Chapter Queen of Sorrow to Quidnunc of Q by Brewer's Readers Handbook

The tale is as follows: Quentin Durward first sees the countess Isabelle at a turret-window, while taking breakfast with the king. Soon after this he is enrolled by his uncle in the Scottish Guards, and saves the life of the king from the attack of a wild boar. The king, with a small retinue, visits the duke of Burgundy, who charges him with the murder of the bishop of Liège. Matters look ominous, but ultimately the duke and king are reconciled. The countess Isabelle rejects the suit of the duke of Orleans, and marries Quentin Durward, whose wounds she had dressed when he had been attacked by De la Marck and the count de Dunois, and by whom she had been conducted to Liège (1823; in English history, time, Edward IV.).

Quern-Biter, the sword of Haco I. of Norway.

Quern-biter of Hacon the Good
Wherewith at a stroke he hewed
The millstone thro and thro’.
   —Longfellow.

Querno (Camillo) of Apulia was introduced to pope Leo X. as a buffoon, but was promoted to the laurel. This laureate was called the “Antichrist of Wit.”

Rome in her capitol saw Querno sit,
Throned on seven hills, the antichrist of wit.
   —Pope: The Dunciad, ii. (1728).

Querpo (Shrill), in Garth’s Dispensary, is meant for Dr. Howe.

To this design shrill Querpo did agree,
A zealous member of the faculty,
His sire’s pretended pious steps he treads,
And where the doctor fails, the saint succeeds.
   —Dispensary, iv. (1699).

Questing Beast (The), a monster called Glatisaunt, that made a noise called ques ting, “like thirty couple of hounds giving quest” or cry. King Pellinore followed the beast for twelve months (pt. i. 17), and after his death sir Palomidês gave it chase.

The questing beast had in shape and head like a serpent’s head, and a body like a libard, buttocks like a lion, and footed like a hart; and in his body there was such a noise as it had been the noise of thirty couple of hounds questing, and such a noise that beast made wheresoever he went; and this beast evermore sir Palomides followed.—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur, i. 17; ii. 53 (1470).

Queubus (The Equinoctial of), a line in the “unknown sea,” passed by the Vapians on the Greek kalends of the Olympiad era B.C. 777, according to the authority of Quinapalus (q.v.).—Shakespeare: Twelfth Night, act ii. sc. 3 (1614).

Quiara and Monnema, man and wi fe; the only persons who escaped the ravages of the small-pox plague which carried off all the rest of the Guarani race, in Paraguay. They left the fatal spot, settled in the Mondai woods, had one son Yeruti and one daughter Mooma; but Quiara was killed by a jaguuar before the latter was born.—Southey: A Tale of Paraguay (1814). (See Monnema, p. 720; and Mooma, p. 723.)

Quick (Abel), clerk to Surplus the lawyer.—Morton: A Regular Fix.

Quick (John), called “The Retired Diocletian of Islington” (1748–1831).

Little Quick, the retired Diocletian of Islington, with his squeak like a Bartlemew fiddle.—Ch. Matthews.

Quicken Trees (The Fairy Palace of the). This is one of a type of story very common in Gaelic romantic literature. One or more of the heroes are entrapped by some enchanter and held under a spell in castle, cave, or dungeon, until, after a series of adventures, they are released by the bravery or mother-wit of their companions. Erin had been invaded by Colga king of Lochlann (Denmark). Colga had been slain, and his army defeated by Finn and the Feni. The young prince Midac was spared, and was brought up by Finn. Arrived at man’s estate, he set up a princely establishment in Erin, the while meditating revenge. He secured the assistance of his father’s allies, as well as the services of “the king of the world” (the Roman power); and when his plans were ready he invited Finn and his heroes to a banquet. The king and most of the chiefs accepted, and soon found themselves spell-bound in the Fairy Palace of the