Chapter Port Royal Society to Pot of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Port Royal Society to Pot

Port Royal Society In 1637, Le Maître, a celebrated advocate, resigned the honour of being Counseiller d'Etat, and with his brother De Sericourt consecrated himself to the service of religion. The two brothers retired to a small house near the Port Royal of Paris, where in time they were joined by their three other brothers- De Sacy, De St. Elme, and De Valmont. Afterwards, being obliged to remove, they fixed their residence a short distance from the city, and called it Port Royal des Champs. These illustrious recluses were subsequently joined by other distinguished persons, and the community was called the Society of Port Royal.

Port Wine Lord Pembroke's port wine. This renowned wine is thus made-

27 gallons of rough cider,	)
13 gallons of Bone Carlo wine,	)	To make a hogshead of port.
3 gallons of brandy.	)

Porte (The) or The Sublime Porte. The Ottoman Empire. In the Byzantine Empire, the gates of the palace were the place of assembly for judicial and legal administration. The word sublime is French for “lofty,” and the term was adopted naturally, as French has long been the language of diplomacy. The whole building contains four Turkish departments of state- viz. (1) the Grand Vizierat; (2) the Foreign Office; (3) the Interior; and (4) the State Council.

“The government is to blame for not having done all in its power, like the Porte.”- The Times.

Porteous Riot This notorious tumult took place at Edinburgh in September, 1736. Porteous was captain of the city guard. At the examination of a criminal named Wilson, Captain Porteous, fearing a rescue, ordered the guards to fire on the mob, which had become tumultuous; in this discharge six persons were killed, and eleven wounded. Porteous was tried for this attack and condemned to death, but reprieved. The mob, at his reprieve, burst into the jail where he was confined, and, dragging him to the Grassmarket (the usual place of execution), hanged him by torchlight on a dyer's pole.

Portia A rich heiress in The Merchant of Venice, in love with Bassanio. Her father had ordained that three caskets should be offered to all who sought her hand- one of gold, one of silver, and one of lead- with this proviso: he only who selected the casket which contained the portrait of the lady should possess her hand and fortune. (Shakespeare.)

Portland Stone So called from the island of Portland, where it is quarried. It hardens by exposure to the atmosphere. St. Paul's Cathedral and Somerset House (London) are built of this stone.

Portland Vase A cinerary urn of transparent dark-blue glass, long in possession of the Barberini family. In 1770 it was purchased by Sir William Hamilton, for 1,000 guineas, and came afterwards into the possession of the Duchess of Portland. In 1810, the Duke of Portland, one of the trustees of the British Museum, allowed it to be placed in that institution for exhibition. William Lloyd, in 1845, dashed it to pieces; it has since been carefully repaired, but is not now shown to the public. It is ten inches high, and six in diameter at the broadest part.

Portmanteau Word (A). A word, like post, which contains several meanings packed together; as, post (a stake), post for letters, post paper, slow as a post, fast as a post, post-horses, and so on.

Portobello Arms A public-house sign. The Mirror says: “In 1739, after the capture of Portobello, Admiral Vernon's portrait dangled from every sign-post, and he may figuratively be said to have sold the ale, beer, porter, and purl of England for six years.” The Portobello Arms is a mere substitution for the admiral.

Portsoken Ward (London). The soken or franchise at the port or gate. It was formerly a guild called the “English Knighten Guild,” because it was given by King Edgar to thirteen knights for services done by them. (See Knighten Guild .)

Portuguese (3 syl.). A native of Portugal, the language of Portugal, pertaining to Portugal, etc.; as Camoëns was a Portuguese, and wrote in Portuguese.

Poser The bishop's examining chaplain; the examiner at Eton for the King's College fellowship. (Welsh, posiaw, to examine; French, poser; Latin, pono.) Hence, a puzzling question.