Chapter HOSBOLHOOKUM to HUBSHEE of H by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

HOSBOLHOOKUM to HUBSHEE

HOSBOLHOOKUM, &c. Properly (Ar. used in Hind.) hasb-ul-hukm, literally ‘according to order’; these words forming the initial formula of a document issued by officers of State on royal authority, and thence applied as the title of such a document.

[1678.—“Had it bin another King, as Shajehawn, whose phirmaund (see FIRMAUN) and hasbullhookims were of such great force and binding.”—In Yule, Hedges’ Diary, Hak. Soc. ii. xlvi.]

“… the other given in the 10th year of Oranzeeb, for the English to pay 2 per cent. at Surat, which the Mogul interpreted by his order, and Husbull Hookum (id est, a word of command by word of mouth) to his Devan in Bengall, that the English were to pay 2 per cent. custom at Surat, and in all other his dominions to be custom free.”—Ft. St. Geo. Consns., 17th Dec., in Notes and Exts., Pt. I. pp. 97–98.

1702.—“The Nabob told me that the great God knows that he had ever a hearty respect for the English … saying, here is the Hosbulhocum, which the king has sent me to seize Factories and all their effects.”—In Wheeler, i. 387.

1727.—“The Phirmaund is presented (by the Goosberdaar (Goorzburdar), or Hosbalhouckain, or, in English, the King’s Messenger) and the Governor of the Province or City makes a short speech.”—A. Hamilton, i. 230; [ed. 1744, i. 233].

1757.—“This Treaty was conceived in the following Terms. I. Whatever Rights and Privileges the King had granted the English Company, in their Phirmaund, and the Hushulhoorums (sic), sent from Delly, shall not be disputed.”—Mem. of the Revolution in Bengal, pp. 21–22.

1759.—“Housbul- hookum (under the great seal of the Nabob Vizier, Ulmah Maleck, Nizam al Mulack Bahadour. Be peace unto the high and renowned Mr. John Spencer …” —In Cambridge’s Acct. of the War, &c., 229.

1761.—“A grant signed by the Mogul is called a Phirmaund (farman). By the Mogul’s Son, a Nushawn (nishan). By the Nabob a Perwanna (parwana). By the Vizier, a Housebul-hookum.”—Ibid. 226.

1769.—“Besides it is obvious, that as great a sum might have been drawn from that Company without affecting property … or running into his golden dream of cockets on the Ganges, or visions of Stamp duties, Perwannas, Dusticks, Kistbundees and Husbulhookums.”—Burke, Obsns. on a late Publication called “The Present State of the Nation.”

HOT-WINDS, s. This may almost be termed the name of one of the seasons of the year in Upper India, when the hot dry westerly winds prevail, and such aids to coolness as the tatty and thermantidote (q.v.) are brought into use. May is the typical month of such winds.

1804.—“Holkar appears to me to wish to avoid the contest at present; and so does Gen. Lake, possibly from a desire to give his troops some repose, and not to expose the Europeans to the hot winds in Hindustan.” —Wellington, iii. 180.

1873.—“It’s no use thinking of lunch in this roaring hot wind that’s getting up, so we shall be all light and fresh for another shy at the pigs this afternoon.”—The True Reformer, i. p. 8.

HOWDAH, vulg. HOWDER, &c., s. Hind. modified from Ar. haudaj. A great chair or framed seat carried by an elephant. The original Arabic word haudaj is applied to litters carried by camels.

c. 1663.—“At other times he rideth on an Elephant in a Mik-dember or Hauze … the Mik-dember being a little square House or Turret of Wood, is always painted and gilded; and the Hauze, which is an Oval seat, having a Canopy with Pillars over it, is so likewise.”—Bernier, E.T. 119; [ed. Constable, 370].

c. 1785.—“Colonel Smith … reviewed his troops from the houdar of his elephant.” —Carraccioli’s L. of Clive, iii. 133.

A popular rhyme which was applied in India successively to Warren Hastings’ escape from Benares in 1781, and to Col. Monson’s retreat from Malwa in 1804, and which was perhaps much older than either, runs:

“Ghore par hauda, hathi par jin
Jaldi bhag-gaya {Warren Hastin! Kornail Munsin!”

Which may be rendered with some anachronism in expression:

“Horses with howdahs, and elephants saddled
Off helter skelter the Sahibs skedaddled.”

[1805.—“Houza, howda.” See under AMBAREE.]

1831.—

“And when they talked of Elephants,
And riding in my Howder,
(So it was called by all my aunts)
I prouder