"On the patent rolls in the Tower of London, under the year 1358, we have an instance of testimonials given by the king (Edward III.) on the same day, to two distinguished foreigners, one a noble Hungarian, the other a Lombard, Nicholas de Beccariis, of their having faithfully performed this pilgrimage."
In a note on this passage, Mr. Wright reprints one of the testimonials from Rymer (Foedera, vol. iii. pt. i. p. 174.), in which is the following passage:
"Nobilis vir Malatesta Ungarus de Arminio miles."
In the original deed, the text must have been de Arimino (of Rimini); for the person here referred to was a natural son of Malatesta de' Malatesti, Lord of Rimini and of Pesaro, and took the name of L'Ungaro in consequence of his having been knighted by Louis, King of Hungary, when the latter passed through the Malatesta territory, when he was going to Naples for the purpose of avenging his brother Andrew's death. In the Italian account of the family (Clementini, Raccolto Istorico della Fondazione di Rimino. Rimino, 1617-27. 2 vols. 4to.), L'Ungario is said have been a great traveller, to have visited England, and to have died in 1372, at the age of 45. (See also Sansovino, Origine e Fatti delle Famiglie Illustri d'Italia. Venetia, 1670. 4to. p. 356.)
F.C.B.
DIRECT AND INDIRECT ETYMOLOGY.
I have just been exceedingly interested in reading a lecture on the Origin and Progress of the English Language, delivered at the Athenæum, Durham, before the Teachers' Society of the North of England, by W. Finley, Graduate of the University of France.
The following passage well expresses a caution that should be always kept in mind by the literary archæologist:
"In the orthography of English words derived from the Latin, one great and leading principle must be kept in view. If the word is of new adoption, it is certain that its spelling will be like that which appears in the original word; or if it has come to us through the French, the spelling will be conformable to the word in that language; thus, persecution from persequor, pursue from poursuivre. Again, flourish from fleurir, efforescent, florid, &c., from floreo. And to establish our orthography on certain grounds, it ought to be the business of the lexicographer to determine the date of the first appearance of an adopted word, and thus satisfactorily determine its spelling." (Lecture, p. 20. footnote.)