A BOOK OF THE BEGINNINGS
NOTES TO SECTION 6
[1] [Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel, bk. 4. 'What thinkest thou of it, say, thou bawdy Priapus? I have found thy counsel just before now, et habet tua mentula mentem.' Uquhart's tr.]
[2] [Brewer, Dictionary of Phrase and Fable,
p. 720. 'Mr. Punch.
A Roman mime called Maccus was the original of Punch. A statuette of this buffon
was discovered in 1727, containing all the well-known features of our friend—the long nose and goggle eyes, the hunch back and protruding breast.
The most popular derivation of Punch and Judy is Pontius cum Judæis (Matt.
xxvii. 19), an old mystery play of Pontius Pilate and the Jews; but the Italian
policinello seems to be from pollice, a thumb (Tom—thumb figures), and our Punch
is from paunch.
The drama or story of our Punch and Judy, is attributed to Silvio
Fiorillo, an Italian comedian of the seventeenth century. The tale is this:
Punch, in a fit of jealousy, strangles his infant child, when Judy flies to her
revenge. She fetches a bludgeon, with which she belabours her husband, till
Punch, exasperated, seizes another bludgeon and beats her to death, then flings
into the street the two dead bodies. The bodies attract the notice of a police
officer, who enters the house. Punch flees for his life; being arrested by an
officer of the Inquisition, he is shut up in prison, from which he escapes by
means of a golden key. The rest is an allegory, showing how Punch triumphs over
all the ills that flesh is heir to. (1) Ennui, in the shape of a dog, is
overcome; (2) Disease, in the disguise of a doctor, is kicked out; (3) Death is
beaten to death; and (4) the Devil himself is outwitted.']
[3] [Gwynvardd Brecheiniog, 12th c. See Davies, The Mythology and Rites of the British Druids, p. 140.]
[4] [Lottner, 'On the Forms and Origin of the Pronouns of the First and Second Persons,' PTRS, 1859, 38. 'We may therefore fairly assert, that in the Negro languages there is a strong tendency to use nasals for the first person. Nor is this tendency restricted to them; for we find the same thing also in the Basque ni, in Quasi-Qumuq (Caucasus) na, in the Georgian me (compare the cognate Lazian ma), in Japanese my, Korean nai, in Zamuca nu, Aymara na.' Lottner explains that the nasal sound, i.e., ng, is more commonly associated with the first person, whereas the second person is guttural, i.e., k.']
[5] [The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 'A.D. 547. This
year Ida began his reign; from whom first arose the royal kindred of the
Northumbrians. Ida was the son of Eoppa, Eoppa of Esa, Esa of Ingwy, Ingwy of
Angenwit, Angenwit of Alloc, Alloc of Bennoc, Bennoc of Brand, Brand of Balday,
Balday of Woden. Woden of Fritholaf, Fritholaf of Frithowulf, Frithowulf of
Finn, Finn of Godolph, Godolph of Geata. Ida reigned twelve years. He built
Bamburgh-Castle, which was first surrounded with a hedge, and afterwards with a
wall.'
Ibid., 'A.D. 670. This year died Oswy, King of Northumberland, on the
fifteenth day before the calends of March; and Egferth his son reigned after
him. Lothere, the nephew of Bishop Egelbert, succeeded to the bishopric over the
land of the West-Saxons, and held it seven years. He was consecrated by
Archbishop Theodore. Oswy was the son of Ethelfrith, Ethelfrith of Ethelric,
Ethelric of Ida, Ida of Eoppa.' Tr., Rev. James Ingram.]
[6] [Robert of Gloucester,
Chronicle,
rendered by Earle, Philology of the English Tongue, p.
299. 'The old Saxon title Æceling,
for the Crown Prince, was thus formed, as it were the son of the
Æcel or Estate. About the year 1300,
Robert of Gloucester considered this word as needing an explanation:
(Note: these lines contains Old Eng. characters.)
"Ac pe gode tryw men of be lond wolde abbe ymade kyng
pe kunde eyr, pe 3onge chyld, Edgar Apelyng.
Wo so were next kyng by kunde, me clupep hym Athelyng.
Fervor me clupedr hym so, vor by kunde he was next kyng."
Translation.—But the good true men of
the land would have made king the natural heir, the young Chyld, Edgar Atheling.
Whoso were next king by birthright, men call him Atheling: therefore men called
him so, for by birth he was next king.']
[7] [Morte Arthure, Ed., Robert Thornton's MS., (AB. 1440 A.D),
by G. G. Perry. See for example line 3632: 'And a beryne with his bronde, and
ane helme betyne.'
The glossarial index gives the following examples: 'Bernes,
biernes, byernes, berynes, s. men, knights, 255, etc.']
[8] ['Borlase, in his Antiquities of Cornwall, p. 168, tells us: "The Cornish to this day invoke the spirit Browny, when their bees swarm; and think that their crying Browny, Browny, will prevent their returning into their former hive, and make them pitch and form a new colony."' From Brand, Observations on Popular Antiquities, vol. 3, p. 225.]
[9] [Rit. ch. 126. 'Giving truth to all the created just Spirits who serve the Taser, in all the places in which the Soul lives, adoring like the Sun, adoring like Osiris.' Birch's tr. Cf. Renouf.]
[10] [Histories, bk. 2:106. 'The pillars which Sesostris erected in the
conquered countries have for the most part disappeared; but in the part of Syria
called Palestine, I myself saw them still standing, with the writing
above-mentioned, and the emblem distinctly visible. In Ionia also, there are two
representations of this prince engraved upon rocks, one on the road from Ephesus
to Phocæa, the other between Sardis and Smyrna. In each case the figure is that
of a man, four cubits and a span high, with a spear in his right hand and a bow
in his left, the rest of his costume being likewise half Egyptian, half
Ethiopian. There is an inscription across the breast from shoulder to shoulder,
in the sacred character of Egypt, which says, "With my own shoulders I conquered
this land." The conqueror does not tell who he is, or whence he comes, though
elsewhere Sesostris records these facts. Hence it has been imagined by some of
those who have seen these forms, that they are figures of Memnon; but such as
think so err very widely from the truth.' Tr., Rawlinson.
'The pillars which Sesostris of Egypt set up in the various countries are
for the most part no longer to be seen extant; but in Syria Palestine I myself
saw them existing with the inscription upon them which I have mentioned and the
emblem. Moreover in Ionia there are two figures of this man carved upon rocks,
one on the road by which one goes from the land of Ephesos to Phocaia, and the
other on the road from Sardis to Smyrna. In each place there is a figure of a
man cut in the rock, of four cubits and a span in height, holding in his right
hand a spear and in his left a bow and arrows, and the other equipment which he
has is similar to this, for it is both Egyptian and Ethiopian: and from the one
shoulder to the other across the breast runs an inscription carved in sacred
Egyptian characters, saying thus, "This land with my shoulders I won for
myself." But who he is and from whence, he does not declare in these places,
though in other places he has declared this. Some of those who have seen these
carvings conjecture that the figure is that of Memnon, but herein they are very
far from the truth.' Tr., Macauley.]
[11] [Brand, Observations on
Popular Antiquities, vol. 1, p. 499, the 3rd ed. 'Lord
of Misrule.' 'Dugdale, in his Origines Juridiciales, p. 156,
speaking of the fooleries of the Lord of Misrule in the Inner Temple on St.
Stephen's Day, says: "Supper ended, the constable-marshal presented himself with
drums afore him, mounted upon a scaffold borne by four men, and goeth three
times round about the harthe, crying out aloud, 'A lord, a lord,' &c. Then he descendeth, and goeth to dance, &c.; and after he calleth his court, every one
by name, e.g. Sir Randle Rackabite, of Raskall Hall, in the county of
Rake-Hell, &c. &c. This done, the Lord of Misrule addresseth himself to the
banquet; which ended with some minstralsye, mirth, and dancing, every man
departeth to rest."*
(* In the feast of Christmas, says Stow, in his Survey,
there was in the king's house, wheresoever he lodged, a Lord of Misrule, or
Master of merry Disports, and the like had ye in the house of every nobleman of
honour or good worship, were he spiritual or temporal. The Mayor of London and
either of the sheriffs had their several Lords of Misrule, ever contending,
without quarrel or offence, who should make the rarest pastime to delight the
beholders. These Lords, beginning their rule at Allhallow's Eve, continued the
same till the morrow after the Feast of the Purification, commonly called
Candlemas Day: in which space there were fine and subtle disguisings, masks, and
mummeries, with playing at cards for counters, nayles, and points, in every
house, more for pastimes than for gaine.).']
[12] [Old English Chronicles, p. 4. 'Already two young men, Hengist and Horsa, were pre-eminent. They were the grandsons of Woden, king of the barbarians, whom the pagans have since raised to an abominable dignity, and honouring him as a god, offer sacrifice to him for the sake of victory or valour, and the people, deceived, believe what they see, as is their wont.' Tr., Giles, based on Ethelwerd's chronicle.]
[13] [Layamon's Brut, MS. Cott. Calig. A. 9, lines 4765-6. 'Belin in Euerewic; huld eorlene husting.' Madden's ed.]
[14] [Barddas. Unable to trace.]
[15] [Chabas, 'Travels of an Egyptian,' RP, 2, 107, sect. 4, line 9.]
[16] [Rit. ch. 32. 'Back, Crocodile of the West, living off those never at rest! What thou hatest is in my belly. I have eaten the limbs of Osiris.' Birch's tr. Cf. Renouf.]
[17] ['Vallancey, in his Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis, No. xiii. 10, tells us that in Ireland they are called Tamans. "I know," says he, "a farmer's wife in the county of Waterford, that lost a parcel of linen. She travelled three days' journey to a taman, in the county of Tipperary: he consulted his black book, and assured her she would recover the goods. The robbery was proclaimed at the chapel, offering a reward, and the linen was recovered. It was not the money but the taman that recovered it."' From Brand, Observations on Popular Antiquities, vol. 3, p. 64.]
[18] ['On the passage in Macbeth—
"By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes,''
Steevens observes: "It is a very ancient superstition that all sudden pains of
the body, and other sensations which could not naturally be accounted for, were
presages of somewhat that was shortly to happen." Hence Mr. Upton has explained
a passage in the Miles Gloriosus of Plautus: "Timeo quod rerum gesserim hie, ita
dorsus totus prurit."' From Brand, Observations on Popular Antiquities, vol. 3, p. 179.]
[19] [Natural History, bk. 30.4.]
[20] [Geography. Unable to trace in this work.]
[21] [Natural History, bk. 16.95.]
[22] [Source]
[23] [Saxon Chronicle, E. 1048.]
[24] [Lepsius, Denkmaler, vol. 2, p. 143, b.]
[25] [Works, Paris, 1686, vol. 1, col. 1528.
'After the Christian era the influence of the scarab was still felt. St Ambrose,
Archbishop of Milan, calls Jesus: "The good Scarabaeus, who rolled up before him
the hitherto unshapen mud of our bodies."' See Myers, Scarabs, p. 63.
See also BB 2:317, NG 2:408
& AE 2:732.]
[27] [Denkmaler, p. 117.]
[28] [Cyvoesi 1; see Davies, The Mythology and Rites of the British Druids, p. 467.]
[29] [Correct spelling is Myrddin.]
[30] [Myrddin.]
[31] [Source]
[32] [Muller, Lectures on the Science of Language, 1st ser., p. 258. 'This root we expect to find in Sanskrit and the other Aryan languages; and so we do. In Sanskrit the more usual form is pas, to see, without the s; but spas also is found in spasa, a spy, in spashta (in vi-spashta), clear, manifest, and in the Vedic spas, a guardian. In the Teutonic family we find spehon in Old High-German meaning to look, to spy, to contemplate; and speha, the English spy. In Greek, the root spek has been changed into skep, which exists in skeptomai, I look, I examine; from whence skeptikos, an examiner or inquirer, in theological language, a sceptic; and episkopos, an overseer, a bishop.' Or p. 298 of 7th ed., or p. 261 of 3rd ed.]
[33] [Lepsius, Denkmaler, 4.63. C.]
[34] [Portrait, JAS, June 1874.]
[35] [Renouf, 'Inscription of Aahmes, son of Abana,' RP, 6, 5. See p. 9, lines 20, 21.]
[36] [Sayce, Introduction to the Science of Language, vol. 1, p. 342. Wrong p. no., unable to trace.]
[37] [Galfridus, Mss. Harleian 221, BM.]
[38] [A Dictionary of the Chinese Language.]
[39] [Rit. ch. 42. 'The redness of their faces is unknown to him.' Birch's tr. Cf. Renouf.]
[40] ['Old Nick is the vulgar name of this evil
being in the North of England, and is a name of great antiquity. There is a
great deal of learning concerning it in Olaus Wormius's Danish Monuments.
We borrowed it from the title of an evil genius among the ancient Danes. They
say he has often appeared on the sea and on deep rivers in the shape of a
sea-monster, presaging immediate shipwreck and drowning to seamen.*
* See Lye's Junii Etymolog. in v. Nick. A writer in the Gent. Mag.
for March 1777, xlvii. 119, says: Nobody has accounted for the devil's having
the name of Old Nick. Keysler de Dea Nehalunia, p. 33, and Antiq.
Septentr. p. 261, mentions a deity of the waters worshipped by the ancient
Germans and Danes under the name of Nocka, or Nifren, styled in the Edda Nilcur,
which he derives from the German Nugen, answering to the Latin necare. Wormius'
Mon. Dan. p. 17, says the redness in the faces of drowned persons was
ascribed to this deity's sucking their blood out at their nostrils. Wasthovius,
Pref. ad Vit. Sanctorum, and Loccenius, Antiq. Sueo-Goth., p. 17,
call him Neccus, and quote from a Belgo-Gallic Dictionary, Necer spiritus
aquaticus, and Necce necare. The Islandic Dictionary in Hickes,
Thesaur., p. iii. p. 85, renders Nikur bell a aquatica. Lastly, Rudbekius,
Atlant. p. i. c. vii. 5, p. 192, and c. xxx. p. 719, mentions a notion
prevalent among his countrymen, that Neckur, who governed the sea, assumed the
form of various animals, or of a horseman, or of a man in a boat. He supposes
him the same with Odin; but the above authorities are sufficient to evince that
he was the Northern Neptune, or some subordinate sea-god of a noxious
disposition. It is not unlikely but the name of this evil spirit might, as
Christianity prevailed in these northern nations, be transferred to the Father
of evil."'
From Brand, Observations on Popular Antiquities, vol. 2, p. 520.]
[41] [Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, vol. 2, ch. 31. '"Ung-lung!" said he, "who ever heard of such a name?—ang lang—anger-lung—that can't be the name of your country; you are playing with us." Then he tried to give a convincing illustration. "My country is Wanumbai—anybody can say Wanumbai. I'm an 'orang-Wanumbai; but, N-glung! who ever heard of such a name? Do tell us the real name of your country, and then when you are gone we shall know how to talk about you." To this luminous argument and remonstrance I could oppose nothing but assertion, and the whole party remained firmly convinced that I was for some reason or other deceiving them.']
[42] [From Tylor, Researches into the Early History of Mankind, p. 149.]
[43] [Zohar, f. 137, c. 4.]
[44] [Ex. 23:21. 'Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.']
[45] [Mishna, tr. 5, ch. 4.]
[46] [Ibid.]
[47] [Rit. ch. 125. Birch's tr. Cf. Renouf.]
[48] [The Gospel of John. See note below.]
[49] [John 12:28. 'Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.']
[50] [John 17:6. 'I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.']
[51] [Caesar, Commentaries on the Gallic Wars, bk. 5, ch. 14. 'The most civilized of all these nations are they who inhabit Kent, which is entirely a maritime district, nor do they differ much from the Gallic customs. Most of the inland inhabitants do not sow corn, but live on milk and flesh, and are clad with skins. All the Britains, indeed, dye themselves with woad, which occasions a bluish colour, and thereby have a more terrible appearance in fight. They wear their hair long, and have every part of their body shaved except their head and upper lip. Ten and even twelve have wives common to them, and particularly brothers among brothers, and parents among their children; but if there be any issue by these wives, they are reputed to be the children of those by whom respectively each was first espoused when a virgin.']
[52] [Marsden, The History of Sumatra, p. 286. 'The father, in many parts of the country, particularly in Passummah, is distinguished by the name of his first child, as Pa-Ladin, or Pa-Rindu (Pa for bapa, signifying the father of), and loses in this acquired his own proper name. This is a singular custom, and surely less conformable to the order of nature than that which names the son from the father. There it is not usual to give them a galar on their marriage, as with the Rejangs, among whom the filionymic is not so common, though sometimes adopted, and occasionally joined with the galar; as Radin-pa-Chirano. The women never change the name given them at the time of their birth; yet frequently they are called, through courtesy, from their eldest child, Ma-si-ano, the mother of such a one; but rather as a polite description than a name. The word or particle Si is prefixed to the birth-names of persons, which almost ever consist of but a single word, as Si Bintang, Si Tolong; and we find from Captain Forrest's voyage that in the island of Mindanao the infant son of the Raja Muda was named Se Mama.']
[53] [Hardisty, 'Notes on the Tinneh,' ARSI, 1866, 326.]
[54] [Davis, Dictionary of the Kaffir Language, p. 80. 'Hlohipa, v.t.x,z, To avoid, from a sense of shame. The Kaffir women have a superstitious fear or shame of being near their father-in-law or any other male relation. They, and their children, avoid mentioning their own father's name. This word is used to describe this avoidance of the father-in-law, and of the name of the father. The women also avoid the cattle kraal, and in passing the kraal gate they make a circuit, so as to avoid going too near this also is called Uku-Hlonipa. Hence the word also denotes modesty, bashfulness. They also refuse to pronounce or use words which have for their principal syllable any part or syllable of the father's or father-in-law's name, or that of their paramount chief. This custom of ukurhlonipa is thus always coining new words. Such words are known as "Ukuteta kwaba-fazi:" The language of the women.']
[55] [Cory, Ancient Fragments, p. 1.]
[56] [Rit. ch. 165. 'I do as ye takers say ye did to the Soul, Paba, giving him a burial.' Birch's tr. Cf. Renouf.]
[57] [This chapter was never written. Massey changed his mind and concentrated instead on the 'Typology of Primordial Onomatopoeia.' See NG 5.]
[58] [Campbell, Popular Tales of the West
Highlands, vol. 2, tale 25. 'THE ISLE OF PABAIDH.
From Alexander M 'Donald, tenant, and others, Barra. July 1859.
There came a woman of peace (a fairy) the way of the house of a man in the
island of Pabaidh, and she had the hunger of motherhood on her. He gave her
food, and that went well with her. She staid that night. When she went away, she
said to him, "I am making a desire that none of the people of this island may go
in childbed after this." None of these people, and none others that would make
their dwelling in the island ever departed in childbed from that time.']
[59] [(Poss. in Chabas, 'The Magic Papyrus,' RP, 10, 135. See p. 3? Unable to trace.)]
[60] [Stele naoph of Turin.]
[61] [Royal King And Loyal Subject, (1850 ed.), p. 48. 'Whore. Trust you? come up! canst thou pay the hackney for the hire of a horse, and think'st thou to breathe me upon trust?']
[62] [Lepsius, Denkmaler, vol. 4, p. 63, c.]