Appendix to Chapters IV. and V.
It will perchance help to familiarize the reader with the manner in which the occupative names contained in the two preceding chapters arose, if I transcribe several lists of tradesmen which have come across my notice while engaged in the work of collecting surnames for my index. The first is found in most of the Yorkshire County Histories, and is a record of the order of the Pageant for the City of York in 1415. The second is the order of the Procession of the Craftsmen and Companies of Norwich from the Common Hall in 1533. This list will be found in Blomefield’s ‘Norfolk,’ vol. ii. p. 148. The third is the order of the Chester Play, inaugurated 1339, and discontinued 1574. This list will be found in Ormerod’s ‘Cheshire,’ vol. i. p. 300. These records possess an intrinsic value, apart from other matters, as proving to the reader the leading position which these several cities held as centres of industry in the thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries. The last list I would furnish is that met with in the quaint poem entitled ‘Cocke Lorelle’s Bote,’ published about the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII., and purporting to give a list of the tradesmen and manufacturers of the metropolis at that time. I have quoted merely the portion that concerns my purpose, and it is taken from the edition published by the Percy Society. Though not perfect, that edition is undoubtedly the best.
I.
The Order for the Pageants of the Play of Corpus Christi, in the time of the Mayoralty of William Alne, in the third Year of the Reign of King Henry V. Anno 1415, compiled by Roger Burton, Town Clerk.
Tanners.
Plasterers.
Carde-makers.
Fullers.
Coupers.
Armourers.
Gaunters.
Shipwrights.
Fyshmongers.
Pessyners.
Mariners.
Pchemyners.
Bukbynders.
Hosyers.
Spicers.
Peuterers.
Founders.
Tylers.
Chaundelers.
Goldsmithes.
Orfeures.
Gold-beters.
Mone-makers.
Masons.
Marashals.
Girdellers.
Naylers.
Sawters.
Sporiers.
Lorymers.
Barbers.
Vyntners.
Smythes.
Fevers.
Pennagers.
Plummers.
Patten-makers.
Pouch-makers.
Botillers.
Cap-makers.
Vestment-makers.
Skynners.
Cuttellers.
Blade-smythes.
Shethers.
Scalers.
Buckle-mekers.
Horners.
Bakers.
Waterleders.
Cordwaners.
Bowers.
Fletchers.
Tapisers.
Couchers.
Littesters.
Cukes.
Waterleders.
Sauce-makers.
Milners.
Tiel-makers.
Ropers.
Cevers.
Turners.
Hayresters.
Bollers.
Sherman.
Pynners.
Lateners.
Payntors.
Bouchers.
Pulterers.
Satellers.
Sellers.
Glasiers.
Carpenters.
Joyners.
Cartwrights.
Carvers.
Sawyers.
Wyndrawers.
Broggers.
Wool-pakkers.
Wadmen.
Escriveners.
Lumners.
Questors.
Dubbors.
Taillyoures.
Potters.
Drapers.
Lynwevers.
Wevers of Wolle.
Hostilers.
Mercers.
Porters, 8 torches.
Coblers, 4 torches.
Cordwaners, 14 torches.
Carpenters, 6 torches.
Chaloners, 4 torches.
Fullers, 4 torches.
Cottellers, 2 torches.
Wevers, torches.
Girdellers, torches.
Taillyoures, torches.
It is ordained that the Porters and Coblers should go first; then, of the Right, the Wevers and Cordwaners; on the Left, the Fullors, Cutlers, Girdellers, Chaloners, Carpenters, and Taillyoures; then the better sort of Citizens; and after the Twenty-four, the Twelve, the Mayor, and four Torches of Mr. Thomas Buckton.
II.
The Order of the Procession of the Occupations, Crafts, or Companies (Norwich) to be made on Corpus Christi Day, from the Common Hall. (1533 A.D.)
1. The Company of Masons, Tilers, Limeburners, and Smiths.
2. The Carpenters, Gravours, Joiners, Sawers, Seivemakers, Wheelwrights, Fletchers, Bowers, and Turners.
3. The Reders, Thaxters, Rede-sellers, Cleymen, and Carriers.
4. The Butchers, Glovers, and Parchment-makers.
5. The Tanners.
6. The Cordwaners, Coblers, Curriers, and Collarmakers.
7. The Shermen, Fullers, Woolen and Linnen Weavers, and Wool-chapmen.
8. The Coverlet-weavers, Darnick-weavers, and Girdlers.
9. The Combers, Tinmen.
10. The Vintners, Bakers, Brewers, Inn-keepers, Tiplers, Coopers, and Cooks.
11. The Fishmongers, Freshwater-fishers, and Keelmen.
12. The Waxchandlers, Barbers, and Surgeons.
13. The Cappers, Hatters, Bagmakers, Paintmakers, Wier-drawers and Armourers.
14. The Pewterers, Brasiers, Plombers, Bellfounders, Glaziers, Steynors.
15. The Tailors, Broiderers, Hosiers, and Skinners.
16. The Goldsmiths, Diers, Calanderers, and Sadlers.
17. The Worsted-weavers and Irlonderes.
18. The Grocers and Raffmen.
19. The Mercers, Drapers, Scriveners, and Hardwaremen.
20. The Parish Clerks and Sextons, with their bannerwayts, and minstrals.
Blomefield’s ‘Norfolk,’ vol. ii. p. 148.
III.
The Chester Play was inaugurated 1339. The following trades, guilds, and companies took part in it:—
First List.
1. The Barkers and Tanners.
2. Drapers and Hosiers.
3. Drawers of Dee and Water Leaders.
4. Barbers, Waxchandlers, Leeches.
5. Cappers, Wyerdrawers, Pynners.
6. Wrightes, Slaters, Tylers, Daubers, Thatchers.
7. Paynters, Brotherers (i.e. embroiderers), Glasiers.
8. Vintners and Marchants.
9. Mercers, Spicers.
Second List.
1. Gouldsmithes, Masons.
2. Smiths, Forbers, Pewterers.
3. Butchers.
4. Glovers, Parchment-makers.
5. Corvesters and Shoemakers.
6. Bakers, Mylners.
7. Boyeres, Flechers, Stringeres, Cowpers, Turners.
8. Irnemongers, Ropers.
9. Cookes, Tapsters, Hostlers, Inkeapers.
Third List.
1. Skinners, Cardemakers, Hatters, Poynters, Girdlers.
2. Sadlers, Fusters.
3. Taylors.
4. Fishmongers.
5. Sheremen.
6. Hewsters and Bellfounders.
7. Weavers and Walkers.
The last procession occurred in 1574.
Ormerod’s ‘Cheshire,’ vol. i. p. 300.
IV.
Extract from ‘Cocke Lorelle’s Bote.’
The fyrst was goldesmythes and grote clyppers:
Multyplyers and clothe thyckers:
Called fullers everychone:
There is taylers, taverners, and drapers:
Potycaryes, ale-brewers, and bakers:
Mercers, fletchers, and sporyers:
Boke-prynters, peynters, bowers:
Myllers, carters, and botylemakers:
Waxechaundelers, clothers, and grocers:
Wollemen, vynteners, and flesshemongers:
Salters, jowelers, and habardashers:
Drovers, cokes, and pulters:
Yermongers, pybakers, and waferers:
Fruyters, chesemongers, and mynstrelles:
Talowe chaundelers, hostelers, and glovers:
Owchers, skynners, and cutlers:
Bladesmythes, fosters, and sadelers:
Coryers, cordwayners, and cobelers:
Gyrdelers, forborers, and webbers:
Quyltemakers, shermen, and armorers:
Borlers, tapestry-worke-makers, and dyers:
Brouderers, strayners, and carpyte-makers:
Sponers, torners, and hatters:
Lyne-webbers, setters, with lyne-drapers:
Roke-makers, copersmythes, and lorymers:
Brydel-bytters, blackesmythes, and ferrars:
Bokell-smythes, horseleches, and goldbeters:
Fyners, plommers, and peuters:
Bedmakers, fedbedmakers, and wyre-drawers:
Founders, laten workers, and broche-makers:
Pavyers, bell-makers, and brasyers:
Pynners, nedelers, and glasyers:
Bokeler-makers, dyers, and lether-sellers:
Whyte-tanners, galyors, and shethers:
Masones, male-makers, and merbelers:
Tylers, bryck-leyers, harde-hewers:
Parys-plasterers, daubers, and lymeborners:
Carpenters, coupers, and joyners:
Pype-makers, wode-mongers, and orgyn-makers:
Coferers, carde-makers, and carvers:
Shyppe-wrightes, whele-wrights, and sowers:
Harpe-makers, leches, and upholsters:
Porters, fesycyens, and corsers:
Parchemente-makers, skynners, and plowers:
Barbers, bokebynders, and lymners:
Repers, faners, and horners:
Pouche-makers, below-farmes, cagesellers:
Lanterners, stryngers, grynders:
Arowe-heders, maltemen, and corne-mongers:
Balancers, tynne-casters, and skryveners:
Stacyoners, vestyment-swoers, and ymagers:
Sylke-women, pursers, and garnysshers:
Table-makers, sylkedyers, and shepsters:
Goldesheares, keverchef, launds, and rebone makers:
Tankarde-berers, bougemen, and spereplaners:
Spynsters, carders, and cappeknytters:
Sargeauntes, katche-pollys, and somners:
Carryers, carters, and horsekepers:
Courte-holders, bayles, and honters:
Constables, hede-borowes, and katers:
Butlers, sterchers, and mustarde-makers:
Hardewaremen, mole-sekers, and ratte-takers:
Bewardes, brycke-borners, and canel-rakers:
Potters, brome-sellers, pedelers:
Shepherds, coweherdes, and swyne-kepers:
Broche-makers, glas-blowers, candelstycke-casts:
Hedgers, dykers, and mowers:
Gonners, maryners, and shypmasters:
Chymney-swepers and costerde-mongers:
Lodemen and bere-brewers:
Fysshers of the sea and muskel-takers.
CHAPTER VI.
‘Nicknames.’
If we may trust the accredited origin of the term nickname—viz., that it is prosthetically put for ‘an ekename,’ that is, an added name—it may seem somewhat inconsistent to entitle a special branch of my book by that which in reality embraces the whole. But I do not think I shall be misunderstood, since, whatever be the original meaning intended, the word has now so thoroughly settled down into its present sphere of verbal usefulness that it would be a matter of still more lengthened explanation if I were to put it in its more pretentious and literal sense. By ‘nickname,’ in this chapter, at any rate, I intend to take in all those fortuitous and accidental sobriquets which, once expressive of peculiar and individual characteristics, have survived the age in which they sprang, and now preserved only in the lumber-room of our directories, may be brought forth once more wherever they help to throw a brighter light upon the decayed memorials of a bygone era. It will be seen at a glance that it is no easy task that of assorting a large body of nondescript and unclassed terms, but I will do my best under pleaded indulgence.
We are not without traces of this special kind of sobriquets even in the early days before the Norman Conquest was dreamt or thought of. I have already instanced the Venerable Bede as speaking of two missionaries who, both bearing the name of Hewald, were distinguished by the surnames of ‘White’ and ‘Black,’ on account of their hair partaking of those respective hues. In the ninth century, too, Ethelred, Earl of the Gaini, was styled the ‘Mucel’ or ‘Mickle’—‘eo quod erat corpore magnus et prudentiâ grandis.’ With the incoming of the Normans, however, came a great change. The burlesque was part of their nature. A vein for the ludicrous was speedily acquired. It spread in every rank and grade of society. The Saxon himself was touched with the contagion, ere yet the southern blood was infused into his veins. Equally among the high and the low did such sobriquets as ‘le Bastard,’ ‘le Rouse,’ ‘le Beauclerk,’ ‘le Grisegonel’ (Greycloke), ‘Plantagenet,’ ‘Sansterre,’ and ‘Cœur de lion’ find favour. But it did not stay here; the more ridiculous and absurd characteristics became the butt of attack. In a day when buffoonery had become a profession, when every roughly-sketched drawing was a caricature, every story a record of licentious adventure, it could not be otherwise. The only wonderment is the tame acquiescence on the part of the stigmatized bearer. To us now-a-days, to be termed amongst our fellows ‘Richard the Crookbacked,’ ‘William Blackinthemouth,’ ‘Thomas the Pennyfather’ (that is, the Miser), or ‘Thomas Wrangeservice’ (the opposite of Walter Scott’s ‘Andrew Fairservice’), would be looked upon as mere wanton insult. But it was then far different. The times, as I have said, were rougher and coarser, and the delicacy of feeling which would have shrunk from so addressing those with whom we had to deal, or from making them the object of our banter, would have been perfectly misunderstood. Apart from this, too, the bearer, after all, had little to do with the question. He did not give himself the nickname he received it; pleasant or unpleasant, as he had no voice in the acquisition, so had he none in its retention. There was nothing for it but good-tempered acquiescence. We know to this very day how difficult was the task of getting rid of our school nicknames, how they clung to us from the unhappy hour in which some sharp-witted, quick, discerning youngster found out our weak part, and dubbed us by a sobriquet, which, while it perhaps exaggerated the characteristic to which it had reference, had the effect which a hundred admonitions from paternal or magisterial head-quarters had not, to make us see our folly and mend our ways. None the less, however, did the affix remain, and this was our punishment. How often, when in after years we come accidentally across some quondam schoolfellow, each staring strangely at the other’s grizzly beard or beetled brow, the old sobriquet will crop up to the lips, and in the very naturalness with which the expression is uttered all the separation of years of thought and feeling is forgotten, and we are instantly back to the old days and the old haunts, and pell-mell in the thick of old boyish scrapes again. Yet perchance these names were offensive. But they have wholly lost their force. We had ceased to feel hurt by them long before we parted in early days. See how this, too, is illustrated in the present day in the names of certain sects and parties. We talk calmly of ‘Capuchins,’ ‘Quakers,’ ‘Ranters,’ ‘Whigs’ and ‘Tories,’ and yet some of these taken literally are offensive enough, especially the political ones. But, as we know, all that attached to them of odium has long ago become clouded, obscured, and forgotten, and now they are the accepted, nay, proudly owned, titles of the party they represent. Were it not for this we might be puzzled to conceive why in these early times such a name as ‘le Bonde,’ significant of nothing but personal servitude and galling oppression, was allowed to remain. That ‘le Free’ and ‘le Freman’ and ‘le Franch-homme’ should survive the ravages of time is natural enough. But with ‘Bond’ it is different. It bespoke slavery. Yet it is one of our most familiar names of to-day. How is this? The explanation is easy. The term was used to denote personality, not position; the notion of condition was lost in that of identity. It was just the same with sobriquets of a more humorous and broad character, with nicknames in fact. The roughest humour of those rough days is oftentimes found in these early records, and the surnames which, putting complimentary and objectionable and neutral together, belong to this day to this class, form still well-nigh the largest proportion of our national nomenclature. There is something indescribably odd, when we reflect about it, that the turn of a toe, the twist of a leg, the length of a limb, the colour of a lock of hair, a conceited look, a spiteful glance, a miserly habit of some in other respects unknown and long-forgotten ancestor, should still five or six centuries afterwards be unblushingly proclaimed to the world by the immediate descendants therefrom. And yet so it is with our ‘Cruickshanks’ or ‘Whiteheads’ or ‘Meeks’ or ‘Proudmans;’ thus it is with our ‘Longmans’ and ‘Shortmans,’ our ‘Biggs’ and ‘Littles,’ and the endless others we shall speedily mention. Still these represent a better class of surnames. As time wore on, and the nation became more refined, there was an attempt made, successful in many instances, to throw off the more objectionable of these names. Some were so utterly gross and ribald as even in that day to sink into almost instant oblivion. Some, I doubt not, never became hereditary at all.
In glancing briefly over a portion of these names we must endeavour to affect some order. We might divide them into two classes merely, physical and moral or mental peculiarities; but this would scarcely suffice for distinction, as each would still be so large as to make us feel ourselves to be in a labyrinth that had no outlet. Nor would these two classes be sufficiently comprehensive? There would still be left a large mass of sobriquets which could scarcely be placed with fitness in either category: nicknames from Nature, nicknames from oaths, or street-cries, or mottoes, or nicknames again in the shape of descriptive compounds. Names from the animal kingdom, of course, could be set under either a moral or physical head, as, in all cases, saving when they have arisen from inn-signs or ensigns, they would be affixed on the owner for some supposed affinity he bore in mind or body to the creature in question. Still it will be easier to place them, as well as some others, under a third and more miscellaneous category. These three divisions I would again subdivide in the following fashion:—
I.—Physical and External Peculiarities.
(1) Nicknames from peculiarities of relationship, condition, age, size, shape, and capacity.
(2) Nicknames from peculiarities of complexion.
(3) Nicknames from peculiarities of dress and its accoutrements.
II.—Mental and Moral Peculiarities.
(1) Nicknames from peculiarities of disposition—complimentary.
(2) Nicknames from peculiarities of disposition—objectionable.
III.—Miscellaneous.
(1) Nicknames from the animal and vegetable kingdom.
(2) Descriptive compounds affixed as nicknames.[[438]]
(3) Nicknames from oaths, street-cries, and mottoes.