early in France. For we learn from Beletus, who flourished in the church of Amiens, A. 1182, that the Feast of Fools was observed in his time; and that, dur ing this season, there were some churches, in which it was customary for even the Bishops and Archbishops to engage in sports, in the monasteries, with their underlings, and demean themselves so far as to play at the ball. De Divin. Offic. cap. 120. The letters of Peter of Capua, Cardinal Legate in France, A. 1198, are still extant; in which he commands Odo, Bishop of Paris, and all the clergy of his church, utterly to abolish the Feast of Fools, which prevailed in the church of Paris as in other churches. The Abbot of Unreason or Misrule, and the Boy Bishop, so well known both in England and in France, although different characters, were elected in the same manner, and for the same ludicrous purposes. We have seen that, in a later period, an election of this kind took place at an university. But the custom had been immediately borrowed from the Cathedrals• and Monasteries. For, in these, the younger clergy (cleri. culi) amused themselves in this manner. So strong was the attachment to this kind of diversion, that notwithstanding the prohibition of the Cardinal Legate, already referred to, it still continued in France. For we find it interdicted by the Council of Paris, A. 1212, and afterwards by other councils. Nor need we wonder, that Popes and Councils interposed their authority, as the mimic prelate and his attendants introduced the very service of the church into their sports, in such a manner as must have directly tended to turn the whole into ridicule. The procession of the Boy Bishop seems to have been introduced in subserviency to the Festival of the Innocents, appointed in commemoration of the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem. It had been fancied, that a procession, in which boys (those belonging to the choir) were the principal actors, would be a lively representation of the unoffending character of those who had fallen victims to the cruel jealousy of Herod. It would appear, that, in the introduction of this rite, nothing was meant that might have an irreligious or immoral tendency; if so much may be said in favour of a practice, which, while it admitted children to the performance of the offices of the church, not only tended to bring these into contempt, but necessarily made way for the grossest abuses. 64 was "The Episcopus Choristarum," says Gregorie, chosen by his fellow-children upon St. Nicholas daie. Upon this daie rather than anie other, becaus it is singularly noted of this Bishop (as St. Paul said of his Timothie) that he had known the scriptures of a childe, and led a life sanctissime ab ipsis incunabilis inchoatum." The reason is yet more properly and expressly set down in the English Festival.—"We rede while he lay in his cradel, he fasted Wednesday and Friday; these dayes he would souke but ones of the day, and ther wyth held him plesed, thus he lyued all his lyf in vertues with this childes name. And therefore chilldren don him wership before all other saints," &c. Lib. Festivals, fol. 55. "From this daie till Innocents daie at night (it lasted longer at the first) the Episcopus Puerorum was to bear the name, and hold up the state of a Bishop, answerably habited with a crosier, or pastoral staff in his hand, and a miter upon his head, and such an one too som had, as was (saith one)-verie much richer then those of Bishops indeed." "The rest of his fellows from the same time beeing, were to take upon them the style and counterfaict of Prebends, yielding to their Bishop (or els as if it were) canonical obedi ence. And look what service the verie Bishop himself with his Dean and Prebends (had they been to officiate) was to have performed, the Mass excepted, the verie same was don by the Chorister Bishop, and his Canons upon the eve and the holie laie." Episcopus Puerorum, p. 115, 116. It is said that he also received rents, duties, &c., during the time of his office; that he held a kind of visitation; and that, if he died during the continuance of his dignity, "his exsequies were solemnized with an answerable glorious pomp and sadness." Ibid. Those who wish to have a particular account of the ritual observed on this occasion, will find it in the work cited above. It is now time to return to the consideration of the Feast of Fools; which, however nearly it resembled the ceremony of the Boy Bishop, and although confounded with it by the Council of Basil, was, as Gregorie has remarked (p. 119, 120), a different institution. This festivity was called the Liberty of December, as being observed towards the close of that month. Beletus, formerly mentioned, as well as Polydore Virgil, traces it back to the time of heathenism. "This liberty," he says, "is called that of December, because it was in former times customary among the heathen, that in this month both male and female bond-servants, as well as shepherds, had a kind of liberty granted to them, and enjoyed a sort of equality with their masters, being admitted to the same festivities, after the harvest was gathered in.". Some of the customs observed at this time plainly declare a heathen origin. From the decrees of the Council of Rome, A. 1445, we learn that in the Ludi Fatuorum, the actors appeared larvatis faciebus, with masks; and this is assigned as one reason of their being prohibited. We shall have occasion to attend more particularly to this custom, under the article GYSAR, q. v. It has been seen that the Act of Parliament makes mention of "wemen or uthers singand," so as to "make perturbatioun to the Quenis liegis." This seems more immediately connected with the character of the Quenis of May. It is probable, however, that a custom of this kind had been attached to the festivities of the mock abbot. For the Theological Faculty of Paris, in a circular letter sent to the Bishops of France, A. 1444, complained that the priests and clergy themselves, having created a Bishop, Archbishop, or Pope of Fools, during the continuance of his office, "went about masked, with monstrous aspects, or disguised in the appearance of women, of lions, or of players, danced, and in their dancing sung indecent songs," in choro cantilenas inhonestas cantabant. This was not all. "They eat fat viands near the horns of the altar, hard by the person who was celebrating Mass; they played at dice, (taxillorum), in the same place; they incensed with stinking smoke from the leather of old soles; they run and danced through the whole church," &c. Du Cange, vo. Kalendae, p. 1666. Thus, although the grounds on which our Parlia ment proceeded in passing this act are not particu larly pointed out, we may conclude from analogy, that the abuses which had prevailed in our own country in the celebration of these sports, had been such as to merit the attention of the legislature. The following account is given of the election of a Lord of Misrule, among the vulgar in England ; and of the abuses committed on this occasion. "First of all, the wilde heads of the parish, flocking togither, chuse them a graund captaine of mischiefe, whom they innoble with the title of Lord of Misrule; and him they crowne with great solemnity, and adopt for their king. This king annoynted chooseth forth twentie, fourty, threescore, or an hundred, like to himself, to waite upon his lordly majesty, and to guarde his noble person. Then every one of these men he investeth with his liveries of greene, yellow, or some other light wanton colour, and, as though they were not gawdy ynough, they bedecke themselves with scarffes, ribbons and laces, hanged all over with gold ringes, pretious stones and other jewels. This done, they tie aboute either legge twentie or fourtie belles, with riche handkerchiefes in their handes, and sometimes laide acrosse over their shoulders and neckes. Thus all thinges set in order, then have they their hobby horses, their dragons, and other antickes, together with their baudie pipers, and thundring drummers, to strike the devil's daunce with all. Then march this heathen company towards the church, their pypers pyping, their drummers thundring, their belles jyngling, their handkerchiefes fluttering aboute their heades like madde men, their hobbie horses and other monsters skirmishing amongst the throng: and in this sorte they go to the church though the minister be at prayer or preaching, dauncing and singing with such a confused noise that no man can hear his own voyce: and thus these terrestrial furies spend the sabbath day. Then they have certaine papers, wherein is painted some babelerie or other of imagerie worke, and these they call my Lord of Misrule's badges or cognizances. These they give to every one that will give them money to maintain them in this their heathenish devilrie; and who will not show himself buxome to them and give them money, they shall be mocked and flouted shamefully; yea, and many times carried upon a cowlstaffe, and dived over heade and eares in water, or otherwise most horribly abused." Stubs, Anatomie of Abuses, 1595. V. Godwin's Life of Chaucer, i. 161–163. A B C, an alphabetical arrangement of duties payable to government on goods imported or exported. "Reserveand alvyis to his maiestie the grit custumes of all guidis alsweill inbrocht as caryit furth ;-quhilk custome salbe tane of the saidis guidis conforme to the particular A B C set doun anent the saidis customes be the lordis auditouris of his hienes chekker." Ja. VI. 1597, Ed. 1814, iv. 162. Acts ABE, s. Dimin. of Ebenezer, pron. q. Ebé. Ha'd your tongue, mither, and let that a bee, Ritson's S. Songs, i. 176, 177. "O. E. abye, Chaucer Speght," Gl. Lyndsay. This word, however, is not in Speght's Gl.; nor have I observed that it is used by Chaucer in any similar sense. Let a bee is merely a corr. of E. let be, used precisely in the same manner. ABEE. V. LET ABEE. ABEE, used in the same sense as be. "Miss Brenda is right," said Claud Halcro; "I am for let-a-be for let-a-be, as the boys say; and never fash about a warrant of liberation." The Pirate, iii. 227. V. BAIRN'S BArgain, and ByGANES. LET ABEE, far less, not to mention. "He couldna sit, let abee stand," S. ABEECH, ABEIGH, adv. Aloof, "at a shy When thou an' I were young and skeigh, How thou wad prance, an' snore, an' skreigh, Burns, iii. 142. V. SKEICH. This may be viewed as a corr. of abak; unless we should suppose, from the form of the word, that it is more immediately allied to Alem. bah, Germ. bach, the back. Isl. a bui, however, is used in a sense pretty much allied, as corresponding to abroad, afield. Heima skal hest feita, enn hund a bue; The horse must be fattened at home, the dog afield; foris, vel rure, Havamaal. G. Andr. p. 40. The oldest example I have met with of the use of this word is in an allegorical song composed in the reign of Queen Anne. Whene'er her tail play'd whisk, Or when her look grew skeigh, Was blythe to stand abeigh. Auld Gray Mare, Jacobite Relics, i. 69. An' now the glomin comin on The lasses turned skeigh, man ; They hid themsels amang the corn, Davidson's Seasons, i. 90. "It is rather singular that, at the word Abeigh, the common English expression of 'standing at bay' should not have occurred either to Mr. Boucher or Dr. Jamieson. The English phrase is fully exemplified by Johnson, and derived from the French abois, which, as it seems to have been originally a hunting term, and our terms of the chace are chiefly borrowed from the French, is probably right. If so, the Scottish abeigh is only a corruption of the English at bay." British Critic, April 1808, p. 401. This, doubtless, points to the true origin of the term. I do not suppose, however, that abeigh is corr. from E. at bay, but that, like many other terms in our language, it had been originally borrowed from the Fr. The Fr. word appears in a variety of forms, not merely abois and abbois, but abai, abay, abbais, abbay, and abbé, all denoting the barking of a dog. Ours most nearly approaches to the Fr. phrase, Tenir en abois, faire languir, Roquefort; Tenir en abbay, to hold at bay, Cotgr. TO LET ABEE, to let alone, S. V. To Lat ABEFOIR, adv. Formerly, before. LET-ABEE, used as a noun, in the sense of for- -"All and sindrie the landis, teynd-schawes, and vtheris abone specifeit,-quhilkis wer abefoir vnite, creat, and incorporat in ane haill and frie tennendrie, callit the tennendrie of Dunfedling." Acts Ja. VI. 1609, Ed. 1814, p. 457. This term frequently occurs in the same sense, MSS. Aberd. Reg.; also in Pitscottie, Edit. 1814; as in p. 29, a befoir. ABEIS, ABIES, prep. In comparison with, in Fife. "This is black abeis that;" strength. To this may be added Isl. bell-a, Su.-G. baell-a, posse, valere; baelle, potentia. Mr. Chalmers in his Gl. refers to A.-S. abel, whence, he says, E. able. But there is no A.-S. adj. of this signification. The s. bal indeed signifies strength, also craft, wisdom. ABIL, adv. Perhaps. V. ABLE. ABYLL, adj. Liable, apt. "This woman knawing hir hous mony dayis afore abyll to be segit, send to Kyng Edward, and desirit rescours.' Bellend. Cron. B. xv. c. 9. Perhaps from Fr. habile, fit, apt. ABILYEMENTIS, ABEILYEMENTIS, 8. pl. 1. Dress. Sir Thomas Urquhart approaches very near to the ancient form of the word. "In these so handsome clothes, and abiliaments so rich, think not that either one or other of either sexe did waste any time at all; for the masters of the wardrobes had all their raiments and apparel so ready for every morning, and the chamber-ladies so well skilled, that in a trice they would be dressed, and compleatly in their clothes from head to foot." Rabelais, B. i. p. 247. 2. Accoutrement, apparatus of what kind soever. "That certain lordis-ger mak or get schippis, buschis, & vther gret pynk botis, witht nettis, & al abilyementis ganing tharfor for fisching." Acts Ja. III. 1471, Ed. 1814, p. 100. -"Artilyearis & puldir, with vthir abeilyementis of weire," &c. Ibid. 1479, p. 126. ABITIS, 8. pl. Obits, service for the dead. s. Thay tyrit God with tryfillis tume trentalis, Scott, Bannatyne Poems, p. 197. Lat. obit-us, death; used in the dark ages for the office of the church performed for the dead. Anniver sarium, dies obitus quotannis recurrens, officium Ecclesiasticum. Du Cange. ABLACH, 8. 1. "A dwarf; an expression of contempt," Gl. Shirr. S. B. Gael, abhach, id. the kirk yard he fast did jee, wat he was na hooly ; An' a' the ablachs glowr'd to see A bonny kind o' tulyie Atweish them twa. Christmas Ba'ing, Ed. 1805. The author altered this to kenyies (V. Ed. 1809); which has a very different signification. 2. The remains of any animal that has become the prey of a dog, fox, polecat, &c. Aberd. 3. A particle, a fragment; used in a general sense, Mearns. This might be supposed to resemble Isl. aflag, any thing superfluous, Dan. aflagt, left. ABLE, ABLIS, ABLINS, adv. Perhaps, perad venture.. Bot thay that hes ane conscience large, And that but perfunctorie, But spare to speak, and spare to speed; She'll aiblins listen to my vow: Should she refuse, I'll lay my dead To her twa een sae bonnie blue. A. Bor. Yeable-sea, according to Ray, from A.-S. Geable potens, (a word I cannot find in any lexicon.) Proinde Yeable-sea sonat ad verbum Potest ita se habere.. • ABLE, adj. 1. Fit, proper. "Alsua in consideratioun that his hienes cousigne and counsalour foirsaid is oy and apperand air to vmquhill James erll of Mortoun his guidschir, and thairby maist able to succede to him, his landis, honouris and dignities, His maiestie thairfoir is maist willing that he bruik the samyn," &c. Acts Ja. VI. 1581, Ed. 1814, p. 262. Able is here used as synon. with HABIL, q. v. 2. Liable, in danger of. "The said Johnne (Achesoun)-is able to decay, and his landis will be comprisit. And our said souerane lord, &c. having pietie of the said Johnne, quha is able to wrak," i. e. liable to ruin, "for na deid nor occasioun committit be him, bot rather for seruice," &c. Acts Ja. VI. 1587, Ed. 1814, p. 495. -"Finding your self able to drovne, ye wald preis agane to the boit." Bannatyne's Trans. p. 159. "Woulde ye knowe if a judgement be comming on a creature, I will tell you; if I finde the knaue sleeping and snorting in murther, adulterie and wickednesse, I will say, Thou art able to get a black wakning." Rollock on 1 Thes. p. 237. V. ABYLL. ABLEEZE, adv. In a blaze, S. "The very bushes on the ither side were ableeze with the flashes of the Whig guns." Bride of Lammermoor, ii. 247. ABLINS, adv. V. ABLE. A-BOIL, adv. To come a-boil, to begin to boil, S. "This without any other preparation, is put into a pot on the fire, and by the time it comes a-boil, is transformed into a coagulation, or jelly, of a considerable degree of thickness." Agr. Surv. Kincard. p. 432. A.-S. Abufan, id. Junius thinks that A.-S. bufan is from be ufan, which he derives from ufer, super, as binnan is from be innan. Alem. uf, id. would have been a more natural etymon for ufan. Su.-G. an is a particle added to words, which often denotes motion towards a place. V. OWE. 3. Over. "Tullus rang xxxii yeris in grete glore abone the Romanis." Bellenden's T. Liv. p. 57. ABRAIDIT, part. adj. A term applied by carpenters to the surface of a ragstone, used for sharping their tools, when it has become too smooth for the purpose, Roxb. O. Fr. abradant, wearing away; Lat. abrad-ere, to scrape or shave off To ABREDE, v. a. To publish, to spread abroad, Gl. Sibb. A.-S. abraed-an, propalare. To ABREDE, v. n. To start, to fly to a side. And thare I founde aftir that Diomede Henrysone's Test. Creseide, Chron. S. P. i. 158. Chaucer abraide, id. [Isl. Breida, to spread.] V. BRADE, v. 1. ABREED, adv. In breadth. S. Gl. Burns. ABREID, adv. Abroad, at large. The story of Achilles sont With gold wes browderd thair abreid. Burel's Entr. Queen. Watson's Coll. ii. 9. This may be derived from A.-S. abred-an, extendere. The Isl. however affords a far more natural derivation. In this language, braut signifies road, way; which G. Andr. derives from brijt, frango, because in making a road, it was necessary to break down woods and remove other obstacles. A braut, or brautu, corresponds to E. abroad. Thus At ganga a braut, fara a braut, rida brutt, abire, discedere. Exiles were anciently designed brautur-gaungumenn, q. men who went abroad. Dan. borte, bort. The vulgar S. phrase is similar. B Of one who flies for debt, or to escape justice, it is said, "He has tane the road," or "gate." "The prophecy got abread in the country, that whenever Misticot's grave was fund out, the estate of Knockwinnock should be lost and won.' Antiquary, ii. 245. Abraid is still used in this sense in Ettr. For. 2. Asunder; as, among children at play, "Haud your legs abreid till I creep through," Roxb. Hence the phrase, Fa'n abreid, fallen down asunder, ibid. A.-S. abraed-an dilatare, abraedde extendebat. ABSOLVITOR, ABSOLVITOUR, ABSOL VITUR, 8. A forensic term, used in two different ways. 1. Absolvitur ab instantia. "One is said to be absolved from the instance, when there is some defect or informality in the proceedings; for thereby that instance is ended until new citation." Spottiswoode's Law Dict. MS. 2. Absolvitur from the claim. "When a person is freed by sentence of a judge from any debt or demand, he is said to have obtained absolvitur from the pursuer's claim.” Ibid. "Declaris the haill remanent ressones of reductioun before specefeit relevant,-except in the speciall heidis thairof abone written quhairfra absolvitour is geven." Acta Ja. VI. 1597, Ed. 1816, p. 130. "Haddo-for his safety and protection paid also to the earl 8000 merks,-by whose means he had got an absolvitor, as was alledged, from these claims, long before, in presence of a full committee." Spalding, i. 304. Evidently from the use of the 3d pers. sing. of the Lat. verb in this deed;-Absolvitur. "Att this tyme, some of the Kingis serwantis that came out with him, maid abstacle and debaitt." Pitscottie's Cron. p. 26. ABSTINENCE, 8. A truce, cessation of arms. "It was the 27 of September, some days before the expiring of the Abstinence, that the Noblemen did meet (as was appointed) to consult upon the means of a perfect peace." Spotswood's Hist. p. 263. L. B. Abstinentia, id. Ab armis cessatio. Gall. olim abstinence. Avons accordé et accordons que la souffrance, ou l' Abstinence de guerre, soit eloignée. Rymer, T. ii. 800. V. Du Cange. ABSTRAKLOUS, adj. Ayrs. Cross-tempered, Perhaps a misnomer of obstreperous, like vulgar E. obstropulous. AB-THANE, ABTHANE. V. THANE. ABUFIN, prep. Above. "The said Robert abbot sall content the said William the said some of xv marcis of malis of the landis abufin writin," &c. Act. Dom. Aud. A. 1478, p. 59. This nearly resembles the A.-S. form of the prep. abufan. V. ABOWYNE. ABULIEMENT, s. Dress, habit, S. "He despited his company, and took purpose to humble himself, and come in a vile abuiliement to the King, and ask pardon for the high offence that he had committed." Pitscottie, p. 45. It is most commonly used in the plural number, and signifies dress in general. "Thay auld fadleris war geuyn to imitatioun of Crist in pouertè;-nocht arraying thaym with gold, syluer, nor precious abulyementis." Bellend. Cron. B. xiii. c. 11. Vesteque precioso, Boeth. V. also Quon. Attach. c. 21. Although this is plainly from Fr. habiliment, Skinner inclines to view it as corrupted from abellishments, and connected with embellish. To ABUSE, v. a. To disuse, to give up the practice of any thing. "At [That] the futbal and golf be abusit in tym cummyng, & the buttis maid up, & schuting usit after the tenor of the act of parlyament." Parl. Ja. III. A. 1471, Ed. 1814, p. 100. Abusit is substituted for the phrase "not to be usit" in the act referred to, Ja. II. A. 1457, c. 71. Ed. 1566. "Nocht usyt," Ed. 1814, p. 48. V. VYSSIS. L. B. abuti, non uti. V. Du Cange. ABUSIOUN, ABUSION, 8. 1. Abuse. Fr. Abusion. "Herefore oure souerane lord, willing-to seclude and put away all sic abusiouns, ewill vsis, & extorsiouns put on his peple-has, be autorite of this parliament, ordinit to be sessit and left the taking of the saidis Cawpis in all tymes tocum." Acts Ja. IV. 1489, Ed. 1814, p. 222. 2. Deceit, imposition practised on another. "The mighty God, seeing the abusion of the King, turned the matter so that he was taken and soon after shamefully justified." Pitscottie's Hist. Edin. 1768, p. 257. His preistes mumblit absolutioun, AC, Ec, conj. But, and. Poems 16th Cent. p. 189. |