Chapter Mascarille to Matthew Merrygreek of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Masters (The Four): (I) Michael Clerighe (or Clery), who died 1643; (2) Cucoirighe O’Clerighe; (3) Maurice Conry; (4) Fearfeafa Conry; authors of Annals of Donegal.

Mat Mizen, mate of H.M. ship Tiger. The type of a daring, reckless, dare-devil English sailor. His adventures with Harry Clifton in Delhi form the main incidents of Barrymore’s melodrama, El Hyder, Chief of the Ghaut Mountaius.

Mat-o’-the-Mint, a highwayman in captain Macheath’s gang. Peachum says, “He is a promising, sturdy fellow, and diligent in his way. Somewhat too bold and hasty; one that may raise good contributions on the public, if he does not cut himself short by murder.”—Gay: The Beggar’s Opera, i. (1727).

Matabrune , wife of king Pierron of the Strong Island, and mother of prince Oriant one of the ancestors of Godfrey of Bouillon.—Mediæval Romance of Chivalry.

Mathematical Calculators.

(I) George Parkes Bidder, president of the Institution of Civil Engineers (1800-).

(2) Jedediah Buxton of Elmeton, in Derbyshire. He would tell how many letters were in any one of his father’s sermons, after hearing it from the pulpit. He went to hear Garrick, in Richard III., and told how many words each actor uttered (1705–1775).

(3) Zerah Colburn of Vermont, U.S., came to London in 1812, when he was eight years old. The duke of Gloucester set him to multiply five figures by three, and he gave the answer instantly. He would extract the cube root of nine figures in a few seconds (1804–1840).

(4) Vito Mangiamele, son of a Sicilian shepherd. In 1839 MM. Arago, Lacroix, Libri, and Sturm, examined the boy, then II years old, and in half a minute he told them the cube root of seven figures, and in three seconds of nine figures (1818-).

(5) Alfragan, the Arabian astronomer, who died 820.

Mathilde , sister of Gessler the tyrannical governor of Switzerland. In love with Arnoldo a Swiss, who saved her life when it was imperilled by an avalanche. After the death of Gessler, she married the bold Swiss.—Rossini: Guglielmo Tell (an opera, 1829).

Mathis, a German miller, greatly in debt. One Christmas Eve a Polish Jew came to his house in a sledge, and, after rest and refreshment, started for Nantzig, “four leagues off.” Mathis followed him, killed him with an axe, and burnt the body in a lime-kiln. He then paid his debts, greatly prospered, and became a highly respected burgomaster. On the wedding night of his only child, Annette, he died of apoplexy, of which he had previous warning by the constant sound of sledge-bells in his ears. In his dream he supposed himself put into a mesmeric sleep in open court, when he confessed everything, and was executed.—Ware: The Polish Few.

(This is the character which first introduced sir H. Irving to public notice.)

Mathisen, one of the three anabaptists who induced John of Leyden to join their rebellion; but no sooner was John proclaimed “the prophet-king” than the three rebels betrayed him to the emperor. When the villains entered the banquet-hall to arrest their dupe, they all perished in the flames of the burning palace.—Meyerbeer: Le Prophète (an opera, 1849).

Matilda, sister of Rollo and Otto dukes of Normandy, and daughter of Sophia.—Fletcher: The Bloody Brother (1639).

Matilda, daughter of lord Robert, Fitzwalter, a poem of some 650 lines, by Drayton (1594).