Thumbkin _cannot_ dance alone.
So[1] dance ye merry men, every one."

I scarcely need add, that if this be true of Thumbkin, it is _truer_ of
Foreman, Longman, Middleman, and Littleman.

R.S.S.

[Footnote 1: Or _then_, meaning "for that reason."]

_King's Coffee-house, Covent Garden._--As an addition to "Mr.
RIMBAULT's" Notes on Cunningham's _Handbook_, the following extract from
Harwood's _Alumni Etonenses_, p. 293., in the recount of the boys
elected for Eton to King's College may be interesting:--

"A.D. 1713, 12."

"Thomas King born at West Ashton in Wiltshire; went away
scholar, in apprehension that his fellowship {494} would be
denied him, and afterwards kept that coffee-house in Covent
Garden which was called by his own name."

J.H.L.

_Spur Money_ (No. 23. p. 374, and No 28. p. 462.).--In a curious tract,
published in 1598, under the title of _The Children of the Chapel stript
and whipt_, we have the following passage:--

"Wee think it very necessarye that every quorister sholde bringe
with him to churche a Testament in Englishe, and turne to everie
chapter as it is daily read, or som other good and godly
prayer-booke, rather than spend their tyme in talk and hunting
after _spur-money_, whereon they set their whole mindes, and do
often abuse dyvers if they doe not bestowe somewhat on them."

In 1622, the dean of the Chapel Royal issued an order by which it was
decreed--

"That if anie Knight, or other persone entituled to weare spurs,
enter the chappell in that guise, he shall pay to y'e quiristers
the accustomed fine; but if he command y'e youngest quirister to
repeate his _Gamut_, and he faile in y'e so doing, the said
Knight, or other, shall not pay y'e fine."

This curious extract I copied from the ancient cheque-book of the Chapel
Royal.

Within my recollection, His Grace the Duke of Wellington (who, by the
way, is an excellent musician) entered the Royal Chapel "booted and
spurred," and was, of course, called upon for the fine. But His Grace
calling upon the youngest chorister to repeat his GAMUT, and the "little
urchin" failing, the impost was not demanded.

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

* * * * *

MISCELLANEOUS.

NOTES ON BOOKS, CATALOGUES, SALES, ETC.

Mr. W.S.W. Vaux, of the department of Antiquities, British Museum, has
just published a very interesting little volume under the ti