472 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[2nd S. No 50., Dec. 13. '56. 



. TO CRY MAPSTICK8. 



(2'"» S. ii. 269. 315.) 



Mr. E. S. Taylor is right in identifying map 

 and mop. Map is the ancient and proper form ; 

 mop is a later corruption. The origin of the word 

 is the Latin viappa, which signified a napkin used 

 at table ; it also denoted the linen cloth with 

 which the signal for the races in the circus was 

 given (Forcellini in v.). As linen cloth sometimes 

 performed the office of paper among the Romans 

 (as in the case of the libri lintei mentioned by 

 Livy), the word mappa was employed to signify 

 the surveys of land, or local maps, of the agri- 

 mensores. Afterwards it was extended to geo- 

 graphical delineations of the entire known world, 

 and hence the phrase mappa mundi. Mappa 

 was also used to express the linen canopy held 

 over the head of the priest, during his sacred 

 functions : the attendants who supported it were 

 called mappularii. A flag was also called mappale 

 (see Ducange, Gloss. Lat, in mappa, mappula, 

 mappa7'ius, ^c). 



The word f^dinra was likewise received in bar- 

 barous Greek ; Herodianus de Solcecismo et Bar- 

 iarismo explains it as ^fipSixaKTpov. The words 

 mapparius and nainrdpws were specially used to 

 denote the oflficer who gave the signal in the 

 public horse-races, for the reason above stated 

 (Ducange, Gloss. Grac, in (idwrra and ixaiTirdpios.^ 



Mappa retained in mediasval Latin its original 

 sense of a napkin or handkerchief. Ducange ex- 

 plains mappula as 'Sparvula mappa, qua nasum 

 tergimus, sudarium, Gallis moucJioir." He cites a 

 gloss in which it is interpreted to mean a towel ; 

 and a passage of Alcuin : " Mappula, qua pituitam 

 oculorura detergimus." On the authority of the 

 Liber niger Scaccarii, he states that maparius was 

 " officium doraus regiae apud Anglos, cui scilicet 

 incumbebat mappas, canabum, manutergia et si- 

 milia providere." This officer was also styled 

 naparius, (see Fleta, lib. ii. c. 19.) Mappa was 

 likewise written vapa : and hence the French 

 nappe and naperie, the sources of our words 

 napery and napkin. (Ducange, in napa, naparia, 

 naperii.) 



A mop is explained by Johnson as " pieces of 

 cloth, or locks of wool, fixed to a long handle, 

 with which maids clean the floors;" and is cor- 

 rectly traced by him to the Latin mappa. Ri- 

 chardson entirely mistakes the origin of' mop, in 

 connecting it with mob. A mop is a bundle of 

 linen or woollen rags, used for moistening a floor, 

 or for absorbing moisture : as when the deck of a 

 ship is mopped. The word sudarium, as a synonym 

 for mappa, points to the connexion of mop and 

 map ; as a person who is moist with heat is said 

 to mop his face with his handkerchief. 



It may be assumed as certain, that in the pas- 

 sage of Swift's Polite Conversation, " crying map- 



sticks" is equivalent to " ci'ying mopsticks." The 

 meaning of the phrase is difficult to guess : Mr. 

 Taylor's explanation is not satisfactory. Per- 

 haps Neverout intends to say ; " I cry mopsticks. 

 Madam ; I perform a mean office, I humiliate my- 

 self;" alluding to the low trade of a street crier. 



L. 



LIEUTENANT WILLIAM BLIGH. 



(2°'iS. ii. 411.) 



In reply to your correspondent Stic, I have 

 translated for " N. & Q." the inscription on Ad- 

 miral Bligh's monument in Lambeth churchyard ; 

 whereon is also a record to the memory of Mrs. 

 Elizabeth Bligh, chiefly indicating that he was 

 married, and that they had children. To whom 

 he was married I cannot say, and the records of 

 Lambeth Church are not likely to give further 

 information. In the east part of the ground en- 

 closing the church, and abutting upon the Trades- 

 cant tomb, is an elegant monument of Grecian 

 form, surmounted with a blazing urn. On the 

 west side is the following inscription : 



" Sacred to the Memory of William Bligh, Esq., F.R.S., 

 Vice-Admiral of the Blue ; the celebrated Navigator who 

 first transplanted the Bread-fruit Tree from Otaheite to 

 the West Indies; bravely fought the Battles of his 

 Country; and died beloved, respected, and lamented on 

 the 7th Day of December, 1817, aged 64." 



On the south side is the following inscription, 

 above which are the arms of Bligh, viz. : 



" Sacred to the Memorv of Mrs. Elizabeth Bligh, the 

 Wife of Rear-Admiral Bligh, who died April 15th, 1812; 

 in the 60th j'ear of her age." 



On the east side : 



" In this Vault are deposited also, the Remains of Wil- 

 liam Bligh and Henry Bligh, who died March 21st, 1791, 

 aged 1 day, the Sons of Mrs. Elizabeth and Rear-Ad- 

 miral Bligh : and also, Wm. Bligh Barker, their Grand- 

 child, who died Oct. 22, 1805, aged 3 years." 



J. F. G. 



P.S. As Lieut. Bligh, he had the command of 

 the "Bounty;" and to have a grand-child aged 

 three years in 1805, he must have married 

 some few years before he took command of the 

 " Bounty." 



Lieutenant William Bligh, who commanded the 

 "Bounty" in 1789, was afterwards Governor of 

 New South Wales, and died December 7, 1817; 

 being then a Rear-Admiral and F.R.S. (See 

 Gentlemaii s Mag., vol. Ixxxvii. p. 630.) He was 

 married, but I do not know to whom ; and he left 

 six daughters and co-heiresses, viz. Harriet Maria, 

 wife of Henry Aston Barber, Esq. ; Elizabeth, 

 widow of Richard Bligh, Esq. (her cousin), of 

 Lincoln's Inn, Barrister-at-Law ; Mary, wife of 

 Major-General Sir Maurice Charles O'Connell; 



