Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 5.djvu/202

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NOTES AND QUERIES. l th s. v. MABCH 10, 1900.

as I believe, better explained by existing and genuine forms. As a matter of fact, the Eddiet and Eddied of Domesday Book, as the context shows, are female names representing A.-Sax. Eadgyth (Edith), not an imaginary Eadgeat. MR. STEVENSON here appears to have been the unsuspecting victim of an erratic entry in Mr. W. G. Searle's 'Ono- masticon Anglo-Saxonicum.'

Another point is that MR. STEVENSON appa- rently fails to perceive that the Anglo-Saxon personal name Ecg was a poetical term for a sword, and is to be compared with such other Anglo - Saxon weapon - terms and personal- name components as Gar (spear), Sceaft (spear or arrow), Seax (dagger), &c. Furthermore, the word "gate" in local names signified a way, road, path, or lane on level ground, as well as a gap or passage in high ground ; compare Icel. and Swed. gata, Dan.-Norw. gade, Ger. gasse, " street," " lane."

Lastly, I think that America, with its great mixture of populations, is exactly the country where a name is likely to go " etymologically wrong." HY. HARRISON.

"DOCTOR" A CHRISTIAN NAME (9 th S. iv. 518; v. 53). At the latter reference DR. FORSHAW and MR. ROWE both refer to the use of titles as Christian names, the former remarking that such christening schemes suggest "a feasible manner of upsetting social distinctions." A popular proprietor of a travelling circus is known throughout Great Britain as " Lord George Sanger," and I remember reading on a poster of his, a few months ago, an account of what purported to be an interview with the Queen after a per- formance given by command at Windsor. At this interview Her Majesty made amused inquiry as to Mr. Sanger's assumption of title, Mr. Sanger replying that he was so christened. Sir Squire Bancroft's is another example of a somewhat novel Christian name. "Major" Howe is a well-known London boot- maker ; and I have come across several people who would have ordinarily been known as Mr. G. Jones, Mr. M. Smith, &c., who were invariably referred to as General Jones, Major Smith, &c. F. A. RUSSELL.

" Major " as a Christian name is somewhat inconvenient, for when his friends speak of Major B. it is sometimes thought that they are referring to a military man. With regard to what is said at the close of DR. FORSHAW'S reply, it may not be inappropriate to say that a clergyman friend told me some years ago that he refused as baptismal names a string of titles which was proffered by a working man as his selection of Christian

names for his child. My friend thus saved some humble Jones or Robinson from having to declare himself, whenever asked for his name in full, to be Prince Duke Earl Count Esquire. Is there not a circus which is advertised as having for its proprietor Lord George Sanger? "Major" and "Lord" are surnames, and are therefore sometimes given as Christian names. F. JARRATT

Some years since, in Virginia, I came across several persons possessing this peculiar Chris- tian name, which, though unusual amongst white people, is common enough with negroes. In the old slave days numbers of plantations had coloured servants bearing this name, many of whom no doubt transmitted it to their children after they were free, and hence the continuation of it as a Christian name to-day amongst their descenolants.

FREDERICK T. HIBGAME.

In some parts of England a seventh son is baptized Doctor, in recognition of the power of healing which it is supposed he will possess. I know instances of Earl, Lord, Squire, and Major being used as Christian names. Lord George Sanger and Squire Bancroft are familiar to us all. ST. SWITHIN.

"VINE"=A FLEXIBLE SHOOT (9 th S. v. 47). "Vine "is used in this sense in several of our dialects, and in that of this neighbourhood amongst others. Lyte, Gerard, and other of our old herbalists also use the word somewhat loosely, apply ing it to several different creepers, such as bryony arid clematis. White bryony (vitis alba in old writers) has, in fact, from the earliest times been known by the names "vine /'"wild vine," and "white vine." See the 'H.E.D.,' 8.v. 'Bryony.' C. C. B.

Epworth.

Halliwell explains vine as "any trailing plant bearing fruit," but does not give any approximate date. I think, but have not the book at hand to verify, that the word is used for the trailing shoots of the bramble or blackberry in the 'Arcana Fairfaxana,' a book of household recipes, &c., of the Fairfax family in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, published by Mawson & Swan, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, a few years ago.

J. G. WALLACE-JAMES, M.B.

Haddington.

Possibly the reason why " in Canada and the United States even the stems of potatoes are potato-vines " may be found in the fact that the original potato, the native sweet-potato, belongs to the convolvulus family, and is " a creeping, rarely twining vine." The mode of speech would be easily transferred to its