But, after all, Shylock may have been a _family name_ familiar to
the great dramatist. In all my researches on the subject of _English
surnames,_ however, I have but once met with it as a generic
distinction. In the _Battel Abbey Deeds_ (penes Sir T. Phillipps,
Bart.) occurs a power of attorney from John Pesemershe, Esq., to
_Richard Shylok_, of Hoo, co. Sussex, and others, to deliver seizin
of all his lands in Sussex to certain persons therein named. The
date of this document is July 4, 1435.

MARK ANTONY LOWER.

* * * * *


TRANSPOSITION OF LETTERS.

I should be obliged if any of your readers would give me the reason
for the transposition of certain letters, chiefly, but not
exclusively, in proper names, which has been effected in the course
of time.

The name of our Queen Bertha was, in the seventh century, written
Beorhte.

The Duke Brythnoth's name was frequently written Byrthnoth, in the
tenth century.

In Eardweard, we have dropped the _a_; in Ealdredesgate, the _e_. In
Aedwini, we have dropped the first letter (or have sometimes