_Minstrel_ (_Lay of the Last_). Ladye Margaret, “the flower of Teviot,” was the daughter of Lord Walter Scott, of Branksome Hall. She loved Baron Henry, of Cranstown; but between the two families a deadly feud existed. One day the elfin page of Lord Cranstown inveigled the heir of Branksome Hall (then a lad) into the woods, where he fell into the hands of the English, who marched with 3000 men to Branksome Hall; but, being told that Douglas was coming to the rescue with 10,000 men, the two armies agreed to settle by single combat whether the lad should be given up to the mother or be made King Edward’s page. The two champions were Sir Richard Musgrave (_English_) and Sir William Deloraine (_Scotch_). The Scotch champion slew Sir Richard, and the boy was delivered to his mother. It now turned out that Sir William Deloraine was Lord Cranstown, who claimed and received the hand of Ladye Margaret as his reward.--Sir W. Scott (1805). =Minstrel of the Border=, Sir W. Scott; also called “The Border Minstrel” (1771-1832). My steps the Border Minstrel led. Wordsworth, _Yarrow Revisited_. Great Minstrel of the Border. Wordsworth. =Minstrel of the English Stage= (_The Last_), James Shirley, last of the Shakespeare school (1594-1666). ⁂ Then followed the licentious French school, headed by John Dryden. =Minstrels= (_Royal Domestic_). Of William I., Berdie, called _Regis Jocula´tor_. Of Henry I., Galfrid and Royer, or Raher. Of Richard I., Blondel. =Mint Julep=, a Virginian beverage, celebrated in song by Charles Fenno Hoffman (185-). A favorite variety of this drink is compounded of brandy, water, sugar, mint-leaves and pounded ice, and is called a “hail-storm.” “The draught was delicious, and loud the acclaim, ’Though something seemed wanting for all to bewail; But JULEPS the drink of immortals became When Jove himself added a handful of hail.” Charles Fenno Hoffman, _Poems_ (1846). =Mintz=, _alias_ Araminta Sophronia--the best cook and housemaid in town--rules the Stackpole family with a rod of red-hot steel until the son of the house defies her by marrying the head scholar in the Boston Cooking School.--Augusta Larned, _Village Photographs_ (1887). =Miol´ner= (3 _syl._), Thor’s hammer. This is my hammer, Miölner the mighty; Giants and sorcerers cannot withstand it. Sæmund Sigfusson, _Edda_ (1130). =Miquelets= (_Les_), soldiers of the Pyrenees, sent to co-operate with the dragoons of the _Grand Monarque_ against the Camisards of the Cevennes. =Mir´abel=, the “wild goose,” a travelled Monsieur, who loves women in a loose way, but abhors matrimony, and especially dislikes Oria´na; but Oriana “chases” the “wild goose” with her woman’s wiles, and catches him.--Beaumont and Fletcher, _The Wild-goose Chase_ (1652).