Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 87

CROQUEMITAINE [_Croak.mit.tain_], the bogie raised by fear. Somewhere near Saragossa was a terrible castle called Fear Fortress, which appeared quite impregnable; but as the bold approached it, the difficulties of access gradually gave way and even the fortress itself vanished into thin air.

_Croquemitaine_ is a romance in three parts; the first part is a tournament between the knights of Marsillus, a Moorish king, and the paladins of Charlemagne; the second part is the siege of Saragossa by Charlemagne; and the third part is the allegory of Fear Fortress.

Mitaine is the G.o.dchild of Charlemagne, who goes in search of Fear Fortress.

CROQUIS (_Alfred_), Daniel Maclise, R.A. This pseudonym was attached to a series of character-portraits in _Frazer's Magazine_ between the years 1830 and 1838. Maclise was born 1811, and died 1870.

CROS'BIE (_William_), provost of Dumfries, a friend of Mr. Fairford the lawyer.

_Mrs. Crosbie_, wife of the provost, and a cousin of Eedgauntlet.--Sir W. Scott. _Redgauntlet_, (time, George III.).

CROSBITE (2 _syl_.), a barrister.--Sir W. Scott, _Redgauntlet_ (time George III.).

CROSS PURPOSES, a farce by O'Brien. There are three brothers named Bevil--Francis, an M.P., Harry, a lawyer, and George, in the Guards.

They all, unknown to each other, wish to marry Emily Grub, the handsome daughter of a rich stockbroker. Francis pays court to the father, and obtains his consent; Harry to the mother, and obtains her consent; and George to the daughter, whose consent he obtains, and the two elder brothers retire from the field. The fun of the farce is the contention of the Grubs about a suitable husband, their joy at finding they have all selected Mr. Bevil, and their amazement at discovering that there are three of the same name.

CROSS'MYLOOF, a lawyer.--Sir W. Scott, _Heart of Midlothian_ (time, George II.).

CROTHAR, "Lord of Atha," in Connaught (then called Alnec'ma). He was the first and most powerful chief of the Fir-bolg ("bowmen") or Belgae from Britain who colonized the _southern_ parts of Ireland. Crothar carried off Conla'ma, daughter of Cathmin, a chief of the Cael or Caledonians, who had colonized the _northern_ parts of Ireland and held their court in Ulster. As Conlama was betrothed to Turloch, a Cael, he made an irruption into Connaught, slew Cormul, but was himself slain by Crothar, Cormul's brother. The feud now became general, "Blood poured on blood, and Erin's clouds were hung with ghosts." The Cael being reduced to the last extremity, Trathel (the grandfather of Fingal) sent Conar (son of Trenmor) to their relief.

Conar, on his arrival in Ulster, was chosen king, and the Fir-bolg being subdued, he called himself "the King of Ireland."--Ossian, _Temora_, ii.

_Crothar_, va.s.sal king of Croma (in Ireland), held under Artho, over-lord of all Ireland. Crothar, being blind with age, was attacked by Rothmar, chief of Tromlo, who resolved to annex Croma to his own dominion. Crotha sent to Fingal for aid, and Fingal sent his son Ossian with an army; but before he could arrive Fovar-Gormo, a son of Crothar, attacked the invader, but was defeated and slain. When Ossian reached Ulster, he attacked the victorious Rothmar and both routed the army and slew the chief.--Ossian, _Croma_.

CROTO'NA'S SAGE, Pythagoras, so called because his first and chief school of philosophy was established at Crotna (fl. B.C. 540.)

CROWDE'RO, one of the rabble leaders encountered by Hudibras at a bear-baiting. The academy figure of this character was Jackson or Jephson, a milliner in the New Exchange, Strand, London. He lost a leg in the service of the roundheads, and was reduced to the necessity of earning a living by playing on the _crowd_ or _crouth_ from ale-house to ale-house.--S. Butler, _Hudibras_, i. 2 (1664).

(The _crouth_ was a long box-shaped instrument, with six or more strings, supported by a bridge. It was played with a bow. The last noted performer on this instrument was John Morgan, a Welshman, who died 1720).

CROWE _(Captain)_, the attendant of Sir Launcelot Greaves (1 _syl_.), in his peregrinations to reform society. Sir Launcelot is a modern Don Quixote, and Captain Crowe is his Sancho Panza.

CROWFIELD _(Christopher)_, a pseudonym of Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe (1814-).

CROWN. G.o.dfrey, when made the overlord of Jerusalem, or "Baron of the Holy Sepulchre," refused to wear a crown of gold where his Saviour had only worn a crown of thorns.

Canute, after the rebuke he gave to his flatterers, refused to wear thenceforth any symbol of royalty at all.

Canute (truth worthy to be known) From that time forth did for his brows disown The ostentatious symbol of a crown, Esteeming earthly royalty Presumptuous and vain.

CROWNED AFTER DEATH. Inez de Castro was exhumed six years after her a.s.sa.s.sination, and crowned queen of Portugal by her husband, Don Pedro. (See INEZ DE CASTRO.)

CROWQUILL _(Alfred)_, Alfred Henry Forrester, author of _Leaves from my Memorandum-Book_ (1859), one of the artists of _Punch_ (1805-1872).

CROYE _(Isabelle, countess of)_, a ward of Charles "the Bold," duke of Burgundy. She first appears at the turret window in Plessis les Tours, disguised as Jacqueline; and her marriage with Quentin Durward concludes the novel.

_The Countess Hameline of Croye_, aunt to Countess Isabelle. First disguised as Dame Perotte (2 _syl_.) at Plessis les Tours; afterwards married to William de la Marck.--Sir W. Scott, _Quentin Durward_ (time, Edward IV).

_Croye (Monseigneur de la_), an officer of Charles "the Bold," duke of Burgundy.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).

CROYSA'DO _The Great_, General Lord Fairfax (1611-1671).--S. Butler, _Hudibras_.

CRUDOR _(Sir)_, the knight who told Bria'na he would not marry her till she brought him enough hair, consisting of ladies' locks and the beards of knights to purfle his cloak with. In order to obtain this love-gift, the lady established a toll, by which every lady who pa.s.sed her castle had to give the hair of her head, and every knight his beard, as "pa.s.sing pay," or else fight for their lives. Sir Crudor being overthrown by Sir Calidore, Briana was compelled to abolish this toll.--Spencer, _Faery Queen_, v. 1. (1596).

CRUEL _(The)_, Pedro, king of Castle (1334, 1350-1369).

CRUIK'SHANKS _(Ebenezer)_, landlord of the Golden Candlestick inn. Sir W. Scott, _Waverley_ (time, George II.).

CRUM'MLES _(Mr. Vincent_), the eccentric but kind-hearted manager of the Portsmouth Theatre.

It was necessary that the writer should, like Mr. Crummles, dramatist, construct his piece in the interest of "the pump and washing-tubs."-- P. Fitzgerald.

_Mrs. Crummles_, wife of Mr. Vincent Crummles, a stout, ponderous, tragedy-queen sort of a lady. She walks or rather stalks like Lady Macbeth, and always speaks theatrically. Like her husband, she is full of kindness, and always willing to help the needy.

_Miss Ninetta Crummles_, daughter of the manager, and called in the play-bills "the infant phenomenon."--C d.i.c.kens, _Nicholas Nickleby_ (1838).

CRUNCHER (_Jerry_), an odd-job man in Tellson's bank. His wife was continually saying her prayers, which Jerry termed "flopping." He was a "resurrection man."--C. d.i.c.kens, _A Tale of Two Cities_ (1859).

CRUPP _(Mrs.)_, a typical humbug, who let chambers in Buckingham Street for young gentlemen. David Copperfield lodged with her.--C.

d.i.c.kens, _David Copperfield_ (1849).

CRUSHED BY ORNAMENTS. Tarpeia, daughter of the governer of the Roman citadel on the Saturnian Hill, was tempted by the gold on the Sabine bracelets and collars to open a gate of the fortress to the besiegers on condition that they would give her the ornaments which they wore on their arms. Tarpeia opened the gate, and the Sabines as they pa.s.sed threw on her their shields, saying, "These are the ornaments worn by the Sabines on their arms," and the maid was crushed to death. G.

Gilfillan, alluding to Longfellow, has this erroneous allusion:

His ornaments, unlike those of the Sabine _[sic]_ maid, have not crushed him.--_Introductory Essay to Longfellow_.

CRUSOE _(Robinson)_, the hero and t.i.tle of a novel by Daniel Defoe.

Robinson Crusoe is a shipwrecked sailor, who leads a solitary life for many years on a desert island, and relieves the tedium of life by ingenious contrivances (1719).

(The story is based on the adventures of Alexander Selkirk, a Scotch sailor, who in 1704 was left by Captain Stradding on the uninhabited island of Juan Fernandez. Here he remained for four years and four months, when he was rescued by Captain Woods Rogers and brought to England.)

Was there ever anything written by mere man that the reader wished longer except _Robinson Crusoe, Don Quixote_ and _The Pilgrim's Progress!_--Dr.

Johnson.

CRUTH-LODA, the war-G.o.d of the ancient Gaels.

On thy top, U-thormo, dwells the misty Loda: the house of the spirits of men. In the end of his cloudy hall bends forward Cruth-Loda of swords. His form is dimly seen amid the wavy mists, his right hand is on his shield.--Ossian, _Cath-Loda._

CUCKOLD KING _(The)_, Sir Mark of Cornwell, whose wife Ysolde [_E.

seld_] intrigued with Sir Tristram (his nephew), one of the knights of the Round Table.

CUD'DIE or CUTHBERT HEADRIGG, a ploughman, in the service of Lady b.e.l.l.e.n.den of the Tower of Tillietudlem.--Sir W. Scott, _Old Mortality_ (time, Charles II.).

CUDDY, a herdsman, in Spenser's _Shephearde's Calendar._

_Cuddy_, a shepherd, who boasts that the charms of his Buxo'ma far exceed those of Blouzelinda. Lobbin, who is Blouzelinda's swain, repels the boast, and the two shepherds agree to sing the praises of their respective shepherdesses, and to make Clod'dipole arbiter of their contention. Cloddipole listens to their alternate verses, p.r.o.nounces that "both merit an oaken staff," but, says he, "the herds are weary of the songs, and so am I."--Gay, _Pastoral_, i. (1714).

(This eclogue is in imitation of Virgil's _Ecl_. iii.)

CULDEES _(i.e. sequestered persons_), the primitive clergy of presbyterian character, established in Io'na or Icolmkill _[I-columb-kill]_ by St. Columb and twelve of his followers in 563.

They also founded similar church establishments at Abernethy, Dunkeld, Kirkcaldy _[Kirk-Culdee]_, etc., and at Lindesfarne, in England. Some say as many as 300 churches were founded by them. Augustine, a bishop of Waterford, began against them in 1176 a war of extermination, when those who could escape sought refuge in Iona, the original cradle of the sect, and were not driven thence till 1203.