Levant. The Eastern shores of the Mediterranean.
Levecel, O. E. A pent-house or projecting roof over a door or an open shed.
Levesele, O. E. A lattice. The original of the chequers on the door-posts of inns.
Levitonarium. (See Colobium.)
Lew, O. E. (modern lea). Sheltered from the wind; hence Lewe Water (modern luke-warm water).
Lewins, O. E. A kind of bands put about a hawk.
Libbard, O. E. A leopard.
Libella, R. (libra, a level or balance). (1) A level, or instrument employed by masons, joiners, and carpenters, in the same way as with us, for testing the evenness of the surface of their work. (2) A small Roman silver coin, afterwards substituted by the As, which it equalled in value.
Libellus or Libellulus, R. A small book, pamphlet, letter, or notice.
Liber (literally, the rind of the papyrus; Gr. βιβλίον, from the Egyptian word byblos, the papyrus plant). A book.—Parchment (membrana) was invented by Eumenes, king of Pergamos; hence its name of pergamentum. The paper (charta) or parchment was only written upon on one side; the other side was stained yellow. Writings were frequently washed off, and the parchment used again was called palimpsestus. The sheets forming a book were joined together and rolled round a staff, and then called a volume (volumen). The stick was usually ornamented with balls or bosses, ornamented or painted, called umbilici. The ends of the roll, carefully cut, polished with pumice-stone, and coloured black, were called geminæ frontes. The reader held the staff in his left hand to unroll the sheet (evolvere librum), as he proceeded, with his right. The roll, if valuable, was kept in a parchment case, which was stained with a purple colour, or yellow. The title of the book (titulus or index) was written on a small strip of papyrus or parchment with a light red colour (coccum or minium); and this practice was the origin of the art of illumination.