Part 4

I have, as most of the readers of "N. & Q." are aware, for a considerable time past turned my attention to the subject of _English Surnames_, and the sale of three editions of my work under that title shows that such a book was a desideratum. Chapters on the origin of surnames exist in Camden's _Remaines_, Verstegan's _Restitution_, and elsewhere, and there are detached notices in the _Gentleman's Magazine_ and other periodicals; but my work is the first, and as yet the _only_ independent treatise on the subject. Any one who will be at the trouble to compare my first and third editions will at once see how this inquiry has grown under my hands; but although I have collected and classified 6000 names, much still remains to be accomplished. Under this conviction, I am now engaged in the compilation of a _Dictionary of English Family Names_, which I hope to complete within the present year. My plan will include:

I. The name.

II. The class to which it belongs. The classes will be about twenty in number.

III. The etymology of each name when necessary.

IV. Definitions and remarks.

V. Illustrative quotations from old English authors.

VI. The century in which the name first occurs.

VII. The corruptions and most remarkable variations which the name has undergone.

VIII. Proverbs associated with family names, _e.g._:--

"All the _Tracys_ Have the wind in their faces,"

in allusion to the judgment of heaven which is said to have befallen the posterity of Wm. de Traci, one of the assassins of Thos. à Becket.

IX. Anecdotes and traditions.

My object in making this statement, is to solicit from the numerous and learned correspondents of "N. & Q." contributions of surnames and suggestions in furtherance of my undertaking; and from the Editor, permission to query from time to time upon the origin, date, and history of such surnames as I am unable satisfactorily to elucidate without assistance. A field so large requires the co-operation of many labourers. I have already secured the friendly aid of some of the most competent antiquaries in England; and I confidently anticipate for the forthcoming collection a degree of success proportioned to the amount of labour and research bestowed upon it.

Of _local_ surnames few will be introduced; for, as nearly every landed property has given a name to the family of its early proprietor, it would be impossible to include all the names so derived. Only the more remarkable ones of this class, which would appear at first sight to come from a totally different source, will be admitted. Blennerhasset, Polkinghom, Woodhead, Wisdom, Bodycoat, and Crawl, for example, are names of places, and surnames have been derived from them, although few except the persons resident in the particular localities are aware that any such places exist. Most of the names that baffle all historical and etymological acumen are probably of this class.

I wish it to be understood that my dictionary will only include family, that is, _hereditary_ surnames. Merely personal sobriquets which died with their first possessors (and which are found in large numbers in ancient records) will be passed by, unless they should illustrate some appellative which has descended to our times.

In conclusion, this work is by no means intended to supersede my _English Surnames_, which contains much matter unsuited to dictionary arrangement, and is intended to convey information on a neglected subject in a popular form. The illustrations in the _Dictionary_ will for the most part be new, with references to the _English Surnames_ for others.

The foregoing announcement was intended to be sent to "N. & Q." some weeks since. I am now induced to forward it without further delay, because I see the subject of surnames introduced in to-day's number by two different correspondents. COWGILL, the first of these, could, if so disposed, render me efficient help. As to the remarks of J. H. on the works of "Lower and others" (_what others?_), they clearly show that he has never read what he so summarily condemns, or he would not now have to ask for the supposed number of surnames in England, which is given in my third edition, vol. i., preface, p. xiii. Though I am, perhaps, more fully aware than any other person of the defects and demerits of my _English Surnames_, I think the literary public will hardly deny me the credit of "_some_ study and research," praise which has been awarded me by better critics than J. H. It is not my practice to notice the censures of anonymous writers, but I cannot forbear adverting to two points in J. H.'s short communication. In the first place his desire for a work giving _all_ the names used in England, and "showing when they were first adopted or brought into this country," shows his entire want of acquaintance with the existing state of the nomenclature of English families. A glance at a few pages of so common a book as the _London Directory_, will convince any competent observer that there are hundreds upon hundreds of surnames that would baffle the most imaginative etymologist. Secondly, J. H. proposes that an author treating on the subject of family names, should begin "with the Britons." Does he really suppose that the Celtic possessors of our island bore family names according to the modern practice? If so, "Lower and (many) others" can assure him that his antiquarian and historical knowledge must be of a somewhat limited kind.

MARK ANTONY LOWER.

Lewes.

REV. JOHN PAGET.

(Vol. iv., p. 133.; Vol. v., pp. 66. 280.)

Since the Notes, kindly transmitted from Holland in answer to my Query respecting the family of the Rev. John Paget, appeared in "N. & Q.," I have discovered that the Pagets to whom my Query related, as well as the others alluded to by your correspondents, were all of the family of Paget of Rothley, Leicestershire, of whom a (partially incomplete) pedigree is given in Nichols's _Leicestershire_, vol. iv. p. 481. I was led to this conclusion by finding that Robert Paget (the writer of a preface before alluded to "from Dort, 1641") mentions in his will Roadley (Rothley) in Leicestershire as his birthplace, and speaks of his brother George as residing in his "patrimoniall house" there: he is probably the Robert, son of Michael Paget, and great-grandson of the Rev. Harold Paget, vicar of Rothley in 1564, who is mentioned in the pedigree as born at Rothley in 1611: he died at Dordt in 1684. The pedigree gives him an uncle named Thomas, born in 1589 (two indeed of that name, and both born the same year!); this will do very well for the Rev. Thomas Paget, incumbent of Blackley, and rector of Stockport; and another named John, who died, aged seven, in 1582: still I cannot help believing that John Paget, the writer, was this Robert's uncle, and feel mightily disposed to metamorphose one of the two Thomases into John. The Rev. Thomas Paget died in October, 1660, leaving his property to his two sons, Nathan M.D., and Thomas a clergyman. What relation was he to that Mr. Paget to whom Dee, the astrologer (see his _Diary_, p. 55. Camden Society, 1842), sold a house in Manchester in 1595? His son, Dr. Nathan, in a _Thesis on the Plague_, printed at Leyden in 1639, describes himself on the title-page as Mancestr-Anglus. According to Mr. Paget's will, dated May 23, 1660, he was then minister at Stockport, Cheshire; and I am inclined to think him identical with Thomas Paget, rector of St. Chads, Shrewsbury, from 1646 to 1659, although Owen and Blakeway (_History of Shrewsbury_, 2 vols. 4to. 1825) consider the latter to be son of John (James?) Paget, Baron of the Exchequer, temp. Car. I.: this descent is, I am confident, erroneous. Thomas Paget appears to have gone to Amsterdam in 1639 on the death of the Rev. John Paget, and to have returned to England in 1646, in which year his son John (who must have been much younger than his two other sons, and is, moreover, not mentioned in his will dated 1660) was baptized at Shrewsbury. Dr. Nathan Paget was an intimate friend of Milton, and cousin to the poet's fourth wife, Elizabeth Minshull, of whose family descent (which appears to be rather obscure) I may, at another time, communicate some particulars.

Whilst the subject of the Pagets (a very interesting one to me), I cannot refrain from noticing, even at the risk of encroaching on your space, a singular mistake of Anthony à Wood respecting another writer (though of an entirely different family) of the name of Paget. Speaking of the Rev. Ephraim Paget (_Athen. Oxon._, vol. ii. p. 51.) he says:

"One of both his names (his uncle I think) translated into English _Sermons upon Ruth_, Lond. 1586, in oct., written originally by Lod. Lavater; but whether the said Ephraim Paget was educated at Oxon, I cannot justly say, though two or more of his sirname and time occur in our registers."

Had Anthony ever _seen_ the book in question, he would have been aware that the title-page informs him that it was translated by Ephraim Pagitt, a child of eleven years of age; and as, according to the said Anthony's account, Ephraim was born in 1575, he would also at once have seen that Ephraim himself--not that ideal personage, his "uncle of the same name"--was the translator.

CRANMORE.

LETTER TO A BRIGADIER-GENERAL.

(Vol. v., p 296.)

Your correspondent W. C. begins his letter modestly. "If," he says, Thomas Lord Lyttleton wrote _The Letters of Junius_, and "if" Junius wrote the "Letter to the Brigadier-General," then he sees a difficulty. Why, of course he does: but as nobody but the writer in the _Quarterly_ believes that the said Thomas did write the _Letters of Junius_, and as it has never been proved that Junius did write the "Letter to a Brigadier," I must believe that something remains to be done before we proceed a step farther either in the way of argument or inference. Unless some such resolution be come to by inquirers, we shall never get out of the mazes in which this question has been involved, by like conditional statements, and the conditional arguments founded thereon.

As to the Lyttleton story, I shall dismiss it at once: it is not entitled to the sort of respectability which attaches to a case put hypothetically, nor to the honour of an "if;" and I must remind your correspondent that in a Junius question "general belief" is no evidence. Every story, however absurd, once asserted, is "generally believed," until some one (a rare and exceptional case) proves that it is not true--probably that it could not be true. The general belief, for example, that the "Letter to a Brigadier" was written by Junius, is not, so far as I know, supported by a tittle of evidence. It is all assertion and assumption, founded on the opinion of A., B., and C., as to "style," &c. Now, as some two dozen different persons have been proved, by like confident opinions, on like evidence, to be the writer of _Junius's Letters_, I may be excused when I acknowledge that the test is not with me quite conclusive. In respect, however, to this "Letter to a Brigadier," Mr. Britton and Sir David Brewster have proceeded somewhat further. Having, with others, come to the conclusion that Junius was the writer, Mr. Britton proceeds to show that Barré served in Canada under Wolfe, and was the very man, from circumstances, position, and feelings, who could, would, and did write that letter. Sir David endeavours to show that Macleane was in like circumstance, stimulated by like feelings, and was the veritable Simon; founding his argument mainly on the belief that Macleane was also serving there as surgeon of Otway's regiment. It has been shown in the _Athenæum_ that Macleane never was surgeon of Otway's regiment, and that in all probability he never was in Canada: in brief, that the memoir is a mistake from beginning to end. As all, however, that is urged by Sir David in favour of Macleane, as one who had served under Wolfe, may be thought to strengthen, to that extent, the claim of Barré, who certainly did so serve, and was severely wounded, let us look at the facts.

Barré was wounded at the capture of Quebec; and, under date of Oct. 1759, Knox, in his _Historical Journal_, says, "Colonel Carlton and Major Barré retired to the southward for the recovery of their wounds." From his letter to Mr. Pitt (_Chath. Corr._), we find that Barré was at New York, April 28, 1760. He appears subsequently to have joined Amherst before Montreal; and on the capture of Montreal, on Sept. 8, 1760, he was appointed to convey the despatches to England, and arrived in London on the 5th October. These are facts public and unquestioned--admitted by Mr. Britton.

Now for a fact out of the "Letter to a Brigadier." I could give you half a dozen of like character, but space is precious, and one, I think, will be sufficient. The writer quotes _in extenso_ a letter written by Townshend, published in _The Daily Advertiser_, and dated "South Audley Square, 20th June, 1760." Mr. Britton admits that the pamphlet must have been published "some time before the 5th October, as on that day a Refutation appeared;" it was, in fact, reviewed, or rather abused, in the _Critical Review_ for September. We have proof, therefore, that the "Letter to a Brigadier" was written after 20th June, and founded, in part, on facts known _in London_ only on the 21st of June at the earliest: the probabilities are that it was published in August or September, certainly before the 5th October. How then could it have been written by a man in America, serving before Montreal?

L. B. G.

MAPS OF AFRICA.

(Vol. v., p. 261.)

I do not know why, because a man publishes maps of Africa at Gotha, they should not be "fancy portraits," any more than why a man's book should be a good one, because it is printed on a composition which nobody but a German would have the effrontery to call paper.

I had seen Spruner's Map a few weeks after it came out, and the conclusion I came to about it at the time was, that it was certainly a fancy portrait. I shall be glad to be shown that I am in error; and, as I am more sure of the fact that I did come to this conclusion after some examination, than I am of the argument whereby I arrived at it--for my memory is singularly gifted in this way--I should be obliged by E. C. H., or any of your correspondents, informing me what grounds there are for believing Spruner, or any one else, to have produced a map or maps of the north coast of Africa between long. 5° west, and 25° east of Greenwich, or any portion of the said coast,--said map or maps being the result of actual survey. Moreover, if I further inquire when any survey whatever took place of this coast at any time, and profess my utter ignorance of the history of our present _North_ African maps, and my great doubts of their credibility, let not your correspondents imagine that this is one of a _few_ things that I ought to be acquainted with, and really know nothing whatever about.

AJAX.

Replies to Minor Queries.

_James Wilson, M.D._ (Vol. v., p. 276.).--To the numerous list of men whose services to literature our English biographers have injudiciously omitted to record may be added James Wilson, M.D. As editor of the _Mathematical tracts_ of Mr. Benjamin Robins in 1761, he has often been noticed with commendation. Beyond that circumstance, all is obscurity.

He wrote, however, a valuable _Dissertation on the rise and progress of the modern art of navigation_, which was first published by Mr. John Robertson in his _Elements of navigation_ in 1764, and republished by him in 1772. The authors shall now speak for themselves:--

"This edition [of the _Elements of navigation_] is also enriched with the history of the art of navigation; for with the author's leave, I have published the following dissertation on that subject, written by Dr. Wilson, believing it would afford the most ample satisfaction on that subject."--John ROBERTSON, 1764.

"My enquiries into these matters [navigation] induced the late learned Dr. James Wilson to review and complete his observations on the subject, and produced his _Dissertation_ on the history of the art of navigation, which he was pleased to give me leave to publish with the second edition of this work.... The second edition of these _Elements_ having also been well received by the public, Dr. Wilson took the pains to revise his _Dissertation_, which he improved in many particulars."--John ROBERTSON, Nov. 1, 1772.

"This _Dissertation_, written at first by desire, is now reprinted with alterations. Though I may be thought to have dwelt too long on some particulars, not directly relating to the subject; yet I hope that what is so delivered, will not be altogether unentertaining to the candid reader. As to any apology for having handled a matter quite foreign to my way of life, I shall only plead, that very young, living in a sea-port town, I was eager to be acquainted with an art that could enable the mariner to arrive across the wide and pathless ocean at his desired harbour."

London. James WILSON, 1771?

The united libraries of Henry Pemberton, M.D., F.R.S., and James Wilson, M.D., were sold in 1772. The sale occupied eighteen evenings, and produced 701_l._ 17_s._ 6_d._ The learned writers, who were intimate friends, died within seven months of each other in 1771.

BOLTON CORNEY.

_History of Commerce_ (Vol. v., p. 276.).--As a learned and lucid account of the early commercial intercourse between Europe and the eastern countries, I believe there is no work comparable to that entitled _Histoire du commerce entre le Levant et l'Europe depuis les croisades jusqu'à la fondation des colonies d'Amérique_, par G. B. Depping. Paris, 1830. 8vo. 2 vols. This subject was proposed in 1826, as a prize essay, by the Académie royale des inscriptions et belles-lettres, and M. Depping was the successful competitor. The prize, a gold medal of the value of 1500 francs, was awarded in 1828. M. le baron Silvestre de Sacy, whose profound acquaintance with oriental history and literature enabled him to detect some slight errors in the work, thus concludes his review of it in the _Journal des savants_: "Mais ces légères critiques ne m'empêchent pas de rendre toute justice à un travail véritablement estimable, et digne de l'honneur qu'il a obtenu de l'Académie des belles-lettres."

BOLTON CORNEY.

_Ecclesiastical Geography_ (Vol. v., p. 276.).--There is a work on this subject by I. E. T. Wiltsch, _Handbuch der Kirchlichen Geographie and Statistik_, Berlin, 1846, 2 vols. 8vo., which, in so far as I have looked at it, appears to be carefully done.

J. C. R.

_Butts Family_ (Vol. iv., p. 501.).--I read yesterday an article signed COWGILL, asking information concerning the family of Butts, anciently of Thornage, Norfolk. Sir William Butts, physician to Henry VIII., and Dr. Robert Butts, my great-grandfather, formerly Bishop of Norwich, were of that family, and if your correspondent will communicate privately with me, I shall be happy to receive from him, and communicate to him, any particulars of a public character concerning a family of which I am nearly the only representative. My address is "Rev. Edward Drury Butts, Camesworth, Bridport."

E. D. B.

_Friday at Sea_ (Vol. v., p. 200.).--The story to which your correspondent? refers may be found in a note to one of Fennimore Cooper's sea novels; I do not remember which, and am unable at present to ascertain by reference to the book itself. If my recollection be accurate, the novelist speaks of it as an event of which he had personal knowledge, and does not quote any earlier authority.

K. E.

It is a most curious circumstance connected with the superstition sailors have regarding putting to sea on a Friday, which will now have greater weight attached to it than ever, that I can inform your correspondent, W. FRASER, that the ill-fated Amazon, Captain Symons, did really sail on a Friday, as he suggested she might have done.

The day was January 2, 1852, by Lloyd's Lists, which is the day of the month the West India mail always leaves this country.

J. S. O.

Old Broad Street.

_A Pinch of Snuff from Dean Swift's Box_ (Vol. v., p. 274.).--The printed leaves inquired for by A SUBSCRIBER, are from the _Irish Union Magazine_, No. 2., April, 1845, and are quoted at p. 182. of Wilde's _Closing Scenes of Dean Swift's Life_, where may be found several particulars of the snuff-box inquired about. The inscription within the lid is curious, and is copied by Wilde.

E. D.

_English Translation of the Canons_ (Vol. v., p. 246.).--M. tells us that in the second clause of the 36th canon of 1603, the words _quodque eodem taliter uti liceat_ are translated "and that the same may be lawfully used," the word _taliter_ being altogether omitted in the English. What authority is there for this statement? In all the copies of the English Canons that I have examined, the translation is exact, viz., "and that it may lawfully _so_ be used;" and that the form now presented for subscription at ordination agrees with this, may be inferred from the fact that the words are so printed in Mr. Hodgson's _Instructions for the Clergy_ (6th edition, p. 8.).

It would seem that M. has confounded with the Canons of 1603 an older form, which was prescribed by Archbishop Whitgift in 1584 (Cardwell, _Docum. Annals_, i. 414.). The words of that form agree with your correspondent's quotation; and it has also a bearing on his assumption that the 36th canon was originally presented for subscription in Latin, and that the English version has been wrongfully substituted. Not only is there (as I believe) no proof of this assumption; but we have the fact that a set of _English_ articles, substantially the same with those of the 36th canon of 1603 (or rather 1604), was subscribed for twenty years before the body of the canons existed.

J. C. R.

_Few Descents through a long Period._--The pedigree of the noble family of Dartmouth, given by Edmondson in his _Baronagium Genealogicum_, No. 197., contains an extraordinary instance of few descents through a long period of time.

The stock of descent is Thomas Legge, Sheriff of London in 1343, and Lord Mayor in 1346. He had a son, Simon, whose son, Thomas, had issue, William, who had issue an only son, Edward. This Edward had thirteen children, one of whom, John, is stated to have died in 1702, aged 109. Supposing Thomas Legge to have been 46 years old at his Mayoralty (_i.e._ born in 1300) these six lives would extend over more than 400 years. This is so extraordinary that I append a Query. Is Edmondson's _Genealogy_ correct, or are there any intermediate descents omitted?

The ages at death of four only of Edward's children are given, and they, too, are remarkable: the before-mentioned John, aged 109 years; Elizabeth (unmarried), 105 years; Margaret (married ---- Fitzgerald, Esq.), 105 years; and Anne (married ---- Anthony, Esq.), 112 years. Can any of your correspondents inform me the years when any of these died, or where they are buried? to enable me to verify these facts by certificates.

C. H. B.

30. Clarence Street, Islington.

_Tandem D. O. M._ (Vol. iii, p. 62.).--Looking over some of the back numbers, I see under this heading a very tantalising announcement of a rich store of venerable literature in an ancient mansion in a distant part of Cornwall. It would be very desirable to know the _habitat_ of such an unique collection of books. Will FABER MARINUS gratify the readers of "N. & Q." by allowing it to be known?

S. S.

_Land Holland_ (Vol. ii., p. 267.).--Has not your querist J. B. C. mistaken the initial letter here,--read _H_ for _M_? I have often met in Court Rolls with Land _Molland_, viz., held by _mill_ service.

G. A. C.

_Arc de Arbouin_ (Vol. v., p. 249.).--In East Anglia the Hornbeam (_Carpinus betulus_) is called _Harber_ or _Arber_ wood.

G. A. C.