, i. (1748).
Eloi (St.), that is, St. Louis. The kings of France were called Loys up to the time of Louis XIII. Probably the "delicate oath" of Chaucer's prioress, who was a French scholar "after the scole of Stratford-atte-Bowe," was St. Loy, i.e. St. Louis, and not St. Eloi the patron saint of smiths and artists. St.
Eloi was bishop of Noyon in the reign of Dagobert, and a noted craftsman in gold and silver. (Query, "Seint Eloy" for Seinte Loy?)
Ther was also a nonne, a prioresse,
That of hire smiling was full simp' and coy,
Hire greatest othe was but by Seint Eloy!
Chaucer,
Canterbury Tales
(1388).
El´ops. There was a fish so-called, but Milton uses the word (Paradise Lost, x. 525) for the dumb serpent or serpent which gives no warning of its approach by hissing or otherwise. (Greek, ellops, "mute or dumb.")