Chapter Parizade to Parolles of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

because it contained the rump or fag-end of the Long Parliament (1659). It was this Parliament that voted the trial of Charles I.
   The Running Parliament. A Scotch Parliament; so called from its constantly being shifted from place to place.
   The Unlearned or Lawless Parliament (Parliamentum Indoctum) (1404). So called by Sir E. Coke, because it contained no lawyer.
   The Unmerciful Parliament, in the reign of Richard II.; so called by the people from its tyrannical proceedings.
   The Useless Parliament. The Parliament convened by Charles I., on June 18th, 1625; adjourned to Oxford, August 1st; and dissolved August 12th; having done nothing but offend the king.
   The Wondermaking Parliament. The same as “The Unmerciful Parliament;” convened February 3rd, 1388. By playing into the hands of the Duke of Gloucester it checkmated the king.

Parliament Soldiers The soldiers of General Monk, who restored Charles II. to the throne.

“Ring a ding-ding; ring a ding-ding!
The Parliament soldiers are gone for the king.
Some they did laugh, and some they did cry
To see the Parliament soldiers go by,
[To fetch back the king.]”

Parliament of Bats (The), 1426, during the regency in the reign of Henry VI. So called because the members, being forbidden by the Duke of Gloucester to wear swords, armed themselves with clubs or bats.

Parliament of Dunces Convened by Henry IV. at Coventry, in 1404, and so called because all lawyers were excluded from it.

Parliamentarian (A). One who favoured the Parliament in opposition to Charles I.

Parlour (A). The reception room in a religious house where the religious see their friends. (French, parlour.)

Parlous A corrupt form of perilous, in slang = our modern use of “awful,” amazing, wondrous.

“Oh! 'tis a parlous lad.”
Shakespeare: As You Like It, iii. 2.

Parmenianists A name given to the Donatists; so called from Parmenianus, Bishop of Carthage, the great antagonist of Augustine.

Parmesan' A cheese made at Parma, in Italy.

Parnassos (Greek), Parnassus (Latin). A mountain near Delphi, in Greece. It has two summits, one of which was consecrated to Apollo and the Muses, the other to Bacchus. It was anciently called Larnassos, from larnax, an ark, because Deucalion's ark stranded there after the flood. After the oracle of Delphi was built at its foot it received the name of Parnassos, which Peucerus says is a corruption of Har Nahas (hill of divination). The Turks call it Liakura.
   Parnassus. The region of poetry. Properly a mountain of Phocis, in Greece, sacred to Apollo and the Muses. “Where lies your vein? Are you inclined to soar to the higher regions of Parnassus or to flutter round the base of the hill?” (The Antiquary)- i.e. Are you going to attempt the higher walks of poetry, such as epic and dramatic, or some more modest kind, as simple song?
   To climb Parnassus. To write poetry.

Parochial Relating to a parish. Hence, petty, narrow. (See Little Englanders .)

Parody Father of Parody. Hippomax of Ephesus. The word parody means an ode which perverts the meaning of another ode. (Greek, para ode.)

Parole (French). A verbal promise given by a soldier or prisoner of war, that he will not abuse his leave of absence; the watchword of the day.