Chapter Baubee to Bead of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Baubee to Bead

Baubee (See Bawbee. )

Bauble A fool should never hold a bauble in his hand. “ `Tis a foolish bird that fouls its own nest.” The bauble was a short stick, ornamented with ass's ears, carried by licensed fools. (French, babiole, a plaything; Old French, baubel, a child's toy.)
   If every fool held a bauble, fuel would be dear. The proverb indicates that the world contains so many fools that if each had a separate bauble there would be but little wood left for lighting fires.
   To deserve the bauble. To be so foolish as to be qualified to carry a fool's emblem of office.

Baucis (See Philemon. )

Baviad (The). A merciless satire by Gifford on the Della Cruscan poetry, published 1794. The word is from Virgil's Eclogue, iii. 9.

“He may with foxes plough, and milk he-goats,
Who praises Bavins or on Mævius dotes.”
E.C.B.

Bavieca The Cid's horse.

Bavius Any bad poet. (See Baviad. )

“May some choice patron bless each grey goose quill,
May every Bavius have his Bufo still.”
Pope: Prologue to the Satires, 249-50.

Bawbee

“Whall hire, whall hire, whall hire me?
Three plumps and a wallop for ae bawbee.”

   The tale is that the people of Kirkmahoe were so poor, they could not afford to put any meat into their broth. A `cute cobbler invested all his money in buying four sheep-shanks, and when a neighbour wanted to make mutton broth, for the payment of one halfpenny the cobbler would “plump” one of the sheep-shanks into the boiling water, and give it a “wallop” or whisk round. He then wrapped it in a cabbage-leaf and took it home. This was called a gustin bone, and was supposed to give a rich “gust” to the broth. The cobbler found his gustin bone very profitable.
   Jenny's bawbee. Her marriage portion. The word means, properly, a debased copper coin, equal in value to a halfpenny, issued in the reign of James V. of Scotland. (French, bas billon, debased copper money.)
    The word “bawbee” is derived from the laird of Sillebawby, a mint- master. That there was such a laird is quite certain from the Treasurer's account, September 7th, 1541, “In argento receptis a Jacobo Atzinsone, et Alexandro Orok de Sillebawby respective. ”

Bawley Boat (A). A small fishing-smack used on the coasts of Kent and Essex, about the mouth of the Thames and Medway. Bawleys are generally about 40 feet long, 13 feet beam, 5 feet draught, and from 15 to 20 tons measurement. They differ in rig from a cutter in having no booms to the mainsail, which is, consequently, easily brailed up when working the trawl nets. They are half-decked, with a wet well to keep fish alive.

Bawtry Like the saddler of Bawtry, who was hanged for leaving his liquor (Yorkshire proverb). It was customary for criminals on their way to execution to stop at a certain tavern in York for a “parting draught.” The saddler of Bawtry refused to accept the liquor and was hanged. If he had stopped a few minutes at the tavern, his reprieve, which was on the road, would have arrived in time to save his life.

Baxterians Those who entertain the same religious views as Richard Baxter. The chief points are- (1) That Christ died in a spiritual sense for the elect, and in a general sense for all; (2) that there is no such thing as reprobation; (3) that even saints may fall from grace. Dr. Isaac Watts and Dr. Doddridge held these views.