Lentiner, O. E. A hawk taken in Lent.
L’Envoy. “The conclusion of a ballet, or sonnet, in a short stanzo by itselfe, and serving oftentimes as a dedication of the whole.” (Cotgrave.)
Leonine Verses. Rhyming Latin compositions, very popular in the Middle Ages. In the 3rd century a piece of 1200 such verses was written by Commodianus. St. Augustine and the venerable Bede also wrote some. The proper leonine consists of a couplet rhyming at the end; but the rhymes may be otherwise distributed: e. g.—
“O miseratrix! O dominatrix! præcipe dictu;
Ne devastemur, ne lapidemur, grandinis ictu.”
Leontarium, Chr. A fountain of lions spouting water; frequently placed in the courtyard or atrium of basilican churches.
Leopard, Her. A lion in any other attitude than “rampant” was blazoned by the early heralds as a “leopard.” Till the 14th century the lions of the Royal Shield of England were designated leopards.
Leou, Chinese. (1) A building of many stories, like a pagoda. (2) An upper floor in a Chinese house.
Lepastê, R. (λεπὰς, a limpet; Lat. patella). A large vessel, in form like the cylix, but resting on a broad stand; employed from the earliest times for holding pure wine.
Leporarium, R. (lepus, a hare). A hare warren; a walled paddock in which four-footed game were preserved.