302 
THE BROME FAMILY. 
1717 (and rolls for the particular interval are not at present traceable); 
but the details of the Trains of this period embraced the full establish- 
ment of Matrosses, and Borgard took with him from Minorca to 
Catalonia, in 1709, twenty of this grade. 1 2 
In 1716, however, we find Charles Brome doing duty at Woolwich 
Warren as matross; and as this epoch was not only a crisis in his 
career, but also had in it an element of romance, we may dwell for a 
little while over the details of this interesting episode. 
On 9th January, 1718, Brome was again promoted and “sworn in” 3 * * * * 
as Gunner ; 8 at once left Woolwich for the Tower of London, and iu 
March 1718 embarked for service with the Train of Artillery in 
Minorca, in charge of ordnance and stores : but prior to this he had 
married under somewhat romantic circumstances—not unusual at this 
period, as, about the same period, three other similar and well authen¬ 
ticated instances occurred (one to the grandfather of an artillery officer 
who now holds high rank, and one which would fill a three volume 
novel of the Zola type). 
The tradition, common in the regiment fifty years since, was that 
u Charles Brome, being a splendid, handsome man, ruddy and of fair 
countenance, of pleasing address, and one who had seen much war 
service,” Colonel Borgard kept him in charge of the guard at the 
Warren Gate, where, being always careful to entertain strangers, he 
chanced to entertain an angel unawares, as among the occasional 
visitors was a young widow, comely and wealthy, to whom “ Corporal 
Brome ” acted so gallantly that the lady fell in love with him and they 
were married “right off the reel”—just as Queen Christina of Spain 
1 Cleaveland MSS., p. 3^68. 
2 For the last 200 years and upwards the substance of the soldier’s engagement with the Crown 
has'seldom varied. The mode of administering the Oath of Allegiance, until temp. George II., 
was for the magistrate to recite the Code or Articles, and for the soldier to hold up his right hand, 
saying, “ I hold all these Laws and Ordinances as sacred and good, and will conform, fulfil, and 
keep them to the uttermost of my power.”—Clode’s Martial Law, pp. 27, 29. 
How similar to the Homan Sacramentum described by Tiberius, 54, when the recruit (tyro) 
passed by the Tribune, holding up his right hand, saying “ Idem in me?” 
An interesting and instructive essay might be written on “ Origin and History of the Soldier’s 
Attestation and Records.” Up to April, 1859, the 1st Battalion Office, at Woolwich, held attesta¬ 
tions since William III., but on breaking up of the Battalions, in 1859, some vandals destroyed 
large quantities of this “ rubbish ;” this 1 learned from one of the office clerks. The earliest attes¬ 
tation preserved to the R.A. Record Office is dated 1773. 
3 Gunner. The terminal root er, ir (the ir of vir), of Aryan and Sanscrit—Man. (Origin of 
language, (Kavanagh), Vol. I., p. 422). Gunner, therefore, is literally the Gune’s Man. In the 
flogging days in the Navy, to be tied up to the gun (carriage) for »uch punishment w-as termed 
“ kissing the gunner’s daughter ;” and “ son of a gunne,” for gunner “ is as old as the hills.” (See 
“ Technological Dictionary,” in loco). 
Gun, from (Gr.) gunee, gunaikos (cvvene, Anglo-Saxon), woman, female; and this from the 
Sanskrit ganaka, which, according to Max Muller, means “ Chiefest,” “Head over all,” &c. 
(Origin of language (Kavanagh), Vol. I., p. 422, Vol. II., p. 17). (Gr.) Gunee (ge-on-e) 
has for its roots gee-earth, ON (sun, fire principle), ee (emanation), i.e. Promethean fire: but 
its prime is, of course, ON, comprised under the “ fire ” element, or Sun. In the 14th century 
the Scotch pronounced the word geunies (gynnys for cralcys — vide p. 6 of “ Succession List of 
Master-Gunners of England”); and for same period Lieutenant (now Lieut.-General) Henry 
Braekenbury quotes Walsingham as referring to gunnas suas, cjuas Galli canones vocant. 
(“Proceedings,” R A.I., Vol. V., No. 1.) Anglice, gonne. The Scotch (who always excelled in 
the genius of classics), and the Continentals, invariably gave their cannon femine appelatives, to 
end of 16th century ; and, on the Continent, Sancta Barbara is patron saint of the Gunners. 
One exception is to be found, in England, anno 1513, when the masculine appelative John 
JEvangelist (“ Succession List,” p. 10) was applied by some one who was more devout than 
intelligent. 
