Chapter Two Eyes of Greece to Tyler of T by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Twopenny Post-bag (The). (See Intercepted Letters, p. 525.)

Tybalt, a fiery young nobleman of Verona, lady Capulet’s nephew, and Juliet’s cousin. He is slain in combat by Romeo.—Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet (1595).

The name is given to the cat in the beast-epic called Reynard the Fox. Hence Mercutio calls him “rat- catcher” (act iii. sc. 1), and when Tybalt demands of him, “What wouldst thou have with me?” Mercutio replies, “Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives” (act iii. sc. 1).

Tybalt, a Lombard officer, in love with Laura niece of duke Gondibert. The story of Gondibert being unfinished, no sequel of this attachment is given.— Davenant: Gondibert (died 1668).

Tybalt or Tibert, the cat, in the beast-epic of Reynard the Fox (1498).

Tyburn (Kings of), hangmen.

Tyburn Tree (The), a gallows; so called because criminals were at one time hung on the elm trees which grew on the banks of the Tyburn. The “Holy Maid of Kent,” Mrs. Turner the poisoner, Felton the assassin of the duke of Buckingham, Jack Sheppard, Jonathan Wild, lord Ferrers who murdered his steward, Dr. Dodd, and Mother Brownrigg, “all died in their shoes” on the Tyburn tree.

Since laws were made for every degree,
To curb vice in others as well as in me [Macheath],
I wonder we ha’nt better company
Weath Tyburn tree.
   —Gay: The Beggar’s Opera (1727).

Tyburnia, the district round about the Marble Arch, London. So called from the little bourne or stream named Tyburn. At one time, elm trees grew on the brook-side, and Roger de Mortimer, the paramour of queen Eleanor, was hung thereon.

Tycho, a vassal of the bishop of Traves, in the reign of kaiser Henry IV. He promised to avenge his lord and master, who had been plundered by count Adalbert, the leader of a bandit. So, going to the count’s castle, he craved a draught of water. The porter brought him a cup of wine, and Tycho said, “Thank thy lord for his charity, and tell him he shall meet with his reward.” Then, returning home, he procured thirty large wine-barrels, in each of which he concealed an armed retainer and weapons for two others. Each cask was then carried by two men to the count’s castle, and when the door was opened, Tycho said to the porter, “I am come to recompense thy lord and master,” and the sixty men carried in the thirty barrels. When count Adalbert went to look at the present, at a signal given by Tycho the tops of the casks flew off, and the ninety armed men slew the count and his brigands, and then burnt the castle to the ground.

Of course, the reader will instantly see the resemblance of this tale to that of “Ali Baba, or the Forty Thieves” (Arabian Nights’ Entertainments).

Tyler (Wat), a frugal, honest, industrious, skilful blacksmith of Essex; with one daughter, Alice, pretty, joyous, innocent, and modest. With all his frugality and industry, Wat found it very hard to earn enough for daily bread, and the tax-collectors came for the poll-tax, three groats a head, for a war to maintain our conquests in France. Wat had saved up the money, and proffered six groats for himself and wife. The collectors demanded three groats for Alice also, but Tyler said she was under 15 years of age, whereupon, one of the collectors having “insulted her virgin modesty,” Wat felled him to the ground with his sledge-hammer. The people gathered round the smith, and a general uprising ensued. Richard II. sent a herald to Tyler to request a parley, pledging his royal word for his safe conduct. The sturdy smith appointed Smithfield for the rendezvous, and there Tyler told the king the people’s grievances. While he was speaking, William Walworth, the lord mayor, stabbed him from behind, and killed him (1381). The king, to pacify the people, promised the poll-tax should be taken off, and their grievances redressed; but no sooner had the mob dispersed than the rebels were cut down wholesale, and many, being subjected to a mockery trial, were infamously executed.—Southey: Wat Tyler (1794, published 1817).