Various - Notes and Queries, Number 20, March 16, 1850
V >>
Various >> Notes and Queries, Number 20, March 16, 1850
C.R. SOC.
_College Salting_ (no. 17. p. 261.).--I cannot but think that the asking
for salt at the now abolished ceremony of the Eton Montem (whence also,
as it is said, "Salt Hill" was named) must have been connected with the
"College Salting." The salt, or money, then collected belonged, as is
well known, to the head-boy who had "got Montem," as it (alas!) _was_
called, and who was about to enter on his career (of course as a
freshman) at Cambridge.
I would gladly, if permitted, draw the attention of your correspondents,
who are considering the original subject, to the latter, by placing it
in juxtaposition with "College Salting."
G.W.
Hamilton Terrace.
* * * * *
JUNIUS.
The questions asked by your correspondent "P." (No. 18. p. 172.)
perplexed by their simplicity. The answer, if answer can be seriously
required, was obvious. All that was ever urged in favour of every other
claimant was against the claim of Sir George Jackson. Beyond this I know
not what reply could be given. Emboldened by silence, "P." now proceeds
(p. 276.) to adduce certain evidence which he supposes has some bearing
on the question. "I possess," he says, "an unpublished letter by Junius
_to_ Woodfall, which once belonged to Sir George Jackson. My query is,
'Is it likely he would have obtained it from Junius, if he were neither
Junius himself nor a party concerned?'" What can be the meaning of this,
obtain _from Junius_ a letter which Junius had sent to Woodfall? Why, it
is obvious that Sir George must have obtained it as "P." obtained it--as
all autograph collectors obtain their treasures--directly or indirectly,
by gift or by purchase, mediately or immediately from one of the
Woodfalls--probably from Henry Sampson Woodfall--probably from George
Woodfall, who has recorded the fact that he lent one letter to a Mr.
Duppa, which was never returned. "P." then proceeds a step further, and
observes--"The manner in which Burke evades the question, as to himself
being the author of Junius, makes me think two or three were concerned
in these letters." Well, and it made others think so half a century or
more since. The three Burkes have often been named--the Burkes again,
with the assistance of Samuel Dyer: and Mr. Prior put forth a very
reputable argument in favour of the claims of the Burkes, but it was
delicate and died young. If your correspondent has nothing to urge in
favour of this conjecture, why disinter it? "P.," however, has it
in his power to do some service to the cause: let him send you, for
publication, an exact copy of the Junius' letter, following carefully
the spelling, the capital letters, the instructions, and even the
punctuation.
Mr. John Sudlow's conjectures are still more simple. He evidently is not
aware that when a public writer assumes a character he is bound to hold
to it consistently; and that as "ATTICUS" was then writing on the
subject of the national debt, and objecting to the financial policy of
the minister, he naturally affected to be a fundholder, to be
frightened, and to have, in consequence, removed his property. What a
strange notion Mr. Sudlow must have of Steele and Addison, if he has
read the _The Spectator_ and _The Tatler_ after this literal fashion.
But I will not speculate on his speculations, but come to facts.
It is true that "amongst the letters attributed to Junius, and, in the
opinion of Dr. Good, most certainly his production, is one signed
Atticus," {323} which your correspondent proceeds to quote, adding that
it is "believed to be the first which appeared signed Atticus." This is
really a little "too bad." It is known, and ought to have been known to
your correspondent before he intermeddled, that Good, though he wrote
so confidently in public, had "most certainly" very great doubts in
private; that others who have examined the question have no doubt at
all; and have, indeed, adduced such strong proofs against Good's
conjectures, that the gentleman now engaged in producing a new edition
of Good's work speaks, in the first volume, the only one yet published,
of Good's "unhesitating affiliation" of these letters, and announces his
intention of offering hereafter "strong proof" that the letters signed
Poplicola, _Atticus_, and others, "_were not written by Junius_." That
there may be persons who _believe_ that the letter quoted was the first
which appeared signed Atticus, I cannot deny; but all who are reasonably
informed on the subject _know_ that it is not so;--know, as stated not
long since in the _Athenaeum_, that letters signed Atticus appeared
in the _Public Advertizer_ from 1766 to 1773--possibly before and
after--and that within that period there were at least thirty-seven
letters published, from which Good was pleased to select four.
W.
* * * * *
WHITE HART INN, SCOLE.
Having an engraving of this sign, I am enabled satisfactorily to reply
to Mr. Cooper's query (No. 16. p. 245.) respecting its existence. The
engraving measures 17 inches and a half long, by 22 wide; it was
"Published according to Act of Parliament May the 1st 1740." In the
right-hand bottom corner appears "Jno Fessey Sculp.," and in the left
"Joshua Kirby Delin't." It is entitled, "The North East Side of ye Sign
of ye White Hart at Schoale Inn in Norfolk, built in the year 1655 by
James Peck, a Merchant of Norwich, which cost 1057l., humbly Dedicated
to James Betts Gent by his most Obed't Serv't Harwin Martin." The sign
springs on one side from a mass of masonry, and was joined to the house
on the other: it was sufficiently high to enable carriages to drive
under it. As it would trespass too much on your columns were I to
particularise each of the figures, I will content myself with giving
the printed explanation of them from the engraving, premising that each
figure is numbered:--"1. Jonah coming out of the Fishes Mouth. 2. A
Lion supporting the Arms of Great Yarmouth. 3. A Bacchus. 4. The Arms of
Lindley. 5. The Arms of Hobart, now Lord Hobart. 6. A Shepherd playing
on his Pipe. 7. An Angel supporting the Arms of Mr. Peck's Lady.
8. An Angel supporting the Arms of Mr. Peck. 9. A White Hart, with
this Motto (this is the one which 'hangs down carved in a stately
wreath')--'Implentur veteris Bacchi pinguisque ferinae Anno Dom 1655.'
10. The Arms of the late Earl of Yarmouth. 11. The Arms of the Duke of
Norfolk. 12. Neptune on a Dolphin. 13. A Lion supporting the Arms of
Norwich. 14. Charon carrying a reputed Witch to Hell. 15. Cerberus. 16.
An Huntsman. 17. Actaeon [with three dogs, and this legend, 'Actaeon ego
sum Dominum cognoscite vestrum']. 18. A White Hart couchant [underneath
appears in the engraving the artist's name--Johannes Fairchild struxit].
19. Prudence. 20. Fortitude. 21. Temperance. 22. Justice. 23. Diana
[with two greyhounds, one of whom is chasing a hare]. 24. Time devouring
an Infant [with the legend, 'Tempus edax rerum,' below]. 25. An
Astronomer, who is seated on a Circumferenter, and by some Chymical
Preparation is so Affected that in the fine Weather he faces that
Quarter from whence it is about to come." The whole sign is drawn by a
scale of half an inch to a food, and most of the figures are of the size
of life. On both sides of the engraving, but distinct from the sign, are
seven coats of arms. Those on the right hand are: 1. Earl of Yarmouth.
2. Cornwallis impaling 1st and 4th Buckton, 2nd Unknown, 3rd Teye. 3.
Castleton. 4. Unknown. 5. Mrs. Peck [these arms are wrongly blazoned by
Blomefield; they are _gules_ a fesse _argent_, between, in chief, two
crescents, and in base, a lion _passant guardant_ of the same]. 6. Great
Yarmouth. 7. Unknown. The arms on the opposite side are: 1. Duke of
Norfolk. 2. Hobart. 3. Bacon. 4. Thurston. 5. Mr. Peck impaling his wife
[his arms, too, are wrongly blazoned; they should be--Or, on a chevron
engrailed gules three crosslets pattee argent]. 6. Lindley. 7. Norwich.
Mr. Cooper will find a slight notice of this sign, both in Gough's
_Camden_ and in _The Beauties of England and Wales_; but both these are
of later date than Mr. Cruttwell's _Tour_. I have only to add, that I
should wish Mr. Cooper to _see_ the engraving. I shall be very happy to
send it by post for his inspection.
CRANMORE.
* * * * *
_Parkership, Porkership, Pokership._--With every deference to the
ingenious suggestions of Mr. Bolton Corney (No. 15. p. 218.), I think it
will be found, on reference to the original documents, that "Pokership"
is a misreading of the ancient writing for "Parkership." This question
might be determined if any correspondent, acquainted with the present
excellent arrangement of our records, could inform us whether the
appointments under the old Earldom of March are extant. A large portion
of Herefordshire was held under his tenure. Thomas Croft, of Croft, was,
in 1473, "Parker" of Pembrugge, in that county: _Rot. Parl_. vi. 342. In
1485 John Amyas {324} was, by the act of settlement made on the accession
of Henry VII., continued in his office "of the kepyng of our chase of
Moketree in Wigmoresland under the Erledom of Marche," and Thomas Grove
"in the keepying of our chase of the Boryngwood in Wigmoresland and of
the 'Poulterership' and keping of the ditch of the same."
In _An Abstract of the late King's Revenues_ (printed 1651, 4to.) is
this entry relating to Bringwood:--
"To Sir Robert Harley for keeping Boringwood alias Bringwood Forest
Com. Heref. 6l. 2s. 8d. per ann., for the Pokership 30s. 5d. by the
year, and for the keeping the forest of Prestwood 18s. by the
year."
In a survey made of mocktree and Bringwood Forests in 1633, it is
stated, that "these Forests are stately grounds, and do feed a great and
large Deer, and will keep of Red and Fallow Deer two or three thousand
at the least."
These enclosures were disafforested temp. Charles II., and they now form
part of the Downton Castle Estate.
W.H.C.
Temple.
_Porkership_-Accept my best thanks for your ready insertion of my
observations in No. 18.; but I regret to say that the printer has
unfortunately made a mistake in one word, and that, as it mostly
happens, the principal one, on which the gist of my illustration in
regard to the Pokership depends. The error occurs in the extract from
the Pipe Roll, where the word has been printed Parcario instead of
Porcario; added to which the abbreviations in the other words are
wanting, which renders the meaning doubtful. It should have been printed
thus:--"Et [i+] li[b+]ae const Porcario de [h+]eford,"--being, _in
extenso_, "Et in liberatione constat Porcario de Hereford." Showing that
in early times there was a hog warden, or person who collected the
king's hog-rent in Hereford. And further, Mr. Smirke's extract in No.
17. p. 269., shows that in Henry VIII.'s time the Porcarius had become
Pocarius, the fee being within 1d. of the same amount as that paid in
John's reign.
May I, under these circumstances, crave a short note in your next
Number, correcting the oversight, so that my Porker may be set on his
legs again?
P.S.--In reference to the claim, the name of the place should be
Burnford, not Barnford.
T.R.F.
Spring Gardens, March 4, 1850.
* * * * *
REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES.
_Coleridge's Christabel and Byron's Lara_ (No. 17. p. 262.).--What
Christabel saw is plain enough. The lady was a being like Duessa, a
Spenser; a horrible-looking witch, who could, to a certain degree, put
on an appearance of beauty. The difference is, that this lady had both
forms at once; the one in her face, the other concealed. This is quite
plain from the very words of Coleridge.
The lifting her over the sill seems to be something like the same
superstition that we have in Scott's _Eve of St. John_:--
"But I had not had pow'r to come to thy bow'r,
If Though had'st not charm'd me so."
I have no doubt that Lara is the Corsair; and Kaled Gulnare, from the
Corsair: the least inspection is enough to show this. Ezzelin must also
be Seyd; but that does not answer quite so well. All that there is to
prepare it is, that Seyd is only left for dead, in a great hurry, and
therefore might recover; and that he drank wine, and therefore might be
of Christian extraction. In Lara he is described as dark; but his
appearance is rather confusedly related, as if he never appeared but
once, and yet Otho knows him, and he has a dwelling. The shriek is more
difficult. There could be no meeting, then, between Ezzelin and Lara,
because Ezzelin is surprised by meeting him at Otho's. Whether the
shriek may not be owing to a meeting between Kaled and Ezzelin, is in
not so clear. From the splendid description of her looking down upon
him, it is not proved that she there saw him first; and Ezzelin never
sees her at all there.
Nothing is more interesting than these mysteries left in narrative
fictions. The story of Gertude, in that first of romances, the _Promessi
Sposi_, is a very great instance; and the bad taste, of bringing her up
again to the subject of a story by another writer, is so extreme, that I
never could look into the book. That Mazoni has left the character, whom
he calls the _Innominato_, in mystery, is historical, and not of his own
contrivance.
I used to think that Scott had left the part of Clara, in _St. Ronan's
Well_, intentionally mysterious, as to a most important circumstance;
but we learn, from his _Life_, that he meant to have made that
circumstance a part of the story, but was prevented by the publisher. It
is natural that the altered novel, therefore, should retain some
impressions of it. I refer particularly to the latter part of the
communications between her and her brother. But the meeting between her
and Tyrell in the woods, and their conversation there, I now think,
forbid the reader to suspect any thing like what I speak of. In such
cases I do not myself wish to know too much about the matter. Sometimes
the author wishes you to have the pleasure of guessing, as I think, in
Lara; sometimes he means to be more mysterious; sometimes he does not
know himself. It would have been idle to have asked Johnson where Ajeet
went to.
C.B. {325}
_Sir William Rider_ (No. 12. p. 186).--"H.F." will find some account of
the acts and deeds of Sir Thomas Lake and Dame Mary Lake his wife in the
_13th Report on Charities_, p. 280, as to their gifts to Muccleston in
Staffordshire. In the _24th Report_, p. 300, as to Drayton in the same
county. Dame Mary Lake was also a benefactor to the parish of Little
Stanmore, see _9th Report_, p. 271. See also Stow's _Survey_ 593. (ed.
1633.)
H.E.
_God tempers the Wind_ (No. 14. p. 211.; No. 15. p 236.).--The proverb
is French: "A brebis tondue Dieu mesure le vent;" but I cannot tell now
where to find it in print, except in Chambaud's _Dictionary_. That is
why Sterne puts it into the mouth of Maria.
C.B.
_Complutensian Polyglot._--"Mr. JEBB" asks (No. 14. p. 213.), "In what
review or periodical did there appear a notice of the supposed discovery
of the MSS. from which the _Complutensian Polyglot_ was compiled?"
He will find an article on this subject in the _Irish Ecclesiastical
Journal_ for April, 1847; from which I learn that there was a previous
article, by Dr. James Thomson, one of the agents of the British and
Foreign Bible Society, in the _Biblical Review_, a London periodical
publication. Dr. Thomson, if I understand the matter aright, professed
to have found at Madrid the MSS., so long supposed to have been lost.
There is also an article on the same subject by Dr. Bowring, in the
_Monthly Repository_, vol. xvi. (1821), p. 203.
_Tickhill, God help me_ (No. 16. p. 247.).--Of Tickhill I know nothing;
but Melverley in this county goes by the soubriquet of "Melverley, God
help;" and the folk-lore on the subject is this:--Melverley lies by
Severn side, where that river flows under the Breiddon hills from the
county of Montgomery into that of Salop. It is frequently inundated in
winter, and, consequently, very productive in summer. They say that if a
Melverley man is asked in winter where he belongs, the doleful and
downcast reply is, "Melverley, God help me;" but asked the same question
in summer, he answers quite jauntily, "Melverley, and what do you
think?" A friend informs me that the same story appertains to Pershore
in the vale of Evesham. Perhaps the analogy may assist Mr. Johnson in
respect to Tickhill.
Let me take this opportunity to add to my flim-flam on pet-names in your
late Number, that Jack appears to have been a common term to designate a
low person, as "every Jack;" "every man-jack;" "Jack-of-all-trades?"
"Jackanapes;" &c.
B.H. KENNEDY.
Shrewsbury, Feb. 18.
_Bishop Blaise_ (No. 16. p. 247.).--Four lives of the martyr Blasius,
Bishop of Sebaste in Cappadocia, are to be found in the Bollandine _Acta
Sanctorum_, under the 3rd of February. It appears that the relics and
worship of this saint were very widely spread through Europe, and some
places seem to have claimed him as indigenous on the strength merely of
possessing one of his toes or teeth. The wool-comb was one of the
instruments with which he was tortured, and having become a symbol of
his martyrdom, gave occasion, it would seem, to the wool-combers to
claim him as their patron, and to ascribe to him the invention of their
art. See Ellis's Brand's _Popular Antiquities_, vol. i. pp. 29, 30; and
query whether the veneration of St. Blaise by these artizans were not
peculiar to England. Blasius of Sebaste is said to have been a
physician; in consequence of the persecution raised by Diocletian, he
retired to a mountain named Argaeus, whither all the wild beasts of the
country resorted to him, and reverentially attended him. But there is a
legend of another Blasius of Caesarea in Cappadocia, who is represented
as an owner of herds ([Greek: boukolos]), and remarkable for his charity
to the poor. His herdsman's staff was planted over the spot where he was
martyred, and grew into an umbrageous tree.
This variation of legends favours the idea that the cultus of Blasius
was founded upon that of some deity worshipped in Cappadocia, whose
rites and attributes may have varied in different localities.
C.W.G.
_Sangred--Judas Bell._--"BURIENSIS" inquires (p. 124.) what _sangred_
is. This term is noticed in Rock's _Church of Our Fathers_, t. ii. p.
372. In the very interesting, "Extracts from Church-warden's Accounts,"
p. 195., it is asked what "Judas' bell" was. I presume it to have been a
bell named after, because blessed in honour of the apostle St. Jude,
who, in the Greek Testament, in the Vulgate, and our own early English
translations, as well as old calendars, is always called Judas, and not
Jude, as a difference from Judas Iscariot.
CEPHAS.
_La Mer des Histoires._--"MR. SANSOM" (No. 18. p. 286.) has inquired,
What is known of Columna's book, entitled _Mare Historiarum_? Trithemius
has made mention of the work (_De Script. Eccles_. DL.), and two
manuscript copies of it are preserved in the Royal Library at Paris. (B.
de Montfaucon, _Biblioth. Bibliothecar. MSS._ tom ii. p. 751. Par.
1739.) Douce very properly distinguished it from _La Mer des Histoires_;
but, if he wrote "Mochartus," he was in error; for _Brochart_ was the
author of the Latin original, called _Rudimentum Novitiorum_, and
published in 1475. As to the statement of Genebrard, that Joannes de
Columna was the writer of the "_Mater_ Historiarum," I should say that
the mistake was produced by confounding the words _Mer_ and _Mere_. Mr.
Sansom may find all the information {326} that need be desired on this
subject in Quetif et Echard, _Scriptores Ord. Praed._ tom. i. pp. 418-20.
Lut. Paris, 1719. (Vid. etiam Amb. de Altamura, _Biblioth. Dominican_.
p. 45. Romae, 1677; Fabricii, _Bibl. Med. et Inf. Latin._ i. 1133. Hamb.
1734.)
R.G.
"What are _depenings_?" (No. 18. p. 277.)
The nets used by the Yarmouth herring busses were made in breadths of
six feet. The necessary _depth_ was obtained by sewing together
successive breadths, and each breadth was therefore called a
_deepening_.[4]
ED.
[Footnote 4: From a pamphlet written about 1615, not now before us. ED.]
* * * * *
MISCELLANIES.
_Tale of a Tub._--It is generally supposed that the title of Swift's
_Tale of a Tub_ was a jest originally levelled at the Puritan pulpit. It
probably had served a more ancient purpose. In Bale's _Comedye
concerning Three Laws_, compiled in 1538, Infidelitas says:
"Ye say they follow your law,
And vary not a shaw,
Which is a tale of a tub."
J.O.W.H.
* * * * *
A GENIUS.
(_From the German of Claudius_.)
"Friend Ass," said the Fox, as he met him one day,
"What can people mean?--Do you know what they say?"
"No, I don't," said the Ass; "nor I don't care, not I."
"Why, they say you're a GENIUS," was Reynard's reply.
"My stars!" muttered Jack, quite appall'd by the word,
"What can I have done that's so very absurd?"
* * * * *
_Dedications_ (No. 17. p. 259.).--In Villaneuva's Dedication to the Duke
of Medinaceli of his _Origen Epocas y Progressos del Teatro Espanol_
(Madrid, 1802, sm. 4to.), the enumeration of the names, titles, and
offices of his patron occupies three entire pages, and five lines of a
fourth.
F.C.B.
* * * * *
NOTES ON BOOKS, SALES, CATALOGUES, ETC.
The Percy Society have just issued a reprint of a black letter tract,
entitled "A manifest Detection of the most Vyle and Detestable Use of
Dice Play," which exhibits a curious picture of the tricks in vogue
amongst the gamesters of the sixteenth century, and, as the Editor very
justly observes, "comprises fuller explanations of terms used by
Shakspeare and other old dramatists than are to be found in the notes of
the commentators. The mysteries of _gowrds_ and _fullams_, _high men_
and _low men_, stumbling-blocks to many intelligent readers of the works
of the Stratford Poet, are here satisfactorily revealed."
Whatever hope the projectors of the approaching _Exhibition of Works of
Ancient and Mediaeval Art_ entertained of forming such a collection of
objects as might deserve the attention of the public generally, and
accomplish the great end in view, have been more than realised. Thanks
to the liberality with which the possessors of works of early art of
this description, from the most distinguished personages of the realm,
have placed their stores at the disposal of the committee, the very
novel exhibition which will open to the public on Thursday next, will be
as remarkable for its intrinsic beauty, as for its instructive and
suggestive character.
We need scarcely remind lovers of fine editions of first class books
that Messrs. Sotheby commence the sale of the first portion of the
extensive stock of Messrs. Payne and Foss, of Pall Mall, on Monday next.
We have received from Mr. Straker, of 3. Adelaide Street, his Catalogue
of English and Foreign Theology, arranged according to subject, and with
an Alphabetical Index of Authors: and also Parts I. and II. of his
Monthly Catalogues of Ancient and modern Theological Literature. Mr.
Lilly, who has removed to No. 7. Pall Mall, has also forwarded Nos. 1.
and 2. of his Catalogues of Rare, Curious, and Useful Books. Mr. Miller,
of 43. Chandos Street, has just issued No. 3. for 1850 of his Catalogue
of Books, Old and New: and Mr. Quarritch (of 16. Castle Street,
Leicester Square) No. 14. Catalogue of Oriental and Foreign Books: and,
though not least deserving of mention (by us, at all events, as he has
the good taste to announce on his Catalogue "Notes and Queries SOLD"),
Mr. Nield, of 46. Burlington Arcade has just issued No. 2. for 1850, in
which are some Marprelate and Magical Books worth looking after.
* * * * *
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.
E. VEE. "When Greeks join Greeks," &c. is a line by _NAT. LEE._ See No.
14. p. 211.
K.D.B. The following--"In Flesh-monger-street, Siward the moneyer
(renders) to the King 15d. and to William de Chesney houseroom, salt and
water"--is a literal translation. Correspondents must be careful not to
omit letters or contractions in extracts from original records. It would
in this case have been difficult correctly to render "monet" without a
contraction; and "Flemangerstret," as our correspondent wrote it, might
have been changed into "Fell-monger-," instead of "Flesh-monger-street."
The service of "house-room, salt, and {327} water," seems a singular
one; it was, of course, a kind of entertainment, or a contribution to
entertainment. If the _Liber Winton_ contains no other notice of similar
services, "H.D.K." will find the subject illustrated, though not the
particular tenure, at pp. 260-267. of the first volume of Sir H. Ellis's
_Introduction to the Great Domesday_.
Rue Strewed before Prisoners at the Bar of the Old Bailey. This custom
originated in the fear of infection, at a period when Judges, &c. were
liable to fall victims to gaol fever.
