


OF THE GREAT
ANTIQVITIE OF OVR
ANCIENT ENGLISH TOVNG;
and of the proprietie, woorthynes and am­
plytude thereof. With an explanation
of sundry our moste ancient En­
glish woords.

The seauenth Chapter.

OVR ancient English-Saxon language is
to bee accompted the Teutonic toung,
& albeit wee haue in later ages mixed
it with many borrowed woords, espe­
tially out of the Latin and French; yet
remaineth the Teutonic vnto this day the grownd of
our speech, for no other ofspring hath our language
originaly had then that.

This language vndoubtedly is that which at the
confusion of Babel, the Teutonic people (those I
mean that were conducted by Tuisco) did speak. And
as the people took their name after their conductor,
so the language consequently took name of the
people.

That this language is in deed so ancient, is (be­
sydes that no antiquitie can tel any other begining
thereof) prooued by a tradition in the said toung im­
mediately caused at the towre of Babel, and euer since
therein continued euen vnto this day, beeing dayly
with vs in vse, as also with others whose language
hath dependance on the said toung. It is this, when it



hapneth that any one chanceth to speak confusedly
or vainely, without sense or from the purpose, wee
say vnto him What Babel you? or by mispronountia­
tion, What bable you? which beeing by our first ance­
ters brought in vse, vpon the said confusion, whyle yet
it remayned among them fresh in memorie, was as
much among them to say, as what confuse you, or
what do you imitating them of such a place where
such confusion was? And whereas I said that this tra­
dition remaineth stil in such languages as depend on
the Teutonic toung, some may obiect that the woord
Babel is also found in the moderne French, which
dependeth on the Latin: I am not ignorant that so it
is, but I haue shewed in the foregoing Chapter, that
the true and ancient French language was also the
Teutonic-toung, & that thereof there yet remaineth
in the now named French, many Teutonic woords,
as the relykes of their first oldest and right French
language, and among the rest, the woords Babel and
Babelard/ and in the same sence that the Teutonic
hath it.

This our ancient language consisted moste at the
first of woords of monosillable, each hauing his own
proper signification, as by instinct of God and nature
they first were receaued and vnderstood, but heerof
grew this benefit, that by apt ioyning together of two
or three of these woords of one sillable, new woords
of more diuersitie of sense and signification were stil
made and composed, according as the vse of them for
the more ful and perfect expressing of the composers
meanings did requyre. By which meanes it grew vnto
that copiousnes and perfection, that diuers beeing



very wel learned in other toungs, haue much admy­
red this, when they haue not bin able to fynde any
one vsuall woord in any language, for the which they
could not giue the lyke in this, in thesame very true
nature and sence.

Among others that haue had great speculation
heerin, Ioannes Goropius Becanus, a man very learned
and phisitian vnto the Lady Marie Queen of Hun­
garie, Regent of the Netherlands and sister vnto the
Emperor Charles the fift; fel theirby into such a con­
ceyt that he letted not to maintaine it to bee the first
and moste ancient language of the world; yea the­
same that Adam spake in Paradise. In conference one
day with Abraham Ortelius (who had bin acquainted
with Becanus) I asked him yf hee thought that Beca­
nus himself beeing so learned as hee was, did in deed
belieue this language to bee the first of all languages
of the world, to wit, that which was spoken by Adam:
he told mee that hee verely thought Becanus did so
belieue: and added further, that many learned men
might peraduenture laugh at that which hee had
written, but that none would bee able to confute it:
whereby I gessed that Ortelius did much enclyne
vnto Becanus his conceyt. But for myne own parte
albeit I do not think but that his paradox must not pre­
uail against a number of the most learned of the
world, yet wil it not bee much impertinent to my
purpose to aleage some few of such things, as hee &
such others after him as inclyne vnto his conceyt, (&
in some points haue found further light and reason
then he) do aleage, to shew thereby vnto the curious



reader, what may haue moued them thus to bee
conceyted.

They first then making it very doubtfull that the
Hebrew was the first language of the world, do by
the reasons ensuying, go about to prooue the Teuto­
nic to bee it. And first they say that how doubtfull
soeuer it may bee, what language it was that Adam
spake, yet haue not the proper names of Adam, Eue,
Cain, Abel, Seth, &c. bin subiect to change of mista­
king, & moste lykely it is that God would giue vnto
those his first creatures such names, as were moste
fit and proper vnto such persons as were themselues.
Whereupon they bring into consideration, whether
in the Hebrew or any language els, those names do
more properly betoken such persons as they were,
then in the Teutonic toung they do.


As for example, Adam in this toung signifieth liuing
breath, the breath of man beeing therein so called,
which agreeth as wel say they, to bee the name of him
that beeing formed of clay receaued lyf by the brea­
thing thereon of Almightie God, as earthly, or red­
clay, as some out of the Hebrew interpret it.

Eue, is in the Teutonic as much to say as consimilis
euen=thesame/ for our woord euen/ cometh from the
Teutonic woord eue/ and lykwise from their eue-so;
cometh our euen-so, and shee was euen-thesame, as
was Adam her husband.

Cain written in old Teutonic ortography Kain/
(for that C and K, are therein vsed indifferently)
is otherwise written Quain/ & signifieth wrathful,
angry or shrewd, and such was that vnnatural wicked
wretche vnto his good brother Abel.



Abel, signifieth one that is sufficient, an Abelman/
for able in Teutonic is written abel, & in this first
bearer of that name, rightly signifieth a man enabled
vnto the seruice of God: for so was in deed this pro­
tomartyr of the world.

Seth, in Teutonic alwayes pronounced Set/ is as
much to say as Positus, that is, set or placed in the
roome or steed of another, to wit, of his righteous
brother Abel, whome Cain slew.

Henoch, albeit of some so written, yet is it pro­
nounced Enoch: E/ signifyeth Law or equitie, noch is
as-much to say as yet=againe: so as in this name see­
meth to bee expressed and foretold a tyme of equitie
or iustice which was yet to come. The bearer heerof
walking (whyle heer hee lyued) in equitie before
God, was by him accordingly rewarded, by beeing
extraordinarly taken away from this vnrighteous
world.

But notwithstanding that these and sundry the
lyke names, thus found in the Teutonic toung, are
very apt and proper to the persons by them inten­
ded, yet may this rather serue to shew the efficacie of
this toung, that is able to yeild as fit and proper sig­
nifications for these moste ancient names, as the very
Hebrew it self; then that therefore it should chalenge
place of the Hebrew, which yeildeth not only apt
and proper significations for them also, but hath in all
reuerend antiquitie caried the reputation & credit of
beeing the first language of the world. It may there­
fore vnto vs suffice, that yf the Teutonic bee not ta­
ken for the first language of the world, it cannot bee
denied to bee one of the moste ancientest of the



world. And so vndoubtedly taking it to bee, let vs
look a litle further into the woorthynesse and pro­
prietie thereof.

The name of the Almightie maker and creator of
all things, is generaly in all this great and spatious
toung called God/ and from the woord God/ is de­
ryued the woord good. See now how aptly this ac­
cordeth, & how the signification of this woord doth
also shew the coherence thereof vnto the chiefest
good/ for that in deed all good cometh from God.
But the lyke deriuation and proper coherence is not
found in the Latin between Deus and bonus.

In lyke sorte, the malignant enemie of God and
all goodness, is in this toung called Deuil/ and what­
soeuer is of no vertue or goodnes/ is called euil/ see now
how euil/ adhereth to deuil/ who is in deed the chief
substantiue to which this adiectiue belongeth.

The name of Heaven/ albeit it was of our anceters
written Heofen/ yet caried it lyke sense or significa­
tion as now it doth, beeing as much to say as heauen/ or
heaued vp/ to wit, the place that is eleuated.

Hel/ beeing opposit and contrarie thereunto hath
lyke apt appellation, as beeing helled ouer/ that is to
say, hidden or couered in low obscuritie.

The name of Man in Teutonic, is in Latin Homo,
the female of which creature wee call Woman/ and the
latins call her Mulier, howbeit the name of Mulier
hath no dependance in sound with the name of Homo,
as our name of woman hath with man. It should in
deed be written womb=man/ for so is it of antiquitie
and rightly, the b. for easynesse & redynesse of sound
beeing in the pronountiation left out: and how apt a



composed woord this is, is plainly seen. And as Homo
in Latin doth signifie both man and woman, so in our
toung the feminyne creature also hath as wee see, the
name of man, but more aptly in that it is for due
distinction composed with womb, shee beeing that
kynde of man that is wombed, or hath the womb of
conception, which the man of the male kynd hath not.


Sundry other the lyke examples I could giue of
the woorthynesse of our toung, but these may heer
suffise, & the rather for that the explanation of many
of our old English woords do in this chapter ensue.

The Teutonic toung beeing as before is shewed,
one of the moste ancient languages of the world,
was also of very great amplytude; for as Rodericus
Toletanus witnesseth, and Iustus Lipsius also affir­
meth, all Highduitsh-land, East-land, and Nether­
land, as also the kingdomes of Denmark, Norway,
Sweden, and England, did all speak this language,
and heervnto they might haue added Thule, other­
wise called Island, yf not the rest of the northern Iles
beyond it.

But as all things vnder heauen do in length of
tyme enclyne vnto alteration and varietie, so do the
languages also, yea such as are not mixed with others
that vnto them are strange and extrauagant, but euen
within themselues do these differences grow and en­
creasse: the experience heerof is seen in this our now
spoken-of Teutonic-toung, the high-duitsh differeth
from the low, though neither do borrow from any
extrauagant language: yf any in speaking or writing
in any of these toungs do chance to heer and there to
thrust in a borrowed Latin or French woord, it is



more then hee needeth to do (seeing the Teutonic is
moste copious) and more also then is tolerable, such
bringing in of borrowed woords beeing held absurd
and friuolous. The Danish, Norwegian and Swedish,
do again differ from these, and some litle each from
other, & the Island speech also: and yet none of them
borrowing ought from any extrauagant language
that originaly is not of that nature. This is a thing
that easely may happen in so spatious a toung as this,
it beeing spoken in so many different countries and
regions, when wee see that in some seueral partes of
England it self, both the names of things and pro­
nountiations of woords are somwhat different, and
that among the countrey people that neuer borrow
any woords out of the Latin or French, and of this
different pronountiation one example in steed of
many shal suffise, as this: for pronouncing according
as one would say at London, I would eat more cheese yf
I had it/ the northern man saith, Ay sud eat mare cheese
gin ay hadet/ and the westerne man saith: Chud eat more
cheese an chad it. Lo heer three different pronountia­
tions in our own countrey in one thing, & heerof
many the lyke examples might be alleaged.

These differences in one same language do comonly
grow among the comon people; & somtymes vpon
the parents imitating the il pronountiation of their
yong children, and of il pronountiation lastly en­
suyeth il wryting. Other languages no doubt are sub­
iect vnto the lyke, yea those three that are grown
from the Latin, as the Italian, Spanish, and French,
which to auoyd other examples may appeer in the
name in Latin, of Iacobus; which in Italian is grown



to bee Giacomo, in Spanish Diego, & in French Iaques.

A question mee thinks may heer bee moned,
that seeing the Teutonic is so far spred and also va­
ried, which then it is that wee may hold for the more
ancient, or the rightest & least varied from the first ori­
ginall, that is, whether the High-duitsh, Low-duitsh,
or Eastlandish-duitsh bee it? To this I answere, that as
the maritime partes of countries were inhabited be­
fore the inlands that ly furthest from the sea; the an­
cient language was their first planted, and is lyke to
haue bin moste varied by such as went afterward to
dwel more higher and dispersed abrode in the coun­
trey, and therefore I hold the East-landish and Low-­
duitsh, to draw more neerer the true original then the
High-duitsh. And for further proof heerof it is to bee
noted, that all such writings as are found in the old
Teutonic, do more neerer agree to the speech of these
partes, then to the High-duitsh. And as for the more
varied Teutonic of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden,
it is to bee vnderstood that these countries were not
peopled so soon as Germanie, but afterward when
Germanie so abounded with people, that they were
constreyned to seek habitations more northerly, where
the Germans at the first by reason of the greater cold
and barrennesse of the soile, would not chuse sooner
then in Germanie to make their dwelling places.

And whereas some may further obiect that as wee
fynd the written Teutonic of some ages past, to bee
varied from that which now modernly is vsed, so
peraduenture was that Teutonic that wee fynd so
anciently written, much varied from that which was
vsed some ages before.



To this I answere, that I am not of that opinion
for diuers reasons, and chiefly because people in for­
mer ages were nothing so curious or delighted with
varying their speech, as of late ages they are grown
to bee, but kept their old language as they did their
old fassion of apparel; in both which the world hath
of later ages more then in former tymes bin deligh­
ted; and in this age of ours much more then euer: in­
somuch as the Germans themselues, who haue bin es­
petially noted in former tymes not to bee delighted
in changing their long continued manner of apparel,
are now also falne to the change thereof: some of
them imitating the fassion of the Italians, others of
the French, and others of the Spanish; all which may
argue this age of ours more giuen to change, then
any other former tyme whatsoeuer.

Furthermore whereas it may bee obiected, that
seeing there is such varietie found in the speeches of
somany sundry prouinces, as do now speak the Mo­
derne Teutonic toung, each beeing in length of tyme
grown to some difference in woords and pronoun­
tiations from other, and to haue framed some woords
in peculiar vse to it self: how then may a man fynde
out, where and which bee the woords which are in
deed of the ancient and very Teutonic toung? To
answere this in brief and at once; they are infallibly
all those woords which do stil remain in generall vse
throughout all the countries where any kynd of Teu­
tonic is spoken, & those also that remain in vse in the
moste parte of those prouinces, though the rest may
haue left or forgotten them: for albeit as is aforesaid,
euery countrey may haue some difference in it self,



yet an infinit number of woords do remain so dis­
persed among all, or comon to all or the moste parte,
that howsoeuer the ortography may heer and there
perhaps through different pronountiation happen to
bee varyed (and so of some not discerned for such as
they truly bee) yet are such woords truly all one,
and vndoubtedly of the first and moste ancient Teu­
tonic-toung.

And as touching our English toung, which is more
swarued from the original Teutonic then the other
languages thereon also depending: this is the lesse to
bee marueled at, because wee are by the sea seque­
stred from the main continent where moste it is in
vse: an example heerof wee may note in our Cornish­
men, who beeing sequestred from the Welshmen, but
by a litle arme of the sea do also varie from them in
their language, though not so much as the Britans in
France, who are yet more seperated: and yet was the
language of these three originally one, which their
speeches albeit somwhat differing, do yet sufficiently
witnes.

And notwithstanding the somuch swaruing of our
toung from the original, I durst for a trial of the great
dependance which yet it holdeth with that which
beeing issued from thesame root is spoken in the con­
tinent, wryte an Epistle of chosen-out woords yet
vsed among the people of sundry shyres of England,
as also of the people of Westphalia, Friesland, and
Flanders, and the countries lying between them, that
should wel bee vnderstood both of Englishmen and
Duytshmen, so great is the neernes of our vnmixed
English with their yet vsed Duytsh. It is not long since



that an Englishman trauailing by wagon in West­
Flanders, and hearing the wagoner to call vnto his
man and say, De string is losse/ bind de string aen de wa­
gen vast. presently vnderstood him as yf hee had said,
The string is loose/ bynd the string on the wagon fast/ and
weening the follow to haue bin some English clown
spake vnto him in English. I haue diuers tymes in no­
ting the neernes of that and our language, obserued
certaine of our old countrey rymes to accord with
theirs, both in self ryme and self sense, which is a very
great argument, of the ancient neernes of our and
their language.

As for example.
Wee say, Winters thunder is somers wunder.
They say, Winters vonder is somers wonder.

Wee say, An apple in May is as good as an ey.
They say, En apple in Mey is so goet ais en ey.

Our particular language albeit it could not by the
Normannes be changed, but that both the noble
name of Englishmen, and their English speech did stil
remaine, yet became it by their coming among them
to bee much mixed with French: & heer concerning
this language which now beareth the name of
French, I hold it not amisse to take occasion, to giue the
reader some knowlege more then is vulgar. The
countrey of Gallia, now called France, was anciently
inhabited of the Gaules, but what language the Gau­
les did speak is now in some question, Ceasar saith in
the begining of his comentaries, that they had among
them three languages, but I should rather think that
they only differed as the High-duitsh, Low-duitsh,



and Eastlandish-duitsh, then that they were three
strange and distinct languages.

The Romans hauing brought the countrey of
Gallia vnder their subiection, did seek to bring the
people to speak the Latin or Roman toung, and to
that end did set foorth all their edicts proclamations
& publyke writings in Latin: the lyke whereof they
also practized in Spaine, where the Cantabrian or Bis­
cain toung was before generally spoken, but by this
meanes the comon people both of Gallia & Spaine,
were within a whyle brought from their old lan­
guages to speak a broken kynd of Latin; each nation
apprehending and pronouncing it after his manner;
& either calling it the Roman toung. The Spagniards
calling to this day such verses as they make in their
language, by the name of Romances; and so did the
French also, as may apeer by the tytle of the poesie
written in French by Iohn Clopinel alias Meung by
him entituled, le Romant de la Rose, and afterward
translated into English by Geffrey Chaucer, with the
tytle of The Romant of the Rose. Moreouer a straanger
trauailing in the countrey of Liege, and not speaking
the countrey language, shal somtymes heare the pe­
sants say vnto him, parlé Romain, that is, speak Roman,
meaning the language which themselues do speak,
which beeing anciently taken from the Romans as
aforesaid, remaineth by tradition among the countrey
people with the name of the Roman toung.

The Gaules thus hauing lost their ancient lan­
guage, & learned a broken or corrupt kynd of Latin;
Faramond after this coming out of Germanie, with his
Francks or French people anciently of that countrey,



and entering into Gallia (much about the tyme, as I
haue noted before, that Hingistus with the Saxons
who were neighbours in Germanie to the Franks, 
entered into Britaine) both hee and his people spake
their own Frankish or French toung, to wit, a kynd
of Teutonic, which after the speakers thereof had
gotten this other name. This language there continued
the raignes of Faramond, Clodion, Merouee, Chilperic,
Clouis, Childebert, & Clothaire, vnto the tyme of Che­
rebert, who was the eight French king and as saith
Venantius Fortunatus which Papirius Masonius also
affirmeth, spake both his own natural Frankish or
French toung, and the language which the Gaules
then spake, and was the first of the French kings saith
this ancient author Venantius, that spake Latin, mea­
ning the corrupted Latin language which the Gau­
les then vsed: the which hee also brought in vse
among his people. And the Gaules now mixing them­
selues with the Franks, and with them becoming one
nation they were content to lose their ancient name of
Gaules, and with them to beare the name of Franch
or Franchmen, and because the name of Franch or
French was now made generall, the broken Latin
language vsed of the Gaules, became within a whyle
to bee called after the people which now generallie
spake it, and so caried as vntil now it doth, the name
of the French toung, and generally extinguished the
ancient and true French toung in deed, leauing not­
withstanding many woords thereof mingled with
this later, which therein do yet remain.

And because the aforesaid old and true French,
was in effect all one with our ancient English, I wil



to satisfy the curious reader giue him heer a taste
thereof in these few ensuying verses, which I haue 
taken out of Otfridus his preface to the fowre gospels
by him translated about eight hundreth yeares past,
out of Latin into old-french ryme. Thus they are.

Nu wil ih scriban vnser heil/
Now wil I wryte our health,
saluation.

Euangeliono deil/
Of the Gospel the deal,
the parte.

So ist nu hiar begunun
So is it nowheer begun,

In Frenkisga tungun/
In the French toung,

Heerby may apeer to such as are any whit ac­
quainted with our old English toung, what great
neernes was between that and this ancient French.
Howbeit the author beeing a scholer hath framed
two of these his woords from the Latin, which in
deed do not properly belong to his own language,
that is, scriban and Euangeliono.

After him Willeramus Abbot of Mersburge,
translated lykwise out of Latin into old-french, Can­
ticum Canticorum, wherevpon hee made his learned
paraphrasis. One of his chapters among the rest hee
beginneth thus.

Stand vph friundinna myn/ ilego.
Stand vp shee-freind myn, speedely,

Myn Duua/ myn scona/ and kum.
My Doue, my faire, and come.



Such lyke language is all the rest, and heerby it
may be seen, that the old-French and the old En­
glish had then as great affinitie together, as our nor­
therne and southerne English haue at this day.

The French as is said hauing left this language and
entertayned another vnder thesame name, the Nor­
mannes coming afterward to setle among them,
brought with them an ancient language of their own;
which yf they had stil kept & brought into England,
Englishmen and they had not seemed so great stran­
gers one to another, neither had they made any more
alteration in our toung then did the Danes, because
it was in deed thesame language, and in effect all one
with ours. But they did in the tyme of their beeing in
France, proue so good schollers, that as the French
forgat their ancient Teutonic toung, and learned the
language, which the Gaules in steed of their own an­
cient lost language did then speak, so they also learned
thesame and lost their own, and that in the space as in
the foregoing chapter hath bin said, of one hundreth,
and fiftie yeares. And now coming therewith to our
countrey, they could not conquere the English lan­
guage as they did the land, howbeit as already I haue
noted, they much mingled and tempred it with their
French.

Some few ages after the poet Geffrey Chau­
cer, who writing his poesies in English, is of some
called the first illuminator of the English toung: of
their opinion I am not (though I reuerence Chaucer
as an excellent poet for his tyme). He was in deed a
great mingler of English with French, vnto which
language by lyke for that hee was descended of



French or rather wallon race, hee caryed a great af­
fection.

Since the tyme of Chaucer, more Latin & French,
hath bin mingled with our toung then left out of it,
but of late wee haue falne to such borowing of
woords from, Latin, French, and other toungs, that
it had bin beyond all stay and limit, which albeit some
of vs do lyke wel and think our toung thereby much
bettred, yet do strangers therefore carry the farre lesse
opinion thereof, some saying that it is of it self no lan­
guage at all, but the scum of many languages, others
that it is most barren, and that wee are dayly faine to
borrow woords for it (as though it yet lacked ma­
king) out of other languages to patche it vp withall,
and that yf wee were put to repay our borrowed
speech back again, to the languages that may lay
claime vnto it; wee should bee left litle better then
dumb, or scarsly able to speak any thing that should
bee sencible.

For myne own parte I hold them deceaued that
think our speech bettered by the aboundance of our
dayly borrowed woords, for they beeing of an other
nature and not originally belonging to our language,
do not neither can they in our toung, beare their na­
tural and true deryuations: and therefore as wel may
we fetch woords from the Ethiopians, or East or West
Indians, and thrust them into our language and bap­
tise all by the name of English, as those which wee
dayly take from the Latin, or languages thereon de­
pending: and heer-hence it cometh (as by often ex­
perience is found) that some Englishmen discoursing
together, others beeing present and of our own na­



tion, and that naturally speak the English toung, are
not able to vnderstand what the others say, notwith­
standing they call it English that they speak.

And heer among choise of many, to shew one ex­
ample of the inutillitie of this kynde of speech wil
not bee need lesse. So fell it out not many yeares past,
that a principal courtier wryting from London to a
personage of authoritie in the north partes, touching
the training of men and prouyding furniture for
warre, willed him among other things to equippe his
horses, the receauer of the letter with some labor
came at the last to the vnderstanding of it all, except
equippe, whereof in no sorte hee could conceaue the
meaning: in the end hee consulted about it with di­
uers gentlemen in the countrey thereabouts, but none
could resolue him. It was among them remembred
that wee vsed in our language the woord quipping,
and the woord whipping, the first not proper for
horses, but somtymes vsed to men, the later not fit for
gentlemennes horses, but for carters iades. In fyne,
none of them all beeing able to fynde in all the En­
glish they had, what equippe might meane, a messen­
ger was sent of purpose to the court at London to
learne the meaning thereof of the wryter of the
letter.

I wil not cloy the reader with other such examples
nor with the repeating of such lyke discourses as hee
vsed, that told how as hee itinerated hee obuiated a
rurall person, and interrogating him concerning the
transitation of the tyme, and the demonstration of the
passage, found him a meer simplician, whereas yf in
his true speech he had asked him, what was the clock



and which had bin his way, his ignorance might of
the simplician haue bin enformed in both.

Such examples (how euer wee delight in strange
language-borrowing) do when wee heare them,
sound very sportefull in our own eares: and therefore
giue more libertie to strangers to bee in this case
merrie with vs, seeing they may say they haue nought
els for the loan of their woords. But doubtlesse yf
our selues pleased to vse the treasurie of our own
toung, wee should as litle need to borrow woords,
from any language, extrauagant from ours, as any
such borroweth from vs: our toung in it self beeing
sufficient and copious enough, without this dayly
borrowing from somany as take scorne to borrow
any from vs.

And now fearing least wading further heerin I
might become offensiue where I endeauour to please,
I wil heer seek to content the curious reader by Al­
phabetically explaning a number of our moste an­
cient English woords, some by their modern orto­
graphy, others by shewing, (with the signification of
them) what French woords wee haue taken in steed
of them, as also such as wee haue not left of, but stil vse
for choise, though wee haue borrowed woords in
French to lyke sence.




A

A bogen. Bowed. Heerof a bow taketh name because it
is made to bee abogen or bowed when therewith
wee shoot, a Bowgh of a tree is also so called for beeing
apt to bee abogen or bowed, and bowes at the very first
inuention of them were made of bowghs, of trees & so
accordingly in our ancient language took that name.

Acenned, or  Akenned. For that c.and k. are in our ancient
language pronounced alyke; signifieth Brought-foorth, or 
 borne, we yet say of certaine beasts, that they haue kenled
when they haue brought foorth their yong ones.

"kenled" not recorded in this sense in OED ("kennel", v).



Acyrred,  or kyred. We vse for this the French woord
Turned.

 Adle. Il, or diseased. Wee yet vse to call egges adle when
they are corrupt and il.

Adruncen or fordrunken. Drowned, heerof cometh also our
woord drunken, hee that is drunk, beeing as it were in­
wardly drowned.

Aecer, or Aeker. A cornfeild or corneland,  wee now vse the
woord Aker,  for a certaine space or measure of grownd.

Aehta, Ehta or Eahta. Inheritances, or owned possessions.

Aelc orr Aelk. We haue since made it Each.

Aelswa  wee now write and pronounce it Also.

Aethelboren-man or Ethelboren-man. A nobleborne-man, A 
nobleman-borne, also a gentleman by birth.

Aethryne.  We vse for this the French woord Touche.

Aethryned, or Athryned.
 We vse in steed heerof, Touched.

Aetywd.  Appeered.

Afed. Fed, or after the French, nowrished.

Afgod. An Idol.

Afgodnes. Idolatrie.

Agene, or Eagen. Own, proper.

Agilt. Recompence.

Agoten. Powred-out, goters otherwise gutters are accor­
dingly so called.

Ahild. Hidden, we also deriue for this from the French, 
the woord couered.



Alder,  signifieth Of all, and seemeth as abridged of the
woords, Of all that are, and vsed in the superlatiue degree, 
as for example.

Alder-best.   Best of all.

Alder-earst. First of all, 

Alder-lest. Last of all.

Alder-liefest. Beloued'st of all.

Alder-meast Moste of all.

Alder-sconest. or Alder-fairest. Moste beautifull of all.

Alder-eldest. Oldest of all, and so foorth of a great number 
the lyke.

Algeats. Euery-way, or how-euer-it-bee, &c.

Alyfed, Alowed, licenced.

Alyse. Release. 

 Alysed. Released. 

Alysednes. Releasing, ransome, redemption.

Ana. Only, or alone.
 
Andede. Confessed.

 or gebode, or beod. Bidden or comaunded.

Bebodun. Comaundements.

Bebyried. Buried. See Byrig.

Beclypt Embraced.

Bead or Gebead. Prayer. Gebeadun, prayers. Heerof co­
meth the name of beades (they beeing made to pray on)
as also of Beadsman.

 Bead-faring. Going on pilgrimage.

Begeond. Beyond.

Bist Bee-ist, as, thow bist, for, thow arte.

Beleawd. Betrayed. Wee yet call a noughty person a 
leawd fellow, which by the right signification of the
woord, is asmuch to say as a trothlesse, or perfidious
fellow.

Beloken, or Belocud. Locked, or fast-shut

Bendun Bandes.

Beheht, or  They.

Hyred. A linage, a familie.

Hiwe. Collour.

Husweard A Dreame, the woord dreame is also 
of our ancient language.

Swelt. Dead, it seemeth to bee ment of beeing dead by 
violence. Wee say yet when one taketh excessiue paynes 
that hee wil swelt out his hart.

Swyca. A beguyler, we aske at cardes yf one wil swig, 
that is, whether he will beguile or bee beguyled.

Swycdome. A False trick, or euil pranck.

Swylc. Now in the Netherlands Sulk; in english such.

Swync. Labor , we say yet swinc and sweat.

Swythran. The righthand, or rightsyde, dextera.

Synsteran the contrarie, beeing the sinister or left syde.



Syle or Scale. To pay or to giue. Syling paying or giuing. 
Wee now vse the woord selling, for ought that is giuen 
or deliuered for the value thereof.

Symle Alwayes, (semper)

Synderlic. After our now ortography, Sunderly, parti­
culerly.

Sythan. Sithence, or since-that-tyme.


T

TAbert. Anciently a short gown that reached no fur­
ther then to the mid-leg, it remaineth for the name 
of a gown in Germanie and in the Netherlands, and in Eng­
land it is now the name only of a heralds cote.

Tale. Speech, language, discours. Wee somtymes straine the 
sence, as though a tale were a fable or a ly, because vn­
truthes are told as wel as truthes.

Thanonfoorth. Thencefoorth.

Theah. or Theeh. In later English Thee, it were more 
rightly for distinction theeh, because by our woord thee, 
we speak to the second person, theeh is asmuch to say as 
to thriue, or to prosper, and so is also betheed and bethied / 
for hauing prospered.

Theaw. A manner, a fassion.

Theod or Thiad. A strange nation.

Theoda or Thiada Nations.

Thegn or Theyn. A chief or very free seruant, Heerof co­
meth thiene or thiane/to serue, and thienod for serued.
The prince of Wales, the king of Englands eldest 
sonne, is wont to vse for his poesy (after our ancient 
English speech) the woords, Ic dien / for Ih thian, that 
is, I serue, where the reader is to remember that d. 
and th. was in our ancient language indifferently vsed.

Thearf. Need, distresse.

Thearfnesse. Distressednesse.

Thearfan. The distressed.

Theow. A seruant, in the moste ordinarie accompt.

Theowas. Seruants.

Theodome. Seruitude.



Theowine/ or Thiannin/ or Thianina. A maid-seruant (Ancilla)

Tholie. To suffer.

Tholyd also Tholod. Suffred.

Thorp Our ancient woord for which wee haue bor­
rowed and now vse the French woord Village.

Thread A rebuke, or a threat.

Threagan. To threaten.

Thystrum. Darknes.

Todal. Deuision, stryf. 

Todealud. Seperated, deuyded.

Togeadere. Together.

Todrifene. Driuen away, dispersed.

Tuge or Toge. To draw out, or to lead.

Treo or Treow. A tree.

Tumbe. To dance.

Tumbod Danced, heerof wee yet call a 
wenche that skippeth or leapeth lyke a boy, a Tomboy, 
our name also of tumbling cometh heerhence.

Tungan. A toung. and sometymes Tungun.

OED describes the form "tungon" as Germanic and does not record "tungan."



Tune A town.

Tunas. Townes.

Twyfeald or Twefeald. Too-fold doubtfull (anceps)

Twyling or Tweling. A twyne.

 Twynod. Doubted.

Twyrednesse. Gainsaying, contention.


V

VNberend. Barren, sterril.

Vncuth. Vnknown, it also somtymes signifieth a 
stranger.

Vnderfenge. To vndertake.

 Vnderfengud. Vndertaken, enter­
prised.

Vnderheld. Supported, vnderholden.

Vndercyning. An Vnder-king, a viceroy.

Vnderntyde. The afternoon towards the euening.

Vndersetan. Subiects, vassalles.

Vndertheod. A subiected or subdued people.

Vnderthian. An inferior seruant.

 Vneath or Vneth. Vneasy, difficil.

Vnhold or Vnheold. Malice.



 Vnleaful. Vnbelieuing, vnfaithfull.

Vnleafulnesse. Vnfaithfulnes, Infidellitie.

Vnnyt. Vnneedful, not necessarie.

 Vnmihtlye  (now rather vnmightly) Vnpossible.

 Vnriht-haemed. Borne in adulterie.

Vnrihwisnes Vnrighteousnes, inequitie.

Vnscyldigh. Vnfaultie, also vn-indebted.

 Vnscyrded. Vnclothed.

Vntrum. Infirme.

Vntrumnesse. Infirmitie.

 Vntyming. Barren, 

Vnwether. A storme, a tempest.

Vnwisdome. Madnesse, folly.

 Vpstigan or Vpstegan. and Netherstigan. Mounting vp, 
and dismounting, to wit, ascending and descending.

Vtgang. Out-going, departure.

 Vt awurpen. Out-cast.


W

WAna. Want, defect or lac. Wee yet say the wane of 
the moon.

Wanhael. Wanting-helth, infirme or maymed.

Wanhope. Dispaire. It groweth through want of hope.

Wantrust. Distrust, suspition.

Warp or Weorp. See A Warpen.

Wald / Weald / or Wold/ all these differing in vowel, yet sig­
nify one thing, to wit, a forest, Of the first Waldham­
forest (more rightly then waltham-forest) retayneth 
yet that name.
Of the second, the weald of kent, that is, the fo­
rest parte of kent.
Of the third which is wold the l, and the highnes 
of the sound of o beeing omitted, is become in the 
Netherlands wout, and in England wood.



And whereas Yorks-wold and Cots-wold, do yet 
retaine those names, and are not forests, I am fully of 
opinion, that they haue heertofore bin woodie places, 
and thereof had such names and that the woods haue 
afterward bin destroyed, and yet their names not­
withstanding left stil vnto them.

Wapen / Weapon or Weapun All is one, and betokeneth as 
wel our weapos, wherewith wee fight, as the marks of ho­
nor borne in sheilds, which now after the French wee 
call, armes.

Wearbode otherwise Warbode. A messenger of warre or one 
to be sent about the affaires of the camp.

Waestmes Frutes, hearbes, or graine, or the lyke, waxing or 
growing, out of the earth.

Weastin. Frute.

Weater. Water.

Weard or Ward. A keeper. 

Weardas. Keepers.

Wegas. Wayes.

Wel. This (as wee vnderstand it for bene) wee retaine yet 
without any change as very many other woords.

Welega. A welthy-man (Diues)

Weofode An alter, our anceters vsed also Theofode/ for an 
alter; belyke they were alters for different sacrifises in 
the tyme of their paganisme, and therefore so distin­
guished.

Were/ our anceters vsed somtyme in steed of Man/ 
yet should it seeme that were/ was moste comonly 
taken for a maried man. But the name of man/ is now 
more known and more generally vsed in the whole 
Teutonic toung then the name of Were.

Were-wulf. This name remaineth stil known in the
Teutonic, & is as much to say as man-wolf; the greeks 
expressing the very lyke, in Lycanthropos.

Ortelius not knowing what were signified, because 
in the Netherlandes it is now cleane out of vse, ex&



cept thus composed with wolf, doth mis-interprete it 
according to his fancie.
The were-wolues are certaine sorcerers, who ha­
uing annoynted their bodyes, with an oyntment 
which they make by the instinct of the deuil; and 
putting on a certaine inchanted girdel, do not only 
vnto the view of others seeme as wolues, but to their 
own thinking haue both the shape and nature of 
wolues, so long as they weare thesaid girdel. And 
they do dispose themselues as very wolues, in wurrying 
and killing, and moste of humaine creatures.
Of such sundry haue bin taken and excuted in 
sundry partes of Germanie, and the Netherlands. One 
Peeter Stump for beeing a Were-wolf/ and hauing kil­
led thirteen children, two women, and one man; was 
at Bedbur not far from Cullen in the yeare 1589. put 
vnto a very terrible death. The flesh of diuers partes 
of his body was pulled out with hot iron tongs, his 
armes thighes & legges broken on a wheel, & his body 
lastly burnt. He dyed with very great remorce, desy­
ring that his body might not be spared from any tor­
ment, so his soule might be saued. The Were-wolf (so 
called in Germanie) is in France, called Loupgarov.

Weolthige. Woorthy.

Wyrthe. Woorthe.

Weryg. Wery.

Westen or Wusten. A desert or wyld woodie place.

Whylc or Whilk. Which. In the north of England they yet 
say qhuilk.

Wif. Wyf, (Vxor)

Wihed or Wied. Sacred, wee say yet halowed for halih­
wied, also wee heerof retaine the name of whitsonday, 
which more rightly should bee written wied-sonday, 
that is, Sacred-sonday, so called by reason of the des­



cending down of the holy Ghoste, &c.

Wildernes. A wildernes, for which wee somtymes vse our 
borrowed name of desert.

Wild-deorun. Wild-deer. It signifieth in the Teutonic 
(Pecora Campi) the beasts of the feild in generall, and not 
that kynd only which wee now call deer, although wee 
take our name of deer also from hence.

Winberian or Wynberian. Wynberries, grapes.

Wingeard or Wyngeard A wyn-garden, a vinyard.

Wisduam or Wisdom. Wisdome, sapience.

Wistleras. Whistlers, pypers.

Witega or Wytega. A prophet, a foreteller of things to 
come.

Witegode. Prophesied, foretold.

Witherwin. An aduersarie.

Withsaid. Denyed.

Withstuod. Withstood, resisted.

Wirta or Wurta. Woortes, for which wee now vse the 
French name of herbes. The citie in Germanie of Wirtsberge, 
in Latin Herbipolis, had that name by reason of the aboun­
dance of wurts or herbes, which grew about the hill 
sydes by that town.

Wod. Furious or Mad. Wee yet retaine in some partes 
of England, the word wodnes for furiousnes or madnes.

Wolc. A clowd.

Welken Clowdes, wee yet vse the woord 
welken, but take it for the aire.

Wondorlyc. Wonderly, wonderful admirable.

Woruld World.

Wrec. Wreake, reuenge.

Wryhta or Wyryhta. Heerhence wee haue our name of 
 Wright which signifieth properly a labouring man, 
though wee now take it for a Carpenter, or hee that 
vseth, some trade thereon depending.

Wuldre or Wuldor. Glorie.

 Wun. Dwel.

Wunstede or 
 Wuningstow. A dwelling place.

Weorth or Weord. A kynd of peninsula or land enuyro­



ned almost about with water, not in the sea, but in 
some riuer or between two riuers. It is in moderne 
Teutonic written wert. It seemes, that our weres/ or 
water-stops do heerof also take their name.

Weortscyp or Wurthscyp. Woorth-ship or Woorthynesse, Wee 
now pronounce it woorship.

Wurtrum or Wyrtrum. Rootes.

Wyc. A fenced place, a place of refuge.

Wydmear. Fame, reporte spred wyde or far abrode.

Wyl. A wel, otherwise a bourn-pit.

"bourn-pit" not found in OED.



Wynsum. According to our now ortography win-some, 
that is, easy to be wonne or obtayned.

Wyrse. Woors.

 Wyte. Blame, reproche.


Y

Ylcan or Ylc. The same, somtymes it is taken for each.

Ylde Age, oldnes.

Yldrena. Fore-elders, anceters.

 Ymb or Ombe. About.

Yrfe. An heritage.

Yrfe-weard. An heyre.

Yrthling. A hyreling.

Yrthelingas. Hyrelings.



I could heerin haue enlarged my self very much, 
and peraduenture haue much pleasured some of our 
English poets, with great choise of our own an­
cient woords, which as occasion requyred they 
might, with more reason renew and bring in vse 
again (by som-what facillitating yf need were 
the ortographie) then to become the borrowers 
and perpetual debters of such languages as wil 
not bee beholding to vs for somuch as a woord, 



and when wee haue gotten from them as many 
woords as wee wil, they can neuer carry a true co­
respondence vnto ours, they beeing of other nature 
and originall.

These our ancient woords heer set down. I trust 
wil for this tyme satisfy the reader, and the rather 
for that I shal haue occasion to shew the etymo­
logies of sundry names and woords in the ensueing 
chapters.







THE ETYMOLO­
GIES OF THE ANCIENT 
SAXON PROPER NAMES
of men and women.

The eight Chapter.


Lyke enough it is, that the reader seeing
the tytle of this chapter to promise the
etymologies of the ancient Saxon
proper names, wil expect some notise
how to know which they bee, and
which not: seeing so many sortes of proper names are
become comon to all nations of Christendome. To
giue him therefore satisfaction in this point, hee may
please to vnderstand, that albeit it bee true that some
names deryued from the Hebrew, some from the
Greek, and some from the Latin, as also many of our
ancient Saxon proper names, do now run generally
in comon vse among all; yet when heed is giuen vnto
them it is easely descerned vnto what languages each
of these do appertaine. Such then as are anciently and
properly our own, are meerly of the Teutonic toung,
and not found in the Hebrew or in the Scriptures,
nor yet among the ancient Greeks or Latins: and of
these many do yet remain with vs in vse, and diuers
are become vsuall also vnto other nations.

And surely of the sundry things of antiquitie, woorthy
of note among our Saxon anceters their proper de­
nominations of humain creatures (which also was
comon vnto the other Germans) was not of least re­



gard, and albeit these names were giuen in chyldheyd
yet were they neuer but significant. A thing very lawd­
able and woorthy; an excellent note of moste great
antiquitie, and a iust ensuying of the vse of reason,
which almighty God had endued his resonable crea­
tures withal, who accordingly would not giue one
another any proper names in an vnintelligible and
friuolous kynde of speech. And yf some that may
happen to read these etymologies shal accompt of
them as of things strayned or imaginarie, this his con­
ceyt doth proceed of his own lack of knowlege in
the propertie of our ancient language, whereas yf
therein hee were seen, hee would euen as manifestly
decerne them to bee such as heer they are shewed to
be, as the etymologies of the ancient names of the pa­
triarches are decerned by such as are skilfull in the
Hebrew toung.

Our language as in the fore-going chapter I haue
shewed, consisted in the begining for the moste parte
of woords of monosillable, & each woord beeing of
one sillable had is own proper signification put into
the myndes of such as first receaued it (at the confu­
sion of Babel) by almighty God the author and foun­
der thereof, but by ioyning two woords or more to­
gether, that were distinct monosillables before, a new
composed woord and therewithall a new sence was
at once framed: and therefore these proper names
beeing made of composed woords (for scarsly fynde
I any that is of one sillable) were purposely made and
framed according to the mynde and purpose of the
composers, thereby to expresse as it were, some pre­
cept, remembrance or encowragement for the en­



sueing of some kynd of vertue or noblenes which
they wished their chyld should affect, or of some
thing in one sorte or other of praise-woorthy memo­
rie, at the birth-tyme or birth-place of the chyld, as in
obseruing the ensueing exsamples wil manifestly
appeer.

And heer before I proceed further, I hold it re­
quisit to aduertise the courteous reader, that whereas
M. Islebius wryting of these etymologies, wil needs
haue bert/ which is vsed for a termination to diuers
names (as heer ensueing wil appeer) to haue bin by our
anceters ment for wert/ which woord wee now wryte
and pronounce woorth. To this I answere, that yf hee
had well perused the ancient Saxon toung, hee
should therein haue found that our old anceters vsed
the woord weorth/ which the Germans do now pro­
nounce wert/ and wee woorth/ but bert in steed thereof
they neither vsed or needed to vse. So as his making
of bert/wert/ grew only of his own supposall, because
somtymes (although sildome) the b is found to haue
bin vsed for the single v, though neuer for the dooble
v, as hee would haue it: and yet Franciscus Irenicus,
and diuers others, without searching any further do
heerin follow him. Pontus Heuterus according to
the doting of some others wil haue bert/ to signifie
beard/ which in deed is more wyde from the mark
then the suposall of Islebius. For as children when
their names are first giuen can not bee praised for
their woorth or woorthynes, because it can not in
them so soon appeer, no more may they bee called
after the colour of their beards when they haue none,
as for example, moste ridiculous it is to say as Heute­



rus, and other do, that Robert/ is to say Red=beard/ as
though the bearers in old tyme of that name, either
had no names vntil they had beards, or els when they
gat beards they gat new names according to the co­
lour of them. Certaine it is that the terminations of
bert/frid/ryc/ and such others as do serue for diuers
names, must in due sence accord vnto all whereunto
they are conioyed, which neither wert nor bert/ can
do, as sundry absurd examples which thereon would
ensue (yf it were woorth the whyle heer to shew
them) could giue witnes.

One thing more I must note, & that is, that where­
as many haue written of these etymologies, yet are
all of them very scarse in shewing the reasons of
many their interpretations, which I suppose to bee
because they could more easely gesse that so or so they
were ment, then shew by reason that so in deed the
true meaning must bee, and therefore I haue therein
taken the more paynes to giue the reader better sa­
tisfaction.



Adelstan/ or Eadelstan/ or Ethelstan. 
These three names are all one and for the d in
the two former, the th as wel as in the later is indiffe­
rently vsed. Adel/Eadel/ or Edel/ is our ancient woord
for Noble or Gentle: the which noble and gentle,
wee haue borrowed from the French, so as our names
of Nobleman and Gentleman, are composed of two
languages the substantiue beeing english, and the ad­
iectiue French. Whereas anciently in meer english, it
was Adelman or Eadelman &c. As in Germanie it is
yet vsed: stan/ is the termination of the superlatiue de­
gree of comparison, which wee haue since varied



into est/ as for moste wise, wee say wisest; for moste
great, greatest; for moste faire, fairest; and the lyke:
which after our old manner should be wisestan, great­
estan, fairestan, &c. So as Adelstan/ is as much to say
as Noblest, and therefore it is not found among our
anceters to haue bin a name comon to all in generall
but only for kings or princes and their peers as
beeing the moste noble.

Adelgund varied into Aldegund. 
A name vsed for a woman. I haue already she­
wed that Adel/Eadel/ and Ethel/ is all one, and that the
d. standeth indifferently for th. and now because Edel
or Ethel/ is more vsed of our anceters then Adel/ I re­
ferr the reader for the etymologie heerof vnto Ethel=­
gund/ at the letter E.

Adelulph by abreuiation Adulph.
 For the etymologie heerof see Ethelulph.

Albert.
 For the etymologie heerof see Ethelbert.

Alcuine. 
It should bee Alcwine/ but by reason that latinists
vse not one w, it is become Alcuine. It is also anciently
written Ealc=wine/ & somtymes Alwine/ Ealc or Alc
wee haue now varied to each; wine is as much to say
as beloued, so as Alcuine signifieth, Of-each-beloued,
& Alwine according to thesame sence, Beloued-of-all.
Alcuinus an Englishman and the disciple of Venera­
ble Bede, was preceptor vnto the Emperor Charles the
great; and the first beginner of the vniuersitie of
Paris.

Aldread. 
This seemeth at the first to haue bin a name only



imposed vpon princes of great noblemennes children,
for our anceters were regardfull that the woorthiest
names, were to bee giuen to such as were of woor­
thiest expectation, and this name beeing so giuen was
as a precept vnto them so to beare themselues as that
they might bee dread vnto all or dreaded of all/ for so
the name importeth.

Alfred or Al=ured. 
Fred and vred is all one in signification for the v
consonant doth oftentymes hold the place of f. Fred
or vred/ as also frid/ all beeing one, is our ancient
woord for peace, the woord peace beeing by vs bor­
rowed from the French woord pais, which they haue
fetched from the Latin woord pax, so as Alfred or Al=­
vred/ is as much to say, as All-peace.

Alfric. 
I haue reason to think that this by corruption is
grown from Alfrid to bee Alfric/ some think that it
should rightly bee vlphric, for vlphric see in the
letter v.

Allin or Allen. 
By vulgar pronountiation the name of Allin is come
from Alwine/ which as before is said, is asmuch to say
as Beloued-of-all.

Arnold. 
For the etymologie thereof see Eruhold.



Baldwin. 
Bald is varied into our woord bold/ which also si­
gnifieth swift, for comonly with boldnes, there is some
quicknes of swiftnes annexed. The reader is to note



that wine/ as is aforesaid signifieth beloued, but win to
ouercome or to get, as wee yet vse it, for winning by
play or battaile. Baldwin is then asmuch to say as
Cito vincens, soon vanquishing or ouercoming.

Baldread. 
It is sayd before, that of bald (in this sense) wee
haue our world bold/read moste comonly signifieth
counsel or aduice, it also signifieth redresse or reme­
die, Chaucer saith, read wel they self that others wel
canst read, wee vse it also for declaration when wee
say read a ridle or read on a book, it also signifieth
discours or speech, Baldread/ is asmuch to say as Bold
or resolute in counsel or vttrance, &c.

Bede. 
The name of our first famous English wryter,
who for his great vertue and learning was in his lyf
tyme of such esteem throughout all Christendome
that hee was honored with the title of venerable
Bede/ and for that it was not allowable to giue vnto
any the name of that saint hee beeing yet aliue: this reuerend
father hauing had the name of venerable in his lyf
tyme imposed vpon him, it remained vnto him after
his death, insomuch as hee is more called by the name
of Venerable Bede, then of saint Bede. Bede signifieth
prayer, a name as it should seeme, wherein his parents
at the giuing thereof presaged his deuotion. Of Bede
cometh the name of Beadsman and Beads to pray
vpon. The lyke in signification vnto Bede/ is the name
of Oration in Italian.

From bede proceedeth our woord bid/ which
through our heedlessnes in our language we make
to serue vnto two contrarie sences, for when wee say



wee bid a friend vnto our hows, it signifieth to pray
or desyre, and when wee say bid one to do this or that,
it there signifieth to comaund: whereas bede or bid/
should bee rather vsed for praying or enuyting, and
bod/ to signify commaund, and boding rather then bid­
ding, comandement.

Barnard. 
The true ortography heerof is Bearn=hart/ tou­
ching the which and such lyke in these etymologies
to ensue, the reader may please to note that our Saxon
anceters whyle yet they were pagans, beeing a very
valiant and warlyke people, would somtymes desyre
to haue their children imitate some such properties of
cowrage as they obserued to bee in some kynd of
beasts, such I meane as they esteemed beasts of bat­
taile, as is amongst others the beare.

Of which beast to haue the lyke harte or the lyke
cowrage, the parents would somtyme giue vnto the
chyld the name of Bearn=hart/ that is, Beares=hart/ for
n/ as wel as s/ as in our ancient speech at the end of
nownes the signe of the plural number, as we yet in
diuers things do retaine it, as when wee say, children/
bretheren/Oxen/ and the lyke, as formerly I haue noted.

Bartulph or Bertulph. 
It was anciently and rightly Beriht=ulph/ and is as
much to say as a helper or an assistant vnto aduise­
ment. It is of some written Barthol, and of some
Bardolph.

Birtryc or Birthryc. 
Ryc/ wee now vse to wryt with adding an h to
the c, and so make it rych, and some swaruing further
from the originall wryte it ritche. Such as had this



name seem to haue bin borne to welth or possessions,
beeing riche by birth or patimonie.

Burchard. 
This is more rightly Burh=gard/ and anciently a
name of office, and therefore I referre the reader to
the names of offices in the last chapter.

Botulph. 
Bote or after our now pronountiation boot, is
satisfaction or amends, we vse yet in the equalyzing of
bargaines to requyre some help or aduantage to boot.
Vlph was anciently help, the one beeing deryued from
the other. Bote=ulph/ is asmuch to say as a help-to-
boot, a helper or procurer of amends or satisfaction,
or as it were, a mediator.



Charles. 
In the ancient Teutonic from whence this name taketh
original, it was first Gar=edel/ whereof by abreuia­
tion it became Careal. Now in the moderne Teuto­
nic it is Karle. Gar in the old Teutonic signifieth all/
(as all in that toung also doth) & by varying in pro­
nountiation, for Gar they somtymes vse Car/ as for
example (as in the first chapter hath bin noted) in steed
of saying drink Gar aus/ which is to say drink all out/
they wil say drink Car=aus so that Car is vsed for Gar/
and signifieth all: eal is an abreuiation of edel, for it is
comon in the Teutonic to say Ealman for Edelman.
Careal/ which in Latin is written Carolus, and in mo­
derne English Charles/ is asmuch to say, as, All or
wholy-noble.

Conread. 
Con beeing sounded as Coon/ signifieth stout for­



ward or valliant, read/ as is aforesaid, is counsel or ad­
uice, also remedy or redresse; Conread may then wel
signify resolute or forward in aduice or in redresse.

Cunigund. 
A name of a woman, and anciently Cunigund
of Cuning/ also written Cyning/ wee haue by abreuia­
tion made king/ gund is asmuch to say as fauor, wee
haue since varied it to cunne, as when wee say wee
wil cunne one thanks, that is to say, shew him grati­
tude or fauor. Cunigund is then in signification Regis
fauor, the fauor of the king, a name by lyke imposed
vpon the daughters of Princes.

Cuthbert. 
Cuth is asmuch to say as known acquainted or fami­
liar, bert became so to bee by abreuiation, anciently
beeing beriht/ afterward beright or bereght/ also by abre­
uiation bright, & somtymes breght, for so is it often
found, as in Ethelberiht/ Ethelbright/ & Ethelbreght/
though moste comonly Ethelbert: and so lykewise for
Egberiht/Egbright/ and Egbreght/ though moste of all
Egbert/ and the lyke may be said of all the rest of our
names ending in bert. Some of the beriht/ haue made it
bericht or berecht/ but the ch is to be sounded as gh, as in
the Teutonic it alwayes is, & in the Scotish-English,
where as wee wryte right/ they write richt/ and yet
pronounce it as wee do. Beriht/beright/ or bereght/
beeing all one, is ample in signification. As to bee be=­
righted/ that is to bee rightly or wel aduised, right-con­
ceyted, right-instructed, setled, disposed, or perswaded
in the right. Of good aduisement, vnderstanding, know­
lege, &c.

I am heerin the larger, both because the abreuia­



tion thereof which is bert/ is the termination of many
of our proper names, as also for that it hath bin by
others very much mistaken, which manifestly appee­
reth in that applying it as they do, it will not beare
sencible construction to all names, wherevnto it be­
longeth, but yf in some it be strained to beare sence,
vnto others it is moste rediculous and farr from all
reason, whereas the true etymologie thereof must
needs sencibly and to the purpose agree with all
names where-vnto it is composed.

Cuthbert importeth asmuch as familiar vnto vn­
derstanding or acquainted with knowlege.

Cuthread. 
Acquainted with counsel of aduice, &c.

Cynehelme. 
It should rightly bee Cyning=helme/ by which
name our anceters called the crown of a king.
This ancient name Cynehelme/ is now become kekelme.


 
Dewhtric. 
Dewght is our ancient proper woord for vertue,
wee yet retaine heer-hence our woords dowghty and
dowghtynesse, and they yet say in the north of Eng­
land when a thing is nought and hath lost his vertue,
that it dowes not; and in some of our English poetrie
wee somtymes fynd thewes vsed for vertues, or good
partes.

Dewght=ric is as much to say as vertue-rich, or rich
in vertue. It is now vulgarly in the Netherlandes
written Dietric/ & in Latin & after the Latin (I know
not with what reason) made Theodorus & Theodoricus.



Dunstane. 
A name giuen as it seemeth in recomendation of
Constancie or Stabillitie. Dun is anciently a hil or
mountaine, stane wee now pronounce stone, Dunstane
is the mountaine-stone, or as wee might say the stone
in the rock or mountaine, almost as much in significa­
tion as in Hebrew the name of Peeter.



Eanswyd. 
Wee haue varied eans into once/ wyd or wyed, is
our own ancient woord for sacred, Eanswyd is as­
much to say as once=sacred.

Earmenfrid. 
Earm is our ancient woord for poor, as arm in all
Germanie yet is: our now vsed woord poor, wee haue
from the French woord pauvre, which they haue fet­
ched from the Latin woord pauper, Earmenfrid/ signi­
fieth The peace of the poor.

Earmengard. 
Gard is all one in our ancient language with ward,
Ermengard signifieth, A keeper or protector of the
poor.

Earmenheld. 
It should more rightly bee Earmenhelt / helt as also
healt with our anceters beeing a champion: & so is
Earmenhealt. A champion for the poor, or one that
vndertaketh the cause and quarrel of the poor.

Edgar. 
It was anciently Eadgard. Of Ed more rightly,
Ead (now in the north of England pronounced Eath)
we retain in the south-parts, Othe. Eadgard by short­



nes of speech become Edgar; is a keeper of his othe
or faithful conuenant.

Edmund. 
Of Ed rightly Ead/ I haue heer next before alredy
spoken, mund is in our ancient language mouth, for
as I fynd our anceters to haue vsed Muth for Mouth/
so vsed they also Mund/ as in all the Netherlands, it is
yet vsed. Eadmund importeth as much, as A mouth of
troth-keeping or loyaltie, for that an Ead or eath/ now
modernly an oth/ is an obligation vnto troth and
loyaltie.

Edward. 
This was anciently written Ead=ward and Ead=­
weard/ and giuen as it appeereth in recomendation of
loyaltie or faith-keeping, for Eadward is properly a
keeper of his oth, vow, faithful promisse or couenant.
It is equiualent with Edgar/ both importing one sence
and meaning: gard and ward / warders, and garders /
beeing all one.

Wee haue had more kings of England, of this
name then of any other, nyne in all, three before the
conquest, and six after it. In Portugall they haue me­
tamorphosed it from all sence and signification, and
made it Duarte.

Edwine. 
I haue formerly shewed how Ed/ more rightly
Ead standeth for othe/ as also that wine signifieth belo­
ued. It importeth that the oth couenant or faithful
promise of the bearer of this name should of him bee
beloued, that is, espetialy esteemed & accompted of.

Egbert. 
Anciently written Eahberiht, and by abreuiation



Eagbreght/ as also abreuiated to Egbert, Eah (now
vulgarly in some places of Saxonie eght) signi­
fieth equitie or law, also a contract or matrimonie,
Egbert signifieth, Aduised vnto equitie, or of an equi­
table aduisement.

Egfrid. 
It importeth peace according to equitie.

Engelbert. 
Engel is the Teutonic name for an Angel, & com­
posed with bert, may signifie, Angelical aduisement,
or aduised to imitate an Angel in puritie.

Eric. 
Was anciently written Earyc, Ear is our true and
ancient woord for honor. And so is Eric rightly in­
terpreted, Diues honoris, that is, Rich of honor, or rich
in honor.

Earconwald. 
More rightly Earconweald. A stout sustayner of
honor.

Earnold. 
It is now written Arnold, but is rightly Earn=hold,
one that doth vphold or maintaine honor.

Earnulph. 
Beeing now become Arnulph, is asmuch to say as
(Auxiliator honoris) The help or defence of honor.

Ethelbald. 
Noble stout, that is, Noble and valliant.

Ethelbert. 
This was the name of the first Christned English
king that euer was, entituled king of Kent, albeit his
dominion stretched further, it signifieth Nobly-concey­
ted or aduised, or of noble conceyt or aduisement,



whence this termination bert, is abreuiated I haue al­
redy shewed. Ethel is also somtymes abreuiated to Eal,
whereby Ethelbert doth come to be Ealbert/ and also
modernly Albert.

Ethelbilde. 
Bilde is abreuiated of bilid/ our old woord for I­
mage. Ethelbild is in effect asmuch to say as the Image
of Nobillitie.

Ethelburg. 
Burg is in our language anciently vnderstood
for a fortifyed place or castle. Ethelburg doth in sense
importe as much as A noble-fortresse.

It is lyke that it was among our anceters a name
for some noble-woman, who in regard of maintai­
ning her honor doth make herself A noble fortresse,
for the defence thereof.

Ethelfrid. 
This name composed of Ethel and frid (of both
which is spoken before) is asmuch to say as noble­
peace, by lyke a name giuen for memorie of some ho­
norable peace that about the birth tyme of the chyld
was concluded.

Ethelgund. 
A name vsed for a woman, and of Ethelgund/ it is
become in pronountiation Adelgund/ and varied into
Aldegund/ of Adel and gund. I haue sufficiently spoken
before, both composed heer together, do importe
fauour-bearing vnto nobillitie.

Ethelulph. 
I haue somtymes corruptly found it written
Ethewulf. Whereby it must consequently yeild so
absurd a sense as noble-wolf. Ethelulph is rightly No­



ble-help, to wit, to bee noble or honorable in help­
giuing. Ethelulph also written Adelulphe/ is by abreuia­
tion become Adulph.

Ethelwald. 
It is rightly Ethelweald. An vpholder or sustayner
of honor.

Ethelward. 
Corruptly written Ethelard. A keeper or conferuer
of Nobillitie or noblenes.

Ethelwin. 
This importeth as much as a winner of his nobil­
litie, one that by his deserts doth purchase his honor.
And hee that purchaseth his honor by desert is not to
bee accompted the lesse noble or honorable, but ra­
ther the more, because desert is the thing which is
preferred in the sight of the moste high & equitable 
iudge; and in all earthly iustice ought to be of moste
regard.

Euerard. 
Euer and somtymes Eber/ is in our ancient lan­
guage a wyld bore. I haue shewed before in the ety­
mologie of Bearn=hart/ the reason why the ancient
pagan Saxons imposed such lyke names vpon their
children, to wit, that they should afterward imitate
the cowrage which they decerned to bee in such lyke
beasts of battail: as in this name of Euerard rightly
Euer=hart is ment, the hauing of the heart or cowrage
of the wyld bore.



Faramund otherwise written Pharamund. 
Fara or Faira/ and somtymes Fraia/ is the original of
our adiectiue Faire; mund as before in the etymologie



of Edmund/ I haue shewed is mouth. Faramund was
then a name giuen in regard of wel-speaking; our
phrase heerin is now a litle changed, for wee vse to
say a faire toung, in steed of a faire-mouth.

Filebert or Philebert. 
Fil is heer more rightly Ful and Filebert / wel or
fully-aduysed. Vnderstood as a precept, so to bee.

Franc. 
The etymologie of this name though it now bee
varied to Francis/ doth yet remain with the moste in
vse and memorie, as when wee say franc and free.
It seemeth to haue bin a name giuen in respect of
bountie, liberalitie, or freedome.

Fredegode. 
Frede or brede beeing both one, was before wee
became debters to the French for their woord peace
(as before I haue noted) our own woord seruing to
that sense, gode wee haue a litle varied in ortography
and now wryte it good, Fredegode is then no other,
then Good-peace.

Fredegund. 
Gund as before noted, is fauour affection or gra­
titude, and Fredegund extendeth to signify A fauourer
of peace.

Frederyc. 
vFrederyc / beeing composed of frede and ryc / is
rightly interpreted rich-peace or riche in peace, and
perhaps moste properly ment in the peace or con­
tentment of the mynde.

Fredeswyde. 
Wyde/ in more true ortopgraphie Wyed/ is as before
hath bin said, our ancient woord for sacred. Fredes=­



wyde is asmuch to say as Sacred by or through peace.



Garard. 
Anciently and rightly it is Gar=hart. Gar/ as els
where I haue shewed, is all one with the woord All/
as in lyke manner Omnis Totus, as also Conctus are of
lyke signification in Latin, Gar=hart is then All-hart,
to wit, altogether of hart or cowrage. The latinists
haue made it Gerardus, and the Italians Gerardino
and Geraldino.

Garman. 
Now become German/ is All or wholy a man, to
wit a man complete or entyre.

Gartrude otherwise Gertrude. 
Gar as before is said, is asmuch as All / trude is
truthe or trothe, for as I haue formerly shewed d was
somtymes of our anceters indifferently vsed in stede
of th. Gartrude or Gertrude is then asmuch to say as
All-troth. A name wel imposed in regard of the full­
nes of trothe and loyaltye which in a woman of
honor or woorth is requisit.

Gilbert. 
Anciently Gildberight. There were of old tyme
among our anceters certaine companies or confraries
of men, called Gildes/ first instituted for exercise of
feates of armes (though after there were of other
professions) and these had their appointed meeting
places, and such as were admitted among them, were
obliged to the exercises & orders which the rest ob­
serued, and these were called Gild=bretheren: and for
shortnes of speech a Gild=brother was also called a



Gild. The woord Gild in it self signifieth free and
bountiful, Gildberight by abreuiation became Gilbert/
is in effect one that is liberally or bountifully dis­
posed.

Godefrid. 
I haue shewed before the etymologie of Fredegode/
which with Godefrid or Godefred is all one, only diffe­
ring in the transposing of the sillables, both signifying
Good-peace. It is much varied from the first original,
as of Godefrid beeing made Godfrey, and from thence
Gauffrey, by others againe Geoffrey, and not so
let alone it is thence turned into Ieffrey,, and in
Latin to Galfridus, albeit some more rightly make
it Godefridus.

Godehart. 
The etymologie heerof wil easely apeer by that
which is alredy said of Gode/ to bee now written
Good/ whic sheweth it to bee Good=hart/ intending
A hart enclyned to goodnes and vertue. It is vulgarly
become Godard.

Godelief. 
It is a name for a woman, & after our moderne
ortography Goodlief/ to wit, Good=loue/ meaning honest
and true of loue, for that is properly good-loue, some
write it in Latin Goduliua, others Godula.

Goderic. 
The etymologie is made plaine by that which
hath bin alredy said of the two sillables whereof this
name is composed, whereby it appeereth to bee, Rich
in good, or rich in goodnes.

Godewin. 
Awin-good, a gayner of welth; it may also be ment



of one that by trauail gaineth good partes or vertues
vnto himself.

Godscalk. 
Scalk / is in our ancient language a seruant, as
Theow also is &c. Godscalk is (Seruus Dei) the seruant
of God.

Goswine. 
It should rightly bee Gods=wine/ wine as hath bin
said signifieth beloued, and Gods=wine/ the beloued of
God. It is now in the Netherlands vulgarly written
Gosen as also Goson.



Harman. 
It should rightly bee Hartman/ to wit, a man of harte
or cowrage.

Heldebrand. 
Held in ancient teutonic was written Haelt/ and
signifieth a stout or vaillant person, as a cham­
pion or such lyke, and because of the addition brand,
it seemeth a name or title giuen for seruice vnto such
as valiantly enuading their enimies had consumes
and wasted their countrey by fyre. Heldebrand is in
Italian become Aldobrando.

Henry or Henryc. 
Hen the first sillable heerof was anciently written
Han/ and so was anciently vsed for haue/ as may ap­
peer in diuers our old English wrytings, and to this
day in some partes of England, they wil say, Han you
any? for haue you any? ryc signifieth not only rich,
but also possession or iurisdiction, so as Hanryc/ which
now wee wryte Henry/ importeth as much as a hauer-­



of welth, possession or iurisdiction, and so in lykely­
heyd a name giuen vnto such as were the heyres vn­
to some good estats or conditions of lyuing.

Herald. 
This beeing more vsuall a name of office then a
proper name, I referre the reader for the etymologie
thereof vnto the names of offices and dignities.

Herebert. 
Here was that in our ancient language that exerci­
tus is in Latin, to wit, an army. Of bert I haue spoken
before, in shewing the etymologie of Cuthbert / Her=­
bert/ is in effect as much to say, as well seen or aduised
in the state of an armie, a name giuen in lykelyheyd, as
a precept that so the bearer thereof should dispose
himself to bee.

Hereward. 
This hauing bin a proper name grown from a
name of office I referre the reader for further know­
lege thereof vnto the last chapter.

Hewald rightly Ewald. 
It signifieth a supporter or vpholder of equitie.

Helperic otherwise Hilperyc. 
It is found among the names of the ancient kings of
France, to bee written Chilperic/ but this error by some
very iudicial antiquaries that had good skil in the old
French toung (which I haued shewed els where, was
very Teutonic and almost all one with our ancient
language) is discouered, for they fynding that as Cy­
ning was our ancient name of soueraigne dignitie,
whereof wee yet retayne our abreuiated name of King
so was it also with the old French. And they setting
the letter c, in place and sound of k, to stand for Cy­



ning or king, as C Hilperic for Cyning Hilperyc/C Lo=­
thaire for Cyning Lothaire/ and the lyke, some after­
ward ignorantly ioyning the C vnto the other let­
ters made of C Hilperic Chilperic, and of C Lothaire
Clothaire, and so of others in lyke manner. Hilperic is
asmuch to say as A rich-help or one abounding in as­
sistance.

And whereas I haue said before that ulph was an­
ciently help/ and say heer that hilp was also help/ this
need not seem strange that in so ancient and spatious
a toung, one prouince may haue in pronountiation
this difference heer aforesaid, I could yf need were set
down sundry examples.

Holdward. 
An ancient and honorable name of office, for the
etymologie whereof I referre the reader to the
names of offices and dignities.

Hugh. 
It is anciently also written Heughe/ and alienated
among strangers vnto Hugo. A feastiual season they
yet in the Netherlands vse to call Heughtyd/ that is to
say, glad-tyde, for Hugh or Heughe both beeing one,
signifieth Ioy or gladnes.

It may bee that our Hoctyde now corruptly so pro­
nounced, did first come of Heughtyde.

Hughbert. 
It is now become Hubert and Hubberd / and beto­
keneth Disposed to ioy or gladnes.

Humfrey. 
More anciently and rightly it is Humfrid/ home is
heer by shortnes of speech become hum, and Humfrid



is Home-peace, or domestical quietnes.



Such names as I haue set down to begin with C
may also begin with K, for that these two letters were
vsed of our anceters indifferently, as I haue shewed
in diuers places.



Lambhart. 
Rather in following the termination of some
other names, then in true obseruing the right and ori­

It seemeth that in desyre of affecting meeknes
and innocencie, this name was somtyme by the pa­
rents imposed vpon the child, who in that regard, cal­
led it Lamb=hart/ that is, The harte of a lamb.

Lanfranc. 
It should rightly bee Land=franc/ & seemeth first to
haue bin a name of Naturalizing or making the bearer
thereof a free Denizen, whereby he became Land=­
franc/ to wit, free of the countrie.

Landulph. 
This is asmuch to say as (Regionis auxiliator) The
help of the countrie.

Lauther or Lothaire. 
Both are one, asmuch to say as Pure or clean.

Leofhold. 
Leof is that anciently, from whence we now haue

It seemeth to haue bin giuen for a precept of con­
seruation of amitie, as To keep or hold loue. It is of Leof=­



hold varied vnto Leopold/ as was the name of the
Duke of Austria that took our lion-harted king Ri­
chard prisoner.

Leofestan. 
What Leof signifieth, I haue shewed heer next be­
fore, and stan or estan I haue before in the etymolo­
gie of Adelstan / shewed to bee the superlatiue degree
of comparison for the which wee now in our lan­
guage vse the termination eft, so as Leofestan is The
beloued'st or moste beloued.

Leonhart now written Leonard. 
Smalle change in the ortographie heerof doth
plainly shew this name of Leonhart/ to bee rightly in­
terpreted Lion=hart/ though modernly it be become
Leonard and Lenard. I haue shewed before in the ety­
mologie of Bearn=hart and Euer=hart/ how our ance­
ters imposed vpon their children such names, to the
end they should imitate the cowrage, of such beasts.

And vndoubtedly to thesame end & signification,
was first inuented and brought in vse the bearing of
the images of those beasts in sheildes of armes, as
were moste cowragious and fiers, and therefore estee­
med beasts of battail, as among others, the chief of all
is the Lion, which of all other beasts is most, and in
moste different manner borne in armes.

Ludfrid. 
Lud and Luyd/ anciently written also Leod/ is all
one in our old language with Folk/ for the which
wee do now moste comonly vse our borrowed
French woord people. Frid I haue in sundry places
before shewed to haue bin our ancient woord for
peace: Ludfrid/ is Pax populi, the peace of the people.



Ludgard. 
Of Lud I haue spoken heer last before, as also in
the fyft chapter where I speak of Ludgate, and haue
also shewed that gard and ward is in signification all
one, Ludgard is then asmuch to say, as, Conseruator
populi, A defender or conseruer of the people.

Ludulph. 
This is Auxilium populi. The help or assistance of
the people.

Ludwyc. 
These afore-going names that begin with Lud/ do
seem to haue bin imposed vpon such as were by their
qualitie and condition lyke to beare sway in the co­
mon welth, beeing such as the welfare of the people,
was to depend vpon. Of Lud sufficiently hath before
bin spoken, wyc is a retreat or place of refuge. Ludwyc
is Refugium populi. The refuge of the people. The
Latinists haue made it Lodouicus. The French haue
made it Louis, wee haue now turned it to Lewis.



Manhart. 
The etymologie heerof is plaine enough. From
Man=hart it is varied to Manard and Maniard.

Mathild. 
It was anciently Meadhealt/ as much to say, as, A
maiden champion. It doth appeer that in old tymes in
case of necessitie, both mayds and women did ma­
nage armes, we now wryte and pronounce it Maud.

Maedhart. 
This name beeing written in moderne ortography
is Maiden=hart/ and seemeth to haue bin giuen in re­



comendation of a maidenly and modest mynde.

Mailburg. 
Beeing rightly written it is mild=burg/ the woord
myld wee haue yet in vse, it anciently signified gra­
tious, mercifull, and also bountifull, burg/ is heer taken
for a walled town or fenced place, and so may Mild=­
burg/ bee asmuch to say as Gratious or bountifull to
the town, or citie, &c.

Mild=read. 
Of both the sillables whereof this name is com­
posed I haue alredy spoken. It may wel importe Gra­
tious or pleasing in speech or vttrance.



Oncumber. 
This seemeth to bee a name of aduice, that the
bearer thereof might endeauour to liue without cum­
ber, and so bee vncumbred or vntroobled in the
world.

Osmund. 
I fynd Os and hus/ in the old Teutonic to bee both
now modernly with vs, hows/ and mund/ and muth (as
I haue before shewed) to bee also both one, to wit,
that which wee now call mouth. Osmund is then
The mouth of the hows, the speaker for his familie.

Oswald. 
Wald beeing more rightly weald/ and composed
with Os/ is Gubernator domus, A ruler or menager of
the affaires of the hows.

Oswine. 



It might otherwise bee Hows=wine/ that is, Beloued
of his hows or familie.



Radegund. 
Rade is all one with read/ Radegund/ is asmuch to
say as, A fauourer of counsel, one that loueth and not
reiecteth counsel, or good aduice.

Raderyc. 
Plentifull or riche in counsel, or aduice or, liberall
in yielding remedy or redresse. Raderyc by trauiling
into Spaine became Radrigo, and lighting into Latin
was made Rodericus.

Radulphe now written Ralphe. 
It hath in sundry foregoing places bin shewed that
ulph with our anceters was help/ and of Rade. I haue
spoken heer next before, Radulphe then is rightly in­
terpreted Consilio iuuans, Ayding or helpfull to
counsel. From Radulph it is varied to Rodulphe, and
from thence to Rudulph/ in English it is now written
Raphe and of some Ralphe.

Reymund. 
It is also written Raymund/ but rightly should
bee Reyn=mund. Reyn is as I said before of Lauther/
pure or clean, and Reynmund is to bee interpreted
Pure-mouth, a name imposed for the vsing of good &
decent speeches.

Reynfrid. 
A name in recomendation of sincere amitie for it
is as much to say as Pure-peace.

Reyn=hart. 
It is otherwise written Reynard/ and denoteth



a pure and clean harte.

Reynald written also Reynold. 
It should rightly bee Reyn=healt A sincere cham­
pion; a champion vnblemished in honor, or without
corruption.

Reynulphe. 
This by that which before hath bin said sheeweth
it self to signifie Pure-help, or sincere assistance, from
Reynulphe/ it is now grown to bee Randulph & Randal.

Rychard. 
Of our ancient woord ryc / wee yet retaine our
woord rich (as formerly I haue shewed) rich signifieth
aboundant, Ryc=hart (for so anciently it is) is no
other then Rich-hart, that is, An aboundant plentifull
and liberal mynde.

It is in Germanie pronounced Reych=hart/ in the
Netherlands Reicart or Ricard/ in Italian and Spanish
Ricardo, in Latin it is written Richardus.

Robert. 
Anciently written Ruberiht and Rouberight/ is by
abreuiation become Robert. Rou which is to bee pro­
nounced as Roo/ is our ancient woord for rest, repose
or quietnes. Robert then signifieth, Disposed or adui­
sed vnto rest or quietnes.

Roger. 
It was first Rugard or Rougard/ and afterward
Rugar/ & with vs lastly Roger/Rou or Ru/ as is afore­
said, is rest or quietnes, gard to keep or conserue. So
as Rugard (now Roger) is A keeper or conseruer of rest
or quietnes.

It is in Latin made Rogerus, in Italian Ruggiero,
and in French Rogier. And it may bee that the French



prouerb or phrase of Rogier bon temps, which is to
say, Roger good tyme, may haue some allusion to the
original meaning of this name; for that good is the
tyme which is conserued in rest and quietnes.

Rosamund. 
The true etymologie heerof is Rose-mouth, & see­
meth to haue bin giuen in regard of the sweetnes or
colour of the lippes. Or it may haue bin giuen in reco­
mendation of sweetnes and eloquentnes of speech.

Of this name was a concubine vnto king Henry
the second. In whose epitaphe a Latin poet, not vn­
derstanding the true etymologie of the name, makes
mund which heer is mouth to bee Mundus, & so calles
her the rose of the world. As thus:

Hinc iacet in tumba, Rosa mundi, non rosamunda,
Non redolet, sed olet, quæ redolere solet.

Rowland. 
Hauing alredy shewed that Rou signifieth rest, it
appeereth thatRouland is in signification The rest or
repose of the countrie. Wee now wryte it Rowland, in
Germanie and France it is Roland, in the Netherlands
Roeland/ and in Italian Orlando.

Roward. 
It is more rightly Rou=ward/ ward/ & gard/ as I haue
before diuers tymes said, are both one, this name hath
the very same etymologie, which I haue shewed of
Roger, to wit, Conseruator quietis.



Sigebald or Sighebald. 
Our moste ancient woord for victorie is Sige,
pronounced Sighe, and somtymes also so written:



bald/ as before I haue shewed, is bold or swift. Sigebald
or Sighebald (for both are one) is, Bold or swift in
victorie, or as one might say, speedie in the prosecuting
of victorie. It is of some for shortnes written Sibald/
and of some Sebald.

Sigebert or Sigesbert. 
It was anciently Sigberiht/ and by abreuiation it
grew to bee Sibright/ Sebright/ and Sebert. It signi­
fieth, Richly-aduised for victorie, asmuch in effect to
say, as of sound conceyt for the obtaining of victorie.

Sigher. 
Vulgarly it is become Segher & Seagar: anciently
it was in our language thesame that victor is in Latin,
to wit A vanquisher or ouercomer.

Sigerina or Sigherina. 
Now vulgarly in the Netherlands Segherinne and
Segarina (victrix) A woman victor.

Sigesmund or Sighesmund. 
The mouth of victorie, belyke a relator of victo­
ries to the encowragement of others.

Sighward. 
It is also written Siward/ and signifieth A conser­
uer or keeper of victorie.



Theobald. 
Anciently it was Thewhtbald as also Dewghtbald/
the th (as oft before I haue said) hauing of our anceters
indifferently bin somtymes vsed as d, and d againe as
th. Dewght or Thewht/ was heertofore our proper
woord for vertue, as in Dewhtryc haue alredy she­
wed. Theobald then beeing written according to the



ancient ortography thereof, is Speedy in vertue.

Thewht=ryc. 
For this see Dewght=ryc.



Ulpher. 
Ulph as before said, is help/ and therefore is Ulpher
A helper.

Ulphfrid. 
Aydfull to peace, an assistante vnto the mainte­
nance of concord.

Ulphfryc. 
According to our now ortography it is Help-riche,
that is to say, aboundant in help-giuing. It is by abre­
uiation made Ulryc/ and in Latin Vdalricus, and some
with reason do think that Alphryc otherwise written
Alfric/ should rightly bee Ulphryc.

Ulphstan. 
Corruptly it hath bin accustomed to bee written
Wulstan/ it signifieth Moste help-full.



Walburge. 
Burg denoteth a fensed place, and Walburge ex­
pressing the wall of such a place, may metaphorically
signify, The safegard of the citie. It is the name of a 
woman.

Walther or Walter. 
For this, it beeing a name of office, I refer the rea­
der to the names of offices.

Werburge. 
More rightly were it, Weardburge/ it is the name of



a woman, and is asmuch to say, as, The keeper or con­
seruer of the burg, or town, &c.

Wilebrord or rather Wilberord. 
Berord signifieth stirred or moued, Wilberord, is
asmuch to say, as, An actiue wil or wynd.

Willebrord an Englishman was the first Bishop
of Vtreght, hee is called the Apostle of Zealand, for
hauing there preached & planted the christian faith,
as also in some of the prouinces next adioyning. His
name by Pope Sergius (who made him Bishop) was
changed to Clement.

Wilfrid. 
Importeth. A wil enclyned to peace, or a peace­
able-mynd.

William. 
This name was not anciently giuen vnto chil­
dren in youth, but a name of dignitie imposed vpon
men in regard of merit, but beeing since grown vnto
a very ordinarie proper name, I thought good heer
among these proper names to place it.

For the etymologie heerof the reader shal please
to vnderstand, that the ancient Germans when they
had warres with the Romans, were not armed as
were they, but in a far more slight manner, hauing
ordinarily swoords, speares, shields of wood, hol­
bards & the lyke, supplying the rest with their great
strength and valour. Now when it so hapned that a
German soldier was abserued to kil in the feild (such
beeing wel armed and their helmets and headpeeces
comonly gilded) the golden helmet of the slain Ro­
man was (after the fight) taken and set vpon the head



of the soldier that hath slain him, and hee then ho­
nored with the name and tytle of Gild-helme, which
should according to our now ortography by Gilden
or Golden-helmet, which growing afterward vnto an
ordinarie name, because diuers names began with wil/
(as before some are noted) this was easely by wrong
pronountiation brought vnto the lyke, howbeit among
the Franks it kept the name of Guld-helme, and with
the french (of their ofspring) it gat the name of
Guilheaume, and since came be bee Guillaume, and
with the Latinists Guilielmus.

Winfrid. 
An obtayner of concord, or a win-peace. Winfrid
an Englishman was by meanes of Charles the great
vnto Pope Gregorie the second, made Archbishop of
Magunce, and of thesaid Pope named Boniface, he is
accompted an Apostle of Germanie, for his preaching
and conuerting much people vnto the Christian faith
and Saxonie and thereabout. At Doccum in Friesland,
hath bin reserued vnto our tyme, a book of the fowre
Gospels all written with his own hand.

Winnefride or Winnefrida. 
The name of a woman, and all one in significa­
tion with winfrid, to wit, A winner or gayner of peace
or concord, &c.

Witekind. 
A name giuen in regard of beautie, beeing accor­
ding to our now vsed english, whyte-chyld.

Wulfang or Wolfeng. 
Fang/ was our old woord signifying to take or to
catche, Wolfang then hath no other signification then
Catch-wolf. It was in old tyme very comendable to



hunt and destroy this rauenous and cruel beast. It is
somtymes corruptly written Wolfege / & somtymes
Wolfey.

Wyc=gard for easynesse of sound Wycard. 
It seemeth to haue bin a name of Office, wyc beeing
(as is aforesaid) a place of retreat, and so Wyc=gard the
keeper of the wyc/. It is since in Germanie grown to
bee an ordinarie proper name, and by putting a G be­
fore the u/ and h after the c, it is of strangers made
Gwichard as also Guichard, and mounting ouer the
Alpes into Italie, it is promoted to Guicciardino.

Wydmear. 
Mear is our ancient english woord for fame, so as
Wyd=mear/ beeing for more redynesse in vttrance be­
come Wymer/ is asmuch to say as Far-famous or wyde-
renowmed.

Wyne or more rightly Wine. 
Wyne (as hath bin said) did with our anceters signify
beloued, and it may bee that in regard of the pleasant
licor so called, and generally loued, they metaphori­
cally vsed this woord.



I haue now curteous reader I trust, performed so­
much as in the introduction to these etymologies I
promised to make manifest; and therefore shal not
need to bee further tedious in aleaging more of the
lyke examples. But wel maiest thow bee assured that
howsoeuer our ancient proper names may bee by
vulgar corruption varied from the original, seeing so
many of them haue come to bee frequent vnto stran­
gers that neither knew nor could heed what they
ment, yet no one (albeit their bee very many) but it was
vsed by our anceters with good signification & reason.



And for thy better notice of these heer aleaged it
may please the to obserue, how Noblenes, Honor, Ho­
nesty, Valor, Peace, Amitie, Quietnes, Charitie, Truth,
Loyaltie and all other vertues, were in their name-­
giuing recomended.

Wee are further to note that euen in their ancient
tymes they not hauing the learning & experience, of
somany foregoing flowrishing ages to the augmenta­
tion of their knowlege, as wee now haue, would not
bee so vnheedful or vncurious as to be content lyke
vnto parats to speak they knew not what, but they
would and did know what in their denominations
they vttered; framing and disposing them (as is afore
noted) as a precept or obligation to the embracing or
praise of some kynde of vertue.


Heerin the ancient and excellent custome of our
old anceters was not inferior vnto that of the ancient
Hebrewes, who obserued the lyke, as in the name of
Noe to signifie rest, hee beeing reserued to repose
after the raging flud. In the name of Abraham varied
from Abram, for more apter signification, by God
himself, was both signified and presaged A father of a
multitude. By the name of Isaac, Laughter, in regard as
it may seem of his parents ioy, or of his mothers lau­
ghing when she heard the angel to promisse his vn­
lykely birth. By the name of Iacob, A supplanter, which
might wel bee for that he supplanted his brother
Esau. By the name of David, Beloued. By Salomon, 
Peaceable. By Rachel, A sheep, & by Ionas, A doue, both
in regard of innocencie. By the holy name of Iesus, A
Sauiour. A name moste fit for Iesus Christ, the moste
woorthy bearer thereof. And lastly to omit many



others, the name of Peeter, his first name beeing put
away and this imposed and put vpon him in steed
thereof, by Christe himself, thereby to presage the
sure & firme foundation of his Churche, against which
the gates of hel should not preuaile, for that Peeter is
asmuch to say as A rock or stone, and there can bee no
foundation more firme then that which is set vpon
a rock.


This may now suffise to shew not only the vtillitie
and woorthynesse of this moste ancient custome, but
how it is confirmed in the obseruation thereof euen
by God himself, and was without all doubt through
God, euen by naturall reason put into the myndes of
our anceters, and such other of the moste ancient na­
tions of the world, as haue obserued the lyke.







HOW BY THE
SVRNAMES OF THE FA­
milies of England, it may bee decerned from
whence they take their originalles, to wit, 
whether from the ancient English­
Saxons, or from the Danes or
Normannes.


Albeit Englishmen (anciently called
Saxons & otherwise English-Saxons)
may bee accompted to haue had one
original with the Danes and the Nor­
mannes, they all somtyme speaking in
effect all one language; yet coming to bee deuyded
vnder seuerall gouernments, and to vary in their lan­
guages, they thereby seemed seuerall people; and so
grew to bee accompted strangers the one vnto the
other: neuerthelesse it hath so falne out, that such of
these three nations, as haue hapned to become inhabi­
tants in our realme, haue their ioyned together againe
in one, whereby the posteritie of the Danes and the
Normannes (although but litle in respect of the En­
glish-Saxons) do all at this day remain without any
distinction vnder one generall and renowmed name
of Englishmen.

This notwithstanding, because men are naturally
desyrous to know somuch as they may, and are much
pleased to vnderstand of their own ofspring, which
by their surnames may wel bee decerned, yf they bee
surnames of continuance, I haue heerin as neer as I



can, endeuowred my self to giue the curteous reader
satisfaction. And do make choise according as the
moste matter enduceth mee, both first to begin and
longest to continew in shewing the families descen­
ded from the ancient English-Saxons, the which of
the three heer named, are not only the farr greater
number, as beeing and hauing remayned the corps or
body of the realme; both before and since either
Danes or Normannes entred in among them; but
may also best bee reputed the ancientest and meerest
Englishmen.

The reader is then to consider that after our ance­
ters the Saxons were come out of Germanie, and had
placed themselues in Britaine, they did change the
names (as in the fift chapter I haue shewed) of the
cities, townes, castles, villages, passages, feildes, forests,
waters, hilles, and dales, &c. Vnto the names of lyke
places in Germanie, or vnto names otherwise intelli­
gible and apt in their own toung. And did also giue
names (in lyke manner intelligible in their own
language) to all such townes, castles, and manner
howses, &c. as themselues buylt and erected.

Now as men haue alwayes first giuen names vnto
places, so hath it afterward grown vsuall that men
haue taken their names from places; I meane their
surnames: and this custome albeit it was not of old
tyme generally vsed of all, yet grew it afterward to
bee vsed of all such or of the moste parte of such as
grew vnto continued families; and first and espetially
in such as were the owners of the places where them­
selues inhabited, for that was held as a thing of espe­
tial credit and accompt, and such surnames did also



remain vnto those that were issued from such places
though they possessed them not, as all in deed could
not continew to do, by reason of the great increasse of
posteritie. And this custome of taking surnames of
places, grew in tyme more vsuall then the more an­
cient custome vsed before, which was of adding to a
mannes proper name the proper name of his father,
with putting sonne vnto it, expressing thereby whose
sonne hee was, as in Wales and among the comon
people of Holland, it is yet the vse.

Moreouer diuers of our anceters took their sur­
names by reason of their abode in or neer some place
of note, where they setled themselues & planted their
ensueing families, as within tunes (or fensed places) or
at a Wood/ a Hil/ a Field/ a Green/ a Brook a Bourn/
a Foord/ a great tee/ and sundry the lyke. Whereby
for example, Robert of or at the Green/ was so called
because hee dwelt on or by a Green/ and afterward the
preposition of/ became by vulgar hast to bee a/ when
of Robert of Green/ he was called Robert a Green/ and
the a lastly quyte left out, hee remayned only Robert
Green/ and the lyke may bee said of others in the lyke
manner.

And now because our surnames are infinite, & that
it were very tedious to note a multitude of them at
length, I haue heer chosen out the moste vsuall termi­
nations, each whereof beeing as it were to serue for a
generall rule, for all such as do so end. And that these
families are of the ancient English race it wil easely
appeer by reason that the deyuation & signification
of such terminations are originally & meerly apper­
tayning to our own ancient English-Saxon language.



Yet before I do heerin begin to proceed, it is re­
quisite that I answere an obiection which (I fall into
accompt) some one or other may bring against mee,
and that is, that albeit these terminations are meerly
English, and therefore the bearers of such names lyke
to bee in deed of ancient English race, yet the Nor­
man Conqueror hauing made hauoke of somany En­
glishmennes landes, by giuing them to his Normannes;
the Normannes then became the possessors of such
places as the Englishmen had before both the names
and the possessions of; and so might now lose the one
as wel as the other. To this I answere, that it is true
that the Conqueror so did, but I haue not therefore
found that euer he forced the Englishmen to leaue
their surnames when hee made them lose their
landes, but that they both then and euer since kept
them.

Neither did his Normannes that had gotten the
possession of Englishmennes howses and liuinges,
leaue of their own surnames that they brought with
them out of Normandie; but retayned stil their French
names together with Englishmennes landes, as may
appeer by the many families of Norman race, that with
their French surnames afterward remained in En­
gland, whereof diuers are there yet remaining. Nei­
ther would they somuch appeer to bee English, as to
assume vnto themselues that were conquerors, the
surnames & consequently the esteem of such as were
conquered. And seeing they held Englishmen in such
contempt that it was for the tyme (in a sorte) a shame
to bee accompted an Englishman, it must needs fol­
low that their pryde would not suffer them to leaue



their French and to take English surnames.

And whereas soon after the conquest wee fynde
that such as had meer English surnames, had the French
article, le, which in English is, the/ or the preposition,
de/ which in English is, of/ set before them: as for ex­
ample; yf the surname betokened some facultie or of­
fice; as Reue/ it might bee written le Reue, or yf it had
denomination from some place, as Newton/ it might
bee written de Newton, but it is not therefore to bee
thought that these were Normannes with English
surnames, but that it only was (as yet it is) the French
manner of writing surnames both of their own and
of strangers, with le and de. And this came afterward
in England to bee omitted, when Englishmen and
Englishmanners began to preuaile vnto the recouerie
of decayed credit.

They lyke may bee said of such surnames as ended
in sonne and were turned in bad French vnto fitz (in
steed of fils) whereby for example, Arnoldsonne was
frenchefied into Fitz-Arnold, Waltersonne into
Fitz-walter, and sundry others the lyke, but of these
surnames that are composed with fitz I shal take oc­
casion to speak more when I come to speak of the
surnames of the Normannes.

And heer in the mean tyme I wil proceed with
such terminations of surnames as are woords meerly
belonging to our own ancient language, that thereby
our ancient English families from the aforenamed
others, may the better & more cleerly bee decerned.



All the named ending in all or hall. 
There are many of our surnames that end in all



or hall/ and albeit as all Englishmen know, the one in
signification is different from the other, yet through
our accustomed clipping of our woords they are in
some surnames confounded, as for example, woodhall
doth thereby become to bee woodall, &c. Some do
rightly end in all/ as woorall, which (as I take it)
should more significantly bee woorth-all, many other
of our surnames do lykewise end in all or hall/ of
which I shal not need to set down more examples, it
suffiseth that I set down these terminations for such
as anciently are our own, to wit, both English in
sound, and in signification, and therefore must rightly
appertaine to Englishmen, and consequently declare
such to bee of our ancient English families.



All ending in Beke. 
There are diuers of our surnames that end in beke/
as welbeke, Bournbeke and others. Beke is also a sur­
name of it self. A Beke is in the ancient Teutonic a
smalle runing water that issueth from some bourn or
welspring, which in Latin is called Torrens, & other­
wise in English a brook.

All ending in Berie. 
Many of our surnames that end (as wee pronounce
it) in berie/ are comonly written bury/ as Thornbury,
Bradbury and the lyke, for the etymologie of this
termination berie, or burie, look in the seauenth
chapter at the letter b, in the explanation of our an­
cient English woords.

In Burg/Burgh/ or Borrow. 
Or burg or burghe/ cometh our now vsed name of
Borow/ which is also the termination of diuers sur­
names, as Aldborrow, Newborow, & the lyke. For the



etymologie heerof, look, at the letter b/ in the expla­
nation of our ancient English woords.

In Bourne. 
Bourne cometh of our ancient woord burna/ and is
a termination vnto very many of our ancient English
surnames as Tichbourne, Milbourne, Swanbourne,
and the lyke.

Bourne is properly such water as issueth or riseth
vp by a spring out of the earth, & some smalle brooks
occasioned thereby may also thereupou haue gotten
the name of bournes. Some do think a bourne/ to bee
only a suddaine breaking foorth of water out of the
earth (as diuers tymes hath hapned) and after ceased
againe, but I fynd it properly to bee spring-water; &
a fountaine rising out of the earth is yet in some
partes of Friesland called a spring=broune. In Brabant
a wel is called a bourn=pit/ but in Germanie they haue
varied it and call a wel a brun, calling it also certaine
tarte and medicinal waters which they haue there in
diuers places, by the name of Sowrbrunnes.

Swanbourne is lyke to haue taken name of Swannes
keeping about bournes/ or about bekes, issuing
from them. Milbourne of some mil that went by the issue of water from some bourne/ Langbourne, may also haue had that name by reason of the length, and
Bradbourne of the bredth, &c.

In Bryg. 
Bryg/ was more anciently written Brycg/ and is
now written Bridge, it is a termination vnto sundry
our surnames, as Burbridge (which rather should bee
Burgh-bridge) & others: & it is plurally the surname
of a right honorable familie.



It is also in the north of England a surname of some
of the yeomandry, and written and pronounced
Brigges.

In Brook. 
This beeing the termination of diuers names, as
Brabrook (more rightly as I take it Broadbrook) &c. Is
the surname of an honorable & of sundry woorship­
full families. A brook wee now take to bee a smalle
runing water, but I fynd it in the Teutonic to bee
that which palus is in Latin, a watrish or moorish
grownd. The citie of Bruxels took name of the
brook-land or morish grownd lying on the northsyde
thereof.

In By. 
In this termination many of our ancient sur­
names do end, as first for example Willoughby, the
surname of honorable & woorshipfull families, also
Kirkby, Holtby, & many others: the particle, by, ser­
uing to expresse neer vnto what thing of note the re­
sydence of such a familie was, when this their sur­
name first began; as beeing neer vnto some noted
willow tree, or by a Churche, or by a wood, for holt
in our language is otherwise wood, &c.



In Caster/Ceaster/ and Chester/ &c. 
Wee haue sundry termination of places and
consequently of surnames of men (taken from those
places) which end in Caster, Ceaster, Cester, Chester,
and Ceter, all which do seem to mee to haue bin but
one, and not anciently coming from any Teutonic or
Saxon woord, but deryued from Castrum in Latin.
And as wee need not to doubt that the Romans in
the many yeares that they bore sway in Britaine, did



there make diuers fortifications which they called
Castra. So may wee think that our anceters the Sax­
ons, fynding these fortifications of the Romans, did
imitate though corruptly (as all strangers are wont)
their appelation, which in tyme grew more & more
to varrie, as first to become Caster & Ceaster, and af­
terward the c to get an h vnto it, and so come to bee
Chester (but this as I take it came through the orto­
graphy of the Normannes) & some omitting in pro­
nountiation the h, as also the s, in the middest of a
woord (as the French vse to do) haue made it Ceter.
Our Saxon anceters coming into Britaine after the
Romans, & to bee the owners of such places, so varied
in denomination, they so came to bee their surnames.

In Clif. 
A Clif is a kynd of rock on the sea syde, and as it
were cleft or broken of: diuers of our surnames do
therein end; as Radclif (the surname of a right hono­
rable familie) also whitclif and others. It may seem
that Radclif was vnderstood at the first for Red=clif/
as whitclif for whyte=clif/ both denoting the colour,
as other lyke names do the fassion or situation of
their Clifs.

In Clough. 
A Clough or Clowgh/ is a kynd of breach or valey
down a slope from the syde of a hill, where comonly
shragges and trees do grow. It is the termination of
Colclowgh or rather Cold-clowgh, and some other
surnames.

In Comb. 
Comb was with our anceters a feild of somwhat
high or hilly grownd, and not low as a meddow. It is



the termination of some of our surnames as Ash­
comb, Warcomb, and the lyke, Ashcomb may wel haue
taken that appelation of such trees there growing,
and Warcomb of war or fighting at such a place.

In Cote. 
This termination serueth for Heathcote, so called
of standing on a heath, and Southcote in regard of
beeing south from another that was north from it, &
so of the lyke. And albeit that a Cote in our language
is a litle slight-built countrey habitation (such as after
the French wee call a cottage) yet as all things begin
litle, so that which first bore the name of a cote/ might
afterward come to bee the habitation of a woorship­
full family, and yet retaine the name of cote stil, which
beeing no other originally in it self then is aforesaid,
yet carrieth it honor in the antiquitie thereof.

Wee also vse this woord cote/ for a garment, but it
seemeth to haue bin at first metaphorically brought in
vse, in regard of beeing shrowded therein, as in the
litle hows or cote of the body, but anciently wee so
vsed it not, for our ancient woord for a cote in this
sence, was a reaf.

In Croft. 
A Croft/ wee esteem some litle plot of grownd,
and both the name and the thing are yet in ordinarie
knowledge. In Croft do end sundry surnames, as Ban­
croft, which is asmuch to say as the croft at or by a
beaten path, or highway. Hol-croft more rightly
Holt-croft, because it consisted of wood.



In Dale. 
For our own English woord Dale/ wee somtymes
vse the borrowed French woord valley: the signifi­



cation of Dale is yet vnto vs known. It is both a sur­
name and the termination of sundry surnames, as
Green-dale, Dib-dale, rather Deep-dale, and the lyke.

In Day. 
Our now vsed woord Day/ our anceters wrote
Deaga/ in the Netherlands they say Daghe. It is both a
surname and a termination also, as of Loueday, Holy­
day, and the lyke.

In Dene or Den. 
It need not seem strange (sith it is diuers tymes
found) that in one language there are seueral names
for one thing, as heer in ours for present example,
Dene or Deane/ which for shortnes is become den/ is
all one with Dale. It is also otherwise a low place, and
we now vse it for a caue in the earth, as the denne or
lurking place of wyld beasts.

It is the termination of sundry of our surnames,
as for example, of Camden, which I take anciently to
haue bin Campden, and signifieth the Dene or Dale/
belonging to some Cemp or Camp=fighter (for both is
one) in our now vsed language called a Champion/ but
in the Teutonic a Campion. A Campdene may also haue
bin some place appointed for Campions, Combatfight­
ers, or men of armes to encounter each other. And so
the place become afterward to bee the surname of
him and his familie that owned it, as others in lyke
sorte haue donne. Norden, or rather Northden, is lyke
so to haue bin called by reason of some oposite place
therevnto in the south, &c.

In Dish. 
Some of our surnames as Cauandish and Standish,
&c. I remember to haue this termination and these



and the lyke names seem to haue come of some
name of office, belonging to the seruing of some
Prince or great man at his table. And whereas with vs
a dish is the name of the vessel wherein the meat is
serued to the table; in Germanie they do call the table
it self the dish.

In Dun or Dune. 
Dun or Dune/ was our ancient name for a moun­
taine, but (as I take it) for such kynde of mountaines,
as do ly stretching out in length, and comonly on the
sea syde as do the Dunes or sand-hilles, on the sea­
costs of Holland, the lyke whereof some call in Eng­
land the downes/ Dune by our accustomed manner of
varrying in ortography is somtymes written Don/ and
is the termination of sundry surnames, as Heydon,
which as it seemeth was anciently Highdun or Heath­
dun, either a high or a heathy hil. As also of Standon,
which may haue bin Stane=dun/ that is, the stony-hil.



In Ey anciently Ea. 
As wee anciently vsed the name of weater/ where­
of wee yet retaine the name of water/ so did wee also
to thesame sence vse ey or ea. The French among
other woords which they yet retaine of their old
Frankish toung (the which as originally ours was, was
Teutonic) do giue vnto water the name of eau. Our
name of Iland/ is anciently Eyland, as yet in the Ne­
therlands it is, and asmuch to say as waterland, beeing
in deed land out of water. Ey is a termination of di­
uers of our surnames, and both honorable and woor­
shipfull, as Sidney, Tilney, and others, whose posses­
sions whence their surnames were taken, were si­
tuate neer vnto waters.





In Feild. 
This beeing anciently Feld and somtymes veld/ is
but litle swarued from the originall. It is both a sur­
name, and a termination also, as to Bedingfeild,
Broomfeild, Bentfeild, and sundry others.

In Fleet. 
Such surnames as haue heerin their termination,
did originally come from residences at some places
where riuers or streames did ebbe & flow.

In Foord. 
Not only sundry of our ancient English surnames
do heerin end, but some also so seem to do which are
of French or Norman race, but this groweth, by the
not rightly distinguishing between Foord and Fort/ the
first beeing a meer English termination, denoteth as
yet wee retain in memorie, a foord or water-passage.
The other coming from the French, denoteth a place
of strength by nature, as Roche-fort, the strong rock, &c.

The surname of Rainford now Rainsford, see­
meth to haue risen by reason that the first of this
name had his dwelling at a passage or ford caused
through raine: and so in lyke manner that of Swin­
ford of a dwelling at a foord resorted vnto through
the muddynesse thereof, by swine.

In Foot. 
There are not many surnames that heerin do finish,
yet such as there bee haue gotten such name of foot­
manship, as the surnames of Harefoot, Rofoot, and
the lyke, which were giuen for swiftnes of running
or going.



In Gan. 
Some few of our terminations are in gan/ as Iar­



negan, Hogan and the lyke. It is a particle in our an­
cient language diuers tymes vsed, in expressing the
endument of some qualitie.

In Gate. 
It was anciently written geat/ a through-passage.
and is the termination of diuers of our ancient sur­
names, as Hungate, Hargate, and the lyke.

In Graue. 
This termination expresseth the hauers of such
surnames, as Waldgraue, Musgraue, Sedgrave, & the
lyke, to haue borne office in the tyme of our English­
Saxon anceters, whereby they haue bin honorable
and woorshipfull so many ages past: for the etymolo­
gie of graue I referr the reader to the ensuing chapter
of our ancient tytles of offices and dignities.

In Groue. 
We vnderstand heerby a woodie place or thicket,
howbeit more rightly a place for the nowrishing &
growth of yong trees. It is both a name and a termi­
nation to sundry of our surnames.



In Ham. 
It is in Germanie written heym/ and importeth as­
much as home now doth with vs. Ham originally sig­
nifieth a couerture or place of shelter, and is thence
grown to signifie ones home (as now vncomposed we
pronounce it) that is to say ones birth-place or moste
proper habitation. It is one of our greatest termina­
tions of surnames, as of Denham, for hauing his home
or residence down in a valley. Of Higham for the si­
tuation of his ham or home vpon high-grownd; and
accordingly of many others, distinguished one from
an other in lyke manner vpon one or other cause.

In Hil. 
As High-hil of his residence so situated, Burghhil,
of hauing his burg or Castel on a hil, & so of the lyke.

In Hold. 
As Sterne-hold, first taken of hauing that charge
in a ship.

In Hows. 
As Woodhows so named as it seemeth, of his hows
buylt of wood, or at a wood or forest.

In Hurst. 
Hurst/ is anciently also written Hyrst. It signifieth
a woodie place, and sometymes where the trees grow
but low, and not so high as in other places by reason
of the vnaptnesse of the soyle; as our surnames (among
others) of Stanihurst, to wit Stoni-hurst, & Sandhurst,
do in parte declare.



In Ing or Ling. 
These terminations belonging to diuers of our
surnames do expresse some indument of a quallitie.
As Harding to haue bin so called for his Hardynesse.
Snelling for his swiftnes. Frankling otherwise written
Franklin, for his purchased freedome or libertie.
I read that king Alfrid fynding a chyld in an Egles
nest, named him Nestling. Of whose woorth the king
afterward somuch esteemed that hee made him an
Earle.



In Kin or Kins. 
I mean to speak heerof anon, when I shall haue
occasion to speak of surnames that are grown from
proper names.



In Land. 
Diuers of our ancient terminations end in land.



The owners and dwellers at such places hauing had
their names for distinction sake according to the na­
ture of the folie, as for example, Bukland, of the flore
of beechtrees (anciently called buk) thereon growing.
Leyland of the lying legh or empty thereof, to wit,
vncultyued. Driland, of the drynesse thereof, &c.

In Legh/Ley or Lea. 
How soeuer wee do now distinguish these termi­
nations, I take them to haue bin anciently all one,
& to signifie as is next before said, grownd that lieth
vnmanured and wildly ouergrown, as diuers of our
surnames therein ending do notefy, as for example,
the honorable surname of Barkley, or birchtrees an­
ciently called berk/ Bromley, of the store of broom,
and Bramley, of ley or legh grownd bearing bram­
bles. A combat beeing once foughten in Scotland be­
tween a gentleman of the familie of the Lesleyes, and
a knight of Hungarie, wherein the Scotish gentleman
was victor, in memorie thereof and of the place
where it hapned, these ensuing verses, do in Scotland
yet remaine.

Between the lesse ley and the mare,
He slew the knight, and left him thare.



In Man. 
The surnames ending in Man, were vsuall (as it
should seem) to expresse the bearers trade of lyf, as
Chapman for that he was a marchant. Freeman, through
the amending of his estate from some former of
lesse libertie, &c.





In Oke. 
As Bradoke, rightly broad-oke, Barn-oke, of A
burnt or blasted oke, &c.

In Ot. 
As Hariot, for the which look among the names
of offices, &c.



In Port. 
As Damporte, Newporte, and the lyke: Porte in the
Teutonic (from whence and not from the French
wee anciently haue it) was somtyme vsed for a fensed
or walled town. The chief magistrate of the citie
of London before it had a Mayer, was called the
Portgreue.

In Pool. 
As Walpool, Hampoole, and such others. It an­
ciently signifieth a standing water or pond.



In Ryc. 
As Godryc, wrong-written Goodridge, Kenryc, &
the lyke, ryc as els where I haue shewed, somtymes
importeth welth, somtymes iurisdiction.

In Roof. 
As Woodroof & some few others. Roof/ anciently
signifieth the couering of a hows, reaf the couerture
of mannes body, as a cote or garment.



In Shaw. 
As Bradshaw, Scrimshaw and the lyke, it cometh
of a shade or shadow of trees, whereat they had
their residences, Bradshaw, beeing asmuch in effect as
Broad-shadown, Scrimshaw, A shadow of defence, or
Shelter.

In Spear. 
As Breakspear, the surname of Nicholas Break­



spear an Englishman of a woorshipfull familie, the
ancient residence whereof as some hold was about
S.Albons. He was chosen Pope, and then bore the
name of Adrianus Quartus. Breakspear. Shakspear,
and the lyke, haue bin surnames imposed vpon the
first bearers of them for valour and feates of armes.

In Stal. 
This albeit in composition it bee become stal/ yet
should it rightly bee deal/ which is asmuch to say as
parte, as for example Tunstal/ should bee Towns=deal/
Borstal/Borcsdeal/ &c.

In Steed or Stede. 
As Barksteed, Bensteed, and the lyke. Stede signi­
fieth place (as stow also doth) and accordingly deno­
teth the place of residence of the bearers of such
names.

In Stock. 
As Bostock, and Holstock rightly Holtstock, deno­
ting the stock or trunc, of some tree whereby his re­
sidence was named and consequently himself. Stock
is in the Teutonic also vnderstood for a staf, and it is
said to be the proper & ancient surname of the great
& Emperiall hows of Austria, in memorie whereof
it beareth two ragged staues crossed sautrie-wise, as
belonging to the armes thereof.



In Thorp. 
Before wee were acquainted with the French
name of village, thorp in our own ancient language
serued the turne. It remaineth yet the termination of
some of our surnames, the hauers of such were per­
aduenture somtyme the Lords or owners of such
thorps/ as Lang-thorp, so called for the length thereof,



Col-thorp of coles there made, &c.

In Ton. 
This I take to bee one of the greatest termina­
tions wee haue, and therefore of this and these en­
sueing others may bee said.

In foord/ in ham/ in ley/ and tun.
The moste of English surnames run.

Though the name of hedge, do anciently apper­
taine to our language, yet wee also vsed somtymes for
thesame thing, the name of tun. In the Netherlands
they yet calle it a tuyn and in some partes of Eng­
land, they wil say hedging and tyning. Our anceters
in tyme of warre to defend themselues from beeing
spoyled, would (in steed of a palizado as now is vsed)
cast a dytche and make a strong hedge about there
howses: and the howses so enuyroned about with
tunes or hedges/ gat the names of tunes annexed vnto
them. As Cote-tun now Cotton, for that his Cote or
hows was fenced or tuned about. North-tun now
Norton, in regard of the opposit situation thereof
from South-tun, now Sutton.

Moreouer when necessitie, by reason of warres
and troobles, caused whole thorps to bee with such
tunes enuyroned about; those enclosed places did
thereby take the name of tunes/ afterward pronounced
townes/ and so gaue cause that all Stedes, now Cities,
all Thorps, now villages, all Burghs, now Burrows,
and all places els, that conteyned but some number
of tenements in a neernes together, gat the names
of townes: as vulgarly wee yet vnto this day call
them.

In Tree. 



As Appletree, plumtree, and the lyke.



In Ward. 
For this, it beeing the termination of a name of
office, I wil referr the reader vnto the next chapter.

In Wel. 
Our anceters according to the different issue of
waters, did differently terme them, and among other,
that which rose bubling out of the earth they called
well=water/ as yf they had said, bubling water: but this
name of wel/ grew afterward among vs to bee the
name of the bourn=pit/ whereout the water is drawn.
Sundry coming to possesse places, which were neer
vnto welles of espetiall note, hauing gotten thereby
the name of such or such a wel/ became after them
so to bee called.

As Staniwel, of his dwelling at a wel so named,
of the stonynesse thereof, Moswel of a wel where
much mosse did grow, &c.

And heer by occasion of this termination I am to
craue the readers patience for a litle digression, to re­
late a thing whereof it hath giuen mee remembrance.
So fel it out of late yeares, that an English gentleman
trauailing in Palestine not farr from Ierusalem, as hee
passed through a countrie town, hee heard by chance
a woman sitting at her door dandling her chyld, to
sing; Bothwel bank thow blumest faire, the gentle­
man heer-at exceedingly wundred, & foorthwith in
English saluted the woman, who ioyfully answered
him, and said shee was right glad there to see a gen­
tleman of our Ile, and told him that shee was a Scotish
woman, and came first from Scotland to Venice, and
from Venice thether, where her fortune was to bee



the wyf of an officer vnder the Turk, who beeing at
that instant absent, and very soon to returne, intreated
the gentleman to stay there vntil his returne; the
which hee did, and shee for countrie sake to shew her
self the more kynd and bountifull vnto him; told her
husband at his home-coming that the gentleman
was her kinsman; whereupon her husband entre­
tayned him very friendly, and at his departure gaue
him diuers things of good value.

In Woorth/ as it is vsed for a termination of a
place name, or a surname.
Heerin do end the surnames of South-woorth, Wal­
woorth, and others. It signifieth not woorth/ as wee
now vse it for value, although it bee now so written,
but anciently it was wearth and weard/ whereof yet the
name of werd/ remaineth to diuers places. In Germanie
as Thonawerd, Keyserswerd, Bomelswerd, and the
lyke, and in England, to thesame sence and significa­
tion the names of Tamwoorth, Kenelmewoorth, and
the lyke. A wearth or werd is a place situate between
two riuers, or the nook of land where two waters
passing by the two sydes thereof do enter the one
into the other, such nooks of ground hauing of old
tyme bin chosen out for places of saftie, where people
might bee warded or defended in. It is also somtymes
taken for an Ile or peninsula, not in the sea, but in fresh
waters. Our name of weares in riuers, is also heer­
hence deryued.

In Wyc or Wyk/ otherwise Wych. 
Because the c and k, are of lyke value in our an­
cient ortography wyc/ is also written wyk. A wyc/ pro­
perly signifieth A place of refuge or retreat. It remai­



neth yet the termination of Sleswyk, Brunswyc,
Harderwyc, and sundry other places in Germanie.
And in England of warwyk, Barwyk, Anwyk,
and diuers other places, & through the Norman cor­
ruption of our language and ortography, the c hauing gotten an h put vnto it, is in diuers names of places,
of wyc/ become wych/ as of Sandwyc or Sandwyk,
Sandwych. Of Greenwyc, Greenwych, & such lyke.

It is the termination of sundrie our ancient sur­
names, as Strangwych, coming belyke of A strongwyc,
hold, or fortresse. Frowyk of A glad-refuge or place
comfortable safty, &c.




Sundry other terminations wee haue that an­
ciently are our own, and in our ancient lan­
guage significant, but not so generall as that I
can remember many surnames to end in them,
as for example.

In heyd/ corruptly hood/ and importing some qualitie
as manhood, &c.

In hope/ as Stanhope, first in lykelyhood taken from a
place where there were heaps or quarreys of stone.

In Lace/ as Loue-lace peraduenture anciently Loue-last.

In Sop/vas Alsop, sop in ancient Teutonic beeing
all one with top/ as the top of a hill or steeple.

In Way/ as Greenway, &c.



There are moreouer diuers of our ancient sur­
names that are of one sillable, some of them
somtymes seruing for the terminations of
other surnames. Some few also beeing of two
sillables, and not vsed as terminations of other



surnames. Of both which I wil heer set down
somany as I can call to mynd, declaring with­
all, from whence (moste probably) they are
deryued.


Ash. For hauing his dwelling neer such a tree.



Bacon. Of the Beechen-tree, anciently called Bucon. And
whereas swynes-flesh is now called by the name of Ba=­
recon/ it grew only at the first vnto such as were fatted with.

Bucon or Beech-mast. 

Banck. Of his dwelling at some banck or high grownd.

Barnes. Of a place so called of the Barnes there buylded.

Bil. Of the vse of that weapon, in warr or otherwise.

Bond. Of his not beeing free when that name was giuen
him.

Bolt. Of the straightnes of his body.

Bowes. Of hauing charge in warre of Bowes or Bowmen.

Blont. Of the bright-yellow collour of his haire.




Cole. Of his blacknes.

Cope. Of Marchandise.

Crump. Of some defect of body as hauing some member
crooked or withered.




Dod. Of that thing anciently so called which groweth
in the sydes of waters among flagges, & is of boyes cal­
led a fox-taile.

Drew or Drewrie. Of Sadnes.




Fare. Of passage or dwelling at A ferrie.




Gower. Of a certaine kynde of cake heertofore accustomed



to bee made for children.




Heath. Of his residence on such a soyle.

Hyde. This name might come of different causes, as of
trading with hydes, or of secreet keeping or conseruing
ought.

Holt. Of his dwelling in or at a wood.

Hunt or Hunter. Of his office, dexterie or skil in hunting.



Kemp. Of his profession of beeing a kemper or combat­
fighter, as diuers in old tyme among our anceters were.



Loc otherwise written Lock. Of the manner of his wea­
ring of his haire.

Lone or Loan. Of reward or recompence.

Low or Lo. Of litlenesse of stature.



Milles. Of his residence neer or at them.

More. Of his dwelling by a Moor or marish grownd.



Peak. Of the hilles in Darbishyre so called.

Pool. Of his habitation besyde some lake or standing
water.

Pound. Of his dwelling neer vnto a Pound/ or yf it an­
ciently were Pont then cometh it from the French, and
of his residence at a bridge.



Reue. Of his charge or office.

Rows. Of his making of noise.

Russel. Of his fatnes.



Speight. Of the name of the bird, which wee call a



specht, but according to our ancient language rightly pro­
nounced speght or speight.

Stark or Starkey. Of his strength of body.

Stone. Of some cause concerning it.

Stow. Of some dwelling place or woning-stow.

Style. Of his hows neer vnto a style, anciently stihel.



Thorne. Of some great thorne, or of a thorny place
whereat hee dwelled.

Twyn. Of beeing a Twyn by birth.

Thweing or Tweing. Beeing as much to say as a Twe-ing,
to wit Geminus, or a Twyn by birth, as Twyn before named.

Thwaytes. Of cutting or felling down wood.



Wade. Of his dwelling at a meddow.

Wake. Of wachtfullnes.

Wright. Of his lyuing by labor and trauaile.



Yong. Of his fewnes of yeares.



Sundry others there are of these names of one sil­
lable, which would bee to tedious to bee sought out
and heer set down, but for a conclusion and also for a
generall rule, the reader may please to note, that our
surnames of families be they of one or more sillables,
that haue in them either a k or a w/ are all of them of
the ancient English race, for that neither the k or w
are vsed in the Latin, nor in any of the three lan­
guages thereon depending; which somtymes causeth
confusion in the wryting of our names originally co­
ming from the Teutonic, in the Latin, Italian, French
or Spanish languages; whereof one example I wil
heer aleage. Some gentlemen of our nation trauailing



into Italie, and passing through Florence, there in the
great Churche beholding the monument and epitaph
of the renowmed English knight and moste famous
warrior of his tyme, there named Ioannes Acutus, haue
wondred what Iohn Sharp this might bee, seeing in
England, they neuer heard of any such; his name
rightly written beeing in deed Sir Iohn Haukwood,
but by omitting the h in Latin as friuolous, and the
k and w as vnusuall, hee is heer from Haukwood tur­
ned vnto Acutus and from Acutus returned in Eng­
lish againe, vnto Sharp.

Thus then (as is said) neither the k nor the w/
beeing in the Latin or in the French, they could not
bee with the Normannes in vse, whose language then
was French, as also all their own surnames.

And yf any should heer obiect against mee that in
the list of surnames of such gentlemen as came in
with the Norman Conqueror, some are found to haue
the w/ and some the k/ they may please to see my an­
swere therevnto, where I speak of the surnames of
such as came in with thesaid Conqueror.


OF SVCH SVRNAMES AS WEE
may suppose to take their original from
the Danes.


It remayneth as it were by tradition among some
of our countrie people, that those whose surnames
end in sonne, as Iohnson, Tomson, Nicolson, Dauison,
Saunderson, and the lyke, are descended of Danish
race. But this cannot so bee, for the Danes not hauing
among them any such names, as Iohn, Thomas, Ni­
cholas, Dauid, Alexander, or the lyke, as now with



vs end in sonne, such surnames could not from them be
deryued. It may wel be that they had such custome
among them as the vulgar people of Holland yet vse,
which is, to make the surname of the chyld, of the
proper name of the father by adding sonne vnto it,
but had such surnames of the Danes remayned among
vs, they would haue bin more markable, because wee
should then haue hard of Canutson, Ericson, Gormo­
son, Hadingson, Haraldson, Rolfoson and such lyke, ac­
cording as their Danish names then were, but wee
remember not any such among vs. And in deed as in
the sixt chapter I haue alredy shewed, they had so
litle tyme of quiet setling themselues in England, that
they could leaue but few of their posteritie there.
And of all our names ending in sonne I cannot allow
any to come from the Danes vnlesse they bee such
as haue the termination sonne/ composed with some
such name as hath among vs bin long tyme out of
vse, as Swanson/ rightly Sweynson/ and such lyke.
Our surname of knot/ beeing so made by abreuiation,
some say should more rightly be kanut. Lykwise holme/
which accordeth in signification to our ham/ and is
both a surname and the termination vnto some of
our surnames carrieth some apparence to bee Danish:
and so appeereth more apparently the surname of
Dane/ which yet also remaineth among vs.


OF THE SVRNAMES COMING
from the Normannes.


The list or catalogue of the surnames of the gen­
tlemen that came in with the Conqueror out of
Normandie, is set foorth in diuers of our chronicles



in the which the surnames of diuers families of Nor­
man race yet remaining in England, are to bee seen.

Wee haue moreouer some surnames of good fa­
milies remayning in England at this day, which
beeing French, are notwithstanding not found to bee
in any list of such as came in with the Conqueror:
and therefore may well bee thought to bee remayned
of such gentlemen and others, as came into England
out of Henalt, with Queen Isabel wyf vnto king
Edward the second, which were almost the number of
three thowsand, whereof it is lyke diuers did there
setle themselues. But the surnames of these beeing
also French, they are to bee decerned euen as the sur­
names of those that came in with the Conqueror, the
most vsual terminations of both these sortes of sur­
names being these heer following.


Some end in age. 
As do Henage, Sauage, and the lyke.

Some end in ard. 
As Griffard, Pynchard, and the lyke.

Some end in champ. 
As Longchamp, Barchamp, and such lyke.

Some end in court. 
As Dabridgecourt, Hare-court, &c.

Some in cy. 
As Lacy, Darcy, &c.

Some in el. 
As Arundell, Tirel, &c.

Some in ers. 
As Coniers, Danuers, &c.



Some in eux. 
As Deureux, Mollineux, &c.

Some in et. 
As Barret, Mallet, &c.

Some in lay. 
As Cholmelay, Percelay, &c.

Some in nay. 
As Courtenay, Fountenay, &c.

Some in ot. 
As Talbot, Pigot, &c.

Some in vile. 
As Neuile, Turbeuile, &c.


The rest are easely decerned of such as are curious
to heed them, espetially hauing some knowlege in the
French toung. But whereas some of our Norman
names are found to end in ley, which seemeth to bee
an English termination, this hath doubtlesse pro­
ceeded of wrong wryting, and should rather bee lay,
and so may bee said of ney written for nay, or foord
for fort, and the lyke, which error they easely haue
falne into that vnderstood not the right difference
between the English terminations of names, & those
of the Normannes.

And now as for the surnames in our Norman Ca­
talogue which haue in them the letters of k and w,
whereof I spake before, and which the French do
neuer vse: these are not to bee thought to haue bin
Normannes, but of those gentlemen of Flanders,
which Baldwin the Earle of that countrie and fa­
ther-in-law vnto the Conqueror did send to ayd him.
Besydes these, sundry other surnames do appeer



to haue bin of the Netherlands, & not of Normandie,
albeit they are without distinction set in the list among
the Normannes. And I am of opinion that all the
gentlemen whose surnames begin with fitz, were also
such, for that such surnames are altogether vnusuall
and vnknown both in Normandie, and all France be­
syde, & so haue bin in former tymes; for in no French
chronicles are such names hard of. But in the Ne­
therlands it is often found that very many surnames
end in sonne, as Iohnson, williamson, philipson, and the
lyke, and such officers among the Normannes as re­
gistred the names of those that were in that seruice,
could not make other of such surnames, wryting them
in French, then fitzIohn, fitzwilliam, fitzphillip, and
the lyke, which yf their ortographie had bin good
should haue bin filz and not fitz, for filz in French
is sonne, and not fitz. If any such were of the Nor­
mans in deed, because Taileur in his chronicle of
Normandie nameth one Guillam fitz-Osberne, it follo­
weth not that fitz-Osberne, was therefore his surname
(the Normans as I said before not hauing any such)
but it should rather seeme that one Osberne beeing
appointed to go in the voyage, sent his sonne in his
steed, and so william was registred by the name of
the sonne of Osberne, because Osberne the father him­
self went not. And heer I think sufficient to bee said
of this matter: and whereas I said before in speaking
of such as may yet remain in England of the race of
the Danes, that they are not such as according to the
vulgar opinion haue their surnames ending in sonne,
I wil heer before I end this chapter endeauour to giue
the curious reader satisfaction, how and by what oc­



casion els, it then cometh, that some men do happen
to haue such surnames, but first I wil shew their de­
riuations.


Of the proper name of Alexander, cometh the sur­
names of Saunders, and Saunderson.

Of Andrew, cometh Androwes, and Anderson,

Of Bathelmew, cometh Bat, Bats, and Batson.

Of Christopher, cometh Kit, Kits, and Kitson.

Of David, cometh Dauis, Dauison, Dawes, & Dawson.

Of Edmund, cometh Edmunds, and Edmunson. 

Of Gilbert, cometh Gibson, and Gibbons.

Of Henry, cometh Haris, Harison, and as it seemeth
Hawkins.

Of Iohn, cometh Iohnson, Iackson, and Ienkinson.

Of Lawrence, cometh Larkin, and Lawson.

Of Nicholas, cometh Nicols, Nicolson, and Nicson.

Of Peeter, cometh Piers, Pierson, Peterson, Per­
kins, and Perkinson.

Of Richard, cometh Richardson, Dicks, Dickson,
Dickins, and Dickinson.

Of Robert, cometh Roberts, Robins, Robinson, Hob­
kins, otherwise written Hopkins, and Hobson.

Of Roger, cometh Hodges, Hodgeson, Hodgekins, &
Hodgekinson.

Of Simon, cometh Simmes, Simpson, Simkins, and
Simcocks.

Of Thomas, cometh Tomson, Tomkins, & Tomkinson.

Of William, cometh Williams, Williamson, Wilson,
Wilkes, Wilkins, Wilkinson, Wilcocks, & Bilson.

Of Walter, cometh Wats, Watson, Watkins, and
Watkinson, & lyke it is that heerof also cometh At­
kins, and Atkinson.




To shew now how these beeing originally pro­
per names, do happen to become surnames. The
reader may please to note, that albeit it was the moste
ancient custome of the world to call men after the
proper names of their parents, and that long before
they took their surnames from places, as wee may
perceaue in the Bible it self, where wee fynd Saul,
the sonne of Cis, Dauid the sonne of Iesse, which is
in effect, Cissonne and Iessesonne, as is the lyke in the
surnames of the prophets. Yet this custome beeing in
the moste countries of these partes of the world long
since left, where men moste comonly haue taken for
their surnames the names of places (in tyme past)
possessed by the beginners of their families, and som­
tymes also the names of the offices of honor and cre­
dit which in the comon welth they haue borne. Wee
are to vnderstand that the anceters of all such, now
a dayes in our countrie, whose name do end in sonne,
or whose surnames come from proper names, haue
had other surnames, and by some occasion or other
haue lost them.

The greatest & moste generall cause of this losse
& change, cometh as farr as I can conceaue thereof,
by this meanes. Wee are wont ordinarilie to call
yongmen rather by their own proper names then by
their surnames, and such chanceing to marrie, and
perhaps from the place where they were borne, and
within few yeares after to dy; their children where
their fathers haue bin vsually called by their proper
names, are straightwayes accordingly surnamed, and
beeing yong, and letting it so run on a whyle, their
fathers surnames (perhaps to themselues vtterly vn­



known) are hardly euer after by them or their poste­
ritie borne, yet hapneth it that some beeing more
heedfull then others, do somtymes come to know­
lege of their ancient surnames, & by ioyning an alias
vnto the later, do of them by such meanes retaine
memorie.

It hath also somtymes hapned, that diuers youthes
coming out of the countrie to serue in the citie of
London, haue not bin able to tell their own surnames,
but beeing demaunded how they had heard their
fathers called, could only tell that they had heard
them called Iohn, or Thomas, or William, or the
lyke, as their proper names might bee, or otherwise
after our vulgar vse of clipping, Iac, Tom, or wil,
wherevpon they came easely to bee surnamed, Iohnson
or Iakson, or otherwise according as they said their
fathers were called.

Some surnames coming of proper names do end
as it were plurally in s, as Williams, Edwards, Rey­
nolds, and such lyke, but this moste comonly procee­
deth through abreuiation: the later letters to make it
sonne beeing omitted, the s only is left insteed of
them; as in williams for williamsonne, and so the
others.

Some in lyke sorte grown from proper names do
end in kin or kins/ as Perkins, Tomkin, wilkin, &c.
Kin/ is anciently in our language our diminutiue, sig­
nifying as much as litle, whereby Perkin, is asmuch
to say as litle-Peeter, Tomkin, litle-Thomas, wilkin,
litle-william, and so is to bee vnderstood of the lyke.

Touching such as haue their surnames of occu­
pations, as Smith, Taylor, Turner, & such others; it is



not to bee doubted but their anceters haue first got­
ten them by vsing such trades, and the children of
such parents beeing contented to take them vpon
them, their after-coming posteritie could hardly
auoyd them, and so in tyme cometh it rightly to
bee said:

From whence came Smith, all be he knight or squyre.
But from the Smith, that forgeth at the fyre.

And so in effect may bee said of the rest, neither
can it bee disgracefull to any that now liue in very
woorshipfull estate & reputation, that their anceters
in former ages, haue bin by their honest trades of lyf
good and necessarie members in the comon welth,
seeing all gentrie hath first taken issue from the com­
nunalltie.

It hath of late yeares grown somwhat vsuall in
England, to giue vnto children for their proper
names, the surnames of their Godfathers; a custome
neither comendable, nor any whit wel fitting; and
somtymes very absurd and ridiculous, as if perhaps
the chyld-bee christned by the name of Tailer, and
the own surname of the chyld bee Smith, then is the
chyld very wisely named Tailer Smith, and coming
afterward to bee of some trade as a Draper or Grocer,
or the lyke, it may also bee added to the other occu­
pations, as by calling him Tailer Smith Draper, &c.
I could giue of the lyke vnto this some present ex­
amples, but I will omitt them, as not willing to of­
fend by noting any person in particular.

Some haue their surnames according to the co­
lour of their haire or complexion: as Whyte, Bleak,



Black, Brown, Grey, and Redish, and those in whome
these names for such causes began, did theirby lose
their former denominations. 

Some for their surnames haue the names of beasts:
and as it should seem for one thing or other, wherein
they represented some propertie of theirs, as Lion,
Wolf, Bull, Buck, Hart, Hynd, Ro, Fox, Hare, Lamb,
and the lyke. Others of Birdes, as Cock, Pecock, Swan,
Crane, Hearne, Partridge, Doue, Woodcock, Drake,
Sparrow, and such lyke. Others of fish, as Salmon, He­
ring, Ling, Roche, Pilcher, and the lyke. And albeit
that the anceters of the bearers of these had in for­
mer tymes other surnames, yet because almost all
these and other lyke names do belong vnto our own
ancient English toung, I do think them to bee of
the ancient English, and yf not all yet the moste
parte.

And heer by occasion of these names I must note
vnto the reader & that as it were for the generall rule,
that what familie soeuer hath their first and chief
cote of armes, corespondent vnto their surname, it is
an euident signe, that it had that surname, before it
had those armes.

Of the families of the Camber-Britans, otherwise
called welshmen, or of such as beeing issued from
Wales, do now remain in England, I shal not need to
speak, considering their surnames are easely known,
by beeing comonly according to their own moste
ancient custome.

With this people it is not to bee doubted, but that
during the space of about fyue hundreth yeares that
they were subiect vnto the Romans, diuers of the Ro­



mans setled and mixed themselues among them;
whose posteritie hath since remained in accompt as
beeing of the ancient families of wales, and I do fynd
very probable reason to enduce mee to think that
among others, the honorable famillie of the Cecills,
beeing issued from Wales; is originally descended
from the Romans. But not hauing intended to wryte
of things belonging to the antiquities of the Britans,
I referr the reader to their own comendable trauailles
in that kynd.







OF OVR ANCIENT
ENGLISH TYTLES OF
HONOR DIGNITIES, AND
offices, and what they signify.
Also the signification of our English names
of disgrace or contempt.


The tenth Chapter.


Of the name of King. 

THIS chief name of moste highe and
soueraigne dignitie among our ance­
ters, was generally in the ancient Teu­
tonic of two sillables, and by some
change of vowels (as both in this and
other ancient appellations is often found) som­
what varying in ortography, as anciently written
both Cuning and Cyning/ the first letter C/ beeing in­
differently sounded and vsed in steed of k.

Wee Englishmen haue abridged it into one sillable
and so made it king/ and the Danes and Swedians
haue made it kong. Cun though otherwise written
Cyn beeing both one, doth signify stout or valiant:
ing as also somtymes ling/ is a particle often added
to expresse the endument of a qualitie, as for example,
Ethel/ is in our ancient language Noble, and an Ethel=­
ing is one that is endueth with nobillitie. A yongling
one that is in his youth. A fremdling one that is fremd
borne, a stranger, &c. Cuning is asmuch in signification
as one espetially valliant, and this beeing the title
of the chief of all, expresseth him the moste appa­



rent in cowrage or valour. And certaine it is that the
kings of moste nations were in the begining elected
and chosen by the people to raigne ouer them, in re­
gard of the greatnesse of their cowrage valour and
strength, as beeing therefore best able to defend and
gouerne them. And as Olaus Magnus writeth, it was
an ancient custome in the septentrionall regions, that
such yong noblemen or gentlemen as gaue greatest
proof of their singular valour, were by those countrie
kings adopted to bee their sonnes; yea and to succeed
in the crown after them, yf their own sonnes were
not thought to haue in them such great valour as in
those tymes was expected: and the reason why they
adopted such sonnes as aforesaid, and thereby made
them capable of succeeding them in their kingdomes
was, for that (as they said) they might in their own
sonnes bee deceaued when they saw not how they
would proue, but in their adopted sonnes they could
not bee deceaued, because they had seen of them suf­
ficient experience and triall alredy.

Queen. 
As Cuning (as is aforesaid) was the masculine name
of chief dignitie, so was Cuningina in the ancient Teu­
tonic the feminine, howbeit our name of Queen is
also very ancient, and was vsed of our Saxon anceters
though somwhat differing in ortography for they
wrote it Cwen: as king is an abreuiation of Cuning
or Cyning/ so is Cwen/ now written Queen/ an abre­
uiation of Cuninginne or Cuningina. Quinde in the Da­
nish toung is a woman or a wyf, and so was anciently
Quena.

Furist. 
For Princeps in Latin, whereof the French and



wee from them, haue taken our moderne name of
Prince, our anceters vsed in their own language the
name of Furist/ which answereth in value vnto Prin­
ceps, beeing as much to say, as a First or chief. The
Princes electors of the Empyre are in the Teutonic
or Duytsh toung called keur=burften/ keur beeing to
say choise, and bursten in steed of fursten/ or as anci­
ently it was, Furistan.

Heretoga. 
This was our ancient appellation for the chief
conductor or leader of an army, for the which wee
long since haue vsed our borrowed French name of
Duke, which the French fetched from Dux in Latin.
Here is in the ancient Teutonic as much to say as an
army (as els where I haue shewed) toga signifieth to
draw or traine forward. Our yet vsed English woord
toogh/ may seeme to haue had some deriuation from
toga.

The Netherlanders for Duke do yet vse the name
of Hertogh/ and the Germans or ouerlanders do now
wryte it Hertzog.

Earle. 
Before wee borowed the woord honor, wee vsed
in steed thereof our own ancient woord ear. For no­
ble or gentle, wee vsed Ethel. Ethel was somtymes in
composition abridged to el so as of Ear=ethel/ it came
to bee Ear=el/ and by abreuiation to Earl/ it is asmuch
to say as Honor-noble, or noble or honor.

The Danes wrote it Eorle/ and wee wryte it
Earle/ and now vse it in the self sence that Comes is
chiefly vsed in Latin, Count in French, and Graue now
Duytsh.



Lord. 
I fynd that our anceters vsed for Lord/ the name of
Laford/ which (as it should seem) for some aspiration
in the pronouncing, they wrote Hlaford/ and Hlafurd.
Afterward it grew to bee written Louerd/ and by re­
ceauing lyke abridgement as other our ancient ap­
pellations haue donne, it is in one sillable become
Lord.

To deliuer heerof the true etymologie, the reader
shall vnderstand, that albeit wee haue our name of
bread from breod/ as our anceters were wont to call
it, yet vsed they also and that moste comonly to call
bread by the name of hlaf/ from whence wee now
only retaine the name of the forme or fassion, wherein
bread is vsually made, calling it a loaf/ whereas loaf co­
ming of hlaf or laf/ is rightly also bread it self, and was
not of our anceters taken for the forme only, as now
wee vse it.

Now was it vsuall in long foregoing ages, that
such as were endued with great welth and meanes
aboue others, were chiefly renowmed (espetially in
these northern regions) for their hows-keeping, and
good hospitallitie, that is, for beeing able and vsing to
feed and sustaine many men, and therefore were they
particularly honored with the name and tytle of hla=­
ford/ which is asmuch to say, as, An afoorder of laf,
that is, A bread-giuer, intending (as it seemeth) by
bread/ the sustenance of man; that beeing the sub­
stance of our food, the moste agreeable to nature, and
that which in our dayly prayers wee espetialy desyre
at the handes of God.

And yf wee duely obserue it, wee shal fynd that



our nobillitie of England, which generally do beare
the name of Lord haue alwayes, and as it were of a
successiue custome (rightly according vnto that ho­
norable name) maintained and fed more people, to
wit, of their seruants, retayners, dependants, tenants,
as also the poor, then the nobillitie of any countrie
in the continent, which surely is a thing very honora­
ble, and lawdable; and moste wel befitting noblemen,
and right noble mynds.

Lady. 
The name or tytle of Lady/ our honorable appel­
lation generally for all principall women, extendeth
so farr, as that it not only mounteth vp from the wyf
of the knight to the wyf of the king, but remaineth
to some women whose husbands are no knights; such
as hauing bin Lord Mayers are afterward only called
masters, as namely the Ealdermen of York.

It was anciently written Hleafdian or Leafdian/ from
whence it came to bee Lafdy and lastly Lady. I haue
shewed heer last before how hlaf or laf/ was somtyme
our name of bread/ as also the reason why our noble
and principall men came to bee honored in the name
of Laford/ which now is Lord/ and euen the lyke in
corespondence of reason must appeer in this name
of Leafdian/ the feminine of Laford: the first sillable
whereof beeing anciently written hleaf and not hlaf/
must not therefore alienate it from the lyke nature
and sence, for that only seemeth to haue bin the fe­
minine sound, and wee see that of Leafdian/ wee haue
not retayned Leady but Lady. Wel then both hlaf and
hleaf/ wee must heer vnderstand to signify one thing,
which is bread/ dian is asmuch to say as serue, and so



is Leadian/ A bread-seruer. Whereby it appeereth
that as the Laford/ did allow food and sustenance, so
the Leafdian did see it serued and disposed to the
guests. And our ancient & yet continewed custome,
that our Ladyes & Gentlewomen do vse to carue and
serue their guests at the table, which in other coun­
tries is altogether strange and vnusuall, doth for proof
heerof wel accord, and correspond with this our an­
cient and honorable femynine appellation.

Knight. 
This tytle of Right woorshipfull dignitie was
heertofore of our anceters written Cniht/ and both in,
the high and low of Germanie by the name of knight
(which a litle they varry in the ortography) is vn­
derstood a seruant, and I fynd that leorning=cniht was
in our ancient language, a disciple, & in the Nether­
lands a lear-kneght/ is thesame that an apprentise is in
French; that is to say, a learner.

A knight/ as wee vnderstand it, is in the moderne
Teutonic or Duytsh toung, Rider/ which is in deed all
one in English with Ryder/ and answereth vnto
the French woord Cheuallier, which may bee Eng­
lished a horsman/ & so agreeith with Eques in Latin.

By all which it may seem strange how our name
of knight/ beeing with vs in such esteem of woorship,
should in the etymologie thereof, appeer no more
then it doth. To resolue which difficultie I can iudge
no other, hauing no proof or pregnant reason other­
wise to enduce mee, but that the name of knight/ must
haue begun to bee a name of honor among our ance­
ters in such as were admitted for their mirits to bee
knights to the king, that is, to bee his own seruants or



in some sorte his officers or retayners, and to ryde
with him, & therefore it should seem some of them,
yf not all, were anciently called knight=ryders/ and it
may bee that of them the street in London, called
knight=ryder=street/ did first take that name, as beeing
the place where their residence or meeting might bee
kept, or peraduenture some lyke knighten=gild/ or con­
frery as king Edgar established without Ealdgate of
London, for thirteen knightes or soldiers of good de­
sert to him and the realme.

And albeit a seruant in Germanie, is (as is aforesaid)
called a knight or kneght/ yet seemeth it not anciently
to haue bin the most comon and vsuall name for a ser­
uant, for that such had, and yet haue, the name of die=­
ner/ as also other names. A soldier in Germanie
is called a lands-kneght/ which is an argument that the
name of knight was wont there to bee of more esteem,
then ordinarie for euery seruant.

Moreouer wee fynd that the name of knight is not
now of vs only vsed to stand of Eques auratus,
which is ordinarily a knight/ but is also borne in re­
gard of bearing authoritie or office, as wee see in our
knights of the shyres/ who yet are not properly knights/
as the name of knight is otherwise vnderstood.

Steward/ anciently Stede=ward. 
As in our ancient language stow/ is our woord for
place, so is also stede/, and Stede=ward which for easy­
nesse of sound the first d/ beeing omitted is become
Ste=ward/ is asmuch to say as The keeper of the place,
which in the moderne Teutonic is called Stat=hower/
that is, Stede-holder or place keeper: the same that
Lieutenant is in French, which corruptly in English
wee call liftenant.



It is also the very same that Prorex is in Latin, to
wit, a vice-roy, that is, hee that in the Kings absence
supplyeth his place and beareth his person, as in Eng­
land the Lord high Steward is wont to do: & more in­
feriorly it is a deputy or officer vnder some noble
man, &c. Kings & Princes are properly the Ste=wards
of almighty God in their kingdomes, in which sence,
the renowmed surname of the Kings moste excellent
maiestie, doth right wel befit his royall place & high
dignitie.

Holdward. 
This ancient and honorable name of office, hath
receaued the iniury of tyme, which hath worne it out
of vse and memorie.

The l and d/ beeing for easynesse of sound omitted
in the pronounciation (as in sundry other woords the
lyke is seen) it became of hold=ward/ which signifieth,
the gouernour or keeper of a castle fort or hold of warre,
to bee Howard.

Which name of office albeit wee haue long since
lost, yet retayneth our realme to the high honor and
illustrious ornament thereof, the great & right noble
familie vnto whome it is now the surname, and it is
lyke that at first it so became to bee, vpon the bearing
of such a warlyke honorable office and charge.

Heralt. 
About this name of Heralt diuers haue diuersly
bin conceyted, some would haue it Hierhaut/ some
Hierhaught/ some Herault/ and some Herold/ and I wote
not what.

Some decerning it to come from the Duytsh, can
tel that Here/ is now therein asmuch as Lord/ and that



alt is old/ and therevpon they ridiculously must con­
clude that herald signifieth Old=lord.

True it is, that Heralt is meerly a Teutonic or
Duytsh woord, and in that toung and no other, the
true etymologie thereof is only to bee found.

To begin then with the first sillable thereof which
is here/ though in composition abridged to her/ it is
the true and ancient Teutonic woord for an armie,
thesame as before I haue shewed, that exercitus is in
Latin and in that sence is it yet vsed in Germanie. And
whereas the Germans do now vse Here also for Lord/
yet anciently they so vsed it not, and although the
Teutonic bee not mixed with other strange lan­
guages, yet this woord Here/ as they vse it for Lord or
Master/ hath crept into their language from Herus in
Latin, after that the Latin toung became known
vnto them, and perhaps some half a dozen woords
more may haue donne the lyke.

A Healt in the ancient Teutonic is A most cowra­
gious person. A champion or especial chalenger to a
fight or combat. Of the weapon that such somtyme
most vsed, called a healtbard because it was borne
by a Healt/ wee yet though corruptly retaine the name
of holbard/ and the Netherlanders make it hellebard.

Here-healt by abreuiation heralt as also Herald/ doth
rightly signify The champion of the armie. And grow­
ing to bee a name of office, hee that in the armie hath
the especiall charge to chalenge vnto battaile or combat:
in which sence our name of Herald/ doth neerest ap­
proche vnto Fecialis in Latin.

Seauen Danish Kings besydes some of Norway
and Sweden, haue had for their proper appellation



the name of Herald/ or Herald which is all one with
Heralt. So honorable was it accompted of in old tyme
that somany kings thereby were called, in regard as
it appeereth, that themselues might bee honored and
respected as the moste cowragious of the armie.

"holbard" not found in OED except under "shaft," v.2. a, quotation of 1611.



Here=ward. 
In composition Herward/ was heer-tofore the name
of office of him that in some sorte had some especiall
charge in the armie, I take it to haue bin such an office
in effect, as is that which is now vsed, of Sergeant Ma­
ior. It is no more a name of office, but therehence
grown to bee a surname.

Heriot. 
This at the first was of our anceters written Here=­
geat. A certaine payment was wont to bee made a­
mong the soldiers lyke vnto that which now is cal­
led succors, afterward it became the name of the of­
fice of prouyding furniture for the armie, and from a
name of office it grew (though with some varietie
from the first ortographie) vnto the surname of Heriot.

Scyld=knapa/ since after the French,
named Esquire. 
Of Scyld wee yet retain our name of sheild/ in
place whereof wee somtymes vse our borrowed
French woord scutchion, Cnapa is also in the Teutonic
written Cnabe or knabe/ as also knape/ the c and k, as I
haue often said beeing indifferently vsed; but the b,
turned into a single u, as diuers tymes it is, hath caused
that of knabe it is turned to knaue/ and so according
to our now ortographie it were Shield-knaue. The
reader is to note that knabe from whence is deryued
(as I haue shewed) our now vsed name of knaue/ was



neuer of our anceters vsed as a name of disgrace or
contempt, but as the name of some kynd of seruant,
as valet in French, or the lyke. Scyld=knapa was hee
that in warre did bear the wapen or the shield of armes,
of his chief or superior: of which office the Latin
name is Armiger; & our now vsed name of Esquyre,
which wee borrow from the French, is not rightly
thesame, neither is Arminger taken by the French for
Esquire: an Esquire beeing among them one that
hath some charge in the stable, or that teacheth yong
gentlemen, or the pages of noblemen, to ryde.

Heer by the way I muste note vnto the reader that
Ioannes de temporibus, that is to say, John of the tymes/
who so was called for the sundry tymes or ages hee
liued, was Shield-knaue vnto the Emperor Charles the
great, of whome hee also was made knight. This man
beeing of great temperance, sobrietie, and content­
ment of mynd in his condition of lyf, but aboue all of
a moste excelling constitution of nature, resyding
partly in Germanie where hee was borne, and partly
in France, liued vnto the nynth yeare of the raigne of
the Emperor Conrade, and died at the age of three
hundreth threescore and one yeares, seeming thereby
a very miracle of nature, and one in whome it pleased
God to represent vnto later ages the long yeares and
temperate lyues of the ancient patriarches.

It is said that their hath a man lately liued in the
East-Indies (of some thought to bee yet lyuing) of
greater age then this aforenamed Iohn of tymes, the
certainty heerof I cannot affirme. But it is credibly
reported that a woman lately liued at Segouia in
Spaine of an hundreth and threescore yeares of age:



and Franciscus Aluares saith, that hee saw Albuna
Marc chief bishop of Ethiopia, beeing of the age of
an hundreth and fifty yeares.

Marscalc now Marshall. 
In the ancient Teutonic mare/ had somtymes the
signification that horse generally now hath, and so
serued for the appellation of that whole kynd, to wit,
both male, female, and gelding, and so all went in ge­
nerall by the name of mare/ as now by the name of
horse. Scalc in our ancient language signifieth a kynd
of seruant, as the name of Scalco (though a Teutonic
denomination) in Italie yet doth.

Marscalc/ from which our now name of Marshal
cometh, was with our anceters as also with the other
Germans Curator equorum, that is, hee that had the
charge of horses. The French who (as wee in Eng­
land) very honnorably esteem of this name of of­
fice, do giue vnto some noblemen that beare it, the
tytle of Grand mareschal de France. And yet notwith­
standing they do no otherwise terme the Smith that
cureth and shuweth horses, then by the name of Ma­
reschal. Whereby wee may perceaue how names
grown to high dignitie, haue somtymes taken their
originall from inferior vocations.

Mayer. 
This honorable name of office in the chief and
moste famous citie of our realme, is diuers wayes
written, some wryte it Maior some Mayor, and some
Maire. And because Maior in Latin signifieth greater
or bigger, some not looking any further wil needs
from thence make it Maior, but seeing the names of
Shirif & Alderman, cannot bee drawn from the La­



tin why should it bee thought that Mayer cometh
from maior? Certaine it is, that as the other name of
offices are not deryued from the Latin no more is
this, but the name originally cometh from the Teu­
tonic, as do the afore-noted others. It is in the Ne­
therlands well known, where not only the chief
magistrat of Louaine (the ancientest great town of
Brabant) is called the Meyer/ but almost euery coun­
trie town hath an officer so called. As in lyke manner
diuers of our countrie townes in England, as well as
our cities haue.

So is it lykwise a name of office in the countrie
townes of France, there now written Maire, and co­
ming first to bee known among them by the German
Francks, the anceters of French men. For the true e­
tymologie thereof wee are to note, that as in our own
English, to may/ signifieth to haue might or power, so
a May=er is asmuch to say as A hauer of might, one that
hath and may vse authoritie.

Gerefa/ by abreuiation become Gereue or Graue/
as also Reue. 
This was an ancient name of office of ample sig­
nification, but moste properly it signifieth A disposer
or director. It was with our anceters an office or
charge vnder the Prince or some principall person.
The chief magistrates of London next vnto the Lord
Mayer/ are called Shyriffes/ beeing anciently & rightly
Shyre=reues. So in lyke sorte is the chief officer chosen
for a shyre or country called the Shyre=reue/ to wit, the
reue of the shyre. It extendeth also to other charges,
as to a wald=gereue/ otherwise waldgraue/ who had the
rule or ouerseeing of the wald or forest. To wood=reue/



which in effect is the lyke. To kirk=reue/ now called
Church=warden. To sheep=reue/ hee that ouerseeith the
shepheards, &c. And as wee had this ancient name of
office out of Germanie, so with the Germans hath it
vntil this present remayned, for as they were wont to
haue among them the name of Port=greue as wee had,
so haue they yet the name of Land=graue/ Margraue/
Burgraue and such lyke. Land=graue beeing vnder­
stood for the Land=ruler / Margraue for Markgraue/
that is, the ruler of a marked or limited iurisdiction.
Burgraue/ for the ruler of the Burg or town.

And this name of Graue, first beeing and signifying
a name of office, hath in continuance of tyme grown
both among the higher and the lower Germans to a
name of dignitie, insomuch that for Comes in Latin,
which is Earle in English, they do now vse the name
of Graue.

Burgh=gard. 
This name of office beeing long since worne out
of memorie, seemeth to haue bin borne by such as had
the keeping or charge of some kynd of Burg, which
according to our now pronountiation wee call a
Burrow.

Ealdorman. 
Ealdor, so written in our ancient language, is pro­
perly an Elder or Senior, yet an Ealdorman, which wee
now call an Alderman was such in effect among our
anceters as was Tribunus Plebis with the Romans, that
is, one that had chief iurisdiction among the comons,
as beeing a maintainer of their liberties and benefits.

Cunstable. 
I do fynd this name of office anciently to haue



bin Cuningstable, and I haue shewed before that Cu=­
ning and Cyning beeing both one, our now name of
King is thereof deryued, and Cunstable, might accor­
dingly more rightly bee Kingstable.

The etymologie thereof is Columen Regis. The su­
port or stay of the King, to wit, one that hee especially
depends vpon in the menaging of his moste waighty
affaires. And albeit it be now in England, a name of
office of ordinarie and vulgar vse; yet is it also a name
very honorable, and somtymes borne by moste prin­
cipall noblemen, by the name of High Cunstable of
the realme.

Wardian now Warden. 
I fynd it ordinary that aswel such names of offices
as proper names of men anciently and meerly Teu­
tonic, as do begin with dooble v, when they haue
hapned to come among the French, Italians, or other,
whose language dependeth on the Latin, they haue of
the dooble v made a single v, because their alphabet
hath no acquaintance with the w at all, but then to mend
the matter, which they half empayred, they vse before
the v to put a g, & so of warden or wardian/ do make
Guardian, and of ward/ Guard. So in lyke manner for
our English name of warre/ the French haue made
Guerre: and hence it riseth that wee call him that
waighteth at the towre, one of the ward or a warder/
and hee that in lyke liuerey waighteth at the court
one of the Guard or Gard. Ward and Guard then is all
one and a wardian or warden or Guardian/ thesame
that Custos or præpositus is in Latin, to wit, a keeper
or attender to the saftie or conseruation of that which
hee hath in charge.



Bailie. 
A Bailie signifieth in our ancient language a Tu­
tor, protector, or defender. A Bailiwyc was so called in
respect of the Bailie thereof, who had the office and
charge, to look vnto the safetie of such as were vnder
his ouersight. Wee yet retain heerof our phrase of
putting in bail/ to bee freeid or protected (for the
tyme) from prison.

Hedborow. 
The etymologie heerof is apparent, and it should
seem by the name, that when it was first in vse it was
of some more importance then now it is: as that the
bearer thereof was rather the head of the Burg or
Borow/ then a substitute vnder an other.



Of certaine names of office pertayning to forests
or chases, afterward grown to bee the surnames of fa­
milies, &c.

Foster. 
This should rightly bee Forester/ it beeing deryued
from the office of him that vnder the Prince or some
nobleman had the chief charge of the Forest or chase.
Wee also vse the name of Foster for Foster=father/ but
not rightly, for anciently it is Fodster=father/ or as wee
now might wryte it, Foodster=father, seeing it cometh
of prouyding food and nowriture for such children
as are vnder his and his wyues charge to bring vp, yet
some to auoyd some confusion which they perceaue
by this mistaking to grow, do wryte the former of
these Forster, intending thereby Forester, and the la­
ter Foster in steed of Foodster.

Warener. 
This from the name of office of him that had the



charge or ouersight of a warren/ is grown to sur­
name, wherein by abreuiation it is become warner.

Walter. 
This in effect is as much to say as Forester/ Forest &
walt/ somtymes also written wald/ beeing all one, and
ioyned in one in our name of walt=ham=forest. The
Hircinian forest in Germanie beareth at this day among
the Germans the name of Swartz=walt/ that is, The
black forest. For walt with the Germans, the Nether­
landers wryte and pronounce wout/ and of their wout
cometh also our name of wood/ so as Forest/walt or
wald/ as also weald (for so in Kent it is called) and wout
and wood/ is all one. And Walter beeing the name of
the officer or comaunder therein, is with vs become
a proper name, as also in the Netherlands, where after
wout/ they write it Wouter.

Of the name of Gentleman. 
Our moderne name of Gentleman is not rightly
either English or French, but composed and made vp
of two distinct languages. For as els where I haue
shewed, our ancient woord Edel/ signifieth noble or
gentle, and were it Edelman/ it were a meer Teutonic
woord, and anciently our own: and yf on the other­
syde it were Gentilhomme then were it French; but
now wee take gentle from the French (though a litle
altred) and ad vnto it man/ which wee haue of our
own; & so composing them together, make it Gentle­
man. This manner of speech-mixing hath hapned
vpon the Norman conquest, & in some other woords
now in our language is to bee found very absurd and
ridiculous, but for breuitie and as beeing heer imper­
tinent, I wil passe them ouer.



And for asmuch as gentrie hath first risen out of
yeomandrie, it wil not heer bee impertinent briefly
to shew the manner of some mennes rising in the
tyme of our Saxon anceters, which was thus.

If it so hapned, that a keorle (otherwise one of the
yeomandrie) did thriue so well through his honest
trauaile, that hee atayned vnto fyue hydes of his own
land, and was able to keep a good hows, allowing
some stipend for the maintenance of diuine seruice in
either Churche or chapel, obtayned some office or
imployment about the kings hows, or in some sorte
to do him seruice: hee was thencefoorth reputed
woorthy of the name and title of Thegn or Thein/
which was then accompted as a free-seruant or as a
kynd of retayner, or as it may seem a Seruing=gentle=­
man/ that is, a seruant not bound or subiect vnto any
seruile office or labor.

And yf hee came so well forward in meanes and
credit, that the king employed him, either on his er­
rand or to ryde in his traine, and that himself was
able to maintaine others vnder him, hee was woorthy
to bee reputed a Hlaford. And continewing to aug­
ment his credit and meanes, hee might afterward
come to bee an Earle/ with the tytle (as they then
spake) of an Earle right=woorthy/ which after our
now vsed style may bee, a right honorable Earle. An
example of rising from so mean or meaner estate may
appeare in Earle Goodwin/ who beeing at the first
but the sonne of a cowheard, came to be (as I take it)
the greatest subiect that euer England had, for hee
was Earle of Kent, Sussex, Hamshyre, Dorsetshyre,
Deuonsshyre, and Cornwall, father-in-law vnto king



Edward the Confessor, by the mariage of Edgitha
his daughter; and father vnto King Harald that next
succeeded thesaid king Edward.

If a marchant so thriued that hee was able by his
own meanes thryce to crosse the seas, hee was thence
forward reputed a right woorthie Thein/ and capa­
ble of higher aduancement. In lyke manner, yf a
scholler so profited in learning that hee took degrees
in schooles, and carryed himself vertuously, hee could
not want the woorthship due vnto his condition.

"speech-mixing" not found in OED, possibly an early sense for code-switching.



Gemen now Yemen. 
Gemen is now in the moderne Teutonic written
Gemeyn/ and it is asmuch to say as Comon, and as in
sundry other ancient woords so in this, the letter g/
beeing altred into y/ it is of Gemen become among
vs to bee Yemen/ and varying yet further in ortogra­
phie it is written Yeomen. And seeing that Gemen is all
one with Comon, A Yeoman is rightly vnderstood a
Commoner.

Such were also called Ceorles/ the C beeing sounded
as K; and somtymes also called Boores.

The name of Churle/ which comes of Ceorle/ as
now wee vse it, is rather in reprochful sence then
otherwise.

The name of Bour or Boor/ which both in Ger­
manie and the Netherlands is now generally vsed for
the appellation of peysants or countrimen, wee seem
not to vse, and yet in composition the woord dothe
stil remaine in our daylie speech, albeit wee heed it
not, as when wee say neighbour/ it is no other thing
then the Bour/ dwelling nigh vnto vs, for that this
name of neighboor/ began at the first among our an­



ceters when they dwelt in the countrie, before they
had buylded townes or cities to inhabite in, and co­
ming afterward to dwel in townes, our name of
neighbour hauing bin first vsed in the countrie, came
to bee of vse in townes and cities, notwithstanding
the people were not then Boures/ but Citizens.

In the Teutonic it is also written Bower/ and to
bow/ signifieth to buyld/ woork, or frame the grownd
to ones proper vse and comoditie. And in our vulgar
English wee call a manner of a hows bourishly built
without, carpentrie, and with vnhewen timber, as
most comonly with boughs of trees, A green bower.

Groom. 
This beeing the name of a seruant that serueth in
some inferior place, I fynde to haue bin in tymes past
a name for youthes, who albeit they serued, yet were
they inferior vnto men seruants, and were somtymes
vsed to bee sent on foot of errands seruing in such
manner as lackyes now do.

The name of brydgroom (as els were is noted)
as giuen to the new-married man, in regard that on
the mariage day hee waighteth at the table, and ser­
ueth the bryde, and so is the groom of the bryde for
that tyme.




OF OVR NAMES OF CONTEMPT.
THE ETYMOLOGIES OF OVR
english names of contempt.

Hauing before shewed the etymologies of our
names of dignities offices and qualities, I hold it
not vnnecessary, for the further satisfaction of the cu­
rious reader, to shew in lyke manner the true signi­
fication of our common nams of contempt, such I
meane as whereof the true etymologie is worne out
of remembrance and scarse ordinarily knowne. Di­
uers of them beeing properly the names of some vile
things, and in contempt and disgrace, full often and
with great breach of charitie, iniuriously applyed
vnto men and women.


Baud. 
This name of Baud/ now giuen in our language to
such as are the makers or furtherers of dishonest mat­
ches, was not at the first of any il signification, and
therefore it is the lesse maruel, that it is the surname
of a woorshipfull family in England, and of a mar­
quis in Germanie, and albeit the Germans leaue the u/
and write it with a/ yet sound they the a/ as wee do
au/ & so to write it as they sound it, it is no other then
Baud/ the true meaning whereof both with them &
in our moderne English, is Bathe/ and anciently was
Bade/ where the reader is to note (as els where I haue
shewed) that d was of our anceters vsed in composi­
tion as th. It is also written in our old Teutonic Bad=­
stoue/ from whence wee deriued Bath=stew or Bathing=­
stewes/ where hence wee may perceaue that wee haue
taken the names both of Baud and of stewes/ and wee
do also yet vse the woord stewing/ when wee dresse



diuers things with hot licor or water.

Now did many of these Baud=stewes/ or as wee
since haue turned the name, hot=howses/ come in length
of tyme to bee places of such dishonesty, that they
grew into great contempt, the name of stewes/ beco­
ming thereby to bee vnderstood for a brothel-hows,
& the Baud-holder or Bath-holder to bee accompted
as the factor for incontinent people, and by vulgar
corruption and abreuiation of speech (holder beeing
omitted) the keeper of such a hows came to bee cal­
led the Baud.

And whereas before I said that a woorshipfull
family in England was surnamed Baud/ which as I
haue shewed is all one with Bathe. It may bee that
it took this name of some office belonging to the
Bathe/ at the tyme of the coronation of some king,
when as the knights of the Bath are wont to bee
made, &c.

"baud-holder" not found in OED.



Crone. 
This properly is the appelation of an old
yeow, and applyed in ager vpon an old or elderly
woman.

Drabbe. 
In the old Teutonic language, the lees filth or
dregges remayning in the bottome of vessels, which
in Latin beareth the name of fæx, is called drabbe:
and in regard of the lothsomnes or filthynes thereof,
it became metaphorically to bee applyde vnto some
foule or filthy woman.

Fixen. 
This is the name of a shee-fox, otherwise & more
anciently foxin. It is in reproche applyed to a wo­



man whose nature and condition is thereby compa­
red to the shee-fox.

Hoor. 
I fynd this anciently written Hure/ and I fynd
hure/ to bee also vsed and written for the woord
hyre/ and because that such incontinent women do
comonly let their bodyes to hyre, this name was
therefore aptly applied vnto them.

It is in the Netherlands written Hoer/ but pro­
nounced Hoor/ as wee yet pronounce it, though in
our later English ortography (I know not with what
reason) some wryte it whore.

Knaue. 
Knaue cometh of our ancient woord cnapa/ other­
wise in the lower moderne Teutonic written knaep/
and in the higher knabe/ it signifieth a boy, also an in­
ferior seruant, and somtymes a beadle, and beeing the
vsuall appellation of boyes lackeys or such lyke, of
smalle accompt; it is growne thereby to become a
name of contempt, & also (through a strayned sence)
to signify a dishonest man.

Lofel. 
A Lofel is one that hath lost neglected or cast of
his own good and welfare, and so is become lewd &
carelesse of credit and honesty.

Lourdaine. 
Because the Danes when they somtyme domi­
neered ouer the Englishmen, would bee honored
with the name of Laford/ which is now Lord/ the
people in scorne did call them Lour=danes/ in steed of
Lord/ or rather Laford=Dane/ Lour beeing as much to
say in our ancient language, as Ignauus in Latin; to



wit, Lither, cowardly, or sluggish.

Quean. 
Wee often heare this reproachefull name of
Quean/ giuen to a woman, and what it is I suppose
few do know, but not beeing any way the appella­
tion properly of a woman, it must then bee some
other contemptible thing, and so do I fynd it to bee,
to wit, A barren old cow, and no other thing, and yet
is it now growne to bee in our language vnderstood
and ment for a dishonest woman of her body, or
one that is spytefull of her toung.

Rascall. 
As before I haue shewed how the il names of
beasts in their moste contemptible state, are in con­
tempt applyed vnto women, so is Rascall/ beeing the
name for an ilfauoured leane and woorthlesse deer,
comonly applyed vnto such men as are held of no
credit or woorth.

Ribald. 
This was at the first Rabod/ as yet in the Nether­
lands it is vsed, wherehence both wee and the French
hauing taken the name, haue somwhat varyed it both
in ortography and sence. It was the proper name of
Rabod/ a heathen king of Friesland, who beeing in­
structed in the faith of Christ by the Godly Bishop
Ulfran/ faithfully promised to bee baptised, and ap­
pointed the tyme and place: where beeing come, and
standing in the water, hee asked of the Bishop, where
all his forefathers were that in former ages were de­
ceassed? the Bishop answered, that dying without the
knowlege of the true God, &c. they were in hell,
then quoth Rabod/ I hold it better and more praise­



woorthy to go with the greater multitude to hel,
then with your few Christians to heauen; and there­
withall hee went out of the water vnchristened; and
returned both to his wonted idolatry and to his euil
lyf, notwithstanding the good admonitions, of the
Bishop, and an euident miracle, which (through the
power of God) thesaid Bishop wrought, euen in his
owne presence. Hee was afterward surprised with
a suddaine and improuyded death, about the year of
our Lord 720. and his very name became so odious
through his wickednes, that it grew to bee a tytle of
reproche & shame, and hath so continued euer since.

Scold. 
The woord Scold/ cometh of our ancient verb
bescyldig/ and properly signifieth to blame or accuse,
in vncomely speech or spyteful termes, &c.

Shrew. 
This cometh of Schrewing/ which signifieth, to
make clamours, exclamations, or lowd vnquiet noyses.

Thief. 
It was anciently written Thieof/ and so appeereth
to haue bin of two sillables, thie was wont to bee ta­
ken for thrift/ so as thie=of/ is hee that taketh of or from
a man his thie/ that is his thrift or meanes whereby
hee thriueth, his goods, or comodities.


There are of later ages grown into our language
diuers names of honor, authoritie, and office, the
which, for that they are deryued from other languages,
such as vnto ours are altogether strange and extraua­
gant, and therefore no way properly belonging to
our ancient speech, I shal not need to medle with
their etymologies.



In lyke sorte are their sundrie names of contempt
and reproche that of later tymes haue either bin by
our selues deuised and brought in vse among vs, or els
borrowed from such before-insinuated languages as
haue no dependance on ours, and these also beeing
from my purpose, that only entended to wryte the
significations of such as anciently appertaine vnto
our own English toung, I wil in lyke manner heer
omit them.

And now desyring the beneuolent reader courte­
ously to accept of these my paynes and endeuours,
and at his discretion to pardon such few faults as in
the printing may happen to haue escaped, I heer take
my leaue.

VALE.