Jan. 18. 1851.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



41 



him as a specimen of a griffin's claw, and which 

 may still be seen in the cathedral of that city. 

 That they should afterwards be fitted with appro- 

 priate legends, is not surprising. 



Some vears since, when walking down the valley 

 of St. Nicholas, on the south side of the Valais, 

 my guide, a native of the valley, pointed out to 

 me a wood on the mountain side, and told me that 

 therein dwelt great serpents, al)out 24 feet long, 

 which carried off lambs from the pastures. He 

 had, however, never seen one of these monsters, 

 but had only seen those who had, and I failed in 

 procuring any testimony of a more decisive cha- 

 racter. My guide, however, affirmed that their 

 existence was generally believed in the valley. N. 



ORIGIN OF THE FAMILY NAME OF BACON. 



(Vol. ii., p. 247.) 



The Query proposed by Nocab evidently pos- 

 sesses some interest, having already elicited two 

 or three replies. I trust, therefore, I shall be 

 excused for submitting yet another solution, which 

 appears to me more satisfactory, if not conclusive. 

 The answers to such questions are for the most 

 part merely ingeuious conjectures ; but these to be 

 of weight, should be supported by antiquarian 

 learning. They claim perhaps more regard when 

 they seem to elucidate collateral dilKculties; but 

 ^re of most value when authenticated by indepen- 

 dent evidence, esiiecially the evidence of documents 

 or of fads. Fortunately, in the case before us, all 

 these desiderata are supplied. 



Old Richard Verstegan, famous for Saxon lore 

 and archaeological research, explains it thus : — 



" Bacon, of the Becchen tree, anciently called IJucon; 

 and. whereas swinesflesh is now called by the name of 

 15acon, it grew only at the first unto such as were 

 fatted with Bucon or beechmast." — Chap. ix. p. 299. 



There is one agreeable feature in this explana- 

 tion, viz., that it professes somewhat naturally to 

 account for the mysterious relation between the 

 flesh of the unclean animal, and the name of a 

 very ancient and honourable family. But its chief 

 value is to be found in the singular authentication 

 of it which I accidentally discovered in CoUins's 

 Baronetage. In the very ample and particular 

 account there given of the pedigree of the Premier 

 Baronet, it will be seen that the first man who 

 assumed the surname of Bacon, was one William 

 (temp. Rich. I.), a great grandson of the Gritn- 

 baldiis, who came over with the Conquerf)r and 

 settled in Norfolk. Of course there was some 

 reason for his taking that name; and though Col- 

 lins maki's no comment on it, he (Iocs in fact un- 

 consciously supply that reason (elucidate<l by 

 Verstegan) by happily noting of this sole indivi- 

 dual, that he bore for his arms, " argent, a beech 

 tree proper!" Thank you, Mr. Collins! thank 



you kindly, Richard Verstegan ! You are both 

 excellent and honest men. You cannot have been 

 in collusion. You have not, until now, even reaped 

 the merit of truthfulness and accuracy, which you 

 silently reflect upon each other. The family name, 

 Bacon, then, undoubtedly signifies " of the beechen 

 tree," and is therefore of the same class with many 

 others such as ash, beech, &c., latinized in ancient 

 records by De Fraxino, De Fago, &c. 



The motto of the Somersetshire Bacons, noticed 

 by Nocab, when read as written, is supposed to be 

 in the ablative case ; when transposed, the evident 

 ellipse may be supplied ad libitum. From Grim- 

 baldus, downwards, it does not appear that these 

 beechen men ever signalized themselves by deeds 

 of arms, the favourite boast of heralds and genea- 

 logists. Nor indeed could we expect them to 

 hare " hearts of onk." But several have rendered 

 the name illustrious by their contributions to 

 literatui-e, science, and the fine arts. Its appro- 

 priateness, theTiit'ore,must be apology for the motto; 

 which, like most others, is by no means too modest 

 and unassuming. 



Duly blushing, I subscribe myself, yours, 



ProBa conScientia. 



P.S. The pedigree of the Norfolk Bacons is one 

 of the most perfect in the Herald's College. Any 

 of your readers fond of genealogy might find 

 himself repaid in seeking further information re- 

 garding the particular coat of arms above referred 

 to, and might throw still more light on the sub- 

 ject. 



In Vol. ii., p. 247., your correspondent, Nocab, 

 quotes (without reference) the remark en passant 

 of a previous correspondent " that the word bacon 

 had the obsolete signification of ' dried wood.' " I 

 have searched in vain for this allusion in your 

 preceding Numbers.* The information is too 

 curious, however, to be lost sight of. The Saxon 

 word bacon is, without doubt, simply and purely 

 beechen — pertaining to, or relating to the beech 

 tree. 



It is probable enough, therefore, that the word 

 has borne the signification of " drie<l wood." But 

 it is very desirable to know on what authority the 

 assertion rests. Will your correspondent refer us 

 to the book? Or can any of your learned readei'S 

 say how, wheie, and when bucon has signified 

 " dried wood ?" 



The subject is well worth the bestowal of some 

 pains upon its elucidation ; for the meaning and 

 derivation of the word bncon, both as a substantive 

 noun and as a proper name, have been frequently 

 discus.-^ed by etymologists and philologists {'or the 

 last 300 years; and yet, apparently, without any 

 satisfactory detcrmimilion of the question. The 

 family is ancient, and has been highly distinguished 



* See vol. ii., p. 138. 



