The Russellville Democrat., 1881-02-17

III tnlS Iannlly there were three Johns for the farmer was also of that name. A parish register of 1859 mentions that John and John Picke" were baptised. A few days after, it was recorded that
 the same John and Johnn were buried There was one instance in that century of q certain John Barker who had three sons all named John, and two daughters both named Margaret. This strange cus- GUS prevailed in the highest ranks. for we see that the Lord Protector Somerset had three sons named Edward all of whom were living at the same time.
 A custom arose of appending to very common name certian syllables, such as kin, cock, in, on, ot, et sometimes from fondness, as we do at the present day to chlldren's names, and sometimes only to distinguish individuals. Thus, if there were two in one house or circle, one of them would be called Evot. Thus the name Hancock was formed by appending cock to the Dutch Hans, or John. The literal meaning, therefore, of the name Hancock is Johnny. Another common way of designating individuals was to shorten or nick their names. Thus, Nab, Mabel and Mabbott were different forms of the same name; Gillian became Jill; Margaret became Margot, Mag and Madge.
 Before the reign of Elizabeth, English names were few, simple, short and famil- far If person had new name of some length it was very sure to be shortened or nicked. In ordinary life few names were heard but Tom, Dick, Harry, Hal, Jack, Rob, Hob, Dob, PhiI, Nancy, and similar abbreviations. But in the year l560 an event occurred which in few years changed half the names in Eng land. The Bible was published in the English language, and one copy of the same, If no more, was soon to be found in each parish, perhaps chained to desk in the church. Before that time, the Eng fish Bible was forbidden book, and if a family had copy, it was kept most care fully hidden, and never read except with great precautions. The Bible was some times fastened under the lid of a stool and if danger threatened, the book was conceased by closing the lid Sometimes the edious detective, when he entered, would be invited to take seat on that very stool.
 If you wish to make book universal ly desired, you have only to put the ban of the law upon it. In 1858, Elizabeth became Queen of England, and soon after this passionately loved and long for bidden book was spread all over the kingdom. People read it as it had never been read before, and has never been 1 read since. Peasants in remote parishes may be said in the most literal sense to have searched the Scriptures; they ran sacked them from Genesis to Revelations, and particularly the chapters containing l little more than lists of names. People in general regarded every word and syl- lable even of the English translation as the veritable language of Jehovah. They soon began to name their children from | it. The old English names rapidly went out of fashion, and Bible names succeed ed them. Although the new fashion lasted little more than two generations some of the old names never returned Hamlet, for example, was common in Shakespeare's day. Amice, Avis, Colet Sibyl, Dinah, and many others, are now scarcely known. Even Barbara, with its l nickname of Bab, Don othy and Dolly Olive and Olivia, Cecilia and Cicely, are no longer the favorites they once were.
 Some of the old forgotten names were no great loss. We read in an ancient parish register of certain Original Bellamy," who had son named Origin al, and his son was also named Original. Original of the same century. There was John Babington in 1850 who gave his son and heir the name of Original.
 Many parents, it appears, have given their children something ridiculous in the way of a name. Mr. Bardsly copies from the London directory the following, all of which must have been given with deliberate intent to fasten a joke upon the unfortunate children: Cannon Ball, Dunn Brown, Friend Bottle, River Jor- dan, Jolly Death, and Sudden Death. A MT. Sudden Death appeared as wit ness in London trial about two years ago. In this country we have had odd names like the following: America Spar row and America C. Tabb. A certain Robert New christened his two sons Nothing and Something. We have had also Christmas Carol, Pepper Mixer, Op- portunity Hopper, China Ware Lemon Peel, Salt Coda, and Always Gentle. Fin ally, the London Times of December ', 1878, announced the death of highly respectable gentleman, "Mr. Emperor Adrian"