242 NOTES AND QUERIES. p* s. VL a«. a give the faintest idea of the whole perform- ance, which must be seen to be appreciated —must be dreamed and thought over to be even faintly realized. While Christ hung upon the cross rain fell, which heightened an effect well-nigl insupportable. His words, "Woman, beholc thy son ! Son, behold thy mother !" spoken without a trace of agony, with godlike resig nation and unselfishness, were moving indeed Mary's answer struck the chord in every heart: "Even in dying, Thou thinkest 01 Thy mother!" There is nothing more to be said. The descent from the cross and the removal pi His body seemed to have closed a chapter in the lives of all present. Our beloved is gone, leaving nothing but the memory of His matchless perfection, His enduring and un- assailable love. Henceforward the world was to be darker by many shades. But beyond, in the far away, glimmered a star—the star of Hope for a life of perfect peace, love, and understanding, whither, whether we know it or not, we are all trending. And now the scene has closed at Ober Ammergau; four thousand representatives of the civilized world who have lived through this play are moving silently into the even- ing rain, the growing darkness of the night. With to-morrow's dawn they will once more take up the threads of existence with un- abated ardour, but with a fuller knowledge of the purport of true religion, and. let us hope, without that falling away which made them unconsciously pity Judas. Personally, I lived a long life in those few hours. I realized, for the first time in my existence, that which will make life bearable — even through pain and anguish — and death a delicious dream. RICHARD EDGCUMBE. Ober Ammergau, Bavaria. TALBOT SURNAME AND FAMILY. THE origin of the surname Talbot appears, like that of many others, to be really lost in obscurity, although it has generally been said by heraldic writers to be derived from a dog of that name. While the best-known line of the family, and that which has been most numerously recorded—i.e., the one from which the Earls of Shrewsbury derive—no doubt originated from a Talbot who came over with William the Conqueror from Normandy, yet Talebot (?=Taleboth), one of the equivalents of this surname, is said to be a Danish name. In the writer's opinion it is very probable that this constituted a distinct family, which most likely settled at a very early date in Derbyshire and Lancashire, some of the members of which were engaged in the build- ing of ships and boats in the latter locality,* or in the procuringof and dealing in timberfor this purpose from the surrounding neighbour- hood, although the name was subsequently assimilated to that of the line previously mentioned, probably by intermarriage. This opinion may involve an assumption of an error in the usually received genealogical records of the family, but considering the remote date in question (ante temp. Ed. I.) this need excite no particular surprise. Henry Taleboth possessed (date uncertain) land in Lower Waldy and Burcote, co. Northants. Gilbert Talebot, a resident of Ashby-de-la-Zouche, co. Leicester, was ap- pointed Chief Justice of Chester in 1255. Ranulph Talebot is mentioned in theHundred Roll of the High Peak, co. Derby, compiled 2 Ed. I. (1274); and Robert Talebot was one of the witnesses to an undated deed executed by a Mr. Schalcross, of co. Derby, in an inven- tory of the latter's deeds taken 5 July, 1639. Tallgebosc is a name occurring in Domesday Book as that of a person holding lands, also Tailgebosch, the latter being a tenant and the former an undertenant. Talbot is a Norman, and Talebot (as before stated) a Danish name. Tailgebosc also occurs in Domesday. One of the writer's schoolmasters gave him the derivation " Taille-botte" ( = short boot), on what authority he does not recollect. The surname appears never to have been known as a native one in Scotland, Tarbat being the nearest to it occurring in that country. Talabot is a French variation which was represented in France during the present century. There being no present possibility of any awkward question being raised by such action, it is much to be desired that some wealthy member of the family would see fit to defray the cost of making a searching and thorough investigation, through the Heralds' College, into the true genealogy of its various Branches, respecting which recognized authori- ties have hitherto either been hopelessly at variance or, in some cases, apparently in entire ignorance. The following are a few matters amongst others which require elucidation viz. :— 1. The real progenitor of the Talbots of tfashall, cos. Lancaster and York. 2. The history of the Lincolnshire branch,
- , "&J!hiPbu,ildin? at Rochester, oo. Lancaster
efc Whitakert 'History of Whalley'; at WardleS andSkippool, same co., and boatbuifdingat Poulton- e-Fylde close by, vide Porter's 'History of the FyMe of Lancashire.'
