Minor Queries with Answers.
The Irish at the Battle of Crecy.—I should feel obliged if any of your readers could inform me where the authority is for the Irish at the battle of Crecy having been the first to come to close fight with the French, and doing, "after the manner of their own countrie," effective service with their skenes or long knives.
M. P.
[There is the best authority for this assertion, even that of the veritable Holinshed, who quotes from Froissart, the cotemporary of our victorious Edward. "The armie which he (Edward) had over with him, was to the number of 4000 men of armes, and 10,000 archers, besides Irishmen and Welshmen that followed the host on foot." The French historian also informs us, that the skene or knife was the chief weapon used by the Irish in that age: "The Irish have pointed knives with broad blades, sharp on both sides, like a dart-head, with which they kill their enemies," &c. Johnes's Translation, vol. iv. p. 428.: see also Grafton's Chronicle, p. 261.; and Keightley's History of England, vol. i. p. 279.]
King of the Isle of Wight.—I was not aware that the Isle of Wight, like the Isle of Man, had once been a kingdom. It seems that Henry de Beauchamp, Earl and Duke of Warwick, was crowned, circa 1445, King of the Isle of Wight. Perhaps some of your correspondents may be able to throw some light on this matter.
E. H. A.
[Henry Beauchamp, Duke of Warwick, son of Richard Earl of Warwick, was crowned King of the Isle of Wight by patent 24 Henry VI., King Henry in person assisting at the ceremonial, and placing the crown on his head. Leland (Itiner., vol. vi. p. 91.) says, "Henricus Comes de Warwike ab Henrico VI. cui carissimus erat, coronatus in regem de Wighte, et postea nominatus primus comes totius Angliæ." Leland takes this ex Libello de Antiquitate Theoksibriensis Monasterii, in the church of which house this Duke of Warwick was buried. But little notice has been taken of this singular event by our historians, and, except for some other collateral evidence, the authenticity of it might be doubted; but the representation of this duke with an imperial crown on his head and a sceptre before him, in an ancient window of the collegiate church at Warwick, leaves no doubt that such an event did take place. (See Worsley's Hist. of the Isle of Wight for a plate copied from an accurate drawing of the king.) This honourable mark of the royal favour, however, conveyed no regal authority, the king having no power to transfer the sovereignty of any part of his dominions, as is observed by Lord Coke in his Institutes, where this transaction is discussed; and there is reason to conclude that, though titular king, he did not even possess the lordship of the island, no surrender appearing from Duke Humphrey, who was then living, and had a grant for the term of his life. Mr. Selden too, in his Titles of Honour, p. 29., treating of the title of the King of Man, observes that "it was like that of King of the Isle of Wight, in the great Beauchamp, Duke of Warwick, who was crowned king under Henry VI." Henry Beauchamp was also crowned King of Guernsey and Jersey. He died soon after these honours had been conferred on him, June 11, 1445, when the regal title expired with him, and the lordship of the island, at the death of the Duke of Gloucester, reverted to the crown.]
Theodore de la Guard.—I have a tract by him with the title of The simple Cobler of Aggawam, in America, London, 1647. Who was he? and where can I find any account of him or his work?
Cpl.
[The Rev. Nathaniel Ward was the author of this work. He was born at Haverhill in Essex, of which place his father was a clergyman; and after studying at Cambridge, became minister of Standon in Herts; but was cited before the bishop, Dec. 12, 1631, to answer for his nonconformity. Being forbidden to preach, he embarked for America in April, 1634, and settled as pastor of the church at Ipswich, or Aggawam. He returned to England in 1646, and on June 30, 1647, preached before the House of Commons, and the same year published The Simple Cobler. He was afterwards settled at Shenfield, near Brentwood, where he died in 1653, in his eighty-third year. Fuller, in his Worthies, co. Suffolk, speaking of him, says, that he, "following the counsel of the poet,
'Ridentem dicere verum,
Quis vetat?'
'What doth forbid that one may smile,
And also tell the truth the while?'
hath in a jesting way, in some of his books, delivered much smart truth of the present times." Dr. Mather, in his Magnalia, remarks of him, that "he was the author of many composures full of wit and sense; among which that entitled The Simple Cobler (which demonstrated him to be a subtil statesman) was most considered." This work passed through several editions in England in 1647. It was reprinted in Boston in 1713. The best edition, containing the author's subsequent additions, is that edited by David Pulsifer, Boston, 1843.]
Back.—What is the meaning and derivation of "Back," as applied to several localities in Bristol, as, for instance, The Back, Welsh Back, Temple Back, St. Augustine's Back, St. James' Back, Redcliffe Back? Many of them are not on the river, or I should have imagined it a corruption of the word bank.
Malcolm Fraser.
Clifton.
[Barrett, in his History of Bristol, p. 72., gives a clue to the origin of this local name: "Before the quay was made the usual place, as Leland says, for landing goods out of the ships was at the Back (or Bec, a Saxon word for a river), where was the old Custom-house. The quay being completed, and the marsh of Bristol thereby effectually divided from that
of St. Augustine, houses and streets began to be built there; Marsh Street terminated with a chapel, dedicated to St. Clement, and a gate; and Back Street, with a gate also, and a chapel near it, dedicated to St. John, and belonging to St. Nicholas; the church of St. Stephen and its dependent parish, and the buildings between the Back and the quay, seem to have taken their rise at this period, and were all enclosed with a strong embattled wall, externa or secunda mœnia urbis, extending from the quay to the Back, where King Street has since been built.">[
Broom at Mast-head.—Whence did the custom originate of a broom being fastened to the mast-head of boats and small craft, to indicate their being for sale?
J. R. G.
Dublin.
[It originated from the old custom of putting up boughs upon anything which was intended for sale; and "this is the reason," says Brande, "why an old besom (which is a sort of dried bush) is put up at the top-mast-head of a ship or boat when she is to be sold.">[