Hudson River. After Captain Henry Hudson, who discovered it in 1609. A year later, when searching for a north-west passage, he navigated the bay and the strait named in his honour.
Huggin Lane. After Hugan, a wealthy citizen who resided here, temp. Edward I.
Huguenots. The name borne by the adherents of the Reformation in France, after Hugh, a Genevese Calvinist, their leader, and the German eidgenossen, confederates.
Hull. From the river upon which it stands. Its ancient name was Kingston-upon-Hull, a town founded by Edward I. in 1299.
Hull Cheese. A strong ale for which the “Good Old Town of Hull” was at one time famous. To “eat Hull cheese” was to get incontinently drunk.
Hull, Hell, and Halifax. In olden times, before Kingston-upon-Hull could be approached direct from the Humber, the River Hull was navigable, as now, only at high water, and even then it required very skilful pilotage on account of the many sandbanks at its mouth; it was therefore dreaded by seafaring men. Taylor, the Water Poet, wrote: “From Hull, Hell, and Halifax, good Lord, deliver us!” The reference to Halifax arose out of the knowledge that in his day a man could be executed there for stealing property to the value of thirteen pence halfpenny. See “[Halifax Gibbet Law].”
Humanitarians. Those who believe in the complete humanity of Christ, namely--that He was capable of committing sin like any other mortal.
Humble Bee. A corruption of “Humming Bee.”
Humbug. The old mode of expressing approbation of a speech or at the play was by humming, but since the sincerity of this form of applause could not always be relied upon, intermingled as it may have been with suppressed murmurs of disapproval, the word Hum came to be applied to mock admiration or flattery, intended only to deceive. Hence the saying: “That’s all hum.” The added word Bug is very old, signifying a frightful object, a thing to be shunned. To humbug is to deceive; to prefer candour to humbug is to be proof against flattery.
Humming Bird. So called from the sound caused by the rapid motion of its wings in flight.