toys and goods, which St. Nicholas holds in Germany, and the "Enfant Jésus" in France, she is yet an ugly old hag in popular estimation, while under etymological treatment she always comes under the denomination witch and bugbear (lamia, spauracchio). Varchi describes her with red eyes, thick lips, and a furious expression, and the rag puppets representing her to Roman children to the present day are made as ugly as possible, and usually with blackened faces. St. Nicholas is supposed in Germany to send his gifts down by the chimney; in Rome, where few rooms have chimneys, the Befana is found, by the little ones who look for her, hanging by the side of the window on Epiphany morning, as if she had made her entrance that way, though the chimney is also put in requisition where there is one; a stocking, too, is the not infrequent receptacle of her gifts. Although Guadagnoli, in his Poeme Giocose, mentions traditions that Befana is the name of Herod's grandmother, of the maid of the High Priest who accused St. Peter of belonging to Jesus of Nazareth, or of an aunt of Barabbas, and suggests the conceit that the name may be derived by an anagram from far bene, there can be no doubt that it comes from Epifania,d and is, indeed, as often written Befania as Befana. All have heard of the fair of S. Eustachio in Rome (so called from the parish in which it is held), which is designed to provide the materials for the Befana's distribution. Among these are gilt pine cones, which are reckoned to unite in themselves the representation of the gold and incense of the Magi's offering. Amid the sweeping away of old customs which has resulted from the invasion of September, 1870, the children have succeeded in maintaining this practice at least in full vigour. Moroni mentions an offering or tribute which, up to the year 1802, used to be made to the Pope on Epiphany morning by the “Collegio de' Novantanove Scrittori Apostolici," consisting of a hundred ducats contained in a silver chalice, and which was called the Befans.

In nursery parlance the Befans has two aspects: she not only brings gifts to good children, bat is the terror of the naughty. "I'll tell la Fofana. of you," is an expression used to still noisy cries and all kinds of insubordination; and if such insubordination happens to occur about Epiphany time, the culprit may find that the Befans brings dust and ashes instead of ters

"Another bagbear," writes Moroni, “which

4. The Epinhany festival was instituted by St. Julius I. (1040), but was never såorted by the Greek Church, neh celedented the Burhany along with the Nativity (Merori, iv, 275; and Kina 21, the a-naist, 150 58 number i'll casted by Mervi 11. 25 sus that the Apostles, ooms lerei it a dat net fest val, thaga ere, brated at the same time as the Nategy. Moreni sise save that im the Aca of St Jean the feast bars the

conveys greater fear to the infantine mind than the Befana herself, and without any qualification of beneficence, is the threat that Bocio, Barbocio, or Barbone shall come to take you.'" He does not offer any explanation of the former two, which, like our own ogre and bogie, are doubtless transpositions of orco, though the use of the word orco itself is also retained in that sense; and "far bau" to a child answers to our "playing bo-peep," which, of course, is connected with bogie. With regard to this use of Barbone, however, he refers to Muratori's account of the intense fear and hatred with which the cruelties of the Connétable de Bourbon's soldiers inspired the Romans, and shows it is hence mothers and nurses came to name him as the greatest source of fear known to them. Cancellieri (appendix, note xxx., and note vii.) also gives the same origin for the expression, and I can testify its use has not died out. R. H. Busk. (To be continued.)

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF CHAUCER. (See 6th S. viii. 381; ix. 138, 141, 361.) Separate works other than The Canterbury Tales:—

Troilus and Cressida.-1. Caxton's edition (no date or place), folio, single columns, 118 unnumbered leaves: "Troylus and Creside explicit par Caxton." Copies are in the British Museum Library, at Althorp, and at St. John's College, Oxford. Dibdin, i. 313.

2. Wynkyn de Worde's, 4to., 1517. "The Noble and Amorous Ancyent Hystory of Troylus and Cresyde, compyled by Geffray Chaucer." Woodcut of the lovers, and the usual printer's device. Copies in the Duke of Devonshire's library and in the Cambridge Public Library. Dibdin, ii. 212.

3. Richard Pynson's folio, no date, but probably a portion of Pynson's complete impression of Chancer, "emprinted at London in flete strete by Rycharde Pynson, printer unto the kynges noble race," in 1526; double eclumns, woodcuts; fine fared title, “The Boke of Troylus and Creseyde," 2. Dibdin, ii. 515.

4. Latin version of part of the "Troilus and Cressida by Sir F. Kinaston: Amoram Troili et Creseide libri duo priores Auglico-Latini, Oxon.. 4a, 1665,” Part of an English 8vo. edition of the same work was issued in 1796 by F. G.

The following is salgras: "I heard a Roman father the other day sting the cries of a peevish child with the threat. • Take care : Vittor manuele will soon come and take gins, as well as berg and then I'll give pa to bìm Reman Correspondence," Westmimalar

«ARE 1 IT It was at the moment of the žost premagation of the law in conscription

Farther particulars may be found in 1: Quinquraan pra 2 Šavroda dai Oro che mi fa mi Fanciulli, by Ger PeamN

Waldron: "The Loves of Troilus and Creseid, with a commentary by Sir F. Kinaston." Both works are in the British Museum Library. See also the Chetham Society's Collectanea AngloPoetica, pt. iv. p. 334.

*

The Minor Poems.-1. Some of these are in a volume described in Dibdin, i. 306, under head of "A Collection of Chaucer and Lydgate's Minor Poems, 4to.," printed probably by Caxton. A copy in the Public Library, Cambridge, contains the following by Chaucer: "Parlament of Foules" ("Scipio's Dream "), "Ballad on Gentlenesse,"

6. The Chaucer Society's parallel-text edition of "Troilus" in two parts, 1881-82.

7. Rossetti's "Troilus and Cryseyde' compared with Boccaccio's Filostrato.' Chaucer Society. 4to. 1873."

Assemble (or Parlament) of Foules.—1. Caxton's folio, belonging to a volume containing several early English poems, not all by Chaucer, for which see supra.

2. Wynkyn de Worde's folio of fourteen leaves, "compyled by the preclared and famous clerke Geffray Chaucer; imprynted in London in flete strete at the signe of the Sonne agaynst the Condyte. 1530." Dibdin, ii. 278.

3. The Chaucer Society's parallel text of "The Parlament of Foules," from three MSS. edited for the Society in 1880.

tyure (or Fortune)," "Envoy to Scogan," "Annelyda and Arcite," and the "Empty Purse."

2. In a tract of fourteen leaves, quarto, printed by Julian Notary about 1500, the following minor poems appear: "The Complayntes of Mars and Venus" and the "Envoy to Bukton." A good copy is in the Roxburgh collection.

The following of the minor poems of Chaucer have been edited in parallel texts for the Chaucer Society: "The Mother of God," "Anelida and Arcite," "Truth," "The Complayntes of Mars and Venus," "Envoy to Scogan," "Envoy to Bukton," "The Former Age," "Words to Scrivener," "Legend of Good Women," Chaucer's "Proverbs," "Stedfastnesse," Fortune," ""To his Empty Purse," "A B C," "The Dethe of Blanche the Duchesse," and the "Compleynt to Pitie."

29.66

The Book of Fame.-1. Caxton's, without date or place (1486), folio. Imperfect copies are in the British Museum Library, and a better copy at Althorp. Dibdin, i. 311.

2. Pynson's folio, 1526. Part of his complete edition, in a volume containing also "The Assemble of Foules," "La Belle Dame sans Mercy," and "Morall Prouerbs "; double columns; corresponding with "The Tales" and "Troilus" by the same printer.

3. The Chaucer Society's parallel edition of "The Boke" or "House of Fame," issued in 1878 and 1880.

The Astrolabe.-1. An edition by A. E. Brae, published in octavo by J. R. Smith (London, 1870).

2. Chaucer Society's edition, by Skeat (edited also for the Early English Text Society), published in 1872.

Boethius (or Boece), the Boke of Consolacion of Philosophie, translated by Chaucer.-1. Caxton's edition, Latin and English, the Latin not complete; no date, but (?) 1490; ninety-three leaves, folio. Copies in the British Museum Library and in the Bodleian.

2. Early English Text Society's edition, by Morris, 1868.

An edition is promised by the Chaucer Society.

*Not Chaucer's.

66

to be finally settled, the following are the poems which the most competent critics have agreed to consider Chaucerian: "The Canterbury Tales," "Parlament of Foules," Balads of "Gentleness,” "Truth," and "Fortune," "Envoy to Scogan," "Anelida and Arcite," and "Compleynte to his Purse," first printed by Caxton in 1477-8; " House of Fame" and "Troilus and Cressida," printed by Caxton in 1484 (?); "Envoy to Bukton" and Compleynt of Mars and Venus," printed by Notary about 1500; "The Legende of Good Women," "Boethius," "Dethe of Duchesse Blanche," "Compleynt to Pitie," "Astrolabe," "Lack of Sted fastnesse," and "Words to Scrivener," first published by Thynne in 1532; "Chaucer's A B C," by Speght in 1602; "The Mother of God," by Leyden in 1801; and "The Former Age," by Morris in 1861. Compare Macmillan's Magazine, vol. xxvii. p. 383, and on the general subject of early editions of Chaucer, Furnivall's Notes on Francis Thynne's Animadversions (Chaucer Society, 1875), p. 70.

J. MASKELL

NOUNS OF MULTITUDE. Some years ago I received, from a very scoffing person, the following anononymous contribution, which will speak for itself:

English language, and Mr. Disraeli scarcely less so. "Lord Byron was one of the greatest masters of the You disgrace both in your circulars by committing a blunder which is simply inexcusable. Since when, let

me ask, has it been correct to say, 'The Committee is of opinion, The Committee has selected,' and so forth? In the interests of the two great men I have named, let me beseech you to mend your ways."

I grieve to be obliged to confess that, in spite of the best intentions, I am still liable to be taken in flagranti delicto, for-notwithstanding the tremendous authorities who speak and write in these days-I cannot altogether forget that rule in grammar which says, "The verb agrees with its nominative case in number and person." It is the custom now to make Government plural, with the intention, doubtless, of conveying the impression that it is the members of the Government (and not the executive in its collective capacity) who are alluded to. Thus, "Her Majesty's Government have decided to resume the control of Basutoland, in compliance with the prayer of a large majority of the Basutos" (Morning paper, Dec. 18, 1883). Now I venture to think that in this case it was the Government (i.e., the Cabinet) in its collective capacity that decided to resume the control of Basutoland. If, on the other hand, there had been a difference of opinion among its members on the subject, it would have been proper to say, "The Cabinet were divided in their opinions," the word ministers being, of course, understood. I apprehend that when the statement is true only of the whole body the verb must be in the singular. I will cull examples from the highest. Mr. Gladstone, in a speech on the Egyptian policy of the Government, delivered on Feb. 13, 1884, said, "And the House were invited to discuss a truism and a platitude......The Government were not unwarned of what would happen." I take it that the words "the House were," meant simply "the members of this House were," &c., and some such words should have been used by a great orator. Every one knows that the corporate body known as the "House of Commons as also the "Council of Trent," the "Council of Ten," the "Congress of Vienna "-represents a collective noun, or a noun of multitude. For reasons best known to themselves, all our leading speakers and writers delight in making Government plural, although they know perfectly well that if it were plural it would be a mere rabble, and, as such, no government at all.

The most terrible collapse which has come within reach of my personal experience befell the preacher of an extempore sermon, at which I was present, in the cathedral at Berne. I took down his words at the moment of utterance. "When the council forbade the apostles to teach in the name of Jesus, the disciples told the council to their face [sic] that it was their duty to disobey them." Here, it will be seen, the preacher was lost in his own maze. He wished, even in the face of his own convictions, to make the council plural, although he well knew it was in its collective

capacity that it had forbidden the apostles to teach. Hence he began, ambiguously, "The council forbade." But when it came to the interview he perceived the necessity for making it clear to us that the disciples addressed personally the individuals composing that august body. Hence the genitive plural their. But, at this moment the council again rises before him in its corporate being, which necessitated the singular face. Fortunately, the sermon was delivered extempore, else I should have lost this example, for it would have been almost impossible for any one to make such a slip in writing.

This contradiction seems to have become almost beyond the reach of protest. We are the creatures of habit, and when our most eminent men make such mistakes, is it surprising that our children get muddled? I would as soon say "the army were fully equipped," as "the Government were turned out of office," or "Parliament were dissolved." One cannot say, "the army were beaten," although such a catastrophe clearly points to the defeat of the individuals composing it. It seems to me that there is less reason to speak of the Cabinet in the plural (or individual sense) since it is bound to act in concert, and none of the bickerings which must occasionally arise among its members ever sees the light. What says "N. & Q."? RICHARD EDGCUMBE

33, Tedworth Square, S. W.

DROWNED FIDDLERS.

Much has been written of late in this journal on the subject of monarchs who have met with s watery grave, or death. Authenticated cases, it seems, are more rare than of the dead jackass of Dickens. But it appears that a drowned fiddler is a still greater rarity, and that such persons are exempt from risk of becoming "damp, unpleasant bodies "-unless they be unhappily swamped in the depths of their own too copious potations.

Thomas Alexander Erskine, sixth Earl of Kellie, commonly known as "the musical earl," as is well known, was a great fiddler and a great drinker. A few glances of his rubicund countenance, Foote thought, were calculated to ripen cucumbers. In a little book of verse I recently picked up from a bookstall, entitled "An Asylum for Fugitives; published occasionally," vol. i, London, 1776, occurs a copy of verses of some merit, under the name of A Poetical Epistle to Lord Kelly, occasioned by his miraculous Escape from Shipwreck, in the Passage from Calais to Dover during the Great Storm in November, 1775." The piece is lengthy, and complimentary as regards his lordship's musical powers. The last few lines are interesting, and bear upon the superstitious belief-if such it bealluded to above: