Chapter Bards to Barnaby of B by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Barkis, the carrier who courted [Clara] Peggotty, by telling David Copperfield when he wrote home to say to his nurse, “Barkis is willin’.” Clara took the hint and became Mrs. Barkis.

He dies when the tide goes out, confirming the superstition that people can’t die till the tide goes out, or be born till it is in. The last words he utters are “Barkis is willin’.”—Dickens: David Copperfield, xxx. (1849).

(Mrs. Quickly says of sir John Falstaff, “’A parted even just between twelve and one, e’en at the turning o’ the tide.”—Henry V. act ii. sc. 3, 1599.)

Barlaham and Josaphat, the heroes and title of a minnesong, the object of which was to show the triumph of Christian doctrines over paganism. Barlaham is a hermit who converts Josaphat, an Indian prince. This “lay” was immensely popular in the Middle Ages, and has been translated into every European language.—Rudolf of Ems (a minnesinger, thirteenth century).

(“Barlaham,” frequently spelt “Barlaam.” The romance was originally in Greek, ninth century, and erroneously ascribed to John Damascene. There was a Latin version in the thirteenth century, to which Rudolf was indebted. For plot, see Josaphat.)

Barley (Bill), Clara’s father. Chiefly remarkable for drinking rum, and thumping on the floor. He lived at Chink’s Barn, Mill-pond Bank.

His dinner consisted of two mutton-chops, three potatoes, some split peas, a little flour, 2 ozs. of butter, a pinch of salt, and a lot of black pepper, all stewed together, and eaten hot.

Clara Barley, daughter of the above. A “pretty, gentle, dark-eyed girl,” who marries Herbert Pocket.—Dickens: Great Expectations (1861).

Barleycorn (Sir John), Malt-liquor personified. His neighbours vowed that sir John should die, so they hired ruffians to “plough him with ploughs and bury him;” this they did, and afterwards “combed him with harrows and thrust clods on his head,” but did not kill him. Then with hooks and sickles they “cut his legs off at the knees,” bound him like a thief, and left him “to wither with the wind,” but he died not. They now “rent him to the heart,” and having “mowed him in a mow,” sent two bravos to beat him with clubs, and they beat him so sore that “all his flesh fell from his bones,” but yet he died not. To a kiln they next hauled him, and burnt him like a martyr, but he survived the burning. They crushed him between two stones, but killed him not. Sir John bore no malice for this ill usage, but did his best to cheer the flagging spirits even of his worst persecutors.

This song, from the English Dancing-Master (1651), is generally ascribed to Robert Burns, but all that the Scotch poet did was slightly to alter parts of it. The same may be said of “Auld Lang Syne” (see p. 76), “Ca’ the Yowes,” “My Heart is Sair for Somebody,” “Green grow the Rashes, O!” and several other songs, set down to the credit of Burns.

Barlow, the favourite archer of Henry VIII. He was jocosely created by the merry monarch “duke of Shoreditch,” and his two companions “marquis of Islington” and “earl of Pancras.”

Barlow (Billy), a jester, who fancied himself a “mighty potentate.” He was well known in the east of London, and died in Whitechapel workhouse. Some of his sayings were really witty, and some of his attitudes truly farcical.

Barmecide Feast, a mere dreamfeast; an illusion; a castle in the air. Schacabac “the hare-lipped,” a man in the greatest distress, one day called on the rich Barmecide, who in merry jest asked him to dine with him. Barmecide first washed in hypothetical water, Schacabac followed his example. Barmecide then pretended to eat of various dainties, Schacabac did the same, and praised them highly, and so the “feast” went on to the close. The story says Barmecide was so pleased that Schacabac had the good sense