NAMES OF ROYAL AND NOBLE FAMILIES. 77

The head of the Jacobite Church, who claims the title of the Patriarch of Antioch, is always called Ignatius (from the Latin), signifying to kindle or inflame. It was a name worthy to be remembered as that of the first Bishop of Antioch, once called the 'City of God,' where the followers of Christ were first called by His name. St. Ignatius, martyred in the emperor Trajan's reign, torn to pieces by lions in the amphitheatre of Rome, is said to have been the blessed child taken to the Saviour's arms when He spoke the words,' Of such is the kingdom of heaven.'

The Maronite dwellers in Mount Lebanon, who from the twelfth century have been distinguished from the rest of the Eastern Church by their professed allegiance to the Church of Rome, always give to their spiritual head the name of Peter.

The beautiful names of Victor Amadeus and Victor Emmanuel are hereditary in the royal house of Savoy; Victor signifying in Latin a Conqueror, Amadeus (Latin), a Lover of God, and Emmanuel (Hebrew) signifying God with us.'

Lords of Lusignan have chosen the name of Geoffrey, said to have been of Teutonic origin, signifying Joyful.'

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Simon, in Hebrew signifying Obedient, has been attached to the house of De Montfort; and Anne, a woman's Hebrew name, signifying Gracious, to the house of De Montmorenci, Premier

Baron of Christendom. The name was first introduced into the family by Anne of Bretagne, who gave it to her godson. Henry, derived from the Scandinavian Eoric or Eric, signifying a Great Lord, is so identified with the German Princes of Reuss, that the Saxe-Gotha Almanack of 1862 chronicles Prince Henry the Seventy-fourth.

In a curious old French book (1681) on the origin of names, by Messire Gilles André de la Roque, we may see how Guy, Baron de Laval, fourteenth of the name, obtained from Pope Pascal II. permission for all his heirs in perpetuity to bear the Christian name of Guy. It was to preserve the memory of services rendered to the Church by the Baron and his brother, while serving in the Holy Land under Godfrey de Bouillon. This privilege was confirmed by letters from Philip I. of France. a succeeding baron, the lordship of Laval was made inseparable from the name of Guy. None could succeed to the honours of the house who was not of that name; in the event of an heiress, whoever she married was bound to assume it.

By the will of

This beautiful name has been by some writers simply translated from the French Gui, Mistletoe; others have derived it from the dwarf Guion of Celtic mythology, connecting him with the sacred plant of the Druids. But such stringent directions for the preservation of the name, as perpetuating the recollection of some military service, would seem to show that the lords of

Laval, time-honoured owners of the name, did themselves derive it from guyer, guier, guidon (old French), signifying to guide, to direct, whence our word guide, identical with the French, though differently pronounced. Chaucer uses the word 'gie' in the same sense, to conduct, and almost the same idea is expressed in the Icelandic 'gae,' to take heed, a necessary qualification in a guide.

In connection with this derivation is preserved the beautiful signification of a standard-bearer, one who goes before, carrying the guidon or broad pendant. The proper name is in fact frequently so spelt, Guidon' in old French books.

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We may be sure that the first Guy de Laval won his beautiful name by some gallant deed as a guide, or a standard-bearer, or as both. If Messire de la Roque, living nearer those times, had but sought out its origin, and not told us only of its preservation!

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CHAPTER IV.

One individual name originally sufficient - Family names adopted Principles of Roman nomenclature - The four Roman names Nomenclators, &c.

would be impossible in a history of names strictly to divide the subjects of individual and family names. The one or the other may be the principal theme, but one cannot pass either entirely by. The most superficial glance will at once show how closely they are interwoven with each other, being, indeed, convertible, the individual names of one generation becoming the family names of another. William is said to form the basis of no less than twentynine surnames in England.*

In the early history of the world one name was sufficient to distinguish individuals, but, as these multiplied, it was not only becoming but necessary for family names to be added. By these second names were distinguished the various branches of the one original stock, while individuals were still marked out by distinctive and significative personal appellations.

It is singular to remark how at different times

* Lower on Surnames.

HONOURS ATTACHED TO INDIVIDUAL NAMES. 81

and under different circumstances honour and dishonour are attached to the same particular.

In the history of Rome we find her great men priding themselves on two, three, four, and sometimes six names, while slaves were forbidden to use more than one. In our own history we read that in the twelfth century a wealthy heiress objected to marry Robert, natural son of Henry I., on the plea that

It were to me a great shame

To have a lord withouten his twa name.

Yet two centuries before, in Domesday Book, that ancient register of the landed proprietors in England, we find that the comites or counts, the men of highest rank, were simply distinguished as Comes Hugo, Count Hugh-Comes Rogerus, Count Roger-thereby assimilating themselves to royalty: in all lands the special distinction being conceded to sovereigns and their immediate families of using their individual names only, from their exalted rank no surname being required to distinguish them.

Christians in the house of God are carried back as it were to the infant days of history. Surnames are not acknowledged there. When, as individuals, we stand before the Lord and Maker of all, the conventionalities of the world are lost sight of, and we are known only by our individual

names.

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