Chapter C: W. B

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DERIVATION OF MAWMET.--CAME.

(Vol. viii., pp. 468. 515.)

That the word _mawmet_ is a derivation from the name of Mahomet, is rendered exceedingly probable by two circumstances taken in connexion: its having been in common use to signify an idol, in the age immediately following that of the Crusades; and the fact, that in the public opinion and phraseology of that time, a Saracen and an idolater were synonymous. In the metrical romances of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Mahometanism is described as "hethenesse," and Saracens as "paynims," "heathens," and "folks of the heathen law." The objects of their faith and worship were supposed to be Mahomet, Jupiter, Apollo, Pluto, and Termagaunt. Thus, in the romance of _Richard Coeur de Lion_:

"They slowe euery Sarezyn,
And toke the temple of Apolyn."--L. 4031-2.

"That we our God Mahoun forsake."--L. 4395.

"And made ther her (their) sacryfyse,
To Mahoun, and to Jupiter."--L. 4423.

"But to Termagaunt and Mahoun,
They cryede fast, and to Plotoun."--L. 6421-2.
Weber's _Metrical Romances_, vol. ii.

The editor says:

"There is no doubt that our romance existed before the year 1300, as it
is referred to in the _Chronicles of Robert de Gloucester and Robert de
Brunne_."--Vol. i. Introd., p. xlvi.

In the same poem, the word _mawmettes_ is used to signify idols:

"Sarazynes before hym _came_,
And asked off hym Crystendame.
Ther wer crystend, as I find,
More than fourty thousynd.
Kyrkes they made off Crystene lawe,
And her (their) _Mawmettes_ lete down drawe."
L. 5829-44.

In Wiclif's translation of the New Testament also, the word occurs in the same sense: _mawmetis_, _idolis_, and _false goddis_ being used indifferently where _idola_ or _simulacra_ are employed in the Latin Vulgate: thus--

"Fle ghe fro worschipyng of _mawmetis_."
1 Cor. x. 14.

"My litel sones kepe ye you fro _mawmetis_."
1 John v. 21.

And in Acts vii. 41., the golden calf is designated by the same word, in the singular number:

"And thei maden a calf in the daies, and offriden a sacrifice to the
_mawmet_."

In the first line of the quotation last given from _Richard Coeur de Lion_, your correspondent H. T. G. will find an early instance of the word _came_; whether _early enough_, I cannot say. In Wiclif's version, _cam_, _came_, and _camen_ are the usual expressions answering to "came" in our translation. If above five hundred and fifty years' possession does not give a word a good title to its place in our language, without a conformity to Anglo-Saxon usage, the number of words that must fall under the same imputation of novelty and "violent infringement" is very great indeed.

J. W. THOMAS.

Dewsbury.

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THE GOSLING FAMILY.

(Vol. vi., p. 510.)

ONE OF THE FLOCK asks for information relative to the antiquity of the name and family of Gosling. The Norman name of Gosselin is evidently the same as that of Jocelyn, the tendency of the Norman dialect being to substitute a hard _g_ for the _j_ or soft _g_, as _gambe_ for _jambe_, _guerbe_ for _gerbe_. As a family name it is far from uncommon in Normandy, and many of your antiquarian readers may recognise it as the name of a publisher at Caen of works on the antiquities of that province. A family of the name of Gosselin has been established for many centuries in the island of Guernsey. William Gocelyn was one of those sworn upon the inquest as to the services, customs, and liberties of the island, and the laws established by King John, which inquest was confirmed by King Henry III. in the year 1248. In the year 1331 an extent of the crown revenues, &c. was made by order of Edward III., and in this document the name of Richard Gosselin appears as one of the jury of the parish of St. Peter-Port.

A genealogy of the Guernsey family of Gosselin is to be found in the appendix to Berry's history of that island, and it is there stated that--

"The first on record in Jersey is Robert Gosselin, who greatly assisted
in rescuing the castle of Mont Orgueil from the French in the reign of
Edward III., and was, for his gallant services, not only appointed
governor of the castle by that monarch, but presented with the arms
since borne by that family (viz. Gules, a {83} chevron between three
crescents ermine), as appears by the original grant under the great
seal of England, supposed to be upon record in the Tower of London, or
among the archives at Winchester. This Robert Gosselin some time after
settled in Guernsey, where he married Magdelaine, daughter of William
Maltravers, his majesty's lieutenant in that island."

On referring to Burke's _Armory_, I find that families of the name of Gosselin, Gosling, and Gooseling all bear arms similar to those described above, or but slightly differing, which affords a strong presumption that they are all descended from the same stock. The arms of Gosselin of Normandy are quite different.

HONORÉ DE MAREVILLE.

Guernsey.

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PHOTOGRAPHIC CORRESPONDENCE.

_Tent for Collodion Purposes._--Some time ago, I saw in "N. & Q." a slight notice of a tent for the collodion process: I think it is called "Francis' Collodion Tent." Would you, or some of your photographic correspondents, oblige me by giving a short description of this tent, or any other form, so that I may be able to operate with collodion in the open air?

I am of an opinion, with a portable tent, so that we could expose paper in a damp state, the process might be done nearly as quick as collodion. All that need be done for a paper negative, would be to expose and develop; it can be fixed at home. But after being developed, it should be well washed and dried.

JAMES O. CLAZEY.

_Multiplying Negatives and Collodion on Paper._--As I am desirous of printing a large quantity of copies of a glass negative in my possession, I shall be obliged by any hints as to the best method of multiplying such negative, so as to guard against an accident from breakage.

I should also feel obliged for any hints upon the use of collodion applied to glass, paper intervening; so that the paper may be afterwards removed from the glass, and used as a negative. I have heard of much success in this way, but am at a loss to know the best mode of operation.