Surname Origins, Their Source and Significations (1875)

carried to an extreme extent. Days of a simply local interest — days for fairs and wakes — days that were celebrated in the civil calendar — days that were the boundaries of the different seasons — all were familiarly pressed into the service of name-giving. These, springing up in a day when they were no sooner made part of the personal than they became candidates for our hereditary nomenclature, have in many cases come down to us. Thus, the time when the yule log blazed and crackled on the hearth has given us 'Christmas,' or 'Noel,' or 'Yule,' or 'Mid-winter.' This last seems to have been an ordinary term for the day, for we find it in colloquial use at this time. In Robert of Gloucester's 'Life of William the Conqueror,' he speaks of it's being his intention

to Midwinter at Gloucester,

To Witesontid at Westminster, to Ester at Wincester.

'Pentecost' was as familiar a term in the common mouth as 'Whitsuntide,' and thus we find both occur-ring in the manner mentioned. 'Wytesunday' is, how-ever, now obsolete; 'Pentecost' still lives.' 'Paske,'for ' Easter,' was among the priesthood the word in general use; old writers always speak of 'Paske' for that solemn season. Thus, 'Pask,' 'Pash,' 'Paschal,' and 'Pascal' 2 are firmly set in our directories;

1 A servant of King Henry HI. was called by the simple and only name of 'Pentecostes.' (Inquisit. 13 Ed. I. No. 13.)

2 In the old published orders for the sheriff's annual riding in the city of York, occurs this rule among others:

'Also, we command that no manner of men walk in the city, nor in the suburbs by night, without Torch before him, i.e. from Pasche to Michaelmas after ten of the clock, and from Michaelmas to Pasche after

PATRONYMIC SURNAMES.

as, indeed, they are on the Continent also. It is the same with 'Lammas,' 'Sumption,' and 'Middlemas;' that is, 'Assumption ' and 'Michaelmas.' Each as it came round imprinted its name at the baptismal font upon the ancestors of all those who still bear these several titles in our midst. It would be an anachronism, therefore, to suppose Mr. Robinson Crusoe to have been the first who introduced this system, as even ' Friday ' itself, to say nothing of 'Munday,' or 'Monday,' and 'Saturday,' and 'Tuesday,' were all surnames long anterior to that notable personage's existence. Nor, as I have said, are the less solemn feast days disregarded. 'Loveday' is one such proof. In olden times there was often a day fixed for the arrangement of differences, in which, if possible, old sores were to be healed up and old-standing accounts settled. This day, called a 'Loveday,' is frequently alluded to. That very inconsistent friar in Piers Plowman's Vision could, it is said

hold lovedays,

And hear a reves rekenyng.

The latter part of the quotation suggests to us the origin of 'Termday,' which I find as existing in the twelfth century, and probably given in the humorous spirit of that day.' Nor are these all. 'Plouday' was

nine of the clock.' These rules are thus prefaced. 'The sheriffs, by the custom of the city, do ride to several parts thereof every year, betwixt Michaelmas and Midwinter, that is Yoole.'('Hist. and Ant. York,' vol. ii. p. 54.) Lancashire Easter-eggs are still called Pace-eggs. — The harder 'Paske' is found in Wicklyffe's Version of Matt. xxvi. 1: — 'Whaune Jhesus hadde endid all these words he seide to his disciplis, ye weten that after tweyn days, Paske schal be made.'

1 Richard Domesdaye was Rector of Caldecote, Norfolk, in 1435.(Bromefield). This would be synonymous with 'Termday.'