Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-07
DERIVATION CT FAMILIAR WORDS,
How the Words Z a'.Let. Caterpillar, PEN
ny, and Sterling: N.rc Coined

ny, and Sterling We're Coined.
Yorick " writes to the New Ior
Sun, as follows:
Some words of our language i
common use puzzle us when We seel
their derivation, and the pages Q
neither Webster nor Worcester, SO f.
as can discover, afford US any help.
The derivation is curious OF the
common word blanket. When Ed
ward III asccaded the throne o
England he Immediately declared wal
against France, and shortly after pre-
pared to invade lel territory. But tht
sinews OF war were U'2'.,.ng and SO the
monarch appealed 70 l.i, ioving sub
jects.
English money bags, however
were not SO plethora rs ,heT- have be.
come since, and little coin, compare
lively, was in circulation. The people
loved their young and valiant king,
and the war was popular one.
" The English raised large quaint
ties OF wool, which they sent to Elan
ders for manufacture. It was deter
mined to devote the wool crop Of that
year toward defraying the exnenses Of
the expedition. After the more val.
liable portion had been used there was
a quantity quite unfit for the Flemish
looms. This was bought up by one
Sir Thomas Blanguctte, who had Il
woven into o coarse brt warm material.
and patriotically presented il to the
KING IS a contribution to the comfort
OF the soldiers and as covering for the
horses OF the mobiles and knights.
"This material was named Blan-
qnette, or Banquet, from the name
OF the donor, and We now spell it
blanket.
Caterpillar.-Many New Workers are
perhaps Ignorant whence the pest, which
was combated by that other pest the Eng
lish sparrow, derived Its name About
the time Of the soi-disant virgin Queen
a kind of cake, composed Of flour,
honey, and spice, was in high favor;
they were called 50 cates." In "The
Tanning Of the Shrew % Petruchio puns
upon the name of his prospective
bride:
My super-dainty Kate,
For dainties all are Hates, &c.
"The purveyor of this dainty was
called, from the name of the confec-
ton, IS cater" or more recently in O
wider Specification, :" caterer"
The insect in question was a de-
structive raider on the wheat which fur
nished the -four to the cater, and
hence it was called cater-pillager.
1t does not require much ingenuity to
see how -pillager" became
" caterpillar.
" Perhaps some of the good people of
Wall Street would like to know the
origin Of the words penny and sterling.
1t appears that there lived at one
time in Germany brace of beggars,
pretended cripples. Both these adven-
turous beggars are said to have once
formed part of the Council at Dant-
zig, but to have subsequently lost
property and been subjected to the
severest privations
" The Oldest of these lame gentle
men, known by the name of Thomas
Penny, was exceedingly disikcd BIZ
the pe9pic, ana Oh one occasion in .
grand row &c w--s E.eral;v .hrorr OFT
Of the @.'.aow into ahe Si'., =
lo bucaElt = ver:tab!e Grip; <. 80
currently reported OF him il Uanizi:
hat he had there displayed an i'm
nense amount of copper coin, but SO
)adly executed in the mint as to have
given rise 10 the nickname OF Penny's
an appellation which we are
ware has been retained to the present
Law.
ITO this we may add the origin of
he term sterling to complete the
primitive descent of pounds as well as
# pence. In the timc CT Richard I
money coined in the eastern parts of |
Germany came mo special request in
England on account Of its purity, and |
was called Easterling money, rs ell |
he inhabitants of those parts were
,alled Easterlings.
" King Edward Established certain
tandard for he silver coin o: England, |
,ut no gel: vas co.acI until the reign
# Edward II, Tra. n tie year 1929, I
a',sed sevcf4. i.cccs to be coined
alleG l'iore2.ta because they were
oinel ~ iorentines. From the name
i tie purcr coinage, called fostering
money, came the term sterling, as ex-
,ressive q standard purity
II the reign of Eariea Il certain
raders brought quantity CT cod
rom the coast OF Guinea The hing
aused it to be ocired into pieces
.hich we've called Guireas. from
he country whence the gold was
rought."