Sir W. Scott, Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805).
Will Laud, a smuggler, with whom Margaret Catchpole (q.v.) falls in love. He persuades her to escape from Ipswich jail, and supplies her with a seaman’s dress. The two are overtaken, and Laud is shot in attempting to prevent the recapture of Margaret.--Rev. R. Cobbold, Margaret Catchpole.
Will and Jean, a poetic story by Hector Macneill (1789). Willie Gairlace was once the glory of the town, and he married Jeanie Miller. Just about this time Maggie Howe opened a spirit shop in the village, and Willie fell to drinking. Having reduced himself to beggary, he enlisted as a soldier, and Jeanie had “to beg her bread.” Willie, having lost his leg in battle, was put on the Chelsea “bounty list;” and Jeanie was placed, by the duchess of Buccleuch, in an alms-cottage. Willie contrived to reach the cottage and
Jean ance mair, in fond affection,
Clasped her Willie to her breast.
Willet (John), landlord of the Maypole inn. A burly man, large-headed, with a flat face, betokening profound obstinacy and slowness of apprehension, combined with a strong reliance on his own merits. John Willet was one of the most dogged and positive fellows in existence, always sure that he was right, and that every one who differed from him was wrong. He ultimately resigned the Maypole to his son, Joe, and retired to a cottage in Chigwell, with a small garden, in which Joe had a Maypole erected for the delectation of his aged father. Here at dayfall assembled his old chums, to smoke, and prose, and doze, and drink the evenings away; and here the old man played the landlord, scoring up huge debits in chalk to his heart’s delight. He lived in the cottage a sleepy life for seven years, and then slept the sleep which knows no waking.
Joe Willet, son of the landlord, a broad-shouldered, strapping young fellow of 20. Being bullied and brow-beaten by his father, he ran away and enlisted for a soldier, lost his right arm in America, and was dismissed the service. He returned to England, married Dolly Varden, and became landlord of the Maypole, where he prospered and had a large family.--C. Dickens, Barnaby Rudge (1841).
William, archbishop of Orange, an ecclesiastic who besought Pope Urban on his knees to permit him to join the crusaders, and, having obtained permission, led 400 men to the siege of Jerusalem.--Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered (1575).
William, youngest son of William Rufus. He was the leader of a large army of British bowmen and Irish volunteers in the crusading army.--Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered, iii. (1575).
⁂ William Rufus was never married.