BELLONA'S HANDMAIDS 
 
 
FImR, and FAMINE, which thre damosels be of that 
force and strength that every one of them alone 
is able and sufficient to torment and afflict a 
proud prince; and they all joyned together are 
of puissance to destroy the most populous country 
and most richest region of the world.-Hall, 
Chronicle (1530). 
 
  Bellum (Master), war. 
A difference [is] 'twixt broyles and bloudie 
    warres,- 
Yet have I shot at Maister Bellum's butte, 
And thrown his ball, although I toucht no tutte 
    [benefit]. 
  G. Gascoigne, The Fruites of Warre, 94 (died 
1577). 
  Belmont (Sir Robert), a proud, testy, 
mercenary country gentleman; friend of 
his neighbor, sir Charles Raymond. 
  Charles Belmont, son of sir Robert, a 
young rake. He rescued Fidelia, at the age 
of twelve, from the hands of Villard, a vil- 
lain who wanted to abuse her, and taking 
her to his own home, fell in love with her, 
and in due time married her. She turns 
out to be the daughter of sir Charles Ray- 
mond. 
  Rosetta Belmont, daughter of sir Robert, 
high-spirited, witty, and affectionate. She 
is in love with colonel Raymond, whom 
she delights in tormenting.-Ed. Moore, 
The Foundling (1748). 
  Belmont (Andrew), the elder of two 
brothers, who married Violetta (an Eng- 
lish lady born in Lisbon), and deserted 
her. He then promised marriage to Lucy 
Waters, the daughter of one qf his tenants, 
but had no intention of making her his 
wife. At the same time he engaged him- 
self to Sophia, the daughter of sir Benja- 
min Dove. The day of the wedding ar- 
rived, and it was then discovered that he 
was married already, and that Violetta his 
wife was actually present. 
  Robert Belmont, the younger of the two 
brothers, in love with Sophia Dove. He 
 
 
went to sea in a privateer under captain 
Ironside, his uncle, and changed his name 
to Lewson. The vessel was wrecked on 
the Cornwall coast, and he renewed his 
acquaintance with Sophia, but heard that 
she was engaged in marriage to his brother. 
As, however, it was proved that his brother 
was already married, the young lady will- 
ingly abandoned the elder for the younger 
brother.-R. Cumberland, The Brothers 
(1769). 
  Belmour (Edward), a gay young man 
about town.-Congreve, The Old Bachelor 
(1693). 
  Belmour (Mrs.), a widow of "agreeable 
vivacity, entertaining manners, quickness 
of transition from one thing to another, a 
feeling heart, and a generosity of senti- 
ment." She it is who shows Mrs. Love- 
more the way to keep her husband at home, 
and to make him treat her with that def- 
erence which is her just due.-A.* Murphy, 
The Way to Keep Him (1760). 
 
  Beloved Disciple (The), St. John "the 
divine," and writer of the fourth Gospel..- 
John xiii. 23, etc. 
 
  Beloved Physician (The), St. Luke the 
evangelist.--Col. iv. 14. 
 
  Bel'phegor, a Moabitish deity, whose 
orgies were celebrated on mount Phegor, 
and were noted for their obscenity. 
 
  Belphce'be (3 syl.). "All the Graces 
rocked her cradle when she was born." 
Her mother was Chrysog'ong (4 syl.), 
daughter of Amphisa of fairy lineage, and 
her twin-sister was Amoretta. While the 
mother and her babes were asleep, Diana 
took one (BelphcebO) to bring up, and Ve- 
nus took the other. 
  *** Belphcebe is the "Diana" among 
women, cold, passionless, correct, and 
 
 
119 
 
 
BELPHCEBE