Blasphemous Balfour
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Sir James Balfour, the Scottish judge, was so called because of his apostasy. He died in 1583. He is said to have served, deserted, and profited by all parties.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Blasphemous Balfour” mean?
Sir James Balfour, the Scottish judge, was so called because of his apostasy. He died in 1583. He is said to have served, deserted, and profited by all parties.
Is “Blasphemous Balfour” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.