Chapter Maid Marian to Maimuna of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Maid of Saragoza, Augustina, noted for her heroism at the siege of Saragoza, 1808–9. (See Southey’s History of the Peninsular War.)

Her lover sinks—she sheds no ill-timed tear;
Her chief is slain—she fills his fatal post;
Her fellows flee—she checks their base career;
The foe retires—she heads the sallying host. …the flying Gaul,
Foiled by a woman’s hand before a battered wall.
   —Byron: Childe Harold, i. 56 (1809).

Maid of the Mill (The), an opera by Isaac Bickerstaff. Patty, the daughter of Fairfield the miller, was brought up by lord Aimworth’s mother. At the death of lady Aimworth, Patty returned to the mill, and her father promised her in marriage to Farmer Giles; but Patty refused to marry him. Lord Aimworth about the same time betrothed himself to Theodosia, the daughter of sir Harry Sycamore; but the young lady loved Mr. Mervin. When lord Aimworth knew of this attachment, he readily yielded up his betrothed to the man of her choice, and selected for his bride Patty “the maid of the mill’ (1765).

Maid of the Oaks (The), two-act drama by J. Burgoyne. Maria “the maid of the Oaks” is brought up by Oldworth of Oldworth Oaks as his ward, but is informed on the eve of her marriage with sir Harry Groveby that she is Oldworth’s daughter. The under-plot is between sir Charles Dupely and lady Bab Lardoon. Dupely professed to despise all women, and lady Lardoon was “the princess of dissipation;” but after they fell in with each other, Dupely promised to abjure his creed, and lady Lardoon that she would henceforth renounce the world of fashion and its follies (1779).

Maid’s Tragedy (The). The “maid” is Aspatia the troth-plight wife of Amintor, who, at the king’s command, is made to marry Evadne . Her death forms the tragical event which gives name to the drama.—Beaumont and Fletcher (1610).

(The scene between Antony and Ventidius, in Dryden’s tragedy of All for Love, is copied from The Maid’s Tragedy, where “Melantius” answers to Ventidius.)

Maiden (The), a kind of guillotine, introduced into Scotland by the regent Morton, who was afterwards beheaded by it. The “maiden” resembled in form a painter’s easel about ten feet high. The victim placed his head on a crossbar some four feet from the bottom, kept in its place by another bar. In the inner edges of the frame were grooves, in which slid a sharp axe weighted with lead and supported by a long cord. When all was ready, the cord was cut and down fell the axe with a thud.—Pennant: Tour in Scotland, iii. 365 (1771).

The unfortunate earl [Argyll] was appointed to be beheaded by the “maiden.”—Sir W. Scott: Tales of a Grandfather, ii. 53.

The Italian instrument of execution was called the mannaïa. The apparatus was erected on a scaffold; the axe was placed between two perpendiculars… In Scotland the instrument of execution was an inferior variety of the mannaïa.—Memoirs of the Sansons, i. 057.

It seems pretty clear that the “maiden”…is merely a corruption of the Italian mannaïa.—A. G. Reid.

Maiden King (The), Malcolm IV. of Scotland (1141, 1153–1165).

Malcolm,…son of the brave and generous prince Henry,…was so kind and gentle in his disposition, that he was usually called Malcolm “the maiden.”—Sir W. Scott: Tales of a Grandfather, iv.

Maiden Queen (The), Elizabeth of England (1533, 1558–1603).

Maiden of the Mist (The), Anne of Geierstein, daughter of count Albert of Geierstein. She is the baroness of Arnheim.—Sir W. Scott: Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).