Chapter Mercia to Merry Dun of Dover of M by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

by a fiend, but Blaise baptised the infant, and so rescued it from the power of Satan. He died spell- bound by his mistress Vivian in a hawthorn-bush. (See Spenser's Faërie Queene, Tennyson's Idylls of the King, and Ellis's Specimens of Early English Metrical Romances.)
   The English Merlin. Lilly, the astrologer, who published two tracts under the assumed name of “Merlinus Anglicus.”

Merlin Chair (A). A three-wheeled invalid chair, with a double tyre to the two front wheels, the outer tyre being somewhat smaller than that on which the chair rests, so that by turning it with the hand the chair can be propelled. Named after the inventor.

Merlo or Melo (Juan de). Born at Castile in the 15th century. A dispute having arisen at Esalona upon the question whether Hector or Achilles was the braver warrior, the Marques de Villena called out in a voice of thunder, “Let us see if the advocates of Achilles can fight as well as prate.” Presently there appeared in the midst of the assembly a gigantic fire-breathing monster, which repeated the same challenge. Everyone shrank back except Juan de Melo, who drew his sword and placed himself before the king (Juan II.) to protect him, for which exploit he was appointed alcayde of Alcala la Real (Granda). (Chronica de Don Alvaro de Luna.)

Mermaids Sir James Emerson Tennent, speaking of the dugong, a cetacean, says, “Its head has a rude approach to the human outline, and the mother while suckling her young holds it to her breast with one flipper, as a woman holds her infant in her arm. If disturbed she suddenly dives under water, and tosses up her fish-like tail. It is this creature which has probably given rise to the tales about mermaids.”
   Mermaid. Mary Queen of Scots (q.v.).

Mermaid's Glove [Chalina oculata ], the largest of British sponges, so called because its branches resemble fingers.

Mermaids' Purses The empty cases of fishes' eggs, frequently cast up by the waves on the sea-beach.

Merope One of the Pleiads; dimmer than the rest, because she married a mortal.

Merops' Son or A son of Merops. One who thinks he can set the world to rights, but can only set it on fire. Agitators and stump orators, demagogues and Nihilists, are sons of Merops. The allusion is to Phaeton, son of Merops, who thought himself able to drive the car of Phoebus, but, in the attempt, nearly set the world on fire.

Merovingian Dynasty The dynasty of Merovius, a Latin form of Merwig (great warrior). Similarly Louis is Clovis, and Clovis is Clot-wig (noted warrior).

Merrie England may probably mean “illustrious,” from the old Teutonic mer. (Anglo-Saxon, mæra, famous.) According to R. Ferguson, the word appears in the names Marry, Merry, Merick; the French Méra, Méreau, Merey, Mériq; and numerous others. (Teutonic Name-System, p. 368.) (See below Merry .)

Merrow A mermaid, believed by Irish fishermen to forebode a coming storm. There are male merrows, but no word to designate them. (Irish, Muruadh or Murrûghach, from muir, the sea, and oigh, a maid.)

“It was rather annoying to Jack that, though living in a place where the merrows were as plenty as lobsters, he never could get a right view of one.”- W. B. Yeates: Fairy and Folk Tales, p. 63.

Merry The original meaning is not mirthful, but active, famous; hence gallant soldiers were called “merry men;” favourable weather, “merry weather;” brisk wind, “a merry gale;” London was “merry London;” England, “merry England;” Chaucer speaks of the “merry organ at the mass;” Jane Shore is called by Pennant the “merry concubine of Edward IV.” (Anglo-Saxon, mara, illustrious, great, mighty, etc.). (See Merry-Men .)
   'Tis merry in hall, when beards wag all (2 Henry IV., act v. 3). It is a sure sign of mirth when the beards of the guests shake with laughter.