“‘A match,’ quoth my sister Joyce,
‘Contented,’ quoth Rachel, too:
Quoth Abigaile, ‘Yea,’ and Faith, ‘Verily,’
And Charity, ‘Let it be so.’”
Love, as the synonym of Charity, was also a favourite. Love Atkinson went out to Virginia with the early refugees (Hotten, “Emigrants,” p. 68).
“1631-2, Jan. 31. Buried Love, daughter of William Ballard.”—Berwick, Sussex.
“1740, April 30. Buried Love Arundell.”—Racton, Sussex.
“1749, May 31. Love Luckett admitted a freeman by birthright.”—“History of Town and Port of Rye,” p. 237.
“1662, May 7. Baptized Love, d. of Mr. Richard Appletree.”—Banbury.
Besides Love and Charity, other variations were Humanity and Clemency:
“1637, March 8. Bond of William Shaw, junior, and Thomas Snelling, citizens and turners, to Humanity Mayo, of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, in £100 0 0.”—C. S. P.
“1625, Aug. 27. Buried Clemency Chawncey.”—St. Dionis Backchurch.
Clemency was pretty, and deserved to live; but Mercy seems to have monopolized the honours, and, by the aid of John Bunyan’s heroine in the “Pilgrim’s Progress,” still has her admirers. Instances are needless, but I furnish one or two for form’s sake. They shall be late ones: