Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 12.djvu/245

 us. xii. SEPT. 25, i9i5.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

237

Perch, sb. (1290, 1440, then 1578, &c.). " [They] Gret perkis bair of trene saplyng that squair is " (i.e., poles on which armour was hung). xi. 15.

Phrenetical (1548)." The spreit hes felt the flam.be freneticall." vii. 106.

Pig (what is this ?). " Our piggeis and our pinsalis wauit fast " (Lat., Inflatur carbasus). iii. 141.

Pin, a merry, jolly, &c. (1386, 1440, 1485, then 1530, &c.). "With hart hingand on the joly pyn." xi. 47.

Pipe, a cask (14 and 15 c., then 1559)." [He] behynd a wyne boyte or a pype hym hyd " (Lat., Se post cratera tegebat). ix. 235.

Pirate, a land -robber (1526, 1726, &c.). " The pirat pressis to peyll the pedder his pak." viii. Prologue, p. 144.

Plain, plainly (1387, 1390, 1475, then 1588, Ac.). " Bayr hym this message, and declayr him plane That," &c. viii. 158.

Pliable (1483, 1494, then 1578)." Ane circulet of plyabyll gold " (Lat., Molli circulus auro). x. 289.

Pretty, used sarcastically (1538). " He mycht be reput a pretty God and mene." x. Prologue, p. 274.

Prizer, sb. (1427, 1440, 1505, then 1549). " Beis not afferit to cum in prysaris sycht." To his book, p. 230.

Process, matter causing delay. " Oys furth thy chance : quhat nedis proces mar " (more). xii. 164.

Profitable (1325 to 1450, then 1528, &c.). " For na thing profitable." xii. 158.

Proplexity for perplexity. " Gret perell and proplexite " (so also ed. 1553). xi. 33.

Protectrix (c. 1500, then 1562, &c.). " Be my protectrix " (Lat., Pugnae princeps ; ed. 1553, protectour). x. 298.

Quoin, adj., few. " Butnochtinquhoyn wordis [Venus answered] " (Lat., Non Venus. . . .Pauca refert). x. 279.

Quook, quaked. " The land. . . .trumbillit and quhoik " (ed. 1553, Trymblit arid quok). iii. 160.

RICHARD H. THORNTON.

8, Mormngton Crescent, N.W.

(To be continued.)

A GERMAN PILGRIMAGE OF FIFTY YEARS AGO. The following interesting paragraph appeared in The Warwick Advertiser OL the llth,inst. It was reprinted from the issue for 9 Sept., 1865 :

" The EiitJmsiastic Germans. At Wakefield, a few days ago, some German gentlemen called at the vicar's, and asked for permission to view the house and grounds. It was accorded, not without surprise at a request so unusual. When the compatriots of Goethe and Schiller had satisfied their curiosity, and had departed, it transpired that they had made a pilgrimage, as they believed, to the scene of Oliver Goldsmith's story, v and that the vicarage was to them endeared by associations of Dr. Primrose, Olivia, Sophia, and Moses. May the enthusiastic Germans never be undeceived and disenchanted !"

J. T. P.

UGO BASSI. The mention by MR. J. B.. WAINEWRIGHT, under the heading ' Clerks in Holy Orders as Combatants' (ante, p. 168), of Ugo Bassi, who incurred excommunication' by the Pope for taking up arms with Gari~ baldi against the supporters of the Tem- poral Power, and suffered death at Bologna by the order of the Austrian General Gorz- howski in 1849, recalls to my memory a letter of Ugo Bassi' s recounting his sad story, hitherto unpublished, except in a translation- I made of it from a copy of the original transmitted to me by my friend Sign or Piceller of Perugia. It was written eight months before his execution, full of pathos and gloomy forebodings of his approaching end, addressed by him to a lady in Perugia (Italy).

Ugo Bassi was born at Cereto (Ferrara) 4 in 1801, and educated by the Barnabite monks, entering subsequently into the- same fraternity. He soon afterwards em- braced the doctrines of Mazzini, and became- an ardent conspirator and revolutionist,, and a follower of Garibaldi when he under- took to defend the short-lived Roman- Republic against the French under General Oudinot. Garibaldi escaped capture, but Ugo Bassi was taken prisoner at Venice and shot by the Austrians on 18 Aug., 1849 r being buried at Bologna where he fell. He was an accomplished poet and musician,, and it is said that he could recite the whole of Dante's ' Divina Commedia ' from memory.

I give below my translation of his letter to the Perugian lady : GENTILE DONNA ELENA U. . ..

Christmas Day is come once more ! Abundant,, pure, and sweet tears have been shed over the manger (presepio) of the Child Jesu, and perhaps- a few may be spared to seek compassion for the poor Padre Ugo. Oh ! how exquisite the thought that if in this world exist tears fit to sanctify the cheeks of angels, they are truly those which- the lovely eyes of innocency lavish on the infant Jesus in Hi's cradle. Wherefore I beseech you r Donna Elena, gentlest of souls, to weep, and teach also other pure ones, to weep, who are by your example instructed in heavenly sympathies. None of your companions can live near you with- out learning from you how to overcome the world.

And of a truth I have sore need that the Lord will remember in His mercy how much and how long I have borne my heavy burden, so wearisome to the spirit that I am almost ready to cry out r " The flesh indeed is weak."

But I must still do the will of God in all things r and carry my cross, not only to-day, but to- morrow and eveiy day. Nor must I now lament overmuch, and blaspheme because of my tribula- tions, since to bless is best, so aa rot to sadden more those, who are full of sorrow for me.

Venice, Palermo, and other of my vain hope* seem to have perished for evermore. What fate