Surname Origins, Their Source and Significations (1875)

and the aspersion of holy water expelled evil spirits from those said to be thus possessed. Last of this group we may mention our 'Croziers' and 'Crosiers,' they who at this time bore the pastoral staff. Mediaeval forms of these are met with in 'Simon le Croyzer' or 'Mabel la Croiser.' I doubt not that he was a kind of chaplain to his superior, whose official staff it was his duty to bear. In the Book of Common Prayer of the 2nd year of Edward VI. it is directed: 'Whensoever the bishop shall celebrate the holy communion, or execute any other public office, he shall have upon him, besides his rochet, an alb and cope, or vestment, and also his pastoral staff in his hand, or else borne by his chaplain.'

When we turn our eyes for a moment to the old monastic institutions, we see that they, too, are far from being without their relics. In them we have more distinctly the echo of a departed time. Many of my readers will be familiar with the distinction recorded in such names as 'Alexander le Seculer' and 'Walter le Religieuse,' or 'man of religion,' as Chaucer would have termed the latter. To be 'religious' in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries was to be one of a monastic order bound by vows. Thus our great mediaeval poet says in his Romance

Religious folk ben full covert,

Secular folke ben more apert,

But natheless, I will not blame

Religious folke, ne them defame

In what habite that ever they go; Religion humble, and true also,

Will I not blame, ne despise.

The 'religieuse ' has apparently stuck to his vows, for I have never found the term in an hereditary form,

SURNAMES OF OFFICE.

while 'Secular,' as descended from such enrolled folk as 'Walter le Secular,' or 'Joan, uxor Nicholas le Secular,' still exists. I am afraid, however, the Secularist of that time could and would have told us a different tale. Of these bound orders too, while the general term, as I say, does not now exist surnominally, all the more particular titles which it embraced do. As we catch the cadence of their names a shadow falls athwart our memories, and in its wake a crowd of dim and unsubstantial figures pass before us. Once more we behold the fiery 'Abbot ' (Juliana Abbot, A., Ralph le Abbe, C.), and the portly 'Prior' or 'Pryor' (Roger le Priour, B., William le Priur, E.). We see afresh the 'Friar,' or 'Freere,' or 'Frere' (Syward le Frere, A., Geoffrey le Frere, A.), so 'pleasant of absolution' and 'easy of penance.' Again our eye falls mistily upon the 'Canon,' or 'Cannon ' (William le Cannon, A., Thomas le Canun, E.), with his well-trimmed beard and capped brow, and the 'Moyne' (now 'Munn') or 'Monk' (Beatrix le Munk, A., Thomas le Mun, A., Ivo le Moyne, A.), all closely shaved and cloaked, and cowled, that knew his way to the cellar better than to the chapel, who loved the songmore than the chaunt.1And now in quick succession flit by us a train of personages all beshrouded in garbs of multitudinous and quaint aspect, in cloaks and hoods, and tippets and girdles, and white and dark apparel. There is the wimpled, grey-eyed 'Nunn ' (Alice la

1 John Closterer.' (Three Histories of Durham. Surt. Soc.) This would be a general term for one who dwelt in a monastic institution. Shakespeare uses the feminine ' cloistress.'Of a similar character would be ' Nicholas Brotherhood'(Nicholls' Leicester, 1633), 'John Brother-hood ' (W. 20), or 'William Felliship'(W. II).