Chapter Bane of the Land to Bard of Avon of B by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Baptisti Damiotti, a Paduan quack, who shows in the enchanted mirror a picture representing the clandestine marriage and infidelity of sir Philip Forester.—Sir W. Scott: Aunt Margaret’s Mirror (time, William III.).

Bar of Gold. A bar of gold above the instep is a mark of sovereign rank in the women of the families of the deys, and is worn as a “crest” by their female relatives.

Around, as princess of her father’s land,
A like gold bar, above her instep rolled,
Announced her rank.
   —Byron: Don Juan, iii. 72 (1820).

Barabas, the faithful servant of Ralph de Lascours, captain of the Urania. His favourite expression is “I am afraid;” but he always acts most bravely when he is afraid. (See Barrabas.)—E. Stirling: The Orphan of the Frozen Sea (1856).

Baradas (Count), the king’s favourite, first gentleman of the chamber, and one of the conspirators to dethrone Louis XIII., kill Richelieu, and place the duc d’Orleans on the throne of France. Baradas loved Julie, but Julie married the chevalier Adrien de Mauprat. When Richelieu fell into disgrace, the king made count Baradas his chief minister; but scarcely had he done so when a despatch was put into his hand, revealing the conspiracy, and Richelieu ordered the instant arrest of the conspirator.—Lord Lytton: Richelieu (1839).

Barak el Hadgi, the fakir’, an emissary from the court of Hyder Ali.—Sir W. Scott: The Surgeon’s Daughter (time, George II.).

Barataria, the island-city over which Sancho Panza was appointed governor. The table was presided over by Dr. Pedro Rezio de Aguero, who caused every dish set before the governor to be whisked away without being tasted,—some because they heated the blood, and others because they chilled it, some for one evil effect, and some for another, so that Sancho was allowed to eat nothing.

Sancho then arrived at a town containing about a thousand inhabitants. They gave him to understand that it was called the Island of Barataria, either because Barataria was really the name of the place, or because he obtained the government barato, i.e. “at a cheap rate.” On his arrival near the gates of the town, the municipal officers came out to receive him. Presently after, with certain ridiculous ceremonies, they presented him with the keys of the town, and constituted him perpetual governor of the island of Barataria.—Cervantes: Don Quixote, II. iii. 7, etc. (1615).

Barbara Allan, a ballad by Allan Ramsay (1724); inserted in Percy’s Reliques. The tale is that sir John Grehme was dying out of love to Barbara Allan. Barbara went to see him, and, drawing aside the curtain, said, “Young man, I think ye’re dyan’.” She then left him; but had not gone above a mile or so when she heard the death-bell toll.

O mither, mither, mak’ my bed…
Since my love died for me to-day,
Ise die for him to-morrow.

Barbarossa [“red beard”], surname of Frederick I. of Germany (1121–1190). It is said that he never died, but is still sleeping in Kyffhäuserberg in Thuringia. There he sits at a stone table with his six knights, waiting the “fulness of time,” when he will come from his cave to rescue Germany from bondage, and give her the foremost place of all the world. His beard has already grown through the table-slab, but must wind itself thrice round the table before his second advent. (See Mansur, Charlemagne, Arthur, Desmond, Sebastian I., to whom similar legends are attributed.)

Like Barbarossa, who sits in a cave,
Taciturn, sombre, sedate, and grave.
   —Longfellow: The Golden Legend.

Ogier the Dane, one of Charlemagne’s paladins, was immured with his crown in a vault at Cronenberg Castle, till his beard grew through a stone table, which was burst in two when he raised his head upon the spell being dissolved.—Torfœns: History of Norway, vol. i. bk. 8.