Now, as to what Dr. Holdsworth really wrote, and with regard to that for which he is not responsible, it is to be observed, that he was so averse to the publication of any of his works, that he printed but a single sermon (on Psalm cxliv. 15.), and that not until he had been three times urged to the task by his royal master King Charles I. The pagination of this discourse is quite distinct from that of the twenty unauthentic sermons which follow it in the quarto volume, and which commence at signature B. These are thus described by Dr. Pearson, ad Lectorem: "Cæteræ quæ prostant Anglicè venales, à prædone illo stenographico tam laceræ et elumbes, tam miserè deformatæ sunt, ut parum aut nihil agnoscas genii et spiritûs Holdsworthiani."
R. G.
Gookin (Vol. i., pp. 385, 473, 492.).—Vincent Gookin was nominated by Cromwell one of the six representatives of Ireland in the Barebones Parliament; and he was returned for Bandon and Kinsale (which together sent one member) in each of the three subsequent Cromwellian Parliaments.
Lord Orrery, writing to the Duke of Ormond, June 15, 1666, speaks of Captain Robert Gooking, as one of the chief persons in the west of Cork county, and describes him as rich and having good brains, loyal, and ready to fight against French or Irish, as every thing he has depends on his new title. (Orrery's State Letters, ii. p. 13. Dublin edition.) A little further on (p. 43.), Lord Orrery names the same Robert Gooking as recommended by the chief gentlemen in the west of Cork to be captain of a troop of horse in the militia.
CH.
"Brozier" (Vol. i., p. 485.), "Sock," "Tick."—I well remember the phrase, "brozier my dame," signifying to "eat her out of house and home." I had forgotten that a boy at Eton was "brozier," when he had spent all his pocket-money. As a supplemental note, however, to Lord Braybrooke's remarks upon this latter signification, I would remind old Etonians of a request that would sometimes slip out from one in a "broziered" state, viz. that a schoolfellow would sock him, i.e. treat him to sock at the pastrycook's; and this favour was not unfrequently granted on tick, i.e. on credit with the purveyor of sweets.
In reply to your noble correspondent's Query, I beg to say that Halliwell, in his Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words, both spells and defines thus: "Brosier. A bankrupt. Chesh." Mr. H. says no more; but this seems to decide that the word does not exclusively belong to Eton. I could have fancied that on such classic ground it might possibly have sprung from βρώσκω, fut. -σω], to devour.
Is sock only a corruption of suck, indicating a lollipop origin? or what is its real etymological root?
Richardson most satisfactorily says, that to "go on tick" is to give a note or ticket instead of payment.
Alfred Gatty.