Chapter Patten to Peace-makers of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Patten to Peace-makers

Patten Martha or Patty, says Gay, was the daughter of a Lincolnshire farmer, with whom the village blacksmith fell in love. To save her from wet feet when she went to milk the cows, the village Mulciber invented a clog, mounted on iron, which he called patty, after his mistress. This pretty fable is of no literary value, as the word is the French patin (a high-heeled shoe or skate), from the Greek patein (to walk).
   "The patten now supports each frugal dame,
   Which from the blue-eyed Patty takes its name.”    Gay: Trivia, i.

Pattens-Money (Chapins de la Reina). A subsidy levied in Spain on all crown tenants at the time of a royal marriage.

Patter To chatter, to clack. Dr. Pusey thinks it is derived from Paternoster (the Lord's Prayer). The priest recited it in a low, mumbling voice till he came to the words, “and lead us not into temptation,” which he spoke aloud, and the choir responded, “but deliver us from evil.” In our reformed Prayer Book, the priest is directed to say the whole prayer “with a loud voice.” Probably the “pattering of rain”- i.e. the rain coming with its pit-pat, is after all the better derivation.
    Gipsy talk is so called from the French patois. (See Patavinity.)

Pattern A corruption of patron. As a patron is a guide, and ought to be an example, so the word has come to signify an artistic model. (French, patron Latin, Patronus.)

Pattieson (Mr. Peter). Introduced by Sir Walter Scott in the Introductions of the Heart of Midlothian and Bride of Lammermoor. He is represented as “assistant” at Gandercleugh, and author of the Tales of My Landlord, published posthumously by Jedidiah Cleishbotham.

Paul (St.). Patron saint of preachers and tentmakers. Originally called Saul. The name was changed in honour of Sergius Paulus, whom he converted.
   His symbols are a sword and open book, the former the instrument of his martyrdom, and the latter indicative of the new law propagated by him as the apostle of the Gentiles. He is represented of short stature, with bald head and grey, bushy beard.
   Born at Giscalis, a town of Judaea, from which he removed, with his parents, to Tarsus, of Cilicia.
   Tribe, that of Benjamin.
   Taught by Gamaliel.
   Beheaded by a sword in the fourteenth year of Nero. On the same day as Peter was crucified.
   Buried in the Ostian Way.
   (See Eusebius: Hieronymus.)

Paul Pry An idle, meddlesome fellow, who has no occupation of his own, and is always interfering with other folk's business. (John Poole: Paul Pry, a comedy.) The original was Thomas Hill.

Paul and Virginia A tale by Bernardin de St. Pierre. At one time this little romance was as popular as Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Paul the Hermit (St.) is represented as an old man, clothed with palm-leaves, and seated under a palm- tree, near which are a river and loaf of bread.

Paul of the Cross Paul Francis, founder of the Passionists. (1694-1775.)

Paul's Man (A). A braggart; a captain out of service, with a long rapier; so called because St. Paul's Walk was at one time the haunt of stale knights. Jonson called Bobadil (q.v.) a Paul's man.

Paul's Pigeons The boys of St. Paul's School, London.

Paul's Walkers Loungers who frequented the middle of St. Paul's, which was the Bond Street of London up to the time of the Commonwealth. (See Ben Jonson's Every Man out of his Humour, where are a variety of scenes given in the interior of St. Paul's. Harrison Ainsworth describes these “walkers” in his novel entitled Old St. Paul's.)

“The young gallants ... used to meet at the central point, St. Paul's: and from this circumstance obtained the appellation of Paul's Walkers, as we now say Bond Street Loungers.”- Moser: European Magazine,