Minor Notes.
Whipping a Lady.—The following is from a MS. Diary of the Rev. John Lewis, Rector of Chalfield and Curate of Tilbury:
"August, 1719. Sir Christopher Hales being jilted by a lady who promised him marriage, and put him off on the day set for their marriage, gave her a good whipping at parting. Remember the story."
Is there any corroboration of this?
E. D.
Mother of Thirty Children.—An instance has come under my notice of a woman, whose maiden name was Lee, born in Surrey; married, first, Berry, with whom she lived thirty years, and had twenty-six children (four times twins): all survived infancy. Married, secondly, Taylor, by whom she had four children. Died at Stratford, aged eighty-four. Within a few weeks of her death, was as upright as a young woman. At the time of her death, there were one hundred and twenty-two of her descendants living. She lived most of her married life near Whitechapel and Radcliffe, and was buried in the Brickfield burying-ground. She had sixteen boys and fourteen girls.
Leyton.
"Ought" and "Aught."—I regret to observe that ought is gradually supplanting aught in our language, where the meaning intended to be conveyed is "anything." Todd's Johnson gives authorities, but may they not be errors of the press? I am aware that use has substituted nought for naught in the sense of "not anything", the latter now expressing only what is "bad," and convenience may justify that change, nought being not otherwise used. Let me add that I am the more
in fear for our old servant aught, who surely has done nought worthy of excommunication, from observing that such a writer as the Rev. Chevenix Trench has substituted ought for aught to express "anything." If convenience is allowed to justify our having nought and naught, it surely claims that we should keep aught and ought each for its appropriate signification in writing, impossible as it is to distinguish one from the other in speech.
Υ.
Nilbud.
Walton.—The following note is written on the fly-leaf at the end of Hieron's Sermons, 1620:
"Mr. Gillamour.—I pray you be entreated to lend my wife what silver you think fittest upon this or other bookes to supplie our present wants, soe as I may have them againe when I restore it to you; you shall doo mee a greate curtesie, and I shall be very thankfull to you.
Yours to his power to be comanded,
Johs' Walton, Cler."
I have no information as to either party, and no date is affixed to the request.
E. D.
Salutations.—The parting salutations of various nations are strikingly alike. The vale of the Latins corresponds with the χαῖρε of the Greeks; and though Deity is not expressed distinctly in either, it was doubtless understood: for who can be kept in health without, as the ancients would say, the will of the gods? The Greek word perhaps has a higher signification than the Latin; for it was not a mere complimentary salutation, says Macknight: "St. John forbids it to be given to heretical teachers, Eph. ii. 10, 11." The French, on taking leave, say "Adieu," thus distinctly recognising the providential power of the Creator; and the same meaning is indeed conveyed in our English word, "good-bye," which is corruption of "God be with you." The Irish, in their warmth of manner and love of words, often extend the expression. A well-known guide, upon my leaving one of the loveliest spots in Wicklow, shook hands with me heartily, and said, in a voice somewhat more tremulous through age than it was when Tom Moore loved to listen to it: "God Almighty bless you, be with you, and guide you safely to your journey's end!" This salutation, when used thoughtfully and aright, has not only a pleasant sound, but deep meaning.
E. W. J.
Crawley.
Good Times for Equity Suitors.—Having lately met with the following particulars in Bishop Goodman's Diary, I send them for insertion, if you think fit, in "N. & Q.:"
"Then was the chancery so empty of causes, that Sir Thomas More could live in Chelsea, and yet very sufficiently discharge that office; and coming one day home by ten of the clock, whereas he was wont to stay until eleven or twelve, his lady came down to see whether he was sick or not; to whom Sir Thomas More said, 'Let your gentlewoman fetch me a cup of wine, and then I will tell you the occasion of my coming;' and when the wine came, he drank to his lady, and told her that he thanked God for it he had not one cause in chancery, and therefore came home for want of business and employment there. The gentlewoman who fetched the wine told this to a bishop, who did inform me."
Abhba.
The Emperor of Russia and the Order of the Garter.—The Emperor of Russia is a knight of the Order of the Garter. Now, according to the statutes of the Order, no knight ought to take up arms against another, or in any way assist anybody so to do.
In illustration of this, we find it stated in Anstis' Register of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, who quotes from Caligula, L. 6., in Bib. Cott., that when the French king wished to borrow a sum of money from Henry VII., to employ in the war with the King of Naples, the answer was:
"Que le Roy ne povoit avec son honneur bailler aide et assistence a icelluy son bon frere et cousin a l'encontre du Roy de Naples, qui estoit son confrere et allye, veu et considere qu'il avoit prise et recue l'ordre de la garretiere. Et si le roi autrement faisoit, ce seroit contrevenir au serment qu'il a fait par les statuz du dit ordre."
Will the Emperor of Russia be deprived of his ill-deserved honours, or what is the course now pursued? It was not unusual formerly for kings to exchange orders, and to return them in case of war.
Oscar Browning.