Chapter MAHRATTA DITCH to MAISTRY of M by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

MAISTRY, MISTRY, sometimes even MYSTERY, s. Hind. mistri. This word, a corruption of the Portuguese mestre, has spread into the vernaculars all over India, and is in constant Anglo-Indian use. Properly ‘a foreman,’ ‘a master-workman’; but used also, at least in Upper India, for any artizan, as raj-mistri (properly Pers. raz), ‘a mason or bricklayer,’ lohar-mistri, ‘a blacksmith,’ &c. The proper use of the word, as noted above, corresponds precisely to the definition of the Portuguese word, as applied to artizans in Bluteau: “Artifice que sabe bem o seu officio. Peritus artifex…Opifex, alienorum operum inspector.” In W. and S. India maistry, as used in the household, generally means the cook, or the tailor. (See CALEEFA.)

Mastèr ([Greek Text] MacTepb) is also the Russian term for a skilled workman, and has given rise to several derived adjectives. There is too a similar word in modern Greek, [Greek Text] magistwr.

1404.—“And in these (chambers) there were works of gold and azure and of many other colours, made in the most marvellous way; insomuch that even in Paris whence come the subtle maestros, it would be reckoned beautiful to see.”—Clavijo, § cv. (Comp. Markham, p. 125).

1524.—“And the Viceroy (D. Vasco da Gama) sent to seize in the river of the Culymutys four newly-built caturs, and fetched them to Cochin. These were built very light for fast rowing, and were greatly admired. But he ordered them to be burned, saying that he intended to show the Moors that we knew how to build better caturs than they did; and he sent for Mestre Vyne the Genoese, whom he had brought to build galleys, and asked him if he could build boats that would row faster than the Malabar paraos (see PROW). He answered: ‘Sir, I’ll build you brigantines fast enough to catch a mosquito. …’”—Correa, ii. 830.

[1548.—“He ordered to be collected in the smithies of the dockyard as many smiths as could be had, for he had many misteres.”—Ibid. iv. 663.]

1554.—“To the mestrè of the smith’s shop (ferraria) 30,000 reis of salary and 600 reis for maintenance” (see BATTA).—S. Botelho, Tombo, 65.

1800.—“…I have not yet been able to remedy the mischief done in my absence, as we have the advantage here of the assistance of some Madras dubashes and maistries” (ironical).—Wellington, i. 67.

1883.—“…My mind goes back to my ancient Goanese cook. He was only a maistry, or more vulgarly a bobberjee (see BOBACHEE), yet his sonorous name recalled the conquest of Mexico, or the doubling of the Cape.”—Tribes on My Frontier, 35.

[1900.—“Mystery very sick, Mem Sahib, very sick all the night.”—Temple Bar, April.]

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