236 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 45. 



which was printed at the University press in 1826, 

 a contradiction of tiie usual origin of the name 

 adopted in that city, showing the impossibility of 

 the expression bearing any reference to the disso- 

 luteness or immorality of the former residents, and 

 also contradicting its having any thing to do with 

 " rats," or " rations," .Scottfce ; aUhougli, in 1458, the 

 " Vieus Rattonuni " is the term actually used in the 

 Archbishop of Glasgow's chartulary. My observa- 

 tions, which were published in a note, concluded as 

 follows : — 



" The name, however, may he also traced to a very 

 remote and classic origin, although we are not aware 

 that it has hitherto lieen condescended on. In ancient 

 Rome was wliat was called the llatumena Porta, ' a 

 nomine ejus appellata (says Gessner in his Latin 7'hc- 

 sa?<r«s) qui ludicro certamine quadrigis victor juvenis 

 Veils consternatis e(]uis excussus Itomfc peiiit, qui 

 equi feruntur non ante constitisse quam pervenirent 

 in Capitolium.' The same story is related by Pliny, 

 from whom and other authors, it appears that the word 

 RatU'nena was then, as proverbially applied to jockies 

 as Jehu in our own days. From the circumstance of 

 the Rotten Row Port (of Glasgow) having stood at 

 the west end of this street, and the Stable Green Port 

 near the east end, which also led to the Aichbishop's 

 castle, it is probable not only that it was the street 

 through which processions would generally proceed, 

 hut that the port alluded to, and after it the street in 

 question, were dignified by the more learned of our 

 ancestors with the Roman name of which, or of the 

 Latin Rota, the present appears a very natural cor- 

 ruption." 



I may here refer to Facciolati's Dictionary, voce 

 " Ratumena Porta," as well as Gessner's. 



As to Stockivell, alsi> a common name, it is ob- 

 viously indicative of the pai-ticidar kind of well at 

 the street, by which the water was lilted luit by a 

 wheel, nor by a pump, nor a pulley, but by a beam 

 poised on or formed by a large stock, or block of 

 wood. Lambda. 



Hornbooks (Vol. ii., p. 167.). — Mr. Timbs will 

 find an account of hornbooks, with a woodcut of 

 one of the time of Queen Elizabeth, in Mr. Hal- 

 WwqWs Notices of Fugitiuc yn/cte, printed by the 

 Percy Society, 1849. Your readers would confer 

 a favour on Mr. Timrs and myself by the com- 

 munication of any additional information. R. 



Passages from Shakspeare (Vol. ii., p. 135.). — 



" ^ny. We are all frail. 



Isal). Else let my brother die, 



If not a feodary, hut only he 

 Owe, and succeed thy weakness. 

 Any. Nay, women are frail too." 



Measure for Measure, Act ii. Sc. 4. 



I should paraphrase Isabella's remarks thus : — 



" If it be otherwise, if we are not all frail as thou 

 sayest, then let my brother die, unless he be but in the 

 same case as others ; if he alone possess and follow thee 



in that particular frailty to which thou hast half con- 

 fessed." 



A feodary, I should observe, was an officer of 

 the Court of Wards, who was joined with the es- 

 cheator and did not act singly ; I conceive there- 

 fore that Shakspeare by this expression indicates 

 an associate ; one in the same plight as others ; ne- 

 gatively, one who does not stand alone. In Cym- 

 beline, Act iii. Se. 2., we read : 



" Senseless bauble, 



Art thou a. feodary for this act, and lookst 



So virgin-like without?" 



where feodary clearly means confederate, associ- 

 ate. According to some, the word signifies one 

 who holds land by the same tenure as the rest of 

 mankind ; whilst Mr. Knight, in a note on Henry I V. 

 Part i. Act i. endeavours to show that it includes 

 both the companion and the feudal vassal. 



" To owe " is frequently used by Shakspeare in 

 the sense of to possess, to own, as in Act i. Sc. 5. 

 where Lucio says: 



" But when they weep and kneel, 

 All their petitions are as freely theirs 

 As they themselves would owe them." 



So also in the following instances : — 

 " The slaughter of the prince that ow'd that crown." 

 Richard III., Act. iv. Sc. 4. 

 " What art thou, that keepst me out from the house I 

 0!«e?" Comedy tf Errors, Act iii. Sc. I. 



" Then thou alone kingdoms of hearts sbouldst owe." 



Sonnet Ixx. 



Further examples will be found in A Lovers 

 Complaint, the last line but two ; Pericles, Act v. 

 Sc. 1. ; Twelfth Night, Act i. Sc. 5., Love' s Labour s 

 Lost, Act i. Sc. 2. ; King John, Act ii. Sc. 1. ; King 

 Lear, Act i. Sc. 4. 



As the passage is allowed to be obscure, this 

 attempt to explain its meaning is submitted with 

 great deference to the opinions of your readers. 



Arun. 



Mildew in Books (Vol. ii., p. 103.). — In an- 

 swer to B. I may mention that the following facts 

 connected with mildew in books have been 

 elicited. 



The mildew referred to is that which shows itself 

 in the form of roundish or irregular brown spots. 



It is usually most abundant in those parts which 

 are most exposed to the air. 



In making a microscopic examination of the 

 spots, I ascertained that there was no new struc- 

 ture present ; but in manipulating I found that 

 these spots absorbed water more rapidly than the 

 rest of the paper. 



On applying litmus, these spots were found to 

 have a powerful acid reaction. 



On submitting the matter to a chemical friend, 

 he ascertained that the acid in question was the 

 sulphuric, or oil of vitriol. Experiments were 

 then made with a dilute solution of this acid on 



