Notes and Queries, Number 42, August 17, 1850 | Page 7

curious judgmente, yf the reasons be considered as they ought. But, howsoever, yf you please to accepte it, I shall thinke my labors well bestowed; who, both in this and what ells may, devote myself to your honour, and rest,
"Your honours most affectionat servant,
"HEN. W."
The praise of Nothing is very well versified from the Latin of Passerat, whose verses Dr. Johnson thought worthy of a place in his Life of Lord Rochester. Besides Rochester's seventeen stanzas "Upon Nothing," there appears to have been another copy of verses on this fertile subject; for Flecknoe, in his _Epigrams of All Sorts_, 1671, has "Somewhat to Mr. J.A. on his excellent poem of Nothing." Is anything known of this _Nothing_?
S.W. SINGER.
Mickleham, July 29. 1850.
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MINOR QUERIES.
_Papers of Perjury._--In Leicester's Commonwealth occurs the following passage:--
"The gentlemen were all taken and cast into prison, and afterwards were sent down to Ludlow, there to wear papers of perjury."
Can any of your readers refer me to a graphic account of the custom of perjurers wearing papers denoting their crime, to which I suppose this passage alludes?
S.R.
_Church Rates._--CH. would be obliged to any of your readers who could refer him to the volume of either the _Gentleman's_ or the British Magazine which contains some remarks on the article on Church Rates in Knight's _Political Dictionary_, and on Cyric-sceat.
_St. Thomas of Lancaster's Accomplices._--In No. 15. I find an extract from Rymer, by MR. MONCKTON MILNES, relative to some accomplices of St. Thomas of Lancaster, supposed to have worked miracles.--Query, Was "The Parson of Wigan" one of these accomplices, and what was his name? Was he ever brought to trial for aiding the Earl, preaching sedition in the parish church of Wigan, and offering absolution to all who would join the standard of the barons? and what was the result of that trial--death or pardon?
CLERICUS CRAVENSIS.
_Prelates of France._--P.C.S.S. is desirous to know where he can meet with an accurate list of the Archbishops and Bishops of France (or more properly of their Sees) under the old _régime_.
_Lord Chancellor's Oath._--The gazette of the 16th July notified that the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Wilde, in council, took the oath of Lord Chancellor of Great Britain and Ireland on the 15th inst.; and the same gazette announced the direction of the Queen that letters patent be passed granting the dignity of baron to the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Wilde, Knt., Lord Chancellor of that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called Great Britain.
Why, when he is only Chancellor of Great Britain, should he take the oath of Chancellor of Great Britain _and Ireland_?
J.
_Medi?val Nomenclature._--In what work is to be obtained the best information explanatory of the nomenclature of the useful arts in medi?val times?
[Greek: delta]. {183}
_Sir Christopher Sibthorp._--Can any of your readers furnish me with information as to the ancestry of Sir Christopher Sibthorp, whose name appears in the title-page of the following tract: _A friendly Advertisement to the pretended Catholics of Ireland, by Christopher Sibthorp, Knt., one of H.M. Justices of his Court of Chief Place in Ireland_, 1622, Dublin and also as to the crest, arms, and motto borne by him.
DE BALDOC.
Alarm (Vol. ii., p. 151.).--The derivation of _alarm_, and the French _alarme_, from _à l'arme_, which your correspondent M. has reproduced, has always struck me as unsatisfactory, and as of the class of etymologies suspiciously ingenious. I do not venture to pronounce that the derivation is wrong: I merely wish to ventilate a doubt through "NOTES AND QUERIES," and invite some of your more learned readers to lily to decide the question.
Of the identity of the words alarm and alarum there is no doubt. The verb alarm is spelt alarum in old writers, and I have seen it so spelt in manuscripts of Charles II.'s reign, but unfortunately have not taken a "Note." Dr. Johnson says alarum is a corruption of alarm. Corruption, however, usually shortens words. I cannot help having a notion that alarum is the original word; and, though I may probably be showing great ignorance in doing so, I venture to propound the following Queries:--
1. How far back can the word alarum be traced in our language, and how far back _alarm_?
2. Can it be ascertained whether the French took alarme from our _alarm_, or we alarm from them?
3. Can any explanation be given of _alarum_, supposing it to be the original word? Is it a word imitative of sound?
_A l'arme_, instead of _aux armes_, adds to the suspiciousness of this derivation.
CH.
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REPLIES.
SHAKSPEARE'S USE OF "DELIGHTED."
Although Dr. Kennedy does not think I have discovered the source from whence Shakspeare's word delighted is derived, I am gratified to find that he concurs with me in drawing a distinction between this and the more common word. His failure to