Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Monthly Magazine," is a popular fallacy, for after a careful perusal of the most approved works that treat of Nobility, and of its origin, in these realms in particular, we are left very much in the dark as to the original patent, in which this branch of it is recognised. Neither Camden, in his "Etymologie and Original of Barons," nor Dugdale, in his "Baronetage of England," nor Selden (a more ex act and laborious inquirer than either), in his "Titles of Honour,” afford a glimpse of satisfaction upon the subject. There is an heraldic term, indeed, which seems to imply gentility, and the right to coat armour (but nothing further), in persons thus qualified. But the sinister bend is more properly interpreted, by the best writers on this science, of some irregularity of birth, than of bodily conformation. Nobility is either hereditary, or by creation, commonly called patent. Of the former kind the title in question cannot be, seeing that the notion of it is limited to a personal distinction, which does not necessarily follow in the blood. Honours of this nature, as Mr. Anstey very well observes, descend moreover in a right line. It must be by patent then, if any thing. But, who can show it? How comes it to be dormant? Under what king's reign is it pretended? Among the grounds of nobility, cited by the learned Mr. Ashmole, after Services in the Field or in the Council Chamber," he judiciously sets down "Honours conferred by the sovereign out of mere benevolence, or as favouring one subject rather than another, for some likeness or conformity observed (or but supposed) in him to the royal nature ;" and instances the graces showered upon Charles Brandon, who "in his goodly person being thought not a little to favour the port and bearing of the king's own majesty, was by that sovereign, King Henry the Eighth, for some or one of these respects, highly promoted and preferred." Here, if any where, we thought we had discovered a clue to our researches. But after a painful investigation of the rolls and records under the reign of Richard the Third, or Richard Crouchback, as he is more usually designated in the chronicles, from a traditionary stoop, or gibbosity in that part,we do not find that that monarch conferred any such lordships, as are here pretended, upon any subject, or subjects, on a simple plea of "conformity" in that respect to the "royal nature." The posture of affairs in those tumultuous times, preceding the battle of Bosworth, possibly left him at no leisure to attend to such niceties.— Further than his reign we have not extended our inquiries; the kings of England who preceded, or followed him, being generally described by historians to have been of straight and clean limbs, the “ tural derivative (says Daniel) of high blood, if not its primitive recommendation to such ennoblement, as denoting strength and martial prowess-the qualities set most by in that fighting age." Another motive, which inclines us to scruple the validity of this claim, is the remarkable fact, that none of the persons, in whom the right is supposed to be vested, do ever insist upon it themselves. There is no instance of any of them "sueing his patent," as the law-books call it; much less of his having actually stepped up into his proper seat, as, so qualified, we might expect that some of them would have had the spirit to do, in the House of Lords. On the contrary, it seems to be a distinction thrust upon them. "Their title of Lord (says one of their own body, speaking of the common people) I never much valued, and now I entirely despise: and yet they will force it pon me as an honour which they have a right to bestow, and which I have none to refuse." Upon a dispassionate review of the sub

na

ject, we are disposed to believe that there is no right to the peerage incident to mere bodily configuration; that the title in dispute is merely honorary, and depending upon the breath of the common people; which in these realms is so far from the power of conferring nobility, that the ablest constitutionalists have agreed in nothing more unanimously, than in the maxim that the King is the sole fountain of honour.

GOWK AND CUCKOO.

"On the first day of April,

Hunt the Gowk another inile."

This is called "hunting the Gowk ;" and the bearer of the fool's errand is called an April Gowk." Brand says, that Gowk is properly a Cuckoo, and is used here metaphorically for a fool; this appears correct, for from the Saxon geac, a cuckoo, is derived geck.* which means, one easily imposed on. Malvolio, who had been made a fool by a letter purporting to have been written by Olivia, enquires of her

"Why have you suffered me to be

Made the most notorious geck and gull
That e'er invention play'd on ?"

Olivia affirms, that the letter was not written by her, and exclaims to Malvolio

"Alas, poor fool! how they have baffled thee!"

Geck is likewise derivable from the Teutonic geck, jocus.†

STALKING HORSE.

This general term for some insignificant person or thing, thrust intentionally forward to conceal a more important object, had originally a more definite meaning. The Albanian sportsmen, Dr. Clark says, still use it, practising the old method of shooting with one, i. e. by carrying the picture of a horse or a cow, behind which they concealed themselves, and take their aim through a hole in the picture. Among us, the "Stalking-horse" was either a real horse, (an old jade trained for the purpose), and walking up and down in the water, which way the sportsman pleased, or a piece of old canvas shaped like a horse grazing, stuffed, painted brown, and fixed to a staff, with a sharp iron at one end to stick in the ground; when the fowl became familiar with the horse, the sportsmen varied the device by using a stalking ox or cow, and stalking stags or deer, especially for fenny grounds, and even trees, shrubs, and bushes, all of painted canvas.

BEARS AND BULLS.

The word Bear, applied to a certain class on the Stock Exchange, signifies one who insures a real value upon an imaginary thing, and who is said to sell a Bear, which is the same thing as a promise among courtiers, or a vow between lovers. The party called a Bull is the opposite contracting party. It takes its origin merely from the circumstance, that the Bear being a voracious animal generally sacrifices the Bull when an opportunity presents itself.

* Ash.

+ Jamieson, in Nare's Glossary.

YORKSHIRE BITE!

The misapplication of the original meaning of this term is very general. We always use it to convey a feeling of mis-trust; or, a fear of coming in contact with one more adept in cunning than ourselves. It is true Yorkshiremen are keen dealers; this, however, is no detraction; on the contrary, it is an evidence of industrious habits. The hospitality for which they are so famous gave rise to the term Yorkshire-bite. It is said, that the fatted calf and flowing bowl greet the stranger at every step, and after the common salutation, the question "will you bite ?" or "will you sup is sure to follow; and from this originated a term, used as a sarcasm, but which, in point of fact, derived as it is, ought to be used as a compliment.

VILLAIN.

The epithet Villain, now a term of great reproach, is derived from vill, or lordship; and which signified one who was a servant during life, and deviseable as chattels, in the feudal times: In 1572, Queen Elizabeth ordered her bond-men to be set free, at very easy rates.

VICAR OF BRAY!

This epithet is derived from Bray, in Berks, whose Vicar, from the reign of Henry 8th to Elizabeth, changed his religion three times, and being called a turn-coat, said, he kept to his principles, that of living and dying Vicar of Bray.

BUGG-A-BO!

Bugg-a-bo, or Buggan-bo, was originally no more than mothers frightening their children with the "bull-bo, bull-bo," which the little one, not rightly pronouncing, called Bugg-a-bo. It is properly bogle-bo,-bogle signifying a malevolent spirit; the Shropshire term, buggan-bo, meaning the same thing. If a horse takes fright, they say, he spies a buggan !

COWARD.

A feudal expression, implying Cow-herd, for which office a man void of courage was deemed only fit for.

APRIL FOOL!

"April the first, stands mark'd by customs rules,

A day for making, and for being fools.

But say, what custom or what rule supplies

A day for making, or for being wise."

It has been very often inquired, from whence this custom was derived. The Editor believes it to be a custom of great antiquity.The ancients Irad many rites and ceremonies in honour of their gods. The Romans kept their Saturnalia, in honour of Saturn, beginning on the 17th December, which lasted during five days. Bocharius is of opinion, they took their origin from Noah's drunkenness. These were times when all business ceased, except cooking; when servants might command their masters, and slaves become unruly without fear of punishment. The Bachanalia, or feasts in honour of Bacchus, lasted three days, and commenced after the vine harvests, and then drunkenness was the privilege of all. The Stultinaria were confined to one day, the first of April, when the idiots had

their annual holiday, and when children were encouraged to make derision of them, and send them on needless errands, &c. Some writers are of opinion, that the Romans had much policy in allowing these feasts, or holidays. By the first (Saturnalia), they saw how servants and slaves would act, had they power. By the second (Bachanalia), they were able to discover the natural inclinations and vices of all that inebriated themselves. And the encouragement they gave to childreu, in the third instance (Stultinaria), to deride fools, would, they hoped, make them desirous to receive their edu cation, lest they might, in time, become themselves objects of derision and contempt.

[blocks in formation]

Go look for truth in deism, or sense in absenteeism,
Or discouragement to theism, in a Cambridge school,
Court an author for his pence, read Shelley for his sense,
And dub yourself from hence-forth an April fool.

Believe that rebel Brougham, with Bennet and with Hume,
Hath caused our present gloom, like an envious goule,
Or that Canning in his station has delivered to the nation
An exceeding dull oration-oh, you April fool!

Believe that Irving preaches in a pair of shooting breeches,
And that Mrs. Coutts enriches each aspiring tool,

Or that holy Theodore Hook (who will soon be made a duke)
Hath writ a pious book-oh, you April fool!

Believe that the Lord Mayor (oh wondrous!) had a share
In the writing of that ere "Paul Pry" with Poole,
And that Alderman Sir Billy, most shamefully called silly,
Composed "Sir Andrew Wylie"-oh, you April fool!

Believe that of Blackwood the editor is Packwood,

Whose razors will hack wood, and by the same rule
That our very famous hero, Duke Wellington, like Nero,*
Danced in Berlin a bolero-oh, you April fool!

Believe, sir, moreover, that Coleridge sailed over
From Calais to Dover on a witch's stool,

Believe, too, which is oddest, (or in Latin mirum quod est)
That Cobbett has turned modest-oh, you April fool!
Believe, if you please, that the moon is made of cheese,
And that lawyers pocket fees as a novel rule;

That Billingsgate's fair frys no longer d-n your eyes,
But are elegant and wise-oh, you April fool!

Believe all this, I pray, set forth in my lay,

(Don't you think it witty, eh ?) and you'll need no school
Ing to tell you that this song is as humorous as long,
And as sensible as strong-oh, you April fool!

Monthly Magazine.

The rhyme obliges me to this-sometimes

Kings are not more imperative than rhymes.-Byron.

WHIGS AND TORIES.

"Party is the madness of many, for the gain of a few."

In the year 1680, two parties were formed, called the Addressers and Abhorrers; out of which arose the after-party appellations of Whigs and Tories. The Whigs were directed by the Earl of Shaftesbury, and the Tories by Mr. afterwards Sir Roger L'Estrange, and others. Another writer gives the following derivation :

"Whig and Tory, the epoch of 1680. The first was a name of reproach, given by the Court party to their antagonists, for resembling the principles of the Whigs, or fanatical Conventiclers in Scotland; and the other was given by the country party to that of the court, comparing them to the Tories, or Popish Robbers in Ireland. They formerly were called Whigs from Whiggamors, a name given to the Scots in the South-west, who for want of corn in that quarter, used annually to repair to Leith, to buy stores that came from the North, and all that drove were called Whiggamors, or Whiggs, from the term Whiggam, which they used in driving their horses. In the year 1638, the Presbyterian Ministers incited an insurrection against the court, and marched with the people to Edinburgh; this was called "the Whiggamor's Inroad," and after this, all who opposed administration were called Whigs; hence the term was adopted in England."

CAMARILLA.

The party thus termed in Spain, take their name from a small room in the king's apartments, formerly destined as a sitting room for the attendants of the second class, whose office was to answer the king's bell.

The pleasure which Ferdinand even from his infancy always found in the company of the lowest and most vulgar of the royal household, made him so often frequent this place, that at last it became the general rendezvous of his friends. Here assembled a swarm of ambitious intriguers, monks, spies, inquisitors, sycophant military, and various other vagabonds.

These were the elements with which the secret society, called by some 66 The anchor of the faith and of the king," began their labours.

MEN OF KENT.

"When Harold was invaded, and falling lost his crown,

And Norman William waded, thro' gore to pull him down;
When countries round, with fear profound,

Bewail'd their sad condition;

The Men of Kent, to battle went,

Bold Kent made no submission:

Then sing in praise of the men, so loyal, brave, and free,
Among Britain's sons, if one surpass, the Man of Kent is he."

It is recorded, when Harold, or rather England, was invaded by William, a portion of the inhabitants of Kent went out to'meet him, covered with oak boughs, in order to deceive him as to their numbers. They were headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Upon arriving at Hastings, which was just at the crisis of the battle, they only agreed to lay down their arms, on condition that their ancient privileges of Gavel-kind Law, and the exemption of tythes, was secured to them. This William readily granted, foreseeing that men who fought for their ancient privileges and liberties, were far more

« ZurückWeiter »