Gossip is from the Anglo-Saxon God-sibbe, "cognatus in Deo." Nares in his Glossary furnishes the following apt illustration of it: "Our Christian ancestors, understanding a spiritual affinity to grow between the parents and such as undertooke for the child at baptism, called each other by the name of God-sib, that is, of kin together through God; and the child, in like manner, called such his godfathers and godmothers."—Verstegan, p. 223.]
Maheremium, Arc de Arbouin.
—In a survey of the castle of Launceston made in the 11 Edw. III., occurs the following passage: "Una p̱va capella quar pietes sunt de maheremio et plaustro et maheremiū inde fere disjungit."
Will any of your readers kindly inform an unskilled person the meaning of this description?
The same record contains some notable instances of jocular tenures, such as "ccc volucrs quæ vocr poffouns," from the holder of the Scilly islands; and "un arc' de arbouin," presumed to be a bow of laburnum wood, from the town of Truro.
S. R. P.
Launceston.
[The meaning of the first passage quoted by our correspondent is clearly, "una parva capella quarum parietes sunt de maheremio et plastro, et maheremium inde fere disjungitur," i.e. "one small chapel whose walls are of timber and plaster (or, as we say, built of lath and plaster), and the timbers thereof for the most part disjointed." Under the word Materia, Ducange gives Mæremium, Maheremium, and many other forms of the word, which is used for timber.
Un arc de Arbouin.—If our correspondent will refer to Ducange sub Arcus, he will find him, sub "Arcus de Aubour," citing Monast. Ang., tom. ii. p. 602., and explaining it, "arcus bellici species. Regestum Philippi Augusti, fol. 159. Habet sagittam et arcum de aubour cum corda." He next cites Le Roman de Garin (MS.):
"Arc d'Aubour porte et sajetes d'acier," &c.