Notes and Queries, Number 73, March 22, 1851 | Page 9

Gentle Dew of the Raine Bow doth draw forth. And the like doe soft showers; for they also make the ground sweet. But none are so delicate as the Dew of the Raine Bow, where it falleth. It may be also that the water itself hath some sweetnesse: for the Raine Bow consisteth of a glomeration of small drops which cannot possibly fall but from the Aire that is very low. And therefore may hold giving sweetnesse of the herbs and flowers, as a distilled water," &c.--Bacon's Sylva, by Rawley, 6th ed. 1651, p. 176.
JARLTZBERG.
Tradesmen's Signs.--A CITIZEN wishes to be informed in what year or reign the signs that used to hang over the tradesmen's shop-doors were abolished, and whether it was accomplished by "act of parliament," or only "by the authority of the Lord Mayor." Also, whether there is any law now in existence that prevents the tradesmen putting the signs up again, if they were so disposed.
* * * * *
Minor Queries Answered.
Supporters borne by Commoners.--Can any of your readers state why some commoners bear supporters, and whether the representatives of Bannerets are entitled to do so? I find in Burke's Dictionary of Landed Gentry, that several gentlemen in England, Scotland, and Ireland continue to use them. See Fulford, p. 452.; Wyse, p. 1661.; Hay-Newton, p. 552., &c. &c.
The late Mr. Portman, father of Lord Portman, used supporters, as do Sir W. Carew, Bart., and some other baronets.
GUINEGATE.
[Baronets are not entitled, as such, to bear supporters, which are the privilege of the peerage and the knights of the orders.
There are many baronets who by virtue of especial warrants from the sovereign have, as acts of grace and favour, in consideration of services rendered to the state, received such grants; and in these instances they are limited to descend with the dignity only. No doubt there are some private families who assume and improperly bear supporters, but whose right to do so, even under their own statements as to origin and descent, has no legal foundation. "NOTES AND QUERIES" afford neither space nor place for the discussion of such questions, or for the remarks upon a correction of statements in the works quoted.]
Answer to Fisher's Relation.--I have a work published at London by Adam Islip, an. 1620, the title-page of which bears--
"An Answere to Mr. Fisher's Relation of a Third {225} Conference betweene a certaine B. (as he stiles him) and himselfe. The conference was very private till Mr. Fisher spread certaine papers of it, which in many respects deserved an Answere. Which is here given by R. B., Chapleine to the B. that was employed in the conference."
Pray, who was the chaplain? I have heard he was the after-famous Archbishop Laud.
I pray your assistance in the resolution of this Query.
J. M.
Liverpool.
[This famous conference was the third held by divines of the Church of England with the Jesuit Fisher (or Perse, as his name really was: see Dodd's Church History, vol. iii. p. 394.). The first two were conducted by Dr. Francis White: the latter by Bishop Laud, was held in May, 1622, and the account of it published by R. B. (i.e. Dr. Richard Baylie, who married Laud's niece, and was at that time his chaplain, and afterwards president of St. John's College, Oxford). Should J. M. possess a copy printed in 1620, it would be a literary curiosity. Laud says himself, that "his Discourse was not printed till April, 1624."]
Drink up Eisell (Vol. iii., p. 119.).--Here is a passage in Troilus and Cressida, in which drink up occurs (Act IV. Sc. 1.):
"He, like a puling cuckold, would drink up The lees and dregs of a flat-tamed piece."
The meaning is plainly here avaler, not boire.
Here is another, which does not perhaps illustrate the passage in Hamlet, but resembles it (Act III. Sc. 2.):
"When we vow to weep seas, live in fire, eat rocks, tame tigers, thinking it harder for our mistress to devise imposition enough, than for us to undergo any difficulty imposed."
C. B.
[We are warned by several correspondents that this subject is becoming as bitter as wormwood to them. Before we dismiss it, however, we must record in our pages the opinion of one of the most distinguished commentators of the day, Mr. Hunter, who in his New Illustrations, vol. ii. p. 263., after quoting "potions of eysell" from the sonnet, says, "This shows it was not any river so called, but some desperate drink. The word occurs often in a sense in which acetum is the best representative, associated with verjuice and vinegar. It is the term used for one ingredient of the bitter potion given to our Saviour on the cross, about the composition of which the commentators are greatly divided. Thus the eighth prayer of the Fifteen Oos in the Salisbury Primer, 1555, begins