Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 6.djvu/542

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [11 s. vi. DEC. 7, 1912.

ALBANIAN AND MODEKN GREEK. To afford a glimpse, however limited by one brief sentence, of the strange and puzzling Albanian language, may perhaps appear not unwelcome, at the present moment, to some readers of ' N. & Q.' Let me gather it from a precious version of the New Testament in Albanian, printed at Corfu in 1827, together with Modern Greek in parallel columns, by direction of the Greek Archbishop of Eubcea. The third verse of chap. v. of the Gospel according to Matthew reads there as follows in Modern Greek and Albanian :

Modern Greek. Albanian.

enelvoi, oirov Atoi/yu ara K yidve re

Kara rb [3dpepe VT a-jripr, <rf

vi'fv/j.ai.' Sri avr&v etvai arovpe tcrre ju-trpeTepia i

i) ficuriXeia ruiv ovpavuiv. Klf\(3fr.

I shall not attempt any derivation of these Albanian words, but merely identify fa-re, as evident, with ancient Greek ea-rt, and crirtpT with Latin spiritus, and /a'eA/^er, with Latin ccelum. Whoever desires to trace further the various elements of this Indo-European language has to consult Fr. Miklosich's ' Slavische und Romanische Elemente im Albanesischen ' (Wien, 1870- 1871), and Gust. Meyer's ' Etymologisches Worterbuch der Albanesischen Sprache ' <Strassburg, 1891). In the latter work the native name of Albanian, i.e., Shkipetar, is explained by the Latin excipio, " I under- stand," originally denoting one who under- stands another (v. p. 411).

To Gustav Meyer we owe likewise a brief 4 Albanesische Grammatik mit Lesestiicken und Glossar,' (Leipz., 1888), a work which was followed, twenty years afterwards, by the more exhaustive ' Grammatik der Alba- .nesischen Sprache ' of Dr. Pekmezi (Wien, 1908). H. KREBS.

" CHEEV " : " CHEEVEB." In Suckling's court books for the manor of Gorleston. A MS. beginning in 1583 and running to 1662 contains
 * History of Suffolk ' is an account of the

" A particular of the cheevers in Gorleston, who are to collect the ancient demesne rents there, yierlie, by and in their courses and orders, there being 18 cheevs in number ____ And the chiever or his deputy is to have for his labour

One man is said to have paid the whole rent out of his own possession, " because he could not fynd eny lands belonging unto the said tenement or chief " (i. 362). I cannot find that either of these words is given in Wright's ' Dialect Diet.' or in the ' N.E.D.'

S. H. A. H.

CLIFFORD'S INN. (See ante, p. 387.) I am very much obliged to your correspondent A. T. W. for drawing attention to the in- accuracy of the statement made by the Lent Reader lecturing last April in Middle Temple Hall. So far from most of Clifford's Inn having " been pulled down and a big block of offices erected on it," I would point out that a large portion, including the Hall, was recently purchased by the Imperial Society of Knights, from funds contributed by various members of the degree, for use as a permanent habitation.

There is no question of demolition, and it is hoped that before long a scheme of restoration in keeping with the existing surroundings will be taken in hand. The learned Reader no doubt associated Old Ser- jeants' Inn with Clifford's Inn, as the former, it is true, was demolished a short time ago to provide for the extension of the premises of the Law Union and Crown Insurance Company, and in this demolition were included certain houses on the western boundary of the Society's property.

WlLLOUGHBY BULLOCK,

Secretary to

The Imperial Society of Knights, Clifford's Inn.

THE TEXT OF SHAKESPEARE'S SONNETS CXXV. AND CXXVI. Sonnet CXXV. is the last of the first series addressed to Mr. W. H. The principal puzzle lies in the contrast between the body of the sonnet and the fierce final couplet : Hence, thou suborned Informer ! a true soul When most impeached stands least in thy control.

This has been taken as addressed either to Mr. W. H. or to some third person to whom there is no other allusion in the \vhole series of sonnets. I suggest that the lines are addressed to the passion of jealousy, and refer to ' Venus and Adonis/ 649 to 660, especially the lines :

This sour informer, this bate-breeding spy. This canker that eats up Love's tender spring, This carry-tale, dissentious Jealousy.

The first four lines of Sonnet CXXVI., called ' The Envoy,' are printed as follows in the Quarto :

O thou my lovely Boy who in thy power Dost hold Time's fickle glass, his sickle hour Who hast by waning grown, and therein showost Thy lovers withering as thy sweet self growest.

The second line is generally admitted to be corrupt ; probably there has been confusion between words of similar sound. I suggest that we should read : Dost hold Time's brittle glass, his fickle hour.