palisander              Brazilian rosewood.
deodand                 (old Eng. law) a thing or creature which
                        caused a person's death, and was therefore
                        forfeited to the crown for pious uses.
regulus                 the metallic mass formed beneath the slag; an
                        impure intermediate obtained in smelting.
basilic                 royal.
pulvinar                in ancient Rome, a cushioned couch kept for the use 
                        of any visiting deity; a padded seat at a circus.
praemunire              (Eng. law) the offense of appealing to a
                        foreign court or other authority, such as the
                        Pope, undermining the claims of the Crown.
claque                  a group of hired applauders (claqueurs) or syncophants.
King's Bounty           (Brit.) a grant given to the mother of triplets.