Notes & Queries Archive
NOTE1850

"Passilodion" and "Berafrynde."

By H. G. T.

Have these terms, which play so memorable a part in the "Tale of King Edward and the Shepherd" (Hartshorne's *Ancient Metrical Tales*) been explained? The shepherd's instructions (pp. 48, 49.) seem more zealous than luminous; but it has occurred to me that *perhaps* "passelodion," "passilodyon," or "passilodion" may have some reference to the ancient custom of drinking from a *peg*-tankard, since πάσσαλος means a *peg*, and πάσσαλῳδία would be a legitimate pedantic rendering of *peg-song*, or *peg-stave*, and *might* be used to denote an exclamation on having *reached the peg*.

Topics: Ancient Metrical Tales, Historical Customs, Language Etymology