“’What Nicholas, what how man, loke adoun: 
    Awake and think on Cristes passioun
    I crowche the from Elves and from Wightes.’ 
    There with the night-spel seyde he anon rightes
    On the foure halves of the hous aboute
    And on the threissh-fold of the dore withoute.

   “’Lord Jhesu Crist and seynte Benedight,
    Blesse this hous from every wikkede wight
    Fro nightes verray, the white Paternoster
    When wonestow now, seynte Petres soster.’”

This charm has long occupied my attention, and as I hope shortly to submit to the Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries an attempt to illustrate some parts of it which are at present certainly involved in very great obscurity, I shall be glad to be informed whether any other early version of it is to be found in MS., and if so, where; and also whether any other version, corrupted or not, is still preserved, if not in use, at least in memory.  I should also be especially glad of references of any other allusion to the “white Paternoster” or “seynte Petres soster,” or for any information as to sources for ascertaining the history, whether authentic or legendary, of the personage supposed to be alluded to in the closing words of this remarkable spell.

WILLIAM J. THOMS.

* * * * *

ALLUSIONS IN THE HOMILIES.

"A Good Wife,” &c., and "God speed the Plough!"—­I should hold myself deeply indebted to any of your correspondents who would inform me where the two following quotations are to be found.

I have been anxiously looking for them for some years.  I have taken some pains myself—­{230} “I have poached in Suidas for unlicensed Greek”—­have applied to my various antiquarian friends (many of whose names I was delighted to recognise among the brilliant galaxy that enlightened your first number)—­but hitherto all in vain; and I am reduced to acknowledge the truth of the old proberb, “A ——­ may ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can answer in seven years:”—­

I.  “For thus will most truly be verified the saying of the poet, ’A good wife, by obeying her husband, shall bear the rule, so that he shall have a delight and a gladness the sooner at all times to return home to her.’  But, on the contrary part, ’when the wives be stubborn, froward, and malapert, their husbands are compelled thereby to abhor and flee from their own houses, even as they should have battle with their enemies.’”—­Homily on Matrimony, p. 450. ed.  Oxford, 1840.

Query—­Who is the poet?

II.  “Let no good and discreet subjects, therefore, follow the flag or banner displayed to rebellions, and borne by rebels, though it have the image of the plough painted therein, with God speed the plough written under in great letters, knowing that none hinder the plough more than rebels, who will neither go to the plough themselves, nor suffer other that would go unto it.”—­Fourth Part of the Homily against Wilful Rebellion, p. 518.

In what rebellion was such a banner carried?