Tewkesbury.
_X on Brewers' Casks_ (Vol. viii., p. 439.).--Your correspondent B. H. C.,
though ingenious, is in error. The X on brewers' casks originated in the
fact, that beer above a certain strength paid 10_s_. duty; and the X became
a mark to denote beer of that better quality. The doubling and tripling of
the X are nothing but inventions of the brewers to humbug the public.
[Hebrew: B]. [Hebrew: D].
_No Sparrows at Lindham_ (Vol. vii., p. 233.).--Amongst the various
responses in connexion with the Queries given on the page above noted,
communicated direct, the only one which I have thought worthy of insertion
in my MSS. is as follows:
"As for there being no sparrows at Lindham, it may be accounted for in
the following legend:--A few years ago I was in that district when I
heard some account of a person called 'Tom of Lindham;' who, by the
way, was a curious personage, and performed some very extraordinary and
out-of-the-way feats. At one time he was left at home to protect the
corn from the _sparrows_; when, _to save trouble_, he got all of them
into the barn, and put a _harrow_ into the window to keep them in; and
so _starved_ (_i. e._ hungered) them to death."
Furthermore Mr. Whittaker kindly communicated of the above Yorkshire
worthy:
"At the close of Tom's life he took it into his head to make a road
across a part of Hatfield Chase to his own dwelling; when, according to
the legend, he employed supernatural aid: with this clause in the
contract, that he, Tom, should not inquire any particulars as to the
character of his assistants or helpmates. One day, however, being more
curious than prudent, he looked behind him; his workmen immediately
disappeared, and Tom of Lindham was no more heard of. His road still
remains in the state he left it."