talian prince, an ally of the
Lancastrians.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).

=Milan Decree=, a decree of Napoleon Bonaparte, dated Milan, December 27,
1807, declaring "the whole British empire to be in a state of blockade,
and prohibiting all countries from trading with Great Britain, or using
any article made therein."

[Asterism] As Britain was the best customer of the very nations
forbidden to deal with her, this very absurd decree was a two-edged
sword, cutting both ways.

=Mildred=, the bride, "fresh and fair as May," whom Philip, the pastor,
installs as _Mistress of the Manse_, in Josiah Gilbert Holland's poem of
that name (1874).

=Mildmay= (_Frank_), hero of sea-story bearing his name.--Frederick
Marryatt.

=Mile'sian Fables= (_Milesiae Fabulae_), very wanton and ludicrous tales.
Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton (Lord Lytton) published six of the _Lost Tales
of Mil[=e]tus_ in rhymeless verse. He pretends he borrowed them from the
scattered remnants preserved by Apollodo'rus and Conon, contained in the
pages of Pausa'nias and Athenaeus, or dispersed throughout the
Scholiasts. The Milesian tales were, for the most part, in prose; but
Ovid tells us that Aristi'd[^e]s rendered some of them into verse, and
Sisenna into Latin.

Junxit Aristides Milesia carmina secum
Pulsus Aristides nec tamen urba sua est.

The original tales by Antonius Diog'en[^e]s are described by Photius. It
appears that they were great favorites with the luxurious Sybarites. A
compilation was made by Arist[=i]d[^e]s, by whom (according to Ovid)
some were versified also. The Latin translation by Sisenna was made
about the time of the civil wars of Ma'rius and Sylla. Parthen'ius
Nice'nus, who taught Virgil Greek, borrowed thirty-six of the tales,
which he dedicated to Cornelius Gallus, and entitled _Er[^o]tik[^o]n
Path[^e]mat[^o]n_ ("love stories").

_Milesia Crimina_, amatory offences. Venus was worshipped at Mil[=e]tus,
and hence the loose amatory tales of Antonius Diogen[^e]s were entitled
_Milesiae Fabulae_.

=Mile'sians=, the "ancient" Irish. The legend is that Ireland was once
peopled by the Fir-bolg or Belgae from Britain, who were subdued by
Milesians from Asia Minor, called the Gaels of Ireland.

=Miles= (_Throckmorton_), harum-scarum, brave, indiscreet, over-generous
hero of Constance Cary Harrison's story, _Flower de Hundred_ (1890).

=Milford= (_Colonel_), a friend of Sir Geoffrey Peve