What better activity to do on the 5th of November than sit around the bonfire and browse two 18th century dictionaries? Oh. Regardless, that is what this post is about, two historic dictionaries that happen to mention Harwich, so let’s jump right in.
An Universal Etymological English Dictionary (1726)
By no means the first dictionary to be produced, and the version we will be looking at is the third edition of this particular one, but certainly one of great historic merit. This actually defines Harwich, albeit briefly: it gives the derivation of the name, before simply saying Harwich is “a Haven in Essex”. Dovercourt escapes definition, as does Ramsey (just has the Hunts one) – and I did quickly check for Parkeston, in case of temporal distortion.
Relating to the time of year, there is an entry under Gun for “Gun-Powder-Treason-Day“, defined as “a Festival Day kept the 5th of November, for the happy Deliverance of King James I, and the Estates of the Realm, by the Discovery of the Gun-Powder-Plot.” No mention of ‘bonfire’ specifically, though.
While there is no entry for “Fire-work”, there are terms that mention it within them, so Fire-Workers were “Officers subordinate to the Fire Masters“, of whom one was an “Officer who directs all the Compositions of Fire-works”, while the definition for Fire-Drake calls it “a fiery Meteor: Also an artificial Fire-work.”
Remembrance Sunday was two centuries in the making, but Armistice is defined as “a Cessation from Arms for a time; a short time.” Interestingly, this shows how dictionary authors cribbed from one another – sometimes incorrectly – as other definitions of armistice from the period have the last word as “truce” rather than “time”, which makes more sense.
In world events, Palestine is defined as “one of the three Divisions of Syria, the Holy Land”, and while Israel did not take its modern form until 1948, the traditional definition of “a Name given to the Patriarch Jacob” is present. This was a time when the letters I & J were taken as the same, as were U & V; we have to go to “VK” to see that Ukraine was not mentioned. Not even Russia makes the cut.
To more general matters. In a sporting context, the likes of football, rugby, and tennis are absent, but Cricket gets in as “a sort of Play with Bats and a Ball”, and Billiards makes the cut, simply as “a Game”, with a Game described as “a Play, Sport, or Divertisement.”
As a companion to a previous post on here, A Bowge of a Court was “an Allowance of Diet from the King, or superior Lords, to their Knights, Esquires, &c. who attend them in an Expedition.” Another term which comes up, typically in parish registers, is C(h)risom, “an Unction which was used in Christening Children”, with a Chrisom child being one who died unbaptised.
A word which died out, but could still apply to Harwich, was Wervagium: “Money paid at a Wharf for lading or unalding Goods.” As it points out, Wharfage took over as the term for that. The dictionary also attempts to figure out the etymology of Wherry, saying it was “probably so called of, to hurry, from its Swiftness; or of vehere, L[atin] to carry”.
There are also old traditions and beliefs hidden within the definitions, such as one for Tarantula, “whose Bite is of such a Nature, that it is to be cured only by Musick.” If one bit you, incidentally, you were then considered part of the Tarantati.
A Political Dictionary (1796)
From the other end of the century, by Charles Pigott, this was more of a satirical commentary than a dictionary, but is fascinating as some of the definitions would, in modern parlance, have been considered as fairly woke (though it must be said, some others are entirely in keeping with the era, being particularly and deliberately offensive).
Harwich is not mentioned directly, but used in a definition, that of Permit: “A small piece of paper, for which at Harwich, you pay 13s. 4d. to be divided between the twenty-four electors of that paltry borough, for the liberty of passing and re-passing from thence to Helvoetsluys.”
While a heavy topic, the definition of Suicide given in this dictionary is really rather profound, and worth reading in full; the empathy towards the poor, and those consigned to slavery, is of a level that you would not typically associate with the era. “The character of a nation is certainly influenced and determined entirely according to the administration of the government.”
There is a quote from Arthur Young‘s then-recently published “The Example of France, a Warning to Britain” in order to define Corruption: “The oil which makes the wheels of Government go well.” Pigott’s feelings regarding the government and the monarchy are consistent in this manner; in the latter’s case, the first sentence for Monarch is “A word which in a few years is likely to be obsolete.”
I shall end this post with two entries that may require more than a little self-reflection…
History. Formerly a true and just record of past transactions; which if executed now in the same manner, would be termed a libel, and call down the vengeance of the Attorney-General.
Historiographer. Historian, paid to conceal THE TRUTH. It seems the ancient despots had neglected this precaution, to save their memory from the judgment of posterity. It is not requisite to unite the qualities of TACITUS to be a modern historiographer, but those of Dr. Johnson, Arthur Young, &c. &c.
A Political Dictionary (1796), Charles Pigott Esq, P71
Harwicensis 