of opale."

And again he says (pp. 36, 37.):

"From exility of bones, thinness of skulls, smallness of teeth, ribs,
and thigh-bones, not improbable that many thereof were persons of minor
age, or women. Confirmable also from things contained in them. In most
were found substances resembling _combs_, plates like boxes, fastened
with iron pins, and handsomely overwrought like the necks or bridges of
musical instruments, long brass plates overwrought like the handles of
neat implements, _brazen nippers to pull away hair_, and in one a kind
of opale, yet maintaining a bluish colour.

"Now that they accustomed to burn or bury with them things wherein they
excelled, delighted, or which were dear unto them, either as farewells
unto all pleasure, or vain apprehension that they might use them in the
other world, is testified by all antiquity."

The instances which he appends relate only to the Pagan period, and he does
not appear to have known that a similar practice prevailed in the sepulture
of Christians--if, indeed, such a custom was general, and not confined to
the particular case mentioned by your correspondent.

J. H. P. LERESCHE.

_The Norfolk Dialect_ (Vol. ii., p. 217.).--

_Mauther._--A word peculiar to East Anglia, applied to a girl just grown
up, or approaching to womanhood.

"Ipse eodem agro [Norfolciensi] ortus, a Dan. _moer_," virgo, puella,
"deflectit."--_Spelman_.

Spelman assures us, in endeavouring to rescue the word from the contempt
into which it had fallen, that it was applied by our very early ancestors,
even to the noble virgins who were selected to sing the praises of heroes;
they were called _scald-moers_, q.d. singing mauthers!

"En quantum in spreta jam voce antiquae gloria."

"Ray spells the word _mothther_.

"_P._ I am a _mother_ that do want a service.

"_Qu._ O thou'rt a Norfolk woman (cry thee mercy),
Where maids are _mothers_, and _mothers_ are maids."--R. Brome's
_Engl. Moor_, iii. 1.

It is written also _modder_.

"What! will Phillis then consume her youth as an ankresse,
Scorning daintie Venus? Will Phillis be a _modder_,
And not care to be call'd by the deare-sweete name of a mother?"--A.
Fraunce's _Ivy Church_, A. 4. b.

"Away! you talk like a foolish _mauther_"--

says Restive to Dame Pliant in _Ben Jonson. Alchemist_, IV. 7. So Richard
says to Kate, in _Bloomfield's Suffolk ballad:--_