Chapter Vantom to Vehmgericht of V by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Veal (Mrs.), an imaginary person, whom Defoe feigned to have appeared, the day after her death, to Mrs. Bargrave of Canterbury, on September 8, 1705.

Defoe’s conduct in regard to the well-known imposture, Mrs. Veal’s ghost, would justify us in believing him to be, like Gil Blas, “tant soit pea fripon.”—Encylopædia Britannica (article “Romance”).

Mrs. Veal’s Apparition. It is said that Mrs. Veal, the day after her death, appeared to Mrs. Bargrave, at Canterbury, September 8, 1705. This cock-and-bull story was affixed by Daniel Defoe to Drelincourt’s book of Consolations against the Fears of Death, and such is the matter-of-fact style of the narrative that most readers thought the fiction was fact.

Vecchio (Peter), a teacher of music and Latin; reputed to be a wizard.—Fletcher: The Chances (1620).

Veck (Toby), nicknamed “Trotty;” a ticket-porter, who ran on errands. One New Year’s Eve he ate tripe for dinner, and had a nightmare, in which he fancied he had mounted up to the steeple of a neighbouring church, and that goblins issued out of the bells, giving reality to his hopes and fears. He was roused from his sleep by the sound of the bells ringing in the new year. (See Meg, p. 692.)—Dickens: The Chimes (1844).

Vectis, or Vecta, a Latin form of the “Isle of Wight.” Pliny (Nat. Hist., iv. 30) calls it Vectis. This island was called Wyth, or Gwyth, or Guith (a channel) by the Britons, the channel being the Solent.

Of Thames, or Medway’s vale, or the green banks
Of Vecta, she her thundering navy leads.
   —Akenside: Hymn to the Naiads, 141, 142 (1767).

Vegliantino [Val-yan-tee-no], Orlando’s horse.—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso (1516). Also called Veillantif.

Vehmgericht or The Holy Vehme, a secret tribunal of Westphalia, the principal seat of which was in Dortmund. The members were called “Free Judges.” It took cognizance of all crimes in the lawless period of the Middle Ages, and those condmned by the tribunal were made away with by some secret means, but no one knew by what hand. Being despatched, the dead body was hung on a tree to advertise the fact and deter others. The tribunal existed at the time of Charlemagne, but was at its zenith of power in the twelfth century. Scott has introduced it in his Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.). Was Rebecca guilt or not? The Vehmgericht of the servants’ hall pronounced against her.—Thackeray: Vanity Fair, xliv. (1848).