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CURIOSITIES OF PURITAN NOMENCLATURE
BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
_Crown 8vo, cloth extra, 7s. 6d._
OUR ENGLISH SURNAMES: their Sources and Significations.
"Mr. Bardsley has faithfully consulted the original mediaeval documents and
works from which the origin and development of surnames can alone be
satisfactorily traced. He has furnished a valuable contribution to the
literature of surnames, and we hope to hear more of him in this
field."--_Times._
_CHATTO AND WINDUS, PICCADILLY, W._
CURIOSITIES OF
PURITAN NOMENCLATURE
BY CHARLES W. BARDSLEY
AUTHOR OF "ENGLISH SURNAMES, THEIR SOURCES AND SIGNIFICATIONS"
"O my lord,
The times and titles now are alter'd strangely"
KING HENRY VIII.
London
CHATTO AND WINDUS, PICCADILLY
1880
[_The right of translation is reserved_]
_Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Limited, London and Beccles._
DEDICATED TO HIS FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE HARLEIAN SOCIETY.
PREFACE.
I will not be so ill-natured as to quote the names of all the writers who
have denied the existence of Puritan eccentricities at the font. One, at
least, ought to have known better, for he has edited more books of the
Puritan epoch than any other man in England. The mistake of all is that,
misled perhaps by Walter Scott and Macaulay, they have looked solely to
the Commonwealth period. The custom was then in its decay.
I have to thank several clergymen for giving me extracts from the
registers and records under their care. A stranger to them, I felt some
diffidence in making my requests. In every case the assistance I asked for
was readily extended. These gentlemen are the Rev. W. Sparrow Simpson, St.
Matthew, Friday Street, London; the Rev. W. Wodehouse, Elham, Canterbury;
the Rev. J. B. Waytes, Markington, Yorks.; the Rev. William Tebbs,
Caterham Valley; the Rev. Canon Howell, Drayton, Norwich; the Rev. J. O.
Lord, Northiam, Staplehurst; and the Rev. G. E. Haviland, Warbleton,
Sussex. The last-named gentleman copied no less than 120 names, all of
Puritan origin, from the Warbleton records. I beg to thank him most
warmly, and to congratulate him on possessing the most remarkable register
of its kind in England. Certain circumstances led me to suspect that
Warbleton was a kind of head-quarters of these eccentricities; I wrote to
the rector, and we soon found that we had "struck ile." That Mr. Heley,
the Puritan incumbent, should have baptized his own children by such names
as Fear-not and Much-mercy, was not strange, but that he should have
persuaded the majority of his parishioners to follow his example proves
wonderful personal influence.
Amongst the laity, I owe gratitude to Mr. Chaloner Smith, Richmond,
Surrey; Mr. R. R. Lloyd, St. Albans; Mr. J. E. Bailey, F.S.A., Manchester;
Mr. J. L. Beardsley, Cleveland, U.S.A.; Mr. Tarbutts, Cranbrook, Kent; and
Mr. Speed, Ulverston.
Of publications, I must needs mention _Notes and Queries_, a
treasure-house to all antiquaries; the Sussex Archaeological Society's
works, and the _Yorkshire Archaeological and Topographical Journal_. The
"Wappentagium de Strafford" of the latter is the best document yet
published for students of nomenclature. Out of it alone a complete history
of English surnames and baptismal names might be written. Though inscribed
with clerkly formality, it contained more _pet forms_ than any other
record I have yet seen; and this alone must stamp it as a most important
document. The Harleian Society, by publishing church registers, have set a
good example, and I have made much use of those that have been issued.
They contain few instances of Puritan extravagance, but that is owing to
the fact that no leading Puritan was minister of any of the three churches
whose records they have so far printed. I sincerely hope the list of
subscribers to this society may become enlarged.
For the rest--the result of twelve years' research--I am alone
responsible. Heavy clerical responsibilities have often been lightened by
a holiday spent among the yellow parchments of churches in town and
country, from north to south of England. As it is possible I have seen as
many registers as any other man in the country, I will add one
statement--a very serious one: there are thousands of entries, at this
moment faintly legible, which in another generation will be wholly
illegible. What is to be done?
Should this little work meet the eye of any of the clergy in Sussex, Kent,
and, I may add, Surrey, I would like to state that if they will search the
baptismal records of the churches under their charge, say from 1580 to
1620, and furnish me with the result, I shall be very much obliged.
VICARAGE, ULVERSTON,
_March, 1880_.
NOTE.
W. D. S. in the Prologue = "Wappentagium de Strafford."
C. S. P. = "Calendar of State Papers."
CONTENTS.
PROLOGUE.
THE PET-NAME EPOCH IN ENGLAND.
PAGE
I. THE PAUCITY OF NAMES AFTER THE CONQUEST 1
II. PET FORMS 9
(_a._) Kin 9
(_b._) Cock 13
(_c._) On or In 17
(_d._) Ot or Et 21
(_e._) Double Terminatives. 30
III. SCRIPTURE NAMES ALREADY IN USE AT THE REFORMATION 34
(_a._) Mystery Names 34
(_b._) Crusade Names 35
(_c._) The Saints' Calendar 36
(_d._) Festival Names 36
CHAPTER I.
THE HEBREW INVASION.
I. THE MARCH OF THE ARMY 38
II. POPULARITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT 59
III. OBJECTIONABLE SCRIPTURE NAMES 70
IV. LOSSES 76
(_a._) The Destruction of Pet Forms 76
(_b._) The Decrease of Nick Forms 82
(_c._) The Decay of Saint and Festival Names 92
(_d._) The Last of some Old Favourites 99
V. THE GENERAL CONFUSION 109