Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/65

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  • S. NO 3., JAN. 19. '56.]


NOTES AND QUERIES.


one syde: theyr legges are tbyn and stender, lyke a fawne or hynde ; the hoofes of the fore feete are diuided in two, much like the feete of a goate ; the outwarde part of the hynder feete is very full of heare. This beaste seemeth doubtlesse very wylde and fierce, yet tempereth that fiercenesse with a certaiue comlinesse. These vni- cornes one gave to ths Soltan of Mecha, as a most pre- cious and rare gyfte. They were sent hym out of Ethiope by a kynge of that countrey, who desired by that present to gratifie the Soltan of Mecha."

HENRY KENSINGTON.

"Solamen miseris" 8fC. I have searched in vain for the birth-place of the well-known line,

" Solamen miseris socios habnisse doloris." Can you refer me to it ? 13.


caucric3 font!) ^ns'

Death of King John. Dipping into vol. v. of Dr. Merle d'Aubigne's History of the Reformation (8vo., Oliver and^Boyd, 1853), I find- at p. 98. a statement of the cause of King John's death which is quite new to me, namely, that he "drank copiously of cider, and died of drunkenness and fright ;" and, referring to the foot-note, I find the following quotation from Matthew Paris, as the authority for the statement in the text, viz. "Novi ciceris potatione nimis repletus." A comparison of the two might suggest that the English was only an illiterate guess at the meaning of the Latin ; and there are other specimens of trans- lation in the work which render the suspicion not uncharitable.* But, waving this, my object is to ask, What was this potutio novi ciceris f It was hardly green-pease soup in October. It has no resemblance either to the decoction of toad of one author, or to the pears of another, or the peaches of a third. What was it ? W. P. P.

[The passage in Matthew Paris is as follows : "Auxit autem rcgritudinis molestiam perniciosa ejus ingluvies, qui nocte ilia de fructu persicorum et novi ciceris potatione iiimis repletus, febrilem in se calorem acuit fortiter et accendit ; " which is thus translated by Dr. Giles : " His sickness was increased by his pernicious gluttony, for that night he surfeited himself with peaches and drinking new cider, which greatly increased and ag- gravated the fever in him." The drink ciceris in Mat- thew Paris is called pomarium by Matthew Westminster; and by Dr. Brady, p. 517., new 'bracket. Foxe, following Matthew Paris, says, " His ague increased through evil surfeiting and naughty diet, by eating peaches and drink- ing new ciser, or, as we call ft, cider." Ciceris, deer, or sicera, seems to be a general term for all intoxicating liquors, except wine, made from vegetable substances: " Est omnis potio, qiue extra vinum inebriare potest." (Du Cange, s. v. Sicera). * Cider is probably the beverage meant, as tiie epithet novi is added; the king's death

  • See, for example, the second foot-note at p. 23., and

the third foot-note at p. 32., respectively compared with the text ; also the first foot-note at p. 50. Anti-episco- pacy seems at the bottom of the two latter perversions.


having happened in the middle of October, when this drink is usually made. Consult Nares's Glossary, art. Bragget.]

Dr. Clarke's " Discourse." What work is meant by Dr. Clarke's Discourse concerning the Connexion of the Prophets ? It is referred to by Bishop Sherlock on Prophecy, p. 238. n. I. R. R.

[This work is entitled, A Discourse concerning the Con- nexion of the Prophecies in the Old Testament, and the Ap- plication of them to Christ : being an extract from the sixth edition of A Demonstration of the Being and Attri- butes of God, r. To which is added, A Letter concern - ing the Argument a priori. By Samuel Clarke, D.D., Hector of St. James's, Westminster. 8vo., 1725.1

The Close. At Lincoln, Salisbury, and other cathedrals, there is a place called " The Close," which is occupied by the dignitaries of the cathe- dral. What is the origin of it ?

FKA. MEWBUHN. Darlington.

[The Close, Lat. clausum, an enclosed place. Du Cange says, "CiAusA, locus, seu aides, in qua inclusi ino- nachi degebant. Vita S. Gamelberti, cap. ii. u. 14., ' ad fenestram clausas in qua latebat.' "]


MACHINE HEXAMETERS.

(Vol. xii., p. 470.)

A short account of this "method of grinding Latin verses," written by myself, appeared, a few years ago, in Chamberss Edinburgh Journal (No. 326., New Series) ; I here add a few further remarks on the same subject. The tables, alluded to by I. II. A., are composed by setting down, in consecutive order, every first letter of the follow- ing words ; then every second letter ; then every third letter ; and so on, till all the letters form- ing the words are thus placed. Observing, that such words as do not contain nine, or the required number of letters, must have their deficiencies supplied by blanks or asterisks. The first words of verses, thus arranged, will form the first table ; the second words of verses the second table ; and so on in regular succession.

HEXAMETER.

First Words of Verses. Turbida, ignea, pes- sima, horrida, aspera, inartia, barbara, lurida, effera.

Second Words of Verses, Fata, signa, damna, bella, vincla, sistra, eastra, scorta, tela.

Third Words of Verses. Sequi, foris, pati, tuis, domi, patet, puto, palam, ferunt.

Fourth Words of Verses. Prasmonstrant, pro- ritant, promittunt, protendunt, producunt, mon- strabunt, progignent, prsenarrant, promulgant.

Fifth Words of Verses. Tempora, pocula,