Chapter Maximilian to Mazeppa of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Maximilian to Mazeppa

Maximilian (son of Frederick III.), the hero of the Teuerdank, the Orlando Furioso of the Germans, by Melchior Pfinzing.

… [here] in old heroic days,
Sat the poet Melchior, singing kaiser Maximilian’s praise.
   —Longfellow: Nuremberg.

Maximin, a Roman tyrant.—Dryden: Tyrannic Love or The Royal Martyr.

Maximus (called by Geoffrey, “Maximian”), a Roman senator, who, in 381, was invited to become king of Britain. He conquered Armorica (Bretagne), and “published a decree for the assembling together there of 100,000 of the common people of Britain, to colonize the land, and 30,000 soldiers to defend the colony.” Hence Armorica was called, “The other Britain” or “Little Britain.”—Geoffrey: British History, v. 14 (1142).

Got Maximus at length the victory in Gaul,
… where, after Gratian’s fall,
Armorica to them the valiant victor gave…
Which colony … is “Little Britain” called.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, ix. (1612).

Maxwell, deputy chamberlain at Whitehall.—Sir W. Scott: Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Maxwell (Mr. Pate), laird of Summertrees, called “Pate in Peril;” one of the papist conspirators with Redgauntlet.—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Maxwell (The Right Hon. William), lord Evandale, an officer in the king’s army.—Sir W. Scott: Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).

May, a girl who married January a Lombard baron 60 years old. (See the Merchant’s Tale.)—Chaucer: Canterbury Tales (1388).

May unlucky for Brides. This was an old Roman superstition; in this month were held the festivals of Bona Dea (the goddess of chastity), and the feasts of the dead called Lemuralia. Mary queen of Scotland married Bothwell, the murderer of her husband lord Darnley, on May 12.

Mense malum Maio nubere vulgus ait. Ovid: Fastorum, v.

May-Day (Evil), May I, 1517, when the London apprentices rose up against the foreign residents and did incalculable mischief. This riot began May I, and lasted till May 22. (See Vortigern, etc.)

May Queen (The), a poem in three parts by Tennyson (1842). Alice, a bright-eyed, merry child, was chosen May queen, and, being afraid she might oversleep herself, told her mother to be sure to call her early.

I sleep so sound all night, mother, that I shall never wake.
If you do not call me loud when the day begins to break:
But I must gather knots of flowers, and buds and garlands gay,
For I’m to be queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be queen o’the May.

The old year passed away, and the blackeyed, rustic maiden was dying. She hoped to greet the new year before her eyes closed in death, and bade her mother once again to be sure to call her early; but it was not now because she slept so soundly. Alas! no.

Good night, sweet mother: call me before the day is born.
All night I lie awake, but I fall asleep at morn;
But I would see the sun rise upon the glad New Year,
So, if you’re waking, call me, call me early, mother dear.

The day rose and passed away, but Alice lingered on till March. The snowdrops had gone before her, and the violets were in bloom. Robin had dearly loved the child, but the thoughtless village beauty, in