Chapter Colours to Comus of C by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Colours to Comus

Colours.

		Heraldic name.
	Symbol of
Black:	Prudence	Sable	Diamond	Saturne
Blood colour:	Fortitude	Sanguine	Sardonyx	Dragon’s tail
Blue:	Loyalty	Azure	Sapphire	Jupiter
Green:	Love	Vert	Emerald	Venus
Purple:	Temperance	Purpure	Amethyst	Mercury
Red:	Magnanimity	Gules	Ruby	Mars
Tenney:	Joy	Tenney	Jacinth	Dragon’s head
White:	Innocence	Argent	Pearl	Luna
Yellow:	Faith	Or	Topaz	Sol

Colthred (Benjamin) or “Little Benjie,” a spy employed by Nixon (Edward Redgauntlet’s agent).—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Columb (St.) or St. Columba was of the family of the kings of Ulster; and with twelve followers founded amongst the Picts and Scots 300 Christian establishments of presbyterian character; that in Iona was founded in 563.

The Pictish men by St. Columb taught.
   —Campbell: Reullura.

Columbus. His three ships were the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Nina.—W. Irving: History of the Life, etc., of Columbus, 183.

The Voyage of Columbus. In twelve short cantos of rhyming ten-syllable verse by Rogers (1812). Columbus obtains three ships and starts on his voyage of discoveries. As he approaches “Columbia,” he is stopped by a mass of vegetation, but continues his voyage. In the mean time the deities of the “New World” meet in council, and resolve to impede his approach. The chief spirit, in the form of a condor, stirs up a mutiny; but Columbus quells it, and lands on the New World, where the crew is hospitably received. After a time, an angel tells Columbus to return, and tells him that the cross of Christ planted by him will make America glorious.

Colyn Clout (The Boke of), a rhyming six-syllable tirade against the clergy, by John Skelton, poet-laureate (1460–1529).

Comal and Galbina. Comal was t he son of Albion, “chief of a hundred hills.” He loved Galbina (daughter of Conlech), who was beloved by Grumal also. One day, tired out by the chase, Comal and Galbina rested in the cave of Ronan; but ere long a deer appeared, and Comal went forth to shoot it. During his absence, Galbina dressed herself in armour “to try his love,” and “strode from the cave.” Comal thought it was Grumal, let fly an arrow, and she fell. The chief too late discovered his mistake, rushed to battle, and was slain.—Ossian: Fingal, ii.

Comala, daughter of Sarno king of Inistore (the Orkneys). She fell in love with Fingal at a feast to which Sarno had invited him after his return from Denmark or Lochlin (Fingal, iii.). Disguised as a youth, Comala followed him, and begged to be employed in his wars; but was detected by Hidallan, son of Lamor, whose love she had slighted. Fingal was about to marry her, when he was called to oppose Caracul, who had invaded Caledonia. Comala witnessed the battle from a hill, thought she saw Fingal slain, and, though he returned victorious, the shock on her nerves was so great that she died.—Ossian: Comala.

Comb (Reynard’s Wonderful), said to be made of Panthera’s bone, the perfume of which was so fragrant that no one could resist following it; and the wearer of the comb was always of a merry heart. This comb existed only in the brain of Master Fox.—Reynard the Fox, xii. (1498).

Come (St.), a physician, and patron saint of medical practitioners.

“By St. Come!” said the surgeon, “here’s a pretty adventure.”—Lesage; Gil Blas, vii. 1 (1735)

Come and Take Them. The reply of Leonidas, king of Sparta, to the messengers of Xerxês, when commanded by the invader to deliver up his arms.