Chapter White Lady of Avenel to Wicket Gate of W by Brewer's Readers Handbook

White Surrey, the favourite charger of Richard III.

Saddle White Surrey for the field to-morrow.

Shakespeare: Richard III. act v. sc. 3 (1597).

White Tsar of His People. The emperor of Russia is so called, and claims the empire of seventeen crowns.

White Widow (The), the duchess of Tyrconnel, wife of Richard Talbot lord deputy of Ireland under James II. After the death of her husband, she supported herself by her needle. She wore a white mask, and dressed in white.—Pennant: Account of London, 147 (1790).

White Witch (A), a “witch” who employs her power and skill for the benefit and not the harm of her fellowmortals.

Whites (The), an Italian faction of the fourteenth century. The Guelphs of Florence were divided into the Blacks who wished to open their gates to Charles de Valois, and the Whites who oppose him. The poet Dantê was a “White,” and when the “Blacks” in 1302 got the upper hand, he was exiled. During his exile he composed his immortal epic, the Divina Commedia.

Whitecraft (John), innkeeper and miller at Altringham.

Dame Whitecraft, the pretty wife of the above.—Sir W. Scott: Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Whitfield of the Stage (The). Quin was so called by Garrick (1716–1779). Garrick himself is sometimes so denominated also.

Whitney (James), the Claude Duval of English highwaymen. He prided himself on being “the glass of fashion and the mould of form.” Executed at Porter’s Block, near Smithfield (1660–1694).

Whit-Sunday. One of the etymologies of this word is Wit or Wisdom Sunday; the day on which the Spirit of Wisdom fell upon the apostles.

This day Whitsonday is cald
For wisdom and wit serene fald,
Was zonen to the apostles as this day.
Camb. Univ. MSS. Dd., i. 1, p. 234.

Whittington (Dick), a poor orphan country lad, who heard that London was “paved with gold,” and went there to get a living. When reduced to starving point, a kind merchant gave him employment in his family, to help the cook, but the cook so ill treated him that he ran away. Sitting to rest himself on the roadside, he heard Bow bells, and they seemed to him to say, “Turn again, Whittington, thrice lord mayor of London;” so he returned to his master. By-and-by the master allowed him, with the other servants, to put in an adventure in a ship bound for Morocco. Richard had nothing but a cat, which, however, he sent. Now it happened that the king of Morocco was troubled by mice, which Whittington’s cat destroyed; and this so pleased his highness that he bought the mouser at a fabulous price. Dick commenced business with this money, soon rose to great wealth, married his master’s daughter, was knighted, and thrice elected lord mayor of London—in 1398, 1406, and 1419.

(Such is the tale. Some persons assert that Whittington’s “cat” was a brig built on the Norwegian model, with narrow stern, projecting quarters, and deep waist. Others think the word achat, “barter,” furnishes the right solution.)

Keis, the son of a poor widow of Siraf, embarked for India with his sole property, a cat. He arrived at a time when the palace was so infested by mice and rats that they actually invaded the king’s food. This cat cleared the palace of its vermin, and was purchased for a large sum of money, which enriched the widow’s son.—Sir William Ouseley (a Persian story).