Chapter Maundrel to May-pole of M by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

aimed at the bird, but killed Caspar, who was concealed in a tree. The prince abolished in consequence the annual fête of the trial-shot. (Weber: Der Freischütz, an opera.)

Max O'Rell The pen name of M. Blouet, author of John Bull and his Island, etc.

Maximum and Minimum. The greatest and the least amount; as, the maximum profits or exports, and the minimum profits or exports; the maximum and minimum price of corn during the year. The terms are also employed in mathematics.

Maximus or Maxime (2 syl.). Officer of the prefect Almachius, and his cornicular. Being ordered to put Valirian and Tiburce to death because they would not worship the image of Jupiter, he took pity on his victims and led them to his own house, where Cecilia was instrumental in his conversion; whereupon he and “all his” house were at once baptised. When Valirian and Tiburce were put to death, Maximus declared that he saw angels come and carry them to heaven, whereupon Almachius caused him to be beaten with whips of lead “til he his lif gan lete.” (Chaucer: Secounde Nonnes Tale.)

May A lovely girl who married January, an old Lombard baron, sixty years of age. She had a liaison with a young squire named Damyan, and was detected by January; but she persuaded the old fool that his eyes were to blame and that he was labouring under a great mistake, the effect of senseless jealousy. January believed her words, and “who is glad but he?” for what is better than “a fruitful wife, and a confiding spouse?” (Chaucer: The Marchaundes Tale. Pope: January and May,)

May (the month) is not derived from Maia, the mother of Mercury, as the word existed long before either Mercury or Maia had been introduced. It is the Latin Maius- i.e. Magius, from the root mag, same as the Sanscrit mah, to grow; and means the growing or shooting month.
   May unlucky for weddings. This is a Roman superstition. Ovid says, “The common people profess it is unlucky to marry in the month of May.” In this month were held the festivals of Bona Dea (the goddess of chastity), and the feasts of the dead called Lemuralia.

“Nec viduæ tædis eadem, nec virginis apta
Tempora; quæ nupsit, non diuturna fuit;
Hæc quoque de causa, si te proverbia tangunt,
Mente malum Maio nubere vulgus ait.”
Ovid: Fasti, v. 496, etc.

   Here we go gathering nuts of May. (See Nuts Of May.)

May-day Polydore Virgil says that the Roman youths used to go into the fields and spend the calends of May in dancing and singing in honour of Flora, goddess of fruits and flowers. The early English consecrated May-day to Robin Hood and the Maid Marian, because the favourite outlaw died on that day. Stow says the villagers used to set up May-poles, and spend the day in archery, morris-dancing, and other amusements.
   Evil May-day (1517), when the London apprentices rose up against the foreign residents, and did incalculable mischief. The riot lasted till May 22nd.

May-duke Cherries Medoc, a district of France, whence the cherries first came to us.

May Meetings A title applied to the annual gatherings, in May and June, of the religious and charitable societies, to hear the annual reports and appeals for continued or increased support. The chief meetings are the British Asylum for Deaf and Dumb Females, British and Foreign Bible Society, British and Foreign Schools, Children's Refuge, Church Home Mission, Church Missionary Society, Church Pastoral Aid Society, Clergy Orphan Society, Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy, Destitute Sailors' Asylum, Field Lane Refuge, Governesses' Benevolent Institution, Home and Colonial School Society, Irish Church Missionary Society, London City Mission, Mendicity Society, National Temperance League, Propagation of the Gospel among the Jews, Ragged School Union, Religious Tract Society, Royal Asylum of St. Anne's, Sailors' Home, Sunday School Union, Thames Church Missionary Society, United Kingdom Band of Hope, Wesleyan Missionary Society, with many others of similar character.