Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 10.djvu/472

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. x. NOV. 14, im

" A GLUTTED TIGER," &c. I find in a book written in Paris in 1857 for the use of students the following passage :

"I regret the pampered duke was disabled so early in the contest. He was waxing fierce, and looked (Heaven save the mark !)

A glutted tiger, mangling in his lair."

I am at a loss to identify the author of the quoted line. I looked for it in several glossaries, and am positive it is neither by Shakspeare nor by Milton. It sounds very much like Pope, but it is rather long since I read that poet's works, and I cannot recall the passage, though I lately perused them again for that purpose. Moreover, if the line stands alone, as, in fact, it does in the above-mentioned book, " mangling " is in- transitive, which is not usual. Still, the line is not quoted in the ' New English Diction- ary.'

In this predicament I cannot do better than apply to your estimable publication, and should feel gratified by getting informa- tion about the subject. F. PSALMON,

Professor of English, Lycee Voltaire, 33, Rue du Faubourg St. Martin, Paris.

THE FIRST SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS : PETER DE MONTFORT. Peter de Montfort is said by Hakewil, writing in 1641, to have been Speaker of the House of Commons in 44 Henry III. (1260) ; and in some books of reference it is said that he was a son of Simon de Montfort, and that he fell at the battle of Evesham.

But had Simon a son of this name ? and is there any confirmation to be found of his having acted as Speaker of the House of Commons at this early date ? The Rolls of Parliament are silent on the subject, and the names of the knights of the shire sum- moned to meet at Westminster in April, 1254 (38 Henry III.), have not been pre- served.

I find, however, that the lands of a Peter de Montfort were forfeited to the King in 1315 (9 Edward II.). Is anything further known of him, or his supposed tenure of the Speaker's chair ?

ARTHUR IRWIN DASENT. The Dutch House, Hampton-on-Thames.

ERNISIUS : A PROPER NAME. This name occurs in thirteenth-century pedigrees, and - articularly in those of the Norman Nevills. have always maintained that it is a ghost- name, and I am glad to see that the Rev. W. O. Massingberd takes much the same view in the July number of The Genealogist. It was suggested, years ago, that Ernisius might stand for Ernest, and in the last

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published Calendar of the Patent Rolls- of Henry III. (1247-58) it is incautiously so translated.

The Nevills of the Conquest possibly came with the contingent of Alan, Count of Brit- tany ; at any rate, they afterwards held lands of his Honour of Richmond, and Alan and Hervey, leading names in the family, are both distinctively Breton, and so, I fancy, is Jollan ; so German a name as Ernest seems impossible.

In Mr. Kirby's ' Charters of Durrington, Wilts' (Archceologia, vol. lix.), the name of the father of Hugh Nevill le Gras (Grossus or Crassus) is given as Hervesius, and the identification with Hervey is confirmed by a charter at Salisbury and elsewhere. This is, however, the same man who is called Ernest in the Calendar.

I think it may safely be assumed that the n in Ernisius is a misreading of a v or u, quite easy when the connexion with the name Hervey was missed.

It is desirable that the authorities should look into the matter, and, if they decide that my view is correct, abolish the form Ernisius for ever. I suggest that close scrutiny should be given as to whether there is any authority for the s, and whether Herveius is not really the true form ; it is evident that the name in this form might be troublesome to decipher. I should like to have the opinion of Mr. C. Trice Martin on the matter. RALPH NEVILL, F.S.A. Castle Hill, Guildford.

MILTON RELIC. I have a cutting from The Daily News relating to a relic of Milton, that is to say, a little tortoiseshell case,, containing three ivory tablets and a pair of dividers other contents, including a pen and pencil and three other articles, having been lost. This case was formerly, it is said, in the possession of Elizabeth Minshull, Milton's third wife ; and in view of the approaching celebration of the Ter- centenary of Milton's birth in December^ I am desirous of ascertaining the date of the publication of the article in The Daily News, and if possible the name of the author and the whereabouts of the relic itself.

At the back of the cutting are telegrams relating to the expedition from Tampa and the bombardment of Caimanera during the war between Spain and the United States.

JOHN HEBB.

ROD OF BRICKWORK. In England brick- work is measured by the rod, a rod being the amount of brickwork measuring 16| ft. in length, by 16| ft. in height, by H ft. in