THE BULL AND MOUTH.

Henry the Eighth having taken the town of Boulogne, in France, the gates of which he brought to Hardes, in Kent, where they are still remaining, the flatterers of that reign highly magnified this action, which, Porto Bello like, became a popular subject for signs; and the port or harbour of Boulogne, called Boulogne Mouth, was accordingly set up at a noted Inn in Holborn. The name of the inn long out-living the sign and fame of the conquest, an ignorant painter, employed by a no less ignorant landlord to paint a new one, represented it by a bull and a large gaping human mouth, answering to the vulgar pronunciation of bull and mouth.

THE BULL AND GATE.

The same piece of history as the preceding gave being to the Bull and Gate, originally meant for the Boulogne Gate, and represented by an embattled gate, or entrance intoa fortified town.

THE CHEQUERS.

The Chequers were formerly a common sign. for public houses, being the representation of a kind of draft-board, called Tables, and shewed

deemed, were in reality the arms of a set of merchants from Lombardy, who were the first that publicly lent money on pledges. They dwelt together in a street, from them named Lombard Street, in London, and also gave their name to another at Paris.

The appellation of Lombard was formerly, all over Europe, considered as synonimous to that of usurer.

BUM-BAILIFF.

The opprobrious title of Bum-Bailiff, so constantly bestowed on sheriffs' officers, is, according to Judge Blackstone, only the corruption of bound bailiff, every sheriff's officer being obliged to enter into bonds, and to find security for his good behaviour, previous to his appointment.

THE BEEF-EATERS.

At the institution of the yeomen of the guards, they used to wait at table on all great solemnities, and were ranged near the buffets: this procured them the name of buffetters, not very unlike in sound to the jocular appellation of Beef-Eaters, now given them; though, probably, it was rather the voluntary misnomer of some wicked wit, than

an accidental corruption, arising from ignorance of the French language.

A CORDWAINER.

A Cordwainer seems to have no relation to the occupation it is meant to express, which is that of a shoemaker. But cordonnier, originally spelt corduainer, is the French word for that trade, the best leather used for shoes coming originally from Cordua in Spain. Spanish leather shoes were once famous in England.

TO DINE WITH DUKE HUMPHREY.

To dine with Duke Humphrey is to go without one's dinner. Duke Humphrey was ordered to be executed before he had his dinner; therefore, if you dined with the Duke you were likely to have none.-Gentleman's Magazine, vol. 64. p. 127.

HE SLEEPS LIKE A TOP.

Thus we say in familiar language of a person completely under the influence of Morpheus; and we imagine the simile taken from the momentary pause of a peg-top, or humming top, when its rotatory motion is at its height, but no such thing. The word top is Italian, topo in that language

signifies a mouse: it is the generic name, and a plied indiscriminately to the common mouse, fie mouse, and dormouse: from which the Italian pr verb, Ei dorme come un topo,is derived-Anglic He sleeps like a top.— Gentleman's Mag. vol. 63 p. 893.

TOPSY-TURVY.

When things are in confusion they are said to be turned topsy-turvy, the expression is derived from the way in which turf for fuel is placed to dry on its being cut; the surface of the ground is pared off with the heath growing on it, and the heath is turned downward, and left some days in that state, that the earth may get dry before it is carried away. It means, then, top-side-turf-way. -Gentleman's Mag. vol. 53. p. 928.

DEVIL'S HOUSE, NEAR HORNSEY.

Near Hornsey-wood House is a lane commonly called the Devil's Lane, and in it is a house called the Devil's House, which is said to have been so called, as having been the residence of one Duval, a famous highwayman in days of

yore.