Volume 2

A glossary, or, Collection of words, phrases, names, and allusions to customs, proverbs, etc., which have been thought to require illustration, in the works of English authors, particularly Shakespeare, and his contemporaries / [Robert Nares].

  • Nares, Robert, 1753-1829.
Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A glossary, or, Collection of words, phrases, names, and allusions to customs, proverbs, etc., which have been thought to require illustration, in the works of English authors, particularly Shakespeare, and his contemporaries / [Robert Nares]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    LEYET. “A blast on the trumpet; probably that by which soldiers are called in the morning.” Johnson. Also used for any strong sound of the same instrument; from lever, French. Come, sir, a quaint levet, To waken our brave general! then to our labour. B. and FI. Double Marriage, ii, 1. The stage direction adds, “Trumpets sound a levet.” First he that led the cavaleate Wore a sow-gelder’s flagellate, On which he blew as strong a levet, As well-feed lawyer on his brev’ate. Hudibr., II, ii, v. 609. LEVIN. Lightning; from hlifian, to shine, Saxon. As when the flashing levin haps to light Upon two stubborn oaks. Spens. F. Q., Y, vi, 40. Levin-brond means thunderbolt: And eft his burning levin-brond in hand he tooke. Ibid., VII, vi, 30. Though these words are used by Spenser, they do not belong to his time, but to that of Chaucer. fLEUSE. To loose, or untie. Abstringo, to leuse that whiche was bounden. Eliote's Diction arte, 1559. And the barbarians againe, fully bent to spend their lives for to gaine victorie, assayed to lease our battaile so jointly knit together. Holland's Ammianus Marcel., 1609. LEWDSTER. A lewd person ; a word perhaps peculiar to Shakespeare. Against such lewdsters and their lechery, Those that betray them do no treachery. Merry W. W., v, 3. fLIARS’-BENCH. A place in St. Paul’s Cathedral in the sixteenth century, so called because it was stated that the disaffected made appointments there. fLIATICA. A sort of wine. With malmesie, muskadell, and corcica, With white, red, claret, and liatica. Taylor's WorJces, 1630. To LIB, v. The same in the old northern dialect, as to glib in some others; namely, to castrate. See Ray’s North Country Words. In Massinger’s Renegado, the eunuch Carazie says, Say but you doubt me, And, to secure you, I’ll cut out my tongue; I’m libde in the breech already. Act ii, sc. 1. I would turn cinders, or the next sow-gelder, O’ my life, should lib me, rather than embrace thee. Massing. City Madam, ii, 2, p. 306. That now, who pares his nails, or libs his swine, But he must first take counsel of the signe. Hall's Satires, ii, 7, p. 34. He can sing a charm, he says, shall make you feel no pain in your libbing, nor after it. Brome's Court Beggar, act iv. Shakespeare has used to Glib, q. v. LIBBARD. A leopard. Liebard, Ger- man. And make the libbard sterne Leave roaring, when in rage he for revenge did earne. Spens. F. Q , I, vi, 25. She can bring only Some libbards’ he&ds, or strange beasts. City Match, O. PL, ix, 355. Milton has used the word. LIBBARD’S-BANE, or LEOPARD’S BANE. A general name for all the aconites, which were also called wolfs- bane. All these leopardes or wolfs-bane are hot and dry in the fourth degree, and of a venomous qualitie. Lyte's Dodoens, p. 496. I ha’ been plucking, plants among, Hemlock, henbane, adder’s-tongue, Nightshade, moonwort, libbards-bane. B. Jons. Masque of Queens. fLIBBET. A staff, or club; a billet. A beesome of byrche, for babes verye fit, A longe lastinge lybbet for loubbers as meete. Harman's Caveat for Commen Cursitors, 1567. A little staffe or libbet, bacillus. Withals' Dictionarie, ed. 1608, p. 317- LIBERAL, adj., sometimes had the meaning which we express by libertine, or licentious, as being too free or liberal; frank beyond honesty or decency, as Johnson explains it. Who hath indeed, most like a liberal villain, Confess’d the vile encounters they have had A thousand times in secret. Much Ado, iv, 1. How' say you, Cassio, is he not a most profane and liberal counsellor? Othello, ii, 1. My lord, it lies not in Lorenzo’s power To stop the vulgar, liberal of their tongues. Spanish Tr., O. PL, iii, 209. But Vallinger, most like a liberal villain, Did give her scandalous ignoble terms. Fair Maid of Bristow, 1605, cit. St. And give allowance to your liberal jests Upon his person. B. and FI. Captain. LIBERALLY, adv. Licentiously; in a similar mode of usage. Had mine own brother spoke thus liberally, My fury should have taught him better manners. Greene's Tu Qu., O. Pl., vii, 21. 1 have spoke too liberally. B. and FI. Little Fr. Lawyer, ii, 2, p. 211. LIBERTIES. The liberties allowed to lovers, and even to intimate acquain- tances, in the times of Elizabeth and James, were very extraordinary and indecorous. In Jonson’s play of the Devil is an Ass, a great part of scene 6, act ii, consists of Wittipol courting Mrs. Fitz-dotterel at a window con- tiguous to her own house; and the stage direction orders him ex- pressly to take the liberties allowed only to familiar acquaintances, in the following rule of politeness ! It is not becoming a person of quality, when in com- pany with ladies, to handle them roughly, to put his hand into their necks or their bosoms, to kiss them