Part 4

*Bodleian, The* (Oxford).—A famous library, popularly known as the Bodley, founded by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, 1445-80. Despoiled in 1550 and again in 1556, it was restored and added to in 1598 by Sir Thomas Bodley. It now contains some 600,000 volumes, and is especially rich in manuscripts (some 30,000 volumes) and other literary treasures. James Russell Lowell, the distinguished American, says of this famous library: “Directly we enter, we are struck by the stillness and solemnity that reign around, helped by the dim light, the windows with painted glass, the ponderous shelves, the illuminated missals, the graduates or attendants conversing in low whispers or moving quietly about. For reading purposes the library is as free and as good as the library of the British Museum; with the advantages that you may be seated in front of a window commanding a beautiful garden prospect, that your arm-chair is not disturbed, that books are allowed to accumulate around you, and that you are not obliged to return them to the care of the custodian on leaving the library. The visitor will not fail to notice the portraits in the upper library, and especially to cast a grateful look at the fine portrait of Bodley. He will see the exercise-books used by Edward VI. and Elizabeth when children, and, close by, the autographs of distinguished visitors.”

*Boiler*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A plain coffee-pot used for heating water—fourpenny and sixpenny boilers, not from their price, but from the quantity of milk they held. το παν BOILERS = large tin saucepan-like vessels in which water for a BIDDY (_q.v._) was heated.

*Bolly*, _subs._ (Marlborough).—Pudding.

*Bom*, _subs._ (The Leys).—A servant; a waiter. [A waiter was once dubbed “a vile abomination”; whence the contractions “vile bom” and “BOM.”]

*Bond Street* (Stonyhurst).—A walk along one side of the playground. Once obsolete but now restored, being applied to another walk.

*Boner*, _subs._ (general).—A sharp blow on the spine.

*Bonner*, _subs._ (Oxford).—A bonfire.

*Bonnet.* TO HOLD THE BONNETS, _verb. phr._ (Royal High School, Edin.: obsolete).—To hold the bonnet or handkerchief used to divide High School boys when fighting.

*Bonnet-fire*, _subs._ (Royal High School, Edin.: obsolete).—The process otherwise known as “running the gauntlet.”

1812. JAMIESON, _Dict. Scottish Language_, s.v.

*Book*, _verb_ (Westminster).—_See_ PANCAKE, and quot.

1867. COLLINS, _The Public Schools_, p. 172. They also claim a right to BOOK the performer (_i.e._ hurl a shower of books at him) if he fails more than once. This right was liberally exercised in 1865, when the wrath of the school had culminated owing to repeated failures in that and the previous year. The exasperated cook replied to the attack with his only available missile—the frying-pan—and a serious row was the consequence.

*Books*, _subs._ (Winchester).—1. The prizes formerly presented by Lord Say and Sele, now given by the governing body, to the “Senior” in each division at the end of “Half.” 2. The school is thus divided:—SIXTH BOOK—Senior and Junior Division; the whole of the rest of the School (but _see_ quotations), is in FIFTH BOOK—Senior Part, Middle Part, Junior Part, each part being divided into so many divisions, Senior, Middle, and Junior, or Senior, 2nd, 3rd, and Junior, as the case may require. Formerly there was also “FOURTH BOOK,” but it ceased to exist about the middle of the Sixties.

_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester College_, p. 104. The school was divided into three classes, or BOOKS, as they were called. Of these, the Præfects formed one, SIXTH BOOK; FIFTH BOOK was subdivided into three parts, called respectively “Senior, Middle, and Junior part of the Fifth”; in speaking of them, the words “of the Fifth” were generally omitted. The rest of the boys made up “Fourth Book.”

1867. COLLINS, _The Public Schools_, p. 24. The tiers of stone seats, which may still be noticed in the deep recesses of the windows, were the places in which the prefects sat when the boys were arranged in their respective BOOKS; the term still used at Winchester for what in other schools would be called “forms” or “classes.” There were then, as now, four BOOKS only, though the highest was and is numbered as the “sixth.” Then followed the fifth, fourth, and second fourth. The work of the sixth BOOK comprised Homer, Hesiod, Virgil, Cicero, Martial, and “Robinson’s Rhetoric.” _Ibid._, 36. Ninety feet long and thirty-six in breadth, it is sufficiently spacious to allow all the BOOKS to be assembled there without more confusion than is inseparable from the system of teaching so many distinct classes in a single room—an arrangement peculiar to Winchester alone amongst our large Public Schools.

1891. WRENCH, _Winchester Word-Book_, s.v. BOOKS. The name of the Classes into which the School is divided. The VI^{th}, V^{th}, and II^{nd} only remain. From _Liber_ in the sense of _Roll_ probably.

UP TO BOOKS.—In class; repeating lessons; formerly UP AT BOOKS.

_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester College_, p. 101. At each end of school are three tiers of benches rising gradually one above the other,—that on the ground being called “Senior Row,” and the others “Middle” and “Junior Row” respectively. On these the Classes sit when UP AT BOOKS, _i.e._ when repeating lessons.

1847. HALLIWELL, _Archaic Words_, s.v. BOOK. This word was formerly used for any composition, from a volume to a single sheet, particularly where a list is spoken of. See the _State Papers_, i. 402.

1867. COLLINS, _The Public Schools_, p. 37. Three tiers of fixed seats rise against the wainscotted walls on the east and west, where the boys are arranged when UP TO BOOKS, the chairs of the different masters being in front of each.

1872. WALCOTT, _Traditions and Customs of Cathedrals_, “Statutes of Chichester Cathedral.” Four wax candles are always distributed at the end of Lauds, at the four uppermost BOOKS, to the Senior set of the BOOKS, to find the lights to the same BOOKS for that time. [Note to foregoing:—At Winchester College the Forms are still called BOOKS.]

1878. ADAMS, _Wykehamica_, 417, _s.v._

1891. WRENCH, _Winchester Word-Book_, s.v. BOOKS. It has been suggested that this phrase arose from the school having originally to go up to the Donatus—the one book which College boasted; and an entry is extant of a three days’ remedy being entailed by the book going to be bound. The pluralization would be no more than an ordinary Wykehamical inflection.... The following mysterious use of _Libri_, however, suggests a much more probable origin. CHRIS. JOHNSON says: “_Seu Chandlerus erat, seu Custos ordine primus, Durus ab inductis dicitur esse LIBRIS!_” To which a contemporaneous note is appended: “_Lectionum a cæna repetitiones instituisse creditur, quas Wiccamici materna lingua Libros dicunt._” What these “repetitiones” were is not clear; but they were some form of lesson which præ-Elizabethan Wykehamists had christened BOOKS in their _materna lingua_, and Johnson’s annotator thought the word strange enough to deserve a note. We may, therefore, very possibly be only perpetuating this word in our use of UP TO BOOKS.

BOOKS CHAMBERS.—Explained by quotations.

_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester College_, p. 103. On Remedies (a kind of whole holiday) we also went into school in the morning and afternoon for an hour or two without masters; this was called BOOKS CHAMBERS; and on Sundays, from four till a quarter to five.

1891. WRENCH, _Winchester Word-Book_, s.v. BOOKS-CHAMBERS. Hours of preparation in College: in the evening called Toy-time.

TO GET (or MAKE) BOOKS.—To get the first place, or to make the highest score at anything. _Cf._ BOOKS, sense 1.

*Bookwork*, _subs._ (University).—Mathematics that can be learned _verbatim_ from books—anything not a problem.

*Boots-and-Leathers*, _intj._ (Winchester).—_See_ PEAL.

*Bostruchyzer*, _subs._ (Oxford: obsolete).—A small comb for curling the whiskers.—HOTTEN.

*Botany-bay*, _subs._ (University).—(1) Worcester College, Oxford; and (2) part of Trinity College, Dublin. [On account of their remote situations.]

1841. LEVER, _Charles O’Malley_, xx. note. BOTANY BAY was the slang name given by college men to a new square rather remotely situated from the remainder of the college [_i.e._ Trinity, Dublin].

1853. Rev. E. BRADLEY (“Cuthbert Bede”), _Adventures of Verdant Green_, i. p. 63. BOTANY-BAY, a name given to Worcester College, from its being the most distant college.

1886. GRAVES, _Way about Oxfordshire_, 19. At the end is Worcester College (1714), from its remote position dubbed ... BOTANY-BAY, but called by those who wish to speak endearingly of it “Wuggins.”

1900. _Athenæum_, 17th Feb., 208. BOTANY-BAY is often found as strangely misapplied as the “Paradise” of so many rows. For instance, the “Quad” of Trinity College, Dublin, which has been so called for generations, can hardly have ever been remarkable for its flora. The probable explanation is that its buildings were old and uncomfortable, and it was the favourite abode of the youngest and noisiest members of the University.

*Botolph’s*, _subs._ (The Leys).—A “Run” to St. Botolph’s Church.

*Bottle*, _verb_ (Durham: obsolete).—To make hot: _e.g._ I got regularly BOTTLED in that room; specifically, “to roast” a boy before a fire. _See_ Appendix.

*Bottled.* TO BE BOTTLED, _verb. phr._ (Sherborne).—To be turned in work.

*Bottom-side*, _subs._ (Harrow).—A wing: at football. The lower wing (if one be lower than the other); as a rule the one farthest from the hill.

*Boule*, _subs._ (Charterhouse).—A general confab or conversation. _See_ PRIVEE.

1900. TOD, _Charterhouse_, 82. There was a BOULE (βουλή) once in the Sixth Form of 1872 as to what a monitor should do if he were thus insulted [by a visit of a master to Banco].

*Bounce.* FIRST BOUNCE, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—A goal (which is never allowed) taken by a “drop-kick” at football.

SECOND BOUNCE, _subs._ (Stonyhurst: obsolete).—A kind of HANDBALL (_q.v._) once very popular.

1887. _Stonyhurst Mag._, July, p. 18, “Stonyhurst in the Fifties.” SECOND BOUNCE, a variety of handball played with small balls most artistically made of strips of indiarubber, and covered with the best kid-leather. These balls had to be taken to pieces and remade after every match, and they had to be quite freshly made when used. Their seams required to be frequently rubbed over with wax, some of which was always smeared on the handball wall for the purpose. For a game of SECOND BOUNCE a whole side of one of the big handballs was required, and it was played by eight players, four a side. The “over-all” of ordinary handball was the “over line,” and the bulk of the players stood out yards beyond it. He whose “hand” it was bounced the ball, and with a long strong swing of his arm hit it up against the wall, whence with a sharp smack it rebounded high in the air and far out into the ground. As it descended one of the opposite party stopped it with his hand and let it BOUNCE twice on the ground, the FIRST BOUNCE being, as a rule, too high to let him strike it, and then with a similar swing hit it up again. The rules, except as to permitting the ball to be taken up at the SECOND BOUNCE, were similar to those of handball. Balls perished quickly in such a game, nearly a dozen being required for one. SECOND BOUNCE used chiefly to be played on Sunday afternoon, after Vespers, and almost all not engaged in the game would range themselves on the flanks to watch.

*Bounder*, _subs._ (University).—A dog-cart.

*Bounds*, _subs._ (general).—The limit or the boundaries beyond which it is not permissible to go.

ON BOUNDS (Stonyhurst).—A punishment to which a boy who has been flagrantly “out of bounds” (the term as in other Public Schools) is subjected. He is confined during ordinary recreations to a very limited portion of the playground. Such a boy is said to be “put ON BOUNDS.”

*Bowing-round Sunday*, _subs. phr._ (Christ’s Hospital).—_See_ PUBLIC-SUPPING.

1854. “Our Rebellion” [_The Blue_ (1871) July]. Next day was BOWING-ROUND SUNDAY. “Hand down, don’t bow,” was the signal that passed down our ranks as we stood in the Hall Cloisters, and many were the black looks, but few the nods of reverence, our Treasurer and his two attendant governors got that morning.

*Bowl*, _verb._ 1. (general).—To master; to succeed: as in a paper, a lesson, an examination, &c.; to overcome: as a difficulty, an examiner, &c. _See_ FLOOR and THROW.

1891. _Harry Fludyer at Cambridge_, 55. My Coach says he thinks I shall BOWL over the Examiners next term in the General.

2. (Winchester).—To “pluck” or “plough” up to books; TO CROPPLE (_q.v._).

*Box*, _verb._ 1. (Westminster).—To take possession of; “to bag.”

2. (Stonyhurst).—To strike a ball with the closed hand when in the air. _See_ STONYHURST-FOOTBALL.

3. (Charterhouse).—Of books: if a member of a House Library Committee finds a library book lying about, he calls out the name of the book three times at the top of his voice, and adds, “BOXED!” The boy who has taken out the book thus BOXED is fined sixpence, saving the fine if he shouts “Mine!” before the word of confiscation is uttered.

*Box-buildings*, _subs._ (Sherborne: obsolete).—The Sanatorium: in the seventeenth century called SICK-HOUSE (_q.v._), and subsequently BOX-BUILDINGS. These buildings were pulled down in 1850 and the name disappeared.

*Boy*, _subs._ (Harrow).—A grade of fag. The Lower School are put ON BOY, in turns, to go messages, &c., for the Sixth Form. _See_ Appendix.

*Brasenose* (or *B. N. C.*), _subs._ (Oxford).—Brasenose College. [Founded in 1509 on the site of four ancient Halls—Little University Hall was one, another being Brasenose Hall (thirteenth century). Authorities differ as to the origin of the curious name. _See_ quots.]

1512. _Charter of Henry VIII._ The King’s Hall and College of BRASENOSE.

1800. CHURTON, _Life of Bishop Smith_, 227. Brazen Nose Hall, as the Oxford antiquary has shown, may be traced as far back as the time of Henry III., about the middle of the thirteenth century; and early in the succeeding reign, 6 Edward I., 1278, it was known by the name of Brasen Nose Hall, which peculiar name was undoubtedly owing, as the same author observes, to the circumstance of a nose of brass affixed to the gate. It is presumed, however, that this conspicuous appendage of the portal was not formed of the mixed metal which the word now denotes, but the genuine produce of the mine; as is the nose, or rather face, of a lion or leopard still remaining at Stamford, which also gave name to the edifice it adorned. And hence, when Henry VIII. debased the coin by an alloy of _copper_, it was a common remark or proverb, that “Testons were gone to Oxford, to study in _Brasen_ Nose.”

1837. INGRAM, _Memorials of Oxford_. BRASENOSE.... This curious appellation, which, whatever was the origin of it, has been perpetuated by the symbol of a brazen nose here and at Stamford, occurs with the modern orthography, but in one undivided word, so early as 1278, in an inquisition now printed in _The Hundred Rolls_, though quoted by Wood from the manuscript record.

1837. _British Critic_, xxiv. 139. There is a spot in the centre of the city where Alfred is said to have lived. BRASENOSE claims his palace, Oriel his church, and University his school or academy. Of these BRASENOSE is still called “the King’s Hall,” which is the name by which Alfred himself, in his laws, calls his palace; and it has its present singular name from a corruption of _brasinium_, or _brasin-huse_, as having been originally located in that part of the royal mansion which was devoted to the then important accommodation of a brew-house.

1898. ALDEN, _Oxford Guide_, 52. Brasenose Hall (thirteenth century) is said to have derived the name from its occupying the site of a _brasen-hus_ or brewhouse. Over the old entrance-gate is the representation of a _brazen nose_, probably added at a much later date, when punning rebuses of this kind were in fashion.

*Brasser*, _subs._ (Christ’s Hospital: obsolete).—A bully.

*Bread-and-beer*, _subs. phr._ (Stonyhurst).—The name given to the snack which boys may take at five o’clock.

*Bread-boy*, _subs._ (Christ’s Hospital).—_See_ quot.

1798. Narrative “Christ’s Hospital, Three quarters of a Century ago” [_Chelmsford Chronicle_ (1875), Ap. 16]. The breakfast-bell rang about seven, when we all went into the hall, the nurses following, with boys from each ward (called BREAD-BOYS) carrying large baskets on their shoulders containing bread, which were taken to the head of each table, where stood the nurse, who, after “grace,” went down the table, serving out to each boy half of a twopenny loaf of bread. “Well,” you’ll say, “but where’s the butter?” None was allowed—nothing but bare bread. Those who had been sparing over night to save a portion of the small piece of cheese they had for their supper, pulled it out of their pockets. Sometimes a great fellow would make a little boy always supply him with cheese of mornings, out of the piece the poor fellow had had for his supper the night previous. Beer we had certainly, served out in wooden vessels of an extraordinary shape, called “piggins”; about six of them for four boys to drink out of, but such beer! The piggins were seldom replenished, for we could not drink it. We used to call it “the washings of the brewers’ aprons.”

1900. _Pall Mall Gazette_, 20th March, 3. 2. “A Lenten Supper.” 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.

*Bread-picker*, _subs._ (Winchester: obsolete).—A Junior appointed by the four senior Præfects in Commoners: at one time to put candles in outhouses; but formerly the word is supposed to relate to the duty of securing bread when served out. The office exempted from fagging at meal times.

*Brekker*, _subs._ (Harrow).—Breakfast.

1898. _Stonyhurst Mag._, Dec., p. 149, “Life at Oxford.” Each undergraduate has two rooms, a bedroom and a sitting-room. In these he lives, studies, and, with the exception of evening dinner in the Hall, has his meals. He is thus able to entertain. The fashionable meal to which to invite a friend is breakfast, or vernacularly BREKKER.

*Brew*, _verb._ 1. (Marlborough).—To make afternoon tea.

2. (Harrow).—To knock about; to damage.

3. (Harrow).—To cook. Hence, as _subs._ = a mess, or self-cooked meal.

*Brick*, _verb_ (Charterhouse).—To hustle; TO MOB UP (_q.v._); TO BARGE (_q.v._).

*Bricks*, _subs._ (Wellington).—A kind of pudding. [Also (var. dial.) = a kind of loaf.]

*Bridge of Grunts* (Cambridge).—_See_ ISTHMUS OF SUEZ.

*Bring-on*, _subs._ (The Leys).—A SIZING (_q.v._), or extra in the way of food (as jam, tinned meat, &c.). [That is, what a boy “BRINGS ON” to his table, chiefly at tea.]

*Broad* (The), _subs._ (Oxford).—Broad Street.

*Broad-sheet*, _subs._ (Harrow).—The printed school list: issued after the TRIALS (_q.v._).

*Brock*, _subs._ (Winchester).—To bully; to tease; to badger. [BROCK, provincial in North and Hants = a badger, and baiting these animals was a school sport till 1870.] Hence BROCKSTER = a bully.

*Brogues*, _subs._ (Christ’s Hospital).—Breeches. [An old English survival: still dial. in Suffolk.]

*Broker*, _subs._ (Oxford).—A member of Pembroke College.

*Brooke Hall* (Charterhouse).—At Old Charterhouse the officers’ common room; at New Charterhouse the masters’ common room: it is the place to which impositions must be taken.

1900. TOD, _Charterhouse_, p. 94. In the seventeenth century schoolmasters had to be careful of their politics. Thus Master Robert Brooke, the fourth of the “schoolmasters,” is said to have refused to sign the Solemn League and Covenant, and to have flogged some of his boys for Parliamentary proclivities. He was ejected from his office in 1643. At the Restoration, though not fully restored, he was given “two chambers in cloisters and a pension of £30 a year.” After his death these two chambers were knocked into one and it became BROOKE HALL.

*Brook-jumping*, _subs._ (Rugby).—_See_ HOUSE-WASHING.

*Brosier* (or *Brozier*). TO BROZIER MY DAME, _verb. phr._ (Eton).—To “eat out of house and home.” When a DAME (_q.v._) keeps an unusually bad table, the boys agree on a certain day to eat him literally “out of house and home.” Hence BROZIERED = cleaned out. [_Brozier_ (Cheshire) = bankrupt.]

1796. MERTON, _Way to get Married_ (INCHBALD, _British Theatre_, vol. xxvi.). [The term is so used here.]

*Browse*, _subs._ (Marlborough).—A pleasant or easy time; a treat; anything enjoyable: _e.g._ MORNING BROWSE = leave off early school; French is a BROWSE. Hence, CAPTAIN’S BROWSE = an expedition to which a master takes his House Captains. [From _browse_ = to eat lazily.]

_Adj._ Pleasant; enjoyable. Also (more frequently) BROWSY: _e.g._ a BROWSY morning = a morning in which little work is done; an awfully BROWSY day, or time = an enjoyable time.

_Verb._ To enjoy; to like: generally with _on_: _e.g._ “I BROWSE ON old Smith,” or, “ON Science hour.”

*Brum*, _adj._ (Winchester).—(1) Poor; (2) mean, stingy. DEAD BRUM = penniless.

*Brush*, _subs._ 1. (common).—A schoolmaster.

2. (Christ’s Hospital).—A flogging.

1844. _Reminis. of Christ’s Hospital_ [_The Blue_, Aug. 1874]. The punishment ... next in severity was flogging with the birch (called BRUSHING).

_Verb_ (Christ’s Hospital).—To flog.

*Brute*, _subs._ (Cambridge).—_See_ quot. Also BEAST.

1868. BREWER, _Phrase and Fable_, s.v. BRUTE, in Cambridge University slang, is a man who has not yet matriculated. The play is evident. A “man” in college phrase is a collegian; and as matriculation is the sign and seal of acceptance, a scholar before that ceremony is not a “man,” and therefore only a “BIPED BRUTE.”

*Buck*, _adj._ 1. (Winchester: obsolete).—Handsome.

2. (Felsted).—Fine; jolly.

1897. _Felstedian_, July, p. 129. What’s the good of a Præfect? he never gets anybody up, and has never been known to be in time himself. He’s a BUCK lot of use.

TO BE BUCKED, _verb. phr._ (Uppingham).—To be tired.

TO BUCK DOWN, _verb. phr._ (Winchester).—To grieve; to be unhappy.

TO BUCK UP, _verb. phr._ 1. (Winchester).—To cheer; to be pleased.

2. (Westminster).—To exert oneself.

3. (Harrow).—To play hard; to hurry.

*Bucksome* (or *Buxom*), _adj._ (Winchester).—Happy; cheerful.

*Budder*, _subs._ (Felsted: obsolete).—A hard worker; a SWOTTER. [From a proper name.]

*Bug and Tick*, _subs. phr._ (The Leys).—The Natural History Society. _See_ BUG AND SNAIL (Appendix).

*Buissonites*, _subs._ (Charterhouse).—Now called BODEITES (_q.v._).

*Bulky*, _adj._ (Winchester).—(1) Rich; (2) generous.

*Bull-dog*, _subs._ 1. (University).—A proctor’s assistant or marshal.

1823. LOCKHART, _Reg. Dalton_, I., x. (1842), 59. Long forgotten stories about proctors bit and BULL-DOGS baffled.