Notes and Queries, Number 64, January 18, 1851

L.

Lines attributed to Charles Yorke (Vol. ii., p. 7.).—The editor of Bishop Warburton's Literary Remains is informed, that the lines transcribed by him, "Stript to the naked soul," &c., have been printed lately in a work entitled The Sussex Garland, published by James Taylor, formerly an eminent bookseller at Brighton, but now removed to Newick, Sussex. The lines appear to have been written on Mrs. Grace Butler, who died at Rowdel, in Sussex, in the 86th year of her age, by Alexander Pope, but, according to Taylor, not inserted in any edition of Pope's works. The lines will be found in the 9th and 10th Nos. of The Sussex Garland, p. 285., under "Warminghurst."

W.S.

Richmond, Surrey.

Rodolph Gualter (Vol. iii., p. 8.).—

"Rodolph Gualter naquit à Zurich en 1519, et y mourut en 1586. Il fit ses études dans sa ville natale, à Lausanne, à Marbourg, et en Angleterre. Rodolph, son fils, mort en 1577, avait fait de très bonnes études à Genève, en Allemagne, et à l'université d'Oxford."

The above I have extracted from the account of him given in the Biographie Universelle, which refers as authority to "J.B. Huldrici Gualtherus redivivus seu de vita et morte Rod. Gualtheri oratio, 1723," in the Biblioth. Bremens., viii. p. 635. In this memoir I find it stated:

"quod Gualtherus noster unà cum Nicolao Partrigio Anglo in Angliam iter suscepit. Quatuor illud mensibus et aliquot diebus finitum est, inciditque in annum seculi trigesimum."

But neither in this, nor in the account of his life by Melchior Adam, nor in that contained in Rose's Biographical Dictionary, can I find any trace of the opinion that he was a Scotchman; and as Huldricus was himself a professor in the Athenæum at Zurich, he would probably be correctly informed on the subject.

TYRO.

Dublin.

"Annoy" used as a Noun (Vol. ii., p. 139.).—Your correspondent CH. will find three good instances of the use of the word annoy as a noun (in addition to the lines cited by him from Wordsworth) by Queen Elizabeth, George Gascoigne, and Mr. Keble:

 
"The doubt of future woes exiles my present joy,
And wit me warns to shun such snares as threaten mine annoy."
 

See Ellis' Specimens of Early English Poets, ii. p. 136.

 
"And as they more esteeme that merth
    Than dread the night's annoy,
So must we deeme our dayes on erth
    But hell to heauenly joye."
 

Good morrowe; see Farr's Select Poetry, &c., p. 38.

 
"High heaven, in mercy to your sad annoy,
Still greets you with glad tidings of immortal joy."
Christian year, "Christmas Day."
 

H.G.T.

Culprit, Origin of the Word (Vol. ii., p. 475.).—See Stephen's Commentaries on the Laws of England, iv. 408. note (p).

C.H. COOPER.

Cambridge, Dec. 14. 1850.

Passage in Bishop Butler (Vol. ii., p. 464.).—The "peculiar term" referred to by Bishop Butler is evidently the verb "to Blackguard." It is for this reason that he inserts the condition, "when the person it respects is present." We may abuse, revile, vituperate an absent person; but we can only "blackguard" a man when he is present. The word "blackguard" is not recognised by Johnson. Richardson inserts it as a noun, but not as a verb.

L.

Wat the Hare (Vol. ii., p. 315.).—Your correspondent K. asks what other instances there are of Wat as the name of a hare? I know of one. On the market-house at Watton the spandrils of an Elizabethan doorway have been placed, taken from some old building in the town. This has a hare on one side, a ton on the other,—a rebus of the town name Watton.

H.H.

The Letter (Vol. ii., p. 492.).—Yerl for Earl, and yirth for earth, &c., are, to this day, quite common in Scottish orthoëpy among many of the lower classes.

G.F.G.

Did Elizabeth visit Bacon at Twickenham Park? (Vol. ii., pp. 408. 468.).—To this question your correspondent J.I.D. replies with a quotation from Nicols (edition of 1823), who dates her visit in 1592 or 1593. I had looked into Nichols's first edition (1788) without finding the subject mentioned; and I am now inclined to think, as at first, that it is altogether a misapprehension. Sir Francis Bacon, in His Apologie in Certaine Imputations concerning the late Earl of Essex, written to the Right Hon. his very Good Lord the Earle of Devonshire, Lord-lieutenant of Ireland. Lond. 1604, in 16mo. pp. 74., says, at p. 32.:—

"A little before that time, being about the middle of Michaelmas terme, her Maiestie had a purpose to dine at my Lodge at Twicknā Parke, at which time I had (though I professe not to be a poet) prepared a Sonnet, directly tending and alluding to draw on her Maiesties reconciliation to my Lord," &c. &c.

This I conceive to have reference to an intention of Elizabeth, rather than to an accomplished fact.

At p. 14. of this work, Bacon says he had sold Twickenham park some time ago to Reynold Nicholas. I consider Lysons to have been the first author who mentions the subject and at Environs, vol. iii. (1795), p. 565., there is a note: "From the information of the Earl of Orford." And I therefore conclude it to have been some mistake of Lord Orford's.

YOUR FORMER CORRESPONDENT.

Dec. 27. 1850.

Mock-Beggar (Vol. ii., p. 478.).—The origin of this term was discussed in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1840. Two localities so called were cited (vol. xiv. p. 114.), with the opinion of Sir William Burrell, that some buildings so named at Brighton had been "a mendicant priory." Another writer (p. 331.) suggested that the term was applied to country houses when deserted or unoccupied; or to rocks, as one near Bakewell, where the semblance of a ham might attract a wayfarer from the high road, only to deceive his expectations of relief.

J.G.N.

Cardinal Chalmers (Vol. ii., p. 493.).—The insignia mentioned by your correspondent S.P., in No. 60, are very common among Roman Catholic ecclesiastics on the Continent, and are frequently to be seen on tombs. The hat and tassels are appropriated to Notaries Apostolic of the Holy Roman See, as well as to Cardinals and the dignity having some privileges attached to it, it is sought after by ecclesiastics of standing.

HYDE CLARKE.

Binsey, God help me! (Vol. i., p. 247.).—I remember the same words respecting the village of Binsey, half-way between Oxford and Godstow. During the winter and spring months it was nearly all under water, like Port Meadow, on the opposite side of the river: so if you asked a Binseyite in winter where he came from, the answer was as above; if in summer, "Binsey, where else?"

CHAS. PASLAM.

Midwives Licensed (Vol. ii., p. 408.).—On this subject I would refer S.P.H.T. to Burn's Ecclesiastical Law, under the head of "Midwives," which is all nearly that can be ascertained at present on that head. Among other things it says in the oath taken of them,—

"You shall not in anywise use or exercise any manner of witchcraft, charm, or sorcery, invocation, or other prayers, than may stand with God's law and the king's."

M.C.R.

Dr. Timothy Thruscross (Vol. ii., p. 441.)—There are frequent notices of Dr. Thristcross, or Thruscross, in Dr. Worthington's correspondence. (See Vol. i. of same, edited for the Chetham Society. Index, voc. "Thristcross.") Dr. Worthington observes, p. 219., "I did love to talk with worthy Mr. Thirstcross, who knew Mr. Ferrar and Little Gidding."

JAS. CROSSLEY.

History of Bohemian Persecution (Vol. ii., p. 358.).—See note to Worthington's Diary and Correspondence, vol. i. p. 154., for a notice of this work of Comenius, and his other publications relating to the Bohemian church.

JAS. CROSSLEY.

"Earth has no Rage" (Vol. iii., p. 23.).—

 
"Earth has no rage like love to hatred turn'd,
And hell no fury like a woman scorn'd."
 

These are the concluding lines of Act III. of Congreve's Mourning Bride. They stand, however, thus, in the edition to which I have referred:

 
"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turn'd,
Nor hell a fury like a woman scorn'd."
 

JAS. CROSSLEY.

Manchester, 11. Jan. 1851.

Couplet in De Foe (vol. ii., p. 310.).

 
"Restraint from ill is freedom to the wise,
And good men wicked liberties despise."
 

The couplet is altered from the following couplet in De Foe's True Born Englishman:—

 
"Restraint from ill is freedom to the wise,
But Englishmen do all restraint despise."
 

See collection of his writings, vol. i. p. 20., edit. 1703.

JAS. CROSSLEY.

Private memoirs of Queen Elizabeth (Vol. iii., p. 23.).—"The Secret History of the most renowned Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex. In two parts. By a person of Quality. Cologne: printed for Will with the Wisp, at the Sign of the Moon in the Ecliptick. M.D.CLXXXI."—is the title of a small volume in my possession, containing some curious hints corroborative of the first part of Mr. Ives' MS. note mentioned in "NOTES AND QUERIES" (Vol. iii. p. 11.). If this be the book to which your correspondent, J.E.C., refers in your last number, he is perfectly welcome to the perusal of my copy.

WILLIAM J.D. ROPER.

Vane House, Hampstead, Jan. 18. 1851.

Abbot's House at Buckden (Vol. ii., p. 494.).—MR. C.H. COOPER asks, "will M.C.R. explain his allusion to the Abbot's House at Buckden?" Being only an occasional visitor there, I can give no other explanation than it is universally called so by the inhabitants of the place. The house is very low-roomed, and only one story high; it has been compoed over, so that there is nothing very ancient in the look of the brickwork, excepting the chimneys, which form a cluster in the centre. The door I mentioned, evidently is an ancient one. A good deal of iron about it, and in square compartments.

When I was there recently, I was informed of a discovery in a public-house formerly called the Lion—now, the Lamb. A gentleman in the place came into possession of some pamphlets respecting Buckden; in one of which it is said, that this house was originally the hostel where the visitors and domestics used to go when the bishop had not room at the palace for them, and that it would be found there was an "Agnus Dei" in the ceiling of one of the lower rooms. The consequence was, search was made for it: and what seemed a plain boss, where two beams crossed each other, on being cleansed and scraped, turned out to be as the book said, and which I saw only last week. The clergyman has the pamphlet above alluded to. Whether this, and the abbot's house, belonged to the palace I cannot say. The road now runs between them.

The "Agnus Dei" is seven or eight inches in diameter; the lamb, &c., in the centre, and the words "Ecce Agnus Dei" in a circular border round it.

This is all the information I can now give.

M.C.R.

Bab in the Bowster (Vol. ii., p. 518.).—In your valuable periodical your correspondent "MAC." makes an observation regarding "Bab in the Bowster," which is not correct so far as regards this part of the country at least. He says "it is now danced with a handkerchief instead of a cushion," whereas the fact is I have never seen it danced but with a pillow, as its name "Bab in the Bowster (Anglice bolster)" would seem to denote. The manner of dancing it is, the company having formed itself into a circle, one, either male or female, goes into the centre, carrying a pillow, and dances round the circle with a sort of shuffling quick step, while the others sing,—

 
"Wha learn'd you to dance, you to dance, you to dance,
Wha learn'd you to dance, Bab in the Bowster brawly?"
 

To which the dancer replies:

 
"Mother learn'd me to dance, me to dance, me to dance,
Mother learn'd me to dance, Bab in the Bowster brawly."
 

He or she then lays down the pillow before one of the opposite sex, when they both kneel on it and kiss; the person to whom the pillow has been presented going over the above again, &c, till the company tires.

I may add that the above is a favourite dance here, particularly among young people, and at children's parties in particular it is never omitted. If your correspondent wishes the air to which it is danced, I shall be glad to send it to him.

GLENIFFER.

Paisley.

Sir Cloudesley Shovel (Vol. iii., p. 23.).—"H.J." will find a "Note" in Cunningham's Lives of Eminent Englishmen (vol. iv. p. 47.), of the circumstances attendant upon Sir Cloudesley's death, as preserved in the family of the Earl of Romney, detailing the fact of his murder, and the mode of its discovery. I shall be happy to supply your correspondent with an extract, if he has not the above work at hand.

J.B. COLMAR.

Noli me tangere (Vol. ii., p. 153.).—In addition to the painters already enumerated as having treated this subject, the artist Le Sueur, commonly called the Raphael of France, may be mentioned. In his picture, the figures are somewhat above half nature.

W.J. MERCER.

Cad (Vol. i., p.250.).—Jamieson derives this word, or rather its Scotch diminutive, "cadie," from the French, cadet. I have heard it fancifully traced to the Latin "cauda."

W.J. MERCER.