Chapter Berkeley to Bertoldo's Son of B by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Berkeley to Bertoldo's Son

Berkeley (The Old Woman of), a woman whose life had been very wicked. On her death-bed she sent for her son who was a monk, and for her daughter who was a nun, and bade them put her in a strong stone coffin, and to fasten the coffin to the ground with strong bands of iron. Fifty priests and fifty choristers were to pray and sing over her for three days, and the bell was to toll without ceasing. The first night passed without much disturbance. The second night the candles burnt blue, and dreadful yells were heard the outside the church. But the third night the devil broke into the church and carried off the old woman on his black horse.—Southey: The Old Woman of Berkeley (a ballad from Olaus Magnus).

Dr. Sayers pointed out to us in conversation a story related by Olaus Magnus of a witch whose coffin was confined by three chains, but nevertheless was carried off by demons. Dr. Sayers had made a ballad on the subject; so had I; but after seeing The Old Woman of Berkeley, we awarded it the preference.—W. Taylor.

Berkeley Square (London), so called in compliment to John lord Berkeley of Stratton.

Berkely (The lady Augusta), plighted to sir John de Walton governor of Douglas Castle. She first appears under the name of Augustine, disguised as the son of Bertram the minstrel, and the novel concludes with her marriage to De Walton, to whom Douglas Castle had been surrendered.—Sir W. Scott: Castle Dangerous (time, Henry I.).

Berkley (Mr.), an English bachelor of fortune, somewhat advanced in age, “good humoured, humane, remarkable for good common sense, but very eccentric.”—Longfellow: Hyperion (1839).

Berkshire Lady (The), Miss Frances Kendrick, daughter of Sir William Kendrick, second baronet; his father was created baronet by Charles II. The line, “Faint heart never won fair lady,” was the advice of a friend to Mr. Child, the son of a brewer, who sought the hand of the lady.—Quarterly Review, cvi. 205–245.

Bermeja, the Insula de la Torrê, from which Amadis of Gaul starts when he goes in quest of the enchantress- damsel, daughter of Finetor, the necromancer.

Bermudas, a cant name for one of the purlieus of the Strand, at one time frequented by vagabonds, thieves, and all evil-doers who sought to lie perdu.

Bernard. Solomon Bernard, engraver of Lions (sixteenth century), called Le petit Bernard. Claude Bernard of Dijon, the philanthropist (1588–1641), is called Poor Bernard. Pierre Joseph Bernard, the French poet (1710–1775), is called Le gentil Bernard.

Bernard, an ass; in Italian, Bernardo. In the beast-epic called Reynard the Fox, the sheep is called “Bernard,” and the ass is “Bernard larchiprêetre” (1498).

Bernardo, an officer in Denmark, to whom the ghost of the murdered king appeared during the night- watch at the royal castle.—Shakespeare: Hamlet (1596).

Bernardo del Carpio, one of the most favourite subjects of the old Spanish minstrels. The other two were The Cid and Lara’s Seven Infants. Bernardo del Carpio was the person who assailed Orlando (or Rowland) at Roncesvallêes, and, finding him invulnerable, took him up in his arms and squeezed him to death, as Herculês did Antæos.—Cervantes: Don Quixote, II. ii. 13 (1615).

The only vulnerable part of Orlando was the sole of the foot.

Mrs. Hemans wrote a ballad so called.

Bernesque Poetry, like lord Byron’s Don Juan, is a mixture of satire, tragedy, comedy, serious thought, wit, and ridicule. L. Pulci was the father of this class of rhyme (1432–1487); but Francesco Berni of Tuscany (1490–1537) so greatly excelled in it, that it is called Bernesque, from his name.