FOOTNOTES
[1] Three masters’ houses, for the reception of boys, have recently been opened outside the college walls.
[2] Since the above was written, I have been shown a little book, entitled “Ups and Downs of a Public School,” in which many of the incidents alluded to by me are very graphically described, especially “the play,” “the town and gown row,” and “the examination in election week.”
[3] This word being hitherto unwritten, I have endeavoured, unsuccessfully, to spell phonetically. It is derived from the French proteger, and the last syllable is pronounced as in that word. Its meaning is somewhat the same as that of the French word, but implies rather a greater amount of care and interest.
[4] The beds in Seventh were different from those described in Fourth, being made of iron, without any canopy, with deal boards at the side to keep the mattresses in their places.
[5] See “Ups and Downs of a Public School.”
[6] On Sundays the boys went to Cathedral, instead of Chapel, at half-past ten A.M.
[7] This refined method of tossing up was arranged as follows:—A certain letter (say the first of the third line) was fixed on, and each boy turned over a page in succession; he who turned over that one in which the corresponding letter was nearest to A, won; and vice versâ.
[8] See “Ups and Downs of a Public School.”
[9] See the full-page illustration of a “Hot,” drawn by Mr R. Holmes.
[10] I believe the word “continent” is derived from the Latin contineo, to keep in.
[11] See “Ups and Downs of a Public School.”
[12] This must not be confounded with the Roll which was published every November, giving a list of the entire establishment of the College, commencing with the Warden, Head master, (Informator,) Second master, (Hostiarius,) the ten fellows, three chaplains, the under masters, the seventy scholars, the commoners, and the choristers.
[13] I very much wish that when the Chambers were changed and refurnished the curious old bedsteads had not been done away with: they were unique, and very comfortable.
[14] Bishop Shuttleworth, when he heard of this change, observed, “Diruit ædificat, mutat quadrata rotundis.”
[15] The examination for the Oxford scholarships takes place in December.
[16] There is one change of nomenclature made by the boys themselves (I suppose) that seems to me to be somewhat ridiculous. They speak of each other as “men;” surely “fellows” (the term used formerly) would be more appropriate.
[17] As the editor of the above Glossary has never seen any of the expressions written or in print, he has no rule to go by with respect to their orthography. He has, however, endeavoured to spell them as phonetically as the nature of our alphabet will allow. All slang words that are in common use elsewhere, and all names of persons and places, have been omitted. Compound words, such as “Long Fork,” “Chamber day,” &c., he has only put down under the initial letter of the first word. He has also omitted substantives formed from verbs by adding “ster,” such as “Brockster,” a person given to chaffing, from “to Brock;” “Mugster,” from “to Mug,” &c., &c. Many of the words are doubtless now obsolete, and it is probable that Wykehamists of older standing than the editor will miss several that they used to be familiar with; but, on the whole, it is believed this Glossary will be found pretty nearly correct for the period of from 1834-40.
[18] The picture is somewhat incorrect. Three or four bureaus, each about eight feet six inches high, stood against the wall, and the boys in ordinary jackets and waistcoats (not in tight jackets) threw at the victim from the front.
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