Chapter Monmouth Caps to Montespan of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Monmouth Caps to Montespan

Monmouth Caps. “The best caps” (says Fuller, in his Worthies of Wales, 50) “were formerly made at Monmouth, where the Cappen’s Chapel doth still remain.”

The soldiers that the Monmouth wear,
On castle top their ensigns rear.
   —Reed: The Caps (1661).

Monmouth Street (London), called after the duke of Monmouth, natural son of Charles II., executed for rebellion in 1685. It is now called Dudley Street.

Monnema, wife of Quiara, the only pe rsons of the w hole of the Guarani race who escaped the small-pox plague which ravaged that part of Paraguay. They left the fatal spot, and settled in the Mondai woods. Here they had one son yeruti, and one daughter Mooma, but Quiara was killed by a jaguar before the latter was born. Monnema left the Mondai woods, and went to live at St. Joachin, in Paraguay, but soon died from the effects of a house and city life.—Southey: A Tale of Paraguay (1814).

Monomotapa, an empire of South Africa, joining Mozambique.

Ah, sir, you never saw the Gangês;
There dwell the nation of Quidnunkis
(So Monomotapa calls monkeys).
   —Gay: The Quidnunkis.

Mononia, Munster, in Ireland.

Mononia, when nature embellished the tint
Of thy fields and thy mountains so fair,
Did she ever intend that a tyrant should print
The footstep of slavery there?
   —Moore: Irish Melodies, i. (“War Song,” 1814).

Monsieur, Philippe duc d’Orléans, brother of Louis XIV. (1674–1723).

Other gentlemen were Mons. A or Mons. B, but the regent was Mons. without any adjunct.

Similarly, the daughter of the duc de Chartres (the regent’s grandson) was Mademoiselle.

Monsieur le Coadjuteur, Paul de Gondi, afterwards Cardinal de Retz (1614–1679).

Monsieur le duc, Louis Henri de Bourbon, eldest son of the prince de Condé (1692–1740).

Monsieur Thomas, a drama by Beaumont and Fletcher (1619).

Monsieur Tonson, a farce by Moncrieff. Jack Ardourly falls in love with Adolphine de Courcy in the street, and gets Tom King to assist in ferreting her out. Tom King discovers that his sweeting lives in the house of a French refugee, a barber, named Mon. Morbleu; but not knowing the name of the young lady, he inquires for Mr. Thompson, hoping to pick up information. Mon. Morbleu says no Mon. Tonson lives in the house, but only Mme. Bellegarde and Mlle. Adolphine de Courcy. The old Frenchman is driven almost crazy by different persons inquiring for Mon. Tonson; but ultimately jack Ardourly marries Adolphine, whose mother is Mrs. Thompson after all.

(Taylor wrote a drama of the same title in 1767.)

Monster (The), Renwick Williams, a wretch who used to prowlabout London by night, armed with a double-edged knife, with which he mutilated women. He was condemned July 8, 1790.

A century later (about 1888–1889) similar atrocities were committed in the East end of London by a person calling himself Jack the Ripper. He escaped detection.

Mont Dieu, a solitary mound close to Dumfermline. It owes its origin, according to story, to some unfortunate monks who, by way of penance, carried the sand in baskets from the sea-shore at Inverness.