Chatterbox (Vol. iv., p. 344.).
—I doubt whether your correspondent J. M. will succeed in limiting the term chatter-box to the female sex. His rendering buxom by womanly will hardly stand the test of criticism. In the old matrimonial service, as elsewhere, it originally signified obedient, compliant, and was equivalent to the German biegsam. It was applied indifferently to men and women. Thus, in Chaucer's Shipmanne's Tale—
"They wolden that hir husbondes shulden be
Hardy and wise and riche, and thereto free,
And buxom to his wife, and fresh a-bed."
And in the Clerke's Tale, speaking of the vassals,
"And they with humble heart ful buxomly,
Kneeling upon hir knees ful reverently,
Him thonken all."
The peasantry in Cheshire, instead of chatter-box, say chatter-basket.