Meaning
BLACK'-BIRD, n. [black and bird.] In England, the merula, a species of turdus, a singing bird with a fine note, but very loud. In America, this name is given to different birds,as to the gracula quiscula, or crow black-bird, and to the oriolus phaeniceus, or red winged black-bird.
BLACK-'BOOK, n. [black and book.] The Black Book of the Exchequer in England, is a book said to have been composed in 1175,by Gervais of Tilbury. It contains a description of the Court of Exchequer, its officers, their ranks and privileges, wages, perquisites and jurisdiction, with the revenues of the crown, in money, grain and cattle.
1. Any book which treats of necromancy.
2. A book compiled by order of the visitors of monasteries, under Henry VIII., containing a detailed account of the enormities practiced in religious houses, to blacken them and to hasten their dissolution.
