St. Lucia.
_Bigot_ (Vol. v., p. 277.).--I beg to direct attention to the subjoined
extract from Mr. Trench's _Lectures on the Study of Words_, a most able
and interesting little work:
"'Bigot' is another word widely spread over Europe, of which I am
inclined to think that we should look for the derivation where it
is not generally sought, and here too we must turn to Spain for
the explanation. It has much perplexed inquirers, and two
explanations of it are current; one of which traces it up to the
early Normans, while they yet retained their northern tongue, and
to their often adjuration by the name of God, with sometimes
reference to a famous scene in French history, in which Rollo,
Duke of Normandy, played a conspicuous part; the other puts it in
connexion with 'Beguines,' often called in Latin 'Beguttæ,' a name
by which certain communities of pietest women were known in the
Middle Ages. Yet I cannot but think it probable, that rather than
to either of these sources, we owe the word to that mighty
impression which the Spaniards began to make upon all Europe in
the fifteenth century, and made for a long time after. Now the
word 'bigote' means in Spanish 'mustachio;' and, as contrasted
with the smooth or nearly smooth upper lip of most other people,
at that time the Spaniards were the 'men of the mustachio.' That
it was their characteristic feature comes out in Shakspeare's
_Love's Labour's Lost_, where Armado, the 'fantastical Spaniard,'
describes the king, 'his familiar, as sometimes being pleased to
lean on his poor shoulder, and dally with his mustachio.' [Act V.
Sc. 1.] That they themselves connected firmness and resolution
with the mustachio, that it was esteemed the outward symbol of
these, is plain from such phrases as 'hombre de bigote,' a man of
resolution; 'tener bigotes,' to stand firm. But that in which they
eminently displayed their firmness and resolution in those days,
was their adherence to whatever the Roman See required and taught.
What then more natural, or more entirely according to the law of
the generation of names, than that this striking and
distinguishing outward feature of the Spaniard should have been
laid hold of to express that character and condition which
eminently were his, and then transferred to all others who shared
the same? The mustachio is, in like manner, in France a symbol of
military courage; and thus 'un vieux moustache,' is an old soldier
of courage and military bearing. And strengthening this view, the
earliest use of the word which Richardson gives, is a passage from
Bishop Hall, where 'bigot' is used to signify a pervert to
Romanism: 'he was turned both _bigot_ and physician.' In further
proof that the Spaniard was in those times the standing
representative of the bigot and the persecutor, we need but turn
to the older editions of Fox's _Book of Martyrs_, where the Pagan
persecutors of the early Christians are usually arrayed in the
armour of Spanish soldiers, and sometimes graced with tremendous
'bigotes.'"
2nd edit. 80-82.
Mr. Trench's derivation of _bigot_ is, I think, very preferable to those
you cite.