CH.
Elizabeth and Isabel (No. 27. p. 439.).—Mr. Thomas Duffus Hardy, in his evidence on the Camoys Peerage case (June 18. 1838, Evidence, p. 351.) proved that the names of Isabella and Elizabeth were in ancient times used indifferently, and particularly in the reigns of Edward I. and Edward III. Mr. Hardy says in his evidence:—
"In the British Museum there is a Latin letter of Elizabeth of Austria, Queen of Charles IX. of France, to Queen Elizabeth of England. In the Latin she is called Elizabetha, and she signs her name Ysabel. In the Chronicle de St. Denis, in the year 1180, it is stated, 'Le jor martmes espousa la noble Roine Ysabel,' 'Upon this day, Queen Elizabeth was married;' and in Rigordus de Gestis Philippi Augusti Regis Francois it is stated, 'Tune inuncta fuit Elizabeth uxor ejus venerabilis foemina;' and Moreri says she is called 'Elizabeth or Izabeau de Hainault, Queen of France, wife of Philippe Auguste.' Camden, in his Remains, says, 'Isabel is the same as Elizabeth;' that the Spaniards always translate Elizabeth into Isabel, and the French into Izabeau. I have seen in the British Museum a deed, in which the name Elizabetha is written in Latin; on the seal it is Isabella. In the Inquisitiones post Mortem I have frequently seen Ysabella returned in one country and Elizabetha in an other for the same person. I have something like a dozen other instances from Moreri, in which he says that Elizabeth and Isabella or Isabeau are the same. Elizabeth or Izabeau de France, dau. of Lewis VIII. and Blanche of Castella; Elizabeth or Isabelle d'Aragon, Queen of France, wife of Philippe III., surnamed le Hardie; Elizabeth or Isabeau de Bavière, Queen of France, wife of Charles VI.; Elizabeth or Isabeau d'Angoulême, wife of King John of England; Elizabeth or Isabeau de France, Queen of England, dau. of Philippe IV.; Elizabeth or Isabelle of France, Queen of Richard II.; Elizabeth or Isabelle de France, Queen of Navarre; Elizabeth or Isabelle de Valois, dau. of Charles of France; Elizabeth or Isabelle de France, dau. of Philippe le Long, King of France; Elizabeth or Isabelle de France, Duchess of Milan; Elizabeth or Isabelle, Queen of Philippe V. of Spain."
WM. DURRANT COOPER.
81. Guildford Street, May 4. 1850.
Elizabeth—Isabel.—The Greek word [Greek: Elisabet] (Luke, i. 5. &c.) from which Elizabeth, or Elisabeth, must have been adopted as a Christian name, is used by the LXX. (Exodus, vi. 23.) to express the Hebrew [Hebrew: Elisheba], the name of Aaron's wife. This at once directs us to the verb [Hebrew: shaba], or rather to its Niphal, [Hebrew: nishba], for the Kal form does not occur, to swear; for the combination of letters in [Hebrew: el isshaba], God will swear, or God sweareth, is the same as that in the proper name. Now let us transpose the verb and its nominative case, and we have [Hebrew: ishaba el], which a Greek translator might soften into [Greek: Isabel].
The use of [Greek: Elisabet] both by the LXX. and the Evangelist, makes it probable that the mother of John the Baptist, who was of the daughters of Aaron (Luke, i. 5.), was known amongst her own people by the recognized and family name of Elisheba, as Anna no doubt would be Hannah ([Hebrew: hanah]), and Mary, Miriam ([Greek: Mariam], Luke, i. 27.). And this is confirmed by the Syriac version, the vernacular, or nearly so, of Our Blessed Lord and His disciples, which has [Syriac: elisheba].
Genesius, in his Lexicon, explains Elisheba to mean "cui Deus est sacramentum," "quæ jurat per Deum, i.e. Dei cultrix: cf. Is. xix. 18." I should rather take it to be a name expressive of trust in God's promises or oath, such as Elijah, "the LORD is my God;" Isaiah, "the LORD is my salvation;" Ezekiel, "God strengtheneth." Schleusner (Lex. N.T.) says that others derived it from [Hebrew: saba], saturavit; "sic in Alberti Gloss. N.T., p. 87. explicatur, [Greek: Theou mou plaesmonae]." Wolfius, in his note on Luke, i. 5., refers to Witsii Miscellanea, tom. ii. p. 478., to which I must refer your correspondent "A.C.," as I have not the book by me.
Camden must, of course, have derived the name from [Hebrew: shabath], to rest; but I think we must rather defer to the authority of the LXX. And though [Hebrew: el ishaboth] may give us Elisabeth, we shall not be able to deduce Isabel from [Hebrew: ishboth el] quite so easily.
B.