Surname Origins, Their Source and Significations (1875)

abounded. Nor was this all. Of all excesses those of a religious character are proverbially most intemperate in their course. Abstract qualities, prominent words of Scriptures, nay, even short and familiar sentences culled from its pages, or parodied, were tacked on to represent the Christian name. Camden mentions, as existing in his own day, such appellations as 'Free-gift,' 'Reformation,' 'Earth,' 'Dust,'Ashes,' 'Delivery,' 'Morefruit,' 'Tribulation,' 'The Lord is near,' 'More trial,' 'Discipline,' 'Joy again,' 'From above' — names which, he says, 'have lately been given by some to their children, with no evil meaning, but upon some singular and precise conceit.'

Praise-God-Barebones' is but another specimen of this extraordinary spirit. The brother of this latter could boast a still longer sobriquet. He had chosen for himself, it is said, the title, 'If-Christ-had-not-died-for -you -you-had -been-damned-Barebones,' but his acquaintances becoming wearied of its length, retained only the last word, and as 'Damned-Barebones' left him a sobriquet more curt than pleasant. The following is a list of a jury said to have been enclosed in the county of Sussex at this time, and selected of course from the number of the Saints:

Accepted Trevor of Norsham.

Redeemed Compton of Battle.

Faint-not Hewit of Heathfield.

Make-peace Heaton of Hare.

God-reward Smart of Fivehurst.

Stand-fast-on-high Stringer of Crowhurst.

-2 Kings, xxiii. 13. This is a conversion by baptism which would astonish equally Mr. Spurgeon and Dr. Pusey, I should imagine. A sister of Archbishop Leighton (son of a much persecuted Presbyterian minister) was 'Sapphira.'

PATRONYMIC SURNAMES.

Earth Adams of Waketon.

Called Lower of the same.

Kill-sin Pimple of Witham.

Return Spelman of Watling.

Be-faithful Joiner of Butling.

Fly-debate Roberts of the same.

Fight-the-good-fight-of-faith White of Emer.

More-fruit Fowler of East Hadly.

Hope-for Bending of the same.

Graceful Herding of Lewes.

Weep-not Billing of the same.

Meek Brewer of Oakeham.

The above list may be thought by many a mere burlesque, and so I doubt not it is, but a similar category could be quickly put together from more reliable sources, and some of the names therein set down did certainly exist. The following entries are quoted by Mr. Lower from the registers of Warbleton:-

1617. Be-stedfast Elyarde.

-----. Good-gift Gynnings.

1622. Lament Willard.

1624. Defend Outered.

1625. Faint-not Dighurst.

-----. Fere-not Rhodes.

1677. Replenish French.'

The 'Proceedings in Chancery ' furnish us with 'Virtue Hunt,' 'Temperance Dowlande,' 'Charitie Bowes,' and 'Lamentation Chapman.'The' Visitation of Yorkshire' gives us 'Fayth Neville,' 'Grace Clay-ton,' 'Troth Bellingham,' and 'Prudence Spenser;' and amongst other more general instances may be mentioned ' Experience Mayhew,' ''Abstinence

'The same writer quotes from the register of Waldron the following curious entry: — 'Flie-fornication, the bace sonne of Catren Andrewes, bapt. ye 17th Desemb., 1609.'

'The Rev. Experience Mayhew, A.M., born Feb. 5th, 1673,