Chapter Pascal's Thoughts to Patelinage of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

either he dies or recovers again. As soon as this sign is given, everybody in the street, as well as in the houses, falls on his knees, offering prayer for the sick person.” (See lxvii. of the Canon Law.)- Diary of the Duke of Stettin's Journey.

Passing Fair Admirably fair. (Dutch, passen, to admire.)

Passing Rich Goldsmith tells us in his Deserted Village, that the clergyman was “passing rich with £40 a year." This is no covert satire, but a sober fact. Equal to about £350.

“A man he was to all the country dear,
And passing rich with forty pounds a year.” Goldsmith: Deserted Village.

   In Norway and Sweden the clergy are paid from £20 to £40 a year, and in France £40 a year is the usual stipend of the working clergy. Of St. Yves it was said (1251-1303):-

“Il distribuait, avec une sainte profusion aux pauvres, les revenus de son benefice et ceux de fon patrimoine, qui étaient de £60 de rente, alors une sonime très notable, particulierement en Basse Bretagne.”- Dom Lobineau: Lives of the Saints of Great Britain.

Passion Flower    The leaf symbolises the spear.
   The five anthers, the five wounds.
   The tendrils, the cords or whips.
   The column of the ovary, the pillar of the cross.
   The stamens, the hammers.
   The three styles, the three nails.
   The fleshy threads within the flowers, the crown of thorns.
   The calyx, the glory or nimbus.
   The white tint, purity.
   The blue tint, heaven.
   It keeps open three days; symbolising the three years' ministry. (Matt. xii. 40.)
   (See Pike's Head.)

Passionists Certain priests of the Roman Catholic Church, who mutually agreed to preach “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” The founder of this “congregation” was Paul Francis, surnamed Paul of the Cross. (1694-1775.)

Passover A Jewish festival to commemorate the deliverance of the Israelites, when the angel of death (that slew the first-born of the Egyptians) passed over their houses, and spared all who did as Moses commanded them.

Passy-measure or Passing-measure. A slow, stately dance; a corruption of the Italian passamezzo (a middle pace or step). It is called a cinque measure, because it consists of five measures- “two singles and a double forward, with two singles side.” (Collier.)

Passy-measure Pavin A pavin is a stately dance (see Pavan) ; a passy-measure pavin is a reeling dance or motion, like that of a drunken man, from side to side. Sir Toby Belch says of Dick Surgeon-

“He's a rogue and a passy-measure pavin. I hate a drunken rogue.”- Shakespeare: Twelfth Night, v. 1.

Pasteboard A visiting card; so called from the material of which it is made.

Paston Letters The first two volumes appeared in 1787, entitled Original Letters written during the Reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III. by various Persons of Rank; edited by Mr. (afterwards Sir John) Fenn. They are called Paston because chiefly written by or to members of the Paston family in Norfolk. They passed from the Earl of Yarmouth to Peter le Neve, antiquary; then to Mr. Martin, of Palgrave, Suffolk; were then bought by Mr. Worth, of Diss; then passed to the editor. Charles Knight calls them “an invaluable record of the social customs of the fifteenth century” (the time of the Wars of the Roses), but of late some doubt has been raised respecting their authenticity. Three extra volumes were subsequently added.

Pastorale of Pope Gregory by Alfred the Great.

Patavinity A provincial idiom in speech or writing; so called from Patavium (Padua), the birthplace of Livy. (See Patois. )