Chapter Popish Plot to Posthumus of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

up and boxed one of the bearers on the ears, saying to him—

Hold! are you mad, you damned confounded dog?
I am to rise and speak the epilogue.

W. C. Russell: Representative Actors, 456.

Porphyro-Genitus [“born in the Porphyra”], the title given to the kings of the Eastern empire, from the apartments called Porphyra, set apart for the empresses during confinement.

There he found Irene, the empress, in travail, in a house anciently appointed for the empresses during child-birth. They call that house “Porphyra,” whence the name of the Porphyro-geniti came into the world. —See Selden: Titles of Honour, v. 61 (1614).

Porrex, younger son of Gorboduc a legendary king of Britain. He drove his elder brother Ferrex from the kingdom, and, when Ferrex returned with a large army, defeated and slew him. Porrex was murdered while “slumbering on his careful bed,” by his own mother, who “stabbed him to the heart with a knife.”—Norton and Sackville: Gorboduc (1561-62).

Porsena, a legendary king of Etruria, who made war on Rome to restore Tarquin to the throne.

Lord Macaulay has made this the subject of one of his Lays of Ancient Rome (1842).

Portamour, Cupid’s sheriff’s officer, who summoned offending lovers to “Love’s Judgment-Hall.”—Spenser: Faërie Queene, vi. 7 (1596).

Porteous (Captain John), an officer of the city guard. He was hanged by the mob (1736).

Mrs. Porteous, wife of the captain.—Sir W. Scott: The Heart of Midlothian (time, George II.).

Portia, the wife of Pontius Pilate.

Portia, wife of Marcus Brutus. Valerius Maximus says, “She, being determined to kill herself, took hot burning coals into her mouth, and kept her lips closed till she was suffocated by the smoke.”

With this she [Portia] fell distract,
And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire.

Shakespeare: Julius Cæsar, act iv. sc. 3 (1607).

Portia, a rich heiress, in love with Bassanio; but her choice of a husband was restricted by her father’s will to the following condition: Her suitors were to select from three caskets, one of gold, one of silver, and one of lead, and he who selected the casket which contained Portia’s picture was to claim her as his wife. Bassanio chose the lead, and being successful, became the espoused husband. It so happened that Bassanio had borrowed 3000 ducats, and Anthonio, a Venetian merchant, was his security. The money was borrowed of Shylock, a Jew, on these conditions: If the loan was repaid within three months, only the principal would be required; if not, the Jew should be at liberty to claim a pound of flesh from Anthonio’s body. The loan was not repaid, and the Jew demanded the forfeiture. Portia, in the dress of a law doctor, conducted the defence, and saved Anthonio by reminding the Jew that a pound of flesh gave him no drop of blood, and that he must cut neither more nor less than an exact pound, otherwise his life would be forfeit. As it would be plainly impossible to fulfil these conditions, the Jew gave up his claim, and Anthonio was saved.—Shakespeare: Merchant of Venice (q.v.) (1598).

Portland Place (London). So called from William Bentinck, second duke of Portland, who married Margaret, only child of Edward second earl of Oxford and Mortimer. From these came Margaret Street, Bentinck Street, Duke Street, Duchess Street, and Portland Place.