Chapter Melibee to Melville of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

his men on them right wel to ryde;
And he himselfe did first the horse bestride.
   —Hawes: The Passe-tyme of Plesure, i. (1515).

Melizyus (King) held his court in the Tower of Chivalry, and there knighted Graunde Amoure, after giving him the following advice:—

And first Good Hope his legge harneyes should be;
His habergion, of Perfect Ryghteousnes,
Gird first with the girdle of Chastitie;
His rich placarde should be good busines,
Brodred with Alms…
The helmet Mekenes, and the shelde Good Fayeth,
His swerde God’s Word, as St. Paule sayeth.
   —Hawes: The Passe-tyme of Plesure, xxviii. (1515).

Mell (Mr.), the poor, down-trodden second master at Salem House, the school of Mr. Creakles. Mr. Mell played the flute. His mother lived in an almshouse, and Steerforth used to taunt Mell with this “degradation,” and indeed caused him to be discharged. Mell emigrated to Australia, and succeeded well in the new country.—Dickens: David Copperfield (1849).

Mellefont , in love with Cynthia daughter of sir Paul Pliant. His aunt, lady Touchwood, had a criminal fondness for him, and because he repelled her advances she vowed his ruin. After passing several hair-breadth escapes from the “double dealing” of his aunt and his “friend” Maskwell, he succeeded in winning and marrying the lady of his attachment.—Congreve: The Double Dealer (1700).

Mellifluous Doctor (The), St. Bernard, whose writings were called “a river of paradise” (1091–1153).

Melnotte (Claude), a gardener’s son, in love with Pauline “the Beauty of Lyons,” but treated by her with contempt. Beauseant and Glavis, two other rejected suitors, conspired with him to humble the proud fair one. To this end, Claude assumed to be the prince of Como, and Pauline married him, but was indignant when she discovered how she had been duped. Claude left her to join the French army, and, under the name of Morier, rose in two years and a half to the rank of colonel. He then returned to Lyons, and found his father-in-law on the eve of bankruptcy, and Pauline about to be sold to Beauseant to pay the creditors. Claude paid the money required, and claimed Pauline as his loving and truthful wife.—Lord Lytton: Lady of Lyons (1838).

Melo (Juan de), born at C astile in t he fifteenth century. A dispute having arisen at Esalona upon the question whether Achillês or Hector were the braver warrior, the marquis de Villena called out, “Let us see if the advocates of Achillês can fight as well as prate.” At the word, there appeared in the assembly a gigantic fire-breathing monster, which repeated the same challenge. Every one shrank back except Juan de Melo, who drew his sword and placed himself before king Juan II. to protect him, “tide life, tide death.” The king appointed him alcaydê of Alcala la Real, in Granada, for his loyalty.—Chronica de Don Alvaro de Luna.

Melrose (Violet), an heiress, who marries Charles Middlewick. This was

against the consent of his father, because Violet had the bad taste to snub the retired tradesman, and considered vulgarity as the “unpardonable sin.”

Mary Melrose, Violet’s cousin, but without a penny. She marries Talbot Champneys; but his father, sir Geoffry, wanted him to marry Violet the heiress.—H. J. Byron: Our Boys (a comedy, 1875).

Melusina, the most famous of the fées of France. Having enclosed her father in a mountain for offending her mother, she was condemned to become a serpent every Saturday. When she married the count of Lusignan, she made her husband vow never to visit her on that day, but the jealousy of the count made him break his vow. Melusina was, in consequence, obliged to leave her mortal husband, and roam about the world as a ghost till the day of doom. Some say the count immured her in the dungeon wall of his castle.—Jean d’Arras (fourteenth century).