Chapter Labourers to Lady of the Broom of L by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Ladas Alexander's messenger, noted for his swiftness of foot, mentioned by Catullus, Martial, and others. Lord Rosebery's horse Ladas won the Derby in 1894.

Ladies (See after Lady .)

Ladon One of the dogs of Actæon.
   Ladon. The dragon which guarded the apples of the Hesperides.

Ladrones The island of thieves, so called, in 1519, by Magellan.

Lady A woman of wealth, of station, or of rank. Verstegan says, “It was anciently written Hleafdian [? hlæfdige], contracted first into Lafdy, and then into Lady. Laf or Hláf (loaf) means food in general or bread in particular, and dig-ian or dug-an, to help, serve, or care for; whence lady means the `bread-server.' The lord (or loaf-ward) supplied the food, and the lady saw that it was properly served, for the ladies used to carve and distribute the food to the guests.”
   Another etymology is Hláf-weardie and loaf-wardie, where ie stands for a female suffix like-ina ine; as Carolus, female Carol-ina, or Carol-ine; Joseph, Joseph- ina or Joseph-ine; Czar, Czar-ina, etc. etc.
   Ladies retire to the drawing-room after dinner, and leave the gentlemen behind. This custom was brought in by the Norsemen. The Vikings always dismissed all women from their drinking parties. (S. Bunbury.)

Ladybird, Ladyfly, Ladycow or May-bug. The Bishop Barnaby, called in German, Unser herrin huhn (our Lady-fowl), Marien-huhn (Mary-fowl), and Marien Käfer (Mary's beetle). “Cushcow Lady,” as it is called in Yorkshire, is also the German Marienkalb (Lady-calf), in French, bête à Dieu. Thus the cockchafer is called the May-bug, where the German käfer is rendered bug; and several of the scarabæi are called bugs, as the rose-bug, etc. (See Bishop .)

Lady Bountiful The benevolent lady of a village. The character of Lady Bountiful is from the Beaux' Stratagem, by Farquhar.

Lady Chapel The small chapel east of the altar, or behind the screen of the high altar; dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Lady Day The 25th of March, to commemorate the Annunciation of Our Lady, the Virgin Mary. There is a tradition that Adam was created on this day. Of course, this rests on Jesus being “the Second Adam,” or “federal head.”

Lady Isabella, the beloved daughter of a noble lord, accompanied her father and mother on a chase one day, when her step-mother requested her to return and tell the master-cook to prepare “the milk- white doe for dinner.” Lady Isabella did as she was told, and the master-cook replied, “Thou art the doe that I must dress.” The scullion-boy exclaimed, “O save the lady's life, and make thy pies of me;” but the master-cook heeded him not. When the lord returned he called for his daughter, the fair Isabelle, and the scullion-boy said, “If now you will your daughter see, my lord, cut up that pie.” When the fond father comprehended the awful tragedy, he adjudged the cruel step-dame to be burnt alive, and the master- cook “in boiling lead to stand;” but the scullion-boy he made his heir. (Percy: Reliques, etc., series iii., bk. 2.)

Lady Magistrate Lady Berkley was made by Queen Mary a justice of the peace for Gloucestershire and appointed to the quorum of Suffolk. Lady Berkley sat on the bench at assizes and sessions, girt with a sword. Tony Lumpkin says of Mr. Hardcastle-

“He'll persuade you that his mother was an alderman and his aunt a justice of the peace.”- Goldsmith: She Stoops to Conquer.

Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity, founded in 1502 by the mother of Henry VII. The year following she founded a preachership. Both in the University of Cambridge.