Hagge, doubtless the word of Shakspeare, also may be found in Rider, answering to the Latin lamia, fascinatrix, oculo maligna mulier.
Arguing from the above, what more appropriate term than "ribaudred hagge" could be applied to Cleopatra, a queen celebrated for her beauty, her cunning, her debauchery, nay, even adultery. The sister and wife of Ptolemy Dionysius, she admitted Cæsar to her embraces, and by him had a son called Cæsarion, and afterwards became enamoured of Antony, who, forgetful of his connexion with Octavia, the sister of Cæsar, publicly married her; thus causing the rupture between him and Cæsar, who met in a naval engagement off Actium, where Cleopatra, "when 'vantage like a pair of twins appeared," by flying with sixty sail, ruined the interest of Antony, and he was defeated; and so were called forth the imprecatory words of Scarus.
"Yond ribaudred Hagge of Egypt,
Whom leprosy o'ertake."
FRANCISCUS.
Harlequins (Vol. iii., p. 287.).
—The origin of the word hellequin, unknown to M. Paul Paris, is to be sought in Scandinavia, especially Norway, whence so many swarms of fierce Pagan settlers rushed into Normandy and other parts of France. The helle-quinna or hell-quean was the famous hela or hel, the death-goddess (whence our word hell, the death-realm, as still used in the Creed, &c.), so well known also to our own West Scandinavian (commonly called Anglo-Saxon) forefathers. The Wild Hunt of the Helle-quinna (the Death-quean and her Meynie) was therefore soon easily synonymous with that of La Mort, and, as M. Paris has well observed, naturally led to the grotesque mummeries of notre famille d'Arlequin.
GEORGE STEPHENS.
Stockholm.