Chapter Essex to Etty's Nine Pictures of E by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Est-il-Possible? a nickname given to George of Denmark (queen Anne’s husband), because his general remark to the most startling announcement was, Est-il possible? With this exclamation he exhausted the vials of his wrath. It was James II. who gave him the sobriquet.

Estmere, king of England. He went with his younger brother Adler to the court of king Adlands, to crave his daughter in marriage; but king Adlands replied that Bremor, the sowdan or sultan of Spain, had forestalled him. However, the lady, being consulted, gave her voice in favour of the king of England. While Estmere and his brother went to make preparations for the wedding, the “sowdan” arrived, and demanded the lady for his wife. A messenger was immediately despatched to inform Estmere, and the two brothers returned, disguised as a harper and his boy. They gained entrance into the palace, and Adler sang, saying, “O ladye, this is thy owne true love; no harper, but a king;” and then drawing his sword, he slew the “sowdan,” Estmere at the same time chasing from the hall the “kempery men.” Being now master of the position, Estmere took “the ladye faire,” made her his wife, and brought her home to England.—Percy: Reliques, I. i. 5.

Estotiland, a vast tract of land in the north of America. Said to have been discovered by John Scalvê, a Pole, in 1477.

The snow
From cold Estotiland.
   —Milton: Paradise Lost, x. 685 (1665).

Estrildis or Elstred, daughter of the emperor of Germany. She was taken captive in war by Locrin (king of Britain), by whom she became the mother of Sabrin or Sabre. Gwendolen, the wife of Locrin, feeling insulted by this liaison, slew her husband, and had Estrildis and her daughter thrown into a river, since called the Sabrina or Severn.—Geoffrey: British History, ii. 2, etc.

Their corses were dissolved into that crystal stream,
Their curls to curled waves.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, vi. (1612).

Etarre, a female character in the Idylls of the King, by Tennyson.

Eteocles and Polynices, the two sons of Œdipos. After the expulsio n of their father, these two young princes agreed to reign alternate years in Thebes. Eteoclês, being the elder, took the first turn, but at the close of the year refused to resign the sceptre to his brother; whereupon Polynicês, aided by six other chiefs, laid siege to the city. The two brothers met in combat, and each was slain by the other’s hand.

A similar fratricidal struggle is told of don Pedro of Castile and his half-brother don Henry. When don Pedro had estranged the Castilians by his cruelty, don Henry invaded Castile with a body of French auxiliaries, and took his brother prisoner. Don Henry visited him in prison, and the two brothers fell on each other like lions. Henry wounded Pedro in the face, but fell over a bench, when Pedro seized him. At that moment a Frenchman seized Pedro by the leg, tossed him over, and Henry slew him.—Menard: History of Du Guesclin.

(This is the subject of one of Lockhart’s Spanish ballads.)

Ethelbert, king of Kent, and the first of the Anglo-Saxon kings who was a Christian. He persuaded Gregory to send over Augustine to convert the English to “the true faith” (596), and built St. Paul’s, London.—Ethelwerd: Chronicle, ii.

Good Ethelbert of Kent, first christened English king,
To preach the faith of Christ was first did hither bring
Wise Augustine the monk, from holy Gregory sent …
That mighty fane to Paul in London did erect.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, xi. (1613)

Etherington (The late earl of), father of Tyrrel and Bulmer.

The titular earl of Etherington, his successor to the title and estates.