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QUERIES ANSWERED, NO. 3

A Flemish Account, etc.

The readiness with which we adopt a current saying, though unaware of its source and therefore somewhat uncertain as to the proper mode of applying it, is curiously exemplified by the outstanding query on the origin and primary signification of the phrase A Flemish account.

I have consulted, in search of it, dictionaries of various dates, the glossaries of our dramatic annotators, and the best collections of proverbs and proverbial sayings–but without success.

The saying casts no reproach on the Flemings. It always means, I believe that the sum to be received turns out less than had been expected. It is a commercial joke, and admits of explanation by reference to the early commercial transactions between the English and the Flemings.

I rely on the authority of The merchants mappe of commerce, by Lewes Roberts, London, 1638, folio, chap. 179:–

In Antwerp, which gave rule in trade to most other cities, the accounts were kept in livres, sols, and deniers; which they termed pounds, shillings, and pence of grosses. Now the livre was equal only to twelve shillings sterling, so that while the Antwerp merchant stated a balance of 1l. 13s. 4d., the London merchant would receive only 1l.--which he might fairly call A Flemish account!

The same instructive author furnishes me with a passage in illustration of a recent question on the three golden balls, which seem to require additional research. It occurs in chap. 181:–

"This citie [Bruges] hath an eminent market in place with a publicke house for the meeting of all marchants, at noone and evening: which house was called the Burse, of the houses of the extinct families Bursa, bearing three purses for their armes, ingraven upon their houses, from whence these meeting places to this day are called Burses in many countries, which in London wee know by the name of the Royall Exchange and of Britaines Burse."
BOLTON CORNEY.

I think it probably that the expression "Flemish Account" may have been derived from the fact that the Flemish ell measures only three quarters of our yard, while the English ell measures five quarters, and that thence the epithet Flemish was adopted as denoting something deficient.

Q.Q.

When commerce was young, the Flemings were the great merchants of Western Europe; but these worthies were notorious, when furnishing their accounts current, for always having the balance at the right side (for themselves), and hence arose the term. I am not at this moment able to say where this information is to be had, but have met it somewhere.

JUNIOR.

I wonder that some better scholar than myself should not have explained the phrase "Flemish account;" but though I cannot quote authority for the precise expression, I may show whence it is derived. To flem, in old Scotch (and in old English too, I believe), is to "run away;" in modern slang, to "make oneself scarce," "to levant." Flemen is an outcast, an outlaw. It is easy to understand the application of the word to accounts. Your querist should consult some of the old dictionaries.

SCOTUS.

There is an old story that a Count of Flanders once gave an entertainment to some Flemish merchants, but that the seats on which they sat were without cushions. These "princes of the earth" thereupon folded up their costly velvet cloaks, and used them accordingly. When reminded, on their departure, of having left their cloaks behind, they replied, that when asked to a feast they were not in the habit of carrying away with them the chair cushions. Could this have originated the expression "Flemish account?" In this case the proud merchants gave such an account of a valuable article in their possession, as made it out to be quite worthless to the owner.

MUSAFIR.

ANSWERS TO MINOR QUERIES

Richard Greene, Apothecary.

Mr. Richard Green, the subject of H.T.E.'s Query (No. 3. p. 43.), was an apothecary at Lichfield, and related to Dr. Johnson. He had a considerable collection of antiquities, etc., called "Green's Museum," which was sold, after his death, for a thousand pounds. See Boswell's Johnson, Croker's edition, vol. v. p. 194.

Form of Petition.

Sir,–In reply to B. in your third number, who requests information as to the meaning of the "etc." at the foot of a petition, I fear I must say, that at the present day, it means nothing at all. In former times it had a meaning. I send you a few instances from the Chancery Records of the year 1611. These petitions to Sir E. Phillips or Phelips, M.R., end thus:–

"And he and his wife and six children shall dailie praie for your Worship's health and happines!
"And shee shall accordinge to her bounden duetie pray for your good Worship in health and happinesse longe to continewe!
"And both your said supliants and their children shal be bound dailie to praie for your Worship's health and happines with increase of honour!"

These instances are taken at random from amongst many others. The formula, slightly varied, is the same in all. The modern form was, however, even at that early date, creeping in, for I see a petition to L.C. Ellesmere, of the same year, has

"And he shall dailie, praie, etc."

This will probably suffice to answer B.'s Query.

CECIL MONRO.

Registrar's Office, Court of Chancery,

Nov. 20. 1849.

Greene of Greensnorton.

Sir Thomas Greene, of Greensnorton, Co. Northampton, Knt. died 30 Nov. 1506–22 Hen. VII. By Jane, daughter of Sir John Fogge, Knt., he left issue two daughters and coheirs:

Ann, the eldest, aet. 17, at her father's death, was wife of Nicholas Vaux, Lord Vaux, of Harrowden, who died in 1556, now represented by George Mostyn, Baron Vaux, and Robert Henry, Earl of Pembroke, and Edward Bourchier Hartopp, Esq.

Matilda, the youngest, was aged 14 at her father's death, and married Sir Thomas Parr, by whom she had William Marquess of Northampton (who died s.p. 1571); Anne, wife of William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke (now represented by Robert Henry, Earl of Pembroke); and Catherine, Queen Consort of King Henry VIII. The assumption of arms, by Richard Green, the Apothecary, in 1770, will afford no ground for presuming his descent from the Greensnorton family.

G.

Cottle's Life of Coleridge, when reviewed in the Times.

The Times review of Joseph Cottle's Reminiscences of Coleridge and Southey, appeared Nov. 3. 1847; and on the following day, Mr. Thomas Holcroft complained by letter of a misrepresentation of his father by Mr. Cottle.

*

Times, Herald, Chronicle, etc., when first established.

We are enabled, by the courtesy of several correspondents, to furnish some reply to the Query of D. (No. 1 p. 7)

The Times first appeared under that title on the 1st January, 1788, but bore the Number 941, it being a continuation, under a new name, of the Universal Register, of which 940 numbers had been published.–The Morning Chronicle must have commenced in 1769, as a correspondent, F.B., writes to tell us that he possesses No. 242. dated Monday, 12th March, 1770. See further Nichol's Literary Anecdotes, i. 303; and for Morning Advertiser, established in 1794, the same volume, p.290. Another correspondent writes:–During 1849 the Morning Chronicle has completed its 81st year; next in seniority stands the Morning Post, at 77; and the Morning Herald, at 65. The Times in the numbering of its days, is in its 64th year, but has not really reached its grand climacteric, for its three years of infancy passed under the name of The Universal Register, it having only received its present appellation in the opening of 1788. The Morning Advertiser is wearing away its 54th year.

The Public Ledger, commenced in 1759, or 1760, is however, the oldest Daily Paper.

Dorne the Bookseller–Henno Rusticus, etc.

Sir,–In answer to W. in page 12. of No. 1, I beg to suggest that Dormer, written Dõmr in the MS.–a common abbreviation–may be the name of the Oxford bookseller, and Henno Rusticus may be Homo rusticus, "the country gentleman." The hand-writing of this MS. is so small and illegible in some places, that it requires an Oedipus to decipher it; and the public will have much reason to thank those lynx-eyed antiquaries who have taken great pains to render it intelligible. "The Sige of the End," is of course properly explained to be "the Signe of the End."

J.I.

SANUTO'S DOGES OF VENICE

Sir,–The high value of your Journal as a repertory of interesting literary information, which without it might be lost to the world, is becoming daily more apparent from the number and character of your correspondents. You have my best wishes for its success.

The communication of Sir FREDERICK MADDEN respecting the singular and obvious error in Marin Sanuto's Lives of the Doges of Venice, has renewed in me a desire for information which I have hitherto been unable to obtain; and I will, therefore, with your permission, put it here as a Query.

Who was the foreigner who gave to the world the very interesting book respecting Sanuto under the following title?–Ragguagli sulla Vita e sulle Opere di Marin Sanuto, etc. Intitolati dall' amicizia di uno Straniere al nobile Jacopo Vicenzo Foscarini.–Opera divise in trè perti, Venezia, 1837-8. in 8vo.

The able writer has noticed that the very mutilated and incorrect manner in which Muratori has printed all that he has given of Sanuto, and especially Le Vite de' Dogi, of which the original copy still remains inedited in the Estensian Library at Modena. There can be no doubt that some ignorant or indolent transcriber made the mistake of iudeo for richo, so satisfactorily and happily elucidated by SIR FREDERICK MADDEN. How much it is to be regretted that the Diary of Sanuto, so remarkable for it simplicity and ingenuous truthful air, should still remain inedited. It relates to an epoch among the most interesting of Modern History, and the extracts given in the Ragguagli only make us wish for more.

From this Diary it appears that the Valori were among the most distinguished citizens of a state which could boast that its merchants were princes. The palace they inhabited is no known by the name of the Altoviti, its more recent owners, and many of the tombs of the Valori are to be found in the church of St. Proculus. Macchiavelli mentions Bartolomeo Valori among the Cittadini d' autorita, and, according to Nardi, he was Gonfaloniere in the first two months of the years 1402, 1408, and 1420. He was also one of the Platonic Academy that Ficino assembled around him. In this Diary of Sanuto will be found many minute and interesting details respecting Savonarola, and the relation of the tragical death of Francisco Valor, who had also been several times Gontaloniere, and whom Savonarola, in his confession, said it was his intention to have made perpetual Dictator.

I would have given a specimen of this very interesting diary, but that I scrupled to occupy space which your correspondents enable you to fill so effectively, for I fully subscribe to the dictum of the Ragguagliatore, "Il Sanuto si presenta come la Scott degli Storiei, compincendosi come Sir Walter delle giostre, delle feste, e delle narrazioni piacevole e di dolce pietà.