cred_,
vol. ii. p. 18., says:

"The spot shown as the place of the Nativity, and that of the
manger, both of which are in a crypt or subterraneous chapel
under the church of St. Katherine, are in the hands of the Roman
Catholicks. The former is marked by this simple inscription on a
silver star set in the pavement:

'Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus natus est.'"

The Emperor of the French, as representative of the Latin Church, first
raised the question of the sacred places, now likely to involve the
Pentarchy of Europe in a _quasi_ civil war, by attempting, through the
authority of the Sultan of Turkey, to restore the above inscription,
which had been defaced, as is supposed, by the Greek Christians; and
thereby encountering the opposition of the Emperor of the Russias, who
claims to represent the Eastern Church.

T. J. BUCKTON.

Birmingham.

_Origin of the Word "Cant."_--From the _Mercurius Publicus_ of Feb. 28,
1661, Edinburgh:

"Mr. Alexander Cant, son to Mr. Andrew Cant (who in his
discourse _De Excommunicato trucidando_ maintained that all
refusers of the Covenant ought to be excommunicated, and that
all so excommunicated might lawfully be killed), was lately
deposed by the Synod for divers seditious and impudent passages
in his sermons at several places, as at the pulpit of Banchry;
'That whoever would own or make use of a service-book, king,
nobleman, or minister, the curse of God should be upon him.'

"In his Grace after Meat, he praid for those phanaticques and
seditious ministers (who are now secured) in these words, 'The
Lord pity and deliver the precious prisoners who are now
suffering for the truth, and close up the mouths of the
_Edomites_, who are now rejoicing;' with several other articles
too long to recite."

From these two Cants (Andrew and Alexander) all seditious praying and
preaching in Scotland is called "Canting."

J. B.

_Epigram on Four Lawyers._--It used to be said that four lawyers were
wont to go down from Lincoln's Inn and the Temple in one hackney coach
for one shilling. The following epigram records the economical practice:

"Causidici curru felices quatuor uno
Quoque die repetunt limina nota 'fori.'
Quanta sodalitium praestabit commoda! cui non
Contigerint socii cogitur ire pedes."

See _Poemata Anglorum Latina_, p. 446. Lemma, "Defendit
numerus."--_Juv._

J. W. FARRER.