Notes and Queries, Number 211, November 12, 1853

J. O. Halliwell.

Minor Notes

Local Rhymes, Kent.—

"Between Wickham and WellingThere's not an honest man dwelling;And I'll tell you the reason why,Because Shooters' Hill's so nigh."

Unless this is preserved in "N. & Q." it will probably be forgotten with the highwaymen, whose proceedings at Shooters' Hill, no doubt, originated it.

G. W. Skyring.

Samuel Pepys's Grammar.—I have lately been looking over the Diary of this very clever person, and I confess it has surprised me to find him, a graduate of Cambridge, and, in fact, I may say a man of letters, constantly employing such vulgar bad grammar as "he do say," and such like. I am the more surprised when, on looking at his letters, even the familiar ones to his cousin Roger and to W. Hewer, I can find nothing of the kind, they being as grammatical and as well written as any of the time.

My hypothesis is—Lord Braybrooke can correct me if I am wrong—that Pepys, writing his Diary in short-hand, used one and the same character for all the persons of the present tense of do, and that the decypherer did not attend to this circumstance. In his letter to Col. Legge (vol. v. p. 296.), Pepys writes "His R. H. does think," &c., which in the Diary would surely be "His R. H. do think," &c. In a similar way I would account for the use of come instead of came in the Diary, as there is nothing of the kind in the Letters. Should I be right, I may have rendered a slight service to the memory of an able and worthy man.

Thos. Keightley.

Roman Remains.—In Wright's Celt, Roman, and Saxon, p. 207., a curious Roman altar, dedicated to Silvanus, "ab aprum eximiæ forme captum," is mentioned as found at Durham. It was found in the wild district to the west, in the neighbourhood of Stanhope in Weardale, and is preserve in the rectory house there.

P. 330., figure A. This armilla (?) was not found in Northumberland, but in Sussex, together with several others of the same form, a torques and celts.

W. C. Trevelyan.

Wallington.

To grab.—A very popular writer has lately rightly denounced the use of this word as a vulgarism. Like many other monosyllables used by our working classes, it may plead antiquity in extenuation of its vulgarity. It has been derived from the Welsh word grabiaw, to grasp, and in ancient times was one of our "household words." The retention by a tailor of a portion of the cloth delivered to him, although it had been a usage from time immemorial, might have been considered by our forefathers as a grabbage: we now call it cabbage.

N. W. S.

Curfew at Sandwich.—Sometime back it was stated that the curfew at Sandwich had been discontinued. It has been resumed in consequence of the opposition made by the inhabitants. The same occurred about twenty years ago. (From information on the spot.)

E. M.

Ecclesiastical Censure.—Ecclesiastical censure was often used in the Middle Ages to enforce civil rights, specially that of the exemption of the clergy from the judgment of a lay tribunal. The following instance thereof is new to me. I have copied it from "Collectanea Gervasii Holles," vol. i. p. 529., Lansdowne MS. 207., in the British Museum:

"Ex Archis Linc. ao 1307

"The Major and Burgesses of Grimesby hanged a Preist for theft called Richard of Notingham. Hereupon yē Bp sendes to yē Abbott of Wellow to associate to himselfe twelue adjacent chapleins to examine yē cause, and in St. James his Church Excommunicates all yt had any hand in it of whatsoever condition they were, yē King, Queen, and Prince of Wales excepted; and yē Bp himselfe did Excommunicate them in yē Cathedral Church of Lincolne, yē fifth of yē Ides of Aprill following."

Edward Peacock.

Bottesford Moors, Kirton-in-Lindsey.

The Natural History of Balmoral.—Dr. William Macgillivray, Professor of Civil and Natural History in the Marischal College of Aberdeen, and who died there Sept. 5, 1852, left an unpublished MS. on "The Natural History of Balmoral and its Neighbourhood." This work has been purchased from his executors by His Royal Highness Prince Albert; and is to be printed for the use of Her Majesty and the Royal Family, and for circulation among their august relatives. It was the last work on which the distinguished author was engaged, and was only completed a short time previous to his death. It also contains some curious speculations regarding several plants and herbs of that Alpine district, and their uses in a medicinal and domestic point of view, as known to the ancient Caledonians and Picts. Altogether it is a most interesting work.

W.

Shirt Collars.—In Hone's Every-day Book, vol. ii. p. 381., I find the following, which I think is after the present ridiculous fashion of wearing shirt collars, viz. so tight round the neck, and so stiff, that it is a wonder there are not some serious accidents.

These collars, at present worn by the fast young men of the day, are called "The Piccadilly three-folds." Now, if this goes on until they get to a "nail in depth, and stiffened with yellow starch, and double wired," I think it will only be proper to put a heavy tax upon them.

"Piccadilly.—The picadil was the round hem, or the piece set about the edge or skirt of a garment, whether at top or bottom; also a kind of stiff collar, made in fashion of a band, that went about the neck and round about the shoulders: hence the term 'wooden piccadilloes' (meaning the pillory) in Hudibras; and see Nares' Glossary, and Blount's Glossographia. At the time that ruffs and picadils were much in fashion, there was a celebrated ordinary near St. James's, called Piccadilly: because, as some say, it was the outmost, or skirt-house, situate at the hem of the town: but it more probably took its name from one Higgins, a tailor, who made a fortune by picadils, and built this with a few adjoining houses. The name has by a few been derived from a much frequented shop for the sale of these articles; this probably took its rise from the circumstance of Higgins having built houses there, which however were not for selling ruffs; and indeed, with the exception of his buildings, the site of the present Piccadilly was at that time open country, and quite out of the way of trade. At a later period, when Burlington House was built, its noble owner chose the situation, then at some distance from the extremity of the town, that none might build beyond him. The ruffs formerly worn by gentlemen were frequently double wired, and stiffened with yellow starch: and the practice was at one time carried to such an excess, that they were limited by Queen Elizabeth 'to a nayle of a yeard in depth.' In the time of James I., they still continued of a preposterous size: so that, previous to the visit made by that monarch to Cambridge in 1615, the Vice-chancellor of the University thought fit to issue an order, prohibiting 'the fearful enormity and excess of apparel seen in all degrees, as, namely, strange piccadilloes, vast bands, huge cuffs, shoe roses, tufts, locks, and tops of hair, unbeseeming that modesty and carriage of students in so renowned a university.'"

It is scarcely to be supposed that the ladies were deficient in the size of their ruffs, &c.

I must conclude this in the words of the immortal poet:

"      .       .       .       .     New fashions,Though they be never so ridiculous,Nay, let them be unmanly, yet are followed."H. E.

Queries

"DAYS OF MY YOUTH."

The following lines are understood to have been written by the late Mr. St. George Tucker of Virginia, U. S. Any information in support of this opinion, or, if it be unfounded, in disproof of it, is requested by

T.DAYS OF MY YOUTHDays of my youth! ye have glided away,Hairs of my youth! ye are frosted and gray;Eyes of my youth! your keen sight is no more;Cheeks of my youth! ye are furrow'd all o'er;Strength of my youth! all your vigour is gone;Thoughts of my youth! all your visions are flown!Days of my youth! I wish not your recall,Hairs of my youth! I'm content you should fall;Eyes of my youth! ye much evil have seen;Cheeks of my youth! bathed in tears have you been;Thoughts of my youth! ye have led me astray;Strength of my youth! why lament your decay!Days of my age! ye will shortly be past;Pains of my age! yet awhile can ye last;Joys of my age! in true wisdom delight;Eyes of my age! be religion your light;Thoughts of my age! dread not the cold sod,Hopes of my age! be ye fix'd on your God!—St. George Tucker, Judge.

Minor Queries

Randall Minshull and his Cheshire Collections.—Of what family was Randall Minshull, who, in the Addenda to Gower's Sketch for a History of Cheshire, p. 94., is stated to have professedly made a collection for the Antiquities of Cheshire by the desire of Lord Malpas? and where is such collection at the present time to met with?

Cestriensis.

Mackey's "Theory of the Earth."—I have a small pamphlet entitled,

"A New Theory of the Earth and of Planetary Motion; in which it is demonstrated that the Sun is Vicegerent of his own System. By Sampson Arnold Mackey, author of Mythological Astronomy and Urania's Key to the Revelations, &c. Norwich, printed for the Author."

There is no date on the title-page, but a notice on the second page indicates 1825. The book is extraordinary, and shows great astronomical and philological attainments, with some startling facts in geology, and bold theories as to the formation of the earth. I have endeavoured to procure the other two works of which Mr. Mackey is said to be the author, and also some account of him, but without success. I can hardly suppose that a writer of so much ability and learning can be unknown, and shall feel much obliged by any information as to him or his writings.

J. Ward.

Coventry.

Birthplace of King Edward V.—Can you give me any information as to the exact birthplace of this monarch?

Hume (vol. ii. p. 430.) merely says that he was born while his mother was in sanctuary in London, and his father was a fugitive from the victorious Earl of Warwick.

Commynes (book iii. chap. 5.) also says that she took refuge "es franchises qui sont à Londres," and "y accoucha d'ung filz en grant povreté."

Chastellain, at p. 486. of his Chronique, says: "Elle alla à Saincte-Catherine, une abbeye, disoient aucuns: aucuns autres disoient à Vasemonstre (Westminster), lieu de franchise, qui oncques n'avoit esté corrompu."

I should be glad to have some more definite information on this point, if any of your readers can supply it.

A Leguleian.

Name of Infants.—In Scotland there is a superstition that it is unlucky to tell the name of infants before they are christened. Can this be explained?

R. J. A.

Geometrical Curiosity.—Take half a sheet of note-paper; fold and crease it so that two opposite corners exactly meet; then fold and crease it so that the remaining two opposite corners exactly meet. Armed with a fine pair of scissors, proceed now to repeat both these folds alternately without cessation, taking care to cut off quite flush and clear all the overlappings on both sides after each fold. When these overlappings become too small to be cut off, the paper is in the shape of a circle, i. e. the ultimate intersection of an infinite series of tangents. Perhaps Professor De Morgan will give the rationale of this procedure.

C. Mansfield Ingleby.

Birmingham.

Denison Family.—Can any correspondent of "N. & Q." inform me how the Denisons of Denbies, near Dorking, in Surrey, and the Denisons of Ossington, in Nottinghamshire, were related? Who was Mr. Robert Denison of Nottingham, who took a very active part in politics at the commencement of the French Revolution? His wife had a handsome legacy from a rich old lady, one Mrs. Williams, of whom I would much like to know something farther.

E. H. A.

"Came."—In Pegge's Anecdotes of the English Language, p. 189., we read:

"The real preterit of the Saxon verb coman, is com. Came is therefore a violent infringement, though it is impossible to detect the innovator, or any of his accomplices."

When was the word came introduced into our language? Early instances of its use would be very welcome.

H. T. G.

Hull.

Montmartre.—By some this name is derived from mons martis; by others from mons martyrum. Which is the more satisfactory etymology, and upon what authority does it rest?

Henry H. Breen.

St. Lucia.

Law of Copyright: British Museum.—Observing that the new law of copyright, which was passed and came into operation on the 1st of July, 1842, expressly repeals all of the statutes previously existing on that subject, I am anxious to know, through the medium of "N. & Q.," if the British Museum authorities can claim and enforce the delivery of any book, although not entered on the books of Stationers' Hall, which may have been printed and published before the passing of the said act of 1842. If so, then what is the state of the act or statute which bears upon that particular privilege?

J. A.

Glasgow.

Veneration for the Oak.—The oak—"the brave old oak"—has been an object of veneration in this country from the primæval to the present times. The term oak is used in several places in Scripture, but nowhere does it appear to refer to the oak as we know it—our indigenous oak. The oak, under which God appeared to Abraham, bears apparently a resemblance to the tree of life of the Assyrian sculptures; and, perhaps, the Zoroastrian Homa, or sacred tree, and the sacred tree of the Hindus; and the same may yet be found in the British oak. Is there a botanical affinity between these trees? Are they all oaks? Was the tree of life, as described in the Bible, an oak?

G. W.

Stansted, Montfichet.

Father Matthew's Chickens.—Can any of your correspondents explain why grouse in Scotland are sometimes called "Father Matthew's chickens?"

M. R. G.

Pronunciation of Bible and Prayer Book proper Names.—I feel sure that many of your clerical correspondents would feel much obliged by any assistance that might be forwarded them through the medium of your columns respecting the correct pronunciation of those proper names which occur during divine service: such as Sabaoth, Moriah, Aceldama, Sabacthani, Abednego, and several others of the same class.—The opinions already given in publications are so contradictory, that I have been induced to ask you to insert this Query.

W. Sloane Sloane-Evans.

Cornworthy Vicarage, Totnes.

MSS. of Anthony Bave.—I possess a volume of MS. Sermons, Treatises, and Memorandums in the autograph of one Anthony Bave, who appears, from the doctrines broached therein, to have been a moderate Puritan. What is known concerning him? It is a book I value much from the beauty of the writing and the vigorous style of the discourses.

R. C. Warde.

Kidderminster.

Return of Gentry, temp. Hen. VI.—In what collection, or where, can the Return of Gentry of England 12th Henry VI. be seen or met with?

Glaius.

Taylor's "Holy Living."—In Pickering's edition of this work (London, 1848), some of the quotations are placed in square brackets (e. g. on p. xii.); and some of the paragraphs have an asterisk prefixed to them (as on p. 8.). Why?

A. A. D.

Captain Jan Dimmeson.—Can any one give me some information about him? I find his name on a pane of glass, with the date of 1667, in the vicinity of Windsor. I had not an opportunity to obtain a copy of some words that were painted on the glass, beneath a fine flowing sea with a ship in full sail upon its bosom.

F. M.

Greek and Roman Fortification.—Where can I obtain an account of Greek and Roman fortification? I am surprised to find that Smith's Classical Dictionary has no article upon that subject.

J. H. J.

The Queen at Chess.—In the old titles of the men at chess, the queen, who does all the hard work, was called the prime minister, or grand vizier. When did the change take place, and who thought of giving all the power to a woman? Truly in the game "woman is the head of the man," reversing the just order.

C. S. W.

Vida on Chess.—I have had in my possession for more than five years a translation of Vida on Chess. It is in the handwriting of a celebrated poet of the last century; but whether a mere transcript or a version of his own, is more than I can affirm. Now, I shall feel obliged by any information on the subject, whether positive or negative, and transcribe the exordium with that view. It is not the version which was made by George Jeffreys, and revised by Alexander Pope1:

"Vida's Scacchis, or Chess.""Armies of box that sportively engage,And mimick real battels in their rage,Pleas'd I recount; how smit with glory's charms,Two mighty monarchs met in adverse arms,Sable and white: assist me to explore,Ye Serian nymphs, what ne'er was sung before."Bolton Corney.

Minor Queries with Answers

Thornton Abbey.—Can any of your readers give me some information respecting an old and ruinous building called "Thornton Abbey," situate about ten miles from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, and also about two miles from the river Humber?

Victor.

Grimsby.

[Tanner states, the house was called Thorneton Curteis, and Torrington. It was founded by William le Gros, Earl of Albemarle, and Lord of Holderness, about the year 1139, for Austin Canons, and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Dugdale says, that when first founded it was a priory, and the monks were introduced from the monastery of Kirkham; but was changed into an abbey by Pope Eugenius III., A.D. 1148. Though Henry VIII. suppressed the Abbey, he reserved the greater part of the lands to endow a college, which he erected in its room, for a dean and prebendaries, to the honour of the Holy and Undivided Trinity. From the remains it must have been a magnificent building. Originally it consisted of an extensive quadrangle, surrounded by a deep ditch, with high ramparts, and built in a style adapted for occasional defence. To the east of the gateway are the remains of the abbey church. The chapter-house, part of which is standing, was of an octangular shape, and highly decorated. On the south of the ruins of the church is a building, now occupied as a farm-house, which formerly was the residence of the abbots. It was afterwards the seat of Edward Skinner, Esq., who married Ann, daughter of Sir William Wentworth, brother to the unfortunate Earl of Strafford. The estate was purchased from one of the Skinner family by Sir Richard Sutton, Bart.; it is now in the possession of Lord Yarborough. In taking down a wall in the ruins of the abbey, a human skeleton was found, with a table, a book, and a candle-stick. It is supposed to have been the remains of the fourteenth abbot, who, it is stated, was for some crime sentenced to be immured—a mode of capital punishment not uncommon in monasteries. Four views of the abbey are given in Allen's History of Lincolnshire, vol ii., and some farther notices of its ancient state will be found in Dugdale's Monasticon, vol. vi. pl. i. p. 324.; Tanner's Notitia, Lincolnshire, lxxvii.; and Beauties of England and Wales, vol. ix. p. 684.]

Bishop Wilson's "Sacra Privata."—In the new edition of this work, p. 381., there is given a table of "The Collects, with their Tendencies." Under the head of Fasting, references are made to the First Sunday in Lent, and the Tenth and Twenty-third after Trinity.—There must be some mistake in this, as the last two collects refer to prayer. This for your correspondent Mr. Denton, to whom I understand the Church is indebted for the redintegration of the good bishop's journal.

A. A. D.

[We have submitted the above to the Rev. William Denton, who expresses his obligations to A. A. D. for pointing out the error, which seems to have escaped the notice of all the previous editors of the Sacra Privata. The second edition is now at press, and, if not too late, the correction will be made. Mr. Denton doubts whether the list after all is the bishop's; but thinks it was only copied by him from some work. Can any one point out the source? It is singular that another mistake of the bishop's should have escaped the notice of all previous editors, namely, the tendency of the collect for Whit-Sunday being described as Humiliation instead of Illumination.]

Derivation of "Chemistry."—Are there any historical reasons for deriving the word chemistry from Chemi, the name of Egypt, as is done by Bunsen and others?

T. H. T.

[Dr. Thomson, the writer of the article "Chemistry" in the Encyclopædia Britannica, thus notices this derivation: "The generally received opinion among alchymistical writers was, that chemistry originated in Egypt; and the honour of the invention has been unanimously conferred on Hermes Trismegistus. He is by some supposed to be the same person with Chanaan, the son of Ham, whose son Mizraim first occupied and peopled Egypt. Plutarch informs us that Egypt was sometimes called Chemia: this name is supposed to be derived from Chanaan. Hence it was inferred that Chanaan was the inventor of chemistry, to which he affixed his own name. Whether the Hermes of the Greeks was Chanaan, or his son Mizraim, it is impossible to decide; but to Hermes is assigned the invention of chemistry, or the art of making gold, by almost the unanimous consent of the adepts." Dr. Webster says, "The orthography of this word has undergone changes through a mere ignorance of its origin, than which nothing can be more obvious. It is the Arabic kimia, the occult art or science, from kamai, to conceal. This was originally the art or science now called alchemy; the art of converting baser metals into gold." Webster says the correct orthography is chimistry.]

Burning for Witchcraft.—When and where was the last person burned to death for witchcraft in England?

W. R.

[We believe the last case of burning for witchcraft was at Bury St. Edmunds in 1664, tried by Sir Matthew Hale, although some accounts state that the victims, Amy Duny and Rose Callender, were executed. In the same year Alice Hudson was burnt at York for having received 10s. at a time from his Satanic majesty. The last case of burning in Scotland was in Sutherland, A.D. 1722: the judge was Captain David Ross, of Little Dean. At Glarus, in Ireland, a servant girl was burnt so late as 1786. The last authenticated instance of the swimming ordeal occurred in 1785, and is quoted by Mr. Sternberg from a Northampton Mercury of that year:—"A poor woman named Sarah Bradshaw, of Mears Ashby, who was accused of being a witch, in order to prove her innocence, submitted to the ignominy of being dipped, when she immediately sunk to the bottom of the pond, which was deemed to be an incontestable proof that she was no witch!"]

The Small City Companies.—Where does the fullest information appear respecting their early condition, &c.? Herbert's work only occasionally refers to them, and I am aware of many incidental notices of them in Histories of London, &c.; but it does not amount to much, and I should be glad to know if there is no fuller account of them. The companies of Pewterers or Bakers, for example.

B.

[Beside the incidental notices to be found in Stow, Maitland, and Seymour, our correspondent must consult the Harleian MSS.; and if he will turn to the Index volume at p. 294., he will find references to the following companies:—Bakers', Drapers', Painters', Stainers', Pinners', Scriveners', Skinners', Wax-chandlers', Wharfingers', Weavers', and other miscellaneous notes relating to the city of London generally.]

Rousseau and Boileau.—Are there any full and complete English translations of Rousseau's Confessions and Boileau's Satires?

Alledius.

[The following translations have been published:—The Confessions of J. J. Rousseau, in two Parts, London, 12mo., five vols., 1790; Boileau's Satires, 8vo., 1808: see also his Works made English by Mr. Ozell and others, two vols. 8vo., London, 1711-12, and three vols. 8vo., London, 1714.]