Her chief is slain—she fills his fatal post;
Her fellows flee—she checks their base career;
The foe retires—she heads the sallying host.
... the flying Gaul.
Foiled by a woman’s hand, before a battered wall.
Byron, Childe Harold, i. 56, (1809).
Maid of the Mill (The), an opera by Isaac Bickerstaff. Patty, the daughter of Fairfield, the miller, was brought up by Lord Aimworth’s mother. At the death of Lady Aimworth, Patty returned to the mill, and her father promised her in marriage to Farmer Giles; but Patty refused to marry him. Lord Aimworth about the same time betrothed himself to Theodosia, the daughter of Sir Harry Sycamore; but the young lady loved Mr. Mervin. When Lord Aimworth knew of this attachment, he readily yielded up his betrothed to the man of her choice, and selected for his bride, Patty, “the maid of the mill” (1765).
Maid of the Oaks (The), a two-act drama by J. Burgoyne. Maria, “the maid of the Oaks,” is brought up by Oldworth, of Oldworth Oaks, as his ward, but is informed on the eve of her marriage with Sir Harry Groveby that she is Oldworth’s daughter. The under-plot is between Sir Charles Dupely and Lady Bab Lardoon. Dupely professed to despise all women, and Lady Lardoon was “the princess of dissipation;” but after they fell in with each other, Dupely confessed that he would abjure his creed, and Lady Lardoon avowed that henceforth she renounced the world of fashion and its follies.
Maid’s Tragedy (The). The “maid” is Aspa´tia, the troth-plight wife of Amintor, who, at the king’s command, is made to marry Evad´ne (3 syl.). Her death forms the tragical event which gives name to the drama.—Beaumont and Fletcher (1610).
(The scene between Antony and Ventidius, in Dryden’s tragedy of All for Love, is copied from The Maid’s Tragedy, where “Melantius” answers to Ventidius).