Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 3.djvu/541

 io*s. in. JI-XE jo. lore.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

445

sent delegates. This fact shows that the question was assuming considerable import- ance. A succession of delays followed. On one pretext or another, the attempts to bring the question before Parliament met with comparative failure on account of technical objections ; but the reformers never wavered in their intentions.

On 25 March, 1793, once again Sheridan espoused the cause of the promoters of the Bill. He had previously given notice that he would move

" That the several petitions presented to this House in this session of Parliament from the Royal Burghs of Scotland, together with the several accounts and papers relating to the internal govern- ment of the Royal Burghs which were presented to this House in the last Parliament, should be referred to the consideration of a committee, to examine the matter thereof, and to report the same as it shall appear to them to the House."

This was agreed to, and a committee of twenty -eight members was chosen from each side of the House. On 17 June the report was presented, and ordered to be printed ; but, to quote from an account of the proceedings,

"in this stage of the business the state of agitation into which the public mind had been thrown by the recent atrocities of the French Revolution operated as a complete barrier against any con- cessions being granted, and this opinion being generally acquiesced in, nothing further was attempted at the time."

With recent years the electorate has been materially widened. Representatives now attend from what are termed Police Burgh and also Parliamentary Burghs. Scottish measures of considerable importance have been matured by discussions at theConvention before being brought forward in Parliament Its sphere of usefulness is recognized, anc the subjects considered are just as wide anc varied as in the earlier times.

J. LINDSAY HILSON.

Public Library, Jedburgh.

FRENCH WORDS OF UNCERTAIN ORIGIN (See ante, p. 222.)

I CONTINUE my short notes on some word in Brachet's ' Dictionnaire Etymologique ' :

Gadoue, gadalis, from Germ. gata = gasse street sweepings.

Gaillard (Celtic) : cf. Welsh gall, O. Irisl gal, bravery.

Galet, O.Fr. gal, a flat stone ; hence a fla cake.

Galetas, according to Littre from "Galata, a high tower in Constantinople.

Galimatias, gallm Matthias, for Matthiae cf. Ivor ting, s.v.

Galonner, O.H.G. geili, pomp. Galvauder, gal, pejorative prefix, vale- icere ? Garance, verantia (so Diez, 593) ; cf.

Gargote, gurgitem,hom root garg, onomato- ceic for swallowing.

Garrote, crossbar, Celtic gar, pi. garrowy. he leg.

Gibet, O.Fr. gibet, a large stick ; perhaps- rom *capico, to hawk, from the perch on vhich hawks were carried. See Korting, s.v.. apico.

Gibier, from *capico, ut sujwa.

Givre, *gelivitrum, smooth ice.

Goberge'r, gober, Kelt, gob, the mouth.

Goder, godailler, Celtic root got, unchaste.

Gogue, Celtic (Breton goge\ trickery.

Gosier, geusice (<. f Celtic origin), the- throat.

Goudron, through the Italian catrame from Arabic al-qa-trdn.

Goujat, Hebrew goj, people ; \iddish goje ; cf. Fr. gouge.

Gourmet; Celtic (Bret, chadenn, a curb), t<

Gribouilhr, to scrawl, M.H.G. griewel, to- shake 1

Grigou, English grin (?) *** may be a,
 * orruption of "Greek"; see Skeat, s.v. grig.

Gruger, N. German gruizen, to crush.

Grume, Lat. grumus, Ital. r/jwno.

Guigner, O. German Hnan, to distort the- mouth.

Guimbarde, a long four-wheeled conveyance- for carrying luggage, &c. May not this pe- connected with gimbals, in the sense ot the- springs which keep the equipoise 1

Haricot, probably from Italian caraco : "fleur du haricot de 1'Amerique," Strambio and Tassi.

Haridelle, probably from O.G. herde, herd, flock : the word was actually once used la this sense ; see Korting, s.v. herde.

Haro, O. German haro, hero. hither.

Jabot, gibbus, KV<OS, a protuberance.

Jade, Sp. ijada, the flank ;^ the jade stone was a cure for pleurisy ; see Skeat, s.i.

Jale, calathus.

Jaquemart, according to Littre, comes pro- bably from a proper name Jacques with a* popular suflix.

Jargon, root garg, whence gurges and ItaU gergo.

Jauger, perhaps from jale.

Javart, captdus, a handful; see Korting y s.v. capella.

Javelot, Celtic, connected with gaf, Ir. gabhlan, fork of a tree ; see Skeat, s. v.