Chapter Lycidas to Lyttelton of L by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Lycidas to Lyttelton

Lycidas, the name under which Milton celebrates the untimely death of Edward King, Fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge. Edward King was drowned in the passage from Chester to Ireland, August 10, 1637. He was the son of sir John King, secretary for Ireland.

(Lycîdas is the name of a shepherd in Virgil’s Eclogue, iii.)

Lycomedes , king of Seyros, to whose court Achillês was sent, disguised as a maiden, by his mother Thetis, who was anxious to prevent his going to the Trojan war.

Lycorea (He has slept on Lycorea), one of the two chief summits of mount Parnassus. Whoever slept there became either inspired or mad.

Lydford Law. “First hang and draw, then hear the cause by Lydford law,” Lydford, in the county of Devon.

I oft have heard of Lydford law,
How in the morn they hang and draw,
And sit in judgment after.
   —A Devonshire poet (anon.).

Jedburgh Justice, Cupar Justice, and Abingdon Law, mean the same thing.

Lynch Law, Burlaw, Mob Law, and Club Law, mean summary justice dealt to an offender by a self-constituted judge.

Lydia, daughter of the king of Lydia, was sought in marriage by Alcestês a Thracian knight. His suit being rejected, he repaired to the king of Armenia, who gave him an army, with which he besieged Lydia. He was persuaded to raise the siege, and the lady tested the sincerity of his love by a series of tasks, all of which he accomplished. Lastly, she set him to put to death his allies, and, being powerless, mocked him. Alcestês pined and died, and Lydia was doomed to endless torment in hell.—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso, xvii. (1516).

Lydia, lady’s-maid to Widow Green. She was the sister of Trueworth, ran away from home to avoid a hateful marriage, took service for the nonce, and ultimately married Waller. She was “a miracle of virtue, as well as beauty,” warm-hearted, and wholly without artifice.—Knowles: The Love-Chase (1837).

Lydia Languish, niece and ward of Mrs. Malaprop. She had a fortune of £30,000, but, if she married without her aunt’s consent, forfeited the larger part thereof, She was a great novel-reader, and was courted by two rival lovers—Bob Acres, and captain Absolute whom she knew only as ensign Beverley. Her aunt insisted that she should throw over the ensign and marry the son of sir Anthony Absolute, and great was her joy to find that the man of her own choice was that of her aunt’s, nomine mutato. Bob Acres resigned all claim on the lady to his rival.—Sheridan: The Rivals (1775).

Lydian Poet (The), Alcman of Lydia (fl. B. C. 670).

Lygones, father of Spaconia.—Beaumont and Fletcher: A King or No King (1611).

Lying Traveller (The), sir John Mandeville (1300–1372).

Lying Valet (The), Timothy Sharp, the lying valet of Charles Gayless. He is the Mercury between his master and Melissa, to whom Gayless is about to be married. The object of his lying is to make his master, who has not a sixpence in the world, pass for a man of fortune.—Garrick: The Lying Valet (1741).

Lyle (Annot), daughter of sir Duncan Campbell the knight of Ardenvohr. She was brought up by the M‘Aulays, and was beloved by Allan M‘Aulay; but she married the earl of Menteith.—Sir W. Scott: Legend of Montrose (time, Charles I.).