Chapter Factor to Fair Maid of F by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

subject is Mutability.
   The plan of the Faërie Queene is borrowed from the Orlando Furioso, but the creative power of Spenser is more original, and his imagery more striking, than Ariosto's. Thomson says of him -

"[He] like a copious river, poured his song
O'er all the mazes of enchanted ground."
The Seasons (Summer), 1574-5.

Fag One who does, and perseveres in doing. In public schools, it means a little boy who waits upon a bigger one. Probably a contracted form of factor, factotum; Latin, fac-ere, to do.
   Fag. Servant of Captain Absolute, who apes his master in all things. (Sheridan: The Rivals.)

"Even the mendacious Mr. Fag assures us, though he never scruples to tell a lie at his master's command, yet it hurts his conscience to be found out." - Sir Walter Scott.

Fag-end (A). The selvedge or coarse end of a piece of cloth. This also is from facio, factum, meaning the part added after the piece is finished. The fag-end of a session means the last few days before dissolution.

Fagged Out Wearied with hard work. Fatigued contracted into fa'g'ed.

Fagin An infamous Jew, who teaches boys and girls to rob with dexterity. (Dickens: Oliver Twist.)

Fagot A badge worn in mediæval times by those who had recanted their "heretical" opinions. It was designed to show what they merited, but had narrowly escaped. (See Fagots.)
   Il y a fagots et fagots. There are divers sorts of fagots; every alike is not the same. The expression is in Molière's Le Médecin malgré lui, where Sganarelle wants to show that his fagots are better than those of other persons; "Ay, but those fagots are not so good as my fagots." (Welsh, ffag, that which unites; Anglo-Saxon, fægan, to unite.)
   Sentire les fagots. To be heretical; to smack of the fagots. In allusion to the custom of burning heretics by surrounding them with blazing fagots.

Fagot Votes Votes obtained by the nominal transfer of property to a person whose income was not otherwise sufficient to qualify him for being a voter.
   The "fagot" was a bundle of property divided into small lots for the purpose stated above. Abolished.

"The object was to prevent the creation of fagot votes." - The Times.

Fagots Cakes made of the "insides" of pigs, with thyme, scraps of pork, sage onions, and other herbs, fried together in grease, and eaten with potatoes. (Greek, phago, to eat.)

Fahfah One of the rivers of Paradise in Mahometan mythology.

Faids The second class of Druids.

Faience (2 syl.). Majolica. So called from Faenza, where, in 1299, it was first manufactured. It is termed majolica because the first specimens the Italians saw came from Majorca. In France it now means a fine ware not equal to porcelain.

Faineant Les Rois Fainéants (the cipher or puppet kings). Clovis II. and his ten successors were the puppet kings of the Palace Mayors. Louis V. (last of the Carlovingian dynasty) received the same designation.

" `My signet you shall command with all my heart, madam,' said Earl Philip. ... `I am, you know, a complete Roy Fainéant, and never once interfered wth my Maire du Palais in her proceedings.' " - Sir Walter Scott: Peveril of the Peak, chap. xv.

Faint Faint heart ne'er won fair lady.

"The bold a way will find or make."
King: Orpheus and Eurydice.

"Faint harts faire ladies neuer win." (1569.)
Philobiblion Society's Publications (1827, p. 22).

Faint Hearted Easily discouraged; afraid to venture.

Fair (The).
   Charles IV., King of France, le Bel (1294, 1322-1328).
   Philippe IV. of France, le Bel (1268, 1285-1314).
   Fair as Lady Done. A great Cheshire family that has long occupied a mansion at Utkinton. (Cheshire expression.)
   Fair Geraldine. (See Geraldine.)
   Fair Rosamond. (See Rosamond.)
   To bid fair, as