Questing Beast (The), a monster called Glatisaunt, that made a noise called questing, “like thirty couple of hounds giving quest” or cry. King Pellinore (3 syl.) followed the beast for twelve months (pt. i. 17), and after his death Sir Palomidês gave it chase.
The questing beast had in shape and head like a serpent’s head, and a body like a libard, buttocks like a lion, and footed like a hart; and in his body there was such a noise as it had been the noise of thirty couple of hounds questing, and such a noise that beast made wheresoever he went; and this beast evermore Sir Palomides followed.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. 17; ii. 53 (1470).
Quiara and Mon´nema, man and wife, the only persons who escaped the ravages of the small-pox plague which carried off all the rest of the Guara´ni race, in Paraguay. They left the fatal spot, settled in the Mondai woods, had one son, Yerūti, and one daughter, Mooma; but Quiāra was killed by a jagŭar before the latter was born.—Southey, A Tale of Paraguay (1814). (See [Monnema] and [Mooma].)
Quick (Abel), clerk to Surplus, the lawyer.—J. M. Morton, A Regular Fix.
Quick (John), called “The Retired Diocletian of Islington” (1748-1831).
Little Quick, the retired Diocletian of Islington, with his squeak like a Bart’lemew fiddle.—Charles Mathews.
Quickly (Mistress), servant-of-all-work, to Dr. Caius, a French physician. She says, “I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself.” She is the go-between of three suitors for “sweet Anne Page,” and with perfect disinterestedness wishes all three to succeed, and does her best to forward the suit of all three, “but speciously of Master Fenton.”—Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor (1601).
Quickly (Mistress Nell), a hostess of a tavern in East-cheap, frequented by Harry, prince of Wales, Sir John Falstaff, and all their disreputable crew. In Henry V. Mistress Quickly is represented as having married Pistol, the “lieutenant of Captain Sir John’s army.” All three die before the end of the play. Her description of Sir John Falstaff’s death (Henry V. act ii. sc. 3) is very graphic and true to nature. In 2 Henry IV. Mistress Quickly arrests Sir John for debt, but immediately she hears of his commission is quite willing to dismiss the bailiffs, and trust “the honey sweet” old knight again to any amount.—Shakespeare, 1 and 2 Henry IV. and Henry V.
Quid (Mr.), the tobacconist, a relative of Mrs. Margaret Bertram.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).
Quid Rides, the motto of Jacob Brandon, tobacco-broker, who lived at the close of the eighteenth century. It was suggested by Harry Calendon of Lloyd’s coffee-house.