Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 5.djvu/21

 11 S. V. JAN. 6, 1912.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

observation " ( ' Friends in Council ' ). Study of the etymology of the Provencal names for the newt, for the blindworm, and even for their venom, shows that these words have been largely affected by the credulity of the -people, not only of Southern France, but probably also of ancient Italy.

At blando the evolution from " sala- mandra " ceases, but here the newt acquires a new but somewhat similar name from another source. It is lou brenous, the venomous, a nonce-word as a noun, changed slightly from its adjectival form berinous, verinous, in mimic relationship to alabreno, as blando to alabrando. From alabrando came blando ; to alabreno came brenous. And berin&us is from veri (thirteenth century), verin, which passed into French as verin, velin, becoming venim, venin, under the influence of the Latin word, though this became veleno in Italian.

Thus the newt has come to be considered blind, deaf, and venomous, though its fire- proof nature has been almost forgotten.

EDWARD NICHOLSON;

Neuilly.

There is a ceremony, much in vogue in German students' " Kneipen," called " einen Salamander reiben." According to Spamer's ' Konversations-Lexikon,' it ori- ginated in Jena over a century ago, when it became the custom at the close of every drinking-bout for each one present to drink a glass of " Schnaps." A small portion of this brandy was poured on the table as a libation to the fire-god (Salamander) and set on fire, all lights being extinguished. One of the students then delivered a speech, addressed to the fire-god, whilst the others rubbed their glasses on the table and repeated several times the word " Salamander." On the burning brandy being extinguished, all glasses were emptied and set down on the table with one sounding blow ("mit einem Schlage ").

There are other explanations of the custom, but there are several local super- stitions in Germany about the salamander, i.e., its incombustibility, use in case of fire, &c. May this have any connexion with your correspondent's quotations ?

H. S. BERESFORD WEBB.

Some Derbyshire folk threaten a child with " I '11 give you a good salam," while others use the word " salat." There was a good deal of talk about " samalanders " being at times seen in wood fires, and I remember how I used to watch the fire when a new clog was laid on, in the hope

that I might see " a samalander." The iron rod which was used for heating the barrel of the frilling-iron, when all women wore caps, was called in my home a " samander" or a " sammy iron." THOS. RATCLIFFE. Worksop.

[A " salamander " is also the name of a large cooking iron used in the kitchen of some gentle- men's houses.]

CORPORATION OF LONDON AND THE MEDICAL PROFESSION (11 S. iv. 425, 496). PELLIPAR states that I am incorrect in sup- posing that the Lord Mayor of London is chosen from a restricted number of Livery Companies. The only work of reference I have at hand is Sydney Young's ' Annals, of the Barber-Surgeons.' From it I make the following extracts, which appear to support my statement. They refer to the only four members of that Company who became Lord Mayor.

1. " June 8, 1622. At a Court held this day Alderman Proby was ordered to be transferred to the Grocers' Company in view of his election as Lord Mayor." P. 533.

2. "In 1661 Sir John Frederick was translated to the Grocers' Company to enable him to take the office of Lord Mayor." P. 551.

3. " Sir Humphrey Edwin was elected Lord Mayor of London ( 1697 ), he having been previously translated from the Barber-Surgeons' Company to the Skinners' Company." P. 561.

4. " July 21, 1720. The Master acquainted the Court that Sir William Stewart, a Freeman of this Company, did make his request to this Court that he might be translated from this Company to the Company of Goldsmiths, foras- much as it was required by the custom of London that he should be free of one of the first twelve Companies of London before he could be put in election as Lord Mayor." P. 562.

Similarly, I believe that an examination of the annals of the Apothecaries' Com- pany would show that no member of that Company has been elected Lord Mayor unless he has become a member of one of the twelve Companies referred to in the preceding paragraph.

S. D. CLIPPINGDALE.

BENNETTO (11 S. iv. 448). Perhaps the following may help MR. A. E. BENNETTO to the information he requires : James Ben- etto was instituted to the living of Perran- zabuloe, Cornwall, on 11 June, 1793, and remained vicar there till 1818. I have searched through the lists of incumbents of most of the parishes in that county, but this is the only instance I have discovered of a person bearing the above name.

L. H. CHAMBERS.

Amersharn.