Chapter Dwile to Dyzemas Day of D by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Dwile to Dyzemas Day

Dwile or Dwyel. A house-flannel for cleaning floors, common in Norfolk, and called in the piece "dwyeling." (Dutch, dweil, a clout or swab.)

Dwt is D-wt., i.e. denarius-weight (penny-weight). (See Cwt.)

Dyed Beards The dyeing of beards is mentioned by Strabo, and Bottom the Weaver satirises the custom when he undertakes to play Pyramus, and asks, "what beard were I best to play it in?"

"I will discharge it in either your straw-colour beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French-crown-colour beard (your perfect yellow)." - Shakespeare: Midsummer Night's Dream, i. 2.

   The French couronne = twenty-five francs, was a gold piece, and therefore the French-crown colour was a golden yellow; but the word French-crown also means baldness brought on by licentiousness. Hence the retort "some of your `French-crowns' have no hair at all."

Dyeing Scarlet Drinking deep. Drinking dyes the face scarlet.

"They call drinking deep, dyeing scarlet." -
Shakespeare: 1 Henry IV ii. 4.

Dying Sayings (real or traditional):
ADAMS (President): "Independence for ever."
ADAMS (John Q.): "It is the last of earth. I am content."
ADDISON: "See how a Christian dies," or "See in what peace a Christian can die." (See Berry.)
ALBERT (Prince Consort): "I have such sweet thoughts."
ALEXANDER I. (of Russia): "Que vous devez être fatiguée" (to his wife Elizabeth).
ALEXANDER II. (of Russia): "I am sweeping through the gates, washed in the blood of the Lamb."
ALEXANDER III. (of Russia): "This box was presented to me by the Emperor [sic of Prussia."]
ALFIERI: "Clasp my hand, dear friend, I am dying."
ANAXAGORAS (the philosopher, who maintained himself by keeping a school, being asked if he wished for anything, replied): "Give the boys a holiday."
ANGELO (Michael): "My soul I resign to God, my body to the earth, my worldly goods to my next akin."
ANNE BOLEYN (on the scaffold): "It [my neck] is very small, very small."
ANTOINETTE. (See below, MARIE.)
ANTONY (of Padua): "I see my God. He calls me to Him."
ARCHIMEDES (being ordered by a Roman soldier to follow him, replied): "Wait till I have finished my problem." (See Lavoisier.)
ARRIA: "My Pætus, it is not painful."
AUGUSTUS (having asked how he had played his part, and being, of course, commended, said): "Vos plaudite."
BACON (Francis): "My name and memory I leave to men's charitable speeches, to foreign nations and to the next age."
BAILLEY: "Yes! it is very cold." (This he said on his way to the guillotine, when one said to him, "Why, how you shake.")
BEAUFORT (Cardinal Henry): "I pray you all pray for me."
BEAUMONT (Cardinal): "What! is there no escaping death?"
BECKET (Thomas a): "I confide my soul and the cause of the Church to God, to the Virgin Mary, to the patron saints of the Church, and to St. Dennis." (This was said as he went to the altar in Canterbury Cathedral, where he was assasinated.)
BEDR (The Venerable): "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost."
BEETHOVEN (who was deaf): "I shall hear in heaven."
BERRY (Madame de): "Is not this dying with courage and true greatness?" (See Addison.)
BOILEAU: "It is a great consolation to a poet on the point of death that he has never written a line injurious to good morals."
BRONTË (father of the authoresses): "While there is life there is will." (Like Louis XVIII., Vespasian, Siward, and others, he died standing.)
BROUGHTON (Bishop): "Let the earth be filled with His glory."
BURNS: "Don't let the awkward squad fire over my grave."
BYRON: "I must sleep now."
CAESAR (Julius): "Et tu, Brute?" (This he said to Brutus, his most intimate friend, when he stabbed him.)
CAMERON (Colonel James): "Scots, follow me!" (He was killed at Bull-Run, 21st July, 1861.)
CASTLEREAGH: "Bankhead, let me fall into your arms. It is all over." (Said to Dr. Bankhead.)
CATESBY (one of the conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot): "Stand by me, Tom, and we will die together."
CHARLEMAGNE: "Lord, into Thy hand I commend my spirit." (See Columbus and Tasso.)
CHARLES I. (of England, just before he laid his head on the block, said to Juxon, Archbishop of Canterbury): "Remember."
CHARLES II. (of England): "Don't forget poor Nell," or "Don't let poor Nell starve" (meaning Nell Gwynne)
CHARLES V.: "Ah! Jesus."
CHARLES VIII. (of France): "I hope never again to commit a mortal sin, nor even a venial one, if I can help it." (With these words in his mouth, says Cominges, he gave up the ghost.)
CHARLES IX. (of France, in whose reign occurred the Bartholomew slaughter): "Nurse, nurse, what murder! what blood! Oh! I have done wrong: God pardon me."
CHARLOTTE (The Princess): "You make me drunk. Pray leave me quiet. I feel it affects my head."
CHESTERFIELD (Lord): "Give Dayrolles a chair."
CHRIST (Jesus): "It is finished!" (John xix. 30.)
CHRYSOSTOM: "Glory to God for all things. Amen."
CICERO (to his assassins): "Strike!"
COLIGNY': "Honour these grey hairs, young