Note 302 — THE PROLOGUE.

Curfew is derived from two French words, couvrir, i.e., tegere, and feu, i.e., ignis. William the Conqueror, in the first year of his reign, commanded that in every town and village a bell should be rung every night at eight o'clock, and that all people should put out their fire and candle and go to bed. The ringing of a bell in the evening is in many places till called ringing the Curfew Bell.