Chapter Maney to Mansfield of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Maney to Mansfield

Maney or Manny (Sir Waller), a native of Belgium, who came to England as page to Philippa queen of Edward III. When he first began his career of arms, he and some young companions of his own age put a black patch over their left eye, and vowed never to remove it till they had performed some memorable act in the French wars (died 1372).

With whom our Maney here deservedly doth stand,
Which first inventor was of that courageous band
Who closed their left eyes up, as never to be freed
Till there they had achieved some high adventurous deed.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, xviii. (1613).

Manfred (Count), son of Sigismund. He sold himself to the prince of dark ness, and received from him seven spirits to do his bidding. They were the spirits of “earth, ocean, air, night, mountains, winds, and the star of his own destiny.” Wholly without human sympathies, the count dwelt in splendid solitude among the Alpine Mountains. He once loved the beautiful Astarte, and, after her murder, went to the hall of Arimanês to see her. The spirit of Astarte informed him that he would die the following day; and when asked if she loved him, she sighed “Manfred,” and vanished.—Byron: Manfred (1817).

N.B.—Byron sometimes makes Astarte two syllables and sometimes three. The usual pronunciation is As-tar-te.

Mangerton (The laird of), John Armstrong, an old warrior who witnesses the national combat in Liddesdale valley between his own son (the Scotch champion) and Foster (the English champion). The laird’s son is vanquished.—Sir W. Scott: The Laird’s Jock (time, Elizabeth).

Manichan , a disciple of Manês or Manachee the Persian heresiarch. The Manicheans believe in two opposing principles—one of good and the other of evil. Theodora, wishing to extirpate these heretics, put 100,000 of them to the sword.

Yet would she make full many a Manichean.
   —Byron: Don Juan, vi. 3 (1824).

Manicon, a species of nightshade, supposed to produce madness.

Manito or Manitou, the Great Spirit of the North American Indians. These Indians acknowledge two supreme spirits—a spirit of good and a spirit of evil. The former they call Gitchê-Manito, and the latter Matchê-Manito. The good spirit is symbolized by an egg, and the evil one by a serpent.—Longfellow: Hiawatha, xiv.

As when the evil Manitou that dries
Th’Ohio woods, consumes them in his ire.
   —Campbell: Gertrude of Wyoming, i. 17 (1809).

Manlius, surnamed Torquatus, the Roman consul. In the Latin war, he gave orders that no Roman, on pain of death, should engage in single combat. One of the Latins having provoked young Manlius by repeated insults, he slew him; but when the young man took the spoils to his father, Manlius ordered him to be put to death for violating the commands of his superior officer.—Roman Story.

Manlius Capitolinus, consul of Rome B.C. 392, then military tribune. After the battle of Allia (390), seeing Rome in the power of the Gauls, he threw himself into the capitol with 1000 men, surprised the Gauls, and put them to the sword. It was for this achievement he was called Capitolinus. Subsequently he was charged with aiming at sovereignty, and was hurled to death from the Tarpeian Rock.

(Lafosse (1698) has a tragedy called Manlius Capitolinus, and “Manlius” was one of the favourite characters of Talma the French actor. Lafosse’s drama is an imitation of Otway’s tragedy of Venice Preserved, 1682.)