Chapter IX: Book I: The escape from Troy; Æneas and his son, driven by a tempest (8)

_Bianca_, daughter of a noble family in "The Young Italian," one of the _Tales of a Traveller_, by Washington Irving. She is beloved passionately by the young Italian and betrothed to him. In his absence Filippo, the false friend of her lover, weds her. The betrayed friend on learning the truth kills Filippo, and is ever afterwards haunted by his dying face (1824).

_Bian'ca_, a courtesan, the "almost" wife of Cassio. Iago, speaking of the lieutenant, says:

And what was he?
Forsooth a great arithmetician.
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife.

Shakespeare, _Othello_, act i. sc. I (1611).

_Bian'ca_, wife of Fazio. When her husband wantons with the marchioness Aldabella, Bianca, out of jealousy, accuses him to the duke of Florence of being privy to the death of Bartol'do, an old miser. Fazio being condemned to death, Bianca repents of her rashness, and tries to save her husband, but not succeeding, goes mad and dies.--Dean Milman, _Fazio_ (1815).

BIBBET (_Master_), secretary to major-general Harrison, one of the parliamentary commissioners.--Sir W. Scott, _Woodstock_ (time, Commonwealth).

BIBBIE'NA (_Il_), cardinal Bernardo, who resided at Bibbiena, in Tuscany. He was the author of _Calandra_, a comedy (1470-1520).

"BIBLE" BUTLER, _alias_ Stephen Butler, grandfather of Reuben Butler, the presbyterian minister (married to Jeanie Deans).--Sir W. Scott, _Heart of Midlothian_ (time, George II.).

BIB'LIS, a woman who fell in love with her brother Caunus, and was changed into a fountain near Mile'tus.--Ovid, _Met_. ix. 662.

Not that [_fountain_] where Biblis dropt, too fondly light,
Her tears and self may dare compare with this.

Phin. Fletcher, _The Purple Island_, v. (1633).

BIB'ULUS, a colleague of Julius Cæsar, but a mere cipher in office; hence his name became a household word for a nonentity.

BIC'KERSTAFF (_Isaac_), a pseudonym of dean Swift, assumed in the paper-war with Partridge, the almanac-maker, and subsequently adopted by Steele in _The Tatler_, which was announced as edited by "Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq., astrologer."

BICKERTON (_Mrs._), landlady of the Seven Stars inn of York, where Jeanie Deans stops on her way to London, whither she is going to plead for her sister's pardon.--Sir W. Scott, _Heart of Midlothian_ (time, George II.).

BID'DENDEN MAIDS (_The_), two sisters named Mary and Elizabeth Chulkhurst, born at Biddenden in 1100. They were joined together by the shoulders and hips, and lived to the age of thirty-four. Some say that it was Mary and Elizabeth Chulkhurst who left twenty acres of land to the poor of Biddenden. This tenement called "Bread and Cheese Land," because the rent derived from it is distributed on Easter Sunday in doles of bread and cheese. Halstead says, in his _History of Kent_, that it was the gift of two maidens named Preston, and not of the Biddenden Maids.

BIDDY, servant to Wopsle's great-aunt, who kept an "educational institution." A good, honest girl who falls in love with Pip, is loved by Dolge Orlick, but marries Joe Grargery.--C. Dickens, _Great Expectations_ (1860).

BIDDY [BELLAIR] (_Miss_), "Miss in her teens," in love with captain Loveit. She was promised in marriage by her aunt and guardian to an elderly man whom she detested; and during the absence of captain Loveit in the Flanders war, she coquetted with Mr. Fribble and captain Flash. On the return of her "Strephon," she set Fribble and Flash together by the ears; and while they stood menacing each other, but afraid to fight, captain Loveit entered and sent them both to the right-about.--D. Garrick, _Miss in Her Teens_ (1753).

BIDÉFORD POSTMAN (_The_), Edward Capern, a poet, at one time a letter-carrier in Bidéford (3 _syl_).

BIDE-THE-BENT (_Mr. Peter_), minister of Wolf's Hope village.--Sir W. Scott, _Bride of Lammermoor_ (time, William III.).

BID'MORE (_Lord_), patron of the Rev Josiah Cargill, minister of St. Ronan's.

_The Hon. Augustus Bidmore_, son of lord Bidmore, and pupil of the Rev. Josiah Cargill.

_Miss Augusta Bidmore_, daughter of lord

Bidmore, beloved by the Rev. Josiah Cargill--Sir W. Scott, _St. Ronan's Well_ (time, George III.).

BIE'DERMAN (_Arnold_), _alias_ count Arnold of Geierstein [_Gi'.er.stine_], landamman of Unterwalden. Anne of Geierstein, his brother's daughter, is under his charge.

_Bertha Biederman_, Arnold's late wife.

_Ru'diger Biederman_, Arnold Biederman's son.

_Ernest Biederman_, brother of Rudiger.

_Sigismund Biederman_, nicknamed "The Simple," another brother.

_Ulrick Biedermen_, youngest of the four brothers.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).

BIG-EN'DIANS (_The_), a hypothetical religious party of Lilliput, who made it a matter of "faith" to break their eggs at the "big end." Those who broke them at the other end were considered heretics, and called _Little-endians_.--Dean Swift, _Gulliver's Travels_ (1726).

BIG'LOW (_Hosea_), the feigned author of _The Biglow Papers_ (1848), really written by Professor James Russell Lowell of Boston, Mass. (1819-1891).

BIG'OT (_De_), seneschal of prince John.--Sir W. Scott, _Ivanhoe_ (time, Richard I.).

_Big'ot_, in C. Lamb's _Essays_, is John Fenwick, editor of the _Albion_ newspaper.

BIL'DAI (2 _syl_.), a seraph and the tutelar guardian of Matthew the apostle, the son of wealthy parents and brought up in great luxury.--Klopstock, _The Messiah_, iii. (1748).

BILLINGS (_Josh_). A.W. Shaw so signs _His Book of Sayings_ (1866).

Ef a man hezn't a well-balanced mind I _du_ admire to see him part his hair in the middle.

Ef thar iz wun sayin' trewer than anuther it is that the devil iz allwaies ready fur kumpany.

_Josh Billings's Alminax_ (1870).

BILLINGSGATE (3 _syl_.). Beling was a friend of "Brennus" the Gaul, who owned a wharf called Beling's-gate. Geoffrey of Momnouth derives the word from Belin, a mythical king of the ancient Britons, who "built a gate there," B.C. 400 (1142).

BILLY BARLOW, a merry Andrew, so-called from a semi-idiot, who fancied himself "a great potentate." He was well known in the east of London, and died in Whitechapel workhouse. Some of his sayings were really witty, and some of his attitudes truly farcical.

BILLY BLACK, the conundrum-maker.--_The Hundred-pound Note_.

When Keeley was playing "Billy Black" at Chelmsford, he advanced to the lights at the close of the piece, and said, "I've one more, and this is a good un. Why is Chelmsford Theatre like a half-moon? D'ye give it up? Because it is never full."--_Records of a Stage Veteran_.

BIMATER ("_two-mother_"). Bacchus was so called because at the death of his mother during gestation, Jupiter put the foetus into his own thigh for the rest of the time, when the infant Bacchus was duly brought forth.

BIMBISTER (_Margery_), the old Ranzelman's spouse.--Sir W. Scott, _The Pirate_ (time, William III.).

BIND'LOOSE (_John_), sheriff's clerk and banker at Marchthorn.--Sir W. Scott, _St. Ronan's Well_ (time, George III.).

BINGEN (_Bishop of_), generally called bishop Hatto. The tale is that during a famine, he invited the poor to his barn on a certain day, under the plea of distributing corn to them; but when the barn was crowded he locked the door and set fire to the building; for which iniquity he was himself devoured by an army of mice or rats. His castle is the Mouse-tower on the Rhine.

They almost devour me with kisses,
Their arms about me entwine,
Till I think of the bishop of Bingen,
In his Mouse-tower on the Rhine.

Longfellow, _Birds of Passage_.

BINKS (_Sir Bingo_), a fox-hunting baronet, and visitor at the Spa.

_Lady Binks_, wife of sir Bingo, but before marriage Miss Rachael Bonnyrigg. Visitor at the Spa with her husband.--Sir W. Scott, _St. Ronan's Well_ (time, Greorge III.).

BI'ON, the rhetorician, noted for his acrimonious and sharp sayings.

Bioneis sermonibus et sale nigro.

Horace, _Epist_. ii. 2, 60.

BIONDEL'LO, one of the servants of Lucentio the future husband of Bianca (sister of "the shrew"). His fellow-servant is Tra'nio.--Shakespeare, _Taming of the Shrew_ (1594).

BIORN, the son of Heriulf, a Northman, who first touched the shores of the New World.

Across the unpathwayed seas,
Shot the brave prow that cut on Vinland sands
The first rune in the Saga of the West.

James Russell Lowell, _The Voyage to Vinland_.

BIRCH (_Harvey_), a prominent character in _The Spy_, a novel by J.F. Cooper.

BIRD (_My_). Fanny Forester (Emily Chubbuck Judson) thus addressed her baby daughter (1848).

There's not in Ind a lovelier bird:
Broad earth owns not a happier nest.
Oh, God! Thou hast a fountain stirred
Whose waters never more shall rest.

* * * * *
The pulse first caught its tiny stroke.
The blood its crimson hue from mine;
The life which I have dared invoke
Henceforth is parallel with THINE!

_Bird (The Little Green)_, of the frozen regions, which could reveal every secret and impart information of events past, present, or to come. Prince Chery went in search of it, so did his two cousins, Brightsun and Felix; last of all Fairstar, who succeeded in obtaining it, and liberating the princes who had failed in their attempts.--Comtesse D'Aunoy, _Fairy Tales_ ("Princess Chery," 1682).

This tale is a mere reproduction of "The Two Sisters," the last tale of the _Arabian Nights_, in which the bird is called "Bulbulhezar, the talking bird."

BIRD SINGING TO A MONK. The monk was Felix.--Longfellow, _Golden Legend_, ii.

BIRE'NO, the lover and subsequent husband of Olympia queen of Holland. He was taken prisoner by Cymosco king of Friza, but was released by Orlando. Bireno, having forsaken Olympia, was put to death by Oberto king of Ireland, who married the young widow.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_, iv. v. (1516).

_Bire'no_ (_Duke_), heir to the crown of Lombardy. It is the king's wish that he should marry Sophia, his only child, but the princess loves Pal'adore (3 _syl_.), a Briton. Bireno has a mistress named Alin'da, whom he induces to personate the princess, and in Paladore's presence she casts down a rope-ladder for the duke to climb up by. Bireno has Alinda murdered to prevent the deception being known, and accuses the princess of unchastity--a crime in Lombardy punished by death. As the princess is led to execution, Paladore challenges the duke, and kills him. The villainy is fully revealed, and the princess is married to the man of her choice, who had twice saved her life.--Robert Jephson, _The Law of Lombardy_ (1779).

BIRMINGHAM POET (_The_), John Freeth, the wit, poet, and publican, who wrote his own songs; set them to music, and sang them (1730-1808).

BIRON, a merry mad-cap young lord, in attendance on Ferdinand king of Navarre. Biron promises to spend three years with the king in study, during which time no woman is to approach his court; but no sooner has he signed the compact, than he falls in love with Rosaline. Rosaline defers his suit for twelve months and a day, saying, "If you my favor mean to get, for twelve months seek the weary beds of people sick."

A merrier man,
Within the limit of becoming mirth,
I never spent an hour's talk withal.
His eye begets occasion for his wit:
For every object that the one doth catch,
The other turns to a mirth-moving jest;
Which his fair tongue (conceit's expositor)
Delivers in such apt and gracious words,
That agéd ears play truant at his tales,
And younger hearings are quite ravished.

Shakespeare, _Love's Labor's Lost_, act ii. sc. 1 (1594).

_Biron_ (_Charles de Gontaut due de_), greatly beloved by Henri IV. of France. He won immortal laurels at the battles of Arques and Ivry, and at the sieges of Paris and Rouen. The king loaded him with honors: he was admiral of France, marshal, governor of Bourgoyne, duke and peer of France. This too-much honor made him forget himself, and he entered into a league with Spain and Savoy against his country. The plot was discovered by Lafin; and although Henri wished to pardon him, he was executed (1602, aged 40).

George Chapman has made him the subject of two tragedies, entitled _Biron's Conspiracy_ and _Biron's Tragedy_ (1557-1634).

_Biron_, eldest son of count Baldwin, who disinherited him for marrying Isabella, a nun. Biron now entered the army and was sent to the siege of Candy, where he fell, and it was supposed died. After the lapse of seven years, Isabella, reduced to abject poverty, married Villeroy (2 _syl_.), but the day after her espousals Biron returned, whereupon Isabella went mad and killed herself.--Thomas Southern, _Isabella, or the Fatal Marriage_.

During the absence of the elder Macready, his
son took the part of "Biron" in _Isabella_. The
father was shocked, because he desired his son
for the Church; but Mrs. Siddons remarked to
him, "In the Church your son will live and die
a curate on £50 a year, but if successful, the
stage will bring him in a thousand."--Donaldson,
_Recollections_.

BIRTHA, the motherless daughter and only child of As'tragon the Lombard philosopher. In spring she gathered blossoms for her father's still, in autumn, berries, and in summer, flowers. She fell in love with duke Grondibert, whose wounds she assisted her father to heal. Birtha, "in love unpractised and unread," is the beau-ideal of innocence and purity of mind. Grondibert had just plighted his love to her when he was summoned to court, for king Aribert had proclaimed him his successor and future son-in-law. Gondibert assured Birtha he would remain true to her, and gave her an emerald ring which he told her would lose its lustre if he proved untrue. Here the tale breaks off, and as it was never finished the sequel is not known.--Sir W. Davenant, _Gondibert_ (died 1668).

BISHOP MIDDLEHAM, who was always declaiming against ardent drinks, and advocating water as a beverage, killed himself by secret intoxication.

BISHOPS. The seven who refused to read the declaration of indulgence published by James II. and were by him imprisoned for recusancy, were archbishop Sancroft _(Canterbury)_, bishops Lloyd _(St. Asaph)_, Turner _(Ely)_, Kew _(Bath and Wells)_, White _(Peterborough)_, Lake _(Chichester)_, Trelawney _(Bristol)._ Being tried, they were all acquitted (June, 1688).

BISTO'NIANS, the Thracians, so called from Biston (son of Mars), who built Bisto'nia on lake Bis'tonis.

So the Bistonian race, a maddening train,
Exult and revel on the Thracian plain.

Pitt's _Statius_, ii.

BIT'ELAS(3 _syl_.), sister of Fairlimb, and daughter of Rukenaw the ape, in the beast-epic called _Reynard the Fox_ (1498).

BIT'TLEBRAINS _(Lord)_, friend of sir William Ashton, lord-keeper of Scotland.

_Lady Bittlebrains_, wife of the above lord.--Sir W. Scott, _Bride of Lammermoor_ (time, William III.).

BIT'ZER, light porter in Bounderby's bank at Coketown. He is educated at M'Choakumchild's "practical school," and becomes a general spy and informer. Bitzer finds out the robbery of the bank, and discovers the perpetrator to be Tom Gradgrind (son of Thomas Gradgrind, Esq., M.P.), informs against him, and gets promoted to his place.--C. Dickens, _Hard Times_ (1854).

BIZARRE _[Be.zar'(1)]_, the friend of Orian'a, forever coquetting and sparring with Duretete _[Dure.tait]_, and placing him in awkward predicaments.--G.K. Farquhar, _The Inconstant_ (1702).

BLACK AG'NES, the countess of March, noted for her defence of Dunbar during the war which Edward III. maintained in Scotland (1333-1338).

Sir Walter Scott says: "The countess was called 'Black Agnes' from her complexion. She was the daughter of Thomas Randolph, earl of Murray."--_Tales of a Grandfather_, i. 14. (See BLACK PRINCE.)

BLACK COLIN CAMPBELL, general Campbell, in the army of George III., introduced by sir W. Scott in _Redgauntlet_.

BLACK DOUGLAS, William Douglas, lord of Nithsdale, who died 1390.

He was tall, strong, and well made, of a swarthy
complexion, with dark hair, from which he was
called "The Black Douglas."--Sir Walter Scott,
_Tales of a Grandfather_, xi.

BLACK DWARF (_The_), of sir Walter Scott, is meant for David Ritchie, whose cottage was and still is on Manor Water, in the county of Peebles.

BLACK-EYED SUSAN, one of Dibdin's sea-songs.

BLACK GEORGE, the gamekeeper in Fielding's novel, called _The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling_ (1750).

_Black George_, Greorge Petrowitsch of Servia, a brigand; called by the Turks _Kara George_, from the terror he inspired.

BLACK HORSE (_The_), the 7th Dragoon Guards (_not_ the 7th Dragoons). So called because their facings (or collar and cuffs) are black velvet. Their plumes are black and white; and at one time their horses were black, or at any rate dark.

BLACK KNIGHT OF THE BLACK LANDS (_The_), sir Pereard. Called by Tennyson "Night" _or_ "Nox." He was one of the four brothers who kept the passages of Castle Dangerous, and was overthrown by sir Gareth.--Sir T. Malory, _History of Prince Arthur_, i. 126 (1470); Tennyson, _Idylls_ ("Gareth and Lynette").

BLACK LORD CLIFFORD, John ninth lord Clifford, son of Thomas lord Clifford. Also called "The Butcher" (died 1461).

BLACK PRINCE, Edward prince of Wales, son of Edward III. Froissart says he was styled _black_ "by terror of his arms" (c. 169). Similarly, lord Clifford was called "The Black Lord Clifford" for his cruelties (died 1461). George Petrowitsch was called by the Turks "Black George" from the terror of his name. The countess of March was called "Black Agnes" from the terror of her deeds, and not (as sir W. Scott says) from her dark complexion. Similarly, "The Black Sea," or Axinus, as the Greeks once called it, received its name from the inhospitable character of the Scythians.

BLACK'ACRE (_Widow_), a masculine, litigious, pettifogging, headstrong woman.--Wycherly, _The Plain Dealer_ (1677).

BLACKCHESTER (_The countess of_), sister of lord Dalgarno.--Sir W. Scott, _Fortunes of Nigel_ (time, James I.).

BLACKGUARDS (Victor Hugo says), soldiers condemned for some offence in discipline to wear their red coats (which were lined with black) inside out. The French equivalent, he says, is _Blaqueurs.--L'Homme qui Rit_, II. in. 1.

It is quite impossible to believe this to be the true derivation of the word. Other suggestions will be found in the _Dictionary of Phrase and Fable_.

BLACKLESS (_Tomalin_), a soldier in the guard of Richard Coeur de Lion.--Sir W. Scott, _The Talisman_ (time, Richard I.).

BLACKMANTLE (_Bernard_), Charles Molloy Westmacott, author of _The English Spy_ (1826).

BLACK'POOL (_Stephen_), a power-loom weaver in Bounderby's mill at Coketown. He had a knitted brow and pondering expression of face, was a man of the strictest integrity, refused to join the strike, and was turned out of the mill. When Tom Gradgrind robbed the bank of £150, he threw suspicion on Stephen Blackpool, and while Stephen was hastening to Coketown to vindicate himself he fell into a shaft, known as "the Hell Shaft," and although rescued, died on a litter. Stephen Blackpool loved Rachael, one of the hands, but had already a drunken, worthless wife.--C. Dickens, _Hard Times_ (1854).

BLACKSMITH (_The Flemish_), Quentin Matsys, the Dutch painter (1460-1529).

_Blacksmith_ (_The Learned_), Elihu Burritt, United States (1810-1879).

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE. The vignette on the wrapper of this magazine is meant for George Buchanan, the Scotch historian and poet (1506-1582). He is the representative of Scottish literature generally.

The magazine originated in 1817 with William Blackwood of Edinburgh, publisher.

BLAD'DERSKATE (_Lord_) and lord Kaimes, the two judges in Peter Peeble's lawsuit.--Sir W. Scott, _Redgauntlet_ (time, George III.).

BLADE O' GRASS, child of the gutter, bright, saucy, and warm-hearted. She is taken from her wretched environment by philanthropists, who would aid her to lead a different life. However great the outward change, she is ever Bohemian at heart.--B.L. Farjeon, _Blade o' Grass_.

BLA'DUD, father of king Lear. Geoffrey of Monmouth says that "This Prince Bladud was a very ingenious man and taught necromancy in his kingdom; nor did he leave off pursuing his magic operations till he attempted to fly to the upper regions of the air with wings which he had prepared, and fell down upon the temple of Apollo in the city of Trinovantum, where he was dashed to pieces."

BLAIR (_Adam_), the hero of a novel by J.G. Lockhart, entitled _Adam Blair, a Story of Scottish Life_ (1794-1854).

_Blair_ (_Father Clement_), a Carthusian monk, confessor of Catherine Glover, "the fair maid of Perth."--Sir W. Scott, _Fair Maid of Perth_ (time, Henry IV.).

_Blair_ (_Rev. David_), sir Richard Philips, author of _The Universal Preceptor_ (1816), _Mother's Question Book_, etc. He issued books under a legion of false names.

BLAISE, a hermit, who baptized Merlin the enchanter.

_Blaise_ (_St._), patron saint of wool-combers, because he was torn to pieces with iron combs.

BLAKE (_Franklin_), handsome, accomplished, and desperately in love with his cousin Rachel. Almost wild concerning the safety of the Moonstone which he has conveyed to her, he purloins it while under the influence of opium, taken to relieve insomnia, and gives it to the plausible villain of the book--Godfrey Ablewhite. The latter pawns it to pay his debts, and is murdered by East Indians, who believe that he still has the gem.--Wilkie Collins, _The Moonstone_.

BLANCHE (1 _syl._), one of the domestics of lady Eveline "the betrothed."--Sir W. Scott, _The Betrothed_ (time, Henry II.).

_Blanche_ (_La reine_), the queen of France during the first six weeks of her widowhood. During this period of mourning she spent her time in a closed room, lit only by a wax taper, and was dressed wholly in white. Mary, the widow of Louis XII., was called _La reine Blanche_ during her days of mourning, and is sometimes (but erroneously) so called afterwards.

_Blanche (Lady)_ makes a vow with lady Anne to die an old maid, and of course falls over head and ears in love with Thomas Blount, a jeweller's son, who enters the army, and becomes a colonel. She is very handsome, ardent, brilliant, and fearless.--S. Knowles, _Old Maids_ (1841).

BLANCHE LOMBARD, girl of the period, who solaces herself for the apparent defection of one lover by flirting with a new acquaintance; registered in his note-book as "Blonde; superb physique; fine animal spirits; giggles."--Robert Grant, _The Knave of Hearts_ (1886).

BLANCHE´FLEUR (2 _syl._), the heroine of Boccaccio's prose romance called _Il Filopoco_. Her lover Flores is Boccaccio himself, and Blanchefleur was the daughter of king Robert. The story of Blanchefleur and Flores is substantially the same as that of _Dor´igen and Aurelius_, by Chaucer, and that of "Diano´ra and Ansaldo," in the _Decameron_.

BLAND´MOUR (_Sir_), a man of "mickle might," who "bore great sway in arms and chivalry," but was both vainglorious and insolent. He attacked Brit´omart, but was discomfited by her enchanted spear; he next attacked sir Ferraugh, and having overcome him took him from the lady who accompanied him, "the False Florimel."--Spenser, _Faëry Queen_, iv. 1 (1596).

BLANDE´VILLE (_Lady Emily_), a neighbor of the Waverley family, afterwards married to colonel Talbot.--Sir W. Scott, _Waverley_ (time, George II.).

BLAND´FORD, the father of Belin´da, who he promised sir William Bellmont should marry his son George. But Belinda was in love with Beverley, and George Bellmont with Clarissa (Beverley's sister). Ultimately matters arranged themselves, so that the lovers married according to their inclinations.--A. Murphy, _All in the Wrong_ (1761).

BLAN´DIMAN, the faithful man-servant of the fair Bellisant, and her attendant after her divorce.--_Valentine and Orson_.

BLANDI´NA, wife of the churlish knight Turpin, who refused hospitality to sir Calepine and his lady Sere´na (canto 3). She had "the art of a suasive tongue," and most engaging manners, but "her words were only words, and all her tears were water" (canto 7).--Spenser, _Faëry Queen_, iv. (1596).

BLANDISH, a "practised parasite." His sister says to him, "May you find but half your own vanity in those you have to work on!" (act i. 1).

_Miss Letitia Blandish_, sister of the above, a fawning timeserver, who sponges on the wealthy. She especially toadies to Miss Alscrip "the heiress," flattering her vanity, fostering her conceit, and encouraging her vulgar affectations.--General Burgoyne, _The Heiress_ (1781).

BLANE (_Niell_), town piper and publican.

_Jenny Blane_, his daughter.--Sir W, Scott, _Old Mortality_ (time, Charles II.).

BLA´NEY, a wealthy heir, ruined by dissipation.--Crabbe, _Borough_.

BLARNEY (_Lady_), one of the flash women introduced by squire Thornhill to the Primrose family.--Goldsmith, _Vicar of Wakefield_ (1765).

BLAS´PHEMOUS BALFOUR. Sir James Balfour, the Scottish judge, was so called from his apostacy (died 1583).

BLA´TANT BEAST (_The_), the personification of slander or public opinion. The beast had 100 tongues and a sting. Sir Artegal muzzled the monster, and dragged it to Faëry-land, but it broke loose and regained its liberty. Subsequently sir Cal´idore (_3 syl._) went in quest of it.--Spenser, _Faëry Queen_, v. and vi. (1596).

"Mrs. Grundy" is the modern name of Spenser's "Blatant Beast."

BLATH´ERS AND DUFF, detectives who investigate the burglary in which Bill Sikes had a hand. Blathers relates the tale of Conkey Chickweed, who robbed himself of 327 guineas.--C. Dickens, _Oliver Twist_ (1837).

BLAT´TERGROWL (_The Rev. Mr._), minister of Trotcosey, near Monkbarns.--Sir W. Scott, _The Antiquary_ (time, Elizabeth).

BLEEDING-HEART YARD (London). So called because it was the place where the devil cast the bleeding heart of lady Hatton (wife of the dancing chancellor), after he had torn it out of her body with his claws.--Dr. Mackay, _Extraordinary Popular Delusions_.

BLEISE (1 _syl._) of Northumberland, historian of king Arthur's period.

BLEM´MYES (3 _syl._), a people of Africa, fabled to have no head, but having eyes and mouth in the breast. (See GAOKA.)

Blemmyis traduntur capita abesse, ore et oculis
pectori affixis.--Pliny.

Ctesias speaks of a people of India near the Gangês, _sine cervice, oculos in humeris habentes_. Mela also refers to a people _quibus capita et vultus in pectore sunt_.

BLENHEIM SPANIELS. The Oxford electors are so called, because for many years they obediently supported any candidate which the duke of Marlborough commanded them to return. Lockhart broke through this custom by telling the people the fable of the _Dog and the Wolf_. The dog, it will be remembered, had on his neck the marks of his collar, and the wolf said he preferred liberty.

(The race of the little dog called the Blenheim spaniel, has been preserved ever since Blenheim House was built for the duke of Marlborough in 1704.)

BLET´SON (_Master Joshua_), one of the three parliamentary commissioners sent by Cromwell with a warrant to leave the royal lodge to the Lee family.--Sir W. Scott, _Woodstock_ (time, Commonwealth).

BLI´FIL, a noted character in Fielding's novel entitled _The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling_ (1750).

¤¤¤ Blifil is the original of Sheridan's "Joseph Surface" in the _School for Scandal_ (1777).

BLIGH (_William_), captain of the _Bounty_, so well known for the mutiny, headed by Fletcher Christian, the mate (1790).

BLIMBER (_Dr._), head of a school for the sons of gentlemen, at Brighton. It was a select school for ten pupils only; but there was learning enough for ten times ten. "Mental green peas were produced at Christmas, and intellectual asparagus all the year round." The doctor was really a ripe scholar, and truly kind-hearted; but his great fault was over-tasking his boys, and not seeing when the bow was too much stretched. Paul Dombey, a delicate lad, succumbed to this strong mental pressure.

_Mrs. Blimber_, wife of the doctor, not learned, but wished to be thought so. Her pride was to see the boys in the largest possible collars and stiffest possible cravats, which she deemed highly classical.

_Cornelia Blimber_, the doctor's daughter, a slim young lady, who kept her hair short and wore spectacles. Miss Blimber "had no nonsense about her," but had grown "dry and sandy with working in the graves of dead languages." She married Mr. Feeder, B.A., Dr. Blimber's usher.--C. Dickens, _Dombey and Son_ (1846).

BLIND BEGGAR OF BETHNAL GREEN, Henry, son and heir of sir Simon de Montfort. At the battle of Evesham the barons were routed, Montfort slain, and his son Henry left on the field for dead. A baron's daughter discovered the young man, nursed him with care, and married him. The fruit of the marriage was "pretty Bessee, the beggar's daughter." Henry de Montfort assumed the garb and semblance of a blind beggar, to escape the vigilance of king Henry's spies.

Day produced, in 1659, a drama called _The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green_, and S. Knowles, in 1834, produced his amended drama on the same subject. There is [or was], in the Whitechapel Road a public-house sign called the Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green.--_History of Sign-boards._

BLIND EMPEROR (_The_), Ludovig III. of Germany (880, 890-934).

BLIND HARPER (_The_), John Parry, who died 1739.

John Stanley, mnsician and composer, was blind from his birth (1713-1786).

BLIND HARRY, a Scotch minstrel of the fifteenth century, blind from infancy. His epic of _Sir William Wallace_ runs to 11,861 lines. He was minstrel in the court of James IV.

BLIND MECHANICIAN (_The_). John Strong, a great mechanical genius, was blind from his birth. He died at Carlisle, aged sixty-six (1732-1798).

BLIND POET (_The_), Luigi Groto, an Italian poet called _Il Cieco_ (1541-1585). John Milton (1608-1674).

Homer is called _The Blind Old Bard_ (fl. B.C. 960).

BLIND TRAVELLER (_The_), lieutenant James Holman. He became blind at the age of twenty-five, but, notwithstanding, travelled round the world, and published an account of his travels (1787-1857).

BLIN´KINSOP, a smuggler in _Redgauntlet_, a novel by sir W. Scott (time, George III.).

BLISTER, the apothecary, who says, "Without physicians, no one could know whether he was well or ill." He courts Lucy by talking shop to her.--Fielding, _The Virgin Unmasked_.

BLITHE-HEART KING (_The_). David is so called by Caedmon.

Those lovely lyrics written by his hand
Whom Saxon Caedmon calls "The Blithe-heart King."
Longfellow, _The Poet's Tale_ (ref. is to _Psalm_
cxlviii. 9).

BLOCK (_Martin_), one of the committee of the Estates of Burgundy, who refuse supplies to Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).

BLOK (_Nikkel_), the butcher, one of the insurgents at Liege.--Sir W. Scott, _Quentin Durward_ (time, Edward IV.).

BLONDEL DE NESLE [_Neel_], the favorite trouvère or minstrel of Richard Coeur de Lion. He chanted the _Bloody Vest_ in presence of queen Berengaria, the lovely Edith Plantagenet.--Sir W. Scott, _The Talisman_ (time, Richard I.).

BLON´DINA, the mother of Fairstar and two boys at one birth. She was the wife of a king, but the queen-mother hated her, and taking away the three babes substituted three puppies. Ultimately her children were restored to her, and the queen-mother with her accomplices were duly punished.--Comtesse D'Aunoy, _Fairy Tales_ ("Princess Fairstar," 1682).

BLOOD (_Colonel Thomas_), emissary of the duke of Buckingham (1628-1680), introduced by sir W. Scott in _Peveril of the Peak_, a novel (time, Charles II.).

BLOODS (_The Five_): (1) The O'Neils of Ulster; (2) the O'Connors of Connaught; (3) the O'Brians of Thomond; (4) the O'Lachlans of Meath; and (5) the M'Murroughs of Leinster. These are the five principal septs or families of Ireland, and all not belonging to one of these five septs are accounted aliens or enemies, and could "neither sue nor be sued," even down to the reign of Elizabeth.

William Fitz-Roger, being arraigned (4th Edward II.) for the murder of Roger de Cantilon, pleads that he was not guilty of felony, because his victim was not of "free blood," _i.e._ one of the "five bloods of Ireland." The plea is admitted by the jury to be good.

BLOODY (_The_), Otho II. emperor of Germany (955, 973-983).

BLOODY-BONES, a bogie.

As bad as Bloody-bones or Lunsford (_i.e._ sir
Thomas Lunsford, governor of the Tower, the
dread of every one).--S. Butler, _Hudibras_.

BLOODY BROTHER (_The_), a tragedy by Beaumont and Fletcher (1639). The "bloody brother" is Rollo duke of Normandy, who kills his brother Otto and several other persons, but is himself killed ultimately by Hamond captain of the guard.

BLOODY BUTCHER (_The_), the duke of Cumberland, second son of George II., so called from his barbarities in the suppression of the rebellion in favor of Charles Edward, the young pretender. "Black Clifford" was also called "The Butcher" for his cruelties (died 1461).

BLOODY HAND, Cathal, an ancestor of the O'Connors of Ireland.

BLOODY MARY, queen Mary of England, daughter of Henry VIII. and elder half-sister of queen Elizabeth. So called on account of the sanguinary persecutions carried on by her government against the protestants. It is said that 200 persons were burned to death in her short reign (1516,1553-1558).

BLOOMFIELD (_Louisa_), a young lady engaged to lord Totterly the beau of sixty, but in love with Charles Danvers the embryo barrister.--C. Selby, _The Unfinished Gentleman_.

BLOUNT (_Nicholas_), afterwards knighted; master of the horse to the earl of Sussex.

--Sir W. Scott, _Kenilworth_ (time, Elizabeth).

_Blount_ (_Sir Frederick_), a distant relative of sir John Vesey. He had a great objection to the letter _r_, which he considered "wough and wasping." He dressed to perfection, and though not "wich," prided himself on having the "best opewa-box, the best dogs, the best horses, and the best house" of any one. He liked Greorgina Vesey, and as she had £10,000 he thought he should do himself no harm by "mawy-wing the girl."--Lord E. Bulwer Lytton, _Money_ (1840).

_Blount_ (_Master_), a wealthy jeweller of Ludgate Hill, London. An old-fashioned tradesman, not ashamed of his calling. He had two sons, John and Thomas; the former was his favorite.

_Mistress Blount_, his wife. A shrewd, discerning woman, who loved her son Thomas, and saw in him the elements of a rising man.

_John Blount_, eldest son of the Ludgate jeweller. Being left successor to his father, he sold the goods and set up for a man of fashion and fortune. His vanity and snobbism were most gross. He had good-nature, but more cunning than discretion, thought himself far-seeing, but was most easily duped. "The phaeton was built after my design, my lord," he says, "mayhap your lordship has seen it." "My taste is driving, my lord, mayhap your lordship has seen me handle the ribbons." "My horses are all bloods, mayhap your lordship has noticed my team." "I pride myself on my seat in the saddle, mayhap your lordship has seen me ride." "If I am superlative in anything, 'its in my wines." "So please your ladyship, 'tis dress I most excel in ... 'tis walking I pride myself in." No matter what is mentioned, 'tis the one thing he did or had better than any one else. This conceited fool was duped into believing a parcel of men-servants to be lords and dukes, and made love to a lady's maid, supposing her to be a countess.

_Thomas Blount_, John's brother, and one of nature's gentlemen. He entered the army, became a colonel, and married lady Blanche. He is described as having "a lofty forehead for princely thought to dwell in, eyes for love or war, a nose of Grecian mould with touch of Rome, a mouth like Cupid's bow, ambitious chin dimpled and knobbed."--S. Knowles, _Old Maids_ (1841).

BLOUZELIN´DA or BLOWZELINDA, a shepherdess in love with Lobbin Clout, in _The Shepherd's Week_.

My Blouzelinda is the blithest lass,
Than primrose sweeter, or the clover-grass.
My Blouzelind's than gilliflower more fair,
Than daisie, marygold, or kingcup rare.
Gay, _Pastoral_, i. (1714).

Sweet is my toil when Blowzelind is near,
Of her bereft 'tis winter all the year ...
Come, Blowzelinda, ease thy swain's desire,
My summer's shadow, and my winter's fire.
Ditto.

BLOWER (_Mrs. Margaret_), the shipowner's widow at the Spa. She marries Dr. Quackleben, "the man of medicine" (one of the managing committee at the Spa).--Sir W. Scott, _St. Ronan's Well_ (time, George III.).

BLUCHER was nicknamed "Marshal Forward" for his dash and readiness in the campaign of 1813.

BLUE BEARD (_La Barbe Bleue_), from the _contes_ of Charles Perrault (1697). The chevalier Raoul is a merciless tyrant, with a blue beard. His young wife is entrusted with all the keys of the castle, with strict injunctions on pain of death not to open one special room. During the absence of her lord the "forbidden fruit" is too tempting to be resisted, the door is opened, and the young wife finds the floor covered with the dead bodies of her husband's former wives. She drops the key in her terror, and can by no means obliterate from it the stain of blood. Blue Beard, on his return, commands her to prepare for death, but by the timely arrival of her brothers her life is saved and Blue Beard put to death.

Dr. C. Taylor thinks Blue Beard is a type of the castle-lords in the days of knight-errantry. Some say Henry VIII. (the noted wife-killer) was the "academy figure." Others think it was Giles de Retz, marquis de Laval, marshal of France in 1429, who (according to Mézeray) murdered six of his seven wives, and was ultimately strangled in 1440.

Another solution is that Blue Beard was count Conomar´, and the young wife Triphy´na, daughter of count Guerech. Count Conomar was lieutenant of Brittany in the reign of Childebert. M. Hippolyte Violeau assures us that in 1850, during the repairs of the chapel of St. Nicolas de Bieuzy, some ancient frescoes were discovered with scenes from the life of St. Triphyna: (1) The marriage; (2) the husband taking leave of his young wife and entrusting to her a key; (3) a room with an open door, through which are seen the corpses of seven women hanging; (4) the husband threatening his wife, while another female [_sister Anne_] is looking out of a window above; (5) the husband has placed a halter round the neck of his victim, but the friends, accompanied by St. Gildas, abbot of Rhuys in Brittany, arrive just in time to rescue the future saint.--_Pélerinages de Bretagne_.

BLUE KNIGHT (_The_), sir Persaunt of India, called by Tennyson "Morning Star" _or_ "Phosphorus." He was one of the four brothers who kept the passages of Castle Perilous, and was overthrown by sir Gareth.--Sir T. Malory, _History of Prince Arthur_, i. 131 (1470); Tennyson, _Idylls_ ("Gareth and Lynette").

It is evidently a blunder in Tennyson to call the _Blue_ Knight "Morning Star," and the _Green_ Knight "Evening Star." The reverse is correct, and in the old romance the combat with the Green Knight was at day-break, and with the Blue Knight at sunset.

BLUE-SKIN, Joseph Blake, an English burglar, so called from his complexion. He was executed in 1723.

BLUFF (_Bachelor_), celibate philosopher upon social, domestic, and cognate themes.

"Give me," he says emphatically, "in our
household, color and cheeriness--not cold art,
nor cold pretensions of any kind, but warmth,
brightness, animation. Bring in pleasing colors,
choice pictures, _bric-à-brac_, and what-not. But
let in, also, the sun; light the fires; and have
everything for daily use."--Oliver Bell Bunce,
_Bachelor Bluff_ (1882).

_Bluff (Captain Noll)_, a swaggering bully and boaster. He says, "I think that fighting for fighting's sake is sufficient cause for fighting. Fighting, to me, is religion and the laws."

"You must know, sir, I was resident in Flanders
the last campaign ... there was scarce
anything of moment done, but a humble servant
of yours ... had the greatest share in't....
Well, would you think it, in all this time ...
that rascally _Gazette_ never so much as once mentioned
me? Not once, by the wars! Took no
more notice of Noll Bluff than if he had not been
in the land of the living."--Congreve, _The Old
Bachelor_ (1693).

BLUFF HAL or BLUFF HARRY, Henry VIII.

Ere yet in scorn of Peter's pence,
And numbered bead and shrift,
Bluff Harry broke into the spence,
And turned the cowls adrift.
Tennyson, _The Talking Oak_.

BLUN'DERBORE (3 _syl._), the giant who was drowned because Jack scuttled his boat.--_Jack the Giant-killer_.

BLUNT (_Colonel_), a brusque royalist, who vows "he'd woo no woman," but falls in love with Arbella, an heiress, woos and wins her. T. Knight, who has converted this comedy into a farce, with the title of _Honest Thieves_, calls colonel Blunt "captain Manly."--Hon. sir R. Howard, _The Committee_ (1670).

_Blunt_ (_Major-General_), an old cavalry officer, rough in speech, but brave, honest, and a true patriot.--Shadwell, _The Volunteers_.

BLUSHINGTON (_Edward_), a bashful young gentleman of twenty-five, sent as a poor scholar to Cambridge, without any expectations, but by the death of his father and uncle, left all at once as "rich as a nabob." At college he was called "the sensitive plant of Brazenose," because he was always blushing. He dines by invitation at Friendly Hall, and commits ceaseless blunders. Next day his college chum, Frank Friendly, writes word that he and his sister Dinah, with sir Thomas and lady Friendly, will dine with him. After a few glasses of wine, he loses his bashful modesty, makes a long speech, and becomes the accepted suitor of the pretty Miss Dinah Friendly.--W.T. Moncrieff, _The Bashful Man_.

BO or _Boh_, says Warton, was a fierce Gothic chief, whose name was used to frighten children.

BOADICEA, queen of a tribe of ancient Britons. Her husband having been killed by the Romans, she took the field in person. She was defeated and committed suicide.

BOANER´GES (_4 syl._), a declamatory pet parson, who anathematizes all except his own "elect." "He preaches real rousing-up discourses, but sits down pleasantly to his tea, and makes hisself friendly."--Mrs. Oliphant, _Salem Chapel_.

A protestant Boanerges, visiting Birmingham,
sent an invitation to Dr. Newman to dispute
publicly with him in the Town Hall.--E. Yates,
_Celebrities_, xxii.

Boanerges or "sons of thunder" is the name given by Jesus Christ to James and John, because they wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans.--Mark iii. 17.

BOAR (_The_), Richard III., so called from his cognizance.

The bristled boar,
In infant gore,
Wallows beneath the thorny shade.
Gray, _The Bard_ (1757).

In contempt Richard III. is called _The Hog_, hence the popular distich:

The Cat, the Rat, and Lovell the dog,
Rule all England, under the Hog.

("The Cat" is Catesby, and "the Rat" Ratcliffe).

_Boar (The Blue)_. This public-house sign (Westminster) is the badge of the Veres earls of Oxford.

_The Blue Boar Lane_ (St. Nicholas, Leicester) is so named from the cognizance of Richard III., because he slept there the night before the battle of Bosworth Field.

BOAR OF ARDENNES (_The Wild_), in French _Le Sanglier des Ardennes_ (_2 syl._), was Guillaume comte de la Marck, so called because he was as fierce as the wild boar he delighted to hunt. The character is introduced by sir W. Scott in _Quentin_ _Durward_, under the name of "William count of la Marck."

BOB'ADIL, an ignorant, shallow bully, thoroughly cowardly, but thought by his dupes to be an amazing hero. He lodged with Cob (the water-carrier) and his wife Tib. Master Stephen was greatly struck with his "dainty oaths," such as "By the foot of Pharaoh!" "Body of Cæsar!" "As I am a gentleman and a soldier!" His device to save the expense of a standing army is inimitable for its conceit and absurdity:

"I would select 19 more to myself throughout the land; gentlemen they should be, of a good spirit and able constitution. I would choose them by an instinct,... and I would teach them the special rules ... till they could play _[fence]_ very near as well as myself. This done, say the enemy were 40,000 strong, we 20 would ... challenge 20 of the enemy; ... kill them; challenge 20 more, kill them; 20 more, kill them too; ... every man his 10 a day, that's 10 score ... 200 a day; five days, a thousand; 40,000, 40 times 5,200 days; kill them all."--Ben Jonson, _Every Man in his Humour_, iv. 7 (1598).

Since his [_Henry Woodward, 1717-1777_] time the part of "Bobadil" has never been justly performed. It may be said to have died with him.

--Dr. Doran.

The name was probably suggested by Bobadilla first governor of Cuba, who superseded Columbus sent home in chains on a most frivolous charge. Similar characters are "Metamore" and "Scaramouch" (Molière); "Parolles" and "Pistol" (Shakespeare); "Bessus" (Beaumont and Fletcher). (See also BASILISCO, BOROUGHCLIFF, CAPTAIN BRAZEN, CAPTAIN NOLL BLUFF, SIR PETRONEL FLASH, SACRIPANT, VINCENT DE LA ROSE, etc.)

BOBOLINKON. Christopher Pearse Cranch calls the bobolink:

Still merriest of the merry birds, and
Pied harlequins of June.

O, could I share without champagne
Or muscadel, your frolic;
The glad delirium of your joy,
Your fun unapostolic;
Your drunken jargon through the fields,
Your bobolinkish gabble,
Your fine Anacreontic glee,
Your tipsy reveller's babble!

Christopher Pearse Cranch, _The Bird and the Bell_ (1875).

BODACH GLAY or "Grey Spectre," a house demon of the Scotch, similar to the Irish banshee.

BODLEY FAMILY, an American household, father, mother, sisters, and brothers, whose interesting adventures at home and abroad are detailed by Horace E. Scudder in _The Bodley Books_ (1875-1887).

BOE´MOND, the Christian king of Antioch, who tried to teach his subjects arts, law, and religion. He is of the Norman race, Roge´ro's brother, and son of Roberto Guiscar´do.--Tasso, _Jerusalem Delivered_ (1575).

BOEUF (_Front de_), a gigantic, ferocious follower of prince John.--Sir W. Scott, _Ivanhoe_ (time, Richard I.).

BOFFIN (_Nicodemus_), "the golden dustman," foreman of old John Harmon, dustman and miser. He was "a broad, round-shouldered, one-sided old fellow, whose face was of the rhinoceros build, with overlapping ears." A kind, shrewd man was Mr. Boffin, devoted to his wife, whom he greatly admired. Being residuary legatee of John Harmon, dustman, he came in for £100,000. Afterwards, John Harmon, the son, being discovered, Mr. Boffin surrendered the property to him, and lived with him.

_Mrs. Boffin_, wife of Mr. N. Boffin, and daughter of a cat's-meatman. She was a fat, smiling, good-tempered creature, the servant of old John Harmon, dustman and miser, and very kind to the miser's son (young John Harmon). After Mr. Boffin came into his fortune she became "a high flyer at fashion," wore black velvet and sable, but retained her kindness of heart and love for her husband. She was devoted to Bella Wilfer, who ultimately became the wife of young John Harmon, _alias_ Rokesmith.--C. Dickens, _Our Mutual Friend_ (1864).

BO'GIO, one of the allies of Charlemagne. He promised his wife to return within six months, but was slain by Dardinello.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).

BOHEMIAN (_A_), a gipsy, from the French notion that the first gipsies came from Bohemia.

_A Literary Bohemian_, an author of desultory works and irregular life.

Never was there an editor with less about him of the literary Bohemian.--_Fortnightly Review_ ("Paston Letters").

_Bohemian Literature_, desultory reading.

_A Bohemian Life_, an irregular, wandering, restless way of living, like that of a gipsy.

BO'HEMOND, prince of Antioch, a crusader.--Sir W. Scott, _Count Robert of Paris_ (time, Rufus).

BOIS'GRELIN (_The young countess de_), introduced in the ball given by king René at Aix.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).

BOIS-GUILBERT (_Sir Brian de_), a preceptor of the Knights Templars. Ivanhoe vanquishes him in a tournament. He offers insult to Rebecca, and she threatens to cast herself from the battlements if he touches her. "When the castle is set on fire by the sibyl, sir Brian carries off Rebecca from the flames. The Grand-Master of the Knights Templars charges Rebecca with sorcery, and she demands a trial by combat. Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert is appointed to sustain the charge against her, and Ivanhoe is her champion. Sir Brian being found dead in the lists, Rebecca is declared innocent."--Sir W. Scott, _Ivanhoe_ time, (Richard I.).

BOISTERER, one of the seven attendants of Fortu´nio. His gift was that he could overturn a windmill with his breath, and even wreck a man-of-war.

Fortunio asked him what he was doing. "I
am blowing a little, sir," answered he, "to set
those mills at work." "But," said the knight,
"you seem too far off." "On the contrary," replied
the blower, "I am too near, for if I did not
restrain my breath I should blow the mills over,
and perhaps the hill too on which they stand."--Comtesse
D'Aunoy, _Fairy Tales_ ("Fortunio,"
1682).

BOLD BEAUCHAMP _[Beech´-am]_, a proverbial phrase similar to "an Achilles," "a Hector," etc. The reference is to Thomas de Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, who, with one squire and six archers, overthrew a hundred armed men at Hogges, in Normandy, in 1346.

So had we still of ours, in France that famous were,
Warwick, of England then high-constable that was,
...So hardy, great, and strong,
That after of that name it to an adage grew,
If any man himself adventurous happed to shew,
"Bold Beauchamp" men him termed, if none so bold as he.

Drayton, _Polyolbion_, xviii. (1613).

BOLD STROKE FOR A HUSBAND, a comedy by Mrs. Cowley. There are two plots: one a bold stroke to get the man of one's choice for a husband, and the other a bold stroke to keep a husband. Olivia de Zuniga fixed her heart on Julio de Messina, and refused or disgusted all suitors till he came forward. Donna Victoria, in order to keep a husband, disguised herself in man's apparel, assumed the name of Florio, and made love as a man to her husband's mistress. She contrived by an artifice to get back an estate which don Carlos had made over to his mistress, and thus saved her husband from ruin (1782).

BOLD STROKE FOR A WIFE. Old Lovely at death left his daughter Anne £30,000, but with this proviso, that she was to forfeit the money if she married without the consent of her guardians. Now her guardians were four in number, and their characters so widely different that "they never agreed on any one thing." They were sir Philip Modelove, an old beau; Mr. Periwinkle, a silly virtuoso; Mr. Tradelove, a broker on 'Change; and Mr. Obadiah Prim, a hypocritical quaker. Colonel Feignwell contrived to flatter all the guardians to the top of their bent, and won the heiress.--Mrs. Centlivre (1717).

BOLDWOOD (_Farmer_), one of the wooers of Bathsheba Everdene. He serves for her seven years and loses her at last, after killing her husband to free her from his tyranny. He is sentenced to penal servitude "during Her Majesty's pleasure."--Thomas Hardy, _Far from the Madding Crowd_ (1874).

BOLSTER, a famous Wrath, who compelled St. Agnes to gather up the boulders which infested his territory. She carried three apronfuls to the top of a hill, hence called St. Agnes' Beacon. (See WRATH'S HOLE.)

BOL'TON (_Stawarth_), an English officer in _The Monastery_, a novel by sir W. Scott (time, Elizabeth).

BOLTON ASS. This creature is said to have chewed tobacco and taken snuff.--Dr. Doran.

BOMBA _(King)_, a nickname given to Ferdinand II. of Naples, in consequence of his cruel bombardment of Messi'na in 1848. His son, who bombarded Palermo in 1860, is called _Bombali'no_ ("Little Bomba").

A young Sicilian, too, was there...
[_Who_] being rebellious to his liege,
After Palermo's fatal siege,
Across the western seas he fled
In good king Bomba's happy reign.

Longfellow, _The Wayside Inn_ (prelude).

BOMBARDIN'IAN, general of the forces of king Chrononhotonthologos. He invites the king to his tent, and gives him hashed pork. The king strikes him, and calls him traitor. "Traitor, in thy teeth," replies the general. They fight, and the king is killed.--H. Carey, _Chrononhotonthologos_ (a burlesque).

BOMBASTES FURIOSO, general of Artaxam'inous (king of Utopia). He is plighted to Distaffi'na, but Artaxaminous promises her "half-a-crown" if she will forsake the general for himself. "This bright reward of ever-daring minds" is irresistible. When Bombastês sees himself flouted, he goes mad, and hangs his boots on a tree, with this label duly displayed:

Who dares this pair of boots displace,
Must meet Bombastês face to face.

The king, coming up, cuts down the boots, and Bombastês "kills him." Fusbos, seeing the king fallen, "kills" the general; but at the close of the farce the dead men rise one by one, and join the dance, promising, if the audience likes, "to die again to-morrow."--W. B. Rhodes, _Bombastes Furioso._ This farce is a travesty of _Orlando_ _Furioso_, and "Distaffina" is Angelica, beloved by Orlando, whom she flouted for Medoro, a young Moor. On this Orlando went mad, and hung up his armor on a tree, with this distich attached thereto:

Orlando's arms let none displace,
But such who'll meet him face to face.

In the _Rehearsal_, by the duke of Buckingham, Bayes' troops are killed, every man of them, by Drawcansir, but revive, and "go off on their legs."

See the translation of _Don Quixote_, by C. H. Wilmot, Esq., ii. 363 (1764).

_Bombastes Furioso (The French)_, capitaine Fracasse.--Théophile Gautier.

BOMBAS'TUS, the family name of Paracelsus. He is said to have kept a small devil prisoner in the pommel of his sword.

Bombastus kept a devil's bird
Shut in the pommel of his sword,
That taught him all the cunning pranks
Of past and future mountebanks.

S. Butler, _Hudibras_, ii. 3.

BONAS'SUS, an imaginary wild beast, which the Ettrick shepherd encountered. (The Ettrick shepherd was James Hogg, the Scotch poet.)--_Noctes Ambrosianae_ (No. xlviii., April, 1830).

BONAVENTU'RE _(Father)_, a disguise assumed for the nonce by the chevalier Charles Edward, the pretender.--Sir W. Scott, _Redgauntlet_ (time, George III.).

BONDU'CA or BOADICE'A, wife of Præsutagus king of the Ice'ni. For the better security of his family, Præsutagus made the emperor of Rome co-heir with his daughters; whereupon the Roman officers took possession of his palace, gave up the princesses to the licentious brutality of the Roman soldiers, and scourged the queen in public. Bonduca, roused to vengeance, assembled an army, burnt the Roman colonies of London, Colchester [_Camalodunum_], Verulam, etc., and slew above 80,000 Romans. Subsequently, Sueto'nius Paulinus defeated the Britons, and Bonduca poisoned herself, A.D. 61. John Fletcher wrote a tragedy entitled _Bonduca_ (1647).

BONE-SETTER _(The)_, Sarah Mapp (died 1736).

BO'NEY, a familiar contraction of Bo'naparte (3 _syl_.), used by the English in the early part of the nineteenth century by way of depreciation. Thus Thom. Moore speaks of "the infidel Boney."

BONHOMME (_Jacques_), a peasant who interferes with politics; hence the peasants' rebellion of 1358 was called _La Jacquerie_. The words may be rendered "Jimmy" or "Johnny Goodfellow."

BON'IFACE (_St._), an Anglo-Saxon whose name was Winifrid or Winfrith, born in Devonshire. He was made archbishop of Mayence by pope Gregory III., and is called "The Apostle of the Germans." St. Boniface was murdered in Friesland by some peasants, and his day is June 5 (680-755).

... in Friesland first St. Boniface our best,
Who of the see of Mentz, while there he sat possessed,
At Dockum had his death, by faithless Frisians slain.

Drayton, _Polyolbion_, xxiv. (1622).