"I have the honor to be, With perfect respect, Your Excellency's Most Obedient Servant, GO. WASHINGTON.
"P.S.--I am honor'd with your Excellency's letter of the 24th June.
ON A PASSAGE IN THE "DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF ENGLAND."--SURNAMES.
In this work, to the justly high character of which I need scarcely refer, the "General Remarks" relating to the periods under consideration are full of information of the most interesting kind, as they often contain illustrations of manners and customs not to be met with elsewhere.
In a portion of the "Remarks" illustrative of the thirteenth century, showing the difficulty and insecurity of travelling at that time (pp. 120-122.), there is, however, an incorrect rendering of an extract from an original document; and this error seriously affects the "illustration" afforded by it. As I am in some degree personally involved in the matter, having supplied the material in its original shape, I may perhaps be permitted fully to explain and correct the passage. My only regret is, that I had not the opportunity of calling my friend's attention to the subject before the sheets were finally struck off. The extract is from an Account of the Chamberlain of Chester, 29-30 Edw. I., showing how the sum of 1000l. was transmitted from Chester to London. After referring to the convoy for the treasure:
"It was not sufficient, however," says the late Mr. Turner, "that the money should be protected; in the absence of hostels, except in towns, it was necessary to secure the guards from hunger. _Therefore they were accompanied by two cooks_, who provided 'a safe lodging' daily for the money; and, as a matter of course, _provided for the culinary necessities of its conductors_."
It will be seen that upon the word rendered "cooks" depends the whole value of this passage, { 279} as evidence of the road-side necessities of the period. That word, however, does not bear such a construction; although, at first sight, nothing would be more natural than to render it so. It is written in the original "cok'," contracted; and to those conversant with mediæval Latin, it is known to express "cokinus--coquinus," _Gallicè_ "coquin:" a word derived from "coquus," and _not_ that word itself. It occurs commonly enough in the Royal Wardrobe Accounts, and means simply "a messenger."[1] For those who have not the opportunity of referring to original documents, there is a very good account of the persons so designated supplied by the _Liber quotidianus Contrarotulatoris Garderobæ, anno 28 Edw. I._, edited by John Topham, Esq., in 1787, from the original in the library of the Society of Antiquaries. It is referred to in the note to the Post Office Report as containing the words Cokinus, Nuncius, and Garcio, used apparently in one sense. At p. 280. is an account of payments under the heading "Titulus de expens' nuncior' et cok' Regis Edwardi," &c., and in the glossary this explanation of the word is given: