e made themselves merry with singling out
some place, and fixing the staple of stupidity and solidity therein.
So the _Phrygians_ in _Asia_, the _Abderitae_ in _Thrace_, and
_Boeotians_ in _Greece_, were notorious for dulmen and blockheads.

"2. These places thus slighted and scoffed at, afforded some as
witty and wise persons as the world produced. So _Democritus_ was an
_Abderite_, _Plutarch_ a _Boeotian_, &c.

"As for _Gotham_, it doth breed as wise people as any which
causelessly laugh at their simplicity. Sure I am _Mr. William de
Gotham_, fifth Master of _Michael House_ in _Cambridge_, 1336, and
twice Chancellor of the University, was as grave a governor as that
age did afford."--3d. ed. p. 258.

In Thoroton's _Nottinghamshire_, vol. i. pp. 42, 43., the origin of the
saying, as handed down by tradition, is thus given:--King John intending
to pass through this place towards Nottingham, was prevented by the
inhabitants, they apprehending that the ground over which a king passed
was for ever after to become a public road. The king, incensed at their
proceedings, sent from his court, soon afterwards, some of his servants
to inquire of them the reason of their incivility and ill-treatment,
that he might punish them. The villagers hearing of the approach of the
king's servants, thought of an expedient to turn away his majesty's
displeasure from them. When the messengers arrived at Gotham, they found
some of the inhabitants engaged in endeavouring to drown an eel in a
pool of water; some were employed in dragging carts upon a large barn,
to shade the wood from the sun; and others were engaged in hedging a
cuckoo, which had perched itself upon an old bush. In short, they were
all employed upon some foolish way or other, which convinced the king's
servants that it was a village of fools.

Should J.R.M. not yet have seen it, I beg to refer him to Mr.
Halliwell's interesting edition of _The Merry Tales of the Wise Men of
Gotham_ (Lond. 1840) for fuller and further particulars.

J.B. COLMAN.

* * * * *

Replies To Minor Queries.

_Master John Shorne_.--As neither MR. THOMS' Notes (Vol. ii.,
p. 387.) nor MR. WAY'S (p. 450.) mention where this reputed
saint lived, or speak of him as connected with Buckinghamshire, I will
offer an extract from Lysons in the hope of casting some little light on
the subject.

"North Marston.--The church is