re the Special Commissioners for
Ecclesiastical Causes appointed by Queen Elizabeth_. Thus:

"Anthony Haggen presented for medicioning children with miniting
a hammer as a smythe of kynde."

Again

"John Watson presented for burying a quick dogg and a quick
cowe."

And

"Agnes, the wyf of John Wyse, als Winkam John Wyse, presented to
be a medicioner for the waffc of an yll wynde, and for the
fayryes."

Some of your readers may perhaps explain what these were. It is clear
that they were superstitious practices of sufficient prevalence and
influence on the popular mind to call for the interference of the
queen's commissioners.

A.B.

_Decking Churches with Yew on Easter Day._--In the village of Berkely
near Frome, Somerset, and on the borders of Wiltshire, the church is
decorated on Easter Sunday with yew, evidently as an emblem of the
Resurrection. Flowers in churches on that day are common, but I believe
the use of yew to be unusual.

W. Durrant Cooper.

_Strewing Straw or Chaff._--The custom mentioned by your correspondent
"B." (p. 245.) as prevailing in Gloucestershire, is not peculiar to that
county. In Kent, it is commonly practised by the rustics. The publican,
all the world over, decorates his sign-board with a foaming can and
pipes, to proclaim the entertainment to be found within. On the same
principle, these rustics hang up _their_ sign-board,--as one of them,
with whom I was once remonstrating, most graphically explained to me.
When they knew of a house where the master deems a little wholesome
discipline necessary to ensure the obedience of love, considering it a
pity that the world should be ignorant of his manly virtues, they strew
"well threshed" chaff or straw before his door, as an emblematical
sign-board, to proclaim that the sweet fare and "good entertainment" of
a "well threshed" article may be found within. The custom, at all
events, has one good tendency, it shames the tyrant into restraint, when
he knows that his cowardly practices are patent to the world.

Lambert B. Larking.

* * * * *

FOLK LORE OF WALES.

No. 1. _Cron Annwn_.--When a storm sounds over the mountains, the Welsh
peasant will tell you that his ear discerns the howl of the _Cron Annwn_
mingling with that of the wind, yet as clearly distinct from it as is
the atmosphere in a diving-bell from that of the surrounding waters.
These dogs of Annwn, or "courier