Notes and Queries, Number 45, September 7, 1850 | Page 8

into a Path of Perdition. With a Postscript of
Advertisements, especially touching the Homilie and Epistles attributed
to Alfric: and a compendious Retortiue Discussion of the misapplyed
By-way. Avthor T.T. Sacristan and Catholike Romanist.--Catvapoli,
apud viduam Marci Wyonis. Anno MDCXXXII." Sm. 8vo. pp. xvi. 570.
198.
It is an answer to Sir Humphrey Lynd's Via Tuta and Via Devia. In
Wood's _Ath. Oxon._, edit. Bliss, fol. ii. col. 602, two answers to the
Via Tuta are mentioned; but this is not noticed. From the author stating
in the preface, "I confesse, Sir Humfrey, I am Tom Teltruth, who
cannot flatter or dissemble," I suppose the initials T.T. to be fictitious.
John I. Dredge.
_Morganatic Marriages.--Morganatique._--What is the derivation of
this word, and what its _actual signification_?
In the _Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française_ (ed. 4to., 1835), the
word does not appear. In Boister's Dictionnaire Universel (Bruxelles,
1835) it is thus given:--
"Morganatique, _adj. 2 g._, nocturne, mystérieux, entrainée par
séduction; (mariage) mariage secret des princes d'Allemagne avec une
personne d'un rang inférieur."
And the same definition is given by Landais (Paris, 4to., 1842), but this
does not give the derivation or literal signification of the word
"morganatic." It is not in Johnson's _Dictionary_; but in Smart's
Dictionary Epitomized (Longman and Co., 1840) it is thus given:--
"Morganatic, _a._, applied to the marriage in which a gift in the
morning is to stand in lieu of dowry, or of all right of inheritance, that
might otherwise fall to the issue."
This, however, is inconsistent with the definition of _nocturne_,
_mystérieux_, for the gift in lieu of dowry would have nothing of
mystery in it.
Will some of your correspondents afford, if they can, any reasonable
explanation which justifies the application of the word to inferior or
left-handed marriages?
G.
[Will our correspondent accept the following as a satisfactory reply?]

Morganatic Marriage (Vol. ii, p. 72.).--The fairy Morgana was married
to a mortal. Is not this a sufficient explanation of the term morganatic
being applied to marriages where the parties are of unequal rank?
S.S.
_Gospel of Distaffs._--Can any reader say where a copy of the Gospel
of Distaffs may be accessible? It was printed by Wynkyn de Worde,
and Sir E. Brydges, who describes it, says a complete copy was in Mr.
Heber's library. A few leaves are found in Bagford's Collection,
Harleian MS. 5919., which only raises the desire to see the whole.
Dibdin's _Ames' Typography_, vol. ii. p. 232., has an account of it.
W. Bell.
* * * * * {232}
REPLIES.
POETA ANGLICUS.
Every proof or disproof of statements continually made with regard to
the extravagant titles assumed, or complacently received, by the
bishops of Rome being both interesting and important, the inquiry of
J.B. (Vol. ii., p. 167.) is well deserving of a reply. Speaking of a
passage cited by Joannes Andreæ, in his gloss on the preface to the
Clementines, he asks, "who is the Anglicus Poeta?" and "what is the
name of his poem," in which it is said to the pope, "Nec Deus es nec
homo, quasi neuter es inter utrumque?"
"Poetria nova" was the name assigned to the hexameter poem
commencing, "Papa stupor mundi," inscribed, about the year 1200, to
the reigning Pope, Innocent III., by Galfridus de Vino salvo. Of this
work several manuscript copies are to be met with in England. I will
refer only to two in the Bodleian, Laud. 850. 83.: Ken. Digb. 1665. 64.
Polycarp Leyser (_Hist. Poem. medii Ævi_) published it in 1721; and
Mabillon has set forth another performance by the same writer in
elegiac verse (_Vet. Analect._ pp. 369-76., Paris, 1723). In the latter

case the author's name is not given, and accordingly he is entered
merely as "Poeta vetus" in Mr. Dowling's _Notitia Scriptorum SS. Pat._,
sc. p. 279., Oxon., 1839. Your correspondent may compare with
Andreæ's extract these lines, and those which follow them, p. 374.:
"Papa brevis vox est, sed virtus nominis hujus Perlustrat quiequid arcus
uterque tenet."
Galfridus evidently derived his surname from his treatise on vines and
wine; and he has been singularly unfortunate in the epithet, for I have
never seen VIN-SAUF correctly printed. It varies from "de Nine salvo"
to "Mestisauf." Pits and Oudin call him "Vinesalf" and Fabricius and
Mansi change him into "Vine fauf."
The question now remains, Are the Roman Pontiffs and their Church
answerable for the toleration of such language? Uncertainty may on
this occasion be removed by our recollection of the fact, that a
"Censura" upon the glosses of the papal canon law, by Manriq, Master
of the Sacred Palace, was issued by the command of Pope Pius V. in
1572. It was reprinted by Pappus, Argent. 1599, 12mo., and 1609, 8vo.,
and it contains an order for the expurgation of the words before quoted,