"_Bizocco_ sia quasi _Bigioco_, o _Bigiotto_, perchè i Terziari di S.
Francesco si veston di bigio."
Abundance of instances might be adduced of the use of the term _bizocco_ in
the sense of hypocrite, or would-be saint. And the passage which Mr. Trench
gives after Richardson from Bishop Hall, where _bigot_ is used to signify a
pervert to Romanism, "he was turned both _bigot_ and physician," seems to
me to favour my etymology rather than that from the Spanish; as showing
that the earliest known use of the term was its application to a Popish
religionist. The "pervert" alluded to had become that which cotemporary
Italians were calling a _bigiotto_. Must we not conclude that Bishop Hall
drew his newly-coined word thence?