Notes and Queries, Number 16, February 16, 1850

    S.G.

[To which may be added, on the information of our valued correspondent "C.," "that it was about 1824 that Mr. Wyatt, being appointed by George IV. to conduct the improvements at Windsor Castle, had the absurd ambition of distinguishing himself from the other architects of his name by changing it to Wyattville. This produced the following epigram in, I think, the Morning Chronicle:—

"'Let GEORGE whose restlessness leaves nothing quiet,
Change, if he will, the good old name of Wyatt;
But let us hope that their united skill
May not make Windsor Castle—Wyattsville!'"]

"Peruse."—In reply to the question of "H.W." (No. 14. p. 215.), although from want of minute reference I have been unable to find, in the original edition, the quotation from Frith's works, I beg leave to suggest that the word "Peruse" is a misprint, and that the true reading is "Pervise." To this day the first examination at Oxford, commonly called the "Little-Go," is "Responsiones in Parviso." It must not, however, be supposed that "Pervise," or "Parvise," is derived from the Latin "Parvus;" the origin, according to Spelman and succeeding etymologists, is the French "Le Parvis," a church porch.

In London the Parvis was frequented by serjeants at law: see Chaucer, Prol. Cant. Tales. There is a difference of opinion where it was situated: see Tyrwhitt's Gloss. The student in ecclesiastical history may compare Leo Allatius de Templis Græcorum, p. 44.

    T.J.

Autograph Mottoes of Richard Duke of Gloucester and Harry Duke of Buckingham. (No. 9. p. 138.)—There can be no doubt that "Mr. NICOLS" is somewhat wrong in his interpretation of the Duke of Buckingham's Motto. It is evident that both mottoes are to be read continuously, and that "souene" is the third person singular of a verb having "loyaulte" for its nominative case. It appears to me that the true reading of the word is "soutienne," and that the meaning of the motto is "My feelings of loyalty often sustain me in my duty to the King when I am tempted to join those who bear no good feeling towards him." So that we shall have in English,

    ARUN.

Boduc.—Your correspondent "P." (No. 12, p. 185.) seems to consider the "prevailing opinion," that Boduc or Boduoc on the British coin must be intended for our magnanimous Queen Boadicea, to be merely a "pleasing vision," over which he is "sorry to cast a cloud." Yet his own remark, that the name Budic (a mere difference in spelling) is often found among families of the Welsh in Brittany, and that the name was once common in England, serves only to confirm the common opinion that Boduoc on the coins was intended as the name of the British Queen.

Dio expressly writes her name in Greek Boudouica, which approaches nearly to Budic. In Cornwall we still find Budock, the name of a parish and of a saint. In Oxford there was a church formerly called from St. Budoc, long since destroyed. Leland mentions a Mr. Budok, and his manor place, and S. Budok Church. His opinion was, that "this Budocus was an Irisch man, and cam into Cornewalle, and ther dwellid." Whether there was a Regulus of Britain of this name, is not material. I am not prepared to cast a cloud over it, if it should be found. Our motto should be, "ex fumo dare lucem," &c.

    ANTINEPHELEGERETA.

Oxford.

Annus Trabeationis.—I am sure that you will allow me to correct an oversight in your reply to a query of "G.P.," in No. 7. p. 105. You have attributed to Du Cange a sentence in the Benedictine addition to his explanation of the term Trabeatio. (Glossar. tom. vi. col. 1158. Venet. 1740.) This word certainly signifies the Incarnation of Christ, an not his Crucifixion. Besides the occurrence of "trabea carnis indutus," at the commencement of a sermon on S. Stephen by S. Fulgentius Ruspensis, I have just now met with the expressions, "trabea carnis velatus," and "carnis trabea amicti," in a copy of the editio princeps of the Latin version of Damascen's books in defence of Image-worship, by Godefridus Tilmannus, fol. 30 b. 39 a, 4to. Paris, 1555.

    R.G.

MISCELLANIES

Pursuits of Literature.—The lines upon the pursuits of literature, quoted by you at p. 212., remind me of some others, which I have heard ascribed to Mr. Grattan, and are as follows:—

"'Tis well, Pursuits of Literature!
But who, and what is the pursuer,
A Jesuit cursing Popery:
A railer preaching charity;
A reptile, nameless and unknown,
Sprung from the slime of Warburton,
Whose mingled learning, pride, and blundering,
Make wise men stare, and set fools wondering."

    X.
Doctor Dobbs and his Horse Nobbs.—I remember having read somewhere of "Doctor Dobbs and his horse Nobbs," but where I cannot now recall. I only remember one anecdote. The horse Nobbs was left, one cold night, outside a cottage, whilst the Doctor was within officiating as accoucheur (I believe); when he was ready to start, and came out, he found the horse apparently dead. The Doctor was miles from home, and, as the horse was dead, and the night dark, in place of walking home, he, with his host, dragged the horse into the kitchen, and skinned him, by way of passing the time profitably. But, lo! when the skinning was finished, the horse gave signs of returning animation. What was to be done? Doctor Dobbs, fertile in resources, got sheepskins and sewed them on Nobbs, and completely clothed him therein; and—mirabile dictu!—the skins became attached to the flesh, Nobbs recovered, and from thenceforward carried a woolly coat, duly shorn every summer, to the profit of Doctor Dobbs, and to the wonder and admiration of the neighbourhood.

I have also read somewhere that Coleridge told the story of "Doctor Dobbs and his horse Nobbs" to Southey at Oxford.

    J.M.B.

Dr. Dobbs and his Horse Nobbs.—Although of small moment, it is, perhaps, worth recording, that a Doctor Daniel Dove, of Doncaster, and his horse Nobbs, form the subjects of a paper in "The Nonpareil, or the Quintessence of Wit and Humour," published in 1757, and which, there can be little doubt, was the source whence Southey adopted, without alteration, the names so well known to all readers of the Doctor.

    JNO. SUDLOW.

Manchester.

Seeing the communication of "P.C.S.S." (p. 73.), reminds me of a note taken from our Parish Register:—

"1723. Feb. 10. 'Dorothy Dove, gentlewoman, bur.'"

I have never seen the name in connection with Doncaster before or since the above date.

    J.S.

Doncaster, Jan. 15.

——SI PROPIUS STES,

TE CAPIET MINUS

(From the Latin of Vincent Bourne.)

Glide down the Thames by London Bridge, what time
St. Saviour's bells strike out their evening chime;
Forth leaps the ompetuous cataract of sound,
Dash'd into noise by countless echoes round.
Pass on—it follows—all the jarring notes
Blend in celestial harmony, that floats
Above, below, around: the ravish'd ear
Finds all the fault its own—it was TOO NEAR.

    RUFUS.
St. Evona's Choice.—To your citation of Ben Jonson's exceptional case of the Justice Randall as "a lawyer an honest man," in justice add the name of the learned and elegant author of Eunomus; for Mr. Wynne himself tells the story of St. Evona's choice (Dialogue II. p. 62. 3rd ed. Dublin, 1791), giving his authority in the following note:—

"The story here dressed up is told in substance in a small book published in 1691, called a Description of the Netherlands," p. 58.

In strict law, Sir, the profession may in courts of Momus be held bound by the act of the respectable but unlucky St. Evona; but in equity, let me respectfully claim release, for Evona was a churchman.

    A TEMPLAR.

[We gladly insert our correspondent's "claim to release," but doubt whether he can establish it; inasmuch as St. Ivo or Evona, canonized on account of his great rectitude and profound knowledge both of civil and canon law, was both lawyer and churchman, like the CLERICUS so recently discussed in our columns; and clearly sought for and obtained his patron saint in his legal character.]

Muffins and Crumpets, &c.—Not being quite satisfied with the etymology of "muffin," in p. 205., though brought by Urquhart from Phoenicia and the Pillars of Hercules, I am desirous of seeking additional illustration. Some fancy that "coffee" was known to Athenæus, and that he saw it clearly in the "black broth" of the Lacedæmonian youth. In the same agreeable manner we are referred to that instructive and entertaining writer for the corresponding luxury of "muffins." Maphula, we are told, was one of those kinds of bread named as such by Athenæus; that is to say, "a cake baked on a hearth or griddle." If we need go so far, why not fetch our muffins from Memphis, which is Môph in Hebrew? (See Hosea, ix. 6.) It is, perhaps, mou-pain, in old French, soft bread, easily converted into mouffin. So "crumpet" may be a corruption of crumpâte a paste made of fine flour, slightly baked. The only difficulty would then be in the first syllable, concerning, which the ingenuity of your various correspondents, Mr. Editor, may be exercised to some effect. Is it connected with the use of the crimping irons in producing these delicacies?

    HYPOMAGIRUS.

Oxford.

Dulcarnon.—Dulcarnon is one of those words in Chaucer which Tyrwhitt professes that he does not understand. It occurs in Trolius and Creseide, book iii. 931.933. Creseide says:—