kes
it probable that the mother of John the Baptist, who was _of the
daughters of Aaron_ (Luke, i. 5.), was known amongst her own people by
the recognized and _family_ name of _Elisheba_, as _Anna_ no doubt would
be _Hannah_ ([Hebrew: hanah]), and _Mary, Miriam_ ([Greek: Mariam],
Luke, i. 27.). And this is confirmed by the Syriac version, the
vernacular, or nearly so, of Our Blessed Lord and His disciples, which
has [Syriac: elisheba].

Genesius, in his _Lexicon_, explains Elisheba to mean "cui Deus est
sacramentum," "quae jurat per Deum, i.e. Dei cultrix: cf. Is. xix. 18." I
should rather take it to be a name expressive of trust in God's promises
or oath, such as _Elijah_, "the LORD is my God;" _Isaiah_, "the LORD is
my salvation;" _Ezekiel_, "God strengtheneth." Schleusner (_Lex. N.T._)
says that others derived it from [Hebrew: saba], _saturavit_; "sic in
Alberti _Gloss. N.T._, p. 87. explicatur, [Greek: Theou mou
plaesmonae]." Wolfius, in his note on Luke, i. 5., refers to Witsii
_Miscellanea_, tom. ii. p. 478., to which I must refer your
correspondent "A.C.," as I have not the book by me.

Camden must, of course, have derived the name {489} from [Hebrew:
shabath], _to rest_; but I think we must rather defer to the authority
of the LXX. And though [Hebrew: el ishaboth] may give us _Elisabeth_, we
shall not be able to deduce _Isabel_ from [Hebrew: ishboth el] quite so
easily.

B.

L ---- Rectory, S ----, May 4. 1850.

_Trunck Breeches_ (No. 24. p. 384.), more commonly called "trunk-hose,"
were short wide breeches reaching a little above, or sometimes below the
knees, stuffed with hair, and striped. (See _The Oxford Manual for
Brasses_, p. cvi.; and Planche's _British Costume_, pp. 334-339. new
ed.) Two years ago, I saw in the Strand an old man with a _queue_; a
sight which I made a note of as soon as I got home, influenced by the
same motive that, no doubt, led Smith in 1640 to append to the death of
"old Mr. Grice" the remark, "who wore truncke breeches," namely, the
antique singularity of the habiliment.

ARUN.

_Mercenary Preacher_ (No. 24. p. 384.).--I think mercenary here is used
in its primary signification, and in the sense in which we still apply
it to troops in the pay of a state foreign to their own; to designate
one who, having no settled cure, was at liberty to be "hired" by those
who had occasion for his services.

ARUN.

_Abdication of James the Second_ (No. 3. p. 40.).--"J.E." would p