all of whom he had vanquished by his own hand. He hated Sir Launcelot,
because he had slain his brother, Sir Car´ados, at the Dolorous Tower.
Sir Launcelot challenged Sir Turquine to a trial of strength, and slew
him, after which he liberated the captive knights.--Sir T. Malory,
_History of Prince Arthur_, i. 108-110 (1470).
=Turquoise= (2 _syl._), a blue material found in Persia, the exact
nature of which is not known. Sundry virtues are attached to it: (1)
It indicates by its hue the state of the wearer’s health; (2) it
indicates by its change of lustre if any peril awaits the wearer; (3)
it removes animosity between the giver and the receiver; (4) it is a
potent love-charm, and hence Leah gave a turquoise ring to Shylock
“when he was a bachelor,” in order to make him propose to her.
=Tur´veydrop= (_Mr._), a selfish, self-indulgent, conceited
dancing-master, who imposes on the world by his majestic appearance
and elaborate toilette. He lives on the earnings of his son (named
Prince, after the prince regent), who reveres him as a perfect model
of “deportment.”--C. Dickens, _Bleak House_ (1852).
=Tuscan Poet= (_The_), Ludovico Ariosto, born at Reggio, in Modena
(1474-1533). Noted for his poem entitled _Orlando Furioso_.
The Tuscan poet doth advance
The frantic paladin of France.
Drayton, _Nymphidia_ (1563-1631).
=Tutivillus=, the demon who collects all the fragments of words
omitted, mutilated, or mispronounced by priests in the performance of
religious services, and stores them up in that “bottomless” pit which
is “paved with good intentions.”--Langland, _Visions of Piers
Plowman_, 547 (1362); and the _Townley Mysteries_, 310, 319, etc.
=Twangdillo=, the fiddler, in Somerville’s _Hobbinol_, a burlesque
poem in three cantos. Twangdillo had lost one leg and one eye by a
stroke of lightning on the banks of the Ister, but was still
merry-hearted.
He tickles every string to every note;
He bends his pliant neck, his single eye
Twinkles with joy, his active stump beats time.
_Hobbinol_, or _The Rural Games_, i. (1740).
=Tweedledum and Tweedledee.= In the time of George III. the musical
world was divided between the parties holding by the German Händel and
the Italian Bononcini. The prince of Wales supported Händel, the duke
of Marlborough stood for Bononcini.
Some say, compared to Bononcini,
That mynherr Handel’s but a ninny;
Others aver that he to Handel
Is scarcely fit to hold a candle;
Strange all this difference should be
’Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
J. Byrom (1691-1763).
=Twelfth Night=, a drama by Shakespeare. The story came originally
from a novellette by Bandello (who died 1555), reproduced by
Belleforest in his _Histoires Tragiques_, from which Shakespeare
obtained his story. The tale is this: Viola and Sebastian were twins,
and exactly alike. When grown up, they were ship-wrecked off the coast
of Illyria, and both were saved. Viola, being separated from her
brother, in order to obtain a livelihood, dressed like her brother,
and took the situation of page under the duke Orsino. The duke, at the
time, happened to be in love with Olivia, and as the lady looked
coldly on his suit, he sent Viola to advance it, but the willful
Olivia, instead of melting towards the duke, fell in love with his
beautiful page. One day Sebastian, the twin-brother of Viola, being
attacked in a street brawl, before Olivia’s house, the lady, thinking
him to be the page, invited him in, and they soon grew to such
familiar terms that they agreed to become man and wife. About the same
time, the duke discovered his page to be a beautiful woman, and as he
could not marry his first love, he made Viola his wife, and the
duchess of Illyria.
=Twelve Apostles of Ireland= (_The_), twelve Irish prelates of the
sixth century, disciples of St. Finnian of Clonard.
1. CIARAN or KEIRAN, bishop and abbot of Saighir (now _Seir-Keiran_,
King’s County).
2. CIARAN or KEIRAN, abbot of Clomnacnois.
3. COLUMCILLE of Hy (now _Iona_). This prelate is also called St.
Columba.
4. BRENDAN, bishop and abbot of Clonfort.
5. BRENDAN, bishop and abbot of Birr (now _Parsonstown_, King’s
County).
6. COLUMBA, abbot of Tirdaglas.
7. MOLAISE or LAISRE, abbot of Damhiris (now _Devenish Island_, in
lough Erne).
8. CAINNECH, abbot of Aichadhbo, in Queen’s County.
9. RUADAN or RODAN, abbot of Lorrha, in Tipperary County.
10. MOBI CLAIRENECH (_i.e._, “the flat-faced”), abbot of Glasnooidhan
(now _Glasnevin_, near Dublin).
11. SENELL, abbot of Cluain-inis, in lough Erne.
12. NANNATH or NENNITH, bishop and abbot of Inismuige-Samh (now
_Inismac-Saint_, in lough Erne).
=Twelve Knights of the Round Table.= Dryden says there were twelve
paladins, and twelve knights of the Round Table. The table was made
for 150, but as twelve is the orthodox number, the following names
hold the most conspicuous places:--(1) LAUNCELOT, (2) TRISTRAM, and
(3) LAMORACKE, the three bravest; (4) TOR, the first made; (5)
GALAHAD, the chaste; (6) GAW´AIN, the courteous; (7) GARETH, the
big-handed; (8) PALOMIDES, the Saracen, or unbaptized; (9) KAY, the
rude and boastful; (10) MARK, the dastard; (11) MORDRED, the traitor;
and the twelfth, as in the case of the paladins, must be selected from
one of the following names, all of which are seated with the prince in
the frontispiece attached to the _History of Prince Arthur_, compiled
by Sir T. Malory in 1470;--Sirs Acolon, Ballamore, Beleobus, Belvoure,
Bersunt, Bors, Ector de Maris, Ewain, Floll, Graheris, Galohalt,
Grislet, Lionell, Marhaus, Paginet, Pelleas, Percival, Sagris,
Superabilis, and Turquine.
Or we may take from the _Mabinogion_ the three “battle knights,”
Cadwr, Launcelot, and Owain; the three “counselling knights,” Kynon,
Aron, and Llywarch Hên; the three “diademed knights,” Kai, Trystan,
and Gwevyl; and the three “golden-tongued,” Gwalchmai, Drudwas and
Eliwlod, many of which are unknown in modern story.
Sir Walter Scott names sixteen of renown, seated round the king:
There _Galahad_ sat with manly grace,
Yet maiden meekness in his face;
There _Morolt_ of the iron mace;
And lovelorn _Tristrem_ there;
And _Dinadam_, with lively glance;
And _Lanval_, with the fairy lance;
And _Mordred_, with his looks askance;
_Brunor_ and _Belvidere_.
Why should I tell of numbers more?
Sir _Cay_, Sir _Banier_, and Sir _Bore_,
Sir _Caradoc_, the keen,
And gentle _Gawain’s_ courteous lore,
_Hector de Mares_, and _Pellinore_,
And _Lancelot_, that evermore
Looked stol’n-wise on the queen.
_Bridal of Triermain_, ii. 13 (1813).
=Twelve Paladins= (_The_), twelve famous warriors in Charlemagne’s
court.
1. ASTOLPHO, cousin of Roland, descended from Charles Martel. A great
boaster, fool-hardy, and singularly handsome. It was Astolpho who went
to the moon to fetch back Orlando’s (_Roland’s_) brains when mad.
2. FERUMBRAS or FIERABRAS, a Saracen, afterwards converted and
baptized.
3. FLORISMART, the _fidus Achātês_ of Roland or Orlando.
4. GANELON, the traitor, count of Mayence. Placed by Dantê in the
Inferno.
5. MAUGRIS, in Italian MALAGIGI, cousin to Rinaldo, and son of Beuves
of Aygremont. He was brought up by Oriande the fairy, and became a
great enchanter.
6. NAMO or NAYME de Bavière.
7. OGIER, the DANE, thought to be Holger, the hero of Denmark, but
some affirm that “Dane” is a corruption of _Damné_; so called because
he was not baptized.
8. OLIVER, son of Regnier, comte de Gennes, the rival of Roland in all
feats of arms.
9. OTUEL, a Saracen, nephew to Ferragus or Ferracute. He was
converted, and married a daughter of King Charlemagne.
10. RINALDO, son of Duke Aymon, and cousin to Roland. Angelica fell in
love with him, but he requited not her affection.
11. ROLAND, called ORLANDO in Italian, comte de Cenouta. He was
Charlemagne’s nephew, his mother being Berthe, the king’s sister, and
his father Millon.
12. One of the following names, all of which are called paladins, and
probably supplied vacancies caused by death:--Basin de Genevois,
Geoffrey de Frises, Guerin, duc de Lorraine, Guillaume de l’Estoc, Guy
de Bourgogne, Hoël comte de Nantes, Lambert, prince of Bruxelles,
Richard, duc de Normandy, Riol du Mans, Samson, duc de Bourgogne, and
Thiery.
⁂ There is considerable resemblance between the twelve selected
paladins and the twelve selected Table knights. In each case there
were three pre-eminent for bravery: Oliver, Roland and Rinaldo
(_paladins_); Launcelot, Tristram, and Lamoracke (_Table knights_). In
each case was a Saracen: Ferumbras (_the paladin_); Palomides (_the
Table knight_). In each was a traitor: Ganelon (_the paladin_);
Mordred (_the Table Knight_), like Judas Iscariot in the apostolic
twelve.
Who bear the bows were knights in Arthur’s reign,
Twelve they, and twelve the peers of Charlemain.
Dryden, _The Flower and the Leaf_.
=Twelve Wise Masters= (_The_), the original corporation of the
mastersingers. Hans Sachs, the cobbler of Nürnberg, was the most
renowned and the most voluminous of the mastersingers, but he was not
one of the original twelve. He lived 1494-1576, and left behind him
thirty-four folio vols. of MS., containing 208 plays, 1700 comic
tales, and about 450 lyric poems.
Here Hans Sachs, the cobbler-poet, laureate of the gentle craft,
Wisest of the Twelve Wise Masters, in huge folios sang and danced.
Longfellow, _Nuremberg_.
⁂ The original corporation consisted of Heinrik von Mueglen, Konrad
Harder, Master Altschwert, Master Barthel Regenbogen (blacksmith),
Master Muscablüt (tailor), Hans Blotz (barber), Hans Rosenblüt
(armorial painter), Sebastian Brandt (jurist), Thomas Murner, Hans
Folz (surgeon), Wilhelm Weber, and Hans Sachs (cobbler). This last,
though not one of the founders, was so superior to them all that he is
always reckoned among the wise mastersingers.
=Twemlow= (_Mr._), first cousin to Lord Snigsworth; “an innocent piece
of dinner-furniture,” in frequent requisition by Mr. and Mrs.
Veneering. He is described as “grey, dry, polite, and susceptible to
east wind;” he wears “first-gentleman-in-Europe collar and cravat;”
“his cheeks are drawn in as if he had made a great effort to retire
into himself some years ago, and had got so far, but never any
further.” His great mystery is who is Mr. Veneering’s oldest friend;
is he himself his oldest or his newest acquaintance? He couldn’t
tell.--C. Dickens, _Our Mutual Friend_ (1864).
=Twenty Bold Mariners.=
“Twenty bold mariners went to the wave,
Twenty sweet breezes blew over the main;
All were so hearty, so free and so brave--
But they never came back again.”
* * * * * * * * *
Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, _Along the Shore_ (1888).
=Twice-told Tales.= Some of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s most charming tales
and sketches are collected under this caption (1851).
=Twickenham= (_The Bard of_), Alexander Pope, who lived for thirty
years at Twickenham (1688-1744).
=Twigtythe= (_The Rev. Mr._), clergyman at Fasthwaite Farm, held by
Farmer Williams.--Sir W. Scott, _Waverley_ (time, George II.).
=Twin Brethren= (_The Great_), Castor and Pollux.
Back comes the chief in triumph
Who, in the hour of fight,
Hath seen the Great Twin Brethren
In harness on his right.
Safe comes the ship to haven,
Thro’ billows and thro’ gales,
If once the great Twin Brethren
Sit shining on the sails.
Lord Macaulay, _Lays of Ancient Rome_ (“Battle of Lake
Regillus,” xl. 1842).
=Twineall= (_The Hon. Mr._), a young man who goes to India, intending
to work himself into place by flattery; but, wholly mistaking
character, he gets thrown into prison for treason. Twineall talks to
Sir Luke Tremor (who ran away from the field of battle) of his
glorious deeds of fight; to Lady Tremor (a grocer’s daughter) of high
birth, supposing her to be a descendant of the kings of Scotland; to
Lord Flint (the sultan’s chief minister) of the sultan’s dubious right
to the throne, and so on.--Mrs. Inchbald, _Such Things Are_ (1786).
=Twist= (_Oliver_), the son of Mr. Brownlow’s oldest friend and Agnes
Fleming; half-brother to “Manks.” He was born and brought up in a
workhouse, starved, and ill-treated; but was always gentle, amiable,
and pure-minded. His asking for more gruel at the workhouse because he
was so hungry, and the astonishment of the officials at such daring
impudence, is capitally told.--Charles Dickens, _Oliver Twist_ (1837).
=Twitcher= (_Harry_). Henry, Lord Brougham [_Broom_] was so called,
from his habit of twitching his neck (1778-1868).
Don’t you recollect, North, some years ago that Murray’s name was on
our title-page; and that, being alarmed for Subscription Jamie [_Sir
James Mackintosh_] and Harry Twitcher, he ... scratched his name
out?--Wilson, _Noctes Ambrosianæ_ (1822-36).
_Twitcher_ (_Jemmy_), a cunning and treacherous highwayman in
Macheath’s gang.--Gay, _The Beggar’s Opera_ (1727).
_Twitcher_ (_Jemmy_), the nickname of John, Lord Sandwich, noted for
his liaison with Miss Ray (1718-1792).
When sly Jemmy Twitcher had smugged up his face
With a lick of court whitewash and pious grimace,
Avowing he went where three sisters of old,
In harmless society, guttle and scold.
Gay, (1716-1771).
=Two Drovers= (_The_), a tale in two chapters, laid in the reign of
George III., written by Sir Walter Scott (1827). It is one of the
“Chronicles of the Canongate” supposed to be told by Mr. Croftangry.
Robin Oig M’Combich, a Highland drover, revengeful and proud, meets
with Harry Wakefield, a jovial English drover, and quarrels with him
about a pasture-field. They fight in Heskett’s ale-house, but are
separated. Oig goes on his way to get a dagger, with which he returns
to the ale-house, and stabs Harry who is three parts drunk. Being
tried for murder, he is condemned and executed.
=Two Gentlemen of Vero´na=, a drama by Shakespeare, the story of which
is taken from the _Diana_ of Montemayor (sixteenth century). The tale
is this: Protheus and Valentine were two friends, and Protheus was in
love with a lady of Verōna, named Julia. Valentine went to sojourn in
Milan, and there fell in love with Silvia, the duke’s daughter, who
was promised in marriage to Thurio. Protheus, being sent by his father
to Milan, forgot Julia, fell in love with Silvia, and, in order to
carry his point, induced the duke to banish Valentine, who became the
captain of banditti, into whose hands Silvia fell. Julia, unable to
bear the absence of her lover, dressed in boy’s clothes, and, going to
Milan, hired herself as a page to Protheus, and when Silvia was lost,
the duke, with Thurio, Protheus and his page, went in quest of her.
She was soon discovered, but when Thurio attempted to take possession
of her, Valentine said to him, “I dare you to touch her;” and Thurio
replied, “None but a fool would fight for a girl.” The duke,
disgusted, gave Silvia to Valentine; and Protheus, ashamed of his
conduct, begged pardon of Valentine, discovered his page to be Julia,
and married her (1595).
=Two Kings of Brentford= (_The_). In the duke of Buckingham’s farce
called _The Rehearsal_ (1671), the two kings enter hand-in-hand, dance
together, sing together, walk arm-in-arm, and, to heighten the
absurdity, they are made to smell of the same nosegay (act ii. 2.).
=Two-Legged Mare= (_The_), a gallows. Vice says to Tyburn:
I will help to bridle the two-legged mare.
_Like Will to Like, etc._ (1587).
=Two-Shoes= (_Goody_), a nursery tale by Oliver Goldsmith (1765).
Goody Two-shoes was a very poor child, whose delight at having a
_pair_ of shoes was so unbounded that she could not forbear telling
every one she met that she had “two shoes,” whence her name. She
acquired knowledge and became wealthy. The title-page states that the
tale is for the benefit of those
Who from a state of rags and care,
And having shoes but half a pair,
Their fortune and their fame should fix,
And gallop in a coach and six.
=Two Strings to Your Bow=, a farce by Jephson (1792). Lazarillo,
wanting a master, enters the service of Don Felix and also of Octavio
at the same time. He makes perpetual blunders, such as giving letters
and money to the wrong master; but it turns out that Don Felix is
Donna Clara, the betrothed of Octavio. The lovers meet at the Eagle
hotel, recognize each other, and become man and wife.
=Two Unlucky.= In our dynasties two has been an unlucky number; thus:
Ethelred II. was forced to abdicate; Harold II. was slain at Hastings;
William II. was shot in the New Forest; Henry II. had to fight for his
crown, which was usurped by Stephen; Edward II. was murdered at
Berkeley Castle; Richard II. was deposed; Charles II. was driven into
exile; James II. was obliged to abdicate; George II. was worsted at
Fontenoy and Lawfeld, was disgraced by General Braddock and Admiral
Byng, and was troubled by Charles Edward, the Young Pretender.
=Tyb´alt=, a fiery young nobleman of Verona, nephew to Lady Capŭlet,
and cousin to Juliet. He is slain in combat by Ro´meo.--Shakespeare,
_Romeo and Juliet_ (1595).
The name is given to the _cat_ in the beast-epic called _Reynard the
Fox_. Hence Mercutio calls him “rat-catcher” (act iii. sc. 1), and
when Tybalt demands of him, “What wouldst thou have with me?” Mercutio
replies, “Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives” (act
iii. sc. 1).
_Tybalt_, a Lombard officer, in love with Laura, niece of Duke
Gondibert. The story of _Gondibert_ being unfinished, no sequel of
this attachment is given.--Sir W. Davenant, _Gondibert_ (died 1668).
_Tybalt_ or _Tibert_, the cat in the beast-epic of _Reynard the Fox_
(1498).
=Tyburn= (_Kings of_), hangmen.
=Tyburn Tree= (_The_), a gallows; so called because criminals at one
time hung on the elm trees which grew on the banks of the Tyburn. The
“Holy Maid of Kent,” Mrs. Turner, the poisoner, Felton, the assassin
of the duke of Buckingham, Jack Sheppard, Jonathan Wild, Lord Ferrers,
who murdered his steward, Dr. Dodd and Mother Brownrigg, “all died in
their shoes” on the Tyburn tree.
Since laws were made for every degree,
To curb vice in others as well as in me [_Macheath_],
I wonder we ha’nt better company
’Neath Tyburn tree.
Gay, _The Beggar’s Opera_ (1727).
=Tycho=, a vassal of the bishop of Treves, in the reign of Kaiser
Henry IV. He promised to avenge his lord and master, who had been
plundered by Count Adalbert, a leader of bandits. So, going to the
count’s castle, he craved a draught of water. The porter brought him a
cup of wine, and Tycho said, “Thank thy lord for his charity, and tell
him he shall meet with his reward.” Then, returning home, he procured
thirty large wine-barrels, in each of which he concealed an armed
retainer and weapons for two others. Each cask was then carried by two
men to the count’s castle, and when the door was opened Tycho said to
the porter, “I am come to recompense thy lord and master,” and the
sixty men carried in the thirty barrels. When Count Adalbert went to
look at the present, at a signal given by Tycho the tops of the casks
flew off, and the ninety armed men slew the count and his brigands,
and then burnt the castle to the ground.
The reader may perceive a certain resemblance between this tale and
that of “Ali Baba, or the Forty Thieves” (_Arabian Nights’
Entertainments_).
=Tyler= (_Wat_), a frugal, honest, industrious, skillful blacksmith of
Essex; with one daughter, Alice, pretty, joyous, innocent, and modest.
With all his frugality and industry, Wat found it very hard to earn
enough for daily bread, and the tax-collectors came for the poll-tax,
three groats a head, for a war to maintain our conquests in France.
Wat had saved up the money, and proffered six groats for himself and
wife. The collectors demanded three groats for Alice also, but Tyler
said she was under 15 years of age, whereupon, one of the collectors
having “insulted her virgin modesty,” Tyler felled him to the ground
with his sledge-hammer. The people gathered round the smith, and a
general uprising ensued. Richard II., sent a herald to Tyler, to
request a parley, and pledging his royal word for his safe conduct.
The sturdy smith appointed Smithfield for the rendezvous, and there
Tyler told the king the people’s grievances; but while he was
speaking, William Walworth, the lord mayor, stabbed him from behind
and killed him. The king, to pacify the people, promised the poll-tax
should be taken off and their grievances redressed, but no sooner had
the mob dispersed than the rebels were cut down wholesale, and many
being subjected to a mockery of a trial, were infamously
executed.--Southey, _Wat Tyler_ (1794, published, 1817).
=Tyll Owlyglass= or TYLL OWLEGLASS, by Thomas Murner, a Franciscan
monk, of Strasbourg (1475-1536); the English name of the German “Tyll
Eulenspiegel.” Tyll is a mechanic of Brunswick, who runs from pillar
to post as charlatan, physician, lansquenet, fool, valet, and
Jack-of-all-trades. He undertakes anything and everything, but
invariably “spoils the Egyptians” who trust in him. He produces
popular proverbs, is brimfull of merry mischief, droll as Sam Slick,
indifferent honest as Gil Blas, light-hearted as Andrew Bode, as full
of tricks as Scapin, and as popular as Robin Hood. The book is crammed
with observations, anecdotes, fables, _bon mots_, facetiæ, and shows
forth the omnipotence of common sense. There are two good English
versions of this popular picaresco romance--one printed by William
Copland, and entitled _The Merrye Jeste of a Man called Howlëglass and
the many Marvellous Thinges and Jestes which he did in his Lyfe in
Eastland_; and the other published in 1860, translated by K. R. H.
Mackenzie, and illustrated by Alfred Crowquill. In 1720 was brought
out a modified and abridged edition of the German story.
To few mortals has it been granted to earn such a place in universal
history as Tyll Eulenspiegel [_U’len-spee’.g’l_]. Now, after five
centuries, Tyll’s native village is pointed out with pride to the
traveller, and his tombstone ... still stands ... at Möllen, near
Lubeck, where since 1350 [_sic_] his once nimble bones have been at
rest.--Carlyle.
=Tylwyth Teg=, or the “Family of Beauty,” elves who “dance in the
moonlight on the velvet sward,” in their airy and flowing robes of
blue and green, white and scarlet. These beautiful fays delight in
showering benefits on the human race. _The Mabinogion_.
=Tyneman= (2 _syl._), Archibald IV., earl of Douglas. So called
because he was always on the losing side.
=Tyre=, in Dryden’s satire of _Absalom and Achitophel_, means Holland.
“Egypt,” in the same satire, means France.
I mourn my countrymen, your lost estate ...
Now all your liberties a spoil are made,
Egypt and Tyrus intercept your trade.
Pt. i. (1681).
_Tyre_ (_Archbishop of_), with the crusaders.--Sir W. Scott, _The
Talisman_ (time, Richard I.).
=Tyrian Cyn´osure= (3 _syl._), Ursa Minor. Ursa Major is called by
Milton “The Star of Arcady,” from Calisto, daughter of Lyca´on, the
first king of Arcadia, who was changed into this constellation. Her
son, Arcas or Cynosūra, was made the Lesser Bear.--Pausanias,
_Itinerary of Greece_, viii. 4.
And thou shalt be our star of Arcady,
Or Tyrian Cynosure.
Milton, Comus, 343 (1634).
=Tyrie=, one of the archers in the Scottish guard of Louis XI.--Sir W.
Scott, _Quentin Durward_ (time, Edward IV.).
_Tyrie_ (_The Rev. Michael_), minister of Glenorquhy.--Sir W. Scott,
_The Highland Widow_ (time, George II.).
=Tyrog´lyphus= (“_the cheese-scooper_”), one of the mouse princes
slain in the battle of the frogs and mice by Lymnisius (“the laker”).
Lymnisius good Tyroglyphus assails,
Prince of the mice that haunt the flowery vales;
Lost to the milky fares and rural seat,
He came to perish on the bank of fate.
Parnell, _Battle of the Frogs and Mice_, iii. (about
1712).