Chapter VI: ‘nicknames.’ (10)

A ‘William Blackhead’ entered C. C. Coll. Cam. in 1669, and a ‘Thomas
Hardhede’ in 1467. (_Hist. C. C. Coll._)

Footnote 455:

The Abbot of Leicester in 1474 was one ‘John Sheepshead.’ ‘William
Sheepshead’ is also mentioned in the Index to Nicholls’ _Leicester_.

Footnote 456:

We must not forget, however, that ‘swier’ is early found as a
provincialism for ‘squier,’ so that it may be referred in some cases
to that once important officer. (v. p. 199.)

Footnote 457:

‘Guy le Armerecte’ (A.) would seem to be a Latinization of the name.

Footnote 458:

‘Henry Langbane’ occurs in the list of the Corpus Christi Guild, York.
(Surt. Soc.)

Footnote 459:

I see ‘Catterman’ also exists. This is early faced by ‘Richard
Catermayn’ (H.).

Footnote 460:

Robert Pettifer was Sheriff of Gloucester in 1603. (Rudder’s
_Gloucestershire_, p. 116.)

Footnote 461:

The famous old surname of ‘Ironsides’ is found so late as 1754, the
Lord Mayor of London for that year being ‘Edward Ironside.’ The Bishop
of Bristol in 1689 was ‘Gilbert Ironside.’ His father, ‘Gilbert
Ironside,’ preceded him in the same see.

Footnote 462:

‘Antony Knebone’ (Z.). This would seem to belong to a similar class.

Footnote 463:

‘Leg’ did not come into use till the beginning of the xiiith century,
when it was imported from Norway. ‘Shank,’ as the various compound
sobriquets found below will fully prove, did duty.

Footnote 464:

Mr. Halliwell quotes the following couplet from an old manuscript:

‘Hir one _schanke_ blak hir other _graye_,
A nd all her body like the lede.’—(Dic. I. 1.)

Footnote 465:

‘Gerald Bushanke’ (A.). This might be ‘Beau-shank,’ and therefore
equivalent to ‘Bellejambe,’ but such an admixture of languages is not
likely. We still speak of ‘bow-leg,’ and this is the more probable
origin.

Footnote 466:

_Swift_, however, is not the only courier’s sobriquet preserved to us.
‘In the Countess of Leicester’s service were several whose real names
were sunk in titles ridiculously descriptive of their qualities.
“_Slingaway_,” the learned editor of the Household Roll, has pointed
out, he might have added “_Gobithestie_” (go a bit hasty) and
“_Bolett_” (bullet), so denominated from their speed, and
“_Truebodie_” (true body) from his fidelity. These were all couriers.’
(_Hous. Exp. Bish. Swinfield_, p. 143.)

Footnote 467:

‘C. P. Golightly,’ ‘Thomas Golightly.’ _Vide_ Clergy List, 1848, and
other directories.

Footnote 468:

I have mentioned ‘Matilda Finger’ (H.). I do not find any ‘Toe’ in our
Directories, but ‘Peter Pricktoe’ (M.) and ‘Thomas Pinchshu’ (A.)
existed in the xivth century.

Footnote 469:

Accidents of this kind naturally became sobriquets, and then surnames.
Hence such entries as ‘William Crypling’ (A.), ‘William Onhand’ (B.),
‘John Onehand’ (D.), or ‘John Handless’ (W. 11). ‘John Gouty’ (V. 1)
represents a still troublesome complaint, and may be mentioned here.

Footnote 470:

‘Jordan le Madde’ occurs in the _Placita de Quo Warranto_.

Footnote 471:

‘William Whitehand’ is set down in the C. C. Coll. records for 1665.
(_Hist. C. C. Coll. Cam._) ‘Humbert Blanchmains’ is found in Nicholls’
_Leicestershire_.

Footnote 472:

In the _Prompt. Parv._ we find not merely ‘slyke, or smothe,’ but
‘slykeston.’ The slick or sleek stone was used for smoothing linen or
paper; _vide_ Mr. Way’s note thereon, p. 458. ‘The eban stone which
goldsmiths used to sleeken their gold with,’ etc. (Burton’s
_Anatomy_.)

Footnote 473:

Thus ‘Bell’ comes into three categories—the local, the baptismal, and
the sobriquet, represented in our registers by three such entries as
‘John atte Bell’ (X.), ‘Richard fil. Bell’ (A.), and ‘Walter le Bel’
(G.).

Footnote 474:

‘Katharine Prettyman’ (Z.), ‘William Prettiman’ (F.F.). The name still
flourishes, and as ‘Miss Prettiman’ figures in the _Caudle Lectures_.

Footnote 475:

‘Nutbrown’ is found in several early records, and existed till 1630 at
least. ‘George Nutbrowne was sworne the same daye pistler, and
Nathaniel Pownell, gospeller.’ (_Cheque Bk._, Chapel Royal (Cam.
Soc.), p. 12.)

Footnote 476:

‘White’ and ‘Grissel’ are combined in ‘Anne Griselwhite,’ a name
occurring in an old Norfolk register. (_Vide_ Index, _Hist. Norfolk_,
Blomefield.)

Footnote 477:

‘Thomas Pock-red’ in the Hundred Rolls would not be acceptable.

Footnote 478:

‘Blanchfront’ seems to have been common, as I find it in three
distinct registers. ‘Joan Blaunkfrount,’ a nun of Molseby. (_Letters
from Northern Registers_, p. 319.) ‘Philip Blanchfront’ (F. F.),
‘Amabil Blanchfront.’ (Fines, Ric. i.)

Footnote 479:

It was in the house of a Josias Roughead, of Bedford, that John Bunyan
was first licensed to preach in 1672.

Footnote 480:

‘Richard Flaxennehed’ occurs in the Hundred Rolls.

Footnote 481:

‘Antony Wiselheade’ is registered in Elizabeth’s reign in the
_Calendar to Pleadings_.

Footnote 482:

‘William Whiteheare’ was Dean of Bristol, 1551. (Barrett, _Hist.
Bristol_.)

Footnote 483:

‘1522, 31 Dec. To Mr. William Farehaire, Doctor of Laws.’ (_Letters of
Fraternity_ (Durham Priory), p. 119. Surt. Soc.)

Names like ‘William Harebrown,’ ‘Ralph Lightred,’ and ‘John Litewhyte’
seem to belong to the same category with the above.

Footnote 484:

Burton, in his _Anatomy of Melancholy_, says, ‘Apollonius will have
Jason’s golden hair to be the main cause of Medea’s dotage on him.
Castor and Pollux were both yellow-haired. Homer so commends Helen,
makes Patroclus and Achilles both yellow-haired; Pulchricoma Venus,
and Cupid himself was yellow-haired.’

Footnote 485:

This sobriquet, as old as the Hundred Rolls, is found in the xviith
cent., at Durham. ‘Peter Blackbeard’ was ‘brought up for not paying
Easter reckonings, 1676.’ (_Dean Granville’s Letters_, p. 235.)

Footnote 486:

A contributor to _Notes and Queries_, Jan. 14, 1860, quotes an old
Ipswich record in which is mentioned an ‘Alexander Redberd’ dwelling
there in the early part of the sixteenth century.

Footnote 487:

‘John Brounberd, son of William, a hostage from Galloway.’

(_Letters from Northern Registers_, p. 163.)

‘Janet Brounebeard’ was an inmate of St. Thomas’s Hospital, York,
February 6, 1553. (W. 11, p. 304.)

Footnote 488:

I find this name still exists as ‘Pickavant.’ It may be seen over a
boot and shoe warehouse by the Railway Station at Southport,
Lancashire. Probably ‘Pickance’ is an abbreviated form. ‘Charles, son
of Daniel and Eliza Pickance, bapt. March 26, 1754.’ (St. Ann’s,
Manchester.)

Footnote 489:

Many of my readers will be familiar with the sobriquet ‘nottpated,’
which Shakespeare puts in Prince Henry’s mouth several times.

Footnote 490:

‘_Calvus_ protests for foes he doth not care;
For why? They cannot take from him _one hair_.’
(_Satyrical Epigrams_, 1619.)

Footnote 491:

The _Athenæum_ thinks the more manifest origin is the local ‘peel,’ a
small fortress used by Chaucer in the House of Fame—

‘God save the lady of this _pele_.’

I was not ignorant of the word, but as I could not find any examples
in the old rolls, I gave the preference to the nickname. I have since
met with an entry which justifies the _Athenæum’s_ remark: ‘1605, Nov.
14, Rodger of ye Peele.’ Also, ‘1621, July 10, Robarte Rodley, of ye
Peele in Chetham.’ (_Memorials of Manchester Streets_, p. 282.)

Footnote 492:

‘John Lytlehare’ occurs in a Norfolk register. Query, is it meant for
‘Littlehair’? Probably it is. (Blomefield’s _Norfolk_.) ‘Simon
Lytehare’ (lyte = little) is found in the Parl. Writs. ‘Richard le
Herprute’ occurs in the H.R. The modern form would be ‘Hairproud.’

Footnote 493:

‘Plunket’ was in early use as a perversion of ‘blanket.’ Thus a
statute of Richard III. relating to this stuff calls it ‘plonket.’ The
form in the _Prompt. Parv._ is ‘plunket;’ and Mr. Way, commenting upon
it, quotes a line from the _Awntyrs of Arthure_—

‘Hir belte was of plonkete, with birdis fulle baulde.’

Footnote 494:

This was a nickname of Sir Thomas Woodcock, Lord Mayor of London,
1405—

‘Hic jacet, Tom Shorthose,
Sine tomb, sine sheets, sine riches.’

In the neighbourhood of Belper this surname may be commonly met with.
Some change of fashion at this date, encouraged by the mayoralty,
would readily give rise to the sobriquet in the metropolis. Some
country squire or bumpkin carried the new style into Derbyshire, and
the Belper people still relate the fact of the grotesque appearance he
then made in their eyes by the nom-de-plume that as a necessary
consequence arose. ‘Sic est vita _nominum_.’

Footnote 495:

‘Agnes Blakmantyll’ (W. 11) occurs in an old York register, 1455, but
must have become obsolete with the bearer, I should imagine.

Footnote 496:

‘John Caury-Maury’ (V. 8) belongs to this class. It was a nickname
given to him on account of the exceedingly coarse cloth in which he
was attired. In Skelton’s _Elynour Rummyng_, some slatterns are thus
described—

‘Some loke strawry,
Some cawry mawry.’

‘Item, presentatum est quod ‘Johannes Caurymaury,’ ‘Johannes le
Fleming,’ ‘Hugo Bunting,’ ‘Isaac de Stanford,’ et Lucas de eadem
consueti fuerunt currere cum canibus suis sine warento,’ etc.
(_Chronicon Petroburgense. Cam. Soc._, p. 138.)

Footnote 497:

This may be local.

Footnote 498:

We all remember in ‘_Love’s Labour’s Lost_’ how Armado, being pressed
to fight, refuses to undress, and says: ‘The naked truth of it is, I
have no shirt; I go woolward for penance.’

Footnote 499:

One feels much tempted to add ‘Roylance’ to this list. It certainly
has a most kingly aspect. Still there can be little doubt that it is
but a corruption of ‘Rylands.’

Footnote 500:

I need not stay to point out the early familiar use of ‘yard’ as a
stick or staff of any length. In Wicklyffe’s New Testament we find the
following:—‘And he seide to hem nothing take ye in the weye—neither
yerde, ne scrippe, neither breed, ne money.’ (Luke ix. 3.) Our
Authorized Version still preserves the meteyard from obsoletism: ‘Ye
shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in
measure.’ (Lev. xix. 35.)

Footnote 501:

The horn was carried by the watchman as well as the huntsman and the
cryer. ‘Henry Watchorn’ was mayor of Leicester in 1780, and the name
occurs in the Nottingham Directory for 1864. Other compounds besides
‘Waghorn’ are ‘Crookhorn,’ ‘Cramphorn’ (_i.e._, crooked horn),
‘Langhorn’ and ‘Whitehorn.’

Footnote 502:

It was a Captain Waghorn who was tried by court-martial for the wreck
of the _Royal George_, which went down off Portsmouth in 1782. He was
acquitted, however.

Footnote 503:

‘Anne, daughter of Hugh and Elizabeth Shakeshaft, baptized Dec. 6,
1744.’ (St. Ann’s, Register, Manchester.)

Footnote 504:

‘Robert Go-before’ in the Rolls of Parl. is an evident sobriquet
affixed upon some official of this class.

Footnote 505:

‘John Swyrdebrake,’ alias ‘John Taillour.’

(_Materials for Hist. Henry VII._, p. 441.)

Footnote 506:

In a list of bankrupts, dated the thirteenth year of Elizabeth, and
quoted in _Notes and Queries_, Jan. 1860, occurs an ‘Anthony
Halstaffe,’ doubtless originally ‘Halestaffe,’ from ‘hale,’ to drag,
and thus a likely sobriquet for a catchpoll or bailiff.

Footnote 507:

In the biographical notice appended to Archbishop Sandys’ Sermons,
published by the Parker Society, we find that one of his friends was
called ‘Hurlestone.’ This will be of similar origin with ‘Hurlebat.’
(pp. 13, 14.)

Footnote 508:

‘Thomas Crakyshield’ was Rector of North Creak in Norfolk in the year
1412. (_Hist. Norfolk_, vii. 77.)

Footnote 509:

‘William Ryghtwys’ was Vicar of Fouldon in 1497. (Blomefield’s
_Norfolk_.) ‘Upright’ appeared in a trial at Exeter in October 1874.

Footnote 510:

‘Make’ was a familiar compound. ‘Joan Make-peace’ was sister to Henry
III., and so named by the Scotch through her betrowal to their
monarch, by which peace was brought about. Bishop Hall uses the
opposite for a quarrelsome fellow—

‘If brabbling Makefray, at each faire and ’size,
Picks quarrels for to show his valiantise.’

‘Julian Make-blisse’ and ‘John Make-blythe’ occur in two separate
rolls, and Mr. Lower mentions a ‘Maud Make-joy’ in an old Wardrobe
Account: ‘1297, Dec. 26. To Maud Make-joy for dancing before Edward
Prince of Wales, at Ipswich, 2_s._’ Here the sobriquet is adopted in
compliment to the profession.

Footnote 511:

Our ‘Hardmans’ are but a corruption of ‘Hardyman.’ John Hardyman,
D.D., was installed prebend of Chester in June, 1563. (Ormerod’s
_Cheshire_, vol. i. p. 223.)

Footnote 512:

‘Reginald Littleprowe’ was Mayor of Norwich in 1532, and ‘John
Littleproud’ was buried at ‘Attleburgh’ in 1619. (_Hist. Norf._, iii.
219, and i. 535.) This sobriquet, I doubt not, was in sarcastic
allusion to the haughty demeanour of its first possessor. As in so
many cases, however, there seems to have been no objection to its
acceptance on the part of his posterity.

Footnote 513:

‘Oswin Sharparrow’ (W. 3), ‘John Sharparrow’ (W. 2), ‘William
Sharparrow’ (W. 11). The original nominee was probably of a sarcastic
turn. The following inscription was once to be seen in York Minster:
‘Orate pro anima dom. Johannis Sharparrowe, quondam parsone in Eccles.
Cath. Ebor., qui obiit xxv. die Oct. an. 1411.’ (Drake’s _Eboracum_,
p. 498.)

Footnote 514:

‘Deliver’ as an adjective meant ‘nimble,’ ‘lithe.’ It was familiarly
used. Chaucer has ‘deliverly,’ ‘deliverness,’ and ‘deliver.’ Of the
young squier he says—

‘Of his stature he was of even lengthe,
And wonderly deliver, and great of strengthe.’

‘Ralph le Delivre’ is found in the Rot. Curiæ Regis.

Footnote 515:

The names of ‘Thomas le Busteler’ (F.F.) and ‘Robert le Bustler’ (T.)
are less complimentary than most of the above. ‘Nicholas le Medler’
(A.) would be quite as objectionable.

Footnote 516:

‘Craske, fryke of fatte,’ _i.e._, lusty, fresh. (_Pr. Par._)

Footnote 517:

‘Richard Curtevalur’ (A.) would seem to have had an instinctive
acquaintance with the moral of that couplet which asserts that

‘He who fights and runs away
Shall live to fight another day.’

There are a good many people, I fancy, who thus ‘take thought for the
morrow.’

Footnote 518:

Fr. Preux = valiant.

Footnote 519:

‘Simon Stallworthe’ is mentioned in the _Grants of Edward the Fifth_.
(Cam. Soc.) The modern form of the term colloquially used is
‘stalwart.’

Footnote 520:

‘Arthur Purefoy’ or ‘Purefaye’ was Rector of Redenhall in 1584.
(_Hist. Norf._, v. 363.)

Footnote 521:

Thus Archbishop Sandys commences a sermon at Paul’s Cross:—‘The
Apostle St. Peter, like a perfit workman and a skilful builder, first
layeth a sure foundation.’ (_Parker Soc._, p. 386.)

Footnote 522:

‘Thomas Bontemps’ appears in a Norfolk register of the fourteenth
century. (_Hist. Norfolk_, Index.) It seems somewhat analogous to the
now familiar ‘Bonheur.’

Footnote 523:

The son and successor of Charlemagne, Louis First, went by the
sobriquet of ‘le Debonnaire,’ on account of his courteous and affable
character.

Footnote 524:

‘Thomas Gentilhomme’ in the Writs of Paul represents the Norman-French
form. The surname still exists in France, as does ‘Gentleman’ in
England.

Footnote 525:

Akin to ‘Malcolm le Musard’ (M.) was ‘Alan le Mute’ (A.). ‘Henry
Duceparole’ (T.) or ‘Richard Parlebien’ (M.) is decidedly
complimentary, but ‘William Spekelital’ (P.) would seem to have been
morose.

Footnote 526:

‘John Strictman’ (A.) and ‘John le Severe’ (A.) may be set here.

Footnote 527:

_The Babees’ Book_ (Early Eng. Text. Soc.).

Footnote 528:

‘Every midwyfe shulde be presented with honest women of great gravity
to the Bysshop,’ for she ‘shulde be a sadde woman, wyse and discrete,
having experience.’ (Andrew Boorde.)

Footnote 529:

The Hundred Rolls give us a ‘Robert le Sotele.’ ‘Salomon le Sotel’ was
Sheriff of London in 1290, according to Stow. There is no reason to
suppose that either of these was distinguished for any of the
unpleasant features that often belong to sharp characteristics.

Footnote 530:

The Issue Roll gives us an opposite characteristic in ‘Thomas
Litilskill.’

Footnote 531:

‘Christopher Greynhorne’ (W. 15) would represent the modern sense of
this word.

Footnote 532:

There used to be an old proverb—

‘Whylst grasse doth growe oft sterves the seely steede.’

_Vide_ Dyce’s notes to ‘All’s Well that Ends Well.’ (_Shakespeare’s
Works_, vol. iii. p. 288.) One of the best illustrations of this word,
however, is to be met with in Foxe’s _Martyrology_, where, describing
the martyrdom of a young child not seven years old, he says: ‘The
captain, perceiving the child invincible and himself vanquished,
committed the silly soul, the blessed babe, the child uncherished, to
the stinking prison.’ (Vol. i. p. 126, Edit. 1844.)

Footnote 533:

Thomas Selybarn (_i.e._ Silly-child) occurs in the York Guild. (W.
11.)

Footnote 534:

Joyce may belong either to the nickname or the baptismal class.
‘Richard le Joyce,’ J., ‘Joyce Faukes,’ H., ‘Joice Frankline,’ W. 9.

Footnote 535:

‘William Gladchere’ (‘Gladcheer’) (F.F.) would be a pleasant
sobriquet.

Footnote 536:

‘Alicia Blissewenche’ occurs in the Hundred Rolls—a light-hearted
ruddy-faced country girl of happy disposition and blithe expression. I
doubt not he was a lucky swain who got her to go to the priest with
him to sue wedlock. Cf. ‘Jeffery Joyemaiden’ in the same record.

Footnote 537:

The early ‘John Bellewether’ (H.) may be either a partial translation
of this, or that which is more likely, a sobriquet taken from the
custom of fastening a bell around the neck of the leading sheep, by
which to conduct the rest. We still term such an one the
‘bell-wether.’

Footnote 538:

We never use ‘merry’ now in relation to sacred things, though our
English Bible does. The fact is, the word has somewhat sunk in the
social scale. Few preachers would say, as Bishop Bradford could say
quite naturally in his day, ‘The Lord for Christ’s sake give us merry
hearts to drink lustily of His sweet cup.’ A monument in Marshfield
Church on A. Meredeth ends thus —

‘Judge then, what he did lose who lost but breath,
Lived to die well, and dyed A MEREDETH.
(Rudder’s _Gloucestershire_.)

Footnote 539:

‘Sweetlove’ is met by ‘Duzamour;’ ‘Felicia Duzamour’ occurs in the
Domesday, St. Paul’s (Cam. Soc.). ‘Dulcia Fynamour’ is set down in the
_Wardrobe Accounts_ Ed. 1.

Footnote 540:

‘Wooer,’ and even ‘Wooeress,’ seem to have existed. ‘John le Wower’
(A.), ‘Hugh le Wewer’ (R.), ‘Emma Woweres’ (A.).

Footnote 541:

‘Ralph Full-of-Love’ was Rector of West Lynn in the year 1462. (_Hist.
of Norfolk_, vol. viii. p. 536.)

Footnote 542:

‘Well beloved’ was the usual term applied in any formal address in the
Middle Ages, such as when a king in council made any public
announcement, or when a priest addressed his people, or when a
testator mentioned a legatee. It was then a perfectly familiar
expression, and would easily affix itself as a sobriquet. A Rev. C.
Wellbeloved published a translation of the Bible in 1838, printed by
Smallfield and Co., London.

Footnote 543:

‘Sweet’ and its compounds, however, are most probably to be referred
to our baptismal nomenclature. A ‘Swet le Bone’ is found in the
Hundred Rolls, and in the same record occur such other forms as
‘Swetman fil. Edith’ and ‘Sweteman Textor.’

Footnote 544:

In All Saints Church, Hertford, exists or existed a tablet with an
inscription dated 1428, beginning thus—

‘Here lyeth under this stone William Wake,
And by him Joane his wife and make.’
(Clutterbuck’s _Hertfordshire_, vol. ii., p. 165.)

Footnote 545:

‘Prudens’ should more properly, perhaps, be placed among abstract
virtues. ‘Richard Prudence’ F.F. Later on it became a baptismal
name—‘Prudence Howell.’ (Proceedings in Chancery: Elizabeth.)

Footnote 546:

‘Richard Merricocke’ (F.F.) was evidently a jovial fellow.

Footnote 547:

‘Parramore’ is always found as ‘Paramour’ in early rolls, and in this
form existed till the xviith century. ‘April 18, 1635, Whitehall.
Captain Thomas Paramour appointed to the _Adventure_.’ State Papers,
1635 (Domestic).

Footnote 548:

It was a favourite joke some few years ago in the House of Commons to
say that there were in it two Lemons and but one Peel. While Sir
Robert Peel was Irish Secretary, from 1812 to 1818, and was somewhat
remarkable in that capacity for his opposition to the Roman Catholics,
it was customary to style him by the sobriquet of ‘Orange Peel.’

Footnote 549:

‘Lyare, or gabbare—mendax, mendosus.’ (_Prompt. Parv._) ‘Henry le
Liere’ (H.R.) speaks for himself, unless he _belies_ himself.

Footnote 550:

Like ‘Gabelot,’ ‘Hamelot,’ ‘Hughelot,’ ‘Crestelot,’ etc., ‘Gibelot’
may be a diminutive, in which case ‘Gilbert’ will be the root, and the
name will belong to the patronymic class. (_Vide_ p. 16, note 1.)

Footnote 551:

A ‘William Gidyheved’ (Giddyhead) is mentioned by Mr. Riley as living
in London in the xivth century. (X. index.)

Footnote 552:

In the _Pr. Par._, ‘Gybelot’ (or Gyglot) is rendered ‘ridax.’

Footnote 553:

Teetotalism was not without its representatives—‘Thomas le Sober’
(M.), ‘Richard Drynkewatere’ (M.), ‘John Drinkewater’ (A.). There is
no proof for Camden’s statement that this is a corruption of
Derwentwater. From the earliest days it appears in its present dress.

Footnote 554:

‘Memorandum, quod die sancti Leonardi, fecit Galfridus Dringkedregges
de Ubbethorp homagium.’ (V. 8, p. 151.)

Footnote 555:

‘Thomas Sourale’ (A.) is met by ‘John Sweteale,’ a member of St.
George’s Guild, Norwich (V.). The former, I doubt not, was a crabbed
peevish fellow.

Footnote 556:

‘Simon le Chuffere’ occurs in the H.R. This was a common term of
opprobrium for a miser. As ‘Chuffer’ it is found in the _Townley
Mysteries_.

Footnote 557:

‘The wife of Mr. Turnpenny, newsagent, Leeds, was yesterday delivered
of two sons and one daughter, all of whom are doing well (_Manchester
Evening News_, July 1, 1873.)

Footnote 558:

‘William Taylemayle’ is found in the _Chronicon Petroburgense_. (Cam.
Soc.)

Footnote 559:

We may also mention ‘Gilbert le Covetiose’ (M.) and ‘Robert
Would-have.’ We still say ‘much would have more.’ ‘Robert Would-have,
sergeant-at-mace, witness in trial before the Mayor of Newcastle,
March 23, 1662.’ (W. 16.)

Footnote 560:

‘William Rakestraw’ reminds us of ‘Piers Plowman’s ‘ratoner and rakyer
of Cheape,’ _i.e._, ratcatcher and scavenger of Cheapside. A still
more objectionable name was that of ‘Adam Ketmongere’ (H.R.), Ket =
filth, carrion. ‘Honorius le Rumonjour’ (Rummager) (N.) would seem to
have followed a similar calling. These sobriquets would readily be
affixed upon men of a penurious and scraping character.

Footnote 561:

‘William Wildeblood’ is found in a Yorkshire Roll (W. 9), and ‘Jordan
Kite-wilde’ in the H.R.

Footnote 562:

Also ‘Agnes Gyngyvere’ in Riley’s _Memorials of London_. Like ‘John
Vergoose’ (W. 13) _i.e._, vinegarish, they would seem to hit off the
sharp temperament of their owners.

Footnote 563:

_Vide_ Lower’s _English Surnames_, i. 242.

Footnote 564:

Thus it is with our ‘Roses.’ The Rot. Fin. in _Turri London_. give us
a ‘John de la Rose,’ while the Hundred Rolls furnish us with a
‘Nicholas de la Rose.’

Footnote 565:

‘Paid John of the hall, of tow (two) urchines, 0_l._ 0_s._ 4_d._’
(_Hist. and Ant. Staffordshire_, i. 197.)

Footnote 566:

George Camel and Jane Camel were apprehended as Popish recusants, May
2, 1673. (_Dean Granville’s Letters_, p. 225.) ‘William Cammille’ (V.
4), ‘George Camil’ (W. 20).

Footnote 567:

‘1438.’ “Item, pro aula ‘Olefante,’ Magister Kyllynworth.” (_Mun.
Acad. Oxon._ p. 522.) This hall or smaller college was so called from
the sign over the door. Skelton has both ‘olyfant’ and ‘olyphante.’ He
describes a woman in ‘Eleanor Rummyng’ as

‘Necked lyke an olyfant.’

Footnote 568:

‘Herveus de Lyons,’ C., ‘Richard de Lyouns,’ M.

Footnote 569:

It was ‘Hugues le Loup’ the Conqueror appointed Second Count of the
Cheshire Palatinate.

Footnote 570:

‘Lovel’ is the diminutive. ‘Maulovel’ will thus be ‘Bad-wolfkin.’

Footnote 571:

A Rascal was a lean, ragged deer; Shakespeare so uses it. Very early,
however, the term was applied to the vulgar _herd_ of human kind, but
with far less opprobious meaning than now. Hall, quoting Henry of
Northumberland, speaks of Henry IV. as having obtained his crown ‘by
the counsaill of thy frendes, and by open noising of the rascale
people’ (f. xxi.), _i.e._ the rabble. An extract from the Ordinances
of Henry VIII. at Eltham says, ‘It is ordained that none of the
sergeants at arms, heralds ... have, retain, or bring into the court
any boyes or rascalles, nor also other of their servants.’ The surname
was very common, and lasted a long time—‘John Raskele’ (H.), ‘Henry
Rascall’ (Z.). Robert Rascal was persecuted for his religion in 1517
(Foxe). ‘Received for a pewe in the lower end of the churche set to
Richard Rascalle, vi_s._’ (Ludlow Churchwardens’ Accounts, Cam. Soc.)

Footnote 572:

As we have Cock and Cockerell, Duck and Duckrell, so we have Buck and
Buckerell—‘Peter Bokerel’ (A.), ‘Matthew Bokerel’ (A.). Cf. Mackarel
and Pickerell.

Footnote 573:

Sometimes this is local, and a mere corruption of Beauvoir—‘Roger de
Belvoir’ (M.).

Footnote 574:

‘Duncalf’ may be seen over a window in Oldham Road, Manchester.
‘William Duncalf’ (A.A. 1), ‘John Duncalf’ (A.A. 1).

Footnote 575:

Such names as Roger Runcy, Richard Palefray, John Portehors, or Ralph
Portehos represent terms very familiar to our forefathers.

Footnote 576:

This word ‘beef’ as denotive of the living animal was in vogue in the
seventeenth century at least. The plural ‘beeves’ is still to be found
in our Authorized Version. For instance, Levit. xxii. 19, is
translated, ‘Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish of
the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.’ Shakespeare, also, has the
word in this sense. He speaks in his ‘Merchant of Venice’ of the—

‘Flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats.’

We have here mutton used in the same manner. Edward the Second was
accustomed ‘to breede upp beeves and motonnes in his parkes to serve
his household.’ (_Liber Niger_, Ed. IV.)

Footnote 577:

Apart from such entries as ‘William le Lamb,’ we find a ‘John
Lambgrome’ in the Hundred Rolls. Though obsolete, we must set him by
our ‘Shepherds.’ A brother-in-law of John Wesley bore the name of
‘Whitelamb.’ I am not sure whether this surname has died out or not.
In the _Visitation of Yorkshire_, 1665, it is found in the person of
‘Isabel Whitlamb.’

Footnote 578:

‘Robert Spichfat’ (X.), ‘William Spichfat’ (W. 11.), from the old
‘spic,’ bacon, seem to refer to the greasy habits of their owners.

Footnote 579:

Christopher Pigg was Mayor of Lynn Regis in 1742.

Footnote 580:

An old political poem says the Italians bring in

‘Apes and japes and mamusetts taylede,
Nifles, trifles, that litelle have avayled.’

Footnote 581:

_Raton_ is still the term in the North. Langland uses it, and in
Chaucer the Potecary is asked by a purchaser—

‘That he him would sell
Some poison, that he might his ratouns quell.’

Footnote 582:

‘Some bileve that yf the kite or the puttock fle ovir the way afore
them that they should fare wel that daye, for sumtyme they have
farewele after that they see the puttock so fleyinge.’ (_Brand_, iii.
113.)

Footnote 583:

Our present Authorized Version retains the term in Deut. xiv. 13,
where mention is made of ‘the glede, and the kite, and the vulture
after his kind.’ Locally it is found in ‘Gledhill’ and ‘Gladstone,’ or
more correctly ‘Gledstane,’ that is, the hill or crag which the kites
were wont to frequent. A ‘William de Gledstanys’ is met with in the
Coldingham Priory Records of the date of 1357, proving its North
English origin. ‘Hawkstone’ and ‘Gladstone’ are thus synonymous.

Footnote 584:

‘Richard Sparhawke’ was Rector of Fincham in 1534. (_Hist. Norf._,
vii. 358.)

Footnote 585:

‘Philip Chikin’ (A.), ‘John Chikin’ (A.). The name existed in the
xviith cent., for one ‘George Chicken’ was summoned at Ryton ‘for not
payeing his assessments, July 28, 1673.’ (_Dean Granville’s Letters_,
Sur. Soc.).

Footnote 586:

‘Peter le Goos,’ F.F., ‘Walter le Gows,’ A., ‘Amicia le Gos,’ J.,
‘John le Gos,’ M. The latter, as ‘Goss,’ is the present most common
form.

Footnote 587:

This is as often from Joscelyn. ‘Gosceline fil. Gawyn,’ A., ‘Roger
fil. Gocelin,’ A.

Footnote 588:

A tablet with the inscription ‘Sacred to the Memory of Priscilla
Blackbird’ has been put up in Stepney churchyard within the last few
years.

Footnote 589:

‘The bailiffs and commons granted to Robert Popingeay, their fellow
citizen, all their tenement and garden in the Parish of St. Mary in
the Marsh.’ 1371. (_Hist. Norf._, iii. 97.) ‘Richard Popingay,’ T.T.
‘To a servaunt of William ap Howell for bringing of a popyngay to the
Quene to Windesore, xiii_s._ iiii_d._’ (_Privy Purse Expenses of
Elizabeth of York_, 1502.)

Footnote 590:

‘He turnede upso down the boordis of chaungeris, and the chayers of
men that solden culvers.’ (Matt. xxi. 12. v. Wicklyffe.)

Footnote 591:

The _Prompt. Par._ has ‘reyn-fowle, a bryd,’ so called, the Editor
says, because its cry was supposed to prognosticate rain.

Footnote 592:

‘Thomas le Whal’ (B.), ‘Ralph le Wal’ (A.). As with Oliphant,
over-corpulence would give rise to the sobriquet.

Footnote 593:

‘Reymund Heryng’ (M.). The diminutive is found in the case of ‘Stephen
Harengot’ (D.D.), _i.e._, ‘Little Herring.’

Footnote 594:

‘Elizabeth Salmon’ (G.). _It is said_, a Mr. Salmon having been
presented by his wife with three boys at one birth, gave them the
names of ‘Pickled,’ ‘Potted,’ and ‘Fresh.’ I would call the reader’s
attention to the italicised words that preface the statement.

Footnote 595:

Daniel Turbot was summoned ‘for not paying Easter reckonyngs, Aug.
23rd, 1674.’ (_Granville’s Letters._ Sur. Soc.)

Footnote 596:

‘Matthew Chubb,’ a member of the ‘Gild of Tailors, Exeter.’—21 Ed. IV.
(_English Gilds_, 323 p.)

Footnote 597:

‘John Tenche’ (A.). Tenche is the name of one of the yeomen of the
Guard to Queen Mary when Princess Mary. (_Priv. Purse Exp._ 1543.)

Footnote 598:

Thomas Spratt was Bishop of Rochester in 1688.

Footnote 599:

This is doubtless but a feminine form of Odo.

Footnote 600:

‘Roger le Waps’ is found in a Sussex subsidy roll of 1296. (Lower, i.
242.)

Footnote 601:

In Ricart’s _Kalendar of Bristol_ (Cam. Soc.), William and Robert
Snake are set down among the earlier ‘Prepositi.’

Footnote 602:

In 1433 it had got corrupted into ‘Querdling,’ a ‘Thomas Querdling’
occupying an official position in Norwich in that year. Of him the
following rhyme speaks—

‘Whoso have any quarrel or pie,
If he but withstand John Hankey,
John Querdlyng, Nic Waleys, John Belagh, John Meg,
Sore shall him rewe
For they rule all the court with their lawes newe.’
(Blomefield, iii. 145.)

I doubt not ‘Curling’ is the modern representative of this name.

Footnote 603:

This name is not obsolete. Mr. Lower quotes a local rhyme thus—

‘Worthing is a pretty place,
And if I’m not mistaken,
If you can’t get any butcher’s meat,
There’s “hogs’ flesh” and “bacon.”’

Footnote 604:

‘William Wolfheryng’ occurs in a Sussex subsidy roll, 1296. (Lower, i.
242.)

Footnote 605:

‘Joan Blackdam’ occurs in _Hist. Norfolk_. (Blomefield, v. Index.)

Footnote 606:

‘Anna Hellicate’ was called before the Archdeacon of Durham, for not
coming to the Church, 27th July, 1673.’ (_Dean Granville’s Letters_,
Surt. Soc.)

Footnote 607:

This most curious name appears in the _Manchester Directory_ for 1861.

Footnote 608:

This seems to have been a surname—‘John Drawlace’ (W. 18).

Footnote 609:

The President of the College of Physicians in 1665 was Sir Francis
Prujean. Bramston, in his _Autobiography_ (Cam. Soc.), styles him
‘Prugean.’

Footnote 610:

The newspapers for June 6th, 1874, mention a ‘Mr. Youngjohn’ in
connection with an election petition at Kidderminster.

Footnote 611:

We have already noticed that ‘Robin Hood’ had become in itself a
surname. It is quite possible our ‘Little-johns’ have arisen in a
similar manner. Little John, I need not say, was as carefully
represented at the May-day dance as Robin himself or Maid Marian.
Ritson has preserved us a rhyme on the subject—

‘This infant was called John Little,’ quoth he
‘Which name shall be changed anon;
The words we’ll transpose, so wherever he goes,
His name shall be called “Little John.”’

Footnote 612:

‘Item, to Guillam de Vait, Guillam de Trope, and Pety John
mynstralles, iv_l._’ (_Trevelyan Papers_, ii. 20. Cam. Soc.)

Footnote 613:

We might be tempted to place our ‘Brownbills’ here, but I have
recently shown them to be representative of the old and famous pikes
known as ‘brownbills,’ used so commonly in war previous to the
introduction of gunpowder.

Footnote 614:

Thus Desdemona says to Emilia (_Othello_, iv. 3)—

‘This Lodovico is a proper man;’

and the latter responds—

‘A very handsome man.’

Footnote 615:

‘Apple-john’ must be looked upon as a nickname taken from the fruit of
that name. An apple-john was a species of apple which was never fully
ripe till late in the season, when it was shrivelled. Hence
Shakespeare’s allusion in 2 Henry IV. ii. 4. ‘Sweet-apple’ will belong
to this category.

Footnote 616:

‘Full-James’ must be looked upon as a corruption of Foljambe. I prefer
the original, though that is not complimentary.

Footnote 617:

This name lingered on till 1674 at least, for one of the private
musicians attached to the household of Charles II. was ‘John
Godegroome.’ (_Vide_ Chappell’s _Ballad Literature_, p. 469.) ‘Robert
le Godegrom’ had appeared three centuries before in the Hundred Rolls.

Footnote 618:

‘King’ I have already suggested as a sobriquet given to one who
represented such a rank in some mediæval pageant. Peculiarities of
stature, manner, or dress would readily give rise to the compound
forms.

Footnote 619:

Archbishop Chichele, when founding All Souls’ College, purchased for
this purpose the sites of ‘Beresford’s Hall, St. Thomas’s Hall,
Tyngewyck Hall, and Godknave Hall.’ (_Hist. Univ. Oxon_, vol. i. p.
195.)

Probably its founder bore that name.

Footnote 620:

‘Godfrey Mauclerk’ was mayor of Leicester in 1286. Also, ‘Walter
Malclerk’ (P.P.). Corrupted into ‘Manclerk,’ this name still exists.
(Cf. _Clerical Directory_, 1874.)

Footnote 621:

‘Johan le Redeclerk, hosier de Coventry.’ (V. 9, p. xxiv.)

Footnote 622:

The first ‘Littlepage’ I can light upon is in the case of ‘John
Littlepage’ and ‘Joan Littlepage,’ persecuted for their religion in
1521. (Foxe’s _Martyrology_.)

Footnote 623:

‘Man’ in the sense of servant is found appended to several Christian
names. Thus we come across such combinations as ‘Mathewman,’
‘Harriman,’ and ‘Thomasman.’ The wonder is more are not to be met
with. The customary way of registering servants in the old rolls is
‘William Matthew’s man,’ or ‘John’s man Thomas.’ Thus the surname
arose. The _Proceedings in Kent_, 1640 (Cam. Soc.), contained the name
of ‘Nicholas Hodgman,’ and ‘John Hobman’ was buried May 17th, 1649.
(_Smith’s Obituary._ Cam. Soc.)

Footnote 624:

‘Grant to Henry Goodclerk for his services in the parts beyond the
sea, 23rd Sep. 1485.’ (_Materials for Hist. Henry VII._, p. 557.)

Footnote 625:

‘Goodwife’ seems to have existed formerly. A ‘William Goodwyfe’ was
Rector of Stapleford, Herts, in 1443. (Clutterbuck’s _Hertfordshire_,
vol. ii. p. 218.)

Footnote 626:

‘Alan Bondame’ represents the feminine (P.P.).

Footnote 627:

John Beaufitz was Sheriff of Warwick in 1485.

Footnote 628:

A curious circumstance happened, I believe, but a few years ago,
causing the increase of a forename, unintended, we may feel sure, by
those most immediately concerned. A child was taken to church to be
baptized. The clergyman at the usual place turned to the mother and
asked what name the infant was to bear. ‘Robert,’ was the reply. ‘Any
other name?’ he inquired. ‘Robert honly,’ she answered, her grammar
not being of the best description. ‘Robert Honly, I baptize thee, in
the name,’ etc., at once continued the clergyman, and the child was
therefore duly so registered.

Footnote 629:

A ‘Savage Bear’ was at large in Kent a few years ago. (Lower i. 177.)

Footnote 630:

‘Ivory Malet’ (D.D.) This, though registered in the xiiith, would seem
to have anticipated the croquet of the xixth cent. ‘Ivray’ was a
baptismal name at the earlier date.

Footnote 631:

‘More Fortune, bayliff of St. Martin’s, died May 17th, 1367.’
(_Smith’s Obituary_, p. 13.)

Footnote 632:

‘May 27th, 1805. River, son of River and Rebecca Jordan.’
(_Christenings_, St. Ann’s, Manchester.)

Footnote 633:

Several ‘Pine Coffins’ may be seen in the Clerical Directories of
1840–1850.

Footnote 634:

‘Jean Gottam,’ the Frenchman’s title for ‘John Bull,’ is old. A
witness in the trial of Joan of Arc used the term ‘Godon,’ and
explained it to be a sobriquet of the English from their use of the
oath ‘God damn.’

Footnote 635:

A clever article in the _Edinburgh Review_, April 1855, suggests
‘Blood’ and ‘Death’ from ‘S’Blood’ and ‘S’Death,’ the abbreviated
‘God’s blood’ and ‘God’s death.’

Footnote 636:

_Vide_ page 160. Camden says the Normans were so called because ‘at
every other word they would swear _by God_.’

Footnote 637:

‘Henry Godsalve’ entered C.C. Coll. Cam. in 1614. (_Masters’ Hist._,
C.C. Coll.)

Footnote 638:

‘Item, to Jannett God-send-us, I give a caldron, and a pare of
tonges.’ (Extract of will of William Hardinge, Vicar of Heightington,
1584. W. 13.) The editor suggests she was a foundling.

Footnote 639:

The _Saturday Review_, in a criticism of my book, mentions a Rogerus
Deus-salvet-dominas in the Essex Domesday.

Footnote 640:

‘Mr. Gracedieu, Incumbent of St. James’s, Duke’s Place.’ (Strype,
London.)

Footnote 641:

A curious heraldic name is found in the 17th cent. John Poyndexter,
fellow of Exeter Coll., Oxford, was dispossessed. (Walker, _Sufferings
of the Clergy_.)

Footnote 642:

Our ‘Olyfadres’ will similarly be the expletive ‘Holy-father,’ unless,
like ‘Thomas Worthship’ (Z.), the name be but a title of respect to
some ecclesiastic functionary.

Footnote 643:

‘Good-speed’ may belong to the same class as Swift, Golightly,
Lightfoot, Roefoot, etc.—V. p. 388.

Footnote 644:

The Constable of Nottingham Castle in 1369 was one Stephen Rummelowe,
or Rumbilowe, for both forms are to be found.

Footnote 645:

‘Fulco Twelvepence’ was perhaps related to ‘Robert Shillyng,’ found in
the ‘Patent Rolls’ (State Paper Office).

Footnote 646:

A most anachronistic name is met with in the ‘Calend. Inquis. Post
Mortem,’ 30 Henry VI., in the entry ‘Robert Banknott.’ A ‘knot’ was a
small local prominence. On the bank or side of this the nominee
doubtless dwelt.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

● Transcriber’s Notes:
○ There are many instances of words and names that are hyphenated in
the body of the book, but not in the index. There are a few that
are hyphenated in the index, but not in the body of the book. The
hyphenation was left as printed.
○ Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected.
○ Typographical errors were silently corrected.
○ Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only
when a predominant form was found in this book.
○ The footnotes have been gathered into one section at the end of
the book.
○ The use of a caret (^) before one or more letters shows they are
intended to be a superscript, as in “S^t Bartholomew” or“ xx^{tie}
platters”.
○ Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_).