for the Church; but Mrs. Siddons remarked to
him, "In the Church your son will live and die
a curate on £50 a year, but if successful, the
stage will bring him in a thousand."—Donaldson,
Recollections
.
Birtha, the motherless daughter and only child of As'tragon the Lombard philosopher. In spring she gathered blossoms for her father's still, in autumn, berries, and in summer, flowers. She fell in love with duke Grondibert, whose wounds she assisted her father to heal. Birtha, "in love unpractised and unread," is the beau-ideal of innocence and purity of mind. Grondibert had just plighted his love to her when he was summoned to court, for king Aribert had proclaimed him his successor and future son-in-law. Gondibert assured Birtha he would remain true to her, and gave her an emerald ring which he told her would lose its lustre if he proved untrue. Here the tale breaks off, and as it was never finished the sequel is not known.—Sir W. Davenant, Gondibert (died 1668).
Bishop Middleham, who was always declaiming against ardent drinks, and advocating water as a beverage, killed himself by secret intoxication.
Bishops. The seven who refused to read the declaration of indulgence published by James II. and were by him imprisoned for recusancy, were archbishop Sancroft (Canterbury), bishops Lloyd (St. Asaph), Turner (Ely), Kew (Bath and Wells), White (Peterborough), Lake (Chichester), Trelawney (Bristol). Being tried, they were all acquitted (June, 1688).
Bisto'nians, the Thracians, so called from Biston (son of Mars), who built Bisto'nia on lake Bis'tonis.