Chapter C: B. N. C. J. S

[Baretti says, "Regatta, _palio che si corre sull' acqua_; a race run
on water in boats. The word I take to be corrupted from _Remigata_, the
art of rowing." Florio, in his _Worlde of Wordes_, has "_Regattare_,
Ital. to wrangle, to cope or fight for the mastery." The term, as
denoting a showy species of boat-race, was first used in this {530}
country towards the close of the last century; for the papers of that
time inform us, that on June 23, 1775, a regatta, a _novel_
entertainment, and the first of the kind, was exhibited in the river
Thames, in imitation of some of those splendid shows exhibited at
Venice on their grand festivals. The whole river, from London Bridge to
the Ship Tavern, Millbank, was covered with boats. About 1200 flags
were flying before four o'clock in the afternoon, and vessels were
moored in the river for the sale of liquors and other refreshments.
Before six o'clock it was a perfect fair on both sides the water, and
bad liquor, with short measure, was plentifully retailed. Plans of the
regatta were sold from a shilling to a penny each, and songs on the
occasion sung, in which "regatta" was the rhyme for "Ranelagh," and
"royal family" echoed to "liberty."]

_Coket and Cler-mantyn._--Piers Plowman says that when new corn began to be sold--

"Waulde no beggar eat bread that in it beanes were,
But of _coket_ and _cler-mantyn_, or else of cleane wheate."

What are _coket_ and _cler-mantyn_? Also, what are _coronation flowers_, and _sops in wine_?

CERIDWEN.

[Both _coket_ and _cler-mantyn_ mean a kind of fine bread. _Coronation_
is the name given by some of our old writers to a species of flower,
the modern appellation of which is not clear. _Sops-in-wine_ were a
species of flowers among the smaller kind of single gilliflowers or
pinks. Both these flowers are noticed by Spenser, in his _Shepherd's
Calendar_ for April, as follows:

"Bring coronations and sops-in-wine
Worn of paramours."]

* * * * *

Replies.

CURFEW.

(Vol. vi., pp. 53. 112.)

It will be remembered that when Mr. Webster, one of the greatest of American statesmen, was on his death-bed, in October last, he requested his son to read to him that far-famed "Elegy" of Gray:

"The curfew tolls the knell of parting day."

The editor of the _Boston Journal_, after referring to this circumstance, which he says has caused an unexampled demand for the works of Gray in the United States, goes on to give the result of his researches in many old English works, respecting the origin and meaning of the word _curfew_, which I trust will interest not only your correspondents who have written on the subject, but also many of your readers. I glean from the clever article now before me the following brief notices, which I have not yet met with in "N. & Q."

In King Alfred's time the curfew was rung at eight o'clock, and called the "cover fire bell," because the inhabitants, on hearing its peals, were obliged to cover their fires, and go to bed. Thomson evidently refers, in the following lines, to this tyrannical law, which was abolished in England about the year 1100:

"The shiv'ring wretches at the curfew sound,
Dejected sunk into their sordid beds,
And through the mournful gloom of ancient time,
Mused sad, or dreamt of better."

On the people finding that they could put out their fires and go to bed when they pleased, it would appear, from being recorded in many places, that the time of ringing the curfew bell was first changed from eight to nine o'clock, then from nine to ten, and afterwards to the early hours of the morning. Thus we find in _Romeo and Juliet_:

"The curfew bell hath rung: 'Tis _three o'clock_."

In Shakspeare's works frequent mention is made of the curfew. In the _Tempest_ he gives the following:

"You whose pastime
Is to make midnight mushrooms--that rejoice
To hear the solemn curfew."

In _Measure for Measure_:

"_Duke._ Who call'd here of late?
_Provost._ None since the curfew rung."

In _King Lear_:

"This is the foul fiend Flibertigibbet;
He begins at curfew, and walks to the first cock."

This old English custom of ringing the curfew bell was carried by the Puritan fathers to New England; and where is the Bostonian of middle age who does not well recollect the ringing of the church bell at nine o'clock, which was the willing signal for labourers to retire to bed, and for shopmen to close their shops?

Before closing this Note, may I be allowed to inform MR. SANSOM, that _Charlestown_ is in Massachusetts, and only separated from Boston by Charles River, which runs between the two cities. The place to which he refers is _Charleston_, and in South Carolina.

W. W.

Malta.

* * * * *

THE "SALT-PETER-MAN."

(Vol. vii., pp. 377. 433. 460.)

The statute against monopolies (21 Jac. I. c. 3.) contains a clause (sec. 10.) that its provisions should not extend to any commission grant or letters patent theretofore made, or thereafter to be made, of, for, or concerning the digging, making, or compounding of saltpetre or gunpowder, which were to be of the like force and effect, _and no other_, as if that act had never been made.

In the famous "Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom" agreed upon by the House of Commons in November, 1641, there is special allusion to the vexation and oppression of the {531} subject by purveyors, clerks of the market, and saltpetre men. (_Parliamentary History_, x. 67.)

Shortly afterwards was passed an act (which obtained the royal assent) giving liberty for importing gunpowder and saltpetre, and for making of gunpowder. The preamble asserts that the importation of gunpowder from foreign parts had of late times been against law prohibited, and the making thereof within this realm ingrossed; whereby the price of gunpowder had been excessively raised, many powder works decayed, this kingdom very much weakened and endangered, the merchants thereof much damnified, many mariners and others taken prisoners and brought into miserable captivity and slavery, many ships taken by Turkish and other pirates, and many other inconveniences had from thence ensued, and more were likely to ensue, if not timely prevented. (17 _Car. I._ c. 21.)

Lord Clarendon, in reviewing the various "important laws" of the Long Parliament to which the king assented, makes the following observations with reference to this particular act:

"'An Act for the free making Saltpetre and Gunpowder within the
Kingdom:' which was a part of the prerogative; and not only
considerable, as it restrained that precious and dangerous commodity
from vulgar hands; but, as in truth it brought a considerable revenue
to the crown, and more to those whom the crown gratified and obliged by
that license. The pretence for this exemption was, 'the unjustifiable
proceeding of those (or of inferior persons qualified by them) who had
been trusted in that employment,' by whom, it cannot be denied, many
men suffered: but the true reason was, that thereby they might be sure
to have in readiness a good stock in that commodity, against the time
their occasions should call upon them."--_History of Rebellion_, book
iii.

On the 3rd April, 1644, the Lords and Commons passed an ordinance for the making of saltpetre, &c. This was grounded on the following allegations:

"1. The great expence of gunpowder, occasioned by the then war within
his Majesty's dominions, had well near consumed the old store, and did
exhaust the magazines so fast, that without a larger supply, the navy
forts and the land armies could not be furnished.

"2. Foreign saltpetre was not in equal goodness with that of our own
country, and the foreign gunpowder far worse conditioned and less
forcible than that which is made in England.

"3. Divers foreign estates had of date prohibited the exportation of
salt-peter and gunpowder out of their own dominions and countries, so
that there could be but little hope or future expectation of any peter
or powder to be brought into this kingdom, as in former times, which
would enforce us to make use of our own materials."

From these circumstances, it was held most necessary that the digging of saltpetre and making of gunpowder should by all fit means be encouraged, at that time when it so much concerned the public safety; nevertheless, to prevent the reviving of those _oppressions and exactions_ exercised upon the people, under the colourable authority of commissions granted to _salt-peter-men_; which burden had been eased since the sitting of that Parliament. To the end there might not be any pretence to interrupt the work, it was ordained that the committee of safety, their factors, workmen, and servants, should have power and authority, (within prescribed hours) to search and dig for saltpetre in all pigeon-houses, stables, cellars, vaults, empty warehouses, and other outhouses, yards, and places likely to afford that earth.

The _salt-peter-men_ were to level the ground and repair damage done by them; or might be compelled to do so by the deputy-lieutenants, justices of the peace, or committees of parliament.

The _salt-peter-men_ were also empowered to take carts, by the known officers, for carriage of the liquor, vessels, and other utensils, from place to place, at specified prices, and under limitations as to weight and distance; and they were freed from taxes and tolls for carriages used about their works, and empowered to take outhouses, &c., for their workhouses, making satisfaction to the owners.

This ordinance was to continue for two years, from 25th March, 1644.

An ordinance of a similar character was passed 9th February, 1652, to be in force till 25th March, 1656 (_Scobell_, 231.).

By an act of the Lord Protector and Parliament, made in 1656, it was enacted that no person or persons should dig within the houses or lands of any person or persons of the commonwealth for the finding of saltpetre, nor take the carriages of any person or persons for the carrying of their materials or vessels, without their leave first obtained or had. (_Scobell_, 377.) This is the act referred to by BROCTUNA ("N. & Q.," Vol. vii., p. 434.), and by my friend MR. ISAIAH DECK ("N. & Q.," Vol. vii., p. 460.), though I am not certain that MR. DECK'S inference be correct, that this act was passed in consequence of the new and uncertain process for obtaining the constituents of nitre having failed; and it is quite clear that Lord Coke could not have referred to this act. The enactment referred to is introduced by way of proviso in an act allowing the exportation of goods of English manufacture (_inter alia_, of gunpowder, when the price did not exceed 5l. per cwt.).

Allow me, in connexion, with this subject, to refer to Cullum's _History of Hawsted_, 1st edition, pp. 150. and 151., also to the statute 1 Jac. II. c. 8. s. 3., by which persons obtaining any letters patent for the sole making or importing gunpowder are subjected to the pains and penalties of præmunire.