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NOTES AND QUERIES:

A

Medium of Entercommunication

FOR

LITERARY MEN,
MEN, GENERAL READERS, ETC.

"When found, make a note of."-CAPTAIN CUTTLE.

FIFTH SERIES.—VOLUME ELEVENTH.

JANUARY-JUNE, 1879.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED AT THE

OFFICE, 20, WELLINGTON STREET, STRAND, W.C.

BY JOHN FRANCIS.

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LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1879.

CONTENTS. - N° 262. NOTES:-William Parry's Narrative of Sir Anthony Sherley's Travels, 1601, 1-Twelfth Day-Manus Christi. &c., 3-Lady A. Hamilton and the "Secret History "-The Family Names of the Princess de Talleyrand, 4-Celts and Saxons-Motto for an index, 5-Banker Poets-Devon Provincialisms-Milk

and Water-A Survival-Brass at Cuxton, Kent-A Cure for
Hydrophobia, 6-Arms of Cyprus, 7.

QUERIES:-Major André-Bacon on "Hudibras" -The
Society of Jesus in India-Decoys, 7-Dr. S. Musgrave-
Welsh Proverbs- Portia - Grist-Mills-An Irish Bishop
Butler-Periwig-Wells Family-The Evil Eye in Morocco-
Braham's "Entusymusy," 8-Varia - Abp. Sheldon-
Edward Longshanks-Spinhola-The Fleet Prison-"How
Lord Nairn was Saved"-Miss Porter's "Scottish Chiefs"-
Smollett's "Adventures of an Atom"-"Briefe an Pilatus"
-Title of Book Wanted-Authors Wanted, 9.

Persian Empire. Wherein are related many straunge
and wonderfull accidents: and also the Description and
conditions of those Countries and People he passed by:
Parry, Gentleman, who accompanied Sir Anthony in his
with his returne into Christendome. Written by William
Trauells.
Felix Norton. 1601."
London Printed by Valentine Simmes for

and the circumstances in which the travellers
The company started from Venice in May, 1599,
departing from it :-
reached Cyprus may account for their gladness in

"Hauing spent those twelue dayes as aforesaide in Candia among those merry Greekes, we eftsoones imbarked our selues for Ciprus, to which we were some nine dayes passing: where (as the saying is) the Italians (with whom we passed to Zant) did our errand (like knights errand) against our coming. They made reporte REPLIES:-Elizabeth Blunt, 9-Ancient Monuments of the pirats, and that they should do wel to lay hands on vs, to the Turkes inhabiting the same Ile, that we were all Moreton Family, 11-Epigram on Beau Nash, 12-Rev. R. Benn, 13-Tokens for the Sacrament-The Parish Bull-besides that, we were pirats, and came into Turky but as and to carry vs to the great Turk, their emperor, because, "Nobody and Somebody "-More Family, 15-The "unknown acre" of Newbury-The Beaumonts of Folkingham-spies. Wherevpon the Turkes laid handes vpon vs, euen Quod tacitum Velis"-Henry Andrews, Almanac Maker, vpon our first arriuall, threatning to haue brought vs to 16-Isabella Daughter of Edward III.-Territorial Title of Constantinople: howbeit they staied vs in Ciprus two a Peer, 17-Renton Family-Rosemary v. Mint-Trin. Coll. daies, in which time they were indifferently well Dublin-"The Blossoms "-"Statutes "-Abp. Stuart- Bp. Shipley-Weather Lore-"The Fair One with the Golden qualified in hope of money we promised them, and which Locks "—" Piece "-Yankee, 18-Watch-case Verses-Athey had to their full contentment ere we parted from them."-P. 11.

house to let "-Milton's "Paradise Lost," 19. NOTES ON BOOKS:-Pascoe's "Dramatic List". "Songs of a Wayfarer."

Notices to Correspondents, &c.

Notes.

- Home's

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The tract was included by Mr. Collier in his privately-printed Illustrations of Early English Popular Literature (2 vols., 4to., 1862-64), and it is from this source that the extracts now given have been taken. Its contents are at present of considerable interest when that part of the world is occupying so much public attention. For the sake of completeness the contents of the title-page may be quoted :

"A new and large discourse of the Trauels of sir Anthony Sherley Knight, by Sea and ouer Land, to the

From Cyprus Sir Anthony and his company passed over, in a ten-ton boat, to the Syrian shore, and in due time reached Aleppo. At the latter place they

"remayned about some sixe weekes at the English houses, and feasted (for the most parte) while wee there continued.......Leauing heere awhile to prosecute our iorney, I will speake somewhat of the fashion and disposition of the people and country, whose behaviours in point of ciuilitie (besides that they are damned Infidells and zodomiticall Mahomets) doe answer the hate we christians doe iustly holde them in. For they are, sulting people, euer more prest to offer outrage to any beyond all measure, a most insolent, superbous and inchristian, if he be not well guarded with a Janizarie or Janizaries. They sit at their meat (which is serued to them vpon the ground) as Tailers sit vpon their stalls, crosse-legd; for the most part passing the day in banquetliquor which they do call Coffe, which is made of a seede ing and carowsing vntill they surfet, drinking a certaine much like mustard seede, which wil soone intoxicate the braine, like our Metheglin. They will not permitte any christian to come within their churches, for they holde their profane and irreligious Sanctuaries defiled thereby. They haue no vse of Belles, but some priest, three times in the day, mounts the toppe of their church, and there with an exalted voyce cries out, and inuocates Mahomet comming. And if within this sixe yeeres (as they say) he to come in post, for they haue long expected his second come not (being the vtmost time of his appoyntment and promise made in that bebalfe) they haue no hope of his comming. But they feare (according to a prophecie they haue) the Christians at the end therof shal subdue them aboundeth with great store of all kinds of fruit, whereall, and conuert them to christianitie....... The country upon (for the most parte) they liue, their cheefest meate being Rice. Their flesh is Mutton and Hennes; which Muttons haue huge broade fatte tailes. This meate rest they eate fruite as aforesaide. They eate very little most commonly they haue but once in the day, all the beefe, vnlisse it bee the poorest sort. Čamels for their

carriage they haue in great abundance, but when both them and their horses are past the best, and vnfit for carriage, the poorest of their people eate them."-Pp. 15-17.

The next stage further inland involved the

travellers in some trouble :

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From Aleppo we set forwards in the middest of August, accompanied with our English merchants three dayes, to wit, vntill we came to a town called Beerah or Birrah, by which runnes the most famous riuer Euphrates, parting Mesopotamia and Syria; where we rested sixe or seauen dayes, whilest boates were preparing for vs and other Turkish merchants: that being done, we parted from our merchants, and betooke our selues to the saide riuer of Euphrates, on the which we were some three and twenty dayes passing downe the

same.

In which time we came by a castle called Racca, where we were to take in fresh meate, and men to row. But loe! there happened that a Turke, being in one of the boats in our company, discharged his peece towards the shoare at randon, where he most vnhappily slew a Turke of the towne (the bullet entring his braine); by reason whereof our boate, aswell as the rest was stayed,

and we constrained to make satisfaction for the mans death which cost sir Anthony for his company some hundred crownes. Which being payed, and wee discharged, we held on our course from thence some two or three dayes passage; where we were eftsoones stayed by the King of the Arabs, there liuing vpon the rivers side in tents before whome we were brought, whose handes we kist; and demaunding what we were, and what businesse we had in those partes, we replied we were Englishmen and Merchants by our trades, comming for traffike into those partes of the world. Wherevpon this good king tolde vs that he must needes see our merchandize, which we (God wot) durst not contradict; and so he borrowed (without a priuy seale, or bill of his hand) some thirtie vardes of cloth of siluer vntill our returne. That being done, we had licence to departe to our boate. In whose campe we sawe nothing but a multitude of cammelles, mules, asses, horses, sheepe and goats: from thence wee passed to another called Anna."-Pp. 19-20. Hitherto we follow our travellers down the Euphrates to its junction with the Tigris and towards the Persian Gulf; but all at once we are sent back to the town of Deir, or, as Parry calls it, the town of Dire. He tells us that leaving Anna (or Anah) they came next to the town of Dire. A reference, however, to any modern reliable map will show that the last-named town is much further up the river—that is, nearer Aleppo. The inference I gather from this is that Parry, after his return to England, wrote his narrative from memory, which would account for the confusion of places. This, however, is of little consequence, as the fact now to be quoted is of some interest from a scientific point of view :

"From thence to a towne called Dire, by which there is a lake or poole of very pitch, which in their language they call the mouth of Hell. It swelles in the middest thereof to the bignesse of an hogshead, and so breaketh with a great puffe, falling flat, and thus continually it worketh whereof there is no bottome to be found, albeit it often hath beene tried by all meanes."-P. 20. This "lake or poole of very pitch" could be no other than one of the many bitumen springs which have been known to exist for ages in Asia Minor

:

and Persia. In a lengthened communication to the Times of July 25, 1878, Mr. Grattan Geary states that in the immediate vicinity of Erbil been running ever since Alexander the Great's (Arbela) are fountains of petroleum which have

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time." That it is to this excellent and useful illuminant Parry refers in the following extract is beyond doubt :

"Neere vnto a towne called Backo, in Persia, there issueth out of the earth, in the manner of a water-spring, a certaine kind of oyle in great abundance, which they (from all parts of the Persian dominions) do fetch vpon Camels, Kine and Asses, to burne in lamps, which are the lights they vse in their houses."-P. 37.

companions received from the Persian monarch and The reception which Sir Anthony Sherley and his his subjects was of the most flattering description. In returning home, which they did by the way of the Caspian Sea, our countrymen passed through Russia, and without further extending these extracts I shall conclude with the following:

"But the day before wee left Muscouia, it was my fortune to see the King and his Queene in cerimonious and triumphant manner passing out of the Citty [Moscow], with a great Image and a huge Bell to offer to a certayne Friery, some thirty miles off, which was performed in this sorte. First, all the morning diuers troupes of horse passed out of the Citty, to stand ready to receiue him at his comming out of the gate. About midday, the King setting forwards, his guard formost, all on horsebacke to the number of fiue hundred, all clad in stammel coats, riding in ranke, three and three, with bows and arrowes, and swords girt to them, as also hatchets under the one thigh. After the guarde were ledde by twenty men twenty goodly horses, with very rich and curious saddles, and ten more for his sonne and heire apparant, beeing childe of twelue yeeres of age. After which was ledde, in like sorte, twenty beutifull white horses for the Queenes chariots, hauing onely vppon them a fine sheete, and on theyr heades a crimson veluet bridle. After them came a great number of Friers in theyr rich coapes, singing, carrying many pictures and lights. After them followed the greatest parte of the merchants of the Citty. Next them was ledde the Kings horse for that day, together with his sonnes: the Kings saddle and furniture most richly besette with Patriarch, wyth all the Archbishoppes, Bishoppes, and stones of great price and beauty. Then followed the great Prelates, singing in their coapes, very rich and glorious, hauing huge Images borne before them, beeing very richly inlayed with pretious Jems of diuerse colours, and lights about them. Then followed the King himselfe, who had in his left hand his sonne, aboue mentioned, and in his right hand his cappe. Next him came the Queene, supported on eyther side by two olde Ladies, her face euen thickly plaistered with painting, as were other Ladies (according to the custome of the Countrey); head, attended with some three score very fayre women hir body very grosse, hir eyes hollowe and far into hir (if painting (which they holde a matter religious) deceiued not the iudgement of mine eie). All whose apparel was very rich, beset with pearle curiously wrought, hauing white hattes on theyr heads, with great round bands laden with pearle. We neuer saw hattes worne by any women in the Country, but by them onely."-Pp. 50-52.

Sir Anthony Sherley's own narrative of this expedition was not published until 1613, for

a review of which Mr. Collier's Bibliographical of the officiating clergymen a red bag, which is Account, 1865 (vol. ii. p. 343), may be consulted. S.

TWELFTH DAY.

As a popular festival Twelfth Day stands only inferior to Christmas, the leading object being to do honour to the three Magi, or, as they are commonly called, the three kings of Cologne. The name Twelfth Day itself dates as far back as the time of King Alfred, who established the twelve days after Christmas as holidays, of which the Epiphany was the last. These twelve days were dedicated to the twelve apostles, and in some parts of England it is still customary to light, on the eve of Twelfth Day, one large and twelve small fires, which are intended to represent our Lord and the twelve apostles. In days gone by this festival was chiefly marked by the custom of drawing for king and queen by lots-a practice, according to some, derived from the Roman Saturn

alia, when at its completion children drew lots

with beans to see who would be king. In Lincolnshire there is always a dance on Twelfth Day, called the "Cake Ball," at which the old custom of choosing the king and queen by lot is still kept up. In France the sovereign thus elected is called “Le Roi de la Fève," and the importance of this ceremony is indicated by the proverbial phrase for good luck, "Il a trouvé la fève au gâteau," he has found the bean in the cake. Twelfth Day appears to have been observed in this country by royalty from time immemorial. In the eighth year of the reign of Edward III. the title of "King of the Bean" was conferred upon one of the king's minstrels; and we read, too, how Henry VII. with much pomp kept this ceremony at Court. In 1563 Mary Queen of Scots celebrated the pastime of the King of the Bean at Holyrood, but with a queen, Miss Strickland tells us (Lives of the Queens of Scotland, vol. iv. p. 20), “instead of a king, as more appropriate, in consideration of herself being a female sovereign." Indeed, down to the time of the civil wars, this festival was observed with much enthusiasm, not only at Court, but at the Universities and the Inns of Court. Formerly the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and the guilds of

London attended St. Paul's Cathedral on Twelfth Day to hear a sermon-a custom alluded to in the early part of Queen Elizabeth's reign. Of late years the celebration of Twelfth Day has been on the decline, and many of the customs once connected with it have fallen into disuse. One, however, of mediæval origin is still observed at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace. On the festival of the Epiphany, after the reading of the sentence at the offertory, "Let your light," &c., while the organ is played, two members of Her Majesty's household descend from the royal pew and advance to the Communion rails, where they present to one

placed in an offertory basin. This is understood to contain the Queen's offering of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, in commemoration of the gift of the Magi to the infant Saviour. This day is rich in proverbs. Thus, in Dalmatia they say, "If you were to ask a wolf when he felt the cold most, he would reply, 'At the winter solstice,"" which is at Epiphany. In Italy it is thought to be one of the coldest days. Thus, at Milan they say, "At Epiphany is the greatest cold we can have." At Florence there is a popular saying, "Show me the man who does not shiver on the Epiphany, and I will show you an honest man." Lastly, on the Rhine there is a proverb, "The three holy kings build a bridge or break one," implying that either a hard frost or a thaw comes at this season. T. F. THISELTON DYER.

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Manus Christi.-"Refined sugar boil'd with rosewater or that of violets or cinnamon; a sort of cordial for very weak persons World of Words, sixth edit., 1706); “Take as (Phillips, New much sugar as will fill your mold and boyl it in a manus christi, then pour it into your mold suddenly, and clap on the lid," &c. (A Queen's Delight, or the Art of Preserving, Concerving and Candying, &c., London, 1655, 12mo., p. 264). Halliwell merely says (Arch. and Prov. Dict.), "Manus Christi, a kind of lozenge." Ducange (Supplement, Paris, 1766, fol.) gives us, "Manus Christi, massa quædam saccharo condita." I suppose, therefore, that Manus Christi was a sort of sugar candy, and was so called in some conventual refectory because its supposed cordial properties raised up sick people like the divine hand. because it cures diseases of the eyes (N. CulOculus Christi, wild clary or Christ's eye, pepper's English Physitian, edit. 1671).

Orvale sauvage, wild clarie, double clarie, ocle Christi (Cotgrave). This is our Salvia verbenaca.

Lacrima Christi, a kind of excellent wine about Naples (Torriano, edit. 1659). This wine is still made on the slopes of Vesuvius, and remains in some request.

"God's Good. A blessing on a meal?

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'Let the cook be thy physition, and the shambles thy apothecaries shop: hee that for every qualme will take a receipt, and cannot make two meales, unless Galen be

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