Chapter DEVIL to Dhu'l Karnein of D by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Devil to Pay (The), a farce by C. Coffey. Sir John Loverule has a termaga nt wife—and Zackel Jobson a patient Grissel. Two spirits named Nadir and Abishog transform these two wives for a time, so that the termagant is given to Jobson, and the patient wife to sir John. When my lady tries her tricks on Jobson, he takes his strap to her and soon reduces her to obedience. After she is well reformed, the two are restored to their original husbands, and the shrew becomes an obedient, modest wife (died 1745).

The Devil to Pay was long a favourite, chiefly for the character of “Nell” [the cobbler’s wife], which made the fortunes of several actresses.—Chambers: English Literature, ii. 151.

Devil’s Age (The). A wealthy man once promised to give a poor gentleman and his wife a large sum of money if at a given time they could tell him the devil’s age. When the time came, the gentleman, at his wife’s suggestion, plunged first into a barrel of honey and then into a barrel of feathers, and walked on all-fours. Presently, up came his Satanic majesty, and said, “X and x years have I lived,” naming the exact number, “yet never saw I an animal like this.” The gentleman had heard enough, and was able to answer the question without difficulty.—Rev. W. Webster: Basque Legends, 58 (1877).

Devil’s Arrows, three remarkable “druidical” stones, near Boroughbridge, in Yorkshire. Probably these stones simply mark the boundary of some property or jurisdiction.

Devil’s Bridge (The), mentioned by Longfellow, in the Golden Legend, is the bridge over the falls of the Reuss, in the canton of the Uri, in Switzerland.

Devil’s Chalice (The). A wealthy man gave a poor farmer a large sum of money on this condition: at the end of a twelvemonth he was either to say “of what the devil made his chalice,” or else give his head to the devil. The poor farmer, as the time came round, hid himself in the cross-roads, and presently the witches assembled from all sides. Said one witch to another, “You know that Farmer So-and-so has sold his head to the devil, for he will never know of what the devil makes his chalice. In fact, I don’t know myself.” “Don’t you?” said the other; “why, of the parings of finger-nails trimmed on Sundays.” The farmer was overjoyed, and when the time came round was quite ready with his answer.—Rev. W. Webster: Basque Legends, 71 (1877).

Devil’s Current (The). Part of the current of the Bosphorus is so called from its great rapidity.

Devil’s Den, a cromlech in Preschute, near Marlborough.

Devil’s Dyke (The). The most celebrated is the enormous rampart thrown up by Probus on the bank of the Rhine, with a vain hope of warding off the Alamanni. The dyke a little later was utilized by the Alamanni as a wall of defence.

Dyke is used to signify a rampart and also an excavation. (See Devil’s Dyke, Brighton.)

Devil’s Dyke (The), otherwise called Grim’s Dyke. This Dyke ran from New-market into Lincolnshire, and was designed to separate Mercia from the East Angles. Part of the southern boundary of Mercia (from Hampshire to the mouth of the Severn) was called “Woden’s Dyke,” the present Wan’s Dyke.

Because my depth and breadth so strangely doth exceed
Men’s low and wretched thoughts, they constantly decreed
That by the devil’s help I needs must raisèd be,
Wherefore the “Devil’s Ditch” they basely namèd me.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, xxii. (1622).

Devil’s Dyke, Brighton (The). One day, as St. Cuthman was walking over the South Downs, and thinking to himself how completely he had rescued the whole country from paganism, he was accosted by his sable majesty in person. “Ha, ha!” said the prince of darkness; “so you think by these churches and convents to put me and mine to your ban; do you? Poor fool! why, this very night will I swamp the whole land with the sea.” “Forewarned is forearmed,” thought St. Cuthman, and hied him to sister Cecilia, superior of a convent which then stood on the spot of the present Dyke House. “Sister,” said the saint, “I