Chapter Scalping to Schahriah of S by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Scapino, the cunning, knavish servant of Gratiano the loquacious and pedantic Bolognese doctor.—Italian Mask.

Scaramouch, a braggart and fool, most valiant in words, but constantly being drubbed by Harlequin. Scaramouch is a common character in Italian farce, originally meant in ridicule of the Spanish don, and therefore dressed in Spanish costume. Our clown is an imbecile old idiot, and wholly unlike the dashing poltroon of Italian pantomime. The best “Scaramouches” that ever lived were Tiberio Fiurelli, a Neapolitan (born 1608), and Gandini (eighteenth century).

Scarborough Warning (A), a warning given too late to be taken advantage of. Fuller says the allusion is to an event which occurred in 1557, when Thomas Stafford seized upon Scarborough Castle, before the townsmen had any notice of his approach. Heywood says a “Scarborough warning” resembles what is now called Lynch law—punished first, and warned afterwards. Another solution is this: If ships passed the castle without saluting it by striking sail, it was customary to fire into them a shotted gun, by way of warning.

Be suerly seldom, and never for much…
Or Scarborow warning, as ill I believe,
When (“Sir, I arrest ye”) gets hold of thy sleeve.
   —Tusser: Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry, x. 28 (1557).

Scarlet (Will), Scadlock, or Scathelocke, one of the companions of Robin Hood.

“Take thy good bowe in thy hande,” said Robyn,
“Let Moche wend with the [thee],
And so shall Wyllyam Scathelocke,
And no man abyde with me.
   —Ritson: Robin Hood Ballads, i. I (1520).

The tinker looking him about,
Robin his horn did blow;
Then came unto him little John
And William Scadlock too.
   —Ditto, ii. 7 (1656).

And there of him they made a
Good yeoman Robin Hood,
Scarlet and Little John,
And Little John, hey ho!
   —Ditto, appendix 2 (1790).

In the two dramas called The First and Second Parts of Robin Hood, by Anthony Munday and Henry Chettle, Scathlock or Scadlock is called the brother of Will Scarlet.

…possible that Warmans spite…doth hunt the lives
Of bonnie Scarlet and his brother Scathlock.
   —Pt. i. (1597).

Then “enter Warman, with Scarlet and Scathlock bounde,” but Warman is banished, and the brothers are liberated and pardoned.

Scarlet Letter (The), a romance by N. Hawthorne (1850). The scarlet letter is A (Adulteress) and is a badge of shame branded on the heroine’s dress. It furnishes the peg on which the story hangs.

Scarlet Woman (The), popery (Rev. xvii. 4).

And fulminated
Against the scarlet woman and her creed.
   —Tennyson: Sea Dreams.

Scathelocke or Scadlock, one of the companions of Robin Hood. Either the brother of Will Scarlet or another spelling of the name. (See SCARLET.)

Scavenger’s Daughter (The), an instrument of torture, invented by sir William Skevington, lieutenant of the Tower in the reign of Henry VIII. “Scavenger” is a corruption of Skevington.

To kiss the scavenger’s daughter, to suffer punishment by this instrument of torture; to be beheaded by a guillotine or some similar instrument.

Scazon, plu. Scazontes , a lame iambic metre, the last being a spondee or trochee instead of an iambus (Greek, skazo, “to halt, to hobble”), as—