereof none of our ancestors were ever guilty.”

It will be observed that the ales are named in some instances from localities, and in others from the herbs of which they were decoctions.  Can any of your readers tell me anything of Stepony ale?  Was it ale brewed at Stepney?

James T. Hammack

“Regis ad Exemplar.”—­Can you inform me whence the following line is taken?