Notes and Queries, Number 29, May 18, 1850

Your intimation of brevity is attended to; though, in truth, little more could come from

NOVUS.

Emancipation of the Jews (No. 25. p. 491.).—"H.M.A." inquires—1. If the story mentioned in the Thurloe State Papers, that the Jews sought to obtain St. Paul's Cathedral for a Synagogue, has been confirmed by other writers? In Egan's Status of the Jews in England, I find the following passage:—

"Monteith informs us, that during the Commonwealth, overtures were made on behalf of the Hebrews to the Parliament and Council of War, through the medium of two popular adherents of the parliamentarians; the Jews offered to pay for the privileges then sought by them, the sum of 500,000l.; several debates took place on the subject, but the ultimatum of the Puritans being 800,000l., the negotiation was broken off."

The authorities cited on this point by the learned writer are, Monteith's History of Great Britain, p. 473.; and Thurloe's State Papers, vol. ii. p. 652.

On reference to Monteith, I find the following passage:—

"What is very remarkable in this is, that the Jews, who crucified the Son of God, by whom Kings reign, took then occasion of the conjuncture which seemed favourable to them. They presented a petition to the Council of War, who crucified Him again in the person of the King, His Vicegerent in the kingdoms over which God had set him. By their petition, they requested that the act of their banishment might be repealed and that they might have St. Paul's Church for their synagogue, for which, and the library of Oxford, wherewith they desired to begin their traffic again, they offered five hundred thousand pounds, but the Council of War would have eight."—Monteiths's Hist. of the Troubles of Great Britain, p. 473.

I conclude that the author of the Status of the Jews, by omitting to notice the alleged desire of the Jews to obtain St. Paul's Cathedral, considered that the acrimonious statements of Monteith were not borne out by accredited or unprejudiced authorities; for it is but justice to state, it has been admitted by some of our most eminent critics, that Mr. Egan's book on the Jews displays as dispassionate and impartial a review of their condition in this country as it evinces a profundity of historical and legal research.

"H.M.A.'s" second question I am unable to answer, not being sufficiently versed in the religious dogmas of the Jews.

B.A.

Christ Church, Oxford.

Emancipation of the Jews (No. 25. p. 401.).—"MR. AUSTEN," who inquires (p. 401.) about the Jews during the Commonwealth will do well to refer to a chapter on the Jews in Godwin's History of the Commonwealth, and to Sir Henry Ellis's notes on a remarkable letter describing a Jewish synagogue in London immediately after the Restoration, in the second series of his Letters; and in these two places he will, I think, find references to all known passages on the subject of Cromwell's proceedings as regards the Jews.

C.H.

As lazy as Ludlum's Dog (No. 24. p. 382.).—This proverb is repeated somewhat differently in The Doctor, &c., "As lazy as Ludlum's dog, as leaned his head against a wall to bark." I venture to suggest that this is simply one of the large class of alliterative proverbs so common in every language, and often without meaning. In Devonshire they say as "Busy as Batty," but no one knows who "Batty" was. As I have mentioned The Doctor, &c., I may was well jot down two more odd sayings from the same old curiosity-shop:—"As proud as old COLE's dog which took the wall of a dung-CART, and got CRUSHED by the wheel." And, "As queer as Dick's hat-band, that went nine times round his hat and was fastened by a rush at last."

J.M.B.

St. Winifreda (No. 24. p. 384.).—Your Querist will find some information in Warton's Hist. Eng. Poetry, vol. i. p. 14., note, 1824.

J.M.B.

Totnes, April 18. 1850.

"Vert Vert" (No. 23. p. 366.)—It may be of some assistance to your Querist "ROBERT SNOW," in his endeavour to trace illustrations from Gresset's "Vert Vert," to know that the mark of RAUX, who is said to have painted these subjects, was composed of ten small ciphers; seven of which were placed in a circle: the other three formed a tail, thus,

something like the Roman capital Q. This artist, between the years 1750 and 1800, was employed in the decoration of the Sèvres porcelain: his usual subjects were bouquets or groups of flowers; and his mark will be found underneath the double L, interlaced, inclosing some capital letter or letters denoting the year such ware was manufactured.

W.C. Jun.

"Esquire" and "Gentleman."—The amusing article in No. 27., on the title of "Esquire," recalled to my memory the resolution passed by the corporation of Stratford-on-Avon, when they presented the freedom of that town to Garrick. It runs something like this:—

"Through love and regard to the memory of the immortal Mr. William Shakspeare, and being fully sensible of the extraordinary merits of his most judicious representative, David Garrick, Esquire."

Had David a better right to the title than the great poet? Shakespeare, in the latter part of his life, was no doubt Master Shakspeare, a title so common as even to be bestowed upon the geometer of Alexandria. In Bayford's collection is preserved a Catalogue advertising "Master Euclid's Elements of Plain Geometry."

J.O. HALLIWELL.

Pope Felix and Pope Gregory.—"E.M.B." (No. 26. p. 415.) inquires who was "Pope Felix," whom Ælfric called the "fifth father" of S. Gregory the Great? This is a much disputed question, and a great deal depends upon the meaning to be attached to the unsatisfactory expression "atavus," used by Pope Gregory himself, in Evangel. Hom. xxxviii. § 15., and found also in the dialogues commonly attributed to him. (Lib. iv. cap. xvi.) Your correspondent may consult Beda, Hist. Eccl. Gen. Anglor., lib. ii. cap. 1., with the note by Mr. Stevenson, who supposes that Pope Felix III. was alluded to by his "venerable" author: This is the opinion of Bollandus (ad 25 Feb.), as well as of Cardinal Baronius; (Annall. ad an. 581; et Martyrol. Rom. die Feb. 25. Conf. De Aste, in Martyrolog. Disceptat., p. 96.; Beneventi, 1716); but Joannes Diaconus (S. Greg. Vit. lib. i. cap. i.) employs these decisive terms, "quartus Felix, sedis Apostolicæ Pontifex." It is of course possible to translate "atavus meus" merely "my ancestor;" and this will leave the relationship sufficiently undefined.

R.G.

Love's last Shift (No. 24. p. 383).—"The Duchess of Bolton (natural daughter of the Duke of Monmouth) used to divert George I. by affecting to make blunders. Once when she had been at the play of Love's last Shift, she called it 'La dernière chemise de l'amour.'"—Walpoliana, xxx.

C.

Quem Deus vult perdere (No. 22, p. 351., and No. 26, p. 421.).—"C.J.R." having pointed out a presumed imitation of this thought, it may not be impertinent to observe, that Dryden also has adopted the sentiment in the following lines:—

"For those whom God to ruin has designed,He fits for fate, and first destroys their mind." Hind and Panther, part 3.G.S. FABER.

Dayrolles (No. 23. p. 373).—The following information is appended to a description of the Dayrolles Correspondence, in 21 folio vols. in the Catalogue of Mr. Upcott's Collection, sold by Messrs. Evans a few years ago:—

Note copied from the Catalogue of Manuscripts, &c., belonging to the late Mr. Upcott.

"James Dayrolles was resident at the Hague from 1717 to his death, 2nd January, 1739.

"Solomon Dayrolles, his nephew, commenced his diplomatic career under James, first Earl of Waldegrave, when that nobleman was ambassador at Vienna. He was godson of Philip, the distinguished Earl of Chesterfield, and was sworn a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to George II., 27th Feb. 1740, in the room of Sir Philip Parker, long deceased, and on the accession of George III. was again appointed, 5th February, 1761.

"In 1745, being at that time secretary to Lord Chesterfield, in Holland, Mr. Dayrolles was nominated to be secretary to his lordship at Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

"In May, 1747, he was promoted to be President in the United Provinces; and in November, 1751, Resident at Brussels, where he continued till August, 1757. He died in March, 1786."

J.T.C.

Solomon Dayrolles.—

"24th Dec. 1786. Married Baron de Reidezel, aid-de-camp to the Duke of Wirtemberg, to Miss Dayrolles, 2d dau. of the late Solomon Dayrolles of Hanover Square."—Gent. Mag. v. 56, p. 1146.

Probably Mr. Dayrolles' death may be recorded in the register of St. George's.

B.

Emerods (No. 18. p. 282.) pro hæmorrhoids. "Golden emerods" would be an absurdity if emerod meant "emerald." "The Philistines made golden emerods," i.e. golden images of hæmorrhoids (diseased veins), in commemoration of being delivered from plagues, of which such states of disease were concomitant signs.

TREBOR.

Military Execution (No. 16. p. 246.).—Your correspondent "MELANION" is informed that the anecdote refers to Murat, and the author of the sentiment is Lord Byron. See Byron's Poems, Murray's edit. 1 vol. 8vo. p. 561., note 4.

C.

"M. or N." (No. 26. p. 415.)—I do not think that "M. or N." are used as the initials of any particular words; they are the middle letters of the alphabet, and, at the time the Prayer Book was compiled, it seems to have been the fashion to employ them in the way in which we now use the first two. There are only two offices, the Catechism and the Solemnisation of Matrimony, in which more than one letter is used. In the former, the answer to the first question has always stood "N. or M." In the office of Matrimony, however, in Edward the Sixth's Prayer Books, both the man and woman are designated by the letter N—"I, N., take thee, N., to my wedded wife;" whilst in our present book M. is applied to the man and N. to the woman. The adoption of one letter, and the subsequent substitution of another, in this service, evidently for the sake of a more clear distinction only, sufficiently shows that no particular name or word was intended by either. Possibly some future "J.C." may inquire of what words the letters "A.B.," which our legislators are so fond of using in their Acts of Parliament, are the initials.

ARUN.

"M. or N." (No. 26, p. 415.).—"M." and "N.," and particularly "N.," are still in frequent use in France for quidam or quædam; so also is X. We read every day of Monsieur N. or Madame X., where they wish to suppress the name.

C.

Sapcote Motto (No. 23. p. 366.).—This motto is known to be French, and as far as it can be decyphered is—

"sco toot × vinic [or umic]

× pones,"

the first and last letters s being possibly flourishes. This certainly seems unpromising enough. The name being Sapcote, quasi Sub-cote, and the arms "three dove-cotes," I venture to conjecture "Sous cote unissons," as not very far from the letters given. If it be objected that the word "cote" is not in use in this sense, it may be remarked that French, "After the scole of Stratford atte bowe," might borrow such a meaning to suit the sound, from "côte," in the sense of a side or declivity. And if the objection is fatal to the conjecture, I would then propose "Sous toit unissons." If we reject the supposed flourishes at the beginning and ending of the inscription, and take it to be—

CO TOOT VNIC

CONC,

the c being a well-known ancient form of s, there is a difference of only one letter between the inscription as decyphered and the proposed motto.

If either of these is adopted, the sentiment of family union and family gathering, "As doves to their windows," is well adapted for a family device.

T.C.

Durham, May 2. 1850.

Finkle or Finkel (No. 24. p. 384.).—Is not "Finkle" very probably derived from Finc, a finch, in the A.-S.? Fingle Bridge, which spans the river Teign, amidst some most romantic scenery, has the following etymology assigned to it by a local antiquary, W.T.P. Short, Esq. (vide Essay on Druidical Remains in Devon, p. 26.): "Fyn, a terminus or boundary; and Gelli, hazel, the hazeltree limits or boundary." But, Query, is not the second syllable rather Gill, akin to the numerous tribe of "gills" or "ghylls," in the North Countrie?

J.M.B.

Meaning of Finkle.—Referring to No. 24. p. 384. of your most welcome and useful publication, will you allow me to say, touching the inquiry as to the derivation and meaning of the word "Finkle" or "Finkel" as applied to a street, that the Danish word "Vincle" applied to an angle or corner, is perhaps a more satisfactory derivation than "fynkylsede, feniculum," the meaning suggested by your correspondent "L." in No. 26. p. 419. It is in towns where there are traces of Danish occupation that a "Finkle Street" is found; at least many of the northern towns which have a street so designated were inhabited by the Danish people, and some of those streets are winding or angular. Finchale, a place, as you know, of fame in monastic annals, is a green secluded spot, half insulated by a bend of the river Wear; and Godric's Garth, the adjacent locality of the hermitage of its famous saint, is of an angular form. But then the place is mentioned, by the name of Finchale, as the scene of occurrences that long preceded the coming of the Danes; and the second syllable may be derived from the Saxon "alh" or "healh," as the place was distinguished for a building there in Saxon times.

W.S.G.

Newcastle, May 4. 1850.

Your correspondent "W.M." ("Finkel." p. 384.) may not have recollected that there is a beautiful ruin on the river Wear near Durham, of which the name is pronounced (though not spelt) Finkel Abbey.

Christian Captives (No. 27. p. 441.).—As a very small contribution towards an answer to "R.W.B.'s" inquiry, I may inform you that Lady Russell mentions in her Letters (p. 338., ed. 1792) that Sir William Coventry left by his will 3000l. to redeem slaves.

C.H.

Christian Captives (No. 27. p. 441.).—"R.W.B." may be referred to the case of "Attorney-General v. the Ironmongers' Company," which was a suit for the administration of a fund bequeathed for the redemption of the captives. See 2 Mylne & Keen, 576.; 2 Beavan, 313., 10 Beavan, 194.; and 1 Craig & Philips, 208.: all of which I mention to be Reports in Chancery, in case he be not a lawyer.

A.J.H.

Ecclesiastical Year (No. 24. p. 381.).—"NATHAN" is informed, that, according to the legal supputation, until A.D. 1752, the year of Our Lord in that part of Great Britain called England, began on the 25th day of March, as he will find stated in the 24 Geo. II. c. 23., by which Act it was enacted, that the 1st day of January next following the last day of December, 1751, should be the first day of the year 1752; and that the 1st day of January in every year in time to come should be the first day of the year.

Philippe de Thaun, in his Livre des Créatures, which was written in the first half of the twelfth century, p. 48. of the edition published for the Historical Society of Science, has some remarks which may interest your correspondent, that are thus literally translated by Mr. Wright:—

"In March, the year ought always to begin,According to that explanation which we find in the book,That in the twelve kalends of April, as your understand,Our Creator formed the first,Where the sun always will begin his course,But at all times we make the year begin in January,Because the Romans did so first;We will not un-make what the elders did."ARUN.

Hanap.—Among the specimens of ancient and mediæval art now exhibiting in John Street, Adelphi, I was struck with the number of gilt cups, called in the catalogue hanaps. The word was new to me; but I have since met with it (as frequently happens after one's interest has been excited with respect to a word) in Walter Scott's Quentin Durward, in vol. i. chap. 3.; or rather, vol. xxxi. p. 60. of the edition in 48 vols., Cadell, 1831; in which place the context of the scene appears to connect the idea of hanap with a cup containing treasure.

Now I cannot find hanap in any dictionary to which I have access; but I find hanaper in every one. Johnson, and others, give the word Hanaper as synonymous with treasury or exchequer. They also contract Hanaper into Hamper. For example, in Dyche's English Dictionary, 17th ed. Lond. 1794, we have,—

"Hamper, or Hanaper, a wicker basket made with a cover to fasten it up with; also, an office in Chancery; the clerk or warden of the Hanaper receives all monies due to the king for seals of charters, &c.... and takes into his custody all sealed charters, patents, &c.,… which he now puts into bags, but anciently, it is supposed, into Hampers, which gave the denomination to the office."

And perhaps it may be remarked here, since we commonly say of a man in difficulties that he is "exchequered" or in "chancery," that so we probably intend to express the same, when we say a man is hanapered, or hampered.

Thus, there is no difficulty about the meaning of Hanaper; and its connection with treasure is plain and clear enough: and, with respect to cups, though chiefly used for drinking, the presentation of them with sums of money in them has ever been, and indeed is, so very customary, that it is needless to occupy space here with instances. But I cannot distinctly connect the hanap of the exhibition with hanaper: and I perhaps ought to look in another direction for its true signification and etymology.

ROBERT SNOW.

[Our correspondents who have written upon the subject of Hanap are referred to Halliwell's Archaic Dictionary, where they will find "HANAP, a cup. Test. Vet. p. 99.;" to Ducange, s.v. "HANAPUS, HANAPPUS, HANAPHUS, vas, patera, crater, (Vas ansatum et pede instructum, quo a poculo distinguitur), ex Saxonico Hnaep, Hnaeppa, Germ. Napf, calix patera;" and to Guenebault, Dict. Iconographique des Monuments, who refers again for particulars of this species of drinking cup to the works of Soumerard and Willemin.]

Life of W. Godwin.—"N.'s" inquiry (No. 26. p. 415.) for an account of the life of W. Godwin, and more particularly of his last hours, leads me to express hope in your columns that the memoirs of Godwin, which were announced for publication shortly after his death, but which family disputes, as I have understood, prevented from appearing, may not much longer be denied to the public. I am not aware of any better account of Godwin's life, to which "N." can now be referred, than the sketch in the Penny Cyclopædia.

CH.

Charles II. and Lord R.'s Daughter.—Earl of Ranelagh.—Since I inquired in your columns (No. 25. p. 399.) who was the lady mentioned in a passage of Henry Sidney's Diary, edited by Mr. Blencowe, as Lord R.'s daughter, and a new mistress of Charles II., who in March 1680 brought Monmouth to the King for reconciliation, I have, by Mr. Blencowe's kindness, seen the original Diary, which is in the possession of the Earl of Chichester. The name of the nobleman is there abbreviated: the letters appear to be Rane., and it is probably Lord Ranelagh who is intended. I do not remember any other notice of this amour of Charles II., and should be glad to be referred to any other information on the subject. Charles II.'s mistresses are political characters; and in this notice of Lord R.'s daughter, we find her meddling in state affairs.

I do not know whether this lady, if indeed a daughter of a Lord Ranelagh, would be the daughter or sister of the Lord Ranelagh living in 1680, who was the first Earl of Ranelagh and third Viscount, and who is described by Burnet as a very able and very dissolute man, and a great favourite of Charles II. (Hist. of his own Time, i. 462., ii. 99., ed. 1823); and who, having held the office of Vice-Treasurer in Ireland during three reigns, was turned out of it in disgrace in 1703. He died in 1711, leaving no son, but three daughters, one of whom was unmarried; he was the last, as well as first, Earl of Ranelagh. The elder title of Viscount went to a cousin, and still exists.

CH.

MISCELLANIES

Dr. Sclater's Works.—Books written by W. Sclater, D.D., omitted in Wood's Ath. Oxon. edit. Bliss. vol. iii. col. 228.:—

"A Threefold Preseruatiue against three dangerous diseases of these latter times:—

"1. Non-proficiency in Grace.

"2. Fals-hearted Hypocrisie.

"3. Back-sliding in Religion.

"Prescribed in a Sermon at S. Paul's Crosse in London, September 17, 1609. London. 1610." 4to. Ded. to "Master Iohn Colles, Esquire," from which it seems that Sclater had been presented to his living by the father of this gentleman. The Ser. is on Heb. vi. 4-6.

"A Sermon preached at the last generall Assise holden for the County of Somerset at Taunton. London, 1616." 8vo. On Ps. lxxxii. 6, 7. Ded. to "John Colles, Esq., High Sheriffe of Sommerset."

"Three Sermons preached by William Sclater, Doctor of Diuinity, and Minister of the Word of God at Pitmister [sic] in Sommersetshire. Now published by his Sonne of King's Colledge in Cambridge. London, 1629." 4to. On 1 Pet. ii. 11., 2 Kings, ix. 31., and Heb. ix. 27, 28. The last is a funeral Sermon for John Colles, Esq., preached in 1607.

JOHN J. DREDGE.

Runes.—Worsäae (Primeval Antiquities of Denmark, 1849) mentions that inscriptions are found in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, written in different languages in Runic character. He also mentions the fact of a Pagan Runic inscription occurring at Jellinge, Denmark, on the tomb of old King Gorm, A.D. c. 900, found in a huge barrow; and, at the same place, a Christian Runic inscription on the tomb of his son Harold. Has this inquiry been extended to British Runes, and might it not throw much light upon many monuments of dates prior to the Conquest? Crossed slabs with Runes have been found at Hartlepool, Durham; have the inscriptions been read? (Boutell's Christian Monuments, p. 3.; Cutt's Manual of Sepulchral Slabs, pp. 52. 60. plate III.)

MISCELLANEOUS

NOTES ON BOOKS, CATALOGUES, SALES, ETC

The Nibelungenlied, which has been aptly designated the German Iliad, has hitherto been a sealed book to the mere English reader. Mr. Lettsom has however just published a most successful translation of it under the title of The Fall of the Nibelungers. Few will rise from a perusal of the English version of this great national epic—which in its present form is a work of the thirteenth century—without being struck with the innate power and character of the original poem; and without feeling grateful to Mr. Lettsom for furnishing them with so pleasing and spirited a version of it.

Captain Curling, Clerk of the Cheque of what was formerly designated the Band of Gentleman Pensioners, has, under the influence of a laudable esprit de corps, combined the disjointed materials which Pegge had collected upon the subject with the fruits of his own researches; and, under the title of Some Account of the Ancient Corp of Gentlemen-at-Arms, has produced a volume of great interest doubtless to his "brothers in arms," and containing some curious illustrations of court ceremonial.9

Mr. Timbs, the editor of The Year-Book of Facts, &c., announces for early publication a work on which he has been engaged for some time, entitled Curiosities of London. It will, we believe, be altogether of a different character from Mr. Cunningham's Handbook, and treat rather of present London and its amusements than those of historical and literary associations which give a charm to Mr. Cunningham's volume.