Chapter 3

It seems to me to be connected with _Drone_; but this can only be ascertained from the period and the people by whom it was applied.

That the bird once existed there can be no doubt, from the notice of Sir Hamon L'Estrange, which there is no reason for questioning; and there seems to be as little reason to suppose that Tradescant's stuffed specimen was a fabrication. He used to preserve his own specimens; and there could be no motive at that period for a fabrication. I had hoped to have found some notice of it in the _Diary_ of that worthy virtuoso Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach, who visited the Ashmolean Museum in 1710; but though he notices other natural curiosities, there is no mention of it. This worthy remarks on the slovenly condition and inadequate superintendence of our museums, and especially of that of Gresham College; but those who recollect the state of our great national museum forty years since will not be surprised at this, or at the calamitous destruction of Tradescant's specimen of the Dodo. That the bird was extinct above 150 years ago I think we may conclude from the notices I have extracted from La Roque, and the letter of the Jesuit Brown. Mr. Strickland has done good service to the cause of natural science by his monograph of this very curious subject; and to him every particle of information must be acceptable: this must be my excuse for the almost nothing I have been able to contribute.

S.W. SINGER.

March 26. 1850.

* * * * *

THE WATCHING OF THE SEPULCHRE.

Inquired about by "T.W." (No. 20. p. 318.), is a liturgical practice, which long was, and still is, observed in Holy Week. On Maundy Thursday, several particles of the Blessed Eucharist, consecrated at the Mass sung that day, were reserved--a larger one for the celebrating priest on the morrow, Good Friday; the smaller ones for the viaticum of the dying, should need be, and carried in solemn procession all round the church, from the high altar to a temporary erection, fitted up like a tomb, with lights, and the figure of an angel watching by, on the north side of the chancel. Therein the Eucharist was kept till Easter Sunday morning, according to the Salisbury Ritual; and there were people kneeling and praying at this so-called sepulchre all the time, both night and day. To take care of the church, left open throughout this period, and to look after the lights, it was necessary for the sacristan to have other men to help him; and what was given to them for this service is put down in the church-wardens' books as money for "watching the sepulchre." By the Roman Ritual, this ceremony lasts only from Maundy Thursday till Good Friday. This rite will be duly followed in my own little church here at Buckland, where some of my flock, two and two, in stated succession, all through the night, as well as day, will be watching from just after Mass on Maundy Thursday till next morning's service. In some of the large Catholic churches in London and the provinces, this ceremony is observed with great splendour.

DANIEL ROCK.

Buckland, Farringdon.

_Watching the Sepulchre._--If no one sends a more satisfactory reply to the query about "Watching the Sepulchre," the following extract from Parker's _Glossary of Architecture_ (3rd edit. p. 197.) will throw some light on the matter:--

"In many churches we find a large flat arch in the north wall of the chancel near the alter, which was called the Holy Sepulchre; and was used at Easter for the performance of solemn rites commemorative of the resurrection of our Lord. On this occasion there was usually a temporary wooden erection over the arch; but, occasionally, the whole was of stone, and very richly ornamented. There are fine specimens at Navenby and Heckington churches, Lincolnshire, and {355} Hawton church, Notts. All these in the decorated style of the fourteenth century; and are of great magnificence, especially the last."

To this account of the sepulchre I may add, that one principal part of the solemn rites referred to above consisted in depositing a consecrated wafer or, as at Durham Cathedral, a crucifix within its recess--a symbol of the entombment of our blessed Lord--and removing it with great pomp, accompanied sometimes with a mimetic representation of the visit of the Marys to the tomb, on the morning of Easter Sunday. This is a subject capable of copious illustration, for which, some time since, I collected some materials (which are quite at your service); but, as your space is valuable, I will only remark, that the "Watching the Sepulchre" was probably in imitation of the watch kept by the Roman soldiers round the tomb of Our Lord, and with the view of preserving the host from any casualty.

At Rome, the ceremony is anticipated, the wafer being carried in procession, on the Thursday in Passion Week, from the Sistine to the Paoline Chapel, and brought back again on the Friday; thus missing the whole intention of the rite. Dr. Baggs, in his _Ceremonies of Holy Week at Rome_, says (p. 65.):--

"When the pope reaches the altar (of the Capella Paolina), the first cardinal deacon receives from his hands the blessed sacrament, and, preceded by torches, carries it to the upper part of the _macchina_; M. Sagrista places it within the urn commonly called the sepulchre, where it is incensed by the Pope.... M. Sagrista then shuts the sepulchre, and delivers the key to the Card. Penitentiary, who is to officiate on the following day."

E.V.

* * * * *

POEM BY SIR EDWARD DYER.

_Dr. Rimbault's 4th Qu._ (No. 19. p. 302.).--"My mind to me a kingdom is" will be found to be of much earlier date than Nicholas Breton. Percy partly printed it from William Byrds's _Psalmes, Sonets, and Songs of Sadnes_ (no date, but 1588 according to Ames), with some additions and _improvements (?)_ from a B.L. copy in the Pepysian collection. I have met with it in some early poetical miscellany--perhaps Tottel, or _England's Helicon_--but cannot just now refer to either.

The following copy is from a cotemporary MS. containing many of the poems of Sir Edward Dyer, Edward Earl of Oxford, and their cotemporaries, several of which have never been published. The collection appears to have been made by Robert Mills, of Cambridge. Dr. Rimbault will, no doubt, be glad to compare this text with Breton's. It is, at least, much more genuine than the _composite_ one given by Bishop Percy.

"My mynde to me a kyngdome is, Suche preasente joyes therin I fynde, That it excells all other blisse, That earth affordes or growes by kynde; Thoughe muche I wante which moste would have, Yet still my mynde forbiddes to crave.

"No princely pompe, no wealthy store, No force to winne the victorye, No wilye witt to salve a sore, No shape to feade a loving eye; To none of these I yielde as thrall, For why? my mynde dothe serve for all.

"I see howe plenty suffers ofte, And hasty clymers sone do fall, I see that those which are alofte Mishapp dothe threaten moste of all; They get with toyle, they keepe with feare, Suche cares my mynde coulde never beare.

"Content to live, this is my staye, I seeke no more than maye suffyse, I presse to beare no haughty swaye; Look what I lack, my mynde supplies; Lo, thus I triumph like a kynge, Content with that my mynde doth bringe.

"Some have too muche, yet still do crave, I little have and seek no more, They are but poore, though muche they have, And I am ryche with lyttle store; They poore, I ryche, they begge, I gyve, They lacke, I leave, they pyne, I lyve.

"I laughe not at another's losse, I grudge not at another's payne; No worldly wants my mynde can toss, My state at one dothe still remayne: I feare no foe, I fawn no friende, I lothe not lyfe nor dreade my ende.

"Some weighe their pleasure by theyre luste, Theyre wisdom by theyre rage of wyll, Theyre treasure is theyre onlye truste, A cloked crafte theyre store of skylle: But all the pleasure that I fynde Is to mayntayne a quiet mynde.

"My wealthe is healthe and perfect ease, My conscience cleere my chiefe defence, I neither seek by brybes to please, Nor by deceyte to breede offence; Thus do I lyve, thus will I dye, Would all did so as well as I.

"FINIS. [Symbol: CROWN] E. DIER."

S.W.S.

* * * * *

ROBERT CROWLEY.

"Be pleased to observe," says Herbert, "that, though 'The Supper of the Lorde' and 'The Vision of Piers Plowman' are inserted among the rest of his writings, he wrote only the prefixes to them" (vol. ii. p. 278.). Farther on he gives the title of the book, and adds, "Though this treatise is anonymous, Will. Tindall is allowed to have been the author; Crowley wrote only the preface." It was originally printed at Nornberg, and dated as above [the same date as that given by "C.H.," No. 21. p. 332.]. "Bearing no printer's name, nor date of printing, I have placed it to Crowley, being a printer, as having the justest claim to it" (p. 762.). {356} There is a copy in the Lambeth Library, No. 553. p. 249. in my "List," of which I have said (on what grounds I do not now know), "This must be a different edition from that noticed by Herbert (ii. 762.) and Dibdin (iv. 334. No. 2427.)." I have not Dibdin's work at hand to refer to, but as I see nothing in Herbert on which I could ground such a statement, I suppose that something may be found in Dibdin's account; though probably it may be only my mistake or his. As to foreign editions, I always feel very suspicious of their existence; and though I do not remember this book in particular, or know why I supposed it to differ from the edition ascribed to Crowley, yet I feel pretty confident that it bore no mark of "Nornberg." According to my description it had four pairs of [Symbol: pointing hands] on the title, and contained E iv., in eights, which should be thirty _six_ leaves.

S.R. MAITLAND.

* * * * *

REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES.

_John Ross Mackay_ (No. 8. p. 125.).--In reply to the Query of your correspondent "D.," I beg to forward the following quotation from Sir N.W. Wraxall's _Historical Memoirs of his Own Time_, 3rd edition. Speaking of the peace of Fontainbleau, he says,--

"John Ross Mackay, who had been private secretary to the Earl of Bute, and afterwards during seventeen years was treasurer of the ordnance, a man with whom I was personally acquainted, frequently avowed the fact. He lived to a very advanced age, sat in several parliaments, and only died, I believe in 1796. A gentleman of high professional rank, and of unimpeached veracity, who is still alive, told me, that dining at the late Earl of Besborough's, in Cavendish Square, in the year 1790, where only four persons were present, including himself, Ross Mackay, who was one of the number, gave them the most ample information upon the subject. Lord Besborough having called after dinner for a bottle of champagne, a wine to which Mackay was partial, and the conversation turning on the means of governing the House of Commons, Mackay said, that, 'money formed, after all, the only effectual and certain method.' 'The peace of 1763,' continued he, 'was carried through and approved by a pecuniary distribution. Nothing else could have surmounted the difficulty. I was myself the channel through which the money passed. With my own hand I secured above one hundred and twenty votes on that most important question to ministers. Eighty thousand pounds were set apart for the purpose. Forty members of the House of Commons received from me a thousand pounds each. To eighty others, I paid five hundred pounds apiece.'"

DAVID STEWARD.

Godalming, March 19. 1850.

_Shipster_.--_Gourders_.--As no satisfactory elucidation of the question propounded by Mr. Fox (No. 14. p. 216.) has been suggested, and I think he will scarcely accept the conjecture of "F.C.B.," however ingenious (No. 21. p. 339.), I am tempted to offer a note on the business or calling of a shipster. It had, I believe, no connection with nautical concerns; it did not designate a skipper (in the Dutch use of the word) of the fair sex. That rare volume, Caxton's _Boke for Travellers_, a treasury of archaisms, supplies the best definition of her calling:--"Mabyll the shepster cheuissheth her right well; she maketh surplys, shertes, breches, keuerchiffs, and all that may be wrought of lynnen cloth." The French term given, as corresponding to shepster, is "_cousturière._" Palsgrave also, in his _Èclaircissement de la Langue françoyse_, gives "schepstarre, _lingière_:--sheres for shepsters, _forces_." If further evidence were requisite, old Elyot might be cited, who renders both _sarcinatrix_ and _sutatis_ (? _sutatrix_) as "a shepster, a seamester." The term may probably be derived from her skill in shaping or cutting out the various garments of which Caxton gives so quaint an inventory. Her vocation was the very same as that of the _tailleuse_ of present times--the _Schneiderinn_, she-cutter, of Germany. Palsgrave likewise gives this use of the verb "to shape," expressed in French by "_tailler_." He says, "He is a good tayloure, and _shapeth_ a garment as well as any man." It is singular that Nares should have overlooked this obsolete term; and Mr. Halliwell, in his useful _Glossarial Collections_, seems misled by some similarity of sound, having noticed, perhaps, in Palsgrave, only the second occurrence of the word as before cited, "sheres for shepsters." He gives that author as authority for the explanation "shepster, a sheep-shearer" (_Dict. of Archaic Words_, in v.). It has been shown, however, I believe, to have no more concern with a sheep than a ship.

The value of your periodical in eliciting the explanation of crabbed archaisms is highly to be commended. Shall I anticipate Mr. Bolton Corney, or some other of your acute glossarial correspondents, if I offer another suggestion, in reply to "C.H." (No. 21. p. 335.), regarding "gourders of raine?" I have never met with the word in this form; but Gouldman gives "a gord of water which cometh by rain, _aquilegium_." Guort, gorz, or gort, in Domesday, are interpreted by Kelham as "a wear"; and in old French, _gort_ or _gorz_ signifies "_flot, gorgées, quantité_" (Roquefort). All these words, as well as the Low Latin _gordus_ (Ducange), are doubtless to be deduced, with _gurges, a gyrando_.

ALBERT WAY.

_Rococo_ (No. 20. p. 321.).--The _history_ of this word appears to be involved in uncertainty. Some French authorities derive it from "_rocaille_," rock-work, pebbles for a grotto, &c.; others from "_Rocco_," an architect (whose existence, however, I cannot trace), the author, it is to be supposed, {357} of the antiquated, unfashionable, and false style which the word "Rococo" is employed to designate. The _use_ of the word is said to have first arisen in France towards the end of the reign of Louis XV. or the beginning of that of Louis XVI., and it is now employed in the above senses, not only in architecture, but in literature, fashion, and the arts generally.

J.M.

Oxford, March 18.

_Rococo_.--This is one of those cant words, of no very definite, and of merely conventional, meaning, for any thing said or done in ignorance of the true propriety of the matter in question. "_C'est du rococo_," it is mere stuff, or nonsense, or rather twaddle. It was born on the stage, about ten years ago, at one of the minor theatres at Paris, though probably borrowed from a wine-shop, and most likely will have as brief an existence as our own late "flare-up," and such ephemeral colloquialisms, or rather vulgarisms, that tickle the public fancy for a day, till pushed from their stool by another.

X.

March 18. 1850.

_God tempers the Wind, &c._--The French proverb, "A brebis tondue Dieu mesure le vent" (God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb), will be found in Quitard's _Dictionnaire étymologique, historique et anecdotique, des Proverbes, et des Locutions proverbiales de la Langue française_, 8vo. Paris, 1842. Mons. Quitard adds the following explanation of the proverb:--"Dieu proportionne à nos forces les afflictions qu'il nous envoie." I have also found this proverb in Furetière's _Dictionnaire universal de tous les Mots français_, &c. 4 vols. folio, La Haye, 1727.

J.M.

Oxford. March 18.

The proverb, "A brebis pres tondue, Dieu luy mesure le vent," is to be found in Jan. Gruter. _Florileg. Ethico-polit. part. alt. proverb. gallic._, p. 353. 8vo. Francof. 1611.

M.

Oxford.

_Guildhalls_ (No. 20. p. 320)--These were anciently the halls, or places of meeting, of Guilds, or communities formed for secular or religious purposes, none of which could be legally set up without the King's licence. Trade companies were founded, and still exist, in various parts of the kingdom, as "Gilda Mercatorum;" and there is little doubt that this was the origin of the municipal or governing corporate bodies in cities and towns whose "Guildhalls" still remain--"gildated" and "incorporated" were synonymous terms.

In many places, at one time of considerable importance, where Guilds were established, though the latter have vanished, the name of their Halls has survived.

Your correspondent "A SUBSCRIBER AB INITIO" is referred to Madox, _Firma Burgi_, which will afford him much information on the subject.

T.E.D.

Exeter.

_Treatise of Equivocation_.--In reply to the inquiry of your correspondent "J.M." (No. 17. p. 263.), I beg to state that, as my name was mentioned in connection with the Query, I wrote to the Rev. James Raine, the librarian of the Durham Cathedral Library, inquiring whether _The Treatise of Equivocation_ existed in the Chapter Library. From that gentleman I have received this morning the following reply:--"I cannot find, in this library, the book referred to in the 'NOTES AND QUERIES,' neither can I discover it in that of Bishop Cosin. The Catalogue of the latter is, however, very defective. The said publication ('NOTES AND QUERIES') promises to be very useful." Although this information is of a purely negative character, yet I thought it right to endeavour to satisfy your correspondent's curiosity.

BERIAH BOTFIELD.

Nortan Hall.

_Judas Bell_ (No. 13. p. 195.; No. 15. p. 235.).--The lines here quoted by "C.W.G.," from "a singular Scotch poem," evidently mean to express or examplify discord; and the words "to jingle _Judas bells_," refer to "bells _jangled, out of tune, and harsh_."

The Maltese at Valletta, a people singularly, and, as we should say, morbidly, addicted to the seeming enjoyment of the most horrid discords, on Good Friday Eve, have the custom of _jangling_ the church bells with the utmost violence, in execration of the memory of Judas; and I have seen there a large wooden machine (of which they have many in use), constructed on a principle similar to that of an old-fashioned watchman's rattle, but of far greater power in creating an uproar, intended to be symbolical of the rattling of _Judas's bones, that will not rest in his grave_. The Maltese, as is well known, are a very superstitious people. The employment of _Judas candles_ would, no doubt, if properly explained, turn out to mean to imply execration against the memory of Judas, wherever they may be used. But in the expression _Judas bell_, the greatest conceivable amount of _discord_ is that which is intended to be expressed.

ROBERT SNOW.

6. Chesterfield street, Mayfair, March 23. 1850.

[To this we may add, that the question at present pending between this country and Greece, so far as regards the claim of M. Pacifico, appears, from the papers laid before Parliament, to have had its origin in what Sir Edward Lyon states "to have been the custom in Athens for some years, to burn an effigy of Judas on Easter day." And from the account of the origin of the riots by the Council of the Criminal Court of Athens, we learn, that "it is proved by the {358} investigation, that on March 23, 1847, Easter Day, a report was spread in the parish of the Church des incorporels, that the Jew, D. Pacifico, by paying the churchwarden of the church, succeeded in preventing the effigy of Judas from being burnt, which by annual custom was made and burnt in that parish on Easter Day." From another document in the same collection it seems, that the Greek Government, out of respect to M. Charles de Rothschild, who was at Athens in April, 1847, forbid in all the Greek churches of the capital the burning of Judas.]

_Grummett_ (No. 20. p. 319.).--The following use of the word whose definition is sought by "[Greek: Sigma]" occurs in a description of the _members_ or adjuncts of the Cinque Port of Hastings in 1229:--

"Servicia inde debita domino regi xxi. naves, et in qualibet nave xxi. homines, cum uno garcione qui dicitur _gromet_."

In quoting this passage in a paper "On the Seals of the Cinque Ports," in the _Sussex Archæological Collections_ (Vol. i. p. 16.), I applied the following illustration:--

"_Gromet_ seems to be a diminutive of '_grome_', a serving-man, whence the modern groom. The provincialism _grummet_, much used in Sussex to designate a clumsy, awkward youth, has doubtless some relation to this cabin-boy of the Ports' navy."

I ought to add, that the passage above given is to be found in Jeake's _Charters of the Cinque Ports_.

MARK ANTONY LOWER.

Lewes, March 18. 1850.

_Grummett_.--Bailey explains, "_Gromets_ or _Gromwells_, the most servile persons on ship-board," probably, metaphorically, from "_Gromet_ or _Grummet_," "small rings," adds Bailey, "fastened with staples on the upper side of the yard." The latter term is still in use; the metaphorical one is, I believe, quite obsolete.

C.

_Meaning of "Grummett," &c_.--The word is derived from the Low Latin "_gromettus_", the original of our "groom" (see Ducange's, _Gromes_ and _Gromus_), and answers to the old French _gourmète_, i.e. _garçon_. In old books he is sometimes called a "novice" or "page," and may be compared with the "apprentice" of our marine. He was employed in waiting on the sailors, cooking their victuals, working the pumps, scouring the decks, and, in short, was expected to lend a hand wherever he was wanted, except taking the helm (Clairac, _Commentaire du premier Article des Rooles d'Oléron_); and, consequently, is always distinguished from, and rated below, the mariner or able-bodied seaman.

The information here given is taken from Jal, _Archéologie navale_, vol. ii. p. 238.

A. RICH, Jun.

* * * * *

MISCELLANIES.

_The Duke of Monmouth_.--I made the following note many years ago, and am now reminded of its existence by your admirable periodical, which must rouse many an idler besides myself to a rummage amongst long-neglected old papers. This small piece of tradition indicates that the adventurous but ill-advised duke was a man of unusual muscular power and activity.

"On the 8th of July, 1685, the Duke of Monmouth was brought a prisoner to Ringwood, and halted at an inn there. My mother, who was a native of Ringwood, used to relate that her grandmother was one of the spectators when the royal prisoner came out to take horse; and that the old lady never failed to recount, how he rejected any assistance in mounting, though his arms were pinioned; but placing his foot in the stirrup, sprang lightly into his saddle, to the admiration of all observers."

ELIJAH WARING.

Dowry Parade, Clifton Hotwells, March 21. 1850.

* * * * *

TO PHILAUTUS.

(_FROM THE LATIN OF BUCHANAN_.)