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

(mariage) mariage secret des princes d'Allemagne avec une personne d'un rang inf��rieur."
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_, _myst��rieux_, 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.
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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 Andre?, 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 ?vi_) 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 Andre?'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, together with the summary in the margin, "Papa nec Deus est nec homo," which appears in every old edition; for instance, in that of Paris, 1532, sig. aa. iij. So far the matter looks well, and the prospect is not hopeless. These glosses, however, were revised by another master of the Apostolic Palace, Sixtus Fabri, and were edited, under the sanction of Pope Gregory XIII., in the year 1580; and from this authentic impression the impious panegyric has not been withdrawn. The marginal abridgment has, in compliance with Manriq's direction, been exterminated; and this additional note has been appended as a palliative:--
"H?c verba sano modo sunt accipienda: prolata enim sunt ad ostendendum amplissimam esse Romani Pontificis potestatem."--Col. 4. ed. Paris, 1585.
R.G.
Poeta Anglicus (Vol ii., p. 167).--I cannot answer J.B.'s Queries; but I have fallen upon a _cross scent_, which perchance may lead to their discovery.
1. Ioannes Pitseus, _de Scriptor. ad ann._ 1250, (_Relat. Histor. de Rebus Anglicis_, ed. Par. 1619, p. 322.), gives the following account "de Michaele Blaunpaino:"--
"Michael Blaunpainus, vulgo Magister cognominatus, natione Anglus,