Moser's _Common-place Books_ in my possession:--

"June 16. 1800.--Went into the fields at the back of Montague
House, and there saw, for the last time, the _forty footsteps_;
the building materials are there ready to cover them from the
sight of man. I counted more than _forty_, but they might be the
foot-prints of the workmen."

This extract is valuable, as it establishes the period of the final
demolition of the footsteps, and also confirms the legend that _forty_
was the original number.

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

* * * * * {218}

QUERIES ANSWERED, NO. 4.--"POKERSHIP", BY BOLTON CORNEY.

A query made by so experienced a writer as the noble historian of
_Audley End_, cannot admit of an easy solution; and instead of
professing to answer the two-fold query on _pokership_, it might more
become me to style this note an attempt to answer it.

In the _Historical collections of the noble families of Cavendishe_,
etc. the passage which contains the doubtful word is printed thus:--

"He [Sir Robert Harley, of Bramton, Herefordshire] was in the
next year [1604], on the 16th of July, made forester of
Boringwood, _alias_ Bringwood forest, in com. Hereford, with the
office of _pokership_, and custody of the forest or chace of
Prestwood, for life."

Are we to read _parkership_ or _pokership_? If _pokership_, what is its
meaning?

Skelton, the rhymer, has _parker_ for _park-keeper_, so that
_parkership_ is an admissable word; but I reject it on this occasion, as
inapplicable to a forest or chace. I incline to believe that _pokership_
is the true lection. _Poke_ denoted a purse; witness Chaucer:--

"Gerveis answered; Certes, were it gold,
Or in a _poke_ nobles all untold,
Thou shuldest it have."--C.T. v. 3777.

We do not find _poker_ in Barret or Cotgrave; but if _poke_ denoted a
purse, _poker_ might denote a purse-bearer or treasurer, and
_pokership_, the office of purse-bearer. So we have BURSA, [Glossarivm
manvale, 1772. I. 849.] _bursar_, _bursarship_, etc.

BOLTON CORNEY.

* * * * *

MERTENS, MARTINS, OR MARTINI, THE PRINTER.

A correspondent, "W.," in No. 12. p. 185., wishes to learn "the real
surname of Theodoric Mertens, Martins, or Martini, the printer of
Louvain."

In Latin the name is written Theodoricus Martinus; in French, Thierri
Martin; in Flemish, Diedrych Meertens, and occasionally, but I th