Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 10.djvu/307

 10 s. x. SEPT. 26, im] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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anciently even priests had the ' Sir,' a translation of Dommus, implying either Lord or Master. The chiefs of Douglas were barons; and the title of 'Sir' prefixt to their names and to others by modern writers, following the ancient, is improper, because that prefixture now belongs to knights only, whereas in ancient times even kings had it 'Schir Edward, the nobil king.'"- -'The Bruce' <ed. 1790), vol. i. p. 14, n.

Those who have access to Fosbrooke's ' Anti- quities ' will find the point dealt with there also.

In the Song School of this city the earliest known Song School in Scotland, established as an adjunct to the church at least as early as the middle of the four- teenth century, and lasting down till 1749 the master was often " Sir." Thus, on 7 June, 1510,

" The said day, the pro vest, bailzeis, and [town] counsaile, for honour arid uphaldin of goddis service, conducit and feit [fee'd] Schir Johnne Troumbull, sangster, to serve in thair queyr and kirk in all divine service, messis, matutinis, evynsangis, and all uder service belanging to ane sangster, for ane yer to cum."

This Sir John Troumbull (or Turnbull) was master of the Song School at the time. He was followed in the same office by Sir John Cuming in 1518, and he by Sir Andro Coupar, and so on.

As bearing out Pinkerton's statement that the " Sir " was applied to priests as a translation of Dominus, there is an entry in the burgh registers of Aberdeen, of date 1448, the rubric of which bears that on 15 June " Dominus Nicholas de Blar," rector of the parish of Dunnottar, presented letters of the King to the Provost and Baillies demanding inquiry into a slander against him ; and he becomes in the translated text " Schir Nicolo of Blar," chaplain to William, Lord Hay, Constable of Scotland. Again, in 1456 Sir Henry Harvey was made one of the chaplains of St. Nicholas' Church in the city ; in 1484 some scandal was occa- sioned in the town by disputes between two colleagues of St. Nicholas' Church, " Schir Andro Gray and Schir Walter Young, chaplanis " ; and in 1505 the authorities " grantit and gef to Schir Thomas Lamming- tone, chapellane, Sanct Clementis Chapele, for ale the dais of hys lyve."

Sometimes " Sir " was used in place of " Master " or " Maister," which was the dis- tinctive clerical designation after graduation for many years ; and sometimes it was applied to a public official, " Sir Andro Wright, maister of the kirk wark," who, however, may have been of the same status as the other clerical personages. It was also ap- plied to legal men " Sir Johne Sterueling,

notar publict," nourished in the city in 1511 ; as " Schir Robert Leis, public notar," did more than a quarter of a century before.

In such a case as -the following, 4 May, 1511, bearing on preparations which were being made by a commission for a visit of Queen Margaret to the city, it is quite impossible to tell with certainty who .were clerics and who laymen :

"Apoun the quhilks the provest askit instru- ment of me, Sir Johne Sterueling, notar publict, befor Sir Thomas Bynne, Sir Davy Leis, Sir Thomas Wricht, and Sir Davy Lyel, and the said com- missioun and assedationis to be maid one the seuerast wiss [severest wise] to burges, induellaris of the said burgh."

Frequently, in the case of knights, the appellation " Knt." or " knycht " was added, and so made matters easy for later inquirers ; but the practice was not invariable.

G. M. FBASEB.

Public Library, Aberdeen.

A perusal of ' The Medieval Records of a London City Church ' (E.E.T.S. No. 125) throws much light on the subject. The title " Sir," during the years 1420-1559 covered by the book, is applied not to " Mr. parson," nor his deputy, the parish priest, but to the curate and to the very numerous chantry priests or morrow-mass priests, whose " wages " were paid by the churchwardens out of the funded property of the chantries. Rarely a "Sir Priest " was engaged for the choir as a bass, or as a " quondocke " (con- duct). Towards the close of the period under review these priests were paid at the rate of 8d. a day for casual services, 2s. Sd. a week, and 6Z. 13s. 4d. a year ; for which period the curate received 12Z. The annual wage of the parish clerk was also 6Z. 13s. 4d.

H. P. L.

I believe that Bachelors of Arts at .Queen's College, Oxon, are still (or were until recently) designated " Sir " by their servants when ordering beer, &c., for them at the buttery. A. R. BAYLEY.

See Nares's ' Glossary,' 1822, s.n. ' Sir.' He quotes Spenser, Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, and Beaumont and Fletcher.

LIONEL SCHANK.

" BAAL-FIRES " (10 S. x. 206). This is most instructive. There have been few more curious crazes than that of " the antiquaries with theories of Celtic or Canaanitish idola- tries." who, as Sir James Murray says', turned the Old English bale-fire into Baal- fire I See the ' N.E.D.'