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RED HAIR A REPROACH

I do not know the why or the wherefore, but in every part of England I have visited, there appears to be a deep-rooted prejudice in the eyes of the million against people with red hair. Tradition, whether truly or not must remain a mystery, assigns to Absalom's hair a reddish tinge; and Judas, the traitorous disciple, is ever painted with locks of the same unhappy colour. Shakspeare, too, seems to have been embued with the like morbid feeling of distrust for those on whose hapless heads the invidious mark appeared. In his play of As You Like It, he makes Rosalind (who is pettishly complaining of her lover's tardiness coming to her) say to Celia:

"Ros. His very hair is of the dissembling colour.
Celia. Something browner than Judas'."

It will be apparent from this quotation, that in England, at any rate, the prejudice spoken of is not of very recent development; and that it has not yet vanished before the intellectual progress of our race, will, I think, be painfully evident to many a bearer of this unenviable distinction. It seems to be generally supposed, by those who harbour the doctrine, that red-headed people are dissemblers, deceitful, and, in fact, not to be trusted like others whose hair is of a different colour; and I may add, that I myself know persons who, on that account alone, never admit into their service any whose hair is thus objectionable. In Wales, pen coch (red head) is a term of reproach universally applied to all who come under the category; and if such a wight should by any chance involve himself in a scrape, it is the signal at once for a regular tirade against all who have the misfortune to possess hair of the same fiery colour.

I cannot bring myself to believe that there is any really valid foundation for this prejudice; and certainly, if not, it were indeed a pity that the superstitious feeling thus engendered is not at once and for ever banished from the memory.

T. Hughes.

EXTRACTS FROM NEWSPAPERS, 1714

Daily Courant, Jan. 9, 1714:

"Rome, Dec. 16.—The famous painter, Carlo Maratta, died some days ago, in the ninetieth year of his age."

The Post Boy, Jan. 12-14, 1714.—Old MSS. relating to Winchester.—In the Post Boy, Jan. 12-14, 1714, appears the following curious advertisement:

"Winchester Antiquities, written by Mr. Trussell, Dr. Bettes, and Mr. Butler of St. Edmund's Bury, in one of which manuscripts is the Original of Cities; which manuscripts were never published. If the person who hath either of them, and will communicate, or permit the same to be copied or perused, he is earnestly desired to give notice thereof to Mr. Mathew Imber, one of the aldermen of the city of Winchester, in the county of Southampton, who is compleating the idea or description of the ancient and present state of that ancient city, to be speedily printed; together with a faithful collection of all the memorable and useful things relating to the same city."

Gough, in his Topography, vol. i. p. 387., thus notices these MSS.:

"Wood says (Ath. Ox., vol. i. p. 448.) that Trussell the historian, who was alderman of Winchester, continued to Bishop Curll's time, 1632, an old MS. history of the see and bishops in the Cathedral library. He also wrote A Description of the City of Winchester; with an Historical Relation of divers memorable Occurrences touching the same, and prefixed to it A Preamble of the Original of Cities in general. In a catalogue of the famous Robert Smith's books, sold by auction, 1682, No. 24. among the MSS. has this identical title, by J. Trussell, fol., and was purchased for twelve shillings by a Mr. Rothwell, a frequent purchaser at this sale. The Description, &c., written by Trussell about 1620, is now in the hands of John Duthy, Esq.; and from it large extracts were made in The History and Antiquities of Winchester, 1773. Bishop Nicolson guesses that it was too voluminous, and Bishop Kennett that it was too imperfect to be published.
"The former mentions something on the same subject by Dr. Bettes, whose book is still in MS.
"Dr. Butler, of St. Edmund's Bury, made observations on the ancient monuments of this city under the Romans."
E. G. Ballard.

[Trussell's MSS. are now in the library of Sir Thomas Phillipps.—Ed.]

Minor Notes

Last Suicide buried at a Cross Road.—I have reason to believe that the last person subjected to this barbarous ceremony was the wretched parricide and suicide Griffiths, who was buried at the cross road formed by Eaton Street, Grosvenor Place, and the King's Road, as late as June, 1823. I subjoin the following account from the Chronicle:

"The extreme privacy which the officers observed, as to the hour and place of interment, increased in a great degree the anxiety of those that were waiting, and it being suspected that the body would have been privately carried away, through the back part of the workhouse (St. George's) into Farm Street Mews, and from thence to its final destination, different parties stationed themselves at the several passages through which it must unavoidably pass, in order to prevent disappointment. All anxiety however, on this account, was ultimately removed, by preparations being made for the removal of the body through the principal entry of the workhouse leading into Mount Street, and about half-past one o'clock the body was brought out in a shell supported on the shoulders of four men, and followed by a party of constables and watchmen. The solitary procession, which increased in numbers as it went along, proceeded up Mount Street, down South Audley Street into Stanhope Street, from thence into Park Lane through Hyde Park Corner, and along Grosvenor Place, until its final arrival at the cross road formed by Eaton Street, Grosvenor Place, and the King's Road. When the procession arrived at the grave, which had been previously dug, the constables arranged themselves around it to keep the crowd off, upon which the shell was laid on the ground, and the body of the unfortunate deceased taken out. It had on a winding-sheet, drawers, and stockings, and a quantity of blood was clotted about the head, and the lining of the shell entirely stained. The body was then wrapped in a piece of Russia matting, tied round with some cord, and then instantly dropped into the hole, which was about five feet in depth: it was then immediately filled up, and it was gratifying to see that that disgusting part of the ceremony of throwing lime over the body, and driving a stake through it, was on this occasion dispensed with. The surrounding spectators, consisting of about two hundred persons, amongst whom were several persons of respectable appearance, were much disgusted at this horrid ceremony."

Imagine such scene in the "centre of civilisation" only thirty years ago!

Vincent T. Sternberg.

Andrew's Edition of Freund's Latin Lexicon.—A singular plan seems to have been pursued in this valuable lexicon in one point. Wherever the meaning of a word in a certain passage is disputed, all reference to that place is omitted! Here are a few examples of this "dodge" from one book, Horace:

Subjectus. Car. 1. 12. 55.
Divido. 1. 15. 15.
Incola. 1. 16. 5. Vertex. 3. 24. 6.
Pars. 2. 17. 18. Tormentum. 3. 21. 13.
Laudo. Ep. 11. 19.
Offendo. Ep. 15. 15.
Octonus. S. 1. 6. 75.
Æra. Ib.
Duplex. S. 2. 4. 63.
Vulpecula. Epist. 1. 7. 29.
Proprius. A. P. 128., &c.
A. A. D.

Slang Expressions.—It would be curious to investigate farther how some odd forms of expression of this kind have crept into, if not the English language, at least into every-day parlance; and by what classes of men they have been introduced. I do not of course mean the vile argot, or St. Giles' Greek, prevalent among housebreakers and pick-pockets; though a great deal of that is traceable to the Rommany or gipsy language, and other sufficiently odd sources: but I allude more particularly to phrases used by even educated men—such as "a regular mull," "bosh," "just the cheese," &c. The first has already been proved an importation from our Anglo-Indian friends in the pages of "N. & Q."; and I have been informed that the other two are also exotics from the land of the Qui-Hies. Bosh, used by us in the sense of "nonsense," "rubbish," is a Persian word, meaning "dirt" and cheese, a corruption of a Hindostani word denoting "thing:" which is exactly the sense of the expression I have quoted. "Just the cheese," "quite the cheese," i. e. just the thing I require, quite comme il faut, &c.

Probably some of your correspondents could furnish other examples.

E. S. Taylor.

"Quem Deus vult perdere."—In Croker's Johnson, vol. v. p. 60., the phrase, "Quem Deus vult perdere, prius dementat," is stated to be from a Greek iambic of Euripides:

"Ὅν θεὸς θέλει ἀπολέσαι πρῶτ' ἀποφρεναι."

This statement is made first by Mr. John Pitts, late Rector of Great Brickhill, Bucks¹, to Mr. Richard How of Aspley, Beds, and is taken for granted successively by Boswell, Malone, and Croker. But no such Greek is, in fact, to be found in Euripides; the words conveying a like sentiment are,—

"Ὅταν δὲ Δαίμων ἀνδρὶ πορσύνῃ κακὰ,
Τὸν νοῦν ἔβλαψε πρὼτον."

The cause of this classical blunder of so many eminent annotators is, that these words are not to be found in the usual college and school editions of Euripides. The edition from which the above correct extract is made is in ten volumes, published at Padua in 1743-53, with an Italian translation in verse by P. Carmeli, and is to be found in vol. x. p. 268. as the 436-7th verses of the Tragedie incerte, the meaning of which he thus gives in prose "Quando vogliono gli Dei far perire alcuno, gli toglie la mente."

T.J. Buckton.

Lichfield.

P.S.—In Croker's Johnson, vol. iv. p. 170., the phrase "Omnia mea mecum porto" is incorrectly quoted from Val. Max. vii. 2., instead of "Bona mea mecum porto."

White Roses.—The paragraph quoted from "an old newspaper," dated Saturday, June 15th, 1723, alludes to the commemoration of the birthday of King James VIII. (the 10th of June), which was the Monday mentioned as that before the Saturday on which the newspaper was published. All faithful adherents of the House of Stuart showed their loyalty by wearing the white rose (its distinguishing badge) on the 10th of June, when no other way was left them of declaring their devotion to the exiled family; and, from my own knowledge, I can affirm that there still exist some people who would think that day desecrated unless they wore a white rose, or, when that is not to be procured, a cockade of white ribbon, in token of their veneration for the memory of him of whose birth it is the anniversary.

L. M. M. R.

Queries

"MERK LANDS" AND "URES."—NORWEGIAN ANTIQUITIES

In Shetland, at the present day, all public assessments are levied, and divisions made, according to the number of merk lands in a parish. All arable lands were anciently, under the Norwegian law, rated as merks,—a merk containing eight ures. These merks are quite indefinite as to extent. It is, indeed, clear that the ancient denomination of merk land had not reference to superficial extent of surface, but was a denomination of value alone, in which was included the proportion of the surrounding commonty or scattald. Merk lands are of different values, as sixpenny, ninepenny, twelvepenny,—a twelvepenny merk having, formerly at least, been considered equal to two sixpenny merks; and in some old deeds lands are described as thirty merks sixpenny, otherwise fifteen merks twelvepenny land. All assessments have, however, for a very long period, been levied and all privileges apportioned, according to merks, without relation to whether they were sixpenny or twelvepenny. The ancient rentals of Shetland contain about fourteen thousand merks of land; and it will be noticed that, however much the ancient inclosed land be increased by additional improvements, the number of merks ought to be, and are, stationary. The valued rent, divided according the merk lands, would make a merk land in Shetland equal to 2l. Scots of valued rent. There are only one or two places of Scotland proper where merks are in use,—Stirling and Dunfermline, I think. As these two places were the occasional residences of our ancient Scottish kings, it is possible this plan of estimating land may have obtained there, to equalise and make better understood some arrangements relating to land entered into between the kings of Norway and Scotland. Possibly some of the correspondents of "N. & Q." in the north may be able to throw some light on this subject. It was stated some time ago that Dr. Munch, Professor in the University of Christiana, had presented to the Society of Northern Archæology, in Copenhagen, a very curious manuscript which he had discovered and purchased during a voyage to the Orkneys and Shetland in 1850. The manuscript is said to be in good preservation, and the form of the characters assigns the tenth, or perhaps the ninth century as its date. It is said to contain, in the Latin tongue, several episodes of Norwegian history, relating to important facts hitherto unknown, and which throw much light on feudal tenures, holdings, superstitions, omens, &c., which have been handed down to our day, with their origin involved in obscurity, and on the darkness of the centuries that preceded the introduction of Christianity into Norway. Has this manuscript ever been printed?

Kirkwallensis.

THE LEIGH PEERAGE, AND STONELEY ESTATES, WARWICKSHIRE

The fifth Lord Leigh left his estates to his sister, the Hon. Mary Leigh, for her life, and at her decease without issue to "the first and nearest of his kindred, being male, and of his name and blood," &c. On the death of Mrs. Mary Leigh in 1806, the estates were taken possession of by her very distant kinsman, the Rev. Thomas Leigh. The first person to dispute his right to them was Mr. George Smith Leigh, who claimed them as being descended from a daughter of Sir Thomas Leigh, son of the first Baron Leigh. His claim was not allowed, because he had the name of Leigh only by royal license, and not by inheritance. Subsequently, the Barony of Leigh was claimed by another Mr. George Leigh, of Lancashire, as descended from a son of the Hon. Christopher Leigh (fourth son of the aforesaid Sir Thomas Leigh), by his second wife. His claim was disallowed when heard by a committee of the House of Lords in 1828, because he could not prove the second marriage of Christopher Leigh, nor the birth of any son by such marriage.

Being about to print a genealogy of the Leigh family, I should be under an obligation to any one who will, without delay furnish me with—

1st. The descent, with dates, of the aforesaid Mr. George Smith Leigh from Sir Thomas Leigh.

2nd. The wife, and descendants to the present time, of the aforesaid Mr. George Leigh.

In return for this information I shall be happy to send my informant a copy of the genealogy when it is printed. I give you my name and address.

J. M. G.

Minor Queries

Phillips Family.—Is there a family of Phillips now bearing the ancient arms of William Phillips, Lord Bardolph: viz. Quarterly, gu. and az., in the chief dexter quarter an eagle displayed or.

H. G. S.

Engine-à-verge.—What is the engine-à-verge, mentioned by P. Daniel in his Hist. de la Milice Franc., and what the origin of the name?

Cape.

Garrick's Funeral Epigram.—Who is the author of these verses?

"Through weeping London's crowded streets,
As Garrick's funeral pass'd,
Contending wits and poets strove
Which should desert him last.

"Not so this world behaved to Him
Who came this world to save;
By solitary Joseph borne
Unheeded to the grave."

K. N.

The Rosicrucians.—I should be extremely glad of a little information respecting "the Brethren of the Rosy Cross." Was there ever a regular fraternity of philosophers bearing this appellation; or was it given merely as a title to all students in alchemy?

I should wish to obtain a list of works which might contain a record of their studies and discoveries. I subjoin the few in my own library, which I imagine to belong to this class.

Albertus Magnus de Animalibus, libr. xxvi. fol. Venet. 1495.
Albertus Magnus de Secretis Mulierum, de Virtutibus Herbarum, Lapidum at Animalium.
Albertus Magnus de Miribilibus Mundi, item.
Michael Scotus de Secretis Naturæ, 12mo., Lugd. 1584.
Henr. Corn. Agrippa on the Vanitie of Sciences, 4to., London, 1575.
Joann. Baptist. Van Helmont, Opera Omnina, 4to., Francofurti, 1682.
Dr. Charleton, Ternary of Paradoxes, London, 1650.

Perhaps some of your correspondents will kindly furnish me with notices of other works by these writers, and by others who have written on similar subjects, as Paracelsus, &c.

E. S. Taylor.

Passage in Schiller.—In the Memoirs of a Stomach, lately published, the editor asks a question of you: "Is it Schiller who says, 'The metaphysical part of love commences with the first sigh, and terminates with the first kiss'?" I pray you look to the merry and witty and learned little book, and respond to his Query.

Amicus.

Sir John Vanbrugh.—This eminent architect and poet of the last century is stated by his biographers to have been "born in Cheshire." Can anybody furnish me with the place and date of his birth?

T. Hughes.

Chester.

Historical Engraving.—I have an ancient engraving, size 14¾ in. wide and 11¾ in. high, without title or engraver's name, which I should be glad to authenticate. It appears to represent Charles II. at the Hague in 1660.

The foreground is occupied by groups of figures in the costume of the period. In the distance is seen a street in perspective, down which the royal carriage is proceeding, drawn by six horses. On one side is a row of horses, on the other an avenue of trees. To the right of this is a canal, on the bank of which a battery of seven guns is firing a salute. The opposite bank is occupied by public buildings.

In the air a figure of Fame holds a shield charged with the royal arms of England, surrounded by a garter, without the motto. Five cherubs in various positions are dispersed around, holding respectively a globe, a laurel crown, palm branches, &c., and a crowned shield bearing a lion rampant, and a second with a stork, whose beak holds a serpent.

A portion of the zodiacal circle, containing Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius, marks, I suppose, the month in which the event took place.

E. S. Taylor.

Hall-close, Silverstone, Northamptonshire.—Adjoining the church-yard is a greensward field called "Hall-close," which is more likely to be the site of the mansion visited by the early kings of England, when hunting in Whittlebury Forest, than the one mentioned by Bridles in his History of the county. About 1798, whilst digging here, a fire-place containing ashes was discovered; also many large wrought freestones.

The well, close by, still retains the name of Hall-well; and there are other things in the immediate vicinity which favour the supposition; but can an extract from an old MS., as a will, deed, indenture, &c., be supplied to confirm it?

H. T. Wake.

Stepney.

Junius's Letters to Wilkes.—Where are the original letters addressed by Junius to Mr. Wilkes? The editor of the Grenville Papers says, "It is uncertain in whose custody the letters now remain, many unsuccessful attempts having been recently made to ascertain the place of their deposit."