Bath, Dec. 1849.
_Viz., why the contracted form of Videlicet._
I shall be much obliged if any one of your readers can inform me of the
_principle_ of the contraction viz. for videlicet, the letter _z_ not
being at all a component part of the three final syllables in the full
world.
[Cross symbol]
[Is not our correspondent a little mistaken in supposing that the
last letter in "viz." as originally a letter z? Was it not one of
the arbitrary marks of contraction used by the scribes of the
middle ages, and being in form something like a "z," came to be
represented by the early printers by that letter? In short, the
sign3 was a common abbreviation in records for terminations, as
omnib3 for omnib_us_, hab3 for hab_et_. Vi3, corruptly viz. is
still in use.]
_Authors of Old Plays._
We are enabled by the courtesy of several correspondents, to answer two
of the Queries of Q.D., in No. 5. p. 77., respecting the authors of
certain old plays.
G.H.B. informs us that _Sicily and Naples_ was written by Samuel
Harding; of whom, as we learn from J.F.M., an account will be found in
Wood's _Athenae_.
NASO informs Q.D. that _Nero_ was written by Matthew Gwinne; there are
two editions of it, viz. 1603 and 1633,--and that a copy of it may be
procured at 17. Wellington Street, Strand, for 2_s_.
_Birthplace of Coverdale._
Can you inform me of the birthplace of Miles Coverdale?