the downs.  “Fire and brim-stone!”—­he exclaimed, as a sound of voices rose and fell in sacred song—­“Fire and brim-stone!  What’s the matter with me?” Shoulders, feet, wrists, loins, all seemed paralyzed.  Down went mattock and spade, pickaxe and shovel, and just at that moment the lights at the convent windows burst forth, and the cock, mistaking the blaze for daybreak, began to crow most lustily.  Off flew the devil, and never again returned to complete his work.  The small digging he effected still remains in witness of the truth of this legend of the “Devil’s Dyke.”

DEVIL’S PARLIAMENT (The), the parliament assembled by Henry VI. at Conventry, 1459.  So called because it passed attainders on the duke of York and his chief supporters.

DEVIL SACRAMENT.  This blasphemous rite whereby those who would practice witchcraft were initiated into the diabolical mysteries is described by Deodat Lawson in 1704.

“At their cursed supper they were said to have red bread and red drink, and when they pressed an afflicted person to eat and drink thereof she turned away her head and spit at it, and said, ’I will not eat, I will not drink.  It is blood.’ ...  Thus horribly doth Satan endeavor to have his kingdom and administrations to resemble those of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—­Deodat Lawson, Christ’s Fidelity the only Shield against Satan’s Malignity (1704).

DEVONSHIRE, according to historic fable, is a corruption of “Debon’s-share.”  This Debon was one of the companions of Brute, the descendent of Aene’as.  He chased the giant Coulin till he came to a pit eight leagues across.  Trying to leap this chasm, the giant fell backwards and lost his life.

... that ample pit, yet far renowned For the great leap which Debon did compel Coulin to make, being eight lugs of ground, Into the which retourning back he fell ...  And Debon’s share was that is Devonshire.

Spenser, Faery Queen, ii. 10 (1590).

DE’VORGOIL (Lady Jane), a friend of the Hazlewood family.—­Sir W.
Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

DEWLAP (Dick), an anecdote teller, whose success depended more upon his physiognomy than his wit.  His chin and his paunch were his most telling points.

I found that the merit of his wit was founded upon the shaking of a fat paunch, and the tossing up of a pair of rosy jowls.—­Richard Steele.

DEXTER, (Gregory), the typical Successful Man who is first suitor, then the generous friend of Anne Douglas, in Constance Fennimore Woolson’s Anne.

“A little indifference to outside opinion would have made him a contented, as he was a successful man.  But there was a surface of personal vanity over his better qualities which led him to desire a tribute of universal liking.” (1882).

DHU (Evan) of Lochiel, a Highland chief in the army of Montrose.