MINOR QUERIES.
Conrad of Salisbury's Descritio utriusque Britanniæ.—A good many years since I had a communication from the Baron de Penhouet, a Breton Antiquary, respecting a work which I have never yet been able to discover. I may ascertain, through the medium of your very useful publication, whether there exists a work under the title of a "Descriptio utriusque Britanniæ," by Conrad of Salisbury, from a MS. of the time of Henry I. I should feel much obliged to any one who would favour me with this information.
JAMES LOGAN.
Peruse or Pervise—Passage in Frith's Works.—Your correspondent T.J. rightly conjectured that the peruse of a modern reprint of Frith was an error. I have been able since to consult two black-letter editions, and have found, as I suspected, "pervise" and "pervyse."
If your same correspondent, or any other, can help me to correct, or to understand another erroneous clause in Russell's edit. of Frith, vol. iii. p. 227., I shall be still further obliged.
It is probably meant for some old rule in logic, but is printed there, "Ab inferiori ad suis superius confuse distribue." Foxe, however, has "suum" instead of "suis."
H.W.
Cromlech.—I shall feel much obliged if any of your readers will kindly refer me to any authority for the use of the word Cromlech, prior to the sixteenth century, whether in the Welsh or English language.
JAS. H. TODD.
Trin. Coll. Dublin, Jan. 31, 1850.
Meaning of "Grummett."—A Constant Reader is desirous of addressing such of your correspondents as are well versed in maritime history,—Mr. Bolton Corney to wit,—on the following subject. In the early ages of our Navy there was a distinct rating, called "Grummett," on board each man-of-war, and he was generally, as may be seen in the Cottonian MSS., placed after the "maryners and gonners." Now, the reader will be highly obliged to any one who will trace the designation to its source, and give information as to what were the special duties of the Grummett, or Gromet.
Σ.
Vertue's Manuscripts.—Steevens and Malone, in fixing the dates of Shakspeare's Dramas, frequently quote from Vertue's MSS. George Chalmers, in his Supplemental Apology, says, "On making some inquiries, by a friend, what manuscript of Vertue's it were, which I saw so often quoted about scenic matters, Mr. Steevens was so obliging as to say, 'The books, from which those extracts were made, with several others lost, belonged to Secretary Pepys, and afterwards to Dr. Rawlinson, who lent them to Mr. Vertue.' When the said MSS. were consulted by the two commentators, they were, I believe, in the possession of Garrick." Chalmers adds, "Much is it to be lamented, that any MS. or book, which furnished an illustration of Shakespeare, and having once been seen, should ever disappear." Every true lover of our great poet will heartily agree with this remark.
EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.
Loscop.—The Patent Roll, 1 Edw. III. part I, membrane 27, contains the exemplification or copy of a grant by Henry I. to his butler William de Albini of—"Manerium de Snetesham cum duobus hundredis et dimidio scil. Fredebruge et Smethedune cum wreck et cum omnibus pertinentiis suis et misteria de Luna cum medietate fori et theloneis et cum ceteris consuetudinibus et portu cum applicacione navium et loscop et viam ipsius aquæ et transitu cum omnibus querelis." I should be greatly obliged to any of your learned correspondents who would explain the word loscop. Luna is the town or port of King's Lynn. Misteria may probably be translated "offices." See Ducange (Paris Edit. 1845) under the words misterium and ministerium. Loscop appears to be a word of similar formation to Laudcop and Lahcop, which occur in the Laws of Ethelred (Thorpe's Ancient Laws, vol. i. pp. 294, 295.). Can it mean a fee paid on loosing the vessel in order to leave the port?
C.W.G.
Ormonde House.—Perhaps some of your annotators on Cunningham's Hand-book of London, will be so kind as to inform me whereabouts "Ormonde House" stood in St. James's Square; also to state any particulars respecting its history before and after it was occupied by that noble family.
J.G.
As Morse caught the Mare.—I shall be glad to be informed the meaning of this expression—it is to be met with in the translation of Rabelais. There is also a song sung among the farmers of South Devon, of which the last line of each verse is "As Morse caught the Mare."
R.S.B.
Dustpot—Forthlot.—In a Manorial Compotus, temp. Hen. V., I find the following entry, under the head of Out-goings:—
"In custodes carucarum et carectarum nil quia per firmarium. Item pro eorum duspot (xijd) nil, causa predicta. Item pro eorum forlot (iiijd) nil, causa predicta," &c.
I have in vain consulted the glossaries within my reach,—Ducange, Spelman, Halliwell, for the meaning of the terms dustpot and forlot (or, as spelt in another Compotus, dustpot and forthlot). They appear to have been customary payments to the servants who had the care of the carts and carriages belonging to the manor, which, at the time of this particular Compotus, were not payable by the lord, because the demesne lands were in farm; and these dues were paid by the tenant. A reference to the Promptorinm Parvulorum (a further instalment of which I rejoice to learn, from Mr. Way's communication, in No. 15., is in a state of progress) has been equally unproductive. The editorial note to the communications inserted in No. 17., on the interpretation of Pokership, induces me to send you this query, in the hope of eliciting information, if not from the gentleman you there refer to, at least from some one or other of your numerous readers learned in Archaic words.
I may, at a future period trouble you with some further remarks arising out of the same Compotus.
G.A.C.
Tracts attributed to Eachard.—The writer of this article has long had in his possession an old volume (among many others of a like kind in his collection) published in 1685; and containing the following tracts:—1st. "The Grounds and Occasions of the Contempt of the Clergy,... in a letter written to R.L., 9th edition." This letter is signed T.B. 2nd. "Observations upon the Answer to the Inquiry, &c., in a second Letter from T.B. to R.L." 3rd. "Hobbes' State of Nature, considered, in a Dialogue between Philautus and Timothy;" the "Epistle Dedicatory" is signed, J.E. 4th. "A Letter to his Old Dear Friend R.L. from T.B." 5th. "A Letter to B.D.," the publisher of Mr. Herbert's Country Parson, from T.B. 6th. "A Letter to the Author of the Vindication of the Clergy," from T.B. 7th. "A Letter to T.D.," the Author of Hieragonisticon, or Corah's Doom, from T.B. 8th. "A Letter to I.O. from T.B."
Now, it is mentioned in Dr. Hooke's Ecclesiastical Biography (vol. iv., art. Eachard), that Eachard was the author of these tracts. But the queries I would beg to propose, if any of your correspondents can answer them, are these:—1st. Why does Eachard sign himself T.B.; does that signature allude to any matter in particular? 2nd. Who are meant by the other letters, R.L., B.D., L.O., &c.; and who, if any persons in particular, by Philautus; and Timothy; and who was the author of Hieragonisticon.
Perhaps "Philautus" should be rather be "Philautos," and may mean "Hobbes" himself, as a self-sufficient person, and a great admirer or lover of himself. I wish these queries may not be thought too insignificant for your periodical, which to me, and so many others, is of peculiar interest and value.
GEO. WYATT (Clerk.)
Burghwallis, 1850.
Queen of Hearts.—Permit me to request some explanation of a passage in Miss Strickland's Life of Queen Elizabeth (vol. vii. p. 292.), where we are told that—
"Lady Southwell affirms that the two ladies in waiting discovered the Queen of Hearts, with a nail of Iron knocked through the forehead, and thus fastened to the bottom of the chair: they durst not pull it out, remembering that her like thing was used to the old Countess of Sussex, and afterwards proved a witchcraft, for which certain persons were hanged."
The author moralises upon this, but does not refer us to any authority, or tell where the affirmation of Lady Southwell is to be found, or where the account of the old countess is given; defects which I hope some of your correspondents will be good enough to supply.
F.R.A.
Guildhalls.—There are in most villages in this neighbourhood houses which from time immemorial have been called Guildhalls. These are situate among such small populations that they are manifestly unconnected with trade. Will any of your correspondents tell me—
1st. Why are they called Guildhalls?
2nd. For what purpose were they anciently used?
3rd. Are they common in other counties besides Suffolk?
Also: What is the origin of the Friday Streets so common in most villages in this neighbourhood?
A SUBSCRIBER AB INITIO.
Guildhall, Framlingham, Suffolk, Feb. 6. 1850.
Vox Populi—Monody on Sir John Moore.—Can any reader give me the origin of the saying "Vox Populi, Vox Dei?"—and has any one of your correspondents ever heard of any doubts being raised as to the original author of the Monody upon Sir John Moore, which is now always assigned to the Rev. Dr. Wolfe? I saw it stated in an English paper, published in France some few years back, that Wolfe had taken them from a poem at the end of the Memoirs of Lally Tottendal, the French governor of Pondicherry, in 1756, and subsequently executed in 1766. In the Paper I refer to, the French poem was given; and certainly one of the two must be a translation of the other. I have not been able to get a copy of Tottendal's Memoirs, or of the Paper I refer to, or I would not trouble you with this Query; but perhaps some one can inform me which is the Merchant here, and which the Jew.
QUÆSITOR.
Reg. Coll. London.
Use of Coffins.—How long has it been the custom to inter the dead in coffins? "In a table of Dutyes" dated 11th Dec. 1664, and preserved at Shoreditch Church, it is mentioned:—
"For a buryall in the New Church Yard without a coffin, 00 00 08.
"For a buryall in ye Old Church Yard without a coffin seauen pence 00 00 07.
"For the grave marking and attendance of ye Vicar and Clarke on ye enterment of a corps uncoffined the churchwardens to pay the ordinary duteys (and no more) of this table."
H.E.
Rococo.—Would any correspondent of "NOTES AND QUERIES" give the history of this word, or indicate where it is to be found? or, if the history is not known, state when, and by whom, it appears to have been first used?
T.
Oxford.
Howlett the Engraver.—Can any of your readers furnish me with an account of the "Publications of Bartholomew Howlett," who was an engraver of some note, and about forty-five or fifty years ago resided in London? He was a native of Louth in Lincolnshire, and about forty-five years ago, being then resident (as appears from his book) somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Blackfriars' Road, published by subscription a book containing a series of engravings, entitled "Views in Lincolnshire."
L.L.L.
The Bear, the Louse, and Religion.—I should be much obliged to any of your correspondents who will inform me where I can find The Bear, the Louse, and Religion: a fable. It commences—
"A surly Bear, in college bred,
Determin'd to attack Religion;
A Louse, who crawl'd from head to head,
Defended her—as Hawk does pidgeon.
Bruin Subscription discommended;
The Louse determin'd to support it—"
I know no more. When was it written?—upon what occasion?—who are meant by the Bear and the Louse?
GRIFFIN.
Mar. 5. 1850.