stions of the day, is like referring matters
of grave import to the judgment of little children, instead of
consulting men of ripe experience. We know what followed a similar
blunder on the part of King Rehoboam. Yet how often is it repeated! It
would seem that not only is "no prophet accepted in his own country,"
but also in his own day.

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Note 1. Saint Martin's Well stood in the junction of the "four-ways"
from which Carfax takes its name.

Note 2. Penniless Bench, which ran along the east end of Carfax Church,
was the original of all "penniless benches." It was not always occupied
by idle vagrants, for sometimes the scholars of the University used to
congregate there, as well as the Corporation of the city.

Note 3. All Christians believed this at that date.

CHAPTER TWO.

VALIANT FOR THE FAITH.

"As labourers in Thy vineyard,
Send us out, Christ, to be,
Content to bear the burden
Of weariness for Thee.

"We ask no other wages
When Thou shalt call us Home,
But to have shared the travail
Which makes Thy kingdom come."

It is popularly supposed that surnames only came into existence with the
reign of King John. This is not quite an accurate assertion. They
existed from the Conquest, but were chiefly personal, and apart from the
great feudal families, only began at that date to consolidate and
crystallise into hereditary names. So far as common people were
concerned, in the reign of Henry the Second, a man's surname was usually
restricted to himself. He was named either from one of his parents, as
John William-son, or John Fitz-mildred; from his habitation, as John by
the Brook; from his calling, as John the Tanner; from some peculiarity
in his costume, as John Whitehood,--in his person, as John Fairhair,--in
his mind, as John Lovegood,--in his tastes, as John Milk-sop,--or in his
habits, as John Drinkdregs. If he removed from one place to another, he
was likely to change his name, and to become known, say at Winchester,
as John de Nottingham; or if his father were a priest who was a
well-known person, he would not improbably be styled John
Fiz-al-Prester. [Note 1.] It will readily be seen that the majority of
these names were not likely to descend to a second generation. The son
of John William-son would be Henry John-son, or Henry Alice-son; he
might or might not retain the persona