the late Sir John Goodricke, had three pips sent by a friend in a letter
from Rouen in Normandy, which were sown at Ribston. Two of the pips
produced nothing: the third is the present tree, which is in good health,
and still continues to bear fruit."

"_Another Account._

"Sir Henry, the father of the late Sir John Goodricke, being at Rouen in
Normandy, preserved the pips of some fine flavoured apples, and sent them
to Ribston, where they were sown, and the produce in due time planted in
what then was the park. Out of seven trees planted, five proved decided
crabs, and are all dead. The other two proved good apples; they never were
grafted, and one of them is the celebrated original Ribston pippin tree."

The latter tradition has, I believe, always been considered as the most
correct.

S. D.

_Cross and Pile_ (Vol. vi., _passim._).--The various disquisitions of your
correspondents on the word _pile_ are very ingenious; but I think it is
very satisfactorily explained as "a ship" by Joseph Scaliger in _De Re
nummaria Dissertatio_, Leyden, 1616:

"Macrobius de nummo _ratito_ loquens, qui erat aereus: _ita fuisse
signatum hodieque intelligitur in aleae lusu, quum pueri denarios in
sublime jactantes, Capita aut Navia, lusu teste vetustatis
exclamant_."--P. 58.

And in Scaligerana (prima):

"Nummus ratitus--ce qu'aujourd'hui nous appellons jouer a croix ou a
pile, car _pile_ est un vieil mot francais qui signifiait un Navire,
_unde_ Pilote. Ratitus nummus erat ex aere, sic dictus ab effigie
ratus."--Tom. ii., Amsterdam, 1740, p. 130.

See also, _Auctores Latinae Linguae_, by Gothofred, 1585, p. 169. l. 53.
Also, _Dictionnaire National_ of M. Bescherelle, tome ii. p 885., Paris,
1846, art. PILE (_subst. fem._)

_En passant_, allow me to point out a very curious and interesting account
of this game, being the pastime of Edward II., in the _Antiquarian
Repertory_, by Grose and Astle: Lond. 1808, 4to., vol. ii. pp 406-8.

[Phi].

Richmond, Surrey.

_Ellis Walker_ (Vol. vii., p. 382.).--

"Ellis Walker, D.D.," according to Ware, "was born in the city of York;
but came young into Ireland, and was educated in the college of Dublin,
where he passed through all his degrees. He fled from thence in the
troublesome reign of King James II., and lived with an uncle at York,
where he translated _Epictetus_ into verse. After the settlement of
Ireland he returned, and f