Walsingham (Lord) of Queen Elizabeth’s court.--Sir W. Scott, Kenilworth (time, Elizabeth).
Walter, marquis of Saluzzo, in Italy, and husband of Grisilda, the peasant’s daughter (q.v.).--Chaucer, Canterbury Tales (“The Clerk’s Tale,” 1388).
⁂ This tale, of course, is allegorical; Lord Walter takes the place of deity, and Grisilda typifies the true Christian. In all her privations, in all her sorrows, in all her trials, she says to her lord and master, “Thy will be done.”
Walte (Master), “the hunchback,” guardian of Julia. A worthy man, liberal and charitable, frank and honest, who turns out to be the earl of Rochdale and father of Julia.--S. Knowles, The Hunchback (1831).
Walter Debree, a Protestant clergyman, who, driven as he imagines, by conscience, takes orders in the Roman Catholic Church. His wife seeks him out and makes an eloquent appeal to him in the name of their former love, their dead child, and their once common faith. His heart and conscience thus aroused, combine to urge reconsideration of his belief. He resolves to return to the Mother Church, and makes his plans to take the Lord’s Supper with his wife on a certain Sabbath. On his way to church, he is overtaken by a fierce snow-storm and buried in the drifts. It is his lifeless body which is taken to the waiting wife. “Is this all, Walter?” she sobbed. “Is this the end? Yes, and it is a good end.... I did not seek you for myself. It never was for myself!” The effort to subdue the human love to the Divine triumphed in the midst of tears.--Robert Lowell, The New Priest of Conception Bay (1858).
Walter [Furst], father-in-law of Tell.--Rossini, Guglielmo Tell (opera, 1829).
Walter Hartwright, drawing-teacher and lover of Laura Fairlie. When the report of her death has been circulated by her husband, Sir Percival Glyde, Walter unravels the plot, restores Laura to her rightful place, and after the baronet’s death, marries her.--Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White.
Walter von der Vogelweide, one of the German minnesingers, flourished in 1206.
Waltheof (The abbot), abbot of St. Withold’s Priory.--Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).
Waltheof (Father), a grey friar, confessor to the duchess of Rothesay.--Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).