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Berners, John Bourchier, 2d Baron

(Encyclopedia)Berners, John Bourchier, 2d Baron bouˈchər, bûrˈnərz [key], 1467–1533, English diplomat and man of letters. A member of Parliament from 1495 to 1529, he later became chancellor of the exchequer...

Houghton, Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st Baron

(Encyclopedia)Houghton, Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st Baron houˈtən, hôˈ– [key], 1809–85, English author. Throughout much of his life he was an active member of Parliament. He was among the first to recogniz...

Merlin

(Encyclopedia)Merlin, in Arthurian legend, magician, seer, and teacher at the court of King Vortigern and later at the court of King Arthur. He was a bard and culture hero in early Celtic folklore. In Arthurian leg...

Stockmar, Christian Friedrich, Baron von

(Encyclopedia)Stockmar, Christian Friedrich, Baron von krĭsˈtyän frēˈdrĭk bärōnˈ fŭn shtôkˈmär [key], 1787–1863, Anglo-Belgian diplomat and courtier, b. Coburg, Germany. A physician, Stockmar became ...

relics

(Encyclopedia)relics, part of the body of a saint or a thing closely connected with the saint in life. In traditional Christian belief they have had great importance, and miracles have often been associated with th...

Borenius, Tancred

(Encyclopedia)Borenius, Tancred tängˈkrād bôrēˈnēəs [key], 1885–1948, art historian and teacher, b. Finland. He became professor of the history of art at University College, London, in 1922. In 1933 he be...

Eustace II

(Encyclopedia)Eustace II yo͞oˈstĭs [key], d. 1093, count of Boulogne. He was the brother-in-law of Edward the Confessor of England. Visiting England in 1051, he and his followers became involved in a brawl with ...

nonjurors

(Encyclopedia)nonjurors [Lat.,=not swearing], those English and Scottish clergymen who refused to break their oath of allegiance to James II and take the oath to William III after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. T...

Fourier, Jean Baptiste Joseph, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Fourier, Jean Baptiste Joseph, Baron, 1768–1830, French mathematician and physicist. He was noted for his researches on heat and on numerical equations. He originated Fourier's theorem on vibratory ...

Gamelyn, The Tale of

(Encyclopedia)Gamelyn, The Tale of gămˈəlĭn [key], a romance in verse, written c.1350, containing about 900 lines. It tells of the tribulations of a young man abused by his older brothers. The tale survives in ...