Oct. 30. 1852.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



411 



Still could not the mathematicians of the 

 eighteenth century have found a more congenial 

 retreat than Wapping ? Sydney Smirke. 



Americanisms (so called). — Most of these are 

 either English words that have become obsolete in 

 the mother-country, or words and phrases used in 

 a way that is now out of use there. The words 

 guess and reckon, used to signify suppose or think, 

 are instances. 



Locke, in his Essay on Education, in sect. 28., 

 says, " Once in four-and-twenty hours is enough, 

 and nobody, I guess, will think it too much." 



In sect. 167. : "But yet, I guess, this is not to 

 be done with children whilst very young." And in 

 sect. 174. : " And he whose design it is to excel 

 in English poetry would not, / guess, think the 

 way to it was to make his first essay in Latin 

 verses." 



Where the New Englander, or resident of the 

 middle states, says / guess, the Virginian says / 

 reckon, and in this he has the sanction of the trans- 

 lators of the Bible in the days of James I., who 

 rendered Romans viii. 18. thus : " For I reckon that 

 the sufferings of this present time are not worthy 

 to be compared with the glory which shall be re- 

 vealed in us." 



To progress. — Americans have been ridiculed 

 by some English writers for using this verb. It 

 was in use in England in the time of Queen 

 Elizabeth, I have met with it either in one of 

 Ben Jonson's plays, or in those of his cotem- 

 poraries. I regret that I did not make a note of 

 the authority. Unbda. 



Philadelphia. 



St. Paul and Vitruvijts. — St. Paul must have 

 been acquainted with the works of Vitruvius, who 

 states : 



" There are various kinds of timber, as there are 

 various kinds of flesh ; one of men, one of fishes, one 

 of beasts, and another of birds." 



" All flesh is not the same flesh ; but there is one 

 kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of 

 fishes, and another of birds." — 1 Cor. xv. 39. 



r. Davies. 



Pershore. 



Black Boys sold in London. — There is a curious 

 announcement in the Critical Memoirs of the Times 

 for January, 1769, under the date of Tuesday, 

 January 3, one, indeed, which is calculated to 

 shock our present notions of what is right : 



" There is an agent in town, we hear, purchasing a 

 number of the finest, best-made black boys, in order to 

 be sent to Petersburgh, as attendants on her Russian 

 Majesty." 



F. S. A. 



Provincial Words {Camb. and Essex). — Brow 

 or hrough (Camb.), a plank laid across a ditch 



forming a rustic foot-bridge. In East Norfolk 

 this would be called " a ligger." Forby has the 

 latter word in the sense of a float to catch pike, 

 &c. ; but not in the sense of a bridge. 



Oesance, Jesance (Camb.). — In the Isle of 

 Ely, when boys play marbles, each returning at 

 the end of the game those which he has won, it is 

 called playing Gesance. When they retain their 

 winnings, it is playing "for goods." A friend 

 sucirests that it may come from the French jouis- 

 sance. 



Wolf {Essex). — Anarch or culvert for water 

 to pass through. From the Anglo-Saxon hwealf 

 hwolf, convexity, arch. Cognate to this are the 

 German, Gewolte ; English, vault. This word 

 was repeatedly used at the trial of the Tollesbury 

 murder at the Essex Lent Assizes this year. 

 Repairing "wolven" frequently occurs in old 

 accounts of Romford. E. G. R. 



HBLUtvie^. 



PEPYS CHABGED WITH TREASON. 



P. C. S. S. wishes to know whether the accomr- 

 plished nobleman, to whom the world is so greatly 

 indebted for the publication of Pepys's Diary, can 

 furnish any additional information respecting the 

 circumstance alluded to in the following extracts 

 from a volume of old newspapers now in the pos- 

 session of P. C. S. S. 



In the Domestic Intelligence, or News from City 

 and Country for Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1679, it is said 

 that: 



" We are informed that the last week, Samuel 

 Pepys, Esq., went to Windsor, having the confidence 

 to think he might kiss the king's hand. But meeting 

 with a person of honour, and acquainting him with his 

 intent, he was told that it was strange he would pre- 

 sume to come to Court, since he stood charged with 

 treason ; who, it is said, answered, his innocency was 

 such that he did not value anything he was ac- 

 cused of, which he did not doubt but to make appear 

 at the next Term, at which time it seems his tryal 

 comes on : And thereupon addressed himself to some 

 other persons, and prevailed with them so far as to be 

 introduced into His Majestie's presence ; but, however, 

 could not be admitted to the honour he desired." 



To this statement a positive contradiction was 

 (riven in the same newspaper on the 19 th and 26th 

 of Sept., in the following terms : 



" These are to give notice, that all and every part of 

 the relation, published in the Domestic. Intelligence the 

 9th of this instant Sept., touching Samuel Pepys, Esq., 

 is, as to the matter, and every particular circumstance 

 therein mentioned, altogether false and scandalous ; 

 there having no such passage happened, nor anything 

 that might give occasion for that report." 



P. C. S. S. 



