Chapter Cheatly to Chevy Chase of C by Brewer's Readers Handbook

N.B.—There were 24 dramas, one for each city company. Nine were performed on Whit-Monday, nine on Whit-Tuesday, and the other six on Wednesday. The “Fraternity of the Passion” was licensed in France, in 1402.

Several manuscript copies of the Chester Myracle-Plays exist. That of the duke of Devonshire is dated 1581; those in the British Museum are dated 1600 and 1607.

Chesterfield (Charles), a young man of genius, the hero and title of a novel by Mrs. Trollope (1841). The object of this novel is to satirize the state of literature in England, and to hold up to censure authors, editors, and publishers, as profligate, selfish, and corrupt.

Chesterfield House (London), built by Isaac Ware for Philip fourth earl of Chesterfield, author of Chesterfield’s Letters to his Son (1694–1773).

Chesterton (Paul), nephew to Mr. Percy Chaffington, stock-broker and M.P.—Morton: If I had a Thousand a Year (1764–1838).

Chevalier Malfet (Le). So sir Launcelot calls himself after he was cured of his madness. The meaning of the phrase is “The knight who has done ill,” or “The knight who has trespassed.”—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur, iii. 20 (1470).

Cheveril (Hans), the ward of Mordent, just come of age. Impulsive, generous, hot-blooded. He resolves to be a rake, but scorns to be a villain. However, he accidentally meets with Joanna “the deserted daughter,” and falls in love with her. He rescues her from the clutches of Mrs. Enfield the crimp, and marries her.—Holcroft: The Deserted Daughter (altered into The Steward), (1785).

The part that placed me [Walter Lacy] in the position of a light comedian was “Cheveril,” in The Steward, altered from Holcroft’s Deserted Daughter.—W. Lacy: Letter to C. W. Russell.

Chevy Chase is not the battle of Otterburn, although the two are mixed up together in the ballad so called. Chevy Chase is the chase of the earl of Douglas among “the Chyviat Hyls” after Percy of Northumberland, who had vowed “he would hunt there three days without asking the warden’s consent.”

The Persê owt of Northombarlande,
And a vowe to God mayd he
That he wolde hunte in the mountayns
Off Chyviat within dayes thre,
In mauger of doughtê Dogles
And all that with him be.
   —Percy: Reliques, 1. i. x.