214
NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. m. MA*, is, wn.
Both words frequently occur in Shake-
speare's plays (Quarto and Folio editions),
but in the later editions have been expur-
gated and other expressions substituted as
being less offensive. See Schmidt's ' Lexi-
con ' under " 'Sblood," " Gogs-wouns,"
" Swounds," " Zounds."
" Blithering 5i is a common form of the Scotch word " blether," to talk idly or nonsensically, which appears in any good English dictionary. See Burns's ' Tarn o' Shanter,' 20 : " A bletherin', blusterin', drunken blellum." F. W. BAXTER.
" Blithering" is a very usual adjective in Ireland, usually joined with idiot, fool, and ass. The derivation is from "to blither " (blaterare), to talk -nonsense (the Scotch form, I think, is blethner). The question, however, mainly is What do the people who use the word think it means ? The usual answer given is that it simply magnifies the unpleasant idea in idiot or fool, i.e., makes the sense to be an idiot or fool in the highest degree. Some users answer that they think it a form of ' 'blighter, ' ' and others of " blister," but careful cross- examination brings out the fact that, after all, they use the word simply to magnify the unpleasant idea in the noun it is joined with. D. M.
The lads I knew had a sort of pet expression when something unusual happened in the course of their playing. It was ' ' my oowns 1 " the o's drawn out in a wondering tone.
A lad who^ made a deal to do about a little matter, particularly if he " roared " over it, was called " a gret big blitherin,' bletherin' bull ! There was nothing beyond this in the way of sarcastic railing." Crying children and complaining kine in expressing their misery " blether over it."
THOS. RATCLIFFE. [C. T. also thanked for reply.]
' A VOICE FROM THE BUSH ' (11 S. iii. 48, 114). At the latter reference MB. SCOTT ascribes these well-known verses to Mr. Douglas B. W. Sladen. As the authorship 'is much debated, I should be obliged if MR. SCOTT would state where Mr. Sladen first published them, under what title, and in what circumstances. C. W.
In reply to the editorial note, I can only amplify what I stated at p. 115. My reference to the first edition of ' Australian Ballads and Rhymes ' in " The Canterbury Poets " was quite correct. The author- ship of ' A Voice from the Bush ' is there
attributed to Mr. Douglas B. W. Sladen in
the Table of Contents, p. vii. According
to the arrangement of the Contents in my
copy, the author's name in capital letters
comes first. Then follows the title of the
poem in ordinary type ; and then, in italics,
the source from which the poem is taken.
The first poet named in the Contents (after
the dedication) is " Douglas B. W. Sladen |
A Voice from the Bush. Temple Bar."
Perhaps it may be well to transcribe Mr. Sladen's note on the poem (p. 265) :
" ' A Voice from the Bush ' (p. 1). This poem has hitherto been printed among, the works of Adam Lindsay Gordon, but its real authorship is well known among the students of Australian literature, and though the author wishes his name not to appear, he has revised the proofs of it for us, so that the world now for the first time has the correct version of the poem."
W. SCOTT.
' A Voice from the Bush ' must have been known long before 1873, when it was pub- lished in The Temple Bar Magazine. It was given to me in MS. in 1864 or 1865. This may be of interest. ETHEL R. S. BOYS.
Dower Cottage, Bulkeley,
near Alexandria, Egypt.
CANONS, MIDDLESEX : " ESSEX " AS CHRISTIAN .NAME (11 S. ii. 328, 374, 394, 437, 534 ; iii. 92, 173). The Earls of Essex of the Devereux family (1572-1645) appear to be responsible for the frequent occurrence of the name of " Essex " since that period. Penelope, daughter of the 1st Earl, and sister of the well-known Earl, married Robert,, Lord Rich, afterwards Earl of Warwick. Lady Essex Rich, their daughter, married in 1625 Thomas Cheeke of Pirgo, and had issue (see Morant's ' Essex,' vol. i. p. 67) Essex Cheeke, who married in 1642 Edward (Montagu), 2nd Earl of Manchester. Ann Cheeke, sister of the said Essex Cheeke, married her cousin Robert (Rich), 3rd Earl of Warwick, and had issue Lady Essex Rich, who married Daniel (Finch), Earl of Winchilsea and Nottingham. Frances Cheeke, another sister of the said Essex Cheeke, married Sir Thomas Lake of Canons above named, and had a daughter Essex Lake (bapt. 20 Aug., 1638, at Whitchurch), who married Sir Thomas Drax. Col. Thomas Cheeke, brother of the three ladies above mentioned, had a daughter Essex Cheeke, who died without issue. Lady Essex Howard (great-grandmother of the 4th Lord Howard de Walden, 1st Baron Braybrooke) was daughter and coheir of James (Howard), 3rd Earl of Suffolk, Lord Howard de Walden, by Susan, daughter of
