Chapter Clout to Cock and Pie of C by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Coatel, daughter of Aculhua, a priest of the Aztecas, and wife of Lincoya. Lincoya, being doomed for sacrifice, fled for refuge to Madoc, the Welsh prin ce, who had recently landed on the North American coast, and was kindly treated by him. This gave Co atel a sympathetic interest in the White strangers, and she was not backward in showing it. Thus, whe n young Hoel was kidnapped, and confined in a cavern to starve to death, Coatel visited him and took him food. Again, when prince Madoc was entrapped, she contrived to release him, and assisted the prince to carry off young Hoel. After the defeat of the Aztecas by the White strangers, the chief priest declared that some one had proved a traitor, and resolved to discover who it was by handing round a cup, which he said would be harmless to the innocent, but death to the guilty. When it was handed to Coatel, she was so frightened that she dropped down dead. Her father stabbed himself, and “fell upon his child,” and when Lincoya heard thereof, he flung himself down from a steep precipice on to the rocks below.—Southey: Madoc (1805).

Cob (Oliver), a great admirer of Bobadil (q.v.) in Ben Jonson’s Every Man in His Humour (1596).

Cobb (Ephraim), in Cromwell’s troop.—Sir W. Scott: Woodstock (time, Commonwealth).

Cobb, the “Boots” in the story of The Holly-tree Inn, by Dickens (1855). He tells the story of a boy, eight years old, eloping to Gretna Green with a girl of seven.

Cobb (Tom), one of “The Quadrilateral,” in the novel of Barnaby Rudge, by Dickens (1841). The other three were Willet (senior), Phil. Parkes, and Solomon Daisy.

Cobbler-Poet (The), Hans Sachs of Nuremberg. (See Twelve Wise Masters.)

Cobham (Eleanor), wife of Humphrey duke of Gloucester, and aunt of king Henry VI., compelled to do penance bare-foot in a sheet in London, and after that to live in the Isle of Man in banishment, for “sorcery.” In 2 Henry VI. Shakespeare makes queen Margaret “box her ears;” but this could not be, as Eleanor was banished three years before Margaret came to England.

Stand forth, dame Eleanor Cobham, Gloster’s wife… You, madam…despoiled of your honour… Shall, after three days’ open penance done, Live in your country here in banishment, With sir John Stanley, in the Isle of Man.
   —Shakespeare: 2 Henry VI. act ii. sc. 3 (1591).

Cocagne (The Land of), a poem full of life and animation, by Hans Sachs, the cobbler, called “The prince of meistersingers” (1494–1574). (See Cockaigne.)

Cock and Pie. Douce explains thus—

In the days of chivalry it was the practice to make solemn vows for the performance of any considerable enterprise. This was usually done at some festival, when a roasted peacock, being served up in a dish of gold or silver, was presented to the knight, who then made his vow with great solemnity.