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WHAT IS A CHAPEL?

What is the most approved derivation of the word Chapel?—Capella, from the goat-skin covering of what was at first a movable tabernacle? capa, a cape worn by capellanus, the chaplain? capsa, a chest for sacred relics? kaba Eli (Heb.), the house of God? or what other and better etymon?

Is it not invariably the purpose of a Chapel to supply the absence or incommodiousness of the parish church?

At what period of ecclesiastical history was the word Chapel first introduced? If there be any truth in the legend that St. Martin's hat was carried before the kings of France in their expeditions, and that the pavilion in which it was lodged originated the term, it is probably a very old word, as the Saint is stated to have died A.D. 397. Yet the word in not acknowledged by Bingham.

Is Chapel a legal description of the houses of religious meeting, which are used by those who dissent from the Church of England?

Was the adoption of the word Chapel by dissenters, or their submission to it, indicative of an idea of assistance, rather than of rivalry or opposition, to the Church?

Any answer to these inquiries, which are proposed only for the sake of information, by one whose means of reference and investigation are limited, will be very acceptable.

Alfred Gatty.

Ecclesfield, March 5. 1850.

WHO TRANSLATED THE "TURKISH SPY?"

Is it known who really translated that clever work, Letters writ by a Turkish Spy? The work was originally written in Italian, by John Paul Marana, a Genoese; but the English translation has been attributed to several individuals.

Among Dr. Charlett's correspondence, preserved in the Bodleian Library, is a letter inquiring after a Mr. Bradshaw. The writer says, "he was servitor or amanuensis to Dr. Allesbree, and proved very considerable afterwards, being the author of all the volumes of the 'Turkish Spy' but one; and that was the first, which, you remember, was printed a considerable time before the rest, and not much taken notice of till the second volume came out. The first volume was originally wrote in Italian, translated into French, and made English; and all the rest after carried on by this Bradshaw, as I am undoubtedly informed: so that I think him well worth inquiring after while in Oxford. Dr. Midgely had only the name and conveyance to the press, beside what books he helped Bradshaw to, which, by his poverty, he could not procure himself." In the margin of this letter Ballard has added, "Sir Roger Manley, author of the 'Turkish Spy.'" Baker, of St. John's College, Cambridge, has written on the cover of the first volume of his copy of Athenæ Oxoniensis (bequeathed to the Public Library at Cambridge), "'Turkish Spy,' begun by Mr. Manley, continued by Dr. Midgely with the assistance of others."

Edward F. Rimbault.

PHILALETHES CESTRIENSIS—STEPHENS' SERMONS

I shall feel much obliged if any of your correspondents can inform me what is the real name of the author of the following work:

"An Impartial enquiry into the true character of that Faith, which is required in the Gospel, as necessary to salvation; in which it is briefly shewn, upon how righteous terms unbelievers may become true Christians, &c., by Philalethes Cestriensis. 8'o. Lond. 1746. Dedicated to Philip earl of Chesterfield, Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland."

In your 6th Number is an inquiry for a "tract or sermon" by the Rev. W. Stephens, which elicited a reply in No. 8. from "Mr. Denton," who mentions four sermons by that author and inquires whether any other sermons or tracts of his were published, which are not included in the two posthumous volumes?

Now it has struck me that a volume of sermons in my possession may, from the nature of the subjects, be Stephens's, but whether included in the volume alluded to I know not. The volume contains six sermons, each with separate title and separate pagination. A common preface is prefixed, and there has been a common title-page, which unfortunately is missing in my copy.

"Serm. I. The Divinity of Christ argued, from his right to worship, on Rev. v. 13, 14., preached in 1720, at Great Torrington, at the Visitation of the Archdeacon of Barnstaple."
"II. The necessity of believing the Divinity of the Son of God, John iii. 16., preached at Great Torrington on Christmas Day, 1721."
"III. The Humiliation and Exaltation of the Son of God considered in the new light, Philipp. ii. 6-12., preached at the primary Visitation of Stephen [Weston] Lord Bishop of Exon, at Great Torrington, 1726."
"IV. Christ, King of the Jews both before and after his Incarnation, Matt. ii. 1, 2., preached on Christmas Day and First Sunday after Epiphany, 1727."
"V. The Beginning, Extent, and Duration of Christ's Mediatorial Kingdom, same text, and preached at the same season."
"VI. The natural supremacy of God the Son; same text, &c."

The three last sermons have a title generally applicable, and repeated before each viz., "The Supreme Dominion of God the Son, both Natural, Oeconomical, and Judaical, proved from Scripture, in three Sermons." The separate titles bear date 1729; and the publisher was Samuel Birt, at the Bible and Ball, Ave Maria Lane.

This notice may supply the information of which Mr. Denton is in quest, and at all events I should be very glad to learn who the author really was. His sermons are, as is said of those of Stephens, far above the ordinary run. The period at which they were delivered agrees with the dates of those at page 118. The author, in the general preface, says, that Sermon II. was not "suffer'd to see the light before it had pass'd through the hands of Dr. Waterland." Was not Stephens subsequently Vicar of St. Andrew's, Plymouth?

Balliolensis.

MINOR QUERIES

Smelling of the Lamp.—Can you or one of your learned correspondents, tell me the origin or first user of the literary "smelling of the lamp?" I know that it is commonly attributed to Demosthenes? but if it is his, I want chapter and verse for it.

Gourders of Rain.—Will any of your correspondents be kind enough to suggest the etymology of the word "gourders" (= torrents)? It occurs in the following passage of Harding against Jewel (p. 189., Antv. 1565):

"Let the gourders of raine come downe from you and all other heretikes, let the floudes of worldly rages thrust, let the windes of Sathan's temptations blowe their worst, this house shall not be overthrowen."
C.H.

St. Catherine's Hall, Cambridge.

The Temple or a Temple.—I am happy to see that your correspondent, Mr. Thoms, is about to illustrate some of the obscurities of Chaucer. Perhaps he or some of your learned contributors may be able to remove a doubt that has arisen in my mind relative to the poet's well-known description of the Manciple in his Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.

You are aware that the occupation of the Temple by students of the law in the reign of Edward III. has no other authority than tradition. Dugdale, Herbert, Pearce, and others who have written on the Inns of Court, adduce this passage from Chaucer in support of the assertion; and they all quote the first line thus:

"A manciple there was of the Temple."

In Tyrwhitt's edition of Chaucer, however, and in all other copies I have seen, the reading is

"A gentil manciple was ther of a temple."

Now the difference between "the Temple" and "a temple" is not inconsiderable. I should feel obliged, therefore, by any explanation which will account for it. If Chaucer was, as he is sometimes pretended to be, a member of the Temple, it is somewhat extraordinary that he should have designated it so loosely. The words in the real passage would seem to have a more general signification, and not to be applied to any particular house of legal resort.

Edward Foss.

Family of Steward or Stewart of Bristol.—I have in my possession a drawing, probably of the time of James or Charles I., of the following arms. Azure a lion rampant or, with a crescent for difference, impaling argent a cross engrailed flory sable between four Cornish choughs proper—Crest, on a wreath of the colours a Saracen's head full-faced, couped at the shoulders proper, wreathed round the temples and tied or and azure.

On removing the shield from the paper on which it was pasted, I found a spoiled sketch of the coat of Poulett, with the name Ambrose Moore written over it in a hand of about the reign of Charles I.: the object in passing the fresh shield over the spoiled coat appears to have been merely to make use of the mantling.

I have also a locket of silver gilt containing a miniature of a gentleman apparently of the time of the Commonwealth, finely executed in oils upon copper; on the back are engraved the arms and crest above described without the impalement, the crescent bearing the addition of a label. The only information I have is, that the locket and the drawing belonged to a family of the name of Steward or Stewart, who were clothworkers at Bristol during the Commonwealth, and for some generations later; and they are now in the possession of their descendants. The first of whom I have any authentic record is Hercules Steward, who was admitted to the liberties of the city of Bristol in 1623.

I cannot find that any family of Steward has borne the arms in question; and if any of your readers can throw a light on the matter, I shall feel greatly obliged to them.

Query. Was there a Herald painter of the time named Ambrose Moore?

O.C.

Feb. 26. 1850.

Paying through the Nose.—Can any one tell me the origin of the phrase, "Paying though the nose," expressing a dear bargain?

A.G.

Memoirs of an American Lady.—Are the Memoirs of an American Lady out of print? They were written by Mrs. Grant, of Laggan, the authoress of Letters from the Mountains, and of whom some very interesting memoirs have lately been published by her son.

Nemo.

Bernicia.—Can any learned correspondent favour me with the name or title of any English nobleman who held authority in Wales, or the Borders, in 1370-80? The motive for this query is, that a poem of the time, by Trahaearn, a celebrated bard, contains the following passage:

"Though fierce in his valour like Lleon, with a violent irresistible assault, he vaulted into battle, to plunder the King of Bernicia; yet the ravager of thrice seven dominions was a placid and liberal-handed chief, when he entertained the bards at his magnificent table."

It is not supposed that the king here mentioned was any thing more than a powerful nobleman, whose possessions, or castle and lands, were situated in the north of England; in which division of the island the ancient Bernicia was placed. As there is no evidence as to the locality or limits of this ancient district, it is hoped that an answer to the above query will afford a satisfactory solution to an uncertainty that has long existed among Welsh antiquaries.

Gomer.

John Bull.—Might I beg to ask, through your columns, the origin of the name "John Bull," as applied to Englishmen? I have frequently heard the question asked; but I never heard it satisfactorily answered. An antiquary once told me that it was so applied from the number of Johns among our countrymen, and the profusion of bles in our language; an explanation which I placed to the credit of my friend's ingenuity.