Curiosities of Puritan NomenclatureBardsley, Charles Wareing Endell
History
Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature
Bardsley, Charles Wareing Endell
Names, Personal -- English
The margin says, "a desolate stranger." At this time Moses was fled from
Pharaoh, who would kill him. The parallel to Richard Hilles's mind was
complete. This was in 1643.[12]
In Mr. Tennyson's drama "Mary," we have the following scene between
Gardiner and a yokel:
"_Gardiner._ I distrust thee,
There is a half voice, and a lean assent:
What is thy name?
_Man._ Sanders!
_Gardiner._ What else?
_Man._ Zerrubabel."
The Laureate was right to select for this rebellious Protestant a name
that was to be popular throughout Elizabeth's reign; but poetic license
runs rather far in giving this title to a _full-grown man_ in any year of
Mary's rule. Sanders might have had a young child at home so styled, but
for himself it was practically impossible. So clearly defined is the
epoch that saw, if not one batch of names go out, at least a new batch
come in. Equally marked are the names from the Bible which at this date
were in use, and those which were not. Of this latter category Zerrubabel
was one.
In the single quotation from Hilles's letter of 1543 we see the origin of
the great Hebrew invasion explained. The English Bible had become a fact,
and the knowledge of its personages and narratives was becoming _directly_
acquired. In every community up and down the country it was as if a fresh
spring of clear water had been found, and every neighbour could come with
jug or pail, and fill it when and how they would. One of the first
impressions made seems to have been this: children in the olden time
received as a name a term that was immediately significant of the
circumstances of their birth. Often God personally, through His prophets
or angelic messenger, acted as godparent indeed, and gave the name, as in
Isaiah viii. 1, 3, 4:
"Moreover the Lord said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in
it with a man's pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
"And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son.
Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
"For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my
mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken
away before the king of Assyria."
Here was a name palpably significant. Even before they knew its exact
meaning the name was enrolled in English church registers, and by-and-by
zealot Puritans employed it as applicable to English Church politics.
All the patriarchs, down to the twelve sons of Jacob, had names of direct
significance given them. Above all, a peculiar emphasis was laid upon all
the titles of Jesus Christ, as in Isaiah vii. 14:
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his
name Immanuel."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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