370. What was the origin of “bigot”?
This word is of uncertain and disputed etymology. There are several theories of its origin.
1. That it was first applied to the Normans from the oath uttered by Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy, who was obliged to kiss the foot of his father-in-law, Charles the Foolish, in return for the province of Neustria. When told by his companions what he must do, he exclaimed, “Ne se, Bigot” (Not so, by God): the king and the court mockingly called him Bigoth, whence the Normans were called Bigothi.
2. That it is from bigot, an old Norman word, signifying as much as De par dieu, or our for God’s sake, and signifying a hypocrite, or one that seemeth much more holy than he is.
3. That it is a corruption of Visigotha, in which the fierce and intolerant Arianism of the Visigoth conqueror of Spain is handed down to infamy. The word bigos occurs in an old French romance, cited by Roquefort, in the sense of a barbarous people.
4. That it is from the Low Latin Begutta, one of the appellations of the nuns called Beguines, who, without having taken monastic vows, were united for purposes of devotion and charity, and lived together in houses called beguinages.
5. That it is derived from the Italian bigotto, or bighiotto, a devotee, a hypocrite.
6. That it is from the Spanish bigote, a whisker, hombre de bigote being a man of spirit.
371. Who was the “Beautiful Rope-maker”?
This sobriquet was given to Louise Labè (1526–1566), a French poetess, who married Ennemond Perrin, a rope manufacturer. She wrote in three different languages. She was distinguished for her extraordinary courage at the siege of Perpignan.