=Gerhard the Good=, a merchant of Cologne, who exchanges his rich freight for a cargo of Christian slaves, that he may give them their liberty. He retains only one, who is the wife of William, king of England. She is about to marry the merchant’s son, when the king suddenly appears, disguised as a pilgrim. Gerhard restores the wife, ships both off to England, refuses all recompense, and remains a merchant as before.—Rudolf of Ems (a minnesinger), _Gerhard the Good_ (thirteenth century). =Ger´ion.= So William Browne, in his _Britannia’s Pastorals_ (fifth song), calls Philip of Spain. The allusion is to Geryon of Gadês (_Cadiz_), a monster with three bodies (or, in other words, a king over three kingdoms) slain by Herculês. ⁂ The three kingdoms over which Philip reigned were Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. =Gerlinda= or =Girlint=, the mother of Hartmuth, king of Norway. When Hartmuth carried off Gudrun the daughter of Hettel (_Attila_), who refused to marry him, Gerlinda put her to the most menial work, such as washing the dirty linen. But her lover, Herwig, king of Heligoland, invaded Norway, and having gained a complete victory, put Gerlinda to death.—_An Anglo-Saxon Poem_ (thirteenth century). =German Literature= (_Father of_), Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729-1781). =Germany=, formerly called Tongres. The name was changed (according to fable) in compliment to Ger´mana, sister of Julius Cæsar, and wife of Salvius Brabon, duke of Brabant.—Jehan de Maire, _Illustrations de Gaule_, iii. 20-23. Geoffrey of Monmouth says that Ebraucus, one of the descendants of Brute, king of Britain, had twenty sons, all of whom, except the eldest, settled in Tongres which was then called Germany, because it was the land of the _germans_ or brothers. These germans did subdue all Germany, Of whom it hight. Spenser, _Faëry Queen_, ii. 10 (1590). =Geron´imo,= the friend of Sganarelle (3 _syl._). Sganarelle asks him if he would advise his marrying. “How old are you?” asks Geronimo; and being told that he is 63, and the girl under 20, says, “No.” Sganarelle, greatly displeased at his advice, declares he is hale and strong, that he loves the girl, and has promised to marry her. “Then do as you like,” says Geronimo.—Molière, _Le Mariage Force_ (1664). ⁂ This joke is borrowed from Rabelais. Panurge asks Pantagruel whether he advises him to marry. “Yes,” says the prince; whereupon Panurge states several objections. “Then don’t,” says the prince. “But I wish to marry,” says Panurge. “Then do it by all means,” says the prince. Every time the prince advises him to marry, Panurge objects; and every time the prince advises the contrary, the advice is equally unacceptable.—_Pantagruel_, iii. 9 (1545).