Saxons. From the seax, the short crooked knife with which this tribe were armed. Sahs is the Old German for knife. Since the days of Daniel O’Connell Irish patriots have been fond of referring to the English people as Saxons, the natural enemies of the Celts.
S’Blood. A trooper’s corruption of “His Blood,” or the precious blood of the Redeemer. This species of profanity survives in the vulgar swear-word “Bloody.”
Scales of Justice. The ancient Egyptians believed that the good deeds of a soul after death would be weighed against his evil deeds. The Koran likewise teaches that the merits and demerits of departed souls are balanced in the scales of the Archangel Gabriel; hence the phrase now popular all the civilised world over.
Scalper. An Americanism for one who speculates in railroad tickets, and consequently obtains them at a reduction of their top prices.
Scaramouch. A character in the old Italian comedy, the prototype of the modern clown, so called from scaramuccia, a skirmish.
Scarborough. The fortified scar or precipitous cliff, so called on account of the castle built about 1136.
Scarborough Warning. A warning given too late to be taken advantage of. In 1557 Thomas Stafford seized Scarborough Castle before the townsfolk had the least intelligence of his approach. After taking possession he advised them to fly from the town and leave their belongings.
Scarlet. From the Persian sakarlat, “bright red.”
Scavenger’s Daughter. A corruption of Skevington’s Daughter, this instrument of torture being the invention of William Skevington, Lieutenant of the Tower, temp. Henry VIII. He called it his daughter because it emanated from his own brain. Those who were fated to suffer by it sadly consented, as the saying was, to “Kiss the Scavenger’s Daughter.”
Schaffhausen. Literal German for “sheep-houses” or pens.