Chapter Bolga to Booby of B by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Bonassus, an imaginary wild beast, which the Ettrick shepherd encountered. (The Ettrick shepherd was James Hogg, the Scotch poet.)—Noctes Ambrosianæ (No. xlviii., April, 1830).

Bondman (The), a tragedy by Massinger (1624). The hero is Pisander, and the heroine Cleora.

Bone-setter (The), Sarah Mapp (died 1736).

Boney, a familiar contradiction of Bonaparte, used by the English in the early part of the nineteenth century by way of depreciation. Thus Thom. Moore speaks of “the infidel Boney.”

Bonhomme (Facques), a peasant who interferes with politics; hence the peasants’ rebellion of 1358 was called La Facquerie. The words may be rendered “Jimmy” or “Johnny Goodfellow.”

BONIFACE (St.), an Anglo-Saxon whose name was Winifrid or Winfrith, bishop of Mayence by pope Gregory III., and is called “The A postle of the Germans.” St. Boniface was murdered in Friesland by some peasants, and his day is June 5 (680–755).

… in Friesland first St. Boniface our best,
Who of the see of Mentz, while there he sat possessed,
At Dockum had his death, by faithless Frisians slain.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, xxiv. (1622).

Boniface (Father), ex-abbot of Kennaquhair. He first appear under the name of Blinkhoodie in the character of gardener at Kinross, and afterwards as the old gardener at Dundrennan. (Kennaquhair, that is, “I know not where.”)—Sir W. Scott: The Abbot (time, Elizabeth).

Boniface (The abbot), successor of the abbot Ingelram, as Superior of St. Mary’s Convent.—Sir W. Scott, The Monastery(time, Elizabeth).

Boniface, landlord of the inn at Lichfield, in league with the highwaymen. This sleek, jolly publican is fond of the cant phrase, “as the saying is.” Thus: “Does your master stay in town, as the saying is?” “So well, as the saying is, I could wish we had more of them.” “I’m old Will Boniface; pretty well known upon this road, as the saying is.” He had lived at Lichfield “man and boy above eight and fifty years, and not consumed eight and fifty ounces of meat.” He says—

“I have fed purely upon ale. I have eat my ale, drank my ale, and I always sleep upon my ale.”—Farquhar: The Beaux’ Stratagem, i, 1 (1707).

Have Boniface has become a common term for a publican.

Bonne Reine, Claude de France, daughter of Louis XII. and wife of François I. (1499–1524).

Bonnet (Fe parle à mon), “I am talking to myself.”

Harpagon. A qui tu parle?
La Flèce. Je parle à mon bonnet.
   —Moliére: L’Avare, i.3 (1667).

Bonnet Rouge, a red republican, so called from the red cap of liberty which he wore.

Bonnivard (François de), the prisoner of Chillon, in Byron’s poem. He was one of six brothers, five of whom died violent deaths. The father and two sons died on the battle-field; one was burnt at the stake; three were imprisoned in the dungeon of Chillon, near the lake of Geneva. Two of the three died, and François was set at liberty by Henri the Bearnais. They were incarcerated by the duke-bishop of Savoy for republican principles (1496–1570).

Bonstettin (Nicholas), the old deputy of Schwitz, and one of the deputies of the Swiss confederacy to Charles duke of Burgundy.—Sir W. Scott: Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).