Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 10.djvu/351

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B.X. Nov. 1,1902.]


NOTES AND QUERIES.


343


the ' Monasticon ' all the cited grants are similarly defined. Yet it is well shown by Mr. John Gunn in ' Norfolk Archaeology,' vol. viii. (1879), that Norwich Cathedral has been known as Christ Church. He quotes Kemble's ' Diplomaticus ' for early Saxon mention of "Cristes Kirk in Nordwick," and to show that the name was transferred to the Norman church he refers to existing maps of Norwich, of dates 1541 and 1575, in which the cathedral is called Christ Church.

Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, affords another example of the interchange. Arch- dall in ' Monasticon Hibernicum ' (1786) has "Priory of the Holy Trinity, commonly called Christ Church," and the English 'Monasticon' has "Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, otherwise Christ Church, Dublin." The terms "commonly" and "otherwise" seem significant of the lapse from one name to the other, for I have not found when or how the cathedral became Christ Church. The change, like many others, may date from Henry VIII. 's reign, ancient evidence point- ing to dedication to the Holy Trinity only and to foundation by Sitric, a Danish king or prince of Dublin, in 1038. Even in 1660 the same name appears to have been retained, if the seal represented on the cover of the Eev. Edward Seymour's book (1869) be on good authority. The surrounding legend reads: "Sigill. Capituli Eccl. S. Trinitatis Dublin 1660."

Some cathedrals are dedicated to the Holy Trinity and others to Christ, but not conjointly. Of the first name are Winchester, Chichester, Gloucester, Bristol, and Carlisle. The Christ Churches are Oxford, Worcester, Durham, and Chester. These generally have an additional dedication.

Old parish churches bearing the dual name generally represent former monasteries. Of these in addition to Christ Church, Hamp- shire may be cited " Holy Trinity or Christ Church within Aldgate " (Tanner), and the now demolished church of the Priory of the Holy Trinity at Ipswich, the seal of which (see Wodderspoon's 'Ipswich') is inscribed " Gipewicensis Sigill. Commune See. XP1." The Tudor mansion now on or near the site is called Christ Church.

And now as regards "St. Saviour's." The easy transition or interchange between '; Christ Church" and "Church of the Holy Saviour," as at Canterbury, has been noted ; in that case the names seem to have the nature of synonyms. But I would ask for a ^satisfactory explanation of the name ' St. Saviour's " as applied to many English churches, chiefly modern, though of long


standing as regards St. Saviour's, South- wark. How should "St." be read? It is read and spoken as "Saint," but is not that word misplaced 1 The meaning, surely, is Holy Saviour's, yet " St." is not the received abbreviation of "Sanctus," neither can the name be read as half Latin, half English. There is a St. Saviour in the Calendar (and curiously enough a St. Savior, reverenced by saddlers, has very recently been referred to in ' N. & Q.,' ante, p. 249), but I do not think he has place in modern hagiographies, or that any English church is dedicated to him. With the Spanish " San Salvador," applied first to a South American island and afterwards to a state and its capital, we are familiar, and perhaps the name has misled us to associate with it a Saint Saviour. But reflecting we remember that in Spanish (and other Latin - derived languages) the words " holy "and "saint" are identical. "Santo," usually contracted to " San," stands for both adjective and noun, and surely Columbus on discovering the fifst portion of - the New World would name it in honour of the Holy Saviour rather than in commemoration of a minor saint. Later - discovered islands re- ceived the names of saints, e.g., Santo Domingo or San Domingo.

I shall be glad if defence be made of the name " St. Saviour's," which at present appears to me incongruous. The single "S." now favoured is perhaps an improvement, as standing for "Sanctus," yet, as being Latin, it is not in unison with the English word "Saviour." W. L. RUTTON.

[SiK HENRY ELLIS inquired at 1 st S. ii. 478 what church was meant by St. Saviour's, Canterbury, referred to in a charter of Canute's of 1018 as the mother church of England. MR. JOHN BRUCE at 1 st S. iii. 12 identified it with the cathedral ; but at p. 90 of the sanie volume DR. J. RAWSON suggested that St. Martin's, Canterbury, was intended. For references to St. Saviour's, Southwark, see 1 st S. iii. 169 ; vi. 127 ; 2 a S. vi. 432, 506 : 7 th S. ix. 447 ; x. 54, 174, 307, 413 ; 8 th S. i. 490 ; ii. 33, 64, 158, 211.]


SHAKESPEARE IN THE SONNETS. PROP. DOWDEN, in summing up his study of the sonnets, says : " But both series allude to events which connect the two persons with one another and with Shakspere." The great difficulty in the acceptance of all the solutions and interpretations now before the public is the improbability of the supposed relationship between the three persons concerned. Would Shakespeare, even in "sugred sonnets," dare urge a young peer to marry against his will, solely for the purpose of procreation, because his son