Chapter Shield of Love to Shoes of S by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Shipman’s Tale (The), in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales: “The merchant’s wife and the monk.” The monk (Dan Johan) was on most intimate terms with the merchant, and when the merchant was about to leave home (Florence) on business, the wife borrowed a hundred francs of the monk. As the monk had not the money at hand, he borrowed the loan of the merchant. When the merchant returned home, the monk asserted that he had paid back the loan to the wife. The wife told her husband that the monk had made her a present of the money, which she had spent. The merchant, plainly seeing there was no redress, said no more about the matter, and allowed it to drop.

Shipton (Mother), the heroine of an ancient tale entitled The Strange and Wonderful History and Prophecies of Mother Shipton, etc.—T. E. Preece. (See MOTHER SHIPTON, p. 733.)

Shipwreck (The), a poem in three cantos, by William Falconer (1762). Supposed to occupy six days. The ship was the Britannia, under the command of Albert, and bound for Venice. Being overtaken in a squall, she is driven out of her course from Candia, and four seamen are lost off the lee main-yardarm. A fearful storm greatly distresses the vessel, and the captain gives command “to bear away.” As she passes the island of St. George, the helmsman is struck blind by lightning. Bowsprit, foremast, and main-topmast being carried away, the officers try to save themselves on the wreck of the foremast. The ship splits on the projecting verge of cape Colonna. The captain and all his crew are lost except Arion (Falconer), who is washed ashore, and being befriended by the natives, returns to England to tell this mournful story.

Shirley, a novel by Charlotte Bronté (1849).

(John Skelton assumed the name of Shirley in his volume of essays.)

Shoe. The right shoe first. It was by the Romans thought unlucky to put on the left shoe first, or to put the shoe on the wrong foot. St. Foix says of Augustus—

Cet empereur, qui gouverna avec tant de sagesse, et dont le règne fut si florissant, restoit immobile et consterné lorsqu’il lui arrivoit par mégarde de mettre le soulier droit au pied gauche, et le soulier gauche au pied droit.

Shoe Pinches. We all know where the shoe pinches, we each of us know our own special troubles.

Lord Foppington. Hark thee, shoemaker, these shoes…don’t fit me.

Shoemaker. My lord, I think they fit you very well.

Lord Fop. They hurt me just below the instep.

Shoem. No, my lord, they don’t hurt you there.

Lord Fop. I tell you they pinch me execrably.

Shoem. Why, then, my lord—

Lord Fop. What! Wilt thou persuade me I cannot feel?

Shoem. Your lordship may please to feel what you think fit, but that shoe does not hurt you. I think I understand my trade.—Sheridan: A Trip to Scarborough, i. 2 (1777).

Shoe in Weddings. In English weddings, slippers and old shoes are thrown at the bride when she leaves the house of her parents, to indicate that she has left the house for good.

Luther being at a wedding, told the bridegroom he had placed the husband’s shoe on the head of the bed, “afin qu’il prit ainsi la domination et le gouvernement.”—Michelet: Life of Luther (1845).