Part 16

1853. BRADLEY (“Cuthbert Bede”), _Verdant Green_, vii. Each college does its own postal department; and at Merton there are fourteen POSTMASTERS, for they get no end of letters there. “Oh, yes! I remember Mr. Larkyns ... telling us that the son of one of his old friends had been a POSTMASTER of Merton; but I fancied that he had said it had something to do with a scholarship.” “Ah, you see, it’s a long while since the governor was here, and his memory fails him,” remarked Mr. Charles Larkyns, very unfilially.

1886. _Oxford Guide_ [S. J. & C.]. The POSTMASTERS anciently performed the duties of choristers, and their payment for this duty was six shillings and fourpence per annum.

*Post-mortem*, _subs._ (Cambridge).—The examination after failure.

1844. _Puck_, 13. And now tho’ I’ve passed the POST-MORTEM at last.

*Post-past*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst: obsolete).—Dessert: at St. Omers.

1882. _Stonyhurst Mag._, i. 112. The dessert called POST-PAST was always the best sort of apples or pears, and biscuits, or else walnuts.

*Post te*, _phr._ (Charterhouse).—The most useful (says TOD) of all the old Charterhouse expressions. For example, POST TE MATH. EX. = “Will you have the kindness to permit me to glance over your mathematical exercise?” Or one can give a POST TE of anything; _e.g._ to give a friend a POST TE of a book is to give him the right of its perusal when you have done with it. The word is also used in a subtle and sarcastic sense; _e.g._ POST TE hat or POST TE chum signifies disapproval of the hat or friend of which or whom the remark was made.

*Pot*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A canal lock. Whence POT-CAD = a workman at the saw-mills; POT-GATES = lock-gates; POT-HOUSER = a jump into the canal from the roof of a house called POT-HOUSE.

_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester_ (1866), 226. POT—A canal lock; the one just under Hills was generally meant when the word was used.

*Pot-house* (The), _subs._ (Cambridge).—St. Peter’s College: formerly Peterhouse.

1891. _Harry Fludyer at Cambridge_, 85. He asked me what it was.... I hadn’t a notion, so I made a shot and said “POT-HOUSE.” He said, “I suppose you mean St. Peter’s College.”

*Potted-fug*, _subs._ (Rugby).—Potted-meat.

*Præfect.* _See_ PREFECT.

*Præpositor*, _subs._ (Sherborne: obsolete).—A School PRÆFECT (_q.v._): seventeenth century.

*Præpostor*, _subs._ (Rugby).—A PRÆFECT (_q.v._).

1856. HUGHES, _Tom Brown’s School-days_, v. The master mounted into the high desk by the door, and one of the PRÆPOSTORS of the week stood by him on the steps, the other three marching up and down the middle of the school with their canes, calling out “Silence, silence!”... Then the PRÆPOSTOR who stands by the master calls out the names, beginning with the sixth form; and as he calls, each boy answers “here” to his name, and walks out.

*Prayer-book* (Harrow).—_See_ Upper School.

*Precipice.* _See_ FRESH-HERRING.

*Prefect*, _subs._ (general).—A superior or senior member of a school superintending in or out of school hours according to office and school: as in studies, preparation, games, &c. _See_ quots., PRÆPOSITOR, PRÆPOSTOR, &c.

_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester_ (1866), 226. PRÆFECTS—The eighteen Senior boys in College, and the twelve senior in Commoners. The ten senior of those in College were said to be in “Full power,” and took the office of Bible-Clerk in rotation; they all had the power of fagging the Juniors, but those not in full power were supposed not to have the right of fagging on the School side of Seventh Chamber Passage; practically, however, they always did. One of the Senior PRÆFECTS was called PRÆFECT of Hall, and was responsible in a great measure for the conduct of the boys out of school. His duties and privileges were numerous. There was also a “PRÆFECT of Tub,” who was supposed to see that the dinner was properly distributed; a “PRÆFECT of School,” who had the care of that building; and two “PRÆFECTS of Chapel,” who during alternate weeks called names in Chapel. There were fees attached to all these offices; and all the PRÆFECTS had a certain number of boys allotted to them as Pupils, each of whom paid one guinea each half.

1881. _Felstedian_, Nov., p. 75. Here let me observe that only the PRÆFECTS have separate basins to wash in; the juniors use the two stone conduits.

1891. WRENCH, _Winchester Word-Book_, s.v. PRÆFECTS.... The number of Præfects was eighteen in College, three to each Chamber ... in Commoners first eight, with four senior-inferiors, who were like Præfects in half-power, and later twelve.... The word PRÆPOSTOR was also used concurrently, it would appear, till the last century, when it disappeared, except in the formula demanding a remedy, in which it survives. What the relations of the two words were to each other it is not easy to determine.... Præpostor occurs in the College Register, and is still used in asking for Remedies. Both seem, therefore, to be official words. At Eton Præpostor survives, though they are stated to have begun with officers bearing other titles. They have also retained _major_, _minor_, _minimus_, which we have discarded for _senior_, _secundus_, _junior_. The “Præfect of Tub”—“qui nomen ducit ab olla”—who presided over meals, and whose perquisites are said to have been most lucrative—amounting to the value of £80 per annum—and the “PRÆFECT of Cloisters” are obsolete offices.

1900. _MS. Notes_ (Rev. A. GOODIER, Stonyhurst). PRÆFECTS ... These are four in number.

*Prep*, _subs._ 1. (Dulwich).—Evening preparation. _Cf._ BANCO, TOY-TIME, &c.

2. (Felsted).—A place of preparation.

1890. _Felstedian_, Feb., p. 2. Johnson _ma_ happened to be in PREP in good time, so he managed to get in a moment’s conversation with Jones.

*Preparatory*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—The preparatory Form at Hodder: originally ABECEDARII.

*Pricking Æger.* _See_ ÆGER.

*Private-business*, _subs._ (Eton).—Extra work with the tutor.

*Privee*, _subs._ (Charterhouse).—A private conversation. _See_ BOULE.

*Privs*, _subs._ (Harrow).—Special privileges in the House: granted to either Sixth Form or THREE-YEARERS (_q.v._). These take different forms in different houses. TO FIND (_q.v._) and to TOLLY-UP are PRIVS: so is the right to wear a coat that is not regulation school dress after LOCK-UP (_q.v._).

*Pro*, _subs._ (Oxford).—A proproctor, or second in command in the proctorial police. The two proctors appoint a certain number of proproctors each.

1823. _Hints for Oxford_, 10. They (Freshmen) cap the PRO’S too in the street, speak to people without being introduced, and are guilty of a thousand _gaucheries_.

1869. W. BRADWOOD, _The O.V.H._, x. The proctor (more strictly a PRO) backed out of the room with wholesale apologies.

*Proctorized*, _adj._ and _adv._ (University).—Stopped by a proctor and told to call on him.

1861. HUGHES, _Tom Brown at Oxford_, i. 12. So gets PROCTORIZED in his old age.

1885. _Punch_, May 16, p. 233. PROCTORISED again last night! Coming home from jolly wine-party at John’s.

*Progger*, _subs._ (University).—A proctor.

1898. _Stonyhurst Mag._, Dec., p. 149, “Life at Oxford.” But a Proctor, or—by the common practice—“PROGGER,” soon teaches the unwary that the wisest course is to wear it at the stated times, however objectionable it may be.

*Progging*, _subs._ (University).—_See_ PROCTORIZED.

1898. _Stonyhurst Mag._, Dec., p. 149, “Life at Oxford.” A “PROGGING” may form part of another article. At present I have passed all due bounds.

*Proggins*, _subs._ (University).—A proctor.

*Promo*, _subs._ (Charterhouse).—Promotion.

*Prompter*, _subs._ (Merchant Taylors’).—A member of the Second Form.

*Proof*, _subs._ (Oxford).—The best ale at Magdalen College.

*Pros*, _subs._ (Cambridge).—A W.C.

*Prose*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A lecture. Also as _verb_.

*Prose-task*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A piece of Latin prose composition, which all the boys had to do once a week.—MANSFIELD (_c._ 1840).

*Provincial’s-day.* _See_ DAY.

*Pruff*, _adj._ (Winchester).—Sturdy; insensible to pain.

1610. SHAKSPEARE, _Cor._, i. 4. Now put your shields before your hearts, and fight With hearts more PROOF than shields.

1881. PASCOE, _Public Schools_.... But deprive a Wykehamist of words in constant use, such as “quill,” meaning to curry favour with; PRUFF, signifying sturdy, or proof against pain; “spree,” upstart, impudent; “cud,” pretty, and many more, and his vocabulary becomes limited.

*Public-supping*, _subs._ (Christ’s Hospital).—_See_ quots.

1870. _The Blue_, Mar. It is, we believe, certain that T.R.H. the Prince and Princess Teck will grace one of the Lent PUBLIC SUPPERS with their distinguished presence.

1900. _Daily Telegraph_, Mar. 16, “London Day by Day.” That quaint and historic old custom known as the “public supping” of the children was celebrated last evening at Christ’s Hospital, Newgate Street, in the presence of the Lord Mayor, Alderman Vaughan Morgan (treasurer of the school), and other civic and educational dignitaries.

1900. _Pall Mall Gazette_, 20th Mar., 3. 2, “A Lenten Supper.” Attention is directed to this festival this year for two reasons—one, that it is a very ancient custom; the other, that this is nearly the last year in which it will be held; for it is clear that when the school has changed its site, its dress, and certain of its officers and masters, it will not care to carry on this quaint old ceremony. And indeed, were the Hospital to hold such revelry at Horsham there would be few to come as guests, if the name of guest can be assigned to one who plays a part so passive as that of seeing other people eat.... The scene of the supping is the Great Hall.... Six hundred boys and more appear as nothing; they are all seated.... At each table sits a matron, according to their wards (of which there are fifteen), and attached to each ward is a matron, who used to be called nurse. Beside the tables are the monitors, responsible for order—biggish boys—not “Grecians,” for Grecians do not appear at the Lent suppers, except to read or pray or sing, having already eaten in their wards. The first performance, probably, is to light the candles on the tables; each ward has four candles, and all are lighted at almost the same moment. The hall is lighted from the roof by gas, so the candlesticks are little more than ornaments. They are of oak, old, and well-weighted at the base, and can count their age by centuries.... Their quaintness is concealed by artificial flowers, which the boys pay for and the matrons arrange, the result more suggestive of suburban bonnets than antiquity and quaintness. Ask a boy Why? he will probably reply that “it always has been done.” Change has come; it used to be held on Sundays during Lent instead of Thursday as to-day, and up to absolutely recent years there were six suppers instead of four. These festivals interfere somewhat with school work, and those who are officially compelled to attend find sameness, even in a public supper, in the course of thirty years or so. As the clock strikes seven there is a rap, the boys stand up, the organ bursts into “God save the Queen,” and up the hall marches the Lord Mayor, preceded by the chief beadle of the Hospital, clad in gorgeous raiment and a mace suggestive of a fish-slice. Behind comes the treasurer of the Hospital, another alderman, and various governors, each bearing a green stick to mark his office. These sit in reserved seats at the far end of the hall, the Lord Mayor in _the_ chair, while on his right hand by the wall are masters and on his left some “officers.” The ceremony—a strange mixture of a religious service, a meal, and a feudal relic—begun with the reading of a passage from the Sermon on the Mount by a Grecian standing in a pulpit, whence he proceeded to read special prayers written for the school by Bishop Compton, ending with the Lord’s Prayer, after which a hymn and “grace” and then the supper, during which the Lord Mayor, with a select few, made the grand tour of the hall. Such a supper was soon over, and it was not long before the boys had gathered up the plates and bowls and cloths and knives, and then came grace and an anthem well sung by a well-trained choir. This was followed by the feudal feature in the evening: the whole school, with the exception of the Grecians, “bows round,” i.e. the boys walk up two and two, marshalled by two beadles, who stand near, and drawing near the chair, then bow the head in reverence to an Authority. Most boys have a “trade,” and in this procession each one carries a symbol of that “trade.” The matron’s special boy carries a bonnet-candle in each hand, the knife-boy carries his knife-basket, and the cloth-boy takes his cloth neatly rolled beneath his wing, while, last of all, the bread-boy hoists the tall bread-basket shoulder-high and “bows round” with it, never failing to raise a laugh as well as a basket. When all have bowed, the boy-marshalling beadles bow also, and the revels are ended. It is believed that the original purpose of these suppers was to rouse interest in the outside public and possibly raise money from their pockets; at all events, collection boxes used to be placed about the hall on those occasions.

*Puddex.* _See_ DEX.

*Puke*, _verb_ (Winchester).—To vomit. [A survival.]

*Puker*, _subs._ (Shrewsbury).—A good-for-nothing.

*Pulling-out*, _subs._ (Charterhouse: obsolete).—PULLING-OUT took place on Good Fridays. A line was marked from a corner of green to cloisters. On one side of this line stood the first and second forms, _i.e._ the Uppers, on the other side of it the Unders. The Unders had the right of calling on any unpopular Upper to run the gauntlet between two rows of Unders from cloister doors to a point near the chapel. They armed themselves with implements of all kinds, such as sticks, or stones fastened into stockings, with which to inflict punishment upon the Uppers. The latter naturally resisted; hence there were fierce fights and dangerous rushes. During the PULLING-OUT of 1824, a little fellow called Howard, a younger son of the Earl of Suffolk, was entangled in one of these rushes, dragged along the ground for some distance, with a mass of boys upon him, and received injuries from which he died soon after. This was the end of PULLING-OUT, but the custom was as old as the school.—MOZLEY. Also CALLING-OUT.

*Pulpiteers*, _subs._ (Winchester).—_See_ quot.

1891. WRENCH, _Word-Book_, s.v. _Pulpiteers_. An arrangement during Cloister-time of Sixth Book and Senior Part V. going up to books together.... Middle and Junior Part taken together were called Cloisters.

*Pun*, _subs._ (Harrow).—Punishment. Also as _verb_. Hence PUN-PAPER = specially ruled paper for PUNS and impositions.

TO PUN OUT, _verb. phr._ (Christ’s Hospital).—To inform against. _Ex._ “I’ll PUN OUT”; “I’ll PUN you OUT.” Exclusively a London term: at Hertford the word is simply TO PUN, or TO PUN OF.

*Punny*, _subs._ (Manchester Grammar).—Punishment School or Drill: also known as P.S. and P.D.: both cause detention for three-quarters of an hour after school.

*Punt*, _verb_ (Rugby).—To kick the ball (at football) before it touches the ground.

*Punt-about*, _subs._ (Rugby).—The practice-ball: at football. Also a practice game.

1856. HUGHES, _Tom Brown’s School-days_, I. v. He hadn’t long to wonder, however, for next minute East cried out, “Hurra! here’s the PUNT-ABOUT,—come along and try your hand at a kick.” The PUNT-ABOUT is the practice-ball, which is just brought out and kicked about anyhow from one boy to another before callings-over and dinner, and at other odd times.

*Puny*, _subs._ (old Oxford).—A Freshman: also a student at the Inns of Court.

15 [?]. _Christmas Prince at St. John’s College_, i. Others to make sporte withall, of this last sorte were they whom they call freshmenn, PUNIES of the first yeare.

15 [?]. _Ulysses upon Ajax_, B. 8. A very worme of wit, a PUNEY of Oxford, shall make you more hatefull than Battalus the hungrye fidler.

1593. NASHE, _Christ’s Teares_ [WORKS (_Grosart_), iv. 228]. Sharing halfe with the Baudes their Hostesses, and laughing at the PUNIES they have lurched [robbed].

1634. MARSTON, in _Lectores_, &c. [NARES]. Shall each odd PUISNE of the lawyer’s inne, Each barmy-froth, that last day did beginne, To read his little, or his nere a whit.

_c._ 1640 [SHIRLEY], _Captain Underwit_ [BULLEN, _Old Plays_, ii. 340]. Preach to the PUISNES of the Inne sobrietie. [PUISNE (_i.e._ PUNY) was the term applied to students at the Inns of Court; also to Freshmen at Oxford.—BULLEN.]

1847. HALLIWELL, _Arch. and Prov. Words_, s.v. PUNIES. Freshmen at Oxford were called PUNIES for the first year.

*Pupe*, _subs._ (Harrow).—A pupil-room. [ROOM = class or form: each tutor is assigned a ROOM, for the members of which he is generally responsible, and for whom he signs orders.]

*Puseum* (The), _subs._ (Oxford).—The Pusey House in St. Giles’s Street.

*Put.* TO BE PUT ON, _verb. phr._ (Dulwich).—To be told to construe.

*Pux*, _verb_ (Royal High School, Edin.).—To punish with the tawse: _e.g._ “Did you get PUXED?”

*Quad* (or *Quod*), _subs._ (general).—A quadrangle.

1840. _Collegian’s Guide_, 144. His mother ... had been seen crossing the QUAD in tears.

1884. _Daily News_, Oct. 14, p. 5, col. 1. His undignified nickname is carved in the turf of the college QUAD.

_Verb_ (Rugby).—To promenade round Cloisters at calling over before a football-match.

*Quarter* (The), _subs._ (Charterhouse).—The quarter bell.

*Quarter-marks*, _subs._ (Harrow).—The aggregate of marks for work during the term, as opposed to marks gained in TRIALS (_q.v._).

*Quarter of Paper*, _subs. phr._ (Winchester).—A quarter of a sheet of foolscap, on which the Prose and Verse Tasks were always written.—MANSFIELD (_c._ 1840). _Cf._ VESSEL. Also used at Westminster.

1867. COLLINS, _The Public Schools_, p. 165. Besides this, he had to carry with him into school a portfolio containing a sufficiency of QUARTERNS of paper. All or any of these articles he was supposed to supply, upon requisition, to any boy of the “upper election.”

*Quill*, _verb_ (Winchester).—To curry favour; to flatter: _see_ QUILSTER. Hence (latterly) TO BE QUILLED = to be pleased. _Cf._ QUILLER = a parasite.

*Quiller*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A parasite.

*Quilster*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A toady; a lickspittle.

*Quod*, _subs._ (Felsted).—_See_ D. (Appendix).

*Rabbiter*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A blow, delivered by the side of the hand, on the back of the neck: as in killing a rabbit.

*Rabbit-Skin*, _subs._ (University).—The academical hood. Hence TO GET ONE’S RABBIT-SKIN = to obtain the B.A. degree. [Because trimmed with rabbit fur. Also CAT’S-SKIN.]

*Rack*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A DISPAR (_q.v._), or portion consisting of a joint (or chop) from a neck or loin of mutton. [_Rack_ (HALLIWELL) = the neck of mutton or pork; also (JOHNSON) = a neck of mutton cut for the table.]

1594. LYLY, _Mother Bombie_, iii. 4. _Lu._ And me thought there came in a leg of mutton. _Dro._ What, all grosse meat? a RACKE had beene dainty.

1706. COLES, _Eng. Dict._, s.v. RACK.... Probably from _hracca_, Saxon, the back of the head.

... MAY, _Accomplished Cook_, 57. Then again, put in the crag end of the RACK OF MUTTON to make the broth good. _Ibid._, p. 25. Take two joynts of mutton, RACK and loin.

*Rag*, _subs._ (University).—1. An undergraduate’s gown.

1899. _Answers_, 14th Jan., 1. 1. This matter of the RAG is hedged about with many unwritten laws. One who has mastered these will never go to breakfast in another man’s rooms in cap and gown.... Nor will he wear the RAG in the theatre, which is strictly barred.

2. A jollification.

1900. _Daily Mail_, 10th Mar., 2. 4. There was keen excitement at Cambridge yesterday when the magistrates proceeded to deal with the last two prosecutions of students arising out of the notorious RAG in celebration of the relief of Ladysmith.

*Ragged-soph.* _See_ SOPH.

*Ramrod* (or *Raymonder*), _subs._ (Winchester).—A ball bowled all along the ground.—MANSFIELD (_c._ 1840).

*Range*, _verb_ (The Leys).—To play football in the small walled playground.

*Rattle*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—The hour of rising: _e.g._ “I got up at the RATTLE.” [From the instrument by which the boys are called.]

*Rawcliffe’s*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—An old tuck-shop: recently obsolete.

*Rawk.* _See_ RORKE.

*Reader*, _subs._ (Winchester).—_See_ quot.

_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester_ (1886), 228. READER—An office in the gift of every Præfect in Senior FARDEL (_q.v._), which excused the recipient from watching out at Cricket. His business was to read out aloud the translation of any book his Master was cramming for Election examination.

*Reading-shelf*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A shelf with a drawer fixed inside the head of a boy’s bed, on which to place a candle for nocturnal studies.—MANSFIELD (_c._ 1840).

*Recker, The* (Harrow).—The town recreation-ground: here are held the school sports.

*Rector.* 1. _See_ REGENT.

2. (Stonyhurst).—The Head-master. _See_ DAY.

*Regent*, _subs._ (Royal High School, Edin.: obsolete).—An assistant master: the Head-master was called “Maister” or “Principal Maister”; now “Rector.”

*Remedy*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A holiday. _See_ WORK, quot. 1891.

1484. _Chapter Register of Southwell Minster._ Nota generaliter. Ministri Ecclesiæ non vacant scolæ grammaticali. Magister grammaticalis non attendit debitis horis doctrinæ suorum scolarium in scola; et quam pluries indiscrete dat REMEDIUM suis scolaribus diebus ferialibus, quod quasi ad tempus nichil addiscunt, expendendo bona suorum parentum frustra et inaniter; et non locuntur latinum in scola sed anglicum.

_d._ 1519. DEAN COLET, _Statutes of St. Paul’s School_. I will also that they shall have no REMEDYES. Yf the Maister granteth any REMEDYES he shall forfeit 40s., totiens quotiens, excepte the Kyng, or an Archbishopp, or a Bishop present in his own person in the Scole desire it.

1530. THOMAS MAGNUS, _Endowment Deed_, Newark Grammar School. Thomas Magnus ordeyneth ... that the said maisters shall not be myche inclyned nor gyven to graunt REMEDY for Recreacyon or Dispoorte to their scolers unless it be ones in a wooke upon the Thuysday or Thursday, or that further REMEDY be requyred by any honorable or worshipfull Person or Personage, &c. &c.

1593. _Rites Durham Cathedral Monastic Church_ [Surtees Society]. There was ... a garding and a bowling allie ... for the Novices sumetymes to recreate themselves when they had REMEDY of there master.