Notes and Queries, Number 54, November 9, 1850

Notes and Queries, Number 54, November 9,?by Various

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1850, by Various This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Notes and Queries, Number 54, November 9, 1850 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc
Author: Various
Editor: George Bell
Release Date: July 24, 2007 [EBook #22138]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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NOTES AND QUERIES:
A MEDIUM OF INTER-COMMUNICATION FOR LITERARY MEN, ARTISTS, ANTIQUARIES, GENEALOGISTS, ETC.
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"When found, make a note of."--CAPTAIN CUTTLE.
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No. 54.] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9. 1850. [Price Threepence. Stamped Edition 4d.
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CONTENTS.
NOTES:-- Page English and Norman Songs of the Fourteenth Century, by James Graves. 385 Misplaced Words in Shakspeare's Troilus and Cressida 386 Master John Shorne, by W. J. Thoms 387 Corrigenda of Printer's Errors 388 Folk-lore of Wales: No. 3. Meddygon Myddvai--No. 4. Trwyn Pwcca 388 Connexion of Words: the Word "Freight" 389 Minor Notes:--Smith's Obituary--George Wither the Poet, a Printer--Corruption of the Text of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall"--Traditional Story concerning Cardinal Wolsey 389
QUERIES:--
Early Sale of Gems, Drawings, and Curiosities 390 Minor Queries:--Quotations wanted--Death of Richard H.--Sir W. Herschel's Observations and Writings-- Swearing by Swans--Automachia--Poa cynosuwides-- Vineyards--Martin, Cockerell, and Hopkins Families--Camden's Poem on the Marriage of the Thames and Isis--National Airs of England--Poor Pillgarlick--Inscription on a Portrait--Burton's Parliamentary Diary--Tobacconists--"The Owl is abroad"--Scandal against Queen Elizabeth--Letters of Horning--Cromwell poisoned 391
REPLIES:--
Collar of SS. 393 Daniel De Foe, by W. Crafter 395 "Antiquitas S?culi Juventus Mundi" 395 Replies to Minor Queries:--Sir Gammer Vans-- Hipperswitches--Cat and Bagpipes--Forlot, Firlot, or Furlet--Sitting during the Lessons--Engelmann's Bibliotheca Auctor. Class.--News--Derivation of Orchard 396
MISCELLANEOUS:--
Notes on Books, Sales, Catalogues, &c. 398 Books and Odd Volumes Wanted 398 Notice to Correspondents 399 Advertisements 399
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Notes.
ENGLISH AND NORMAN SONGS OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.
In a vellum book, known as The Red Book of Ossory, and preserved in the archives of that see, is contained a collection of Latin religious poetry, written in a good bold hand of the 14th century; prefixed to several of the hymns, in a contemporary and identical hand, are sometimes one sometimes more lines of a song in old English or Norman French, which as they occur I here give:
"Alas hou shold y syng, yloren is my playnge Hou sholdy wiz zat olde man} } swettist of al zinge." To leven and let my leman }
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"Harrow ieo su thy: p fol amo^r de mal amy."
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"Have m^rcie on me frere: Barfote zat ygo."
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"Do Do. nightyngale syng ful myrie Shal y nevre for zyn love lengre karie."
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"Have God day me lemon," &c.
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"Gaveth me no garlond of greene, Bot hit ben of Wythones yuroght."
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"Do Do nyztyngale syng wel miry Shal y nevre for zyn love lengre kary."
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"Hew alas p amo^r Oy moy myst en tant dolour."
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"Hey how ze chevaldoures woke al nyght."
It is quite evident that these lines were thus prefixed (as is still the custom), to indicate the air to which the Latin hymns were to be sung. This is also set forth in a memorandum at the commencement, which states that these songs, Cantilene, were composed by the Bishop of Ossory for the vicars of his cathedral church, and for his priests and clerks,
"ne guttura eorum et ora deo sanctificata polluantur cantilenis teatralibus turpibus et secularibus: et cum sint cantatores, provideant sibi notis convenientibus, secundum quod dictamina requirunt."--Lib. Rub. Ossor. fol. 70.
We may, I think, safely conclude that the lines above given were the commencement of the cantilene teatrales turpes et seculares, which the good bishop wished to deprive his clergy of all excuse for singing, by providing them with pious hymns to the same airs; thinking, I suppose, like John Wesley in after years, it was a pity the devil should monopolise all the good tunes. I shall merely add that the author of the Latin poetry seems to have been Richard de Ledrede, who filled {386} the see of Ossory from 1318 to 1360, and was rendered famous by his proceedings against Dame Alice Kyteller for heresy and witchcraft. (See a contemporary account of the "proceedings" published by the Camden Society in 1843; a most valuable contribution to Irish history, and well deserving of still more