Notes and Queries, Number 69, February 22, 1851 | Page 6

of it:--
"Nomen illi fuerat Franscisco, à sacro lavacro, Cani à gentilitate,
Magno à merito rerum gestarum. Neque enim Canis ab illo latranti
animali dictus est, ut recte monet Jovius, sed quod linguâ Windorum,
unde principes Veronenses oriundos vult, Cahan idem est, quod linguâ
Serviana Kral, id est Rex, aut Princeps. Nam in gente nostrâ multi

fuerunt Canes, Mastini, Visulphi Guelphi."--P. 17.
This letter consists of about 58 pages, and stands first in the edition of
1627. It is addressed "ad Janum Dousam," and was written to vindicate
his family from certain indignities which he conceived had been put
upon it. Sansovino and Villani, it appears, had referred its origin to
Mastin II., "qui," to use Scaliger's version of the matter,--
"Qui primus dictator populi Veronensis perpetuus creatus est, quem et
auctorem nobilitatis Scaligeræ et Scalarum antea fabrum
impudentissime nugantur hostes virtutis majorum nostrorum."
It was bad enough to ascribe their origin to so recent a date, but to
derive it from a mere mechanic was more than our author's patience
could endure. Accordingly he is not sparing of invective against those
who so disparage his race.
Vappa, nebulo, and similar terms, are freely applied to their characters;
invidia, [Greek: kakoêtheia], &c., to their motives. The following is a
specimen of the way he handles them:--
"Dantes Poëta illustrissimum Christianissimorum Regum Franciæ
genus à laniis Parisiensibus deducit, utique tam vere, quam ille tenebrio
nostrum à scalarum fabro: quas mirum, ni auctor generis in suspendium
eorum parabat, quos vaticinabatur illustri nobilitate suæ obtrectaturos."
Now the charge of a ladder upon their shield was certainly borne by the
several branches of this family long before any of them became masters
of Verona; and I should suggest that it originated in some brilliant
escalade of one of the first members of it. Thus, of course, it would
remind us all of perhaps the earliest thing of the kind--I mean the shield
and bearings of Eteoclus before Thebes:
"[Greek: Eschêmatistai d' aspis ou smikron tropon;] [Greek: Anêr d'
hoplitês klimakos prosambaseis] [Greek: Steichei pros echthrôn purgon,
ekpersai thelôn.]" Sept. c. Thebas, 461.
WALDEGRAVE BREWSTER.

H----n, Jan. 28. 1851.
* * * * *
INEDITED BALLAD ON TRUTH.
I send you herewith a copy of an ancient ballad which I found this day
while in search of other matters. I have endeavoured to explain away
the strange orthography, and I have conjecturally supplied the last line.
The ballad is unhappily imperfect. I trust that abler antiquaries than
myself will give their attention to this fragmentary poem.
"A BALADE OF TROUTHE.
(Harl. MSS. No. 48. folio 92.)
"What more poyson . than ys venome. What more spytefull . than ys
troozte.[1] Where shall hattred . sonere come. Than oone anothyr . that
troozte showthe. Undoyng dysplesure . no love growthe. 5 And to
grete[2] men . in especyall. Troozte dare speke . lest[3] of all.
"And troozte . all we be bound to. And troozte . most men now dothe
fle.[4] What be we then . that so do. 10 Be we untrewe . troozte saythe
ee.[5] But he y^t tellethe troozte . what ys he. A besy foole . hys name
shalle ronge.[6] Or else he hathe an euyle tonge.
{135} "May a tong . be trew and evyle. 15 Trootze ys good . and evyle
ys navtze.[7] God ys trootze . and navzt ys y^e devyle. Ego sum
veritas . o^r[8] lord tavzt.[9] At whyche word . my conceyt lavzt.[10]
To se[11] our Lorde . yff[12] foly in hym be. 20 To use troozt . that few
doth but he.
"To medyle w^t trouthe[13] . no small game. For trouthe told . of tyms
ys shent. And trouthe known . many doth blame. When trouthe ys
tyrned . from trew intent. 25 Yet trouthe ys trouthe . trewly ment.[14]
But now what call they trouthe . trow ye. Trowthe ys called colored
honestè.

"Trouthe . ys honest without coloure. Trouthe . shameth not in no
condycyon. 30 Of hymself . without a trespasowre. By myst and
knowne . of evyle condycyon. But of trouthe thys ys y^e conclusyon.
Surely good ordre there ys brokyne. Where trouthe may not . nor dare
be spokyne.[15] 35
"Trouthe many tyms ys cast. Out of credence . by enformacyon. Yet
trouthe crepthe[16] out at last. And ovyr mastrythe cavylacyon.[17]
That I besech Cryst . every nacyon. 40 May use trouthe . to God and
man. * * that he * not * syn * * ." * * * * * *
I would fill up the lacuna--
"Now that he do not syn . we can."
Perhaps, I repeat, some more able antiquaries will give their attention
to this, and satisfy me on the points of punctuation, date, &c.
KENNETH R. H. MACKENZIE.
[Footnote 1: Truth, I presume, is meant,