Scott, _Woodstock_ (time, Commonwealth).
=Thornhill= (_Sir William_), _alias_ Mr. Burchell, about 30 years of
age. Most generous and most whimsical, most benevolent and most
sensitive. Sir William was the landlord of Dr. Primrose, the vicar of
Wakefield. After travelling through Europe on foot, he had returned
and lived _incognito_. In the garb and aspect of a pauper, Mr.
Burchell is introduced to the vicar of Wakefield. Twice he rescued his
daughter, Sophia--once when she was thrown from her horse into a deep
stream, and once when she was abducted by Squire Thornhill. Ultimately
he married her.--Goldsmith, _The Vicar of Wakefield_ (1766).
_Thornhill_ (_Squire_), nephew of Sir William Thornhill. He enjoyed
a large fortune, but was entirely dependent on his uncle. He was a
sad libertine, who abducted both the daughters of Dr. Primrose, and
cast the old vicar into jail for rent after the entire loss of his
house, money, furniture, and books by fire. Squire Thornhill tried
to impose upon Olivia Primrose by a false marriage, but was caught
in his own trap, for the marriage proved to be legal in every
respect.--Goldsmith, _The Vicar of Wakefield_ (1766).
This worthy citizen abused the aristocracy much on the same principle
as the fair Olivia depreciated Squire Thornhill:--he had a sneaking
affection for what he abused.--Lord Lytton.
=Thornton= (_Captain_), an English officer.--Sir W. Scott, _Rob Roy_
(time George I.).
_Thornton_ (_Cyril_), the hero and title of a novel of military
adventure, by Captain Thomas Hamilton (1827).
=Thorough Doctor= (_The_). William Varro was called _Doctor Fundātus_
(thirteenth century).
=Thoughtful= (_Father_), Nicholas Cat´inet, a marshal of France. So
called by his soldiers for his cautious and thoughtful policy
(1637-1712).
=Thoughtless= (_Miss Betty_), a virtuous, sensible, and amiable young
lady, utterly regardless of the conventionalities of society, and
wholly ignorant of etiquette. She is consequently forever involved in
petty scrapes most mortifying to her sensitive mind. Even her lover is
alarmed at her _gaucherie_, and deliberates whether such a partner for
life is desirable.--Mrs. Heywood, _Miss Betty Thoughtless_
(1687-1758).
(Mrs. Heywood’s novel evidently suggested the _Evelina_ of Miss
Burney, 1778.)
=Thoulouse= (_Raymond, count of_), one of the crusading princes.--Sir
W. Scott _Count Robert of Paris_ (time, Rufus).
=Thrame= (_Janet_), fiend-possessed serving maid, who, when she went
abroad led by her possessor and master, left her body hung upon a nail
in her room.--R. L. Stevenson, _Thrame Janet_.
=Thraso=, a bragging, swaggering captain, the Roman Bobadil
(_q.v._).--Terence, _The Eunuch_.
_Thraso_, duke of Mar, one of the allies of Charlemagne.--Ariosto,
_Orlando Furioso_ (1516).
=Three a Divine Number.= Pythagoras calls three the perfect number,
expressive of “beginning, middle, and end,” and he makes it a symbol
of deity.
AMERICAN INDIANS: Otkon (_creator_), Messou (_providence_) Atahuata
(_the Logos_).
(Called _Otkon_ by the Iroquois, and _Otkee_ by the Virginians).
ARMORICA. The korrigans or fays of Armorica are three times three.
BRAHMINS: Brahma, Vishnu, Siva.
BUDDHISTS: Buddha, Annan Sonsja, Rosia Sonsja.
(These are the three idols seen in Buddhist temples; Buddha stands in
the middle.)
CHRISTIANS: The Father, the Son (_the Logos_), the Holy Ghost.
When, in creation, the earth was without form and void, “the Spirit
moved over the face,” and put it into order.
EGYPTIANS (_Ancient_). Almost every district had its own triad, but
the most general were Osiris, Isis, Horus; Eicton, Cneph (_creator_),
Phtha.
ETRUSCANS. Their college consisted of three times three gods.
Lars Porsĕna of Clusium,
By the nine gods he swore
That the great house of Tarquin
Should suffer wrong no more.
Lord Macaulay, _Lays of Ancient Rome_ (“Horatius,” 1842).
KAMTSCHADALES: Koutkhou (_creator of heaven_), Kouhttigith, his sister
(_creator of earth_), Outleigin (_creator of ocean_).
PARSEES: Ahura (_the creator_), Vohu Mano (“entity”), Akem Mano
(“nonentity”).
PERSIANS: Oromasdês or Oromāzês (_the good principle_), Arimanês (_the
evil principle_), Mithras (_fecundity_).
Others give Zervanê (_god the father_), and omit Mithras from the
trinity.
PERUVIANS (_Ancient_): Pachama (_goddess mother_), Virakotcha (=
_Jupiter_), Mamakotcha (=_Neptune_). They called their Trinity
“Tangatanga” (_i.e._, “three in one”).
PHŒNICIANS: Kolpia (_the Logos_), Baaut (“darkness”), Mot
(“matter”).
ROMANS (_Ancient_): Jupiter (_god of heaven_), Neptune (_god of earth
and sea_), Pluto (_god of Hades, the under-world_).
(Their whole college of gods consisted of four times three deities.)
SCANDINAVIANS: Odin (“life”), Hænir (“motion”), Loda (“matter”).
TAHITIANS: Taroataihetoomoo (_chief deity_), Tepapa (_the fecund
principle_), Tettoomatataya (_their offspring_).
Lao-Tseu, the Chinese philosopher, says the divine trinity is: Ki, Hi,
Ouei.
Orpheus says it is: Phanês (_light_), Urănos (_heaven_), Kronos
(_time_).
Plato says it is: Tô Agăthon (_goodness_), Nous (_intelligence_),
Psuchê (_the mundane soul_).
Pythagoras says it is: Monad (_the unit_ or _oneness_), Nous, Psuchê.
Vossius says it is: Jupiter (_divine power_), Minerva (_the Logos_),
Juno (_divine progenitiveness_).
_Subordinate._ The orders of ANGELS are three times three, viz.: (1)
Seraphim, (2) Cherubim, (3) Thrones, (4) Dominions, (5) Virtues, (6)
Powers, (7) Principalities, (8) Archangels, (9) Angels.--Dionysius,
the Areopăgite.
In heaven above
The effulgent bands in triple circles move.
Tasso, _Jerusalem Delivered_, xi. 13 (1575).
The CITIES OF REFUGE were three on each side the Jordan.
The FATES are three: Clotho (with her distaff, presides at birth),
Lachĕsis (spins the thread of life), Atrŏpos (cuts the thread).
The FURIES are three: Tisiponê, Alecto, Megæra.
The GRACES are three: Euphros´ynê (_cheerfulness of mind_), Aglaia
(_mirth_), Thalīa (_good-tempered jest_).
The JUDGES OF HADES are three: Minos (_the chief baron_), Æacus (_the
judge of Europeans_), Rhadamanthus (_the judge of Asiatics and
Africans_).
The MUSES are three times three.
Jupiter’s thunder is three-forked (_trifĭdun_); Neptune’s trident has
three prongs; Pluto’s dog, Cerbĕrus, has three heads. The rivers of
hell are three times three, and Styx flows round it thrice three
times.
In Scandinavian mythology there are three times three earths; three
times three worlds in Niflheim; three times three regions under the
dominion of Hel.
According to a mediæval tradition, the heavens are three times three.,
viz., the Moon, Venus, Mercury, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the
fixed stars and the primum mobĭlê.
SYMBOLIC. (1) In the tabernacle and Jewish Temple.
The _Temple_ consisted of three parts: the porch, the Temple proper
and the holy of holies. It had three courts: the court of the priests,
the court of the people and the court of foreigners. The innermost
court had three rows, and three windows in each row (_1 Kings_ vi. 36;
vii. 4).
Similarly, Ezekiel’s city had three gates on each side (_Ezek._
xlviii. 31). Cyrus left direction for the rebuilding of the Temple; it
was to be three score cubits in height, and three score cubits wide,
and three rows of great stones were to be set up (_Ezra_ vi. 3, 4). In
like manner, the “New Jerusalem” is to have four times three
foundations: (1) jasper, (2) sapphire, (3) chalcedony, (4) emerald,
(5) sardonyx, (6) sardius, (7) chrysolyte, (8) beryl, (9) topaz, (10)
chrysoprase, (11) jacinth, (12) amethyst. It is to have three gates
fronting each cardinal quarter (_Rev._ xxi. 13-20).
(2) In the _Temple Furniture_: The golden candlestick had three
branches on each side (_Exod._ xxv. 32); there were three bowls (ver.
33); the height of the altar was three cubits (_Exod._ xxvii. 1);
there were three pillars for the hangings (ver. 14); Solomon’s molten
sea was supported on oxen, three facing each cardinal point (_1 Kings_
vii. 25).
(3) _Sacrifices and Offerings_: A meat offering consisted of
three-tenth deals of fine flour (_Lev._ xiv. 10); Hannah offered up
three bullocks when Samuel was devoted to the temple (_1 Sam._ i. 24);
three sorts of beasts--bullocks, rams, and lambs--were appointed for
offerings (_Numb._ xxix.); the Jews were commanded to keep three
national feasts yearly (_Exod._. xxiii. 14-17); in all criminal
charges three witnesses were required (_Deut._ xvii. 6).
MISCELLANEOUS THREES. Joshua sent three men from each tribe to survey
the land of Canaan (_Josh._ xvii. 4). Moses had done the same at the
express command of God (_Numb._ xiii.). Job had three friends (_Job_
ii. 11). Abraham was accosted by three men (angels), with whom he
pleaded to spare the cities of the plain (_Gen._ xviii. 2).
Nebuchadnezzar cast three men into the fiery furnace (_Dan._ iii. 24).
David had three mighty men of valor, and one of them slew 300 of the
Philistines with his spear (_2 Sam._ xxiii. 9, 18). Nebuchadnezzar’s
image was three score cubits high (_Dan._ iii. 1). Moses was hidden
three months from the Egyptian police (_Exod._ ii. 2). The ark of the
covenant was three months in the house of Obededom (_2 Sam._ vi. 11).
Balaam smote his ass three times before the beast upbraided him
(_Numb._ xxii. 28). Samson mocked Delilah three times (_Judges_ xvi.
15). Elijah stretched himself three times on the child which he
restored to life (_1 Kings_ xvii. 21). The little horn plucked up
three horns by the roots (_Dan._ vii. 8). The bear seen by Daniel in
his vision, had three ribs in its mouth (ver. 5). Joab slew Absalom
with three darts (_2 Sam._ xviii. 14). God gave David the choice of
three chastisements (_2 Sam._ xxiv. 12). The great famine in David’s
reign lasted three years (_2 Sam._ xxi. 1); so did the great drought
in Ahab’s reign (_Luke_ iv. 25). There were three men transfigured on
the mount, and three spectators (_Matt._ xvii. 1-4). The sheet was let
down to Peter three times (_Acts_ x. 16). There are three Christian
graces: Faith, hope, and charity (_1 Cor._ xiii. 13). There are three
that bear record in heaven, and three that bear witness on earth (_1
John_ v. 7, 8). There were three unclean spirits that came out of the
mouth of the dragon (_Rev._ xvi. 13).
So again. Every ninth wave is said to be the largest.
[_They_] watched the great sea fall,
Wave after wave, each mightier than the last;
Till last, a ninth one, gathering half the deep
And full of voices, slowly rose and plunged,
Roaring, and all the wave was in a flame.
Tennyson, _The Holy Grail_ (1858-59).
A wonder is said to last three times three days. The scourge used for
criminals is a “cat o’ nine tails.” Possession is nine points of the
law, being equal to (1) money to make good a claim, (2) patience to
carry a suit through, (3) a good cause, (4) a good lawyer, (5) a good
counsel, (6) good witnesses, (7) a good jury, (8) a good judge, (9)
good luck. Leases used to be granted for 999 years. Ordeals by fire
consisted of three times three red-hot ploughshares.
There are three times three crowns recognized in heraldry, and three
times three marks of cadency.
We show honor by a three times three in drinking a health.
The worthies are three Jews, three pagans, and three Christians: viz.,
Joshua, David, and Judas Maccabæus; Hector, Alexander, and Julius
Cæsar; Arthur, Charlemagne, and Godfrey of Bouillon. The worthies of
London are three times three also: (1) Sir William Walworth, (2) Sir
Henry Pritchard, (3) Sir William Sevenoke, (4) Sir Thomas White, (5)
Sir John Bonham, (6) Christopher Croker, (7) Sir John Hawkwood, (8)
Sir Hugh Caverley, (9) Sir Henry Maleverer (Richard Johnson, _The Nine
Worthies of London_).
⁂ Those who take any interest in this subject can easily multiply the
examples here set down to a much greater number. (See below, the
_Welsh Triads_.)
=Three Ardent Lovers of Britain= (_The_): (1) Caswallawn, son of Beli,
the ardent lover of Flur, daughter of Mugnach Gorr; (2) Tristan or
Tristram, son of Talluch, the ardent lover of Yseult, wife of March
Meirchawn, his uncle, generally called King Mark of Cornwall; (3)
Kynon, son of Clydno Eiddin, the ardent lover of Morvyth, daughter of
Urien of Rheged.--_Welsh Triads._
=Three Battle Knights= (_The_), in the court of King Arthur: (1)
Cadwr, earl of Cornwall; (2) Launcelot du Lac; (3) Owain, son of
Urien, prince of Rheged, _i.e._, Cumberland and some of the adjacent
lands. These three would never retreat from battle, neither for spear,
nor sword, nor arrow; and Arthur knew no shame in fight when they were
present.--_Welsh Triads_.
=Three Beautiful Women= (_The_), of the court of King Arthur: (1)
Gwenhwyvar or Guenever, wife of King Arthur; (2) Enid, who dressed in
“azure robes,” wife of Geraint; (3) Tegau or Tegau Euron.--_Welsh
Triads._
=Three Blessed Rulers= (_The_) of the island of Britain: (1) Bran or
Vran, son of Llyr, and father of Caradawc (_Caractacus_). He was
called “The Blessed,” because he introduced Christianity into the
nation of the Cymry from Rome; he learnt it during his seven years’
detention in that city with his son. (2) Lleurig ab Coel ab Cyllyn
Sant, surnamed “The Great Light.” He built the cathedral of Llandaff,
the first sanctuary in Britain. (3) Cadwaladyr, who gave refuge to all
believers driven out by the Saxons from England.--_Welsh Triads_,
xxxv.
=Three Calenders= (_The_), three sons of three kings, who assumed the
disguise of begging dervises. They had each lost one eye. The three
met in the house of Zobeidê, and told their respective tales in the
presence of Haroun-al-Raschid, also in disguise. (See
CALENDERS.)--_Arabian Nights_ (“The Three Calenders”).
=Three Chief Ladies= (_The_) of the island of Britain: (1) Branwen,
daughter of King Llyr, “the fairest damsel in the world;” (2)
Gwenhwyvar or Guenever, wife of King Arthur; (3) Æthelflæd, the wife
of Ethelred.
=Three Closures= (_The_) of the island of Britain: (1) The head of
Vran, son of Llyr, surnamed “The Blessed,” which was buried under the
White Tower of London, and so long as it remained there, no invader
would enter the island. (2) The bones of Vortimer, surnamed “The
Blessed,” buried in the chief harbor of the island; so long as they
remained there, no hostile ship would approach the coast. (3) The
dragons buried by Lludd, son of Beli, in the city of Pharaon, in the
Snowdon rocks. (See THREE FATAL DISCLOSURES.)--_Welsh Triads_, liii.
=Three Counselling Knights= (_The_) of the court of King Arthur: (1)
Kynon or Cynon, son of Clydno Eiddin; (2) Aron, son of Kynfarch ab
Meirchion Gul; (3) Llywarch Hên, son of Elidir Lydanwyn. So long as
Arthur followed the advice of these three, his success was invariable,
but when he neglected to follow their counsel, his defeat was
sure.--_Welsh Triads._
=Three Diademed Chiefs= (_The_) of the island of Britain: (1) Kai, son
of Kyner, the steward of King Arthur. He could transform himself into
any shape he pleased. Always ready to fight, and always worsted. Half
knight and half buffoon. (2) Trystan mab Tallwch, one of Arthur’s
three heralds, and one whom nothing could divert from his purpose; he
is generally called Sir Tristram. (3) Gwevyl mab Gwestad, the
melancholy. “When sad, he would let one of his lips drop below his
waist, while the other turned up like a cap upon his head.”--_The
Mabinogion_, 227.
=Three Disloyal Tribes= (_The_) of the island of Britain: (1) The
tribe of Goronwy Pebyr, which refused to stand substitute for their
lord, Llew Llaw Gyffes, when a poisoned dart was shot at him by Llech
Goronwy; (2) the tribe of Gwrgi, which deserted their lord in Caer
Greu, when he met Eda Glinmawr in battle (both were slain); (3) the
tribe of Alan Vyrgan, which slunk away from their lord on his journey
to Camlan, where he was slain.--_Welsh Triads_, xxxv.
=Three Estates of the Realm=: the nobility, the clergy, and the
commonalty.
N.B.--The sovereign is not one of the three estates.
=Three Fatal Disclosures= (_The_) of the island of Britain: (1) That
of the buried head of Vran “The Blessed,” by King Arthur, because he
refused to hold the sovereignty of the land except by his own
strength; (2) that of the bones of Vortimer by Vortigern, out of love
for Ronwen (_Rowena_), daughter of Hengist, the Saxon; (3) that of the
dragons in Snowdon by Vortigern, in revenge of the Cymryan displeasure
against him; having this done, he invited over the Saxons in his
defence. (See THREE CLOSURES.)--_Welsh Triads_, liii.
=Three-Fingered Jack=, the nickname of a famous negro robber, who was
the terror of Jamaica in 1780. He was at length hunted down and killed
in 1781.
=Three Golden-Tongued Knights= (_The_) in the court of King Arthur;
(1) Gwalchmai, called in French Gawain, son of Gwyar; (2) Drudwas, son
of Tryffin; (3) Eliwlod, son of Madog ab Uthur. They never made a
request which was not at once granted.--_Welsh Triads._
=Three Great Astronomers= (_The_), of the island of Britain: (1)
Grwydion, son of Don. From him the Milky Way is called “Caer Gwydion.”
He called the constellation Cassiopeia “The Court of Don,” or Llys
Don, after his father; and the Corona Borealis, he called “Caer
Arianrod,” after his daughter. (2) Gwynn, son of Nudd. (3)
Idris.--_Welsh Triads_, ii. 325.
=Three Holy Tribes= (_The_), of the island of Britain: (1) That of
Bran or Vran, who introduced Christianity into Wales; (2) that of
Cunedda Wledig; and (3) that of Brychan Brycheiniog.--_Welsh Triads_,
xxxv.
=Three Guardsmen=, trio of French gentlemen, who enter the army of
Louis XIII., assuming the pseudonyms of Athos, Porthos and Aramis.
Their adventures are traced through three books of Dumas, _Les Trois
Mousquetaires_, _Vingt Ans Après_ and _Le Vicomte de Bragelonne_.
=Three Kings’ Day=, Twelfth Day or Epiphany, designed to commemorate
the visit of the “three kings,” or “Wise Men of the East,” to the
infant Jesus.
=Three Kings of Cologne= (_The_), the three “Wise Men” who followed
the guiding star “from the East” to Jerusalem, and offered gifts to
the babe Jesus. Their names were Jaspar or Gaspar, Melchior, and
Balthazar; or Apellius, Ameĕrus, and Damascus; or Magalath, Galgalath,
and Sarasin; or Ator, Sator and Peratŏras. Klopstock, in his
_Messiah_, says the Wise Men were six in number, and gives their names
as Hadad, Selĭma, Zimri, Mirja, Beled, and Sunith.
⁂ The toys shown in Cologne Cathedral as the “three kings” are called
Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar.
=Three Learned Knights= (_The_), of the island of Britain: (1)
Gwalchmai ab Gwyar, called in French romances Gawain; (2) Llecheu ab
Arthur; (3) Rhiwallon with the broom-bush hair. There was nothing that
man knew they did not know.--_Welsh Triads._
=Three-Leg Alley= (_London_), now called Pemberton Row, Fetter Lane.
=Three Letters= (_A Man of_), a thief. A Roman phrase, from _fur_, “a
thief.”
Tun’ trium literarum homo
Me vituperas? Fur!
Plautus, _Aulularia_, ii. 4.
=Three Makers of Golden Shoes= (_The_), of the island of Britain; (1)
Caswallawn, son of Beli, when he went to Gascony to obtain Flur. She
had been abducted for Julius Cæsar, but was brought back by the
prince. (2) Manawyddan, son of Llyr, when he sojourned in Lloegyr
(_England_). (3) Llew Llaw Gyffes, when seeking arms from his
mother.--_Welsh Triads_, cxxiv.
“What craft shall we take?” said Manawyddan.... “Let us take to making
shoes.”... So he bought the best cordwal ... and got the best
goldsmith to make clasps ... and he was called one of the three makers
of gold shoes.--_The Mabinogion_ (“Manawyddan,” twelfth century).
=Three Robbers= (_The_). The three stars in Orion’s belt are said to
be “three robbers climbing up to rob the Ranee’s silver
bedstead.”--Miss Frere, _Old Deccan Days_, 28.
=Three Stayers of Slaughter= (_The_): (1) Gwgawn Gleddyvrud; the name
of his horse was Buchestom. (2) Morvran eil Tegid. (3) Gilbert mab
Cadgyffro.--_Welsh Triads_, xxix.
=Three Tailors of Tooley Street= (_The_), three worthies who held a
meeting in Tooley Street, for the redress of popular grievances, and
addressed a petition to the House of Commons, while Canning was prime
minister, beginning, “We, the people of England.”
=Three Tribe Herdsmen of Britain= (_The_): (1) Llawnrodded Varvawe,
who tended the milch cows of Nudd Hael, son of Senyllt; (2) Bennren,
who kept the herd of Caradawc, son of Brân, Glamorganshire; (3)
Grwdion, son of Don, the enchanter, who kept the kine of Gwynedd,
above the Conway. All these herds consisted of 21,000 milch
cows.--_Welsh Triads_, lxxxv.
=Three Tyrants of Athens= (_The_); Pisistrătos (B.C. 560-490), Hippias
and Hipparchos (B.C. 527-490).
(The two brothers reigned conjointly from 527-514, when the latter was
murdered.)
=Three Unprofessional Bards= (_The_), of the island of Britain: (1)
Rhyawd, son of Morgant; (2) King Arthur; (3) Cadwallawn, son of
Cadvan.--_Welsh Triads_, lxxxix, 113.
=Three Weeks after Marriage=, a comedy by A. Murphy (1776). Sir
Charles Racket has married the daughter of a rich London tradesman,
and, three weeks of the honeymoon having expired, he comes on a visit
to the lady’s father, Mr. Drugget. Old Drugget plumes himself on his
aristocratic son-in-law, so far removed from the vulgar brawls of
meaner folk. On the night of their arrival the bride and bridegroom
quarrel about a game of whist; the lady maintained that Sir Charles
ought to have played a diamond instead of a club. So angry is Sir
Charles that he resolves to have a divorce; and, although the quarrel
is patched up, Mr. Drugget has seen enough of the _beau monde_ to
decline the alliance of Lovelace for his second daughter, whom he
gives to a Mr. Woodley.
=Three Writers= (_The_). The _Scriptores Tres_ are Richardus
Corinensis, Gildas Badonĭcus and Nennius Banchorensis; three who wrote
on _The Ancient History of the British Nation_, edited, etc., by
Julius Bertram (1757).
⁂ The Five Writers, or _Scriptores Quinque_, are five English
chronicles on the early history of England, edited by Thomas Gale
(1691). The names of these chroniclers are: William of Malmesbury,
Henry of Huntingdon, Roger Hoveden, Ethelwerd, and Ingulphus of
Croyland.
The Ten Writers, or _Scriptores Decem_, are the authors of ten ancient
chronicles on English history, compiled and edited by Roger Twysden
and John Selden (1652). The collection contains the chronicles of
Simeon of Durham, John of Hexham, Richard of Hexham, Ailred of Rieval,
Ralph de Diceto, John Brompton, Gervase of Canterbury, Thomas Stubbs,
William Thorn and Henry Knighton. (See SIX CHRONICLES.)
=Thresher= (_Captain_), the feigned leader of a body of lawless
Irishmen, who attacked, in 1806, the collectors of tithes and their
subordinates.
Captain Right was a leader of the rebellious peasantry in the south of
Ireland in the eighteenth century.
Captain Rock was the assumed name of a leader of Irish insurgents in
1822.
=Thrummy-Cap=, a sprite which figures in the fairy tales of
Northumberland. He was a “queer-looking little auld man,” whose scene
of exploits generally lay in the vaults and cellars of old castles.
John Skelton, in his _Colyn Clout_, calls him Tom-a-Thrum, and says
that the clergy could neither write nor read, and were no wiser than
this cellar sprite.
=Thrush= (_Song of the_). Marvellous, rippling music, like the sweet
babble of a brook over stones; like the gentle sighing of the wind in
pine trees ... a rhapsody impossible to describe, but constantly
reminding one of running streams and gentle waterfalls, and coming
nearer to “put my woods in song” than any other bird-notes
whatever.--Olive Thorne Miller, _In Nesting Time_ (1888).