Ralph Hoyt, Old (1859).
Jan´at, the Scotch laundress of David Ramsay, the watchmaker.—Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).
Jan´et of Tomahourich (Muhme), aunt of Robin Oig M’Combich, a Highland drover.—Sir W. Scott, The Two Drovers (time, George III.).
Janey Briarley. Twelve-year-old girl, her mother’s assistant in rearing the other children. Since her third year she has done with the follies of youth. She is given to grave speculations and sage counsels and her sharp eyes do notable service to her friends.—Frances Hodgson Burnett, Haworth’s (1879).
Jannekin (Little), apprentice of Henry Smith, the armorer.—Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).
Jannie Duff, with her little sister and brother, were sent to gather broom, and were lost in the bush (Australia). The parents called in the aid of the native blacks to find them, and on the ninth day they were discovered. “Father,” cried the little boy, “why didn’t you come before? We cooed quite loud, but you never came.” The sister only said, “cold!” and sank in stupor. Jannie had stripped herself to cover little Frank, and had spread her frock over her sister to keep her warm, and there all three were found almost dead, lying under a bush.
January and May. January is an old Lombard baron, some 60 years of age, who marries a girl named May. This young wife loves Damyan, a young squire. One day, the old baron found them in close embrace; but May persuaded her husband that his eyes were so dim he had made a mistake, and the old baron, too willing to believe, allowed himself to give credit to the tale.—Chaucer, Canterbury Tales (“The Merchant’s Tale,” 1388).
⁂ Modernized by Ogle (1714).
Jaquemart, the automata of a clock, consisting of a man and woman who strike the hours on a bell. So called from Jean Jacquemart, of Dijon, a clockmaker, who devised this piece of mechanism. Menage erroneously derives the word from jaccomarchiardus (“a coat of mail”), “because watchmen watched the clock of Dijon fitted with a jacquemart.”
Jaquenetta, a country wench, courted by Don Adriano de Armado.—Shakespeare, Love’s Labor’s Lost (1594).