444
NOTES AND QUERIES. in s. HI. JUNE 10, ion.
point to the identification with Bliston as
being correct, and we must leave the poten-
tial identifications named above to be dis-
cussed by others if they should consider it
necessary. The question is one that can only
be settled by experts in palaeography and
linguistics, and to them we must leave the
further consideration of the subject.
The importance of the matter lies in the possibility of substituting B for an initial G in such Domesday manors beginning with G as are not easily identified unless we make such a substitution. Luckily all other G manors in Cornwall are fairly easily iden- tified, but in other counties perhaps the case is different, and a remembrance of such a confusion of G and B may be productive of good results. J. HAMBLEY HOWE, M.B.
BULLYVANT : BULFIN : BULFINCH.
(See 8 S. v. 469 ; vi. 72, 239.)
THE following instances are the results of some fairly extensive researches among early records for references to Bullivant, Bulfin, and Bulfinch : 1080. Bulgeuen, hund. de Berdestapla, Essex
(now Bulphan). Domesday. 1318. Bulevaune, presentation to the church of
Essex. Patent Bolls. 1318. Bowlewefan, John Lescewe de, Essex.
Patent Rolls. 1320. Bolefynch, Robert, of Kenilworth. Close
Rolls. 1327. Bolefynch, Robert, of Eltham. Patent
Rolls. 1329. Bulfinche, Robert, of Kenilworth. Close
Rolls. 1340. Bulfynch, Robert, warrener of the King's
warren of Kyngesden. Close Holls. 1397. Bolfynch, Henry, of Assho, co. Warwick.
Cat. of Anc. Deeds, I.
1418. Bolfynch, John. Intrantes of Canterbury. 1428. Bolephen, Ecclesia de, Essex. Feudal
Aids. 1430. Bulfyne, John, Canon in Chichester
diocese. 1438. Bulfynch, Thomas, of Withyham, Sussex.
Chancery suit.
1467. Bulfynch, Hugh. Chancery suit. 1469. Bulfynch, Nicholas, chaplain at Hove-
kirk, Calais. Patent Rolls. 1488. Bulfinch, Richard, D.B., rector of Ickham,
Kent. Wulffen, Wulfwine, &c. Onomasticon
Anglo-Sax.
The above, as will be seen, are all earlier than 1500. As well as can be judged from the records consulted, the place Bulphan, in Essex, xioes not seem to have given rise to a, personal name. Although I am far from suggesting that Bulfinch is connected with Bulphan, it is as well to bear in mind the tendency of names to approximate to the
appellations of familiar objects and quali-
ties. In the devolution of names, the
imitation of sounds is quite a natural pro-
gression, and is accountable for more object
and quality names than is, perhaps, ima-
gined.
After 1500 Bully vant is frequently found, in various forms : Bulivant, Bullifont, Bollivant, &c. (see parish registers of Worksop and Perlethorpe, co. Notts, Leicester, Lichfield, and Northants wills, and general references). As to the termina- tion vant, Mr. E. McClure has some notes on vent in his ' British Place-Names ' which may lead to an explanation.
To turn to Ireland, where the personal name Bulfin is found, O'Hart (' Irish Pedi- grees') includes it among the families descended from Heremon, but he gives nothing to support the statement, as far as I am aware. He also classes Mulfin with Bulfin. There are places mentioned in Irish records as Ballyfin, Ballyfene, Ballyvantane. Perhaps these could be from Bally (baile) a town, and Fin (fionn), fair, handsome : Fin is also an ancient personal name. Bally occasionally becomes Bui (and Bol), for instance Ballygidden, Bulgedin, Bulle- gidine. I do not wish to push the inference, because I am under the impression that place-names in Ireland have not often given rise to family names. There are, however, many place - names drawn from family names, or rather of which family names form a part.
With regard to Buttyvant, may we hope for some other explanation than Batez en avant, which savours of the old heraldic writers? Walter de Coventry chronicles the building of a castle, called Buteavant, on an island in the Seine by King Richard in 1198, and the King of France built one opposite called Guletut. LEO C.
MACAULAY AND SILIUS ITALICUS. I trust
it is no sign of ingratitude for Dr. Tyrrell' s
brilliant contributions to scholarship and
literature if I protest against a state-
ment in his second article on ' Our Debt to
Latin Poetry as distinguished from Greek,'
appearing in the Nineteenth Century for
May :
" Macaulay admired the ' Punica ' greatly
It is as hard to account for the admiration of Macaulay as for his depreciation of Goldsmith's exqui-dte tale ' The Vicar of Wakefield,' the more so as the battle pieces of Silius, with their single combats, archaisms, and anachronisms, vividly call to mind similar blunders amusingly exposed by Macaulay in the ' Satan ' of Robert Mont- gomery." P. 879.
