CIRCE (2 syl.), a sorceress who metamorphosed the companions of Ulysses into swine.  Ulysses resisted the enchantment by means of the herb moly, given him by Mercury.

  Who knows not Circe,
  The daughter of the sun, whose charmed cup
  Whoever tasted lost his upright shape,
  And downward fell into a grovelling swine? 
  Milton, Comus (1634).

CIRCUIT (Serjeant), in Foote’s farce called The Lame Lover.

CIS’LEY or CISS, any dairy-maid.  Tusser frequently speaks of the “dairy-maid Cisley,” and in April Husbandry tells Ciss she must carefully keep these ten guests from her cheeses:  Gehazi, Lot’s wife, Argus, Tom Piper, Crispin, Lazarus, Esau, Mary Maudlin, Gentiles and bishops. (1)Gehazi, because a cheese should never be a dead white, like Gehazi the leper. (2) Lot’s wife, because a cheese should not be too salt, like Lot’s wife. (3) Argus, because a cheese should not be full of eyes, like Argus. (4) Tom Piper, because a cheese should not be “hoven and puffed,” like the cheeks of a piper. (5) Crispin, because a cheese should not be leathery, as if for a cobbler’s use. (6) Lazarus, because a cheese should not be poor, like the beggar Lazarus. (7) Esau, because a cheese should not be hairy, like Esau. (8) Mary Maudlin, because a cheese should not be full of whey, as Mary Maudlin was full of tears. (9) Gentiles, because a cheese should not be full of maggots or gentils. (10) Bishops, because a cheese should not be made of burnt milk, or milk “banned by a bishop.”—­T.  Tusser, Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry, ("April,” 1557).

CITIZEN (The), a farce by Arthur Murphy.  George Philpot is destined to be the husband of Maria Wilding, but as Maria Wilding is in love with Beaufort, she behaves so sillily to her betrothed that he refuses to marry her, whereupon she gives her hand to Beaufort (1757).

CITY MADAM (The), a comedy by Philip Massinger (1633).  She was the daughter of a farmer named Goodman Humble, and married a merchant, Sir John Frugal, who became immensely wealthy, but retired from business, and by a deed of gift transferred his wealth to his brother Luke, whereby madam and her daughter were both dependent on him.  During her days of wealth the extravagance of Lady Frugal was unbounded, and her dress costly beyond conception; but Luke reduced her state to that of farmers’ daughters in general.  Luke says to her: 

  You were served in plate;
  Stirred not a foot without a coach, and going
  To church, not for devotion, but to show
  Your pomp.

The City Madam is an extraordinarily spirited picture of actual life, idealized into a semi-comic strain of poetry.—­Professor Spaulding.

CLADPOLE (Tim), Richard Lower, of Chiddingly, author of Tom Cladpole’s Journey to Lunnun (1831); Jan Cladpole’s Trip to ’Merricur (1844), etc.