"Anon, the coach comes--in the meantime, there coming a _news_ thither, with his horse to come over."
In other parts of the _Diary_, the word _News-book_ is occasionally employed to signify what is now termed a newspaper, or, more properly, a bulletin. For instance (vol. iii. p. 29.), we find that--
"This _News-book_, upon Mr. Moore's showing L'Estrange Captain Ferrers's letter, did do my Lord Sandwich great right as to the late victory."
"I met this noon with Dr. Barnett, who told me, and I find in the _News-book_ this week, that he posted upon the 'Change,'" &c. &c.
Much has been lately written in the "NOTES AND QUERIES" respecting the "Family of Love." A sect of a similar name existed here in 1641, and a full and not very decent description of their rites and orgies is to be found in a small pamphlet of that date, reprinted in the fourth volume (8vo. ed.) of the _Harleian Miscellany_.
_Origin of Adur_ (Vol. ii., p. 71.).--A, derived from the same root as Aqua and the French _Eau_, is a frequent component of the names of rivers: "A-dur, A-run, A-von, A-mon," the adjunct being supposed to express the individual characteristic of the stream. _A-dur_ would then mean the _river of oaks_, which its course from Horsham Forest through the Weald of Sussex, of which "oak is the weed," would sufficiently justify. It is called in ancient geography _Adurnus_, and is probably from the same root as the French _Adour_.
The river Adur, which passes by Shoreham, is the same name as the Adour, a great river in the Western Pyrenees.
This coincidence seems to show that it is neither a Basque word, nor a Saxon. Whether it is a mere expansion of _ydwr_, the water, in Welch, I cannot pretend to say, but probably it includes it.
We have the Douro in Spain; and the Doire, or Doria, in Piedmont. Pompadour is clearly derived from the above French river, or some other of the same name.
_Meaning of Steyne_ (Vol. ii., P. 71.).--Steyne is no doubt _stone_, and may have reference to the original name of Brighthelm-_stone_: but what the _stone_ or "steyne" was, I do not conjecture; but it lay or stood probably on that little flat valley now called the "Steyne." It is said that, so late as the time of Elizabeth, the town was encompassed by a high and strong _stone wall_; but that could have no influence on the name, which, whether derived from Bishop _Brighthelm_ or not, is assuredly of Saxon times. There is a small town not far distant called _Steyning, i.e._ the meadow of the stone. In my early days, the name was invariably pronounced Brighthamstone.