onary, allow me
to refer him to Lacombe, _Dictionnaire du vieux Langage Francois_, where he
will find:

"AVOIRS, animaux domestiques de la basse cour."
"AVERLANDS, marchand de chevaux."

And in the second, or supplementary volume of the same work:

"'AVERS,' bestiaux qui nantissent une ferme a la campagne."

See also Jamieson (_Scottish Dictionary_):

"AVER, a cart-horse."

A suggestion may also be gathered from Webster under AVERAGE.

F. S. Q.

In the _Chronicle of Jocelyn de Brakelond_, at p. 29. of Tomlins's
translation, mention is made of one Beodric,

"Lord of that town, whose demesne lands are now in the demesne of the
Cellarer. And that which is now called _Averland_ was the land of the
rustics."

Again, at p. 30.:

The Cellarer was used freely to take all the dung-hills in every
street, for his own use, unless it were before the doors of those who
were holding _averland_; for to _them only_ was it allowable to collect
dung and to keep it."

To this a note is appended to the effect that

"Averland seems to have been ancient arable land so called, held by
rustic drudges and villans."

At p. 29. the said Cellarer is stated

To have _aver-peni_, to wit, for each thirty acres two pence."[8]

Roquefort, in his _Glossaire de la Langue Romane_, gives _Aver_, from
_avoir_: "Bestiaux qui nantissent une ferme de campagne;" and _Ave_, "un
troupeau de brebis," from _ovis_.

Raynouard, in the _Nouveau Choix des Poesies des Troubadours_, vol. ii.,
which commences the _Lexique Roman_, derives "Aver" also from _Avoir_; to
signify possession generally I take it. 2dly, Troupeau,

"E play mi quan li corredor
Fan las gens e 'ls _avers_ fugir."
("Et il me plait quand les coureurs
Font fuir les gens et les troupeaux.")

_Bertrand de Born, Be m Play._

Barbazan, in his short _Glossary_, derives the word from _Avarus_.

H. C. C.

[Footnote 8: "Averpenny was a sum paid as a composition for certain rustic
services."]

I would inform D. 2. and others (Vol. iii., p. 42.) that _aver_, or
_haver-cake_, which he states to be the name applied in North Yorkshire to
the thin oat-cake in use there, is evidently derived from the Scandinavian
words, _Hafrar_, _Havre_, _Hafre_, oats.

G. E. R. GORDON.

Stockholm.

"_The Sword Flamberg_" (Vol. iii., p. 168.)--AN ENGLISH MOTHER is informed
that "Flamberge," or "Floberge," is the name of the sword won