Replies to Minor Queries.
The Ring Finger (Vol. vii., p. 601.).—The Greek Church directs that the ring be put on the right hand (Schmid, Liturgik, iii. 352.: Nassau, 1842); and although the direction of the Sarum Manual is by no means clear (see Palmer's Origines Liturgicæ, ii. 213., ed. 2.), such may have formerly been the practice in England, since Rastell, in his counter-challenge to Bishop Jewel, notes it as novelty of the Reformation,—
"That the man should put the wedding-ring on the fourth finger in the left hand of the woman, and not on the right hand, as hath been many hundreds of years continued."—Heylyn, Hist. Ref., ii. 430. 8vo. ed.
But the practice of the Roman communion in general agrees with that of the Anglican. (Schmid, iii. 350-2.) Martene quotes from an ancient pontifical an order that the bridegroom should place the ring successively on three fingers of the right hand, and then shall leave it on the fourth finger of the left, in order to mark the difference between the marriage ring, the symbol of a love which is mixed with carnal affection, and the episcopal ring, the symbol of entire chastity. (Mart. de Antiquis Eccl. Ritibus, ii. 128., ed. Venet. 1783; Schmid, p. 352.)
J. C. R.
The Order of St. John of Jerusalem (Vol. vii., pp. 407. 628.).—As my old neighbour R. L. P. dates from the banks of the Lake of Constance, and may possibly not see W. W.'s communication for some time, I in the meanwhile take the liberty of informing W. W. that the order of St. John was restored in England by Queen Mary, and, with other orders revived by her, was again suppressed by the act 1 Eliz. c. 24.
J. C. R.
Calvin's Correspondence (Vol. vii., pp. 501. 621.).—It may be well to mention that all the letters of Calvin which Mr. Walter quotes, are to be found in the old collection of his correspondence; perhaps, however, the latter copies may be fuller or more correct in some parts.
The original French of the lone letter to Protector Somerset is printed by Henry in his Life of Calvin; but, like the other documents of that laborious work, it is omitted without notice in the English travestie which bears the name of Dr. Stebbing.
Heylyn's mis-statement as to Calvin and Cranmer is exposed, and the ground of it is pointed out, in the late edition of the Ecclesia Restaurata, vol. i. p. 134.
J. C. R.
Old Booty's Case (Vol. vii., p. 634.).—A friend, on whose accuracy I can rely, has examined the London Gazettes for 1687 and 1688, in the British Museum: they do not contain any report of Booty's case. I thought I had laid Booty's ghost in Vol. iii., p. 170., by showing that the facts of the case were unlikely and the law impossible.
H. B. C.
U. U. Club.
Chatterton (Vol. vii., p. 267.).—We are all very curious in Bristol to know what evidence or light J. M. G. of Worcester can bring to bear upon the Rowley Poems from the researches (as he states) of an individual here to prove not only that Chatteron was not their author, but that probably the "Venerable Rowley" himself was.
I had thought in 1853 no one doubted their authorship. There is abundance of proof to show Rowley could not have written them, and that only Chatterton could have done so.
Bristoliensis.
House-marks, &c. (Vol. vii., p. 594.).—It is very well known that the sign of the "Swan with two Necks," in London, is a corruption of the private mark of the owner of the swans, viz., two nicks made by cutting the neck feathers close in two spaces. It is also a common custom in Devon to mark all cattle, horses, &c., with the owner's mark when sent out on Exmoor, Dartmoor, and other large uninclosed tracts for summering: thus, Sir Thos. Dyke Acland's mark is an anchor on the near side of each of his large herd of ponies, on Exmoor.
W. Collyns.
Harlow.
Bibliography (Vol. vii., p. 597.).—The following may assist Mariconda:
Fischer: Beschreibung einiger Typographischer Seltenheiten nebst Beyträgen zur Erfindungsgeschichte der Buchdruckerkunst, 8vo. Mainz, 1800-4.
Origin of Printing, in Two Essays; with Remarks and Appendix, 8vo. 1776.
The Typographical Antiquities of Great Britain, by J. Johnson, Dr. Dibdin, Dr. Wilkins, and others, Longmans, 1824.
He will also find a list of works under the head Printing in the Penny Cyclopædia.
Getsrn.
Parochial Libraries (Vol. vi., p. 432. Vol. vii. passim.).—A parochial library was for many years deposited in the room over the south entrance of Beccles Church. The books consist chiefly of old divinity, &c., and appear to have been gifts from various persons; among whom were Bishop Trimnel (of Norwich), Sir Samuel Barnardiston, Sir Edmund Bacon of Gillingham, Sir John Playters, Mrs. Anna North, and Mr. Ridgly of London. There is a copy of Walton's Polyglot Bible, 1655-7, besides an odd volume of the same work (Job to Malachi), 1656, uncut. It is probable that many of the books have been lost, as the room in which they were kept was used as a repository for discarded ecclesiastical appliances, and, latterly, for charity blankets during summer. In 1840, with the consent of the late bishop of Norwich, and of the rector and churchwardens of the parish, the remaining volumes (about 170) were removed to the public library room, and placed under the care of the committee of that institution. A catalogue of them was then printed. The greater part have been repaired, with the aid of a donation of 10l. from a former inhabitant, who had reason to believe that some of the works had been lost in consequence of their having been in his hands many years ago. Are there not numerous instances elsewhere in which this example might be copied with propriety?
S. W. Rix.
Beccles.
Faithfull Teate (Vol. vii., p. 529.).—"Though this author's name be spelt Teate, there is great reason to believe that he was the father of Nahum Tate, translator of the Psalms."—Bibl. Anglopoetica, p. 361. In the punning copy of verses preceding the "Ter Tria" is this distich:
"We wish that Teats and Herberts may inspire
Randals and Davenants with poetick fire.—Jo. Chishutt."
My copy is on miserable paper, yet priced 31s. 6d., with this remark in MS. by some former possessor: "Very rare: which will not be wondered at by any one who will read five pages carefully."
E. D.
Lack-a-daisy (Vol. vi., p. 353.).—Todd had better have allowed Johnson to speak for himself: lack-a-daisy, lack-a-day, alack the day, as Juliet's nurse exclaims, and alas-the-day, are only various readings of the same expression. And of such inquiries and such solutions as Todd's, I cannot refrain from expressing my sentiments in the
words of poor Ophelia, "Alack! and fye for shame!"
Q.
Bloomsbury.
Bacon (Vol. ii., p. 247.; Vol. iii., p. 41.).—I think that you have not noticed one very common use of this word, as evidently meaning beechen. Schoolboys call tops made of boxwood, boxers; while the inferior ones, which are generally made of beechwood, they call bacons.
H. T. Riley.
Angel-beast—Cleek—Longtriloo (Vol. v., p. 559.).—An account of these games, the nature of which is required by your correspondent, is given in the Compleat Gamester, frequently reprinted in the latter part of the seventeenth century. The first, which is there called beast, is said to derive its name from the French la bett, meaning, no doubt, bête. It seems to have resembled the game of loo. Gleek is the proper name of the second game, and not check, as your correspondent suggests. It was played by three persons, and the cards bore the names of Tib, Tom, Tiddy, Towser, and Tumbler. Hence we may conclude that it was an old English game. The third game, or lanterloo, is evidently the original form of the game now known as loo. Its name would seem to indicate a Dutch origin.
H. T. Riley.
Hans Krauwinckel (Vol. v., p. 450.).—When the ground in Charterhouse Square was opened in 1834, for the purposes of sewerage (I believe), vast numbers of bones and skeletons were found, being the remains, as was supposed, of those who died of the Plague in 1348, and had been interred in that spot, as forming a part of Pardon Churchyard, which had lately been purchased by Sir Walter Manny, for the purposes of burial, and attached to the Carthusian convent there. Among the bones a few galley halfpence, and other coins, were found, as also a considerable number of abbey counters or jettons. I do not recollect if there was any date on the counters but the name "Hans Krauwinckel" occurred on some of them which fell into my possession, and which I gave some years ago to the Museum of the City Library, Guildhall. If these were coeval, as was generally supposed, with the Plague of 1348, it is singular that the same name should be found on abbey counters with the date 1601. I should be obliged if any of your correspondents could inform me when the use of jettons ceased in England; and whether Pardon Churchyard was used as a place of sepulture after 1348, and, if so, how long?
H. T. Riley.
Revolving Toy (Vol. vi., p. 517.).—The Chinese have lanterns with paper figures in them which revolve by the heat, and are very common about New Year time.
H. B.
Shanghai.
Rub-a-dub (Vol. iii., p. 388.).—Your correspondent seems at a loss for an early instance of this expression. In Percy's Reliques there is a song, the refrain or burden of which is:
"Rub-a-dub, rub-a-dub, so beat your drums,
Tantara, tantara, the Englishman comes."
H. T. Riley.
Muffs worn by Gentlemen.—In one of Goldsmith's Essays I remember well an allusion to the practice. The writer of the letter, or essay, states that he met his female cousin in the Mall, and after some sparring conversation, she ridicules him for carrying "a nasty old-fashioned [A.D. 1760] muff;" and his retort is, that he "heartily wishes it were a tippet, for her sake,"—glancing at her dress, which was, I suppose, somewhat what we moderns call "décolletée".
E. C. G.
Detached Church Towers.—The Norman tower at Bury St. Edmund's should not be included in the lists. Although now used as the bell tower of the neighbouring church of St. James, it was erected several centuries before the church, and was known as the "Great Gate of the Churchyard," or the "Great Gate of the Church of St. Edmund." It would be very desirable to add to the list the date of the tower, and its distance from the church.
Buriensis.
Add to the list the modern Roman Catholic chapel at Baltinglass, Ireland. It has a detached tower built in a field above it, and, although devoid of architectural beauty, is so placed that it appears an integral part of the chapel from almost any point of view.
Alexander Leeper.
Dublin.
Is not the bell-tower at Hackney detached from the church? I do not remember that it has been yet named by your correspondents.
B. H. C.
Christian Names (Vol. vii., pp. 406. 626.).—On the name of Besilius Fetiplace, Sheriff of Berkshire, in 26 Elizabeth, Fuller remarks,—
"Some may colourably mistake it for Basilius or Basil, whereas indeed it is Besil, a surname.... Reader, I am confident an instance can hardly be produced of a surname made Christian, in England, save since the Reformation; before which time the priests were scrupulous to admit any at font, except they were baptised with the name of a Scripture or legendary saint. Since, it hath been common; and although the Lord Coke was pleased to say he had noted many of them prove unfortunate, yet the good success in others confutes the general truth of the observation."—Worthies, vol. i. pp. 159, 160., edit. Nuttall.
J. C. R.
Lord C. of Ireland, which Mr. William Bates guesses to be Lord Castlereagh, was Lord Clare, Chancellor of Ireland, who used also to call men
with three names by a term opprobrious among the Romans: "Homines trium literarum."
C.
Hogarth's Pictures (Vol. vii. passim).—One of the correspondents of "N. & Q." inquires where he could see some pictures from this great artist. May I ask if he is aware of the three very fine large paintings in the Church of St. Mary, Redcliffe, Bristol? which I am told will shortly be sold.
Bristoliensis.
P.S.—They were painted for the church, and the vestry holds his autograph receipt for the payment of them.
Old Fogie (Vol. vii., pp. 354. 559. 632.).—Whether the origin of this term be Irish, Scotch, or Swedish I know not; but I cannot help stating the significant meaning which, as an Edinburgh boy at the beginning of the century, I was taught to attach to it. Every High-School boy agreed in applying it to the veterans of the Castle garrison, to the soldiers of the Town Guard (veterans also, and especial foes of my school-mates), and more generally to any old and objectionable gentleman, civil or military. It implied that, like stones which have ceased to roll, they had obtained the proverbial covering of moss, or, as it is called in Scotland (probably in Ireland also), fog. I have heard in Scotland the "Moss Rose" called the "Fogie Rose;" and there is a well-known species of the humble bee which has its nest in a mossy bank, and is itself clothed with a moss-like covering: its name among the Scottish peasantry is the fogie bee.
G. J. F.
Bolton.
Clem (Vol. vii., p. 615.).—Mr. Keightley considers this word to mean press or restrain, and quotes three passages from Massinger and Jonson in support of his opinion; admitting, however, that it is usually rendered starve. Now, whatever may have been the root of this word, or whencesoever it may have been derived, I think it must be admitted that starve is the correct meaning of the word in these passages. Let the reader test it by substituting starve for clem in each case. In Cheshire and Lancashire the word is in common use to this day, and invariably means starved for want of food. Of a thin, emaciated child it is said, "His mother clems him." A person exceedingly hungry says, "I'm welly clem'd; I'm almost or well-nigh starved." It is the ordinary appeal of a beggar in the streets, when asking for food.
Edw. Hawkins.
Kissing Hands (Vol. vii., p. 595.).—Cape will find in Suetonius that Caligula's hands were kissed.
C.
Uniform of the Foot Guards (Vol. vii., p. 595.).—In answer to D. N., as to where he can see uniforms of the Foot Guards, 1660 to 1670, I have to refer him to the Orderly-room, Horse Guards, where he will see the costume of the three regiments since they were raised. In Mackinnon's History of the Coldstream Guards, he will find that regiment's dress from the year 1650 to 1840.
C. D.
Book Inscriptions (Vol. vii., p. 455.).—At the end of No. 1801. Harl. MSS. is the following:
"Hic liber est scriptus,
Qui scripsit sit benedictus.
Qui scriptoris manum
Culpat, basiat anum."
In the printed catalogue there is this note:
"Neotricus quidam hos scripsit versiculos, ex alio forsan Codice depromptos."
ω. φ.
I have not seen the following amongst your deprecatory rhymes. It may come in with another batch. The nature of the punishment is somewhat different from that usually selected, and savours of Spain:
"Si quisquis furetur
This little libellum,
Per Phœbum, per Jovem,
I'll kill him, I'll fell him!
In ventum illius
I'll stick my scalpellum,
And teach him to steal
My little libellum."
Rubi.
In a Gesner's Thesaurus I have the following label of the date 1762:
"Ex Caroli Ferd. Hommelii Bibliotheca.
"Intra quatuordecim dies comodatum ni reddideris, neq' belle custodieris, alio tempore, Non habeo, dicam."
L.
Humbug (Vol. vii., pp. 550. 631.).—I do not remember any earlier use of this word than in Fielding's Amelia, 1751. Its origin is involved in obscurity: but may it not be a corruption of the Latin ambages, or the singular ablative ambage? which signifies quibbling, subterfuge, and that kind of conduct which is generally supposed to constitute humbug. It is very possible that it may have been pedantically introduced in the seventeenth century. May, in his translation of Lucan, uses the word ambages as an English word.
H. T. Riley.
A severe instance of the use of the term "humbug" occurred in a court of justice. A female in giving her evidence repeatedly used this term. In her severe cross-examination, the counsel (a very plain, if not an ugly person) observed she had frequently used the term humbug, and desired to know what she meant by it, and to
have an explanation; to which she replied, "Why, Sir, if I was to say you were a very handsome man, would you not think I was humbugging you?" The counsel sat down perfectly satisfied.
G. H. J.
Sir Isaac Newton and Voltaire on Railway Travelling (Vol. viii., p. 34.).—The passage in Daniel alluded to is probably the following:—"Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased," chap. xii. v. 4. Mr. Craig should send to your pages the exact words of Newton and Voltaire, with references to the books in which the passages may be found.
John Bruce.
Engine-à-verge (Vol. vii., p. 619.).—Is not this what we term a garden engine? The French vergier (viridarium) is doubtless so named, quia virgâ definita; and we have the old English word verge, a garden, from the same source.
H. C. K.
—— Rectory, Hereford.
"Populus vult decipi," &c. (Vol. vii., p. 572.).—The origin of this phrase is found in Thuanus, lib. xvii. A.D. 1556. See Jackson's Works, book iii. ch. 32. § 9. note.
C. P. E.
Sir John Vanbrugh (Vol. vii., p. 619.).—Sir John Vanbrugh was the grandson of a Protestant refugee, from a family originally of Ghent in Flanders. The Duke of Alva's persecution drove him to England, where he became a merchant in London. Giles, the son of this refugee, resided in Chester, became rich by trade, and married the youngest daughter of Sir Dudley Carleton, by whom he had eight sons, of whom Sir John Vanbrugh was the second. The presumption is he was born in Chester, but the precise date is unknown.
Anon.
Erroneous Forms of Speech (Vol. vii., pp. 329. 632.).—With regard to your two correspondents E. G. R. and M., I hold that, with Cowper's disputants, "both are right and both are wrong."
The name of the field beet is, in the language of the unlearned, mangel-wurzel, "the root of poverty." It acquired that name from having been used as food by the poor in Germany during a time of great famine. Turning to Buchanan's Technological Dictionary, I find,—
"Mangel-wurzel. Field beet; a variety between the red and white. It has as yet been only partially cultivated in Britain."
In reference to the assertion of your later correspondent, that "such a thing as mangel-wurzel is not known on the Continent," I would ask if either he or his friends are familiar with half the beautiful and significant terms applied to English flowers and herbs? If he prefer using mangold for beet, he is quite at liberty to do so, and I believe on sufficiently good authority. What says Noehden, always a leading authority in German:
"Mangold. Red beet; name of some other plants, such as lungwort and sorrel."
Mangold is here, then, a generic term, standing for other plants equally with the beet. One suggestion, however; I would recommend the generic term, when used at all, to be used alone, leaving the more familiar appellation as it stands, for the adoption of those who prefer the homely but suggestive phraseology to which it belongs.
E. L. H.
Devonianisms (Vol. vii., p. 630.).—Plum, adj. I am at a loss for the origin of this word as employed in Devonshire in the sense of "soft," e.g. "a plum bed:" meaning a soft, downy bed.
Query: Can it be from the Latin pluma? And if so, what is its history?
There is also a verb to plum, which is obscure. Dough, when rising under the influence of heat and fermentation, is said to be plumming well; and the word plum, as an adjective, is used as the opposite of heavy with regard to currant and other cakes when baked. If the cake rises well in the oven, it is commonly said that it is "nice and plum;" and vice versâ, that it is heavy.
Clunk, verb. This word is used by the common people, more especially the peasantry, to denote the swallowing of masses of unmasticated food; and of morsels that may not be particularly relished, such as fat. What is the origin of the word?
Dollop, subs. This word, as well as the one last-named, is very expressive in the vocabulary of the vulgar. It is applied to lumps of any substances, whether food or otherwise. Such a phrase as this might be heard: "What a dollop of fat you have given me!" "Well," would be the reply, "if you don't like it, clunk it at once." I should be glad to be enlightened as to the etymology of this term.
Isaiah W. N. Keys.
Plymouth, Devon.