Change of Name

(No. 16. p. 246.).—The doctrine, that a person may change his surname without any formality whatever, has long been "settled," and is by no means of so recent a date as your correspondent supposes, which will presently appear. In *Coke upon Littleton*, after some observations as to the change of Christian name at confirmation, it is stated— "And this doth agree with our ancient books, where it is holden that a man may have divers names at divers times, but not divers Christian names." (Vol. ii. p. 218. ed. 1818, by J.H. Thomas.) Reference is made to *Acc. 1 Com. Dig.* 19, 20., "Abatement" (E.…