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THE  SHAKESPEARE  LIBRARY. 
GENERAL  EDITOR  PROFESSOR 
I.   GOLLANCZ,  LITT.D. 


O  W 


o  w 
3  z 


ROBERT  LANEHAM'S  LETTER: 
DESCRIBING    A    PART    OF    THE 

ENTERTAINMENT  UNTO  QUEEN 
ELIZABETH  AT  THE  CASTLE  OF 
KENILWORTH    IN    1575:     edited 

WITH  INTRODUCTION   BY   F.  J.  FURNIVALL 


NEW   YORK 

DUFFIELD    &   COMPANY 

LONDON:    CHATTO    &   WINDUS 

1907 


,L3 


CONTENTS. 


FOEEWOEDS. 

Cause  of  this  edition,  Captain  Cox 
(p.  ix). 

Sketch  of  Eobert  Laneham  (p.  x). 

Captain  COX  and  his  list  of  books 
(p.  xii). 

Two  other  Elizabethan  lists  of  books 
(p.  xiv).  _  _ 

Contrast  of  Captain  Cox's  list  of  books 
with  that  in  the  Coniplaynt  of  Scot- 
land, ab.  1648  A.D.  (p.  xiv). 

Captain  Cox's  books  described: — 


1.  Stoey-Books. 


I. 

II. 
III. 
IV. 

V. 
VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 

X. 

XI. 

XII. 
XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 
XVI. 


XVII. 
XVIII. 

XIX. 
XX. 


King  Arthurz   book  (p. 

xv). 
Hmou  of   Burdeaus    (p. 

xvii) . 
The  foour  sons  of  Aymon 

(p.  xix). 
Beuys  of  Hampton   (p. 

xxii). 
The  squyre  of  lo  degree 

(p.  xxiii). 
The  knight  of  courtesy, 

and  the  Lady  FagueU 

(p.  xxiv). 
Frederik    of    Gene    (p. 

xxv). 
Syr       Eglamoour       (p. 

xxviii). 
Sir  Tryamoour  (p.  xxix). 
Sir  Lamwell  (p.  xxx). 
Syr  Isenbras  (p.  xxxiii). 
Syr  Gawyn  (p.  xxxiv). 
Olyuer  of  the  Castl  (p. 

xxxvii,  clxxvii). 
Lucres  and  Eurialus  (p. 

xxxviii). 
Virgils  life  (p.  xli). 
The  castle  of  Ladiez  (p. 

xliii.  Perhaps  Chi'istine 

de  Pise's  Cyte  of  Lady es, 

p.  clxxvii). 
The  wido  Edyth  (p.  xliii). 
The  King  &  the  Tanner 

(p.  xlvi). 
Frier  Eous  (p.  xlvii). 
Howleglas  (p.  xlviii). 


XXI.  Gargantua  {not  hiown,  p. 

XXIT.  Eobinhood  (p.  U). 

XXIII.  Adambel,    Clim    of   the 

clough,    &  William   of 
cloudesley  (p.  liv). 

XXIV.  The  Churl  &  the  Burd 

(p.  Ivi). 
XXV.  The  seauen  wise  Masters 

(p.  Ivii). 
XXVI.  The  wife  lapt  in  a  Mo- 
rels skin  (p.  Ixiv). 
XXVII.  The  sak  fuU  of  nuez  (p. 

Ixvi). 
XXVIII.  The  sergeaunt  that  be- 
came a  Fryar  (p.  Ixvi). 
XXIX.  Skogan  (p.  Ixvii). 

XXX.  Collyn  cloout  (p.  Ixix). 
XXXI.  The  Fryar  &  the  boy  (p. 
Ixxiii). 
XXXII.  Elynor    Eumming      (p. 
Ixxv). 

XXXIII.  Nutbrooun      maid      (p. 

Ixxvi). 

2.  Philosophy  and  Poetry. 

XXXIV.  Sheperdz    kalender    (p. 

Ixxviii) . 
XXXV.  The  Ship  of   Foolz   (p. 
Ixxxv,  clxxx  ?). 
XXXVI.  Danielz  dreamz  {no  copy 
accessible,  p.  xcv). 
XXXVII.  The  booke  of   Fortune 
(not  known,  p.  xcv). 
XXXVIII.  'Stans  puer  ad  mensam' 
(p.  xcix). 
XXXIX.  The  hy  wey  to  the  Spitl- 
house  (p.  ci). 
XL.  lulian  of  Brainfords  tes- 
tament   (p.    ciii.  —  Ee- 
printed,  and  sent  to  the 
Members  of  the  Ballad 
Society  in  1871.) 
XLI.  The  castle  of  Loue  (p. 

cvi). 
XLII.  The  booget  of  Demaunds 

(p.  cvii). 
XLIII.  The  hundred  Mery  talez 
(p.  cviii). 


VI 


Contents. 


XLIV.  The  boob  of  Riddels  (p. 

ex). 

XLV.  The  Seauen  sororz  of  we- 

men  (iVb^  known,  p.  cxiv). 

XLVI.  The  prooud  wiues  Pater 

noster  (p.  cxiv). 

XLVII.  The  Chapman  of  a  peni- 

woorth  of  "Wit  (p.  cxvi) . 

3.  Ancient  Plays. 

XLVIII.  Yooth    &    charitee     (p. 
cxviii). 
XLIX.  Hikskorner  (p.  cxix). 
L.  Nugize  (p.  cxxii). 
LI.  Impacient  pouerty  {Not 
known  now,  p.  cxxiv). 

4.  Medicine. 

LII.  Doctor  Boords  hreuiary 
of  health  (p.  cxxv). 

5.  BALiiADS,  p.  cxxvi. 

LIII.  Broom  broom  on  hil  (p. 

cxxviii). 
LIV.  So  wo   (=  well)   iz  me 
b  egon,  tr oly  lo  p .  cxxix) . 
LV.  Ouer  a  whinny  Meg  [Not 
known,  p.  cxxxi). 
LVI.  Hey    ding    a    ding    (p. 
cxxxi) . 
LVII.  Bony  lass  vpon  a  green. 
LVIII.  My  bony  on  gaue  me  a 
bek  [Neither  knoxon,  p. 
cxxxi). 
LIX.  By  a  bank  az  I  lay  (p. 
cxx-xi). 

6.  Almanacks,  by 

LX.  lasper  Laet  of  Antwarp 
(p.  cxxxii). 
LXI.  Nostradam  of  Frauns  (p. 
cxxxv). 
LXII.  John  Securiz  of  Salsbury 
(p.  cxxxvi). 

Reason  for  the    sketch  of   Captain 
Cox's  books  (p.  cxxxvii). 


The  Complaynt  of  Scotland,  ab.  1548-9 
A.D.  (p.  cxxxvii) 

Its  List  of  48  Books  and  short  Tales 
(p.  cxxxviii ;  a  sketch  of  '  Robert 
the  Deuyll,'  p.  cxxxviii). 


Its  List  of  38  sweet  Songs  (p.  cxlix.) 
with  prints  of  5  of  them : — 
Pastyme  with  good  companye  (by 

Henry  VIII)  p.  cxlix. 
Still  under  the  levis  grene,  p.  cl. 
CoUe  to  me  the    Rysshys    grene 

(EngUsh)  p.  clii. 
0  lusty  May,  with  Flora  quene,  p. 

cliv. 
Grevus  ys  my  sorowe  (English),  p. 
clvi  (and  an  extra  English  one, 
'  This  day  day  dawes,'  p.  clix). 
Its  List  of  30  Dances  and  Dance-tunes 

(p.  clx). 
Robert    Coplande's    description     of 
'Base  Dances,'  notes  to  p.  clx- 
clxii. 
Ballads    supprest    in    Scotland    (p. 
clxvii). 


The  two  versions  of  the  Ballad  of 
Baloiv  from  Pinkerton's  or  Mr. 
David  Lauig's  4to  MS.  (p.  clxx). 


Conclusion  (p.  clxxiii). 

Postscript:  Mr.  Knowles  on  Eliza- 
beth's arrival  at  Kenilworth  (p. 
clxxiv). 

Notes  to  Forewords  (p.  clxxvi). 

"The  Cyte  of  Lady  es"  (p.  clxxvii). 

"  Come  over  the  burne,  Besse,"  a 
morahzed  ballad  (p.  clxxxi). 


ILanefjam's  ILctter,  a.d.  1575. 

Kenilworth  Castle  described  (p.  1). 

Its  history,  with  that  of  Marchland 
or  Mercia  (p.  3). 

The  Derivation  of  its  Name  (p.  4). 

Saturday,  July  9. — Queen  Elizabeth's 
arrival    and    reception    (p.    5) 
the  Porter  and   his  Speech  (p 
5) ;     the    Trumpeters     (p.    6) 
the   Lady  of   the   Lake  (p.  6) 
the    fair    Bridge    (p.    8) ;     the 
Seven  Pairs  of  Posts,  with  Gifts 
of  Gods  and  Goddesses  (p.  8)  ; 
the  Inscription  over  the  Castle- 
Gate  (p.   10),  and  the   Poet  to 
read  it  (p.  10)  ;    the  Guns  and 
Fireworks  (p.  12). 

Sunday,  July  10. — Service  at  Church; 
Dancing;  Fireworks  (p.  12). 


Contents. 


Vll 


Monday,  July  11. — The  Hunting  of 
the  Hart  (p.  13) ;  the  Savage 
Man,  and  Echo  (p.  14) ;  the 
Queen's  horse  frightened  (p.  15). 

Tuesday,  July  12. — Music  and  Danc- 
ing, Music  on  the  water  (p.  16). 

Wednesday,  Jidy  13. — Hunting  of  the 
Hart  again  (p.  16). 

Thursday,  July  14. — Bearhaiting  (p. 
16)  ;  Gunshots  and  Fireworks 
(p.  18) ;  Tumbling  of  an  Italian 
acrobat  (p.  18). 

Friday,  July  15,  and  Saturday,  July 
16.— Eest  at  home  (p.  20"). 

Sunday,  July  17. — Service  (p.  20) ; 
a  Country  Bride-ale,  with  a  pro- 
cession (p.  20-1),  and  the  Bride- 
groom (p.  22) ;  a  Morris-dance 
(p.  22-3) ;  three  Bridesmaids  (p. 
23) ;  a  Cupbearer  (p.  23)  ;  the 
Bride  (p.  24) ;  Running  at  the 
Quintain  (p.  24) ;  Hock  Tuesday 
by  the  Coventry  men :  accoimt 
of  their  Play  (p.  26)  ;  Captain 
COX  (p.  28) ;  his  Story-books, 
Ballads,  and  Almanacks,  Books 
of  Philosophy  and  Poetry  (p.  29) ; 
his  ale-judging  and  marching 
(p.  31) ;  the  Play— a  fight  be- 
tween English  and  Danes,  the 
latter  being  led  captive  by  En- 
glish women,  only  part  acted  (p. 
31) ;  the  Brideale  and  dancing 
not  well  attended  (p.  32) ;  an 
Ambrosial  Banquet  (p.  32). 

Monday,  July  18.— The  Third  Hunt- 
ing of  the  Hart  (p.  33) ;  Triton 
on  a  swimming  Mermaid,  the 
freeing  of  the  Lady  of  the  Lake 
from  Sir  Bruse  sauns  pitee,  and 
Arion's  song  (p.  33) ;  five  Gen- 
tlemen knighted,  and  nine  Peo- 
ple cured  of  the  King's  Evil  (p. 
36). 

Tuesday,  July  19.  —  The  Coventry 
Men's  Play  fully  played  (p.  36). 

Wednesday,  July  20.  —  Supper  at 
Wedgenall,  and  a  Device  of  God- 
desses and  Nymphs,  counter- 
manded; weather  bad;  and  the 
Queen  stays  at  the  Castle  (p. 
36). 

The  Ancient  Minstrel,  who  was  to 
have  svmg  to  the  Queen,  but 
didn't  (p.  36) ;  the  arms  of  Isling- 
ton on  his  breast  (p.  38) ;   his 


solemn  song  of  King  Arthur  and 
King  Ryens's  challenge  (p.  41). 

Wednesday,   July   27.^The    Queen's 
Departure  (p.  43). 
■  Queen  Elizabeth  and  the  Sevens  (p. 
43). 

The  gifts  of  the  Gods  and  Goddesses 
to  the  Queen  (p.  43). 

The  Fates  stop  work  during  her 
stay  (p.  46). 

Queen  Elizabeth's  character  (p.  47). 

The  Earl  of  Leicester :  his  character 
(p.  48). 

His  Castle  of  Kenilworth  (p.  48). 

His  Garden  like  Paradise  (p.  48-53). 

His  wondrous  Bird-Cage  (p.  50). 

His  very  fair  Fountain  (p.  52). 

(Digression  on  Onehood  and  Threes, 
but  chiefly  Twos  (p.  53).) 

His  two  Dials  always  pointing  to 
Two  o'clock  (p.  54). 

His  Great  Tent  (p.  56). 

The  big  Wether,  and  big  Child, 
shown  to  the  Queen  (p.  56). 

The  Earl  of  Leicester,  his  liberality 
and  fame  (p.  56-7). 

His  kindness  to  Robert  Laneham 
(p.  57). 

How  Laneham  leads  his  life  at  Ke- 
nilworth (p.  58) ;  up  at  7,  bread 
and  ale  for  breakfast  (p.  68) ; 
attends  the  Council,  is  down  on 
priers,  talks  to  foreigners,  drives 
with  Master  Pinner;  in  after- 
noons and  a-nights  is  with  Sir 
George  Howard,  Lady  Sidney, 
and  the  Gentlewomen,  whenever 
he  can,  dancing,  plajing  (p.  59), 
singing,  making  eyes  and  sighs 
at  lilistress (p.  60). 

Why  Laneham  is  so  bookish,  or 
learned  (p.  61). 

Laneham' s  messages  to  his  Friends 
(p.  61-2). 


Appendix.     Report  of  Henry  VIII' s 
Surveyors  on  KenUworth  (p.  63). 

Notes,  p.  66. 

Sir  Philip  Leycester's  description 
of  Musical  Instruments  in  Eng- 
land in  1666,  p.  65-8. 

A  London  Dinner  in  1569,  p.  69. 
Philip  Stubbes  on  the  abomination 
of  rufes  in  1583,  p.  72-3. 

Index,  p.'  77. 


Vlll^ 


PREFATORY  NOTE  TO  THE  EDITION  OF  1907. 

This  edition  of  Laneliam  was  originally  issued  for  the 
Ballad  Society  in  1871,  and  the  Introduction  now,  naturally 
enough,  requires  a  few  additions  and  corrections.  Since  it 
was  written,  several  of  the  books  or  ballads  mentioned  have 
been  edited  or  re-edited,  and  a  few  discoveries  have  been 
made.  As  the  work  is  now  reprinted  from  stereotype  plates, 
it  has  been  thought  best  to  leave  the  Introduction  as  it 
originally  stood  and  to  call  attention  here  to  the  chief 
points  in  which  it  requires  supplementing. 

p.  xxiii.  The  Squyre  of  Lo  Degree.  This  has  since  been  elaborately  edited 
by  Prof.  W.  E.  Mead  ('Albion  Series,'  Ginn  &  Co.,  Boston,  1904).  It  may 
be  mentioned  that  The  Squire  is  referred  to  in  The  Nidbroion  Maid,  1.  260, 
which  was  in  print  c.  1502. 

p.  li,  ].  13.  Robin  Hood.  The  printers  of  the  imperfect  copy,  here  stated 
to  be  Chepman  and  Myllar,  are  now  considered  doubtful,  see  Child,  Eng. 
and  Scot.  Ballads,  1882-98. 

p.  Ixv,  1.  11.  The  Wife  Lapt  in  a  Morels  Shin,  There  is  a  ballad  derived 
from  this  in  Child  (1882-98),  V.  104,  No.  277. 

p.  Ixxvii,  foot.  The  Nidhrooun  Maid.  The  MS.  is  not  at  University 
College,  but  at  Corpus,  and  is  the  day-book  of  John  Dome,  an  Oxford  book- 
seller. It  was  edited  in  1885  by  Mr.  F.  Madau  for  the  Oxford  Historical  Society. 
See  Early  English  Lyrics,  ed.  E.  K.  Cliambers  and  F.  Sidgwick,  1907,  p.  334. 

p.  Ixxviii.  The  Shepherdz  Kalender.  The  edition  of  Paris,  1503,  has  been 
reproduced  in  facsimile,  with  a  reprint  of  Pynson's  edition  ef  1606  and  an 
introduction  and  glossary,  by  Dr.  H.  Oscar  Sommer,  London,  Kegan  Paul 
&  Co.,  1892. 

p.  Ixxxv.  The  Ship  of  Foolz.  '  T.  H.  Jamiesou's  edition,  mentioned  on 
p.  clxxxi  as  in  preparation,  appeared  in  1874. 

p.  xcv.  The  Booke  of  Fortune.  See  a  long  letter  by  Mrs.  0.  C.  Stopes  in 
the  Athenxum  of  May  19,  1900,  in  which  she  shows  that  a  work  issued  in 
1672  may  well  have  been  a  reprint  of  the  original  'boke  of  fortune  in  folio' 
entered  to  "W.  Powell  on  Feb.  6,  1559-60  (cf.  p.  xcviii).  The  copy  seen  by 
Mrs.  Stopes  was  imperfect,  wanting  both  title-page  and  conclusion,  and  was 
identified  by  the  running-title.  It  is  a  work  in  which  Captain  Cox  would 
certainly  have  delighted,  and  consists  of  a  large  collection  of  brief  rimes, 
many  merely  couplets,  of  the  most  varied  character,  as,  for  example,  directions 


Prefatory  Note  to  the  Edition  of  1907  viii** 

for  the  discovery  of  fortunate  days,  weather  lore,  proverbs,  warnings  of  the 
uncertainty  of  life,  moral  reflections,  etc.,  etc.  The  rimes  are  grouped  under 
the  headings  of  'juries'  of  various  sects  of  philosophers  and  others,  as  if 
intended  to  represent  their  ojdnions,  though  the  classification  seems  in  reality 
to  have  been  entirely  haphazard.  The  first  five  headings  are  '  The  jury  of  the 
Academiks,  Graces,  Originists,  Platonists,  Sorbouists.'  Two  of  the  rimes 
quoted  by  Mrs.  Slopes  may  be  given  as  specimens : 


A  mickle  truth  it  is  I  tell 
Hereafter  thou'st  lead  Apes  in  Hell : 
For  she  that  will  not  when  she  may 
When  she  will,  she  shall  have  nay. 
XIII.  2. 


If  Kite  or  magpye  cross  thy  way 
Tuin  back  again,  and  do  not  stay  ; 

Unless  tway  crows  thou  chance  to  see 
If  so,  gang  on  and  happy  be. 

LII.  9. 


The  numerous  extracts  given  in  the  letter  make  it  clear  that,  though  evidently 
revised  after  the  accession  of  James  I,  the  book  originally  belonged  to  a  much 
earlier  date.  In  a  supplementary  letter  in  the  Athcnseum  of  Aug.  25,  1900, 
Mrs.  Stopes  discussed  the  relationship  between  the  English  book  and  the 
Triomfo  di  Fortuna  of  Sigismondo  Fanti,  1527. 

p.  cxviii.  Yooth  and  Cliaritee.  Waley's  and  Copland's  texts  are  printed 
in  full,  together  with  a  facsimile  of  the  eight  pages  of  the  Lambeth  Palace 
fragment,  in  an  edition  of  the  play  in  Professor  Bang's  '  Materialien  zur  Kunde 
des  alteren  Englischen  Dramas,'  1905. 

p.  cxix.  Hikskomer.  There  were  at  least  three  editions  of  this  :  see  Mr. 
W.  W.  Greg's  List  of  Plays,  Bibl.  Soc,  1900. 

p.  cxxv,  1.  5.  Impacient  Poverty.  A  copy  of  this  play  came  to  light  in  Ireland 
in  1905  and  was  sold  on  June  30,  1906,  at  Sotheby's.  It  was  bought  by  the 
British  Museum,  where  its  press-mark  is  now  C.  34.  i.  26.  It  was  reprinted 
by  Mr.  J.  S.  Farmer  in  his  Recently  recovered  '  Lost '  Tudor  Plays,  and  will  also 
shortly  be  issued  in  Professor  Bang's  '  Materialien.'  The  title  is  :  '*  (J  A  Newe 
In/terlude  of  Impacyente  pouerte  /  newlye  Imprynted.  /  M.  V.  LX.  [sio 
for  1560]  /  (J  Foure  men  may  well  and  ease/lye  playe  thys  Interlude.  / 
Peace  and  Coll  hassarde  and  Co/scyence,  for  one  man.  /  Haboundaunce  and 
mysrule  for  /  another  man.  /  Impaciente  pouerte,  Prospery-/te,  and  pouerte, 
for  one  man.  /  Enuye  and  the  sommer  for  ano/ther  man."  The  colophon 
is  "  ^  Imprinted  at  London,  in  Paules  /  Ohurche  yearde  at  the  Sygne  of/  the 
Swane  by  lohn  Kynge./" 

p.  cxxxi.  Oucr  a  whinny,  Meg.  As  evidence  that  this  was  still  in  1589 
a  well-known  ballad,  or  tune,  a  mention  of  it  in  The  Protestatyon  of  Martin 
Marprelat,  printed  in  that  year,  sig.  Dl',  may  be  quoted.  '  Nexte  .  .  . 
followed  a  preamble  to  an  Eblitaph  vpon  the  death  of  olde  Andrewe  Turne- 
coate,  to  be  song  antiphonically  in  his  graces  Chappell,  on  wednesdayes  and 
Frydayes,  to  the  lamentable  tune  of  Orawhynemeg. 

p.  cxxxi.  By  a  hank  as  I  lay.  Printed  in  Messrs.  E.  K.  Chambers  and 
F.  Sidgwick's  Early  English  Lyrics,  XXXIII,  p.  71,  where  some  further 
information  will  be  found. 

p.  cxlix.  Pastance  vitht  gude  companye.  The  MS.  mentioned  as  belonging 
to  a  Mrs.  Lamb  was  purchased  by  the  British  Museum  in  1882,  and  is  now 
Addl.  MS.  31922.  See  notes  in  E.  E.  Lyrics,  u.  s.,  where  this  poem  is  printed 
as  No.  CXXIII,  p.  212. 

p.  clii.  Cou  thou  me  the  raschis  grene.  The  Royal  MS.  58  has  been 
printed  in  Anglia,  xii. 

For  the  Note  above  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  R.  B. 
McKerrow,  M.A. 

F.  J.  F. 


12 


POREWOEDS. 

When  turning  from  the  England  of  1303,  from  Arthurian  Leg- 
ends and  the  Holy  Grrail,  from  Poems  on  the  Virgin  and  Christ, 
to  the  later  Ballads  of  the  Percy  Folio,  I  was  faced  at  every  turn 
by  Captain  COX.  'This  was  in  Captain  Cox's  Library;  this 
wasn't  in  Captain  Cox's  list ;  Captain  Cox  didn't  mention  the 
other :'  nothing  could  be  settled  without  reference  to  Captain  Cox. 
Either  having  forgotten  this  famous  man,  or  never  having  heard 
of  him  before,  when  I  evidently  ought  to  have  known  his  name  as 
well  as  Shakspere's,  I  felt  extremely  humbled  at  my  ignorance ;  I 
at  once  looked  him  out  in  the  British  Museum  Catalogue,  and 
several  Biographical  Dictionaries,  but  could  find  nothing  about 
him.  At  last  I  was  obliged  to  submit  to  the  further  humiliation  ot 
asking  (with  many  apologies)  a  ballad-loving  friend,  who  this  Captain 
Cox  was.  My  friend  x'cferred  me  to  Lanehams  Letter;  and 
there  the  great  Captain  stood  revealed  to  me.  The  foremost 
figure  in  English  Storj-book  and  Ballad  history  the  valiant  Co- 
ventry mason  is ;  and  in  so  bright  a  picture  of  merry  outofdoor 
Elizabethan  life  is  he  set  in  Laneham' s  Letter,  that  on  starting 
the  Ballad  Society,  I  resolved  to  re-edit  the  Letter,  with  Captain 
Cox's  name  at  the  head  of  it,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  bring  him 
into  more  prominence. 

Though  we  must  admit  that  the  Captain  was  not  the  first  per- 
son in  Laneham's  mind  when  he  wrote  his  letter,  still,  it  is  for 
the  lists  of  Captain  Cox's  story-books  and  ballads  that  reference 
has,  in  our  days,  been  most  frequently  made  to  the  tract.  Walter 
Scott's  '  Kenilworth '  revived  interest  in  it  for  the  last  generation, 
and  led  to  its  reprint  then  ;  Mr.  George  Adler's  '  Amye  Eobsart 
and  the  Earl  of  Leicester '  has  led  to  its  reprint  now,  since  my 
own  was  in  type.  The  Rev.  E.  H.  Knowles  of  Abbey  Hill, 
Kenilworth,  has  just  ready  a  fresh  edition  of  it,  with  fine  photo- 
graphs of  the  ruins  of  the  Castle,  etc.  Still,  the  merit  of  the  Letter 
is  great  enough  to  justify  its  reproduction  by  any  number  oi 

b 


X  Account  of  Robert  Laneham. 

people  or  aocieties,  each  from  his  or  its  own  point  of  view,  and 
with  comments  accordingly. 

The  Letter  is  written  by  one  London  mercer,  Robert  Lane- 
ham,  to  another,  Master  Humfrey  Martin,  and  describes  the  visit 
of  Queen  Elizabeth  to  her  favourite,  and  Laneham's  patron,  the 
Earl  of  Leicester,  at  Kenilworth  Castle  for  nineteen  days,  from 
Saturday  the  9th  to  Wednesday  the  27th  of  July,  1575.  The 
castle  itself,  its  grounds  and  appointments,  the  pageants  presented 
before  the  Queen,  as  well  as  an  ancient  minstrel  with  a  solemn 
song,  prepared  for  her,  but  not  shown  to  her  (pp.  36-42),  are  all 
described  by  Laneham  with  great  gusto ;  but  he  has  unluckily 
left  out  the  last  week  of  the  fun,  as  he  took  such  slender  notes  of 
what  went  on  (p.  43). 

Laneham  is  a  most  amusing,  self-satisfied,  rollicking  chap.  He 
tells  us  his  history ;  that  he  went  to  school  both  at  St.  Paul's 
(Colet's  school)  and  St.  Anthony's  (where  Whitgift  was),  was  in 
the  fifth  form,  got  through  ^sop's  Fables,  read  Terence,  and 
began  Virgil,  then  served  Master  Bomsted  a  Mercer  in  London, 
then  traded  in  sundry  countries — among  others,  '  in  Erauns  and 
Flaunders  long  and  many  a  day '  (p.  1) — and  so  gat  languages, 
which  helpt  his  Latin  (p.  61).  Leicester  took  him  up, — for  his 
ready  tongue  and  merry  ways,  no  doubt,  as  well  as  his  knowledge 
of '  Laugagez,' — gave  him  apparel,  even  from  his  own  back,  got 
him  allowance  in  the  stable,  got  him  made  Doorkeeper  of  the 
Council  Chamber,  helpt  him  in  his  license  to  import  beans  duty 
free,  and  let  his  father  'serve  the  stable,' — that  is,  as  I  suppose, 
supply  it  with  grain  and  fodder — so  that  our  worthy  says  "I  go 
noow  in  my  sylks,  that  els  might  rufil  in  my  cut  cauves  [or  poor 
men's  clothes]  :  I  ryde  now  a  hors  bak,  that  els  many  timez 
mighte  mannage  it  a  foot :  am  knoen  to  their  honors,  &  taken 
foorth  with  the  best,  that  els  might  be  bidden  to  stand  bak  my 
self"  (p.  57). 

Laneham  tells  us  besides  how  he  spent  his  days  at  Kenilworth ; 
and  in  this  account,  pages  58-61,  the  full  character  of  the  man 
comes  out  in  a  most  amusing  way.  The  reader  should  turn  at 
once  to  the  passages,  and  enjoy  them  :  the  "jolly  &  dry  a  morn- 
ings," the  being  "  by  &  by  in  the  bones  of "  any  listener,  or 
prier,  the  seating  his  friends,  but  "let  the  rest  walk,  a  Gods 
name  ";  his  airing  his  languages  before  the  foreigners,  being,  "  in 
afternoons  &  a  nights  .  .  .  alwayez  among  the  Gentlwemen," 


Laneham  at  Kenilworth.     His  character.  xi 

showing  off  before  company,  dancing,  playing,  singing,  making 

eyes  and  sighs  at  Mistress ,  whose  name  he  won't  tell,  being 

able  to  "  gracify  the  matters  az  well  az  the  prowdest  of  them," 
give  us  the  very  man.  "  Stories  I  delight  in,"  says  he  (p.  61) ; 
Music  he  loves :  "  take  ye  this  by  the  way,  that  for  the  sraal  skyl 
in  muzik  that  God  hath  sent  me,  (ye  kno  it  iz  sumwhat)  ile  set 
the  more  by  my  self  while  my  name  iz  Laneham  ;  and  grace  a 
God  !  A  !  muzik  is  a  noble  Art !"  (p.  35).  His  patron  Leicester 
was  perfection  in  his  eyes  (pp.  56-8),  and  Kenilworth  nearly 
Paradise  (p.  48-53).  He  enjoyed  the  beautiful  country  round 
him  (p.  2-3),  revelled  in  all  the  show  and  bustle  about  him,  de- 
lighted in  the  conceits  of  the  pageants,  rejoiced  in  the  stag-hunts 
(p.  13,  16),  thought  the  bear-baiting  fine  sport  (p.  16-18),  threw 
himself  into  the  rough  fun  of  the  country  bride-ale  and  Coventry 
play  (p.  20,  26),  quizzed  the  performers  (p.  22-4),  took  off  the 
old  minstrel  (p.  40),  drank  lots  of  good  ale  and  wine  (p.  8,  45), 
eat  to  his  fill  (p.  59) ;  and  in  the  best  of  spirits  with  everything 
about  him,  and  especially  with  himself,  the  excellent  Robert 
Laneham,  gent.,  wrote  this  Letter  about  the  whole  affair  to  his 
friend  Master  Martin,  one  of  the  jovial  set  they  both  belonged  to 
in  London. 

No  doubt  if  there'd  been  a  Superfine  Eeview  in  his  day,  it 
would  have  called  him  a  coxcomb,  reproved  him  for  his  vulgarity, 
and  perchance  written  an  article  on  his  "  females,"  as  its  present 
representative  has  on  our  workingmen's  wives  and  daughters  in 
their  holiday-excursions.  For  my  part,  I  am  content  to  take 
Robert  Laneham  and  enjoy  him  as  he  is ;  and  I  only  wish  that 
twenty  others  like  him  had  left  us  such  genuine  pictures  of  the 
country  life  and  sports  of  Elizabeth's  time.  As  for  his  writing  so 
much  about  himself,  I  only  wish  my  contemporaries  would  follow 
his  example,  and  believe  that  posterity  will  enjoy  what  they  write, 
as  much  as  we  do  like  bits  in  the  writings  of  our  predecessors. 
Let  men  he  themselves  in  their  writings,  and  let  critics,  and  "  uu- 
"unsuited-to-the-dignity-of-print,"  etcetera,  be  blowed  ! 

But  where  is  Captain  Cox  all  this  while  ?  Well,  we're  coming 
to  him  soon. 

In  order  to  make  room  for  him,  I  have  put  an  abstract  of  the 
amusements  of  each  day  of  the  (Queen's  visit  in  the  Contents,  above. 
She  arrived  at  Kenilworth  Castle  on  Saturday  the  9th  of  July 
1575.     On  her  first  Sunday,  the  forenoon  was  spent  in  "  divine 


xii  Captain  Cox.     Object  of  these  Forewords. 

seruis  &  preaching  at  the  parish  church,"  while  in  the  afternoon — 
the  place  not  being  a  People's  Park,  and  there  being  no  Mr. 
Ayrtou  to  stop  the  bands  playing  dance-music,  for  fear  her 
Majesty's  scruples  should  be  offended — "  excellent  music  of  sun- 
dry swet  instruments  "  was  played,  and  "  dancing  of  Lords  and 
Ladiez,  and  oother  worshipfull  degrees"  went  on.  The  second 
Sunday,  July  17, 1575,  was  St.  Kenelm's  day, — the  saint  and  king 
who  built^  part  of  the  Castle,  and  after  whom  it  was  called  ; — and 
advantage  was  taken  of  this  anniversary  to  show  the  Queen  some 
of  the  characteristic  sports  of  the  country,  including  especially 
the  old  historical  Hock-Tuesday  play  of  the  men  of  Coventry — a 
town  so  famous  for  its  Mysteries — commemorating  the  masacre  of 
the  Danes  on  Nov.  13,  1002,  or  June  S,  1042.  In  this  latter. 
Captain  Cox  appears.  I  tlierefore  refer  the  reader  to  pages 
20-26  of  Laneham's  tract,  for  a  description  of  the  acting  of  the 
Bride-ale — with  our  author's  quizzical  description  of  the  per- 
formers, bridegroom,  morris-dance,  bridesmaids,  cupbearer,  bride, 
running  at  the  Quintain,  and  general  shindy  following, — and  pro- 
ceed to  reprint  here  the  account  of  Captain  Cox,  giving  a  separate 
half-line  and  number  to  each  of  his  tracts,  etc. ;  then,  with  the 
help  of  Mr.  Halliwell,  Mr.  Hazlitt,^  Mr.  Wm.  Chappell,  etc.,  I 
shall  comment  on  the  Captain's  list  of  Story-Books  and  Ballads, 
describing  each,  so  far  as  I  can,  in  order  to  give  my  readers  a  view 
of  the  literature  on  which  the  reading  members  of  the  English 
middle-class  in  Elizabeth's  time  were  brought  up ;  and  lastly,  I 
shall  contrast  Captain  Cox's  list  with  that  of  the  books,  ballads,  and 
tunes  known  in  Scotland  in  1548  to  the  writer  of  the  Complaynt  of 
Scotland,  adding  also  a  few  comments  on  this  latter  list,  by  the 
help  of  Leydeu,  etc.     Here  then  is  Captain  COX  : — 

Captain  ^^^  aware,  keep  bak,  make  room  noow,  heer  they  cum !  And  fyrst, 
Cox.  captin  Cox,  an  od  man  I  promiz  yoo :  ty  profession  a  Mason,  and 
that  right  skilful!,  very  cunning  in  fens,  and  hardy  az  Gawin ;  for 
hiz  tonsword  hangs  at  his  tahlz  eend :  great  ouersight  hath  he  in  matters  of 
storie :  For,  az  for 


I.  King  Arthurz  book. 
II.  Huow  of  Burdeaus. 

III.  Thefooursunsof  Aymon. 

IV.  Beuys  of  Hampton. 

V,  The  squyre  of  lo  degree. 


VI.  The  knight  of  courtesy, 
and  the  Lady  Faguell. 
VII.  Frederik  of  Gene. 
VIII.  Syr  Eglamoour. 
IX.  Sir  Tryamoour. 


'  That  is,  is  said  to  have  built. 

"  The  information  as  to  old  editions  is  nearly  all  taken  from  Mr.  HazUtt's 
Handbooli. 


Captain  Cox's  Books,  Plays,  and  Ballads. 


xin 


clough,  &  William  of 
cloudesley. 

The  Churl  &  the  Burd. 

The  seauen  wise  Masters. 

The  wife  lapt  in  a  Morels 
skin. 

The  sak  full  of  nuez. 

The  seargeaunt  that  be- 
came a  Fryar. 

Skogan. 

Collyn  cloout. 

The  Fryar  &  the  hoy. 

Elynor  Rumming. 

The  Nuthrooun  maid. 

With  many  moe  then  I  rehearz  heere :  I  heleeue  hee  haue  them  all  at  hiz 
fingers  endz. 

Then,  in  Philosophy  both  morall  and  naturall,  I  think  he  be  az  naturally 
ouerseen :  beside  poetrie  and  Astronomic,  and  oother  hid  sciencez,  as  I  may 
gesse  by  the  omberty  of  hiz  books :  whear-of  part  az  I  remember, 


X. 

Sir  Lamwell. 

XI. 

Syr  Isenbras. 

XII. 

Syr  Gawyn. 

XXTV. 

XIII. 

Olyuer  of  the  Castl. 

XXV. 

XIV. 

Lucres  and  Eiu'ialus. 

XXVI. 

XV. 

Virgils  Hfe. 

XVI. 

The  castle  of  Ladiez. 

XXVII. 

XVII. 

The  wido  Edyth. 

XXVIII. 

XVIII. 

The  King  &  the  Tanner. 

XIX. 

Frier  Rous. 

XXIX. 

XX. 

Howleglas. 

XXX. 

XXI. 

Gargantua. 

XXXI. 

XXII. 

Eobinhood. 

XXXII. 

XXIII. 

Adambel,    Clim   of 

the 

XXXIII. 

XXXIV.  The  Sheperdz  kalender. 
XXXV.  The  Ship  of  Foolz. 
XXXVI.  Danielz  dreamz. 
XXXVII.  The  booke  of  Fortune. 
XXXVIII.   '  Stans  puer  ad  inensam.' 
XXXIX.  The  hy  wey  to  the  Spitl- 
house. 
XL.  lulian  of  Brainfords  tes- 
tament. 
XLI.  The  castle  of  Loue. 

Beside  hiz  auncient  iDlayz, 


XLVIII. 
XLIX. 


Yooth  &  charitee. 
Hikskorner. 


XLII.  Theboogetof  Demaunds. 
XLIII.  The  hundred  Mery  talez. 
XLIV.  The  book  of  Riddels. 
XLV.  The    Seauen    sororz    of 

wemen. 
XL VI.  The  prooud  wiues  Pater 

noster. 
XLVII.  The  Chapman  of  a  peni- 
woorth  of  Wit. 


L.  Nugize. 
LI.  Impacient  pouerty. 


And  heerwith, 

LII.  Doctor  Boords  breuiary  of  health. 

What  shoold  I  rehearz  heer,  what  a  bunch  of  ballets  &  songs,  all  auncient : 
Az 


LIII.  Broom  broom  on  hil. 
LIV.  So  wo  iz  me  begon,  troly 
lo. 
LV.  Oiier  a  whinny  Meg. 
LVI.  Hey  ding  a  ding. 


LVII.  Bony  lass  vpon  a  green. 
LVIII.  My  bony  on  gaue  me  a 
bek. 
LIX.  By  a  bank  az  I  lay. 


and  a  hundred  more,  he  hath,  fair  wrapt  vp  in  Parchment,  and  bound  with  a 
whipcord. 

And  az  for  Allmanaks  of  antiquitee  (a  point  for  Ephemerides)  I  weene  hee 
can  sheaw  from  (LX)  lasper  Laet  of  Antwarp  vnto  (LXI)  Nostradam  of 
Frauns,  and  thens  vnto  oour  (LXII)  John  Securiz  of  Salsbury.  To  stay  ye 
no  longer  heerin,  I  dare  say  hee  hath  az  fair  a  library  for  theez  sciencez,  & 
az  many  goodly  monuments  both  in  proze  &  poetry,  &  at  afternoonz  can  talk 
az  much  without  book,  az  ony  Inholder  betwixt  Brainford  and  Bagshot,  what 
degree  soeuer  he  be. 

Beside  thiz,  in  the  field  a  good  Marshall  at  musters :  of  very  great  credite 
&i  trust  in  the  toun  heer,  for  he  haz  been  choze?i  Alecuwner  many  a  yeere, 


xiv  Other  lists  of  Romances  and  books. 

when  hiz  betterz  haiie  stond  ty :  &  euer  quited  himself  with  such  estimation, 
az  yet  too  the  tast  of  a  cup  of  Nippitate,  his  indgment  will  be  taken  aboue  the 
best  in  the  parish,  be  hiz  noze  near  so  read. 

Captain  Cox  cam  marching  on  valiantly  before,  cleen  trust,  &  gartered 
aboue  the  knee,  all  fresh  in  a  veluet  cap  (master  Golding  h^d  lent  it  him) 
floorishing  with  hiz  tonswoord,  and  anothers  fensmaster  with  him :  thus  in 
the  foreward  making  room  for  the  rest. 

Of  this  happy  custom  of  giving  lists  of  the  story-books  known 
to  the  writer  of  a  later  book,  we  have  plenty  of  early  instances  in 
English.  The  Qursur  o  Worlde,  or  Cursor  Mtmdi,  many  Romances, 
Robert  of  Brunne,  Chaucer,  Lydgate,  and  others,  practised  it 
before  Laneham.  The  latest  list  before  Laneham  that  I  have 
seen,  is  given  by  Mr.  J.  P.  Colliei* — with  what  accuracy  I  am 
unable  to  judge — in  his  Bihliographical  Account,  i.  327,  from  '  A 
Briefe  and  necessary  Instruction  etc.,  by  E.  D.,  8vo,  1572 :  (I 
italicize  the  books  that  are  also  in  Captain  Cox's  list :) 

Bevis  of  Ham2}ton,  Guy  of  Warwicke,  Arthur  of  the  rournl  table,  Huon  of 
Bordeaux,  Oliver  of  the  Gastle,  the  foure  sonnes  of  Amond,  the  witles  devices  of 
Gargantua,  Howleglas,  Esop,  JRohyn  Soode,  Adam  Bell,  Frier  Sushe,  the  Fooles 
of  Gotham,  and  a  thousand  such  other. 

Among  the  'such  other'  are  mentioned  'tales  of  Eobjm  Goodfellow,' 
'  Songes  and  Sonets,'  '  Pallaces  of  Pleasure,'  '  unchast  fables  and  Tragedies, 
and  such  like  Sorceries,'  'The  Courte  of  Venus,'  '  The  Castle  of  love.' 

In  passing,  we  may  note  the  extraordinary  omission  by  Laneham 
of  Guy  of  Warwick'  in  Capt.  Cox's  list,  as  it  is  incredible  that  a 
"Warwickshire  collector  like  the  Captain  should  not  have  had  it. 
The  fact  lends  colour  to  the  supposition  that  the  list  is  as  much 
one  of  Laneham's  own  books  as  Capt.  Cox's. 

The  next  list  to  Laneham's  that  I  know,  is  given  in  a  book,  the 
first  edition  of  which  is  dated  1579.  In  tlie  2nd  edition  of  this 
il^  1586,  The  English  Courtier  and  the  Cuntrey-gentleman,  Vincent, 
tlie  country-gentleman,  says  how  they  amuse  themselves  'in  fowle 
weather '  at  dice,  cards,  and  games,  and 

"  Wee  want  not  also  pleasant  mad-headed  knaues  thai  bee  properly  learned, 
and  will  reade  in  diuerse  pleasant  bookes  and  good  Avithors :  as  Sir  Guy  of 
Warwicke,  the  fot(re  Sonnes  of  Anion,  the  Ship  of  Fooles,  the  Budget  of  Demaunds, 
the  Hundreth  merry  Tales,  the  Booke  of  Rijddles,  and  many  other  excellent 
writers  both  witty  and  plcasaunt."     p.  57,  ed.  1868,  Boxbiirghe  Library. 

If  we  turn  now  to  the  list  of  the  Scotch  writer  of  the  Complaynt 
of  Scotland,  about  154)8  a.d.,  we  at  once  find  a  great  change. 
Only  two  of  Captain  Cox's  stories  are  in  the  Scotch  list,  namely 
'The  Four  Sons  of  Aymon,'  and  'Bevis  of  Hampton,'  though  the 
Complaynt  matches  Captain  Cox's  I,  Arthurz  book,  and  XII,  Sir 


The  Complaynt  list  of  books.     I.  King  Arthurz  book,     xv 

Gawyn,  by  its  (23)  Arthur  story  or  tale  in  rime,  (19)  Gauen  and 
Gollogras,  (16)  Syr  Euan  (Ywain)  and  (20)  Lancelot  du  Lac; 
and  Captain  Cox's  XXII,  Robin  Hood,  by  its  (29)  Robene  Hude 
and  Litil  Ihoue,  and  its  dance-tune  of  (91)  Eobene  Hude.  Still, 
of  the  Scotchman's  46  stories,  at  least  twelve  are  known  to  us  as 
English  ones,  as  will  be  noted  below.  Another  marked  difference 
between  the  lists  of  the  two  countries  is,  the  very  great  number 
of  classical  or  semi-classical  stories  in  the  Scotch  list,  ten, — (11) 
Hercules  and  the  Hydra,  (37)  Actseon,  (38)  Pyramus  and  Thisbe, 
(39)  Leander  and  Hero,  (40)  Jupiter  and  lo,  (41)  Jason  and  the 
Golden  Fleece,  (43)  The  Golden  Apple,  (44)  The  3  Weird  Sisters 
[FarccB  or  Eates],  (45)  Daodalus  and  the  Minotaur,  (46)  Midas 
and  his  ass-ears, — as  against  Captain  Cox's  none,  for  we  can 
hardly  call  the  middle-age  necromancer  of  XV,  Virgil's  Life, 
classical,  though  he  may  have  originated  in  the  poet  Virgil.  This 
contrast  means,  I  take  it,  not  that  Scotch  shepherds  or  merchants 
knew  more  classics,  or  cared  more  for  them,  than  our  Coventry 
mason,  or  Robert  Laneham,  but  that  the  writer  of  the  Gomplaynt 
was  a  far  more  '  bookish  '  man — he's  brimfull  of  classics — than 
Laneham,  our  London  mercer. 

Let  us  now  take  Captain  Cox's  (or  Laneham's)  books  separately, 
and  describe  shortly  such  of  them  as  are  accessible  in  the  British 
Museum,  etc. 

I.  King  Arthurz  hook.  This  is  Sir  Thomas  Maleore's  or  Malory's 
well-known  Morte  Darthur,  or  abstract  of  the  several  prose  French 
Romances  of  Merlin, — in  its  two  states,  shown  by  Mr.  Henry 
Huth's  unique  version^  containing  the  book  of  Balin  and  Balan,  and 
by  the  ordinary  version,  of  which  Mr.  H.  B.  Wheatley  has  edited  an 
early  English  prose  translation  for  the  Early  English  Text  Society 
from  the  unique  MS.  in  the  Cambridge  University  Library,  ab. 
1440  A.D. — Les  Prophecies  cle  Ilerlin,  Lancelot  del  Lac,  Tristan, 
Queate  del  Saint- Graal,  Morte  d' Arthur,  etc.  Sir  T.  Maleore 
finished  his  work  in  the  9th  year  of  king  Edward  the  Fourth,  a.d. 
1469,  and  Caxton  printed  the  first  edition  of  it  in  1485.  "Wynkyn 
de  Worde  reprinted  Caxton's  edition,  with  a  few  variations, — on 
which  see  Sir  Ed.  Strachey's  modernized  and  expurgated  edition, 
for  Macmillan's  Globe  Series  in  1868,  p.  xvi. — in  1498,  and  again 
in  1529.  Then  Wyllyam  Copland  reprinted  it  again  in  1557,  at 
his  predecessor  Robert's  old  shop,  at  the  sign  of  the  Rose  Garlande 

*  It  is  stiU  in  MS,  though  copied  for  printing. 


xvi  /.  King  Arthurz  book. 

in  Meet  Street ;  and  these  are  all  the  editions  that  we  know  before 
Laneham's  date.  So  scarce  have  these  early  editions  become, 
that  we  know  of  only  2  imperfect  copies  of  the  Caxton,  (Lord 
Jersey's  has  no  title ;  Lord  Spencer's  has  11  leaves  in  facsimile, 
not  from  Caxton's  edition) ;  one  imperfect  of  each  of  tlie  Wynkyn 
de  Wordes  (1498,  Lord  Spencer;  1529,  Grenville  collection  in 
the  British  Museum).  Of  the  Copland,  Mr.  Halliwell — seemingly 
quoting  a  copy  of  his  own — says  that  it  is  entitled  "  The  Hystorye 
of  the  moost  noble  and  worthy  prynce,  Kynge  Arthur,"  while 
Mr.  Hazlitt  gives  the  first  words  of  the  title  as  "  The  Story  of  the 
most  noble  and  worthy  Kynge  Arthur,"  and  says  that  copies  are 
in  the  British  Museum  (King's  books),  and  the  Pepysian  Library 
at  Magdalen  College,  Cambridge  (with  no  title  page)  and  else- 
where ;  and  that  it's  printed  in  double  columns  with  woodcuts. 

1  do  not  tell  the  stories  in  this  book  because  all  my  readers 
must  know  them  well,  and  must  have  judged  how  far  Ascham  was 
right  in  calling  the  book  one  '  of  bold  bawdry,'  how  far  Wynkyn 
de  Worde^  in  saying,  "  me  thinketh  this  present  book  called  La 
Morte  Darthur  is  right  necessary  often  to  be  read  ;  for  in  it  ye 
shall  find  the  gracious,  knightly,  and  virtuous  war  of  most  noble 
knights  of  the  world,  whereby  they  gat  praising  continual. 
Also  me  seemeth,  by  the  oft  reading  thereof  ye  shall  greatly 
desire  to  accustom  yourself  in  following  of  those  gracious  knightly 
deeds,  that  is  to  say,  to  dread  God,  and  to  love  righteousness, 
faithfully  and  courageously  to  serve  your  sovereign  prince." 

Maleore's  and  Tennyson's  conceptions  of  Arthur  differ  widely. 
Our  Victorian  poet  makes  him  a  sinless  king, — a  type  of  Christ, — 
whose  work  is  marred  by  the  guilt  of  his  wife  and  his  friends. 
Maleore,  on  the  other  hand,  makes  Arthur  what  a  Norman  knight, 
a  Keltic  chieftain,  would  certainly  have  been,  a  gratifier  of  his  own 
lust :  he  sins,  not  only  with  Lienors, — he  begat  Borres  on  her  (ed. 
1816,  p.  34,  bk.  i.  ch.  15), — but  with  his  own  half-sister  Margawse, 
King  Lot's  wife,  and  the  son  of  his  incest  works  his  father's  death. 
The  prophecy  of  Merlin  on  Arthur's  committing  his  crime  is 
fulfilled  2 ;  and  for  his  own  sin  the  Flower  of  Kings  withers  and 
dies.  The  Fate  is  on  him  from  his  youth  ;  and  over  all  his  glory 
hangs  ever  the  dark  cloud  of  unatoned-for  sin. 

^  See  Strachey's  modernized  ed.  p.  xiv.,  488. 

2  "  You  have  done  a  thing  late,  wherefore  God  is  displeased  with  you  ;  for 
you  have  lain  by  your  sister ;  and  on  her  you.have  gotten  a  child  that  shall 
destroy  you  and  all  the  knights  of  your  realm."     *'  TVliat  arc  you,"  said  king 


II.  Huon  of  Burdeaus,  xvii 

II.  Huon  of  Burdeaus.  This  is  a  translation,  by  the  famous 
Sir  Johan  Bourchier,  Lord  Berners, — whose  englishings  of  Frois- 
sart's  Chronicle  and  the  Romance  of  Arthur  of  Little  Britain,  are 
so  well  known — of  'a  long,  heavy  French  Eomance,'  says  Mr. 
Halliwell  {.Pop.  Tracts,  p.  6)  ;  but  that  is  matter  of  opinion,  as  Mr, 
Dunlop  speaks  of  its  "  singularity  and  beauty," — see  also  page  xix 
— and  Lord  Berners  wasn't  a  fool.  The  first  edition  is  supposed 
to  have  been  printed  about  1535  by  Robert  Eedborne,  says  Hazlitt's 
Handbooh ;  by  Pynson,  say  Mr.  Corser  and  Messrs.  Sotheby. 
The  only  copy  known  was  Dr.  Bliss's,  afterwards  Mr.  Corser's, 
at  whose  sale  in  1869,  '  wanting  title  and  2  leaves  at  end,  supposed 
to  be  printed  by  Pynson,'  it  fetched  £81.  An  edition  by  Thomas 
Purfoot  in  1601  says  that  it  is  'now  the  third  time  imprinted.' 
The  second  edition  is  perhaps  that  mentioned  by  Mr.  Halliwell  at 
p.  6-7  of  his  Popular  Tracts :  "  I  have  recently  seen  an  imperfect 
copy  of  an  ancient  edition  of  this  translation,  printed  in  folio,  in 
double  columns,  and  illustrated  with  rude  woodcuts,  certainly 
printed  before  Shakespeare  could  have  commenced  writing  for  the 
stage,  and  in  all  probability  not  long  after  the  year  1560."  The 
translation  was  made  by  Lord  Berners  at  the  request  of  the  Earl 
of  Huntingdon,  and  extracts  from  it  are  given  in  Halliwell's  "  Illus- 
trations of  Fairy  Mythology,"  Shakesp.  Soc.  1845.  "Shakespeare 
probably  took  the  name  of  Oberon  from  this  old  romance." 

The  story  of  it  is  told  in  Dunlop's  History  of  Fiction,  ed.  184?5, 
p.  123,  col.  1;  and  'the  incidents  in  the  Oberon  of  Wieland' 
(which  Mr.  Sotheby  translated)  '  are  nearly  the  same  with  those 
in  the  old  French  romance.' 

Charlemagne's  son.  Chariot,  waylays  Huon,  and  is  slain  by 
him.  Huon  can  only  get  pardon  by  going  to  the  Emir  Gaudisse 
of  Bagdad,  aud  at  table  cutting  off  the  head  of  the  bashaw  on  his 
right,  kissing  his  daughter  3  times,  and  bringing  a  lock  of  the 
Emir's  white  beard,  and  4  of  his  best  grinders,  to  Charlemagne. 
Huon  sets  out,  goes  to  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  and  then  the  coast  of 
the  Red  Sea,  whence  a  naked  old  French  escaped  slave,  G-erasmes, 
takes  him  through  Oberon's  forest,  towards  Bagdad.  Oberon,  a 
lovely  child  of  4  years  old,  and  the  son  of  Julius  Caesar  (as  he 

Arthur,  "  that  tell  me  these  tidings  ?"  "I  am  Merlin,  and  I  was  he  in  the 
king's  likeness."  "  Ah  !"  said  king  Arthur,"  ye  are  a  marvellous  man  ;  but 
I  marvel  much  of  thy  words,  that  I  must  die  in  battle."  "  Marvel  not,"  said 
Merlin,  "  for  it  is  God's  will  that  your  body  be  punished  for  your  foul  deeds." 
(Bk.  i.  oh.  18,  ed.  1816,  p.  39.) 


xviii  II.  Huon  of  Burdeaus. 

says)  gives  Huon  a  magic  goblet  and  horn,  and  afterwards  rescues 
him,  in  Tourmont,  from  his  traitorous  renegade  uncle.  Huon 
then  kills  the  giant  Angoulaffre,  reaches  Bagdad,  cuts  oif  the 
head  of  the  lover  of  Esclarmonde,  the  Emir's  daughter,  kisses  her 
3  times,  and  asks  the  Emir  for  a  lock  of  his  beard  and  his  4 
grinders.  The  Emir  has  Huon  chained  and  cast  into  prison; 
but  Esclarmonde  visits  him,  turns  Christian,  and  offers  to  kill  her 
father.  But  Huon  is  set  free  to  conquer  the  brother  of  the  giant 
Angoulaffre,  which  he  does,  and  then  asks  the  Emir  to  be  bap- 
tized. The  Emir  orders  Huon  to  be  seized ;  but  his  magic  horn 
summons  Oberon ;  the  Emir's  head  is  struck  off,  and  the  lock  of 
his  beard  and  4  grinders  are  soon  Huon's.  Huon  then  sails  for 
Italy  with  treasure  and  Esclarmonde ;  but  Oberon  threatens  him 
with  dire  punishments  if  he  takes  a  husband's  enjoyment  out  of 
Esclarmonde  before  he  marries  her.  Of  course  Huon  does  this, 
and  is  shipwrecked ;  does  it  again,  and  has  Esclarmonde  carried 
away  from  him  to  King  Tvoirin's  seraglio.  To  that  king's  court, 
by  the  help  of  Malebron,  one  of  Oberon's  spirits,  Huon  gets,  and 
there  defeats  Tvoirin's  enemy  Galafre.  Afterwards,  uniting  with 
Gerasmea,  who  was  then  Galafre's  champion,  Huon  frees  Esclar- 
monde— still  a  virgin — sails  to  Italy,  and  weds  her  in  Eorae.  He 
then  sets  out  for  Charlemagne's  court,  but  is  betrayed  and  sent 
there  in  chains  by  his  brother  Girart.  Falsely  accused,  he  is 
condemned  and  led  to  the  stake ;  but  Oberon  rescues  him,  has 
Girart  killed,  and  invites  Huon  and  Esclarmonde  to  visit  him  in 
his  fairy  land.  Here  the  original  story  ends.  The  continuation 
adds :  Huon  having  cut  off  the  head  of  the  son  of  Thiery,  emperor 
of  Germany,  is  invaded  by  that  potentate,  in  Guienne.  He  sails 
for  Asia  to  get  help  from  Esclarmonde's  brother,  and  while  he  is 
absent,  his  wife  is  captured,  and  Gerasmes  slain.  On  his  voyage, 
Huon's  ship  is  carried  into  a  whirlpool,  where  he  sees  Judas 
Iscariot  swimming  and  lamenting.  The  ship  afterwards  strikes 
on  a  rock  of  adamant,  whereon  the  Lady  of  the  Hidden  Isle  has 
built  a  glorious  palace  to  hide  her  lover  Julius  Caesar  from  the 
fury  of  three  kings  of  Egypt.  After  a  long  stay  here,  Huon 
leaves  on  the  back  of  a  griffin,  and  is  set  down  on  a  mountain 
where  he  finds  the  Fountain  of  Touth — wherein  he  bathes, — and 
its  apple-tree,  3  of  whose  youth-giving  apples  he  is  let  pluck. 
Then  he  is  borne  in  a  boat  down  a  stream  through  a  subterranean 
canal,  where  he  gathers  magic  stones,  to  the  Persian  Gulf ;  and  he 


11.  Huon  of  Burdeaus.     III.  Foour  Sons  of  Aymon.     xix 

lands  at  Tauris.  He  wins  the  favour  of  the  Sultan  by  the  gift  of 
one  of  his  magic  apples,  and  gets  an  army  to  free  Esclarmonde. 
Landing  at  the  desert  isle  of  Abillaut,  he  sees  Cain  going  round 
the  top  of  a  mountain  in  a  cask  full  of  serpents  and  spikes,  and 
has  a  ride  in  the  boat  of  the  evil  spirits  vrho  made  the  cask. 
Huon  then  visits  Jerusalem,  and  makes  war  on  the  Sultan  of 
Egypt;  then  lands  at  Marseilles,  sends  off  his  fleet,  gives  his  2nd 
youth-apple  to  his  uncle,  the  Abbot  of  Clugny  ;  and  with  the  third 
gets  back  his  wife  from  Emperor  Thiery.  Huon  and  Esclarmonde 
return  to  their  own  land  of  Guienne,  and  then  visit  Oberon  in 
his  enchanted  forest,  who  installs  Huon  "  in  the  empire  of  Eaery," 
and  expires  shortly  after.  The  remainder  of  the  romance,  or 
rather  fairy-tale,  contains  an  account  of  the  reign  of  Huon,  and 
his  dispute  with  Arthur  (who  had  hoped  for  the  appointment)  as 
to  the  sovereignty  of  Fairy-land ;  and  also  the  adventures  of  the 
Duchess  Clairette,  the  daughter  of  Huon  and  Esclarmonde,  from 
whom  was  descended  the  illustrious  family  of  Capet. 

"  There  are  few  rom;inces  of  chivalry  which  possess  more  beauty 
and  interest  than  Huon  of  Bourdeaux :  the  story,  however,  is  too 
long  protracted,  and  the  first  part  seems  to  have  exhausted  the 
author's  stores  of  imagination.  Huon  is  a  more  interesting 
character  than  most  of  the  knights  of  Charlemagne.  .  .  .  The  sub- 
ordinate characters  in  the  work  are  also  happily  drawn.  .  .  ." 

So  says  Mr.  Dunlop  (Hist.  Fiction,  p.  129),  who  evidently 
knew  more  about  the  subject  than  Mr.  Halliwell.  The  reader 
will  find  another  sketch  of  the  story  in  M.  Alfred  Delvau's  Bihlio- 
theque  Bleue,  Paris  1849,  a  book  otherwise  called  Collection  den 
Bomans  de  Chevalerie,  mis  en  Prose  frangaise  Moderne,  Paris, 
Bacbelin-Deflorenue  1869,  i.  145.1 

III.  The  Foour  sons  of  Aymon.  This  is  a  translation  by  Caxton 
about  1489,  of  one  of  the  French  Romances  of  the  Charlemagne 
cycle. 

Of  Caxton's  edition  no  perfect  copy  is  known.  The  colophon 
of  the  3rd  edition  by  Wylliam  Copland  in  1554,  now  in  Bridge- 

^  M.  Delvau  is  one  of  the  J.  P.  Collier  class  who  seldom  tell  you  where 
their  originals  are ;  though  in  this  i^oint  Delvau  sins  more  than  Collier.  One 
of  the  late  originals  in  the  British  Museum, '  Les  prouesses  et  faitz  merueilleux 
du  noble  Huon  de  bordeaulx,  per  de  france,  due  de  guyenne,'  printed  at  Paris 
by  '  Michel  le  noir,  Libraire  jure  en  luniuersite  de  paris,'  and  finished  the 
26th  day  of  November  1513,  has  very  quaint  and  jolly  woodcuts,  and  tells 
the  bits  of  its  story  that  I  have  read,  in  most  pleasant  language. 

c  2 


xxii  IV.  Beuys  of  Hampton. 

account  of  it  in  modern  Ereuch  is  in  his  Collection  des  Romans 
de  Chevalerie,  Paris,  1869,  i.  97,  or  Bihliotheque  Bleue,  1849. 
The  late  Fi'ench  prose  romance,  and  the  English  translation  of  it, 
no  doubt  differ  in  details  from  the  earlier  Chansons  de  Geste. 

IV.  Beuys  of  Hampton.  The  earliest  copy  of  this  Romance, 
which  is  translated  from  a  '  Frensche  boke,'  is  in  the  Auchinleck 
MS.  ab.  1320-30  a.d.  and  was  printed  by  the  Maifcland  Club  in 
1838.  Other  MSS.  are  in  the  University  Library,  Cambridge, 
and  the  Library  of  Caius  College,  Cambridge,  etc.  The  first  printed 
version  that  we  know,  is  from  the  press  of  Pynson,  without  date, 
aud  the  only  copy  known  is  among  Douce's  books  in  the  Bodleian. 
Of  tbe  next  print  that  we  know,  "Wynkyn  de  "Worde's,  '  a  frag- 
ment of  two  leaves  is  in  the  Bodleian  among  Douce's  books.'  Of 
the  third  print,  William  Coplande's,  a  copy  is  among  Grarrick's 
books  in  the  British  Museum.  Editions  were  licensed  to  Thomas 
Marshe  in  1558  {Stationers^  First  Register,  leaf  31^),  to  John 
Tysdayle  in  1560-1  \ih.  leaf  62  back),  and  to  John  Aide  in  1568-9 
(j&.  leaf  179) ;— see  Collier's  Stat.  Becj.  i.  16,  38,  200 ;— but  none  of 
these  editions  are  now  known.  If  they  were  printed,  the  book 
must  have  been  the  most  popular  of  those  we  have  yet  dealt  with 
in  Captain  Cox's  library.  The  story  it  tells  is  sketched  by  Ellis 
in  his  Early  English  Metrical  Romances,  from  the  Caius  MS.  and 
Pynson's  copy.  A  king  of  Scotland's  daughter  has  been  given  to 
old  Sir  Gij  or  Guy  of  South  Hamtoun,  and  thougli  he  begets 
Bevis  on  her,  he  does  not  kiss  and  cuddle  her  all  day  as  a  younger 
lover  would.  She  therefore  sends  to  Sir  Murdour  to  kill  her 
husband  and  marry  her ;  which,  by  her  treachery,  he  does ;  and 
then  .she  orders  her  7-year  old  son,  Bevis,  to  be  murdered,  aud  as 
that  fails,  to  be  sold  as  a  slave  and  sent  into  heathendom.  At  the 
court  of  the  Saracen  Ermyn,  he  kills,  when  15  years  old,  60 
knights,  and  then  a  monstrous  boar,  and  9  foresters.  Being 
knighted,  mounted  on  his  steed  Arundel,  and  armed  with  his 
sword  Morglay,  he  leads  Ermyn's  small  army  against  the  large 
force  of  Bradmoiid,  king  of  Damascus,  who  has  demanded  Ermyn's 
daughter,  Josyan.  lie  kills  Bradmond's  giant  Eadyson,  unhorses 
aud  defeats  Bradmond,  and  then  induces  Josyan  to  promise  to 
deny  her  faith  aud  marry  him.  Eor  this  he  is  sent  treacherously 
to  Bradmond,  who  casts  him  into  a  dungeon  in  Damascus  with  2 
dragons.  These  Bevis  slays ;  and  after  7  years'  imprisonment  his 
chain  breaks  by  a  miracle,  and  he  escapes.     Killing  his  foremost 

*  I  have  verified  the  references. 


IV.  Beuys  of  Hampton.     V.  Squyre  of  Lo  Degree,     xxiii 

pursuer,  and  then  his  gigantic  brother,  Bevis  goes  to  Jerusalem, 
and  tlience  to  Mouubrauut,  from  the  king  of  which  country, 
Inor,  he  carries  off  his  love  Josyan,  who  had  married  Inor,  but 
had  remained  a  virgin.  After  killing  two  lions,  a  giant,  and  a  most 
terrible  dragon,  and  rescuing  Josyan  from  the  people  who  are 
about  to  burn  her  for  hanging  Earl  Mile  who  had  carried  her  off, 
Bevis  has  Sir  Murdour,  his  father's  murderer,  thrown  into  a 
boiling  caldron,  while  his  mother,  Murdour's  wife,  casts  herself 
headlong  from  a  tower.  Bevis  then  recovers  his  father's  Earldom 
of  Southampton,  but  soon  has  to  give  it  up — because  his  horse 
Arundel  has  killed  King  Edgar's  son,  who  wanted  to  steal  it, — 
and  goes  abroad.  Josyan  and  her  two  babies  are  carried  off  from 
him  for  7  years,  but  at  length  rejoin  him,  and  he  defends  his 
father-in-law  king  Ermyn  against  Inor.  His  son  Gruy  is  made 
king  of  Ermyn's  land,  and  he  (Bevis)  kills  Inor  and  all  his  army, 
and  becomes  king  of  Mounbraunt.  Thence  he  returns  to  England 
to  restore  his  cousin  Eobert  to  his  estates.  He  encamps  at 
Putney,  slays  the  king's  steward,  and  (with  his  sons)  has  a  fierce 
long  fight  in  London,  in  which  60,000  men  are  slain ;  their  blood 
runs  down  to  Temple-Bar,  and  turns  the  Thames  red.  The  result 
of  this  is,  that  King  Edgar  marries  his  daughter  to  Bevis's  son. 
Sir  Mile,  who  is  crowned  King  of  England,  while  Bevis  and 
Josyan  return  to  Mounbraunt,  where  they  and  their  steed  Arundel 
all  die  together, 

V.  The  Squyre  of  Lo  Degree  (or  "  Undo  your  Dore  ").  A  poem 
pretty  enough  to  have  justified  many  more  editions  than  the  only 
early  ones  that  have  reached  us,  namely  two  ;  1.  Wynkyn  de 
Worde's,  of  which  4  leaves  only  are  known ;  2.  AVyllyam  Cop- 
land's, of  which  a  unique  copy  is  among  Garrick's  books  in  the 
British  Museum.  (The  latter  has  been  reprinted  by  Ritson  in 
vol.  iii.  of  his  Ancient  Metrical  Homances,  and  by  Mr.  W.  C. 
Hazlitt  in  his  Select  Remains  of  the  Early  Popular  Poetry  of 
England,  vol.  ii.  p.  21-64, 1866).  3.  An  edition,  not  now  known, 
was  licensed  to  John  Kynge  on  June  10,  1560 ;  and  as  two  other 
of  Captain  Cox's  books  were  licensed  with  it,  I  copy  the  entry 
from  leaf  48  of  the  Stationers'  Eirst  Eegister,  (it's  also  in  Collier, 
i.  26)  putting  in  some  stops : 

Receyvd  of  John  Kynge,  for  his  Lycense  for  pryntinge  of  these  Copyes :  \ 
Lucas  vrialis^,  nyce  wanton  /  impaciens  poverte  /  The  proude  wyves  f  •• 
pater  noster  /  The  squyre  of  Low  degre  /  and  syr  deggre :  graunted  l  ^  ' 
y=  X  of  June  a"  1560 / 

3  Lucres  and  Euryalus.     See  below,  p.  xxxviii.  No.  XIV. 


xxiv     V.  Squyre  of  Lo  Degree.     VI.  Knight  of  Courtesy. 

The  story  told  in  1132  lines  is  one  of  the  best  and  uiost  popular 
of  our  early  tales,  and  was  no  doubt  known  to  Shakspere:  "Tou 
called  me  yesterday  mountain- squire,  but  I  will  make  you  to-day 
a  sgruire  of  low  degreed  Fluellin  in  Henry  V.,  act  5,  sc.  1.  The 
poor  Squire  and  Marshal  of  the  King  of  Hungary  loves  tliat  king's 
daughter  for  7  years  in  silence.  At  length  his  love  finds  voice, 
and  he  finds  it  is  returned ;  but  his  Princess  bids  him  go  abroad 
for  7  years,  and  earn  fame  in  fight,  then  visit  the  holy  city 
Jerusalem,  and  come  back  to  wed  her.  She  gives  him  money  and 
arms,  and  the  Squire  starts,  but,  returning  to  take  leave  of  her, 
is  caught  at  her  door  by  the  King's  treacherous  Steward  with  a 
band  of  men.  The  Squire  kills  7  men  and  the  Steward,  but  is 
taken,  and  put  in  prison  by  the  King's  orders.  The  Steward's 
corpse,  dressed  in  the  Squire's  clothes,  is  set  against  the  Prin- 
cess's door,  and  his  face  so  hacked,  that  she  thinks  the  body  is 
the  Squire's.  She  embalms  it,  and  for  seven  years  daily  mourns 
over  it.  Then,  unknown  to  her,  the  King  frees  the  Squire,  and 
sends  him  abroad  to  gain  fame,  and  see  the  Holy  Land,  during  7 
years  more.  This  he  does,  his  love  still  keeping  his  supposed 
corpse  by  her,  and  daily  mourning  over  it.  The  King  tempts  her 
with  all  kinds  of  pleasure ;  but  she,  faithful  ever,  will  have  none 
of  them.  At  last,  when  the  Squire  has,  like  Jacob  for  his  Eachel, 
served  twice  7  years,  the  King  brings  the  living  lover  to  his 
daughter;  and  the  Squire  of  Low  Degree  is  King,  and  with  his 
Queen  leads  his  life  thenceforth  in  joy  and  bliss. 

As  bright  as  spring,  and  as  tender  as  evening  light,  is  the  old 
story  in  its  different  parts ;  and  besides,  it  is  interesting  for  its 
many  details  of  old-world  life,  its  list  of  trees  (1.  29-41),  of  birds 
(1.  45-60),  of  tlie  parts  of  a  knight's  armour  (1.  203-230),  how  he 
is  to  win  renown,  etc.,  and  specially  the  King's  description  of  the 
pleasures,  dress,  room  and  pursuits  of  his  daughter  (1.  711-852). 
There  is  a  poor,  much-shortened,  version  of  it  in  the  Percy  Eolio 
Ballads  and  Romances,  iii.  263,  containing  only  170  lines,  against 
the  1132  of  the  original,  as  we  must  call  Copland's  late  version 
of  an  earlier  original,  which  it  has  evidently  altered  in  many  words 
and  left  out  several  lines  of: — see  1.  625-7,  and  compare  the  story 
of  Lyhiiis  Disconius. 

VI.  The  Knight  of  Courtesy  and  the  Lady  Faguell.  The  only 
edition  known  is  by  Wyllyam  Coplande,  not  dated,  but  probabi}'- 
before  1557,  as  there  is  no  notice  of  it  in  the  Stationers'  First 


VI.  Knight  of  Courtesy.     VII.  Frederik  of  Gene.       xxv 

llegister.     A  unique  copy  of  it  is  in  the  Bodleian,  which  Eitson 

reprinted  (less  one   stanza)   in  the  third  volume  of  his  Ancient 

3Ietriccd  Romances,  1802 ;  and  Mr.  Hazlitt  has  since  reprinted  it 

iu  vol.  ii.  of  his  Early  Popular  Poetry,  p.  65-87.     It  is  only  504 

lines  long,  and  its  story  is  a  sad  one  of  platonic  love.     The  Lord 

of  !Faguell,  who  has  a  sweet  chaste  wiie,  hears  such   a   report 

of  the   bravery   and  courteousuess  of  "The   Noble  Knight  of 

Courtesy  "  that  he  sends  for  him  to  dwell  in  hia  land.     The 

Knight  comes,  and  he  and  the  Lady  of  Paguell  fall  in  love  with 

each  other.     The}'-  have  a  tender  scene  in  the  garden,  and  agree 

to  love  one  another  in  chastity.     An   overhearer  of  this  warns 

the  Lord  against  the  Knight,  and  the  Lord  then  calls  ou  the 

Knight  to  go  to  Rhodes,  and  fight  for  the  Christian  Faith.     To 

the  Lady's  great  distress,  the  Knight  consents,  and  slie  shears  off 

all  her  yellow  hair  to  put  in  his  helm  as  a  memento  of  her.    Sadly 

they  part.     He  seeks  adventures,  wins  jousts,  slays  a  dragon  in 

Lombardy,  who  nearly  kills  him  ;  and  then  he  goes  to  Rhodes  to 

help  the  Christians  against  the  besieging  Saracens.     The  Knight 

kills  all  whom  he  meets,  till  at  last  12  Saracens  set  on  him,  and 

wound  him  to  death,  after  he  has  killed  4  of  them.     He  makes  his 

page  promise  to  cut  out  his  heart,  after  he  is  dead,  wrap  it  in  his 

Lady's  hair,  and  take  it  to  her  as  his  present.    On  the  way  home, 

the  page  is  met  by  the  Lord  of  Fagaell,  who  takes  away  the  heai't 

and  hair,  has  the  heart  cookt  for  his  Lady's  dinner,  and  then  tells 

her  what  she  has  eaten.     She  reproaches  him,  and  says  that,  after 

the  heart,  she  will  eat  no  earthly  food ;  then  she  yields  up  her 

spirit,  making  her  moan. 

VII.  Frederik  of  Gene.     Mr.  Halliwell,  saying  that  a  fragment 

of  this  tract  is  in  Deuce's  collection  in  the  Bodleian,  gives  its 

title  (from  Herbert's  Ames,  I  suppose.)     Mi\  Hazlitt  adds  its 

colophon.     Both  follow : 

This  Mater  Treateth  of  a  Merchauntcs  Wyfo  tliat  afterwarde  went  lyko  a 
man,  and  becam  a  Great  Lorde,  and  was  called  Frederyke  of  Jennen  after- 
warde. [Col.]  Thus  endeth.  this  lyttell  storye  of  lord  frederyke.  Imprynted 
in  Anwarpe  by  me  John  Dusborowghe,  dwellynge  besyde  the  Camerporte,  in 
the  yere  of  our  lorde  God,  1518.     4to.    With  woodcuts. 

The  fragments— No.  79  in  the  Douce  Fragments — in  the 
Bodleian  are  identified  with  the  Homance  of  Frederyke  of  Jennen 
by  the  signature  on  leaf  A  iij.  As  to  editions.  Deuce's  MS.  notes 
state  that  his  fragments  belong  to  an  edition  by  Pynson  (not  other- 
wise known),  and  not  to  a  copy  of  John  Dusboroughe's  edition. 


XXVI 


VII.  Frederik  of  Gene. 


He  has  written  on  the  cover   of  the  fragments,  "  Frederick  of 
Jennen  p.  by  Pynson,"  and  also:  "  Not  in  Herbert.     P[rinted] 
also  by  Doesborowe.     See  Herbert  1533.    Story  of  Cymbeline." 
The  fragments  are  as  follows  : — 
Douce  Fragments,     T  How  foure  marchautites  met  a[ll  togyder,]  whiche 

°'     ■  were  of  foure  dyuerse  ]o[ndes,  and  iorney]de  all  to  Parys. 

iNtheyere  of  our  lorde  ....  [it]  happened  that  four  [marchauntes] 
....  out  of  dyuerse  country e[s  went  on  their  journeys  and]  as  they 
were  goyng  [it  fell  so  that  by]  fortune  they  met  all  togyder  and  .... 
gyder  /  for  they  were  all  foure  goynge  [to  P]arys  in  Fraunce  & 
for  company  sake  they  rode  a  [ .  .  .  .]  into  one  ynne  /  &  it  was  about 
shraftyde,  in  the  moost  ioyfuU  tyme  of  all  the  yere^ ;  and  theyr  names 
were  called  as  here  foloweth.  the  fyrst  was  called  Courant  of  Spayne  / 
the  second  was  called  Borchart  of  Fi'auwce  /  the  thyrde  was  called 
Johan  of  Florence  /  &  the  fourth  Avas  called  Ambrose  of  Jennen. 
Than,  by  the  consent  of  the  other  marchauwtes,  Borcharde  of  fraunce 
went  vnto  the  hoste  and  sayd:  "  Hoste,  now  is  the  meryest  tyme  of 
the  yere,  and  we  be  foure  marchauntes  of  foure  dyuerse  couwtryes,  &  by 
fortune  we  met  all  togyder  in  one  place  &  our  iorney  is  to  Parys.  And 
therfore  whyle  we  be  so  met,  lette  vs  make  good  chere  togyder  /  & 
ordeyne  the  best  meet  that  ye  can  get  for  money  agaynst  to  morowe, 
and  byd  also  some  of  your  beste  frendes  that  you  loue  mooste,  that 


[Douce's  Pencil  IS'ote.  "  This  qxA  was  used  in  Boorde's  Introd."  From  the 
title-page  of  my  reprint  of  that  book  for  the  Early  English  Text  Society's 
Extra  Series  tins  year,  I  borrow  the  cut.  The  date  of  Fynson's  edition  of 
FrederyJce  of  Jennen  must  have  been  10  years  or  more  before  William  Cop- 
lande's  of  Boorde's  Introduction  in  1547  or  1548.] 

^  Shrovetide  is  Shrove  Tuesday,  and  may  fall  on  any  day  between  Feb.  2 
and  March  8. 


VII.  Frederik  of  Gene.  xxvii 

we  maye  make  good  chere  togyder  or  that  we  departe  fro  hense  /  and 
we  shall  contente  you  all  your  money  agayne."  And  than  the  hoste 
sayde  that  he  wolde  do  it  with  a  good  wyll,  and  than  went  he,  and  bad 
many  of  his  good  frendes  and  neyghbours  to  dyner ;  and  he  bought  of 
the  best  meet  that  he  coude  get  for  money,  and  brought  it  home.  And 
on  the  morowe  he  dressed  it,  and  made  it  redy  agaynst  dyner,  after 
the  best  maner  thai  he  coude.  And  whan  that  it  was  dyner^  .  .  .  .  e 
gestes  to  dyner  &  the  marchauwtes  ....  them  welcome.  Than  bad 
the  mar  ....  at  he  sholde  brynge  in  the  meete.  &  .  .  .  .  myght  go  to 
dyner.  And  than  the  ....  wyll.  Than  when  the  hoste  and  .... 
meet  &  set  it  theron  &  pray-  ....  gestes  to  them  &  syt  downe  togyder 
....  good  chere  al  the  daye  longe  with  good  honestey  ....  as  very  late 
with  daunsynge  &  lepynge.  And  wh[an  they  h]ad  done  /  the  gestes 
toke  theyr  leue  of  the  marchauntes,  &  thanked  them  for  theyr  good 
chere.  And  than  euery  man  departed  home  to  his  house.  And  than 
cam  the  marchauntes  to  the  hoste,  &  prayed  hym  hertely  for  to  come 
in,  &  thanked  hym  that  he  had  ordered  &  done  all  thynges  so  well  and 
manerly. 

-  "^  How  two  of  the  marchauntes  /  as  Johan  of  [Florence]  and  Am- 
brosius  of  Jennen  hyld  one  another  .v.  thousand  golde  guldens. 

wHan  al  the  marchauwtes  &  the  gestes  had  made  merye  togyder  al 
the  daye  longe  /  at  nyght  the  gestes  toke  theyr  leue  of  the  mar- 
cliauwtes  /  &  thanked  them  for  theyr  good  chere  that  they  had  made 
them  /  &  so  departed  euery  one  to  theyr  lodgynge.  And  whan  that 
they  were  departed  euery  man  to  theyr  house  /  tha«  wexed  it  late. 
And  thare  cam  the  hoste  of  the  house  to  the  marchaurates  &  asked  them 
yf  that  they  wolde  go  slepe  /  &  they  answered  vnto  theyr  hoste  "yes." 
And  than  toke  he  a  candel,  and  brought  the  marchauntes  into  a  fayre 
chambre  /  where  was  .iiij.  beddes  rychely  hanged  with  costely  curtaynes 
that  euerye  marchaunt  myght  lye  by  themselfe.  And  whan  that  they 
were  all  togyder  in  the  chamber  /  than  began  they  to  speke  of  many 
thynges  /  some  good  /  some  bad,  as  it  laye  in  theyr  myndes.  Than 
sayd  Courant  of  spayne  :  "  Syrs,  we  haue  be  all  this  daye  mery,  and 
made  good  chere,  &  euerye  one  of  vs  hath  a  fayre  wyfe  at  home  :  howe 
fare  they  nowe  at  home,  we  can  not  tel."  Tha??-  sayd  bourcharde  of 
FrauMce  to  the  other  marchauntes:  "What  aske  you  how  they  do? 
They  syt  by  the  fycre,  and  make  good  chei'e  and  eate  /  &  drynke  of 
the  beste,  and  laboure  not  at  all  /  &  so  get  they  vnto  tliem  bote  blode ; 
&  than  they  maye  take  an  other  lusty  yonge  man,  and  do  theyr  plea- 
sure with  hym,  that  we  knowe  not  of/  for  we  be  oftentymes  long  from 
them,  &  for  that  cause  may  ihv  lenne^  a  lofe,  for  a  nede,  secretly  to  an 
other."  Than  sayd  Johan  of  Florence  /  "we  may  all  well  be  called 
fooles  &  nydeates  that  trustc  our  wyfes  in  this  maner  as  we  do ;  for  a 
womaws  hert  is  not  made  of  so  hard  a  stone  but  that*  [it]  wyll  melte  / 
for  a  womans  nature  is  to  be  vnstedfaste  and  tourncth  as  the  wynde 
dothe,  and  careth  not  for  vs  tyll  the  tyme  that  we  come  agayne.  And 
we  labour  dayely  bothe  in  wynde  and  rayne,  and  put  often  our  lyues  in 
iopardy  and  in  auenture  on  the  see,  for  to  fynd  them  witAall ;  &  our 
wyfes  syt  at  home,  and  make  good  chere  witA  other  good  felowes,  & 

»  [Sign.  A.  ii.  (b).]  ^  Leaf  2.  Sign.  A.  iij.  ^  they  lend. 

*  The  signature  is  Frederyke  of  Jennen. 


xxviii     Vll.  Frederik  of  Gene.     VIII.  Syr  Eglamoour. 

f{yue  them  parte  of  the  money  that  we  get.  And  therfore,  au  ye  wyll 
do  after  ray  counsayle  /  let  euery  one  of  vs  take  afayre  wenche  to  passe 
the  tyme  ^\'^t7^al,  as  well  as  our  wyfes  do  /  &  they  shall  knowe  no  more  of 
that  /  than  we  knowe  of  them."  Than  sayde  Ambrosius  of  Jennew  to 
them :  "  By  goddes  grace,  that  shall  I  neuer  do  whyle  tJiat  I  Ijue !  For 
I  haue  at  home  a  good  &  a  vertuous  woman,  and  a  womaulye.  And 
I  knowe  [wel  that]  she  is  not  of  that  dysposycyow  /  but  thai  she  wil 
eschewe  . . .  of  all  suche  yll  abusyons  tyl  the  tyme  that  I  com  home  agayn. 
For  I  knowe  well  that  she  wyl  haue  non  other  man  but  me  alone. 
And  yf  that  I  shold  breke  my  wedlocke,  than  were  I  but  lytell  worthe." 
Than  sayd  Joh'n  of  Florence  :  "  Felowe,  ye  set  moche  pryce  by  your 
wyfe  at  home,  and  truste  her  with  all  that  ye  haue.  I  wyll  laye  with 
you  a  wager  of  .v.  thousande  guldens,  yf  that  ye  wjd  abyde  me  here,  I 
shal  departe,  &  ryde  to  Jennen,  &  do  wzfc/i  your  wyfe  my  wyll."  Than 
sayd  Ambrosius  to  Johan  of  Florence :  "  I  haue  delyuered  to  my 
hoste  .V.  thousand  guldens  to  kepe  /  put  ye  downe  as  moche  agaynste 
it,  &  I  shal  tarye  here  tyll  the  tyme  that  ye  retourne  agayn  from 
Jennen  /  &  yf  that  you,  by  ony  maner  of  menes,  can  get  your  pleasure 
of  my  wyfe,  ye  shall  haue  all  this  money."  Than  sayd  Johan  of 
Florence :  "  I  am  content  /  "  and  than  putted  he  in  his  hostes  hande 
other  .  V.  thousande  guldens  agaynste  Ambroses  money.  And  than 
toke  he 

[End  of  Fragment.] 

VIII.  Sijr  'Eglamoour.  Of  this  Eomance  (translated  also  from  the 
French)  we  have  at  least  four  manuscript  copies :  1.  in  the  Uni- 
versity Library,  Cambridge,  MS.  Ff.  ii.  38,  printed  in  the  Thornton 
Bomances  for  tiie  Camden  Society  by  Mr.  Halliwell  in  1844 ; 
2.  (imperfect)  in  the  Thornton  MS. ;  3.  in  the  British  Museum, 
MS.  Cotton.  Calig.  A.  xii. ;  4.  in  the  Percy  Folio  MS.,  printed  in 
vol.  ii.  p.  341-389  of  the  Ballads  and  Bomances.  (In  the  notes 
there  I  have  mistakenly  called  the  Cambridge  MS.  pi-inted  in  Mr. 
Halliwell's  Thornton  volume,  the  Thornton  MS.)  ;  5.  A  single 
leaf  of  another  early  copy,  says  Mr.  Halliwell,  is  preserved  in  a 
MS.  belonging  to  Lord  Francis  Egerton. 

Of  old  printed  editions  before  1575,  the  earliest  that  we  know 
is  in  1508,  'Sir  Glamor,  Edinburgh,  be  Walter  Chepman  and 
Andro  Myllar,'  of  which  au  imperfect  copy  is  in  the  Advocates' 
Library,  Edinburgh.  The  other  editions  are  London  ones,  not 
dated,  by  "William  Copland,  (a  copy  among  Selden's  books  in  the 
Bodleian),  and  by  John  "Walley  (a  copy  in  the  British  Museum) : 
and  one  of  these,  Captain  Cox  doubtless  had. 

The  story  of  the  Romance  is  told  by  IMr.  Halliwell  in  Ellis's 
Metrical  Bomances,  and  by  me  in  the  side-notes  of  the  Percy 
Folio  print,  and  narrates  how  the  poor  knight  Sir  Eglamore  loves 
Christabel,  the  fair  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Artoys,  and  how  he 


VIII.  Syr  Eglamoour.     IX.  Syr  Tryamoour.         xxix 

undertakes  three  Deeds  of  Arms  to  win  her ;  how  accordingly  he 
kills  the  giant  Marrocke  and  a  big  Boar,  a  second  Giant,  and  a 
Dragon  near  Rome ;  how  before  marriage  he  begets  a  boy  on 
Christabell,  with  which,  when  born,  she  is  put  out  to  sea  alone  in 
a  ship,  and  a  G-riffin  flies  away  with  the  boy.  She  is  driven  to 
Egypt,  her  boy  carried  to  Isarell,  wliile  Eglamore,  mourning  them 
both  as  lost,  fights  and  dwells  for  15  years  in  the  Holy  Land. 
Then  his  son,  Degrabell,  wins  his  own  mother  Christabell  at  a 
tournament,  and  weds  her ;  but  before  the  marriage  is  consum- 
mated she  discovers  that  Degrabell  is  her  son,  and  their  marriage 
void.  At  the  second  tourney,  Eglamore  wins  his  Christabell; 
they  marry ;  and  rule  Artoys. 

The  romance  oi  Torrent  of  Portugal,  edited  by  Mr.  Halliwell, 
has  almost  the  same  incidents  as  Sir  Eglatnore,  and  is  a  version  of 
the  same  story. 

IX.  Sijr  Tryamoour.  Mr.  Halliwell  edited  this  romance  for  the 
Percy  Society  in  184-6  from  the  earliest  known  MS.  of  it,  of  the 
time  of  Henry  VI.,  in  the  Cambridge  University  Library,  Another 
MS.  of  it  is  in  the  Bodleian  Library ;  and  a  third  in  the  Percy 
Folio,  printed  in  the  P.  F.  Ballads  and  Sotnances,  vol.  ii.  p, 
78-135. 

Of  old  printed  editions  we  know  only  two,  both  without  date, 
by  Wyllyam  Coplande:  1.  'imprinted  at  London  in  Temes  strete 
\pon  the  thre  crane  wharfe,'  of  which  a  copy  is  among  Garrick's 
books  in  the  British  Museum  ;  2.  '  imprinted  at  Loudon,  — with 
a  difierent  cut  on  the  title  to  that  of  the  first  ed., — of  which  a 
copy  is  among  Selden's  books  in  the  Bodleian.  To  use,  with  little 
change,  Mr.  Hales's  words,  "the  story  tells  how  a  good  lord 
(Arradas)  and  his  gentle  lady  (Margaret)  were  estranged  by  the 
treachery  of  their  steward  (Marrocke) ;  how  their  son  (Triamore), 
conceived  in  honour,  was  born  in  exile  and  shame ;  how,  after 
many  a  weary  year,  the  execrable  fraud  was  discovered  ;  and  how, 
at  last,  the  son  (who  has,  in  the  meantime  won  himself  a  wife, 
the  beautiful  Helen  of  Hungary,  by  many  doughty  deeds  of  arms) 
and  his  mother,  are  happily  united  to  the  grieving  husband."  As 
the  steed,  Arundel,  was  so  prominent  a  feature  in  Sir  Eglamore, 
so  in  Sir  Triamore  is  Sir  Uoger's  hound,  who  never  leaves  his 
master's  grave,  except  to  get  food,  and  who  bites  that  master's 
murderer,  Marrocke,  through  the  throat.  Sir  E-oger  is  the  faith- 
ful old  knight  who  accompanies  the  lady  Margaret  in  her  exile, 
till  Marrocke  kills  him. 


XXX  X.  Syr  Lamwell. 

X.  Sffr  Lamwell.  The  earliest  form  of  this  romance  that  we 
know,  is  Thomas  Chestre's  Syr  Launfale  in  the  Cotton  MS. 
Caligula  A.  2,  leaf  33  etc.,  printed  in  Eitson's  Early  English 
Metrical  Romances^,  which  is  taken  from  No.  5  of  Queen  Marie's 
Lais,  that  Dr.  Mall  is  about  to  re-edit.  This  version  differs  in 
form,  and  somewhat  in  matter,  from  the  later  MS.  version  printed 
from  Bp.  Percy's  Eolio  MS.  in  the  P.  F.  Ballads  and  Bomances, 
i.  142.  When  the  Introduction  to  the  Percy  Folio  "  Sir  Lambe- 
well"  was  written  (vol.  i.  p.  142),  the  incomplete  copy  of  the 
Romance  in  the  Eawlinson  MS.  C.  86,  (about  1508  a.d.  says  Mr. 
Halliwell)  was  unfortunately  overlooked,  though  Sir  F.  Madden 
had  mentioned  the  piece  in  his  description  of  the  MS.  in  his  Sir 
Gawayne  for  the  Bannatyne  Club.  From  this  MS.  twenty -nine 
lines — that  which  should  be  the  18th  is  left  out  in  the  MS — are 
now  printed  below,  as  a  sample,  from  a  copy  made  by  Mr.  George 
Parker  of  the  Bodleian  : — 

[Eawl.  MS.  C.  86.  leaf  1195.] 

lanOabaU. 


W/t/«  hym  there  was  a  Bachiller 
[And  had  hen  there  full  many  a  year,] 
A  yonge  kynghte^  of  mushe  myght ; 
"  Sir  landevale  "  for-soithe  he  Mghte. 
Sir  landevale  spent  hlythely, 
And  yaf  yeftes  largely ;  22 

So  "wildely  his  goode  he  sett, 
That  he  fell*  yn  grete  dette. 
"Who  hath  no  good,  goode  can  he 

none, 
And  I  am  hero  in  vnchut^  londe,     26 
And  no  gode  haue  vnder  honde ; 
Men  wille  me  holde  for  a  wrecht^. 
Where  I  he-come,  I  ne  reche." 
He  lepe  vpon  a  Couraier  30 


Sothly  by  Arthurys  day 
was  hretayne  yn  grete  nohyle  ; 
For  yn  hys  tyme  a  grete  whyle 
He  soioiu-ned  at  Carlile ;  4 

He  had  wttA  hym  a  meyne  there, 
As  he  had  ellys-where,        [leaf  120.] 
Of  the  rounde  table  the  kynght^-A"  sMe, 
With  myrthe  and  Joye  yn  hys  halle. 
Of  cache  lande  yn  the  worlde  wyde 
There  cam*;  men  on  euerj  syde,       10 
Yonge  kynghte*^  and  Squyers, 
And  othir  Bolde  B[a]chelers, 
forto  se  that  nobly 
That  was  wit  A  arthnr  alk-wey ;      14 
for  Ryche  yeftys  and  tresour 
He  gajrf  to  eache  man  of  honour. 

[&c.,  about  530  11.— leaf  128.    Ah.  1480  a.d.] 

We  have  now,  therefore,  five  different  versions,  one  whole,  4  in 
part,  of  the  late  Sir  Lamwell—  three  are  in  the  Percy  Folio 
Ballads  and  Bomances — besides  the  earlier  Romance  printed  by 
Ritson. 

Also,  since  the  publication  of  the  Percy  Folio,  the  Librarian 
of  Cambridge  University  has  shown  me  a  MS.  fragment — a  page 
and  a  quarter,  about, — of  a  much  scottified  version  of  Sir  Lamwell, 

'  Also  in  Way's  Fabliaux,  ed.  1815,  iii.  233-287,  and  Halliwell'a  Fairy 
Mythology  of  a  Midsummer  Nighfs  Bream  1845,  p.  2-34. 

-  So  in  MS.  3  Un-couth,  unknown,  strange. 


X.  Syr  Lamiuell. 


XXXI 


differing  a  little  from  both  the  versions  printed  in  the  Folio. 

It  is  entered  in  the  Index  to  the  Catalogue  as  "  Arthur,  on  king, 

iii.  700,"  and  is  printed  below  : — 

[Sir  Lamuell.] 

Nor  quhair  to  go !  so  god  me  saifF!  48 
And  all  the  knichts  with  ther  feires 
Oif  the  round  table  that  be  my  peeres, 


12 


16 


Listine,  Lordinga !  by  the  dayis  off 

Arthure 
was  Britan  in  greet  honoure  ; 
for  in  his  tyme,  as  he  ane  quhyll 
he  sojurneit  att  ooomelie  carlille,      4 
&  hed  with  him  monie  ane  aire, 
As  he  hed  oftymes  els  quhair — 
Off  his  round  table  the  knyc^ti's  all 
•with  muche  mirth  in  boure  &  hall,   8 
off  evrie  land  in  World  so  wyd, 
thar  come  to  him  in  eich  [a]  syd ; 
joung  knichtis,  &  squyers  eik, 
&  bald  baichlers,  came  him  to  seik. 
for  to  sie  the  great  Nobilnes 
that  was  into  his  court  alwayis  ; 
for  he  geve  rich  gifts  &  treasour 
to  men  of  wair  &  gret  honowr 
with  him  ther  was  ane  baicheleir 
And  hed  beene  thev  monie  ane  jeir, 
Ane  jouug  IcnycM,  mekill  off  micht ; 
'  Sir  Lamueir  forsuith  he  hecht.     20 
this  Lamuell  geve  gifts  michtilie, 
&  spaireit  not  bo'  geve  largeUe ; 
&  so  librallie  he  it  spent, 
miche  moir  nor  he  hed  in  rent ; 
&  so  onvyselie  he  itt  fett, 
that  he  came  mekill  into  daitt. 
and  quhen  he  sau  weill  all  was  gaine, 
then  he  began  to  mak  his  moane.    28 
"  alas !"  he  said,  "  vo  is  that  mann 
that  na  gud  heth,  nor  na  gud  cann ! 
and  I  am  far  in  ane  ferang  land, 
and  na  gud  hes,  I  onderstand !        32 
men  wald  me  hald  for  ane  wxache, 
Quhair  I  be  piur  certes,  ne  riche." 
he  lapp  upon  ane  fair  coursoure, 
with-outtin  Ohyld  orjit  squyoure,  36 
and  raid  so  furth  in  great  muming 
to  dryve  away  his  soir  langing. 
his  way  he  tmk  tovard  the  west, 
betuix  ane  Vater  and  ane  forrest ;  40 
the  sone  vas  then  in  eveningtyd, 
he  lichtit  doun,  &  wald  abyd. 
for  he  vas  halt  in  the  Wather  43 

he  tuik  his  mantill,  and  fald  to  gidder. 
And  laid  him  doune,  MeknycAt  so  free, 
Onder  the  shadoii  off  ane  tree : 
"  Alace !"  he  said,  "  na  gud  I  heve, 


24 


Eich  on  to  heve  me  vas  full  glaid ; 
Nou  will  thai  be  off  me  fuU  sadd ;  52 
Nou  wallaway,  this  is  my  song." 
With  soir  weiping  his  hand  he  wrang, 
Vfiih  sourou  and  cair  he  did  jell. 
Till  he  vie  on  a  sleip  he  fell,  56 

&  all  to  soipeit  and  forweipt. 
Quhen  he  vakuit  out  off  sleip, 
Tuo  off  the  fairest  maids  sau  he 
That  ever  he  did  sie  with  ee,  60 

Come  out  off  the  foiTest,  &  to  him 

drau ; 
fairer  befoir  he  never  sau  ; 
I&tils  thay  hed  of  purple  sendill, 
Small  laceit,  setting  fall  ane  weill ;  64 
Mantils  thai  hed  of  rid  welvet, 
Prenjeit  with  gold  ful  veill  was  sett ; 
Thai  vaire  abowe  that  over  all 
Upon  ther  beds  a  joilie  cumall ;      68 
ther  faces  as  the  snou  was  quhyt, 
wi'tA  Lufesimi  cuUor  off  gret  delyt ; 
fairar  befoir  he  never  did  sie 
he  thoght  theia.  Angels  off  hevins  he. 
The  on  bair  ane  goldin  baiseing,     73 
The  uther  ane  touall  off  Alifyne ; 
Thai  Came  him  both  tovarid  twaine  ; 
he  vas  courtess,  vent  theia  againe  ;  76 
"Welcume!"  he  said,  "Madams  so 

frie." 
"  Sir  Knyc/it !"  thai  ansjcreit  him, 

"  Velcuw  be  \e  ! 
My  Ladie  that  is  brigt  as  floure, 
The   grathethe,    Sir   lamuell,   para- 
mour ;  80 
Sho  preyith  the  cum  &  speik  with  hir, 
jiff  it  be  nou  thy  plesor,  Sir." 
•'  I  am  full  faine  with  jou  for  to  fair, 
for  troulie,  such  as  jou  so  rair,         84 
On  the  groimd  sau  1  never  go  :" 
Washit  his  face  and  hands  also, 
&  -with  the  maids  did  glaidlie  gang, 
As  merie  as  marie  in  hir  song.         88 
wj't/an  the  forest  ther  did  sie 
Ane  rich  PaviUione  thev  picht  ful  hie. 
Ewrie  pom.^ 


Cambridge  JJrm^sity  Library  MS.  Kk.  5,  30,  leaf  11. 


*  No  more  written. 


xxxii  X.  Syr  Lamwell. 

The  Eawlinson  Landavall  is  more  like  the  bit  of  printed  version 
given  to  the  Bodleian  by  Mr.  Halliwell  (and  printed  in  the  Ap- 
pendix to  vol.  i.  of  the  Percy  Folio,)  tlian  the  text  of  the  Folio 
itself.  Mr.  Halliwell  says  in  his  "  Mythology  of  A  Midsummer 
Nights  Dream"  1845,  that  the  copy  of  Lamwell  mentioned  by  Sir 
F.  Madden  in  the  Lambeth  MS.  305  "  seems  to  be  an  error  for 
the  Lyleans  Biscours  in  MS.  No.  306."  "  The  fabliau  or  romance 
of  Lanval  is  printed  in  Le  Grrand's  Fabliaux  et  Contes,  ed.  1829 ; 
and  an  English  paraphrase  of  it  appeared  in  '  Tales  of  the  Twelfth 
and  Thirteenth  Centuries'  translated  from  the  French  of  Le 
Grand  (?  by  George  Ellis)  1796."  (Hazlitt.) 

Of  early  printed  editions  of  Sir  Lamioell  we  know  nothing  ex- 
cept one  fragment  of  8  leaves,  and  another  of  one  leaf,  both  in  the 
Bodleian,  and  both  printed  in  the  Appendix  to  vol.  i.  of  the  Percy 
Folio  Ballads  and  Eomances,  p.  522-535.  Perhaps  the  first  of 
these  is  part  of  the  edition  licensed  to  John  Kynge  in  1557-8  : — 

To  John  Kynge,  to  prynte  these  bokes  folowynge ;  that  ys  to  saye,  a 
Jeste  of  syr  guwayne'  /  the  hoke  of  Carwynge  and  sewjTige^  /  syr 
lamwell ;  the  boke  of  Cokerye  ;^  the  boke  of  nurture  for  mens  sar- 
vauntes  ;*  and  for  his  lycense  he  geveth  to  the  hoiise 

As  these  old  printed  texts  are  more  like  the  Percy  Folio  version 
than  the  Cotton  one,  we  may  sketch  the  story  from  the  Percy 

MS. 

Among  the  knights  who  resort  to  king  Arthur  'in  merry 
Carlile'  is  the  young  Sir  Lambewell.  So  prodigal  is  he  of  his 
money,  that  he  soon  has  none  left,  and  rides  off  westward  alone, 
While  he's  sleeping  under  a  tree,  two  lovely  maidens  wake  him, 
and  lead  him  to  their  lovelier  mistress,  the  daughter  of  the  king 
of  Million  or  Amillion — Oleron,  in  Chestre's  version, — who  offers 
him  all  he  wants,  and  lies  with  him  that  night.  Next  day  she 
sends  him  back  to  Arthur,  with  plenty  of  money  (and  more  to 
come),  which  he  gives  away  right  and  left ;  but  if  he  ever  mentions 
her  name,  he  is  to  lose  her  for  ever.  Queen  Guinevere  makes 
advances  to  Lambewell,  which  he  rejects ;  and  answers  her  taunts 

^  See  below,  p.  xxxiv,  No.  XII. 

-  A  later  edition  of  Wynkyn  de  Worde's  book  which  was  plagiarised  from 
KusseU  or  his  original.     Both  are  in  my  Babees  Book. 

3  A  Proper  New  Booke  of  Cookery.  Imprinted  at  London  by  John  Kyngo 
and  Thomas  Marshe  [1558],  12mo  in  Corpics  Library,  Cambridge. 

•*  HughRhodes's  Book,  of  which  Jackson's  edition  of  1577  is  reprinted  in 
my  Babees  Book,  with  collations  of  Petyt's  edition,  before  1554. 

*  The  simi  is  not  entei-ed. 


XL  Syr  Isenbras.  xxxiii 

by  saying  that  his  mistress's  lowest  maiden  is  fit  to  be  queen  over 
her.     For  this  she  accuses  him  of  trying  to  violate  her;  and  he  is 
adjudged  to  prove  his  boast  about  his  mistress's  maiden,  or  die 
Two  ladies  then  ride  up,  '  much  fairer  than  the  summer's  dayes ; 
then  two  others,  fairer  still ;  at  last '  a  damsell  by  her  selfe  alone 
on  earth  was  fairer  neuer  none.'     She  is  Sir  Lambwell's  love ;  she 
clears  him  of  the  charge  against  him,  but  speaks  no  word  to  him 
he  has  broken  faith  with  her.     In  vain  for  him  do  Arthur  and  his 
knights  plead.     She  turns  to  go  alone ;  but  as  she  passes  Lamb- 
well,  he  leaps  on  her  palfrey,  swearing  he'll  never  leave  her ;  and 
in  the  'jolly  island'  called  Amilion,  they  live  in  bliss. 

XI.  Syr  Isenbras.  This  Eomance  was  printed  by  Mr.  Halliwell 
from  the  Thornton  MS.  in  Lincoln  Cathedral  Library,  in  his 
Thornton  Eomanees  for  the  Camden  Society  in  1844.  Another 
copy  is  in  the  Library  of  Caius  College ;  and  from  that  and  the 
printed  copy  in  Garrick's  plays,  now  in  the  British  Museum, 
Ellis  sketched  the  story  in  his  E.  E.  Metr.  Eomanees.  This  old 
printed  copy  is  without  date,  but '  Imprynted  at  London  by  me, 
Wyllyam  Copland ;'  and  one  leaf  of  a  different  edition  is  among 
Deuce's  books  in  the  Bodleian. 

Sir  Isumbras  is  proud,  and  forgets  Grod.  An  angel  announces 
to  him  his  degradation ;  and,  as  from  Job,  his  cattle  and  dwelling 
are  taken  by  death  and  fire ;  his  wife  and  3  children  alone  are  left, 
naked.  They  start  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem ;  their  eldest 
boy  is  carried  off"  by  a  lion  ;  the  second  by  a  leopard ;  the  wife  by 
a  Saracen  soudan  ;  the  youngest  boy  by  a  unicorn,  and  his  mantle 
by  an  eagle.  Seven  years  Isumbras  serves  as  a  labourer  and  a 
smith,  and  then  helps  the  Christians  win  a  battle,  and  slays  the 
Soudan  who  has  taken  his  wife.  Seven  years  he  wanders  in  the 
Holy  Land,  and  then  an  angel  tells  him  his  sin  is  forgiven.  As 
a  palmer  he  enters  the  palace  of  his  wife,  the  widow-queen ;  is 
there  kindly  treated,  and  takes  ofl&ce ;  and  one  day  gets  from  an 
eagle's  nest  the  mantle  his  youngest  boy  was  wrapt  in  when  he 
was  carried  off.  This  leads  to  his  being  made  known  to  his  wife, 
and  his  coronation  as  king  of  the  Saracens,  He  tries  to  convert 
them,  on  which  they  all  join  two  princes  near,  whom  they  have 
persuaded  to  invade  him.  "With  his  wife,  Isumbras  encounters 
the  whole  hosts,  and  they  are  about  to  perish,  when  three  knights, 
who  prove  to  be  his  3  sons--one  on  a  lion,  the  second  on  a  leo- 
pard, the  third  on  a  unicorn, — come  to  the  rescue,  slay  23,000  of 


xxxiv  XII.  A  Jeste  of  Syr  Gawayne. 

the  unbelievers,  and  rout  the  enemy.  Taking  the  2  princes' 
kingdoms  for  2  sons,  they  conquer  another  country  for  the  3rd, 
and  then  have  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  new  lands  and  Isumbras's 
baptized. 

XII.  Syr  Gawyn.  "  A  Jeste  of  syr  Gawayne  "  was,  as  we  have 
seen  (p.  xxxii),  licensed  to  John  Kynge  in  1557-8,  but  no  part  of 
his  edition  has  reacht  us.  The  last  leaf  only  of  another  edition 
'  Imprynted  at  London  in  Paule  Churche  yarde  at  the  sygne  of 
the  Maydena  heed  by  Thomas  Petyt '  is  in  Bagford's  Collections 
in  the  British  Museum.  Four  leaves  of  another  edition  'Im- 
prynted at  London  in  Fletestrete  at  the  sygne  of  Saynte  Johan 
euangelyst  by  me  Johan  Butler'  are  in  the  Lambeth  Library. 
This  fragment  was  reprinted  by  Dr.  S.  E.  Maitland  in  his  List  of 
Early  Frinted  Books  at  Lambeth,  1843,  p.  297.  Of  the  Scotch 
romance  of  Golagros  and  Gawene,  an  earlier  but  titleless  copy  of 
1508  is  in  the  Advocates'  Library,  Edinburgh,  and  its  colophon  is 
'  Heir  endis  the  Knightly  tale  of  golagrus  and  gawene  [impreutit] 
in  the  south  gait  of  Edinburgh  be  Walter  Chepman  and  Andrew 
Millar  the  viii  day  of  Aprile  the  yhere  of  god  M.  CCCCC.  and  viii 
yheris.'  This,  with  all  the  other  poems  he  could  collect  about 
Sir  Gawain,  Sir  Frederick  Madden  edited  for  the  Bannatyne  Club 
in  1839.  The  most  important  of  these  poems  is  the  very  spirited 
and  vigorous  romance  of  Gawain  and  the  Green  Knight  from  the 
Cotton  MS.  Nero  A  x,  which  Dr.  Eichard  Morris  has  re-edited 
for  the  Early  English  Text  Society,  and  of  which  a  poor  emascu- 
lated modernization  (of  the  16th  century,  as  I  suppose)  is  printed 
in  the  Percy  Folio  Ballads  and  Bomances,  ii.  58-77,  and  in  Sir  E. 
Madden's  Appendix  No.  III.  p.  224-242.  However,  we  may  feel 
quite  sure  that  the  old  black  letter  '  Jeste  of  Syr  Gawayne '  was 
the  one  that  Captain  Cox  read ;  and  as  the  printed  fragments  we 
possess  of  it  agree,  except  in  a  few  words,  with  the  headless  ver- 
sion that  Sir  E.  Madden  printed  in  his  Syr  Oawayne,  p.  206-223, 
from  a  small  4to  MS.  of  Douce's  in  the  Bodleian,  written  in  1564, 
and  containing  several  other  romances,  all  "imperfect,  and  all, 
apparently,  transcribed  from  early  black-letter  editions,"  we  can 
get  the  story  from  this  MS.  Sir  E.  Madden  also  notices  the  last 
leaf  of  Petyt's  edition  among  Bagford's  Collections,  MS.  Harl. 
5927,  art.  32,  and  says  "  It  is  no  doubt  this  romance  which  is 
alluded  to  under  the  title  of  Sir  Qawyn  by  Laneham.  .  .  .  The 
original  author  ...  in  this  instance,  as  in  so  many  others,  is 


XII.  A  Jeste  of  Syr  Gawayne.  xxxv 

French  ;  and  in  the  Roman  de  Perceval,  fol.  Ixxiv.  h,  we  meet 
with  the  entire  story."  This,  as  Southey  (Pref.  to  Morte  d' Ar- 
thur, p.  xxvi.),  and  Sir  P.  Madden  {Syr  Gawayne,  p.  349-50) 
note,  contains  two  different  accounts  of  the  opening  of  the  tale, 
1.  making  the  meeting  between  G-awayne  and  the  maiden  inno- 
cent, though  judged  guilty  by  her  father  and  brothers  ;  2,  making 
it  guilty  (farther  on  in  the  work,  by  Gawayne's  confession),  as 
the  English  adapter  made  it.     The  story  runs  thus. 

G-awayne  leaves  Arthur  at  the  siege  of  Branlant.  After  crossing 
a  river  and  plain,  and  passing  through  a  wood,  G-awayne  comes 
on  a  magnificent  pavilion,  in  which,  on  a  sumptuous  bed,  sleeps  a 
lovely  girl,  Guinalorete,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Lys  (or  '  Syr 
Gylberte,  a  ryche  earle,'  as  the  English  story  calls  him).  Gawayne 
kisses  her,  and  she  threatens  him  with  the  vengeance  of  her 
father  and  brothers.  But — and  here  the  English  fragment 
begins — Gawayne  fears  no  threats,  and  takes  his  pleasure  in  the 
maiden.  Her  father  finds  them  together,  and  reproaches  and 
challenges  Gawayne.  They  fight ;  G-awayne  unhorses  and  wounds 
the  father,  and  goes  back  to  the  daughter.  To  the  wounded  father 
comes  his  son  Syr  G-yamoure,  hears  what  has  happened,  calls  up 
Gawayne  from  his  sister's  side,  and  fights  him.  But  Syr  Gya- 
moure  is  soon  unhorsed  and  wounded  too,  and  Gawayne  returns 
again  to  G-uinalorete  (whose  name  is  given  only  in  the  Erench 
romance).  Then  comes  Syr  Gylberte's  second  son,  Syr  Tyrry,  to 
his  wounded  father  and  brother.  He  too  hears  of  Gawayne's 
misdeed,  calls  him  from  the  Pavilion,  fights  him,  but  is  unhorsed, 
and  hurt,  nigh  to  death ;  and  Gawayne  goes  back  a  third  time  to 
his  sweet  may  in  the  pavilion.  At  last  comes  to  the  poor  Syr 
Gylberte  and  his  two  wounded  sons,  the  pride  of  their  family, 
son  Syr  Brandies  (or  Brandels).  The  father  tells  him  too  of 
Gawayne's  deeds ;  Brandies  calls  Gawayne  from  the  pavilion,  and 
they  fight  so  sore  that  both  are  glad  to  separate,  vowing  to  renew 
the  fight  whenever  they  meet,  "  utterlye,"  or  to  the  death. 
G-awayne  puts  up  his  sword  and  departs,  asking  only  Brandies  to 
'  be  frend  to  that  gentle  woman,'  his  sister.  '  As  for  that,'  says 
Brandies, — and  here  the  Petyt  leaf  begins : — 


•  She  hath  caused  to  day  moch  shame, 

parde ; 
It  is  pyte  she  hath  her  syght !" 
"  Syr  knight"  sayd  syr  gawane  "haue 

good  day! 


For  on  fote  I  haue  a  long  way ; 
An  horse  were  me  wonder  dere. 
Somtyme  good  horses  I  haue  good 

wone, 
But  now  on  fote  nedes  must  I  gone  ; 

d  2 


XXX  VI 


XII.  A  Jesie  of  Syr  Gawayne. 


God  in  haste  amende  my  cliere ! 
Syr  gawayne    was    armed    passyng 

heuy, 
On  fote  might  he  not  endure  truelye : 
His  knyfe  he  toke  in  honde, 
[H]is  armoure  good  he  cut  hjon  fro, 
Elles  on  fote  mjght  he  not  go ; 
Thus  with  care  was  he  honde. 
(J  Leue  we  now  syr  Gawayne  in  wo, 
And  speake  wc  more  of  syr  Brandies 

tho. 
When  he  with  his  syster  met, 
[H]e  sayd, "  fye  on  the,  harlot  stronge ! 
[I]t  is  pyte  that  thou  Ijniest  so  longe ! 
Strypes  harde  I  wyl  set, 
rA]ndbete  the,  both  hacke  and  syde!" 
1  Ajnd  then  wolde  he  not  ahyde  ; 
But  to  his  fader  streyte  he  went. 
Then  he  axed  hym  how  he  fared ; 
[H]e  sayd,  "  son,  for  the  haue  I  cared, 
[I]   wende  that    thou    haddest  ben 

shent." 
Brandies  sayd,  "I  haue  bet  my  syster; 
[A]nd  the  knyght,  I  made  hym  swere 
That,  when  we  mete  agayne, 
[H]e  and  I  wyl  togyder  fyght 
Tjd  we  haue  spended  echo  our  myght, 
[A]nd  that  one  of  vs  be  slajoie." 
So  home  they  went  al  togyder, 


\_BacJc  of  leaf.~\ 
And  eche  of  them  helped  other 
As  wel  as  they  myght  go. 
Then  the  lady  gate  her  awaye ; 
They  saw  her  neuer  after  that  day ; 
■  She  went  wandrjTig  to  and  fro. 
Also  syr  Gawayne,  in  his  party, 
On  fote  he  went  ful  weryly, 
Tyl  he  to  the  courte  came  home. 
Al  this  aduenture  he  shewed  the  kyng. 
That  with  those  .iiii.  knightes  he  had 

fighti//g. 
And  eche  after  other  alone. 
After  that  tyme  they  never  met  more ; 
Ful  glad  were  these  paityes  Therfore ; 
So  was  there  made  the  ende. 
I  pray  god  gyue  vs  all  good  rest. 
And  those  that  have  harde  this  Ij'tle 

geste, 
And  in  hye  heuen  for  to  be  dwellyng, 
And  that  we  al,  vpon  domes  day. 
Come  to  the  blysse  that  lasteth  aye. 
Where  we  may  here    the    aungels 

synge. 

(J  Imprynted   at  london  in  Paule[s] 

churche  yarde  at  the  s^ygne  of 

the  maydens  heed,  by 

Thomas  Petyt. 


Over  this,  is  a  separate  colophon  of  Petyt's  (No.  31),  dated 
'  In  the  yere  of  our  Lorde  God.  M.  D.  XLij.,'  but  it  clearly  does 
not  belong  to  the  Gawayne  Jeaste.  A  duplicate  of  this  colophon 
is  on  leaf  49  of  Bagford's  MS.  No.  181. 

The  Erench  romance  gives  us  the  sequel  of  the  Geste.  It 
makes  Brandelys  and  Gawayne  meet  and  fight  again.  Guina- 
lorete,  with  her  child  Giglain,  interposes  between  them  twice ; 
and  Brandelys,  who  has  been  struck  down,  is  persuaded  to  yield, 
is  made  a  Knight  of  the  Round  Table,  and  grants  forgiveness  to 
Gawayne,  '  who  begs  it  on  his  knees.'   {Madden,  p.  351.) 

Sir  Thomas  Maleore  "the  compiler  of  the  Morte  d' Arthur  does 
not  insert  this  episode  in  his  work,  but  has  a  distinct  allusion  to 
the  circumstance,  when  he  says  '  Thenne  came  in  Syr  Gawayne 
with  his  thre  sous,  Syr  Gynyelyn,  ^yv  Florence,  anA  Sir  Zioitel ; 
these  two  were  hegoten  upon  Sir  Brandyles  syster ;  and  al  they 
fayled.' — Yol.  ii.  p.  383.  Sir  Brandelys  was  subsequently, 
together  with  Florence  and  Louel,  slain  by  Lancelot  du  Lac  and 
his  party,  at  the  rescue  of  Queen  Guenever.  Ihid.  ii.  401,  403." 
((S^r  Qawayne,  p.  351.) 


XIII.   Olyaer  of  the  Casil.  xxxvii 

XIII.  Ohjuer  oftlie  Casil.  "  T^  Historye  of  Olyuer  of  Castylle 
and  the  Eayre  Helayne.  [Colophon]  Here  endeth  y*^  historye  of 
Olyuer  of  Castylle,  and  of  the  fayre  Helayne  doughter  vnto  the 
kynge  of  Englande.  Inpryuted  at  London  in  flete  strete  at  the 
sygne  of  tlie  Sonne  by  Wynkyn  de  Worde.  The  yere  of  our 
lorde  M.  CCCC.  and  xviij."  "A  Spanish  Romance,"  says  Mr. 
Halliwell,  "  very  popular  throughout  Europe,  and  translated  into 
most  European  languages."  I  have  just  looked  at  the  '  Contents ' 
of  Leys  Coste's  Eouen  edition^  of  '  L'Hystoire  de  Ollivier  de 
Castille,  et  Artus  d'Algarbe,  Preux  &  vaillans  Cheualiers,  Auec 
les'-^  proesses  de  Henry  de  Castille,  filz  de  Oliuier,  et  de  Helaine, 
fille  du  Eoy  d'Angleterre  :  et  les  grandes  aduentures  ou  ilz  se 
sont  trainez  centre  leurs  ennemys,  comme  pourrez  voir  cy  apres," 
{Brit.  Mus.  "il^— )  and  find  that  it  tells  how  Oliver's  mother-in- 
law  lusts  for  Mm — "  ce  n'estoit  que  iragilite  naturelle  de  femme, 
qui  suit  sa  sensualitc  cotttre  honneur,'  says  the  old  Erench  pub- 
lisher (?)  in  his  ISpilogation — that  he  rejects  her  advances,  goes 
to  England,  and — being  armed  by  a  knight  to  whom  he  promises 
half  his  prize — beats  every  one  in  a  3-days'  tourney,  the  prize  of 
which  is  '  la  belle  Helaine,'  the  lovely  daughter  of  the  King  of 
England.  Oliver  tries  to  conceal  himself,  but  is  taken,  and  brought 
to  the  Court.  Then  he  takes  the  King  of  England's  side  against 
the  King  of  Ireland,  who  has  invaded  England.  Oliver  heads  the 
English  host,  discomfits  the  Irishmen,  follows  them  to  their  own 
country,  brings  back  7  kings  prisoners,  and  is  rewarded  by  fair 
Helen's  hand.  But  soon  the  son  of  one  of  Oliver's  Irish  prisoners 
captures  Oliver  himself;  and  Artus  of  Algarbe,  hearing  this, 
comes  to  London,  mistakes  Helen  for  her  husband,  and  lies  by 
her,  purely,  and  then  rescues  Oliver.  Oliver  however  hears  a 
wrong  story  of  his  wife  and  Artus,  and  wounds  Artus ;  but  on 
learning  the  truth,  prays  forgiveness.  Afterwards  Artus  falls  ill, 
and  to  save  him,  Oliver  kills  his  own  two  children,  and  gives  their 
blood  to  his  friend.  This  heals  Artus  ;  God  brings  the  children  to 
life  again ;  and  Artus  and  Oliver  go  to  Castille.  Then  the  knight 
who  armed  Oliver  for  his  London  tourney  claims  Oliver's  son  as 
his  half  of  Oliver's  prize  ;  but,  seeing  the  grief  of  Oliver  and 
Helen,  restores  them  their  boy,  and  vanishes  into  Heaven. 
Oliver  then  marries  his  daughter  to  Artus  of  Algarbe.     Oliver 

*  It  is  not  dated,  but  the  Museum  Catalogue  puts  ?  1625.  It  is  translated 
from  the  Latin,  by  P.  Camus.  Oriy.  lee. 


xxxviii  XIV.  Lucres  and  Eurialus. 

aud  Helen  die ;  their  sou  Henry  is  captured,  and  dies  in  the 
Saracens'  land  ;  while  Artus  becomes  King  of  Castille  aud  Eug- 
laud. 

XIV.  Lucres  and  Eurialus.  Tlie  original  of  this  E/omance  was 
written  in  Latin  by  ^Eneas  Sylvius  Piccolomini,  afterwards  Pope 
Pius  II.,  born  14^05,  died  14  Aug.  1464.1  One  copy  of  the  edition 
of  1443,  in  the  British  Museum — which  has  another  copy  on 
vellum,  aud  others  in  the  Pope's  Works — has  no  title,  but  is 
headed  "  Enee  Siluij  poetse  Senensis  .  de  duobM^  amawtibus 
Eurialo  et  Lucresia  .  opusculum  ad  Marianum  Sosinum  feliciter 
Incipit  prefatio."  It  has  slieets  a,  b,  c,  d,  in  eights,  and  e  in 
four ;  and  the  Colophon  is  "  Explicit  opusculum  Enee  Siluij  de 
duobus  ama^tibus  In  ciuitate  Leydensi  Anno  Domini  Miliesimo 
CCCC°  quadragesimo  tercio  .  Leien." 

It  was  translated  into  Italian  in  1554,  "  Epistole  de  Dvi  Amanti 
composte  dal  fausto  et  eccellente  Papa  Pio  tradutte  in  uulgare 
con  elegautissimo  modo.  In  Venetia  per  Matthio  Pagan,  in 
Erezaria  all'  insegna  della  Eede.  M.  D.  LIIII." 

Of  English  editions  we  know  three. 

1.  (I  The  goodli  /  history  of  the  most  nohle  /  and  beautyfull  Ladye  /  Lucres  of 
Scene  in  Tus/kane,  and  of  her  louer  Eurialus  verye  /  pleasaunt  and  /  delectable  / 
vnto  y«  /  reder./  4to,  black  letter,  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  in  fours ;  but  in 
the  unique  Museum  copy,  H  iv,  the  last  leaf,  is  wanting,  containing  the  last 
verse  of  the  envoy,  or  "Le.  A.  to  the  Eeder,"  and  the  Colophon.  Mr.  Hazlitt 
dates  the  book  '  circa  1549.' 

Eor  this  copy  in  the  British  Museum  I  had  4  vain  searches  in 
the  Catalogues,  but  then  found  it  under  '  Lucretia  of  Sienna,' 
Case  21.  c.  It  has  y  very  often  for  i  of  No.  2,  and  has  better 
readings.  Mr.  Hazlitt  says  that  Bagford  speaks  of  an  impression 
in  4to  by  William  Copland, — perhaps  the  same  as  No.  3. 

2.  Mr.  Henry  Huth  has  a  unique  copy  of  an  edition  in  small 
8vo,  dated  1560,  'imprinted  at  London  by  John  Kynge,'  (A  B 
C  D  E  E  G  H  in  eights)  which  he  has  kindly  lent  me,  and  from 
which  the  extracts  below  are  printed,  though  collated  for  words 
with  the  Brit.  Mus.  ed. ;  and  3.  in  the  Pepys  Library  at  Magda- 
len College,  Cambridge,  Mr.  Hazlitt  notes  an  edition  of  1567, 


^  He  -was  an  able  man,  but  of  loose  morals,  and  spent  the  latter  years  of  his 
life  in  extending  the  power  of  the  Papacy,  thus  undoing  much  of  the  work 
of  his  earlier  years  when  he  strove  to  curb  that  power.  He  was  on  an  em- 
bassy in  Scotland,  to  make  peace  between  the  English  and  Scotch,  when 
James  I.  was  slain.  Pius  II.  was  a  great  patron  of  learning,  and  a  bitter 
enemy  of  the  Turks. 


XIV.  Lucres  and  Eurialus.  xxxix 

'  Imprjnted  at  London  in  Louthbury  by  me  Wyllyam  Copland.' 
The  date  1567  is  no  doubt  right,  as  other  books  of  W.  Copland's 
are  known  as  late. 

The  story  is  a  somewhat  warm  one  for  an  embryo  Pope  to  have 
written,  though  the  moral  of  it  is  to  warn  men  against  unlawful 
love,  as  its  pains  are  greater  than  its  pleasures.  As  the  verse 
envoy  says : 


Yet  coulde  I  shewe  you  of  many  other 

mo, 
Yf  leyser  not  wanted,  but  now  I  let 

it  pas, 
Wliiche    by  theyr    loue  were  con- 

strayned  also 


To  mortal  death ;  more  pitye  alas ! 
therfore  thys  boke  in  Englysh  drawe 

was 
For  an  example,  therby  to  eschew 
the  paynes  of  loue,  ere  after  they  it 

rewe. 


The  interest  of  the  book — such  as  it  is — is  the  curious  disclosure 
of  the  false  notions  of  honour  and  right  prevailing  in  Italian 
society  in  the  middle  of  the  15th  century.     Its  story  is  this  : — 

When  the  Emperor  Sigismund  enters  the  town  of  Sienna  in 
Tuscany,  four  ladies  meet  him,  among  whom. 

Lucres  the  yong  Ladie,  not  yet  of  twenty  yeres,  shone  in  great  bryghtnes, 
yong  maryed,  in  the  famyly  of  the  Camilis,  vnto  a  very  rich  ma?«  named 
Menelaus,  vnworthie  too  whom  suche  beautye  shulde  serue  at  home,  but  wel 
worthy e  of  his  wyfe  to  be  deceyued.  The  stature  of  the  Lady  Lucres  was  more 
hygher  than  the  other.  Her  heare  plenteous,  and  lyke  vnto  the  goulde  wyre, 
which  hanged  not  downe  behinde  her,  after  the  manner  and  custome  of 
may  dews,  but  in  goulde  and  stone  she  had  enclosed  it ;  her  forhed  highe,  of 
semelye  space,  wythoute  wrynkell,  her  browes  be/(te,  facioned  with  fewe 
heares,  by  due  space  deuyded,  her  eyne  shining  with  such  brightnes  that, 
lyke  as  the  sonne,  they  ouercame  the  behoulders  loking ;  with  those  she  might, 
whome  she  woulde,  slee,  and  slayne,  whe«  she  wold,  reuyue.  Strayt  as  thriede 
was  her  noose,  &  by  euen  deuision  parted ;  her  fayre  chekes,  nothyng  was 
more  amiable  the;j  these  chekes,  nor  nothyng  more  delectable  to  behold, 
wherin,  wha«  she  dyd  laughe,  appeared  two  proper  pyttes',  whiche  no  man  did 
se,  that  wished  not  to  haue  kissed.  Her  mouth  smal  and  comely,  her  lippes 
of  corall  colour,  handsom  to  bite  on ;  her  small  tethe,  wel  set  in  order,  semed 
Cristal,  throughe  which  the  quiueryng  tonge  dyd  se«d  furth,  not  wordes,  but 
moost  pleasaunt  armony.  What  shall  I  shewe  the  beautye  of  her  chynne,  or 
the  whitenesse  of  her  necke  ?  No  thyng  was  in  that  bodie  not  too  bee  praysed, 
as  the  outwarde  aparauwces  shewed  token  of  that  that  was  inwarde^ :  no  man 
beheld  her  that  dyd  not  enuye  her  husbande.  .  .  .  Nothyng  was  more  sweter, 
nor  soberer,  than  her  talcke.  .  .  .  Her  apparell  was  diuers ;  she  wanted  nether 
broches,  borders,  gyrdels,  nor  rynges.  The  abilimentes  of  her  head  was 
8u>wptuouse,  many  pearles,  many  diamantes,  were  on  her  fi;;gers  and  in  her 
borders.  (Sign.  A.  ii.  back,  to  A.  iiii.  ed.  Kynge  ;  A  ii  back  to  A  iii,  Brit. 
Mus.  ed.) 

This  young  beauty,  and  Eurialus  of  Tuscany,  a  companion  of 
the  Emperor's,  fall  in  love  with  one  another  at  first  sight,  and 

^  pytes,  Xynffe. 

2  of  that  was  in  warder,  Kynge  ;  of  that  that  was  inwarde,  Brit.  Mus.  ed. 


xl  ~      ^IV.  Lucres  and  Eurialus. 

desire  one  another,  but  are  unable  to  meet.  At  last,  Lucres 
trusts  her  secret  to  Zosias,  an  old  Almayne  servant  of  her  hus- 
band's ;  but  he  only  pretends  to  deliver  her  messages,  and  puts 
her  oif.  Eurialus,  unable  to  get  another  messengei",  sends  a  letter 
to  Lucres  by  a  bawd.  Lucres  orders  the  woman  off,  and  tears 
the  letter  in  pieces  before  her ;  but  after  she  is  gone,  puts  the 
pieces  together,  and  reads  the  letter.  A  correspondence  follows, 
and  Lucres,  holding  back  at  first,  at  length  consents  to  receive 
Eurialus  into  her  house.  But  her  hrother-in-laio's  plan  to  admit 
him  is  frustrated  by  her  mother,  and  then  Eurialus  is  sent  to 
Rome  for  2  months.  Lucres  mourns ;  but  on  his  return,  his  ser- 
vant finds  him  a  tavern  near,  out  of  whose  window  he  can  talk  to 
Lucres.  Zosias  is  then  convinced  that  as  the  love  will  go  on,  it 
must  be  kept  secret ;  and  he  lets  Eurialus  in,  disguised  as  a  porter, 
among  other  men  carrying  wheat.  Eurialus  takes  Lucres  in  his 
arms.  Her  husband  comes ;  she  hides  Eurialus  first  in  one  closet 
and  then,  by  a  trick,  in  another,  till  Menelaus  her  husband  has 
gone,  and  the  lovers  are  left  alone : — 

Lucres  was  in  a  lyghte  garmente,  that  without  plyght  or  wrynkell  shewed 
her  hodye  as  it  was,  a  fayre  necke,  and  the  lyght  of  her^  eyne  lyke  the  bryght 
Sonne,  gladsome  cou«tenaunce  and  a  merj^e  face,  her  chekes  lyke  lylyes 
medled  wyth  roses  ;  swete  and  sober  was^  her  laughyng,  her  breast  large,  and 
the  two  papes,  semjmge  apples  gathered  in  Venus  gardaiae,  meued  the  courage 
of  toucher.*     (Sign.  E.  iiii.  back,  Kynge's  ed.  ;  E.  ii.  Brit.  Mus.  ed.) 

The  lovers  meet  again  for  an  hour  when  Lucres's  husband  has 
gone  to  the  country,  and  Zosias  brings  in  Eurialus  from  the  hay- 
loft. Then,  as  no  other  chance  of  meeting  is  open  to  them, 
Eurialus  has  recourse  to  Menelaus' s  cousin,  Pandalus,  to  arrange 
a  meeting  for  them.  Eurialus  shows  him  that  if  he  doesn't  do 
this,  Lucres  will  either  kill  herself  or  run  away  with  him,  and 
thus  bring  open  scandal  on  her  family  and  her  husband's : 
whereas,  if  he'll  manage  the  matter  quietly,  nothing  will  be  known, 
no  harm  will  be  done,  but  great  good,  and  Eurialus  will  get  the 
Emperor  to  make  Pandalus  an  Earl !  So  one  night,  when  Mene- 
laus is  away.  Lucres  lets  Eurialus  into  the  house,  swoons  from 
excitement,  but  recovers,  and  they  spend  the  night  together. 

After  long  waiting,  they  avoid  Lucres's  watchers,  and  often 
meet;  but  then  the  Emperor  determines  to  go  to  Eome,  and 
Lucres  proposes  to  Eurialus  to  carry  her  off  with  him.     He  how- 

^  Kynge  leaves  out  '  her.'  -  as,  Eynge.  thoucher,  Eynge. 


XI l^.  Lucres  and  Eurialus.     XV.  VirgiVs  Life.         xli 

ever  declines  to  face  the  scandal  and  danger  of  this,  hoping  to  be 

able  to  come  back  to  her  soon.     But  the  separation  makes  hira 

fall  ill ;  and  when  he  does  get  back  to  Sienna,  he  can  only  see 

Lucres  from  the  street,  and  write  letters  to  her.    She  shortly  dies 

of  grief ;  he  loses  all  pleasure  in  life, 

&  yet,  though  the  Emperour  gaue  hyta  in  mariage  a  right  nohle  and 
excellente  Ladye,  yet  he  neuer  enioicd  after,  but  in  conclusj'on  pitifully  wasted 
his  painful  lyfe. 

The  fruitless  attempt  of  another  knight,  Pacorus,  to  make  love 
to  Lucres,  is  told  in  the  little  book,  which  shows  how  corrupt  and 
false  the  ideas  on  love  of  Italian  gentlemen  and  ladies  of  the  time 
must  have  been.i  Two  extracts  from  the  book,  on  Italian  women, 
and  servants,  are  given  in  the  Notes  to  my  edition  of  Andrew 
Boorde's  Introduction  and  Dyetary  etc.  for  the  Early  English  Text 
Society,  Extra  Series,  1870. 

"We  are  also  indebted  to  another  original  of  Pope  Pius  II. 's  for 
another  English  translation : 

'  Here  begynneth  the  Eglogues  of  Alexander  Barclay,  preest, 
whereof  the  fyrst  thre  conteyneth  the  myseryes  of  courters  and 
courtes,  of  all  pryuces  in  generall.  The  matter  wherof  was  trans- 
lated into  Englyshe  by  the  sayd  Alexander,  in  fourme  of  Dialoges, 
out  of  a  boke  named  in  Latin  Miseria  curialimn,  compyled  by 
^neas  Silvius,  Poete  and  Oratour,  whiche  after  was  Pope  of 
Rome,  and  named  Pius.'  Colophon  :  '  Thus  endeth  the  fourthe 
Eglogge  of  Alexandre  Barcley,  conteyning  the  manors  of  riche 
men  anenst  poetes  and  other  clerkes.  Emprinted  by  Kicharde 
Pynson,  printer  to  the  kyiiges  noble  grace.'  4to,  black  letter,  22 
leaves,  with  woodcuts. 

XV.  VirgiVs  Life.  Not  that  of  the  E,oman  poet  Publius  Vir- 
gilius  Maro,  but  of  his  Middle-Age  representative,  when  he 
(Virgil)  was  turned  into  a  Magician  :  "  This  Boke  treateth  of  the 
Lyfe  of  Virgilius,  and  of  His  Deth,  And  Many  Maruayles  that  he 
dyd  in  hys  Lyfe  Tyme  by  Whychcraffce  and  JSTygramancye  thorough 
the  helpe  of  the  Deuyls  of  Hell.  [Colophon]  Thus  endethe  the 
lyfe  of  Virgilius,  with  many  dyuers  consaytes  that  he  dyd.  Em- 
prynted  in  the  cytie  of  Anwarpe  By  me  Johan  Doesborcke 
dwellynge  at  the  camerporte  [circa  1520]  4to,  30  leaves.     Bod- 

^  A  wife's  brother-in-law,  and  her  husband's  cousin,  both  help  her  to  com- 
mit adiiltery ;  lust,  called  love,  is  held  more  binding  than  marriage ;  women's 
passions  alone  are  their  guide ;  waves  are  watched  like  criminals  ;  and  every 
married  woman  is  fair  game. 


xlii  -  XV.   Virgil's  Life. 

leian  (Douce)" — HazliU}  Another  edition — "  the  booke  of  Vir- 
gil! " — was  licensed  to  William  Coplande  in  1561-2,'^  and  is  no 
doubt  the  incomplete  copy  among  Grarrick's  books  in  the  British 
Museum.  Mr.  Thorns  says  that  this  edition  is  so  imperfect  that 
he  couldn't  reprint  it,  and  he  had  therefore  to  take  Mr.  Utterson's 
reprint  of  Doesborcke's,  which  was  of  course  more  handy,  and 
saved  trouble.  This  {Tlioms,  ii.  21-59)  tells  us  that  Virgilius 
was  the  son  of  a  '  knyght  of  Champanien '  and  the  daughter  of  a 
Eoman  Senator,  and  was  born  in  the  days  of  the  grandson  of 
Eemus,  whose  father  slew  his  uncle  Romulus.  The  boy  learnt 
necromancy  from  books  which  he  was  shown  by  a  devil,  who 
wriggled  out  of  a  hole  in  a  hill  when  Virgil  pulled  out  a  board 
there.  The  devil  had  been  conjured  and  shut  up  there,  out  of  a 
man's  body,  till  the  Judgment-day ;  and  Virgil,  having  got  his 
books,  bet  the  Devil  he  couldn't  wriggle  into  the  hole  again. 
But  the  Devil  did  it,  and  then  Virgil  shut  him  up  again.  Virgil 
then  taught  at  Tolenten,  came  to  Rome  to  recover  his  heritage, 
which  he  did  by  miraculous  magic,  shutting  up  his  castle  and 
lands  in  fixed  air,  making  the  Emperor  Perseydes  and  his  army 
lift  their  feet  up  and  down  in  the  same  place  for  a  day,  etc. 
Then  he  made  love  to  the  fairest  lady  in  E-orae,  and  was  by  her 
hung  out — like  Hippocras  (see  my  haint  GraaT) — in  a  basket 
half-way  up  her  tower,  for  which  he  revenged  himself  by  making 
the  angle  between  her  legs,  she  being  set  on  a  scaffold,  the  only 
place  where  a  light  could  be  got  for  3  days  in  E-ome.  Then  he 
married  a  wife  ;  then  he  made  a  set  of  idols  for  all  the  countries 
subject  to  Rome,  so  that  when  any  of  the  countries  were  going  to 
rebel,  its  idol  rang  a  bell,  and  gave  the  Senators  notice.  Then  be 
made  a  copper  horse,  man,  and  dogs,  to  hunt  and  kill  all  the 
thieves  and  night-walkers  in  Roiue ;  then  an  ever-burning  lamp  ; 
then  the  goodliest  orchard  in  the  world ;  then  an  image  that 
deprived  of  lust  every  woman  that  lookt  at  it,  which  Virgil's  wife, 
at  the  Eoman  women's  request,  twice  cast  down,  for  which  Virgil 
hated  her,  and  left  the  women  to  work  their  will.  Then  he 
indulged  in  the  Sedan's  daughter,  whom  he  carried  oft'  by  a  bridge 
of  air ;  and,  when  caught  on  his  second  visit,  delivered  himself  by 
magic,  carried  the  lady  away,  and  built  Naples  for  her ;  *  and  the 
fundacyon  of  it  was  of  egges.'     Then   the   Emperor  of   Eome 

^  This  was  reprinted  by  Utterson,  and  for  Pickering  in  1827,  in  Mr.  TJioms's 
Early  Prose  Romances,  a  work  revised  and  reprinted  in  1858. 
'  Stationers'  Kegister  A,  leaf  73  back;  Collier's  Stat.  Beg.  i.  47, 


XVI.  The  Castle  of  Ladiez.     XVII.  Wido  Edyth.     xliii 

besieged  Naples,  and  Virgil  delivered  it,  and  peopled  it  with 
scholars  and  merchants.  Then  he  made  a  metal  serpent  to  bite 
off  false-swearers'  hands ;  but  an  artful  woman  evaded  the  punish- 
ment, and  Virgil  destroyed  his  serpent.  Lastly,  he  made  a  won- 
derful castle,  and  told  his  man  to  cut  him  in  pieces,  salt  him,  and 
let  oil  drop  from  a  lamp  for  9  days  on  him,  so  that  he  might  get 
young  again.  But  just  before  the  charm  was  completed,  the 
Emperor  killed  the  man  who  lookt  after  the  lamp ;  on  which,  a 
naked  chylde — the  new  Virgil,  underdone,  no  doubt — ran  3  times 
round  the  barrel,  saying  "  cursed  be  the  tyme  that  ye  cam  euer 
here,"  and  vanished  ;  "  and  thus  abyd  Virgilius  in  the  barell,  dead." 
On  the  legend,  Mr.  Thoms's  Introduction,  vol.  ii.  p.  1-17,  may 
be  consulted. 

XVI.  The  Castle  of  Ladiez.  "  Here  begynneth  the  Boke  of 
the  Cyte  of  Ladyes  the  which  boke  is  devyded  into  iii  partes. 
The  fyrst  parte  telleth  how  &  by  whom  the  wall  &  the  cloystre 
about  the  Cyte  was  made.  The  seconde  parte  telleth  how  &  by 
whom  the  Cyte  was  buylded  within  &  peopled.  The  thyrde 
parte  telleth  how  &  by  whom  the  hygh  battylments  of  the  towres 
were  parfytely  made"  &c.  No  place  or  date.  ^to.  Dibdin 
{Ames  ii.  378)  calls  the  copy  he  saw,  a  very  '  curious  and  amusing 
volume,'  says  that  it's  in  Corpus  Christi  College,  Oxford,  and 
gives  an  extract  from  the  first  chapter  which  doesn't  show  the 
character  of  the  book  at  all.  Mr.  Hy.  Huth  has  another  copy  of 
the  book,  which  was  originally  in  Mr.  F.  S.  Ellis's  hands,  incom- 
plete, but  Mr.  Lily  completed  it  by  a  facsimile  page.  Mr.  Huth 
is  unluckily  in  the  country  when  this  sheet  goes  to  press  ;  but  on 
his  return  he  will  enable  me  to  report  on  the  book  and  its  story 
in  my  Notes,  and  settle  whether  Laneham's  Castle  of  Ladiez  is  this 
Cyte  of  Ladyes.  If  it  is  not,  the  Castle  is  not  now  known  to  biblio- 
graphers. 

XVII.  The  Wido  Edyth.  Of  this,  before  Laneham's  time,  we 
know  two  editions,  1.  John  Eastell's  in  1525,  '  Enprynted  at 
London  at  the  sygne  of  y^  Meremaid  at  Polls  gate  next  to  Chepe 
syde  The  yere  of  our  Lord.  M.  V.  C.  XXV.  The  xxiii.  day  of 
March,'  of  which  a  copy  is  at  Wentworth,^ 

"  The  Widow  Edyth.     XII  mery  gestys  of  one  called  Edyth 

The  lying  Wydow  whych  yet  still  lyueth." 

^  Of  this  edition  not  more  than  3  copies  axe  known.  It  extends  to  sign. 
D.  iii.     Hazlitt's  Jest  Books,  3rd  series,  p.  28. 


xliv  -        XV  11.  The.,  Wido  Edijth. 

2.  Eicharde  Johnes's :  "  XII  mery  Jests  of  the  wyddow  Edyth. 
1573 :"  and  this  gives  the  supposed  author's  name  "  Finis,  by 
"Walter  Smith."  Copies  are  in  the  Bodleian,  and  in  Mr.  Hy. 
Huth's  library.  Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt  reprinted  the  1573  edition 
in  his  capital  collection  of  Early  Jestbooks  1860,  3rd  series,  p.  27. 
The  Jests  are  anecdotes  of  how  "Widow  Edyth  cheated  people  by 
representing  herself  to  be  a  rich  widow  ;  and  the  poem  is  written 
by  one  Walter  Smith, — seemingly  a  servant  of  Sir  Thomas  More's 
at  Chelsea — one  of  her  lovers.  The  list  of  the  Twelve  Jests  from 
Mr.  Hazlitt's  reprint  will  be,  perhaps,  enough  account  of  the 
book: 

The  first  mery  Jest  declareth,  how  this,  faire  and  merye  Mayden 
Edith  was  maryed  to  one  Thomas  Ellys,  and  how  she  ran  away 
with  another,  by  whom  she  had  a  bastard  Doughter,  and  how  she 
deceiued  a  G-entleman,  bearynge  him  in  hand  how  her  Doughter 
was  Heire  to  faire  Landes  and  great  Rich  esse. 

The  second  mery  Jest :  how  this  lying  Edyth  made  a  poore  man 
to  vnthatch  his  House,  bearyng  him  in  hand  that  she  wold  couer 
it  with  Lead:  and  how  she  deceiued  a  Barbour,  makyng  him 
beleue  she  was  a  widow,  and  had  great  aboundance  of  Gooddes. 

The  thyrd  mery  Jest:  how  this  wydow  Edyth  deceiued  her 
IToste  at  Hormynger,  and  her  Hoste  at  Brandonfery,  and  borowed 
money  of  them  both,  and  also  one  mayster  Guy,  of  whome  she 
borrowed  iiii.  Marke. 

The  fourth  mery  Jest,  how  this  wydow  Edith  deceiued  a  Doctor 
of  diuinitie,  at  S.  Thomas  of  Akers  in  London,  of  v.  IS'obles  he 
layd  out  for  her,  and  how  she  gaue  hym  the  slyp. 

The  fifth  merye  Jest :  how  this  wydow  Edyth  deceiued  a  man 
and  his  wife  that  were  ryding  on  Pylgremage,  of  iiii  Nobles  that 
they  laid  out  for  her;  and  how  she  deceiued  a  acriuener  in  Lon- 
don, whose  name  was  M.  Eowse. 

The  sixt  merye  Jest :  how  this  wydowe  Edyth  deceiued  a  Draper 
in  London  of  a  new  Gowne  and  a  new  Kyrtell ;  and  how  she  sent 
hym  for  a  Nest  of  Gobblets  and  other  Plate  to  that  scriueuer 
whome  she  had  deceiued  afore. 

The  vii  mery  Jest :  how  she  deceiued  a  seruant  of  Sir  Thomas 
Neuells,  who  in  hope  to  haue  her  in  Mariage,  with  al  her  great 
richesse,  kepte  her  company  tyl  al  his  money  was  spent  j  and  then 
she  tooke  her  flight,  and  forsooke  him. 

The  eight  mery  Jest :  how  this  wydow  Edyth  deceyued  a  ser- 


XV 11.  The  Wido  Edyth.  xlv 

uaunt  of  the  Bysshop  of  Eochesters,  with  her  coggynge,  and 
boastynge  of  her  great  Eichesse;  who  like  wise  tliought  to  liaue 
had  her  in  Maryage. 

The  ix  mery  Jest :  how  she  deceived  a  Lord,  sow-tyme  Earle  of 
Arm?dell :  and  how  he  sent  v.  of  his  men  seruantes  and  a  hand- 
maid to  here  her  company,  and  fetch  her  Daughter,  who,  as  she 
boasted,  was  an  Heire  of  great  Landes. 

The  tenth  merye  Jest :  how  she  deceiued  three  youg  men  of 
Chelsey,  that  were  seruantes  to  Syr  Thomas  More,  and  were 
all  three  suters  vnto  her  for  Maryage  :  and  what  mischaunce 
happened  vnto  her. 

The  xi.  mery  Jest :  how  she  deceiued  three  yong  men  of  the 
Lord  Legates  seruants,  with  her  great  liyng,  crakyng,  and  boastyng 
of  her  great  Treasure  and  Jueiles. 

The  xii.  merye  Jest:  how  this  wydow  Edyth  deceyued  the  good 
man  of  the  three  Cuppes  in  Holburne,  and  one  John  Cotes  :  and 
how  they  both  ryd  with  her  to  S.  Albans  to  ouersee  her  houses 
and  landes :  and  how  thei  were  rewarded  [or  sold,  and  had  to  ride 
back  to  London,  the  widow  having  slipt  away  from  them  :  "  God 
saue  the  Wydow,  where  euer  she  wende !"  says  the  forgiving 
Smith  in  his  last  line]. 

Walter  Smith,  the  writer  of  the  poem,  comes-in  in  'the  Tenth 
mery  Jest  '  (p.  75).  The  widow,  after  takiug-in  the  Earl  of 
Arundel,  stops  at  Elthain  for  3  weeks  and  a  day,  then  walks  to 
a  thorp  [village]  called  Batersay,  takes  a  wherry,  and  is  rowed 
over  to  Chelsea,  where  she  is  housed  at  Sir  Thomas  More's. 
There  she  boasts  so  of  her  property  at  Eltham — 2  worsted  looms, 
2  mills,  a  brewery,  4  plows,  15  men-servants,  7  maids,  etc.  etc. — 

'  That  three  yong  men  she  cast  in  a  heat. 
Which  seruants  were  in  the  same  place, 
And  all  they  woed  her  a  good  jaace.' 

The  first  was  Thomas  Croxton,  servant  to  Master  Alengton ;  the 
second  Thomas  Arthur,  servant  to  Master  Eoper — Sir  Thomas 
More's  son-in-law ;  and  the  third  was  Walter  Smith,  who  dwelt 
at  Chelsea.  After  the  widow  has  gammoned  Croxton  and  Arthur, 
Smith  meets  her  in  the  cloister,  takes  her  in  his  arms,  kisses  her, 
and  tells  her  how  he  loves  her.  She  says  she  loves  him,  and  that 
when  she  comes  to  Chelsea  again,  she'll  bring  him  a  crucifix  of 
pure  gold  as  a  remembrance  of  her ; 

Tha«  Wa[l]ter  stode  on  tipto,  and  gan  him  self  avance  ; 
"  I  thank  you,"  quod  he,  "  enen  with  all  my  hart." 
He  kissed  her  deliciously,  and  then  dyd  depart. 


xlvi  XVIII.   The  King  and  the  Tanner. 

She  comes  back  to  Chelsea  the  same  night;  but  by  then,  Thomas 
Arthur  has  found  out  what  an  impostor  she  is  ;  and  they  play  her 
a  trick,  put  '  Pouder  Sinipari '  in  her  food,  give  her  a  violent 
purging,  and  then  get  her  put  in  jail  for  3  weeks, 

XVIII.  The  King  and  the  Tanner.  The  notice  of  the  earliest 
printed  edition  of  this  short  story  is  in  the  Stationers'  Register  A, 
leaf  116  back,  (Collier,  i.  99) 

W  greffeth  Eeceaved  of  William  greffeth,  for  his  lycense  for  pryntinge  of  a 
boke  intituled  "  the  story  of  kynge  henry  the  iiij'*"  and  the  Tanner 
of  tamworth  " iiij** 

But  no  copy  of  this  is  now  known.  The  earliest  printed  copy  we 
know  is  that  by  Danter  in  1596,  which  Percy  cookt  sadly  in  his 
Beliques,  ii.  91,  ed.  1812,  where  it  is  called  ''  A  merry,  pleasant 
and  delectable  history  between  King  Edward  the  Fourth  and  a 
Tanner  of  Tamworth."  Heywood  also  took  Edward  as  the  hero 
of  the  ballad,  and  used  its  incidents  in  his  Edward  the  Fourth, 
Shakespere  Society,  1842  {Collier).  The  earliest  copy  of  the 
ballad  known  to  us  is  a  strongly  provincial  one  in  the  MS.  More 
Ee,  4,  35,  in  the  University  Library,  Cambridge,  which  has  been 
printed  by  Eitson  in  his  Pieces  of  Ancient  Popular  Poetry,  1791, 
and  by  Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt  in  his  Select  Remains  of  the  Early 
Popular  Poetry  of  England,  1864,  i.  1,  as  "  The  King  and  the 
Barker."  It  does  not  name  its  king,  and  makes  its  tanner  one  of 
'  Dantre '  or  Daventry  in  Warwickshire,  but  tells  the  same  story  as 
Danter's  copy  of  1596  :  '  The  kyng '  overtakes  a  tanner  riding  a 
cob,  and  sitting  on  a  lot  of  black  cow  hides  ;  the  tanner  takes  the 
king  for  a  thriftless  scamp,  and  then  for  a  thief,  when  he  sees  the 
king's  men ;  but  they  talk  together,  and  when  Lord  Basset  kneels 
to  the  king,  the  tanner  is  afraid  for  his  life.  Then  the  king  changes 
his  high  horse  for  the  tanner's  low  one,  to  go  hunting  under  the 
branches ;  the  tanner  puts  his  cowhides  on  the  king's  saddle,  their 
horns  prick  the  horse,  and  he  breaks  the  tanner's  head  against 
the  bough  of  an  oak.  The  king  laughs ;  they  change  horses 
again  ;  the  tanner  promises  the  king  a  drink  the  next  time  they 
meet  in  Daintry,  and  the  king  gives  him  a  hundred  shillings. 

Ballads  and  stories  of  like  kind  to  this  are  '  John  de  Reeve ' 
and  the  '  Kinge  and  Miller '  in  the  Percy  Folio  Ballads  and  Ro- 
mances, vol.  ii.  147,  559,  '  Rauf  Coilzear,'  '  King  Edward  and  the 
Shepherd,'  '  The  King  and  the  Hermit,'  etc.  In  the  East  as  well 
as  the  West,  the  subject  of  kings  mixing  familiarly  with  their 


XIX.  Frier  Rous.  xlvii 

poor  subjects  has  been  popular ;  Haroun-al-Rasehid,  as  well  as 
King  Alfred,  is  an  instance  of  it.  See  Percy's  and  Prof.  Child's 
introductions  to  '  Edw.  IV.  and  the  Tanner  of  Tamworth,'  etc. 

XIX.  M-ier  Boiis.  No  copy  of  this  book  is  known  before  1620, 
but  Collier,  i.  199,  gives  this  entry  from  the  Stationers'  Register  A 
(on  leaf  179,) 

Aide     Pj  of  John  Aide,  for  liis  lycense  for  pryntinge  of  a  boke  intituled 
"  Freer  Russhe  " iiij'' 

As  John  Aide's  son  Edward  issued  the  edition  of  1020,  which  is  re- 
printed in  Thoms's  Early  Prose  Romances,  vol.  i.  p.  261,  ed.  1858, 
it  is  probable  that  the  later  edition  did  not  differ  much  from  the 
one  that  Captain  Cox  read.  "  The  Historic  of  Frier  Rush  :  How 
he  came  To  A  House  of  Religion  to  Seeke  Service,  and  Being 
Entertained  by  The  Priour,  was  Eirst  made  Under  Cooke.  Being 
EuU  of  Pleasant  Mirth  and  Delight  for  Young  People,"  tells 
how  Rush  (or  Puck,  or  Robin  Goodfellow,)  is  '  a  divell '  sent  by 
Belphegor,  Asmodeus,  and  Beelzebub,  as  a  servant  into  a  Monas- 
tery, where  he  brings  to  the  Prior  a  fair  young  gentlewoman,  and 
to  all  the  monks  the  women  they  most  desire ;  throws  the 
Cook  into  a  kettle  of  boiling  water,  for  beating  him  ;  gives  the 
friars  bacon  in  their  pottage  on  fast-days  ;  makes  truncheons  for 
them  and  sets  them  all  by  the  ears,  so  that  they  have  a  regular 
fight,  ending  with  broken  heads,  arms,  and  legs ;  puts  tar  instead 
of  grease  to  the  Prior's  waggon-  (or  carriage-)  wheels,  makes  him 
pay  for  wine  he  doesn't  drink ;  breaks  the  dormitory  stairs,  so 
that  all  the  friars  come  tumbling  on  one  another  as  they  go  to 
matins  ;  and  cuts  a  farmer's  cow  in  two,  and  cooks  one  half  for 
the  friars.  Then  comes  the  old  episode  of  the  Devils  meeting 
and  reporting  their  deeds,  and  he  who's  made  the  Religious  sin, 
getting  highest  praise^  :  but  the  farmer  overhears  the  reports,  tells 
the  Prior  that  Rush  is  a  devil,  and  he  is  accordingly  turned  out. 
He  turns  better ;  goes  as  servant  to  a  husbandman  whose  wife  is 
unfaithful  with  the  Priest ;  and  then  catches  the  Priest  hidden, 
first  in  a  chest,  afterwards  in  some  straw,  and  lastly  in  a  basket 
hung  up  by  a  rope.  Rush  throws  the  Priest  on  the  dunghill, 
whacks  him,  drags  him  through  a  pool,  and  through  the  town,  at 
his  horse's  tail.  He  does  the  husbandman's  heavy  work  in  a 
trice  ;  gets  another  devil  conjured  out  of  a  girl's  body  by  his  friend 

'  See  K.  Brunne's  Eandlyng  Synne,  Dan  Michel's  Ayenbite  of  Inwyt^  etc. 


xlviii  XIX.  Frier  Rous.     XX,  Howleglas. 

the  Prior,  carries  a  load  of  lead  up  to  the  Prior's  church-roof,  flies 
home  with  the  Prior  on  his  back ;  and  then  the  Prior  "  com- 
maunded  him  to  goe  into  an  olde  castle  that  stood  farre  within 
the  forrest,  and  never  more  to  come  out,  but  to  remaine  there  for 
ever.  Prom  which  Devill  and  all  other  Devills,  defend  us  good 
Lord !     Amen !" 

XX.  Soivleglas.  Of  this  work  we  know  of  three  different  edi- 
tions by  Wjllyam  Copland,  though  of  each  only  one  imperfect 
copy  has  survived.  One  copy  has  no  colophon  ;  the  other  two  were 
printed  after  Wyllyam  Coplande  had  left  his  predecessor  Eobert's 
old  house,  the  Kose  Oarland  in  Fletestrete.  The  first  of  these,  that 
in  the  Brit.  Mus.,  was  '  Imprynted  at  London  in  Taraestreto  at  the 
Vintre  on  tlio  three-Craned  Wharfe ;'  the  second,  or  Bodleian  copy, 
was  'Imprinted  at  Lothbury;'  where  W.  Copland  printed  from 
1562-o(see  my  Booi-de  Forewords,  p.  19)  to  1567  (see  above,  p.  xxxix). 
The  earliest  ed.  must  have  borne  date  after  1547  (the  latest  date  of 
Eobert  Coplande's  books)  or  1548  (the  earliest  date  of  Wyllyam 
Coplaude's).  To  Mr.  Collier  is  due  the  credit  of  having  brought  the 
Lothbury  edition  to  public  notice,and  of  having  shown  that  the  Bod- 
leian copy  was  possibly  the  poet  Spenser's,  and  lent  by  him  to  Gra- 
briel  Harvey^  {Bibliographical  CaifaZ.i. 379-381).  The  title  is  "Here 


1  [4°.  Z.  3.  Art.  Seld.  (Bodl.  Libr.)  last  page,  Lack  of  Colophon.] 
This  Howletglasse,  with  Skoggin,  Skelton,  &  L[a]zariIl[o],  giuen  me  at 
London,  of  Mr.  Spensar  /  xx.  Decembris,  1[5]78.  on  condition  [y'  I]  shoold 
bestowe  y^  reading  of  them  ou[er]  before  y^  first  of  January,  j[med]iatly  en- 
suing :  otherwise  to  forfeit  unto  him  mj^  Lucian  jn  fewer  iiolumes.  Where- 
upon I  was  y"^  rather  jmluced  to  trifle  away  so  many  howers,  as  were  jdely 
ouerpassed  jn  running  thorowgh  y^  f[oresai]d  foolish  bookes :  wherein  me- 
thowg[h]t  not  all  fower  togither  seemed  comparable  for  s[utt]le  &  crafty 
feates  with  Jon  Miller  /  whose  witty  shiffces,  &  practises  ar  rep[o]rted 
amongst  Skeltons  Tales.     [Dyce's  Skelton's  Works,  vol.  i,  p.  lx\a.] 

[i«  the  same  hatid,  previous  page^  but  crossed  through  ivith  the  pen  : — "  Skel- 
tons only  Jon  Miller,  worth  all  Howletglasse,  Skoggin,  and  Skelton  besyde."] 
The  book,  says  Mr.  Gr.  Parker,  has  evidently  been  read  through,  as  man}' 
passages  are  underlined,  and  crosses  and  strokes  occm-  in  the  margin  ;  and  in 
the  Table,  at  end,  there  are  lines,  crosses,  and  notes,  all  by  the  same  hand. 
Table.    Thus : — Sow  howleglas  xoold flye  fro  a  house  top.    [j¥"*S'.  note^  Skoggins 
patterne. 
„         after  chapt.  12,  is  added  in  MS. 

A  miracle  upon  y*^  hault,  &  lame.     Ide«i  jn  Mensa  philoso- 
f)hica 
„         on  the  next  page  blynde  \MS.  note]. 

how  howleglas  gaue,  xx,  gyldens  to,  xii,  poore  men  for  Christes 
loue, 
„         next  line  A  great  braggadocia  [MS.  note], 

how  howleglas  feared  his  host  w'  a  dead  imidfe. 


XX.  Howleglas.  xlix 

beginnethe  a  merye  Jeste  of  a  man  called  Howleglas,  and  of  many 
maruelous  thinges  and  Jestes  that  he  dyd  in  his  lyffe  in  Eastlande 
and  in  many  other  places."  The  book  is  sm.  4to,  without  date, 
printed  by  Copland.  2  copies  of  tMs  work  are  in  the  British 
Museum.     Here  are  the  Prologue  and  Contents : — 

The  Prologue. — For  the  great  desyryng  and  praying  of  my  good 
frandes,^ — and  I  the  first  writer  of  this  boke  might  not  denye  them, 
— Thus  haue  I  comp[y]led^  &  gathered  much  knauyshnes  & 
falsnes  of  one  Howleglas,  made  and  done  within  his^  lyfe,  whiche 
Howleglas  dyed  the  yeare  of  our  lorde  God.  M.  CCCC.  &.  L.* 
Nowe  I  desyre  to  be  pardoned  both  before  ghostly  &  worldly, 
afore  highe  &  lowe,  afore  noble  and  vnnoble.  And  right  lowly 
I  requyre  all  those  that  shall  reade  or  heare  this  presewte  leste, 
my  ignorau^ice  to  excuse.  This  fable  is  not  but  only  to  renewe 
the  mindes  of  men  or  women  of  all  degrees  ivom  the  vse  of  sad- 
nesse,  to  passe  the  tyme  with  laughter  or  myrthe,  And  forbecause 
the  simple  knowyng  persones  shuld  beware  if  folkes  can  see. 
Me  thinke  it  is  better  to^  passe  the  tyme  with  suche  a  mery  leste, 
and  laughe  there  at,  and  doo  no  synne,  than  for  to  wepe,  and  do 
synne. 

Contents. — Howe  Howleglas,  as  he  was  borne,  was  christened 
iii.  tymes  vpon  one  day.  How  Howleglas  aunswered  a  man  that 
asked  the  hyghe  waye.  How  that  Howleglas  sat  vpon  his  fathers 
horse,  behynde  hym.  How  Howleglas  fell  fro  the  rope  into  the 
water.  How  Howleglas  mother  learned  hym,  awd  bad  him  go  to  a 
craft.  How  Howleglas  got  bread  for  his  mother.  How  Howle- 
glas was  stolen  out  of  a  bye-hyue  by  nyght.  How  Howleglas  was 
hyred  of  a  pryest.  How  Holeglas  was  made  a  paryshe  clarke. 
How  Howleglas  wold  flye  fro  a  house-top.  How  Howleglas  made 
hymselfe  a  physicion,  and  how  he  begyled  a  doctour  with  hys 
medicines.  How  Holeglas  made  [that]  a  sicke  chylde  shylde 
shyte,  that  afore  myght  not  shyte,  and  howe  he  gat  great  worship 
therof.  How  Howleglas  made  hole  all  the  sycke  folke  that  were 
in  the  hospytall,  where  the  spere  of  our  lord  is.  How  Howleglas 
was  hyred  to  be  a  bakers  seruawt.  How  Howleglas  was  put  in 
wages  with  the  foster  of  Anhalte,  for  to  watche  upon  a  tower  to 
se  wha?t  his  enemies  came,  and  than  for  to  blowe  an  home  to 


frendes,  B.  ^  compled,  A ;  compyled,  B.  ^  dis,  B. 

The  end  of  the  book  says  '  M.  CCC.  &  iyftie.'  «  no,  A ;  to,  B. 


1  XX.  Howleglas.     XXI.  Gargantua. 

warne  them  therof.  How  Howleglas  wan  a  great  deale  of  mony 
wyth  a  poynt  of  foolyshnesse.  How  the  duke  of  Lunenborough 
banyshed  Howleglas  out  of  his  lande.  How  Howleglas  set  his 
hostyse  vpon  the  hoote  asshes  with  her  bare  arce.  How  Howle- 
glas toke  vpon  hym  to  be  a  paynter.  How  Howleglas  had  a  great 
disputacion  with  all  the  douctours  of  Pragem  in  Bemen.  How 
Howleglas  became  a  pardoner.  How  Howleglas  did  eate  for 
money  in  the  towne  Banberbetehe.  How  Howleglas  wewt  to 
E/ome  to  speke  wz't^  the  pope.  How  Howleglas  deceived  iii. 
Jewes  with  durt.  How  Howleglas  had  gotten  the  persons  horse 
by  his  confession.  How  Howleglas  was  hyred  of  a  blacke  smyth. 
How  Howleglas  was  hyred  of  a  shoemaker.  How  Howleglas 
serued  a  tayler.  How  Howleglas  solde  turdes  for  fat.  How 
Howleglas  through  his  subtle  disceytes  deceyued  a  wyne  drawer 
in  Lubeke.  How  Howleglas  became  a  maker  of  Spectacles,  and 
howe  he  could  fynde  no  worke  in  no  lande.  How  Howleglas  was 
hyred  of  a  marchaunt  man  to  be  his  cooke.  How  howleglas  was 
desyred  to  dyner.  How  howleglas  wane  a  piece  of  cloth,  of  a  man 
of  the  country.  How  howleglas  gave  xx.  gyldens  to  .xii.  poore 
mew,  for  Christes  loue.  How  howleglas  feared  his  host  wit7«  a 
dead  woulfe.  How  howleglas  flied  a  hound,  and  gaue  the  skyn  for 
halfe  hys  dynner.  How  howleglas  serued  the  same  hostise  another 
tim[e],  and  laye  on  a  whele.  How  Howleglas  serued  a  holawder 
viith  a  rested  aple.  How  Howleglas  made  a  woman  that  sold 
erthen  pottes  to  smyte  them  all  in  pieces.  How  Howleglas  brake 
the  stayres  that  the  munkes  shulde  come  down  on  to  matyns,  and 
how  thei  fell  downe  into  the  yarde.  How  Howleglas  bought 
creame  of  the  women  of  the  cuntrey  that  brought  it  for  to  sell. 
How  Howlegl[a]s  came  to  a  scholer,  to  make  verses  with  him  to 
the  vse  of  reason.  How  Howleglas  was  secke  at  Molen^,  and  how 
he  dyd  shyte  in  the  poticaries  boxes,  and  was  borne  in  the  holy 
ghoste.  How  Howleglas  deceiued  his  ghostly  father.  How 
Howleglas  made  his  testament.  How  Howleglas  was  buried. 
d  Thus  endeth  the  lyfe  of  Howleglas. 
XXI.  Gargantua.  '  The  History  of  Gargantua,  a  romance  trans- 
lated from  Rabelais,  and  alluded  to  by  Shakespeare.  A  book  entitled 
"  The  History  of  G-aragantua,"  was  entered  on  the  books  of  the 
Stationers'  Company  in  1594,  but  there  was  no  doubt  a  much 
earlier  edition.     The  author  of  Harry  White's  Humour,  1640, 

'  Mr.  Halliwell  prints  '  moten.' 


XXII.  Rubin  Hood.  li 

"  is  of  this  opinion,  that  if  the  histories  of  Garagantua  and  Tom 
Thumbe  be  true,  by  consequence,  Bevis  of  Hampton  and  Scoggin's 
.Tests  must  needes  be  authenticall."  ' — Hallhcell,  p.  14.  Eabelais 
was  born  about  1483 ;  he  began  to  publish  his  G-argantua  and 
Pantagruel  in  parts  in  1535 ;  and  he  died  in  1553,  As  we  have 
no  notice  of  an  English  translation  before  1575,  it  is  possible  that 
Laneham  had  seen  the  French  original  in  his  travels,  and  spoke 
of  that  here,  without  thinking  whether  Captain  Cox  knew  French 
or  not. 

XXII.  Bolin  Hood.  The  entries  before  1575  under  this  head- 
ing in  Mr.  Hazlitt's  Handbook,  are 

1.  A  geste  of  Eobyn  hode.  (A  very  imperfect  copy  of  an  edition 
from  the  press  of  W.  Chepman  and  A.  Myllar,  circa  1508,  in  4to, 
black  letter,  is  in  the  Adv.  Lib.  Edinb.  A  perfect  exemplar  should 
consist  of  —  leaves.) 

2.  (a.)  Here  begynneth  a  lytell  geste  of  Eobyn  hode.  (Colo- 
phon) Explycit.  Kynge  Edwarde  and  Eobyn  Hode  &  Lytell 
Johan.  Enprented  at  London  in  Flete  strete  at  the  sygue  of  the 
sone  By  Wynken  de  Worde.  n.  d.  4to,  32  leaves.  With  a 
woodcut  on  the  title  page,  and  Caxton's  device  at  end.  In  verse. 
Public  Library,  Cambridge  (held  to  be  unique). 

(h.)  A  lytell  Geste,  etc.  4to,  black  letter.  Printed  with  the 
same  types  as  W.  de  Worde's  edits,  of  Meraorare  Novissiraa  and 
Thordynary  of  Christen  men.     Bodleian  (Deuce's  fragm.). 

(In  a  bookseller's  Catalogue  for  1865  were  several  leaves  of  this 
tract,  ascribed  to  Pynson's  press,  but  query.) 

3.  (a.)  A  mery  geste  of  Eobyn  Hoode  and  of  hys  lyfe,  wyth  a 
newe  playe  for  to  be  played  in  Maye  games  very  plesaunte  and 
full  of  pastyme.  (This  title  is  over  a  woodcut  of  Eobin  Hood 
and  Little  John.)  (Colophon)  Thus  endeth  the  play  of  Eobyn 
Hode.  Imprinted  at  London  vpon  the  thre  Crane  Wharfe  by 
wyllyam  Copland,  [ab.  1561.]  4to,  black  letter,  34  leaves,  or  J  2, 
in  fours.  Br.  Museum  (Garrick).  (The  Geste  commences  on  the 
back  of  the  title  page,  thus ;  Here  begynneth  a  lytell  geste  of 
Eobyn  hoode  and  his  mery  men,  and  of  the  proude  shyryfe  of 
Notyngham  :  concluding  on  H  2  recto  with,  '  Thus  endeth  the 
lyfe  of  Eobyn  hode.'  On  H  2  verso  begins  the  Play,  and  occupies 
9  pages,  ending  on  J  2  verso.) 

4.  As    Eobyn  Hood   in   Barnesdale    stood.      (Mentioned   in 

e2 


lii  XXII.  Robin  Hood. 

TTdall's  translation  of '  Erasmi  Apothegmata,'  1542,  but  no  early 
copy  has  yet  been  found.) 

5.  A  ballett  of  Eobyn  hod.    Licensed  to  John  Allde  in  1562-3. 

As  Wyllyam  Copland's  edition  of  the  Meri/  Oeste  and  Flay 
is  the  one  nearest  to  Laneham's  time,  we'll  suppose  that  '  the 
black  Prince'  and  Captain  Cox  had  it,  and  say  what  it  contains. 

The  well-known  Lytell  Geste  tells  in  8  fyttes  how  1.  Kobin, — 
with  Little  John,  Scathelock,  and  Much,  the  miller's  son, — feeds 
and  clothes,  and  lends  £1;00  to,  a  knight  who  is  mourning  for  the 
almost  certain  loss  of  his  lauds,  pledged  for  £400  to  the  Abbot  of 
St.  Mary's,  York,  because  his  son  has  slain  a  Lancashire  knight 
and  a  squire.  2.  The  day  for  redemption  of  the  mortgage 
arrives ;  the  Abbot  makes  sure  of  getting  the  land,  and  has 
bribed  the  Justice  to  take  his  side,  when  the  knight  comes  to  beg 
for  longer  time  to  pay  off  the  mortgage  in,  and  offers  to  serve  the 
Abbot  till  he  cau  repay  him.  The  Abbot  refuses  scornfully,  and 
appeals  to  the  Justice  to  declare  that  the  place  is  his.  On  this 
the  Knight  pulls  out  Robin's  £400,  and  gets  back  his  land.  He 
afterwards  saves  up  the  money,  and  starts  with  100  bowmen, 
carrying  100  bows  etc.  as  a  present,  to  pay  Robin ;  and  on  his 
way  releases  a  strange  archer  at  a  match,  who  has  beaten  all  the 
other  shots,  and  is  to  be  slain  from  envy.  3.  Little  John^  turns 
man-servant  to  the  Sheriff  of  Nottingham,  gets  up  a  row  in  the 
house  because  he  has  to  wait  for  his  dinner,  fights  the  big  cook, 
and  then  persuades  him  to  join  in  robbing  the  Sheriff,  and  going 
off  to  Eobin  Hood.  In  the  forest,  Little  John  finds  the  Sherifi", 
and  by  a  trick  brings  him  to  Robin,  who  makes  him  sleep  in  the 
forest,  and  lets  him  go,  on  his  swearing  never  to  hurt  Robin  or 
his  men.  4.  Little  John,  Much,  and  Scathlock,  take  a  monk  of 
St.  Mary's  Abbey,  Tork,  and  frighten  away  50  of  his  52  followers. 
Robin  gives  the  monk  a  dinner,  and  takes  away  all  his  gold,  £800 
and  more.  Tlie  knight  to  whom  Robin  had  lent  £400,  then 
brings  it  him  back,  with  20  marks  interest,  and  a  present  of  100 
bows  with  arrows,  etc.  Robin  accepts  the  bows,  but  refuses  the 
£400,  as  he's  already  been  paid  by  the  monk  of  St.  Mary's.  He 
then  gives  the  knight  another  £400  for  his  bows.     5.  The  Sheriff" 

1  He  is  represented  in  the  woodcut  on  Copland's  title-page  as  a  fierce  little 
man  in  complete  armour,  with  his  right  hand  on  a  very  big  scimitar,  sheathed, 
and  his  left  hand  carrjang  a  battle-axe  longer  than  himself,  while  Eobin  Hood 
19  a  very  tall  archer,  with  bow,  arrows,  and  feather  to  match. 


XXII.  Robin  Hood.  liii 

of  Nottingham  proclaims  a  shooting-match.  Eobin  wins  the 
prize.  The  Sheriff  tries  to  take  him  and  his  men ;  but  they  make 
good  their  retreat  to   Syr  Eychard-at-the-Lee's  friendly  castle. 

6.  There  the  Sheriff  besets  them,  but  Sir  Eichard  bids  him  off, 
and  says  he'll  answer  to  the  king  for  his  acts.  To  London  the 
Sheriff  goes  ;  and  the  king  promises  him  that  he'll  come  to  Not- 
tingham in  a  fortnight,  and  take  Eobin.  Meantime  the  Sheriff 
waylays  Sir  Eichard  ;  but  his  wife  at  once  tells  Eobin ;  and  he 
overtakes  the  party,  kills   the   Sheriff,  and  frees   Sir   Eichard. 

7.  The  King  comes  to  Nottingham,  finds  all  his  deer  gone,  and  is 
very  wroth,  but  can't  find  Eobin  Hood.  At  last,  drest  like  an 
Abbot  and  monks,  the  king  and  five  of  his  knights  soon  meet 
Eobin,  are  robbed  of  all  their  money,  £40,  and  the  Abbot  (or 
King)  invites  Eobin  to  dine  with  the  King.  Grlad  at  this,  Eobin 
gives  the  Abbot  dinner,  serves  him,  has  a  shooting-match  for  him, 
and  takes  a  buffet  from  him  when  he,  Eobin,  misses  putting  his 
arrow  inside  the  rose-garland  bull's-eye.  Then  Eobin  and  Sir 
Eichard  recognize  the  King;  kneel,  and  crave  pardon,  which  is 
granted.  8.  The  King  gets  Eobin  to  clothe  him  and  his  knights 
in  green ;  they  all  go  together  to  Nottingham,  and  Eobin  stays  at 
court  for  15  months  till  all  his  money's  gone.  Then  he  journeys 
home  to  'Bernysdale'  and  dwells  'in  grene  wode'  twenty-two 
years,  till  the  wicked  Prioress  of  Kyrkesley,  incited  by  Sir  Eoger 
of  Donkestere,  lets  him  blood,  to  his  death. 

The  '  newe  playe  for  to  be  played  in  Maye  games,  very  plesaunte 
and  full  of  pastyme '  as  the  title-page  says,  or  '  verye  proper  to  be 
played  in  Maye  games,'  as  the  heading  on  leaf  H  ii  back  (unsigned) 
has  it,  is  a  dramatization,  with  changes,  of  '  Eobin  Hood  and  Friar 
Tuck,'  and  'Eobin  Hood  and  the  Potter.'  Eitson  says  in  his 
Bolin  Hood  Ballads  that  he  has  reprinted  the  Play  '  in  another 
place.'  Eobin  tells  his  men  how  he  fought  with  a  Friar,  and  the 
Friar  took  his  purse.  "Who  will  go  and  fetch  the  Friar?  Little 
John  volunteers ;  but  Friar  Tuck  appears  ;  and  after  much  mutual 
abuse,  the  Friar  takes  Eobin  on  his  back,  and  throws  him  into  the 
water.  They  fight ;  Eobin  blows  for  his  men ;  the  Friar  whistles 
for  his  men,  not  dogs  : — 

Now  cut  and  bause, 
Bring  forth  the  clubbes  and  staues, 
And  downe  with  those  ragged  knaves, — 

when  Eobin  proposes  to  the  Friar  to  serve  him,  and  have  not 


liv  -  XXII.  Robin  Hood. 

only  golde  and  fee,  but  also  '  a  Lady  free.'  The  lady  or  '  huckle 
duckle '  as  the  Friar  calls  her,  he  eagerly  accepts ;  and  then  comes 
the  second  incident.  Eobin  complains  of  a  proud  Potter  who 
won't  pay  passage-money  for  his  use  of  the  road.  Who'll  make 
him  ?  Little  John  says  that  none  of  'em  can ;  but  Robin  under- 
takes to  do  it.  Then  the  potter's  boy  appears,  and  Robin  smashes 
all  his  pots.  The  Potter  comes  up,  abuses  Eobin,  and  offers  to 
fight  him  with  sword  and  buckler.  Eobin  accepts,  tells  Little 
John 

Be  the  knaue  neuer  so  stoute, 

1  shall  rappe  him  on  the  snoute 
And  put  hym  to  flyghte. 

Thus  endeth  the  play  of  Eobyn  Hode. 

Whether  the  Potter  got  rapt  on  the  snowt,  '  wyllyam  Copland ' 
of  '  the  thre  Crane  wharfe  '  does  not  say ;  but  doubtless  the  play, 
when  acted,  wound  up  with  the  Potter's  beating  and  flight. 

Six  imperfect  versions  of  Eobin  Hood  ballads  differing  some- 
what from  any  others  known  are  in  the  Percy  Folio  Ballads  and 
Romances,  vol.  1,  p.  13-58.  *  Eobin  Hoode  his  Death,'  p.  50,  is 
the  most  important. 

We  know  from  Latimer  and  Stubbes  what  a  hold  the  Eobin 
Hood  games  had  on  the  common  folk  in  their  days.  In  Henry 
the  VIlI's  time  Eobin  was  popular  at  Court  too.  Witness  Hall's 
accounts,  of  which  here  is  one  : — 

"The  kyng,  sone  after  [Henry  VIII,  after  12  Jan.  1509-10] 
came  to  Westminster  with  the  Queue,  and  all  their  train :  And  on 
a  tyme  beyng  there,  his  grace,  therles  of  Essex,  Wilshire,  and 
other  noble  menne,  to  the  number  of  twelue,  came  sodainly  in  a 
mornyng  into  the  Queues  Chambre,  all  appareled  in  shorte  cotes 
of  Kentishe  Kendal,  with  hodes  on  their  heddes,  and  hosen  of  the 
same,  euery  one  of  them  his  bowe  and  arrowes,  and  a  sworde  and 
a  bucklar,  like  outlawes,  or  Bohyn  Hodes  men ;  whereof  the 
Queue,  the  Ladies,  and  al  other  there,  were  abashed,  as  well  for 
the  straunge  sight,  as  also  for  their  sodain  commyng :  and  after 
certain  daunces,  and  pastime  made,  thai  departed."  SalVs 
Chronicle,  p.  513,  ed.  1809.  See  too  the  Maying  of  1515,  when 
the  king's  guard  dressed  up  as  Eobin  Hood  and  his  men,  and  gave 
the  king  and  queen  a  venison  breakfast  at  Shooter's  Hill,  ib. 
p.  582. 

XXIII.  Adam  Bel,  Climofthe  Clough,  and  William  of  Cloudesley. 


XXIII.  Adam  Bel,  Clim  of  the  Clougli,  etc.  Iv 

Of  this  well-known  ballad  on  the  three  bold  outlaws  of  the  north 
we  know  only,  1.  an  early  fragment  which  Mr.  Hazlitt  thinks  was 
printed  by  "Wynkyn  de  Worde  {JE.  Pop.  Poetry,  ii.  132)  and 
which  Mr.  J.  P.  Collier  said  in  1865  was  '  not  long  since  dis- 
covered as  the  fly-leaf  to  another  book '  {Bihl.  Catal.  i.  11)  ;  2.  a 
complete  though  incorrect  edition  among  Garrick'a  books  in  the 
British  Museum, '  Imprinted  at  London  in  Lothburye  by  Wyllyam 
Copland ',  doubtless  after  1561,  though  it  is  not  in  the  Stationers' 
Eegister  A.  But  in  this  MS.,  on  leaf  24,  next  to  an  entry  of  a 
license  to  '  William  Coplande,'  stands,  under  the  year  1557-8, 
this: 

To  John  Kynge,  to  prynte  tHs  boke  Called  Adam  bell  &c. ;  and  for  his  lycense 
he  geveth  to  the  howse [mo  sum.'] 

We  get  a  notice  of  another  edition  (no  doubt)  before  1575'  in 
Eegister  B,  (Collier's  Stat.  Beg.  ii.  155)  by  Awdeley  who  wrote 
the  Praternitye  of  Vacabondes^  and  was  called  John  Sampson,  or 
Awdeley,  or  Sampson  Awdeley. 

[1581-2]  15  January. 

John  Charlwood.  Ed.  of  him,  for  his  lycence  to  printe  theis  Copies  hereafter 
mentioned,  &c.  Copies  which  were  Sampson  Awdeleys,  and  now  lycenced  to 
the  said  John  Charlwood  &c.  .  .  .  Adam  Bell. 

Some  pleasant  talk  and  bibliographical  cram  on  the  ballad  and 
its  subject,  the  reader  will  find  in  Mr.  Hazlitt's  introduction  to  it 
in  Early  Pop.  Poetry,  ii.  131,  and  Mr.  Collier's  Bibl.  Catal.  i.  11, 
while  a  slightly  differing  copy  of  the  ballad  is  in  the  Percy  Folio 
Ballads,  iii.  76-101.  The  story  of  the  ballad  is  so  widely  known 
as  hardly  to  need  mention.  William  Cloudesley  goes  from  the 
green  forest  to  see  his  wife  and  children  in  the  town  :  there  he  is 
betrayed  by  an  old  woman  he  has  kept  for  charity  7  years ;  his 
house  is  burnt,  and  he  taken,  and  condemned  to  die.  Adam  Bell 
and  Clim  of  the  Clough  get  into  the  town,  cut  Cloudesley  loose 
at  the  foot  of  the  gallows,  rescue  him,  and  all  get  away  to  the 
merry  greenwood.  There  Cloudesley  finds  his  wife  and  children  ; 
then  goes  with  his  son  to  London,  and,  by  the  Queen's  interces- 
sion, gains  the  King's  pardon  for  himself  and  his  friends.  But 
afterwards,  when  the  King  hears  of  300  men,  the  Mayor,  Con- 

*  'No  book  with  a  date  being  known  from  Awdeley's  press  after  1576.' 
{Collier's  Stat.  Reg.  ii.  156.) 

°  See  our  edition  of  it,  with  Harman's  Camat,  etc.,  E.  E.  Text  Soc.  Extra 
Series  1869. 


Ivi  XXIV.  Lydgate's  "  Churl  and  the  Burd.'^ 

stables,  Catchpolls,  Bailiffs,  Beadles,  and  Serjeant-at-law,  of  Car- 
lisle, all  slain  by  the  outlaws, — besides  40  of  his  own  foresters, — 
he  regrets  that  he  hasn't  hanged  the  outlaws  all  three.  Cloudesley 
then  beats  all  the  king's  archers,  and,  like  Tell  and  other  mythic 
folk,  splits  an  apple  on  his  son's  head  at  sixscore  paces  with  an 
arrow,  is  made  a  gentleman,  his  wife  chief  gentlewoman  of  the 
Queen's  nursery ;  and  all  the  three  outlaws  live  with  the  King,  and 
die  good  yeomen  all.  Thus  were  the  merry  men  wont  to  '  fleet  the 
time  carelessly,  as  they  did  in  the  golden  world.' 

XXIV.  The  Churl  and  the  Burd.  Of  this  popular  poem  by  Lyd- 
gate  we  have  no  less  than  seven  printed  editions  before  Captain 
Cox's  time,  besides  more  manuscript  copies.  Caxton's  first  edition, 
about  1479,  is  in  the  University  Library,  Cambridge;  his  second, 
about  1480,  is  in  the  York  Chapter  Library,  and  has  been 
reprinted  for  the  Eoxburghe  Club.  "Wynkyn  de  "Worde's  first 
edition  was  printed  in  Caxton's  house,  about  1500  a.d.  ;  his  second 
'  in  the  Fletestrete  in  the  sygne  of  the  Sonne,'  and  a  copy  is  in 
the  University  Libr.  Cambr.  Of  Pynson's  edition  a  copy  is  in  the 
Grenville  collection  in  the  British  Museum.  Johan  Mychell's 
edition  was  '  pri?«ted  at  Canterbury  in  Saynte  Paules  parysshe ' 
about  1540,  and  copies  are  among  Selden's  books  in  the  Bodleian, 
and  at  Bridgewater  House.  Lastly,  Wylliam  Copland's  edition 
was  '  Imprented  at  London  in  Lothburi  ouer  against  Sainct  Mar- 
garytes  church '  after  1561,  and  was  reprinted  by  Ashmole  in  his 
Theatrum  Ohemicum,  1652,  4to.  In  1840  Mr.  Halliwell  printed 
the  poem  from  the  Harl.'  MS.  116,  leaves  146-152,  in  his  Minor 
Poems  of  Dan  John  Lydgate  for  the  Percy  Society,  p.  179-193. 
There  must  be  several  other  MS.  copies  of  it.  The  moral  of  the 
poem,  translated  '  out  of  the  Trenssh,'  and  that  taken  from  the 
Latin,  is,  that  you're  not  to  be  too  fast  to  believe  all  the  tales 
you  hear,  not  to  cry  for  spilt  milk,  and  not  to  covet  what  you 
can't  get.  A  Cliurl  is  very  fond  of  his  garden,  and  adorns  it  with 
trees,  alleys,  a  fountain,  etc.  On  a  laurel  in  its  midst,  a  beautiful 
gold-bright  Bird  sings  often  *a  verray  hevenly  melodye.'  This 
Bird  the  Churl  catches,  and  proposes  to  put  it  in  a  cage  to  sing 
to  him.  But  the  Bird  says  it  can't  sing  in  thraldom,  only  in 
liberty ;  the  Churl' d  better  let  it  go,  and  then  it'll  come  and  sing  to 
him  every  day,  and  will  also  tell  him  '  thre  grete  wysdoms  .  .  .  more 
of  valewe  .  .  .  thane  al  the  golde  that  is  shet  in  [his]  cofre.'  On  this 
the  Churl  sets  the  Bird  free;  and  the  Bird  tells  him  1.  Give  not 


XXIV.  Churl  and  Bu7'd.    X.XV.  SeavenPVise  Masters.     Ivii 

too  hasty  credence  to  every  tale  or  tiding ;  2.  Desire  not  a  tbing 
which  it  is  impossible  to  recover;  3.  'For  tresoure  loste,  maketbi 
never  to  [=too]  gret  sorowe.'  Then  the  Bird  tells  the  Churl 
that  he's  been  a  great  fool  to  free  her,  for  she  has,  inside  her,  a 
wondrous  jagounce  stone  wliich  would  have  made  him  victorious 
in  battle,  given  him  plenty  of  treasure,  kept  him  from  all  hurt, 
made  every  one  love  him,  kept  his  heart  light,  etc.  The  Churl 
believes  it  all,  feels  his  heart  part  in  twain  at  the  treasure  he  has 
thus  lost,  and  bitterly  laments  that  he  has  misst  the  chance  of 
living  like  a  king.  Then  the  Bird  comes  back  and  mocks  him, 
says  it's  all  nonsense,  and  liis  dull  wits  have  forgotten  all  her  3 
wisdoms  ;  she  warned  him  not  to  believe  every  tale  he  heard,  not 
to  sorrow  for  things  suddenly  lost,  not  to  covet  what  he  couldn't 
recover.  He's  broken  all  three  maxims ;  it's  no  good  teaching  a 
churl  terms  of  gentleness;  and  so  she  flies  her  way. 

XXy.  The  Seaven  Wise  Masters.  This  set  of  stories  is  better 
known  to  manuscript  men  by  its  verse  title  of  "  The  Seven  Sages," 
as  Weber  has  printed  it  from  the  incomplete  earliest  English 
text  in  the  Auchinleck  MS.  ab.  1320-80  a.d.,  with  a  head  and 
tail  from  the  later  Cotton  MS.  Galba  E  ix. — '  The  Proces  of  the 
Sevyn  Sages,' — in  his  Metrical  JRomances,  i.  1-153,  and  Mr. 
Thomas  Wright  has  printed  it  from  the  MS.  Dd.  i.  17,  in  the 
Cambridge  University  Library,  for  the  Pei'cy  Society,  1845,  with 
a  separate  long  Introduction,  to  which  I  must  refer  the  reader. 
M.  Paulin  Paris  and  divers  Erench  and  German  critics  have 
written  on  the  subject  since.  The  earliest  English  prose  version 
known  to  us — made  from  the  early  printed  Latin  Historia  Se^tem 
Sapientum" — was  printed  by  Wynkyn  de  Worde  : 

Here  begyimeth.  thystorye  of  y".  \'ii.  Wyse  Maysters  of  rome  conteynyng 
ryght  fayre  &  ryglit  ioyous  narraceons,  &  to  y^  rcder  ryght  delectable.  [Col.] 
Thus  endeth  the  treatyse  of  the  seuen  sages  or  wyse  maysters  of  Rome.  En- 
prented  in  flet  strete  in  y^  sj'g-ne  of  the  sone  by  me  Wynkyn  de  worde.  [circa 
1505.]  4to,  black  letter,  80  leaves.  With  several  page  woodcuts.  Brit. 
Museum.  [HazUtt.)  Incomplete.  One  cut  is  repeated  for  each  Tale  of  the 
Empress,  and  another  cut  for  each  Tale  of  the  Masters  ;  but  it's  a  pretty  book. 

The  next  is  Wyllyam  Copland's  (?  1548-1560)  at  the  sygue  of  the 
Eose  Garland.  Of  two  editions  entered  as  licensed  in  the  Sta- 
tioners' Registers  we  know  no  copy :  1558  a.d.,  If.  31,  "  Thomas 
marshe  /  Thomas  marshe  ys  lycensed  to  prynte  y^  pronostication 

^  make  ye.  ^  Ellis's  Specitnens,  p.  409  (Bohn). 


Iviii  XX  V^.  The  Seaven  Wise  Masters. 

of  Lewes  Vaugban ;  Bevys  of  hiimpton ;  The  vij  wyse  mastev^  of 
Eome.  [etc.]  .  .  .  xxc/."  a.b.  1566,  MS.  leaf  141.  "  purfoote  /  9-  of 
Thomas  purfoote,  for  his  lycense  for  prynting  of  a  boke  intituled 
tlie  vij  masters  of  Eome  &c.  /  .  .  .  vj(?." 

Mr.  Hazlitt  enters  two  early  editions  of  a  poetical  version,  but 
the  second  is  not  noticed  in  the  Stationers'  Register  A,  and  the 
first  is  too  early  for  it : — 

(a.)  "  Sage  and  prudente  Saynges  of  the  Seuen  wyse  Men,  in  English  Verse, 
by  Eobert  Burrant,  with  a  Comment.  Lond.  by  Rich.  Grafton,  1553.  Sm. 
8vo,  black  letter. 

{b.)  Lond.  by  John  Tisdale,  1560.     Sm.  8vo,  black  letter. 

As  Captain  Cox  couldn't  have  had  the  poetical  version  from 
the  MS.  noticed  above,  and  I  don't  know  where  any  copy  of 
Grafton's  or  Tisdale's  edition  is,  we  will  assume  that  the  Captain 
had  the  prose  book,  and  sketch  it  as  well  as  we  can  from  the  im- 
perfect copy  of  "Wynkyn  de  Worde's  edition  in  the  Museum. 

When  the  wife  of  Poncianus,  Emperor  of  Home,  dies,  she  be- 
seeches her  husband  not  to  let  the  2nd  wife  that  he'll  take,  have 
any  control  over  her  son  Dyoclesian'.  She  dies,  and  the  Emperor 
gives  his  boy  over  to  the  care  of  Seven  Wise  Masters,  1.  Pautyllas, 
2.  Lentulus,  3.  Craton,  4.  Malquydrac,  5.  Josephus,  6.  Cleophas, 
7  not  named.  Then,  urged  by  his  lords,  the  Emperor  marries 
again ;  but  his  second  wife  cannot  conceive,  and  therefores  wishes 
and  plots  the  death  of  his  son  Dyoclesian.  {Leaf  B  i.  out.  The 
Empress  gets  the  Emperor  to  send  for  his  son.  The  youth,  after 
16  years'  training,  finds  from  the  stars  that  unless  he  keeps  dumb 
for  7  days,  he'll  be  killed ;)  and  so,  when  Dyoclesian  comes  to 
the  palace,  he  won't  speak  to  his  father.  The  Empress  takes  him 
to  her  room,  says  she  wants  to  have  joy  of  his  person,  and  shows 
him  her  breasts  and  body.  He  rejects  her  advances,  and  she 
screams,  and  declares  he's  tried  to  violate  her.  The  Emperor 
orders  his  son  to  be  hanged,  but  his  lords  persuade  him  to  put 
the  youth  in  prison,  and  have  him  tried.  The  Empress  is  angry  at 
this,  and  by  a  tale  (^Empress  I.)  warns  the  Emperor  that  he'll  meet 
with  the  fate  of  the  burgess  of  E-ome  who  (leaf  B  6  ouf)  had  a  tree 
with  an  '  imp '  or  sucker,  had  the  old  tree  cut  down  to  let  the 
sucker  grow,  and  when  that  was  a  tree,  cut  that  down  too.  Thus 
Dyoclesian  will  cut  down  the  Emperor.  On  this  the  Emperor 
orders  Dyoclesian  to  be  taken  to  execution;  but  as  he's  going 

*  In  Ellis,  the  Emperor  is  Diocletian,  and  the  son  Florentin. 


XXV.  The  Seaven  Wise  Masters.  lix 

there,  Pancyllas  stops  him,  and  tells  the  Emj^eror  a  tale  {Mas- 
ters I.)  of  how  a  wife,  not  looking  under  an  upset  cradle  for  her 
child,  persuaded  her  husband  to  kill  his  best  greyhound,  which  had, 
in  fact,  upset  the  cradle  while  killing  a  serpent  who  was  trying  to 
bite  the  child.  The  Emperor  respites  his  son  for  that  day ;  but 
then  the  Empress  tells  him  another  tale  that  makes  him  order 
his  son's  death  ;  and  the  next  Master  tells  him  another  that  makes 
him  countermand  it.  So  they  go  on  till,  after  the  seven  days, 
Dyoclesian  can  speak,  and  expose  his  step-mother,  who  is  then 
handed  over  to  the  law,  to  be  judged  to  death.  The  tales  or 
*  examples,'  after  the  first  on  each  side  given  above,  are : 

Empress  II.  The  Boar  and  the  Shepherd.  An  Emperor  pro- 
mises his  only  daughter  to  the  man  who'll  kill  a  great  boar.  A 
shepherd  tries  to  do  it,  climbs  up  a  tree,  and  throws  down  fruit  to 
the  boar  which  it  eats  till  it  gets  to  sleep.  Then  the  shepherd  holds 
on  to  the  tree  with  one  hand,  claws  the  boar's  back  with  the  other, 
and  at  last  drives  his  knife  into  its  heart. 

Masters  II.  (leaf  C  6  out.)  The  Susbaiid  out  of  doors.  A 
burgess  of  Rome  marries  a  fair  proud  well-born  girl.  At  nights 
she  leaves  him  when  she  thinks  he's  asleep,  and  goes  to  her  lover. 
jS^ow,  as  the  Roman  watch  take  up  all  persons  found  in  the  streets 
after  curfew,  put  'em  in  prison  for  the  night,  flog  'em,  and  set 
'em  in  the  pillory  next  day,  the  old  husband  one  night  locks  his 
door  while  his  wife's  out,  to  let  her  get  punished.  She  begs  hard 
for  admission,  says  she'll  drown  herself  rather  than  be  shamed, 
and  then  drops  a  big  stone  into  a  well.  The  old  husband,  taken-in 
by  this,  rushes  down-stairs  to  the  well,  lamenting  his  drowned 
wife ;  but  she  slips  in-doors,  locks  the  old  man  out,  and  there  the 
watch  catch  him,  and  give  him  the  customary  punishment. 

Empress  III.  The  Father  murdered  hy  his  son.  A  spendthrift 
knight  gets  his  son  to  help  him  rob  the  Emperor  Octavian's  trea- 
sure, by  digging  a  hole  under  the  tower  it's  kept  in.  To  catch 
the  thief,  the  treasurer  puts  a  vessel  filled  with  pitch  and  gums 
into  the  hole.  Father  and  son  come  again  ;  the  father  falls  into 
the  vessel  up  to  bis  neck,  and  tells  his  son  to  cut  his  head  off",  and 
then  run  home.  The  son  does  this.  To  find  out  the  robber,  the 
father's  dead  body  is  drawn  through  the  streets.  When  his 
daughters  see  it,  they  shriek,  and  the  officers  rusli  up ;  but  the  son 
wounds  his  mouth,  and  declares  his  sisters  shrieked  at  that.  So 
they  avoid  discovery :  the  father's  body  is  hung  up,  and  the  sou 
doesn't  bury  it  or  his  head. 


Ix  XXV.  The  Seaven  Wise  Masters. 

Masters  III.  The  Magpie.  A.  mercbant  has  a  fair  false  wife, 
whose  misdeeds  his  magpie  tells  him,  and  he  upbraids  her  for 
them.  One  time  that  he  is  away,  bis  wife  lets  in  her  lover,  and 
the  Magpie  declares  he'll  tell  his  master.  The  wife  gets  up  a 
ladder  to  the  roof  of  the  bouse,  makes  a  hole  in  it,  and  pours  sand, 
stones,  and  water,  on  the  Magpie.  When  the  merchant  comes 
home,  the  Magpie  tells  him  of  his  wife  having  her  lover  last  night 
when  snow,  hail,  and  rain,  fell  on  the  pie's  back.  The  wife  declares 
it's  all  a  lie ;  the  weather  was  quite  fair.  So  too  say  all  the  neigh- 
bours ;  and  accordingly  the  merchant  wrings  the  Magpie's  neck. 
Then  he  sees  the  ladder,  and  pots  of  sand,  stones,  and  water ;  and 
goes  oiF  sorrowing  to  the  Holy  Land.  [Comp.  Chaucer's  Man- 
ciple's Tale.] 

Empress  IV.^  The  Emperor  [Herowdes,  Ellis]  and  3£erlin. 
An  Emperor  lias  7  wise  Masters  who  make  him  blind  whenever 
lie  goes  out  of  his  palace,  and  who  oppress  his  people,  and  charge 
them  a  florin  apiece  for  every  dream  they  interpret.  At  length 
the  Emperor  threatens  the  7  Masters  with  death  unless  they  cure 
him.  They  can't  do  it,  but,  hearing  a  wise  child,  Merlin,  interpret 
a  dream  truly,  they  take  him  to  the  Emperor.  The  child  orders 
the  Emperor's  bedclothes  etc.  to  be  taken  oft',  and  there  appears  a 
well,  with  7  springs,  which  are  the  7  wise  Masters,  By  Merlin's 
direction,  the  7  Masters'  heads  are  cut  off",  the  springs  and  well 
vanish,  and  tlie  Emperor  regets  his  sight. 

blasters  IV.  The  old  luise  man  loho  Meeds  his  naiighfy  wife. 
A  wise  old  knight  is  persuaded  to  marry  the  fair  young  daiigliter 
of  the  Provost  of  Eome  ;  but  he  lies  too  still  in  bed  for  her,  and 
so  she  resolves  to  have  in  the  Priest,  as  spiritual  men  keep  such 
things  more  secret  than  laymen^.  However,  her  mother  persuades 
her  to  try  her  husband  first,  and  see  whether  he'll  stand  her 
adultery.  So,  she  tries  him  thrice,  1.  she  cuts  down  his  favourite 
tree  in  his  garden,  2.  she  kills  his  favourite  greyhound  before  bis 
eyes,  3.  at  a  feast  they  give  their  friends,  she  pulls  the  tablecloth 
and  everything  on  it,  off"  the  table  on  to  the  ground.  Then  the 
old  knight  tames  her ;  has  a  barber  up,  and  makes  him  bleed  her 
in  both  arms  till  she  thinks  she'll  die ;  when  she  repents,  and 
says 'The  deuyll  may  the  preest  confounde  and  shame.  I  wyl 
neuer  loue  other  but  my  husbonde.'   (See  Le  Menagier,  i.  lGl-5.) 

^  This  is  the  Empress's  6th  tale  in  Ellis. 

"  See  Le  Menagier  de  Paris,  vol.  i.  p.  162  :  "  Mere,"  dit  la  fiUe,  "j'aimeray 
lo  chapeUain  do  ceste  ville,  car  prestres  et  religieux  craingneiit  honte,  et  sont 


XXV.  The  Seaven  Wise  Masters.  Ixi 

Empress  V.  Is  the  story  of  Virgilius  and  his  Images  (above,  p. 
xlii)  or  Cressus,  the  rich  man,  as  Ellis  calls  it :  how  4  knights,  ene- 
mies of  Eome,  persuade  the  Emperor  to  let  them  undermine  Vir- 
gilius'a  tower  and  break  his  images ;  and  how  the  Eomans  pour 
molten  gold  down  the  Emperor's  throat,  and  are  themselves  all  de- 
stroyed by  their  enemies.  Another  short  incident  is,  how  Virgil's 
light,  and  his  hot  and  cold  baths  for  the  citizens,  are  destroyed. 

Masters  V.  Hippocrates  and  his  nephew  (Ellis),  or  Ypocras 
and  Galiemis.  The  famous  physician  Ypocras  has  a  clever  nephew, 
Galienus,  whom  he  teaches,  and  sends  to  the  King  of  Ungary  to 
cure  his  son.  Having  seen  the  child's  urine  and  felt  its  pulse — 
'  tasted  his  pounces ' — Gralienus  says  the  child  is  not  the  King's 
son.  The  Queen  says  it  is,  and  threatens  the  doctor;  but  is  at 
last  obliged  to  confess  that  the  Kyng  of  Burgondyen  is  its  father. 
Then  Galienus  can  prescribe  for  it,  gives  it  '  to  ete,  beef,  or  of  an 
oxe  to  dry«ke,'  cures  it,  goes  home,  and  tells  Ypocras  what  he 
has  done.  The  old  uncle,  filled  with  envy,  gets  Galienus  to  stoop 
to  pick  a  herb,  and  kills  him.  After  that,  Ypocras  falls  sick  unto 
death,  and  dies  because  his  nephew  is  not  there  to  help  him. 

Empress  VI.  The  Emperor  and  his  Steward's  Wife.  A  very 
ugly  Emperor  resolves  to  attack  ]^ome,  and  take  away  the  bodies 
of  Peter  and  Paul.  He  also  wants  a  fair  woman  to  lie  with  him, 
and  offers  his  steward  £1000  to  get  him  one.  The  steward,  to 
get  the  money,  takes  his  own  Wife  to  the  Emperor,  who  likes  her 
so  much  that  he  won't  let  her  go  again ;  and  when  the  Steward 
confesses  she's  his  own  wife,  the  Emperor  banishes  him.  Then 
the  Emperor  proposes  to  attack  Eome,  but  6  of  the  Wise  Masters 
dissuade  him  from  it  for  6  days ;  and  on  the  7th,  the  7th  Master 
clothes  himself  in  a  marvellous  vesture  of  peacocks'  and  other 
birds'  tails,  and  stands  on  the  highest  tower  with  2  bright  swords 
in  his  mouth.  The  Emperor  and  his  host  take  the  Master  for 
'  Jhesus,  the  god  of  y*^  crysten  folke,'  flee,  and  are  nearly  all  killed 
by  the  Eomans. 

Masters  VI.  The  Murderous  Knight  and  his  Wife.  A  poor 
knight  has  a  fair  young  wife  who  sings  well,  and  accepts  the  offers 
of  3  knights  to  give  her  100  florins  each,  and  lie  with  her.  She 
then  persuades  her  husband  to  let  them  in  at  the  gate  one  after 
the  other,  at  difterent  times,  take  their  money,  and  cut  off  their 

plus  secrets.     Je  ne  vouldroie  jamais  amer  un  chevalier,  car  il  se  vanteroit 
plus  tost,  et  gaberoit  de  moy,  et  me  demanderoit  mes  gages  [?]  a  engager." 


Ixii  XXV.  The  Seaven  Wise  Masters. 

heads.  Then  the  trouble  is  to  get  rid  of  the  bodies.  Her  brother 
is  governor  of  the  watch  at  Eome,  and  she  makes  up  a  story  to 
him,  that  her  husband  quarrelled  with  a  friend  and  killed  him. 
The  brother  takes  the  corpse  in  a  sack,  and  throws  it  into  the 
sea.  But  no  sooner  has  he  got  back  to  his  sister's,  than  she  says, 
"  The  knight  you  cast  into  the  sea  has  come  back  again,"  and  so 
she  makes  hira  get  rid  of  the  2nd  corpse,  and  then  the  3rd.  To 
make  sure  of  the  3rd,  her  brother  burns  it;  and  when  he  after- 
wards sees  a  strange  knight  warming  himself  at  the  fire,  he  thinks 
it  is  the  corpse  come  to  life  a  4th  time,  and  therefore  throws  the 
knight  and  his  horse  into  the  fire.  After  a  time  the  wife  and  her 
husband  fall  out,  and  he  smites  her.  She  waxes  angry,  and  says 
'  O  wretche !  wyll  ye  kylle  me  as  ye  haue  done  the  thre 
knyghtes.?"  This  is  over-heard;  and  the  husband  and  wife  are 
found  out,  '  drawen  atte  an  horse  tayll,  and  banged  vppon  the 
galowes.' 

Empress  VII.  The  two  Dreams^,  or  The  King  that  didn't  know 
his  own  Wife.  A  king  loves  his  wife  so,  that  he  locks  her  up  in  a 
strong  castle,  and  keeps  the  key  himself.  She  and  a  knight  in  far 
parts  each  dream  of  the  other,  though  neither  has  seen  that  other. 
The  knight  searches  for,  and  finds,  the  Queen;  she  throws  him  a 
letter ;  he  does  valiant  deeds  at  her  husband's  court,  gets  his  leave 
to  build  a  place  near  his  tower,  and  has  a  secret  passage  made  into 
it.  There  the  Queen  yields  to  him,  and  gives  him  a  ring  that  the 
King  had  given  her.  This  the  king  sees  one  day  ;  and  the  knight 
has  to  sham  ill,  and  get  home  to  the  Queen  and  give  her  back  the 
ring,  to  prevent  being  found  out.  Then  the  knight  first  gets  the 
Queen  to  dress  up  in  foreign  clothes  as  his  love,  and  entertains 
the  king  at  a  feast ;  and  secondly,  the  knight  gets  the  King  to  give 
the  Queen  away  to  him  as  his  bride,  at  his  wedding.  The  wedded 
couple  set  sail ;  and  the  king  discovers  the  trick,  but  too  late. 

Masters  VII.  The  ungrateful  Widow.  A  loving  knight  dies  of 
distress  at  having  accidentally  cut  his  wife's  finger.  She  at  first 
pretends  to  be  very  sorry,  and  refuses  comfort ;  but  afterwards,  to 
make  another  knight  marry  her, — a  sherifi"  who  has  let  some  one 
steal  a  thief's  body  from  the  gallows, — helps  to  take  up  her  hus- 
band's corpse,  and  then  mangles  it  frightfully — knocks  its  teeth 
out,  wounds  its  head,  and  cuts  off  its  ears  and  stones. — Then  she 
claims  fulfilment  of  the  Sheriff''s  promise  to  marry  her  ;  but  he  re- 
*  In  Ellis,  this  is  made  the  Wise  Masters'  7th  story. 


XXV.  The  Seaven  Wise  Masters.  Ixiii 

preaches  her  for  ill-treating  her  first  husband's  corpse,  and  cuts 
her  head  off. 

After  this,  Dyoclesyan  exposes  his  step-mother's  adultery,  and 
her  attempt  to  corrupt  him  ;  she  is  left  to  the  law ;  and  Dyocle- 
syan tells  a  concluding  tale  or  Example : 

Dyoclesyan' s  Tale.  The  Two  Friends :  A  lexander  and  Lodo- 
wyhe}  A  knight  had  a  son  whom  he  gave  up  to  a  master  of  a  far 
country  to  teach.  When  the  son  came  back,  a  nightingale  sang, 
and  the  Father  askt  his  boy  to  tell  him  what  the  bird  said.  '  That 
I  shall  become  a  great  lord ;  my  father  shall  bring  water  to  wash 
my  hands,  and  my  mother  shall  hold  my  towel.'  For  this  the 
father  throws  the  boy  into  the  sea ;  but  he  swims  to  a  land,  is 
pickt  up  by  a  ship,  and  sold  to  a  Duke,  with  whom  he  grows  into 
favour.  Three  Eavens  follow  the  King  of  this  Duke  wherever  he 
goes ;  and  he  offers  his  daughter  and  realm  to  whoever  will  rid 
him  of  the  Eavens.  The  boy  tells  him  that  the  Eavens  have  a 
dispute :  they  are  father,  mother,  and  child.  In  a  time  of  famine, 
the  mother  left  the  child  and  flew  away,  while  the  father  stopt 
with  it  and  fed  it ;  yet  now  the  mother  wants  the  child  ;  so  does 
the  father :  which  is  to  have  it  ?  If  the  King  gives  right  judg- 
ment, the  Eavens  will  trouble  him  no  more.  The  King  gives 
judgment  for  the  Father,  and  is  free  of  his  pests.  The  boy,  Alex- 
ander, stays  with  the  king  (of  Egypt)  for  a  time,  then  goes  to  the 
court  of  the  great  Emperor  Tytus.  There  he  is  made  Carver ; 
and  Lodowyke,  the  king  of  France's  son,  who  is  very  like  Alex- 
ander, but  weaker,  is  made  cupbearer.  Lodowyke  falls  violently 
in  love  with  Florentyne,  Tytus's  daughter ;  and  Alexander  makes 
her  such  rich  presents  for  his  friend,  that  she  lets  Lodowyke  come 
to  her  at  night  whenever  he  likes.  Alexander  is  then  called  home 
by  the  death  of  the  king  of  Egypt,  and  Guydo,  son  of  the  King  of 
Spain,  is  appointed  Carver  in  his  place.  Guydo  soon  finds  out, 
and  tells  the  Emperor  of,  Lodowyke's  tricks  with  his  daughter. 
Lodowyke  denies  them,  and  challenges  Guydo ;  but  as  he  is  weak, 
and  Guydo  strong,  Florentyne  bids  him  go  to  Alexander.  He 
does  so,  and  finds  Alexander  preparing  for  his  marriage,  and 
unable  to  put  it  off;  but  as  Guydo  must  be  fought,  Alexander 
leaves  Lodowyke  to  personate  him,  and  marry  his  bride,  while  he 

'  Compare  the  Prince's  Tale  in  Ellis.  The  present  one  comprises  that  and 
another  old  story. 


Ixiv  XXV.  The  Seaven  Wise  Masters. 

goes  back  to  fight  Guydo.  This  is  done  accordingly.  Alexander, 
after  a  hard  struggle,  cuts  off  Guydo's  head,  and  explains  his 
victory  to  the  Emperor  by  the  fact  that  God  always  favours  the 
innocent.  Lodovryke  marries  Alexander's  bride,  but  lays  a  naked 
sword  between  her  and  himself  at  night.  Then  Alexander  returns, 
and  the  sword  is  no  longer  needed ;  but  his  wife  is  so  indignant 
at  her  supposed  husband's  long  neglect  of  her  charms,  that  she 
gives  her  love  to  another  old  lover,  and  with  him  concocts  a 
poison  for  Alexander,  which  nearly  kills  him,  and  quite  turns  him 
into  a  leper.  Then  they  dethrone  him,  and  he  goes,  as  a  leprous 
beggar,  to  Lodowyke,  who,  by  the  death  of  his  father  and  Tytus, 
has  become  Emperor  of  Eome  and  Erance.  Eor  Alexander's  sake, 
Lodowyke  lets  the  leprous  beggar  eat  before  him,  and  drink  out 
of  his  own  cup ;  and  when  the  beggar  makes  himself  known, 
Lodowyke  treats  him  with  the  greatest  kindness.  It  is  then 
revealed  to  Lodowyke,  that  by  killing  his  twin  sons,  and  washing 
Alexander  in  their  blood,  he  can  cure  him.  Lodowyke  at  once 
cuts  his  boys'  throats,  and  heals  Alexander,  and  then  sends  him 
some  way  off,  that  he  may  come  again  as  a  visitor  to  him.  Eloreu- 
tyne  is  overjoyed  to  see  Alexander;  and  when  Lodowyke  asks 
her  whether,  if  Alexander  had  been  like  the  leprous  beggar,  she'd 
give  her  twins'  lives  to  cure  him,  she  says  '  Tes !  ten  sons  if  I  had 
them.  We  owe  our  lives  and  all  our  happines  to  him !'  Lodo- 
wyke then  tells  her  that  her  boys  are  dead  ;  but  notwithstanding 
they  are  soon  found,  singing  praises  to  the  Virgin,  with  a  gold 
thread  round  their  throats  where  the  knife  cut.  Lodowyke 
restores  Alexander  to  his  kingdom  of  Egypt,  burns  to  powder  his 
wife  and  her  paramour,  and  gives  him  his  own  sister  in  marriage. 
Then  Alexander,  as  King  of  Egypt,  visits  his  father  and  mother; 
his  father  holds  the  basin  and  water  for  him,  and  his  mother  holds 
the  towel ;  on  which  he  reminds  them  of  the  nightingale's  song, 
and  their  son,  who  he  is. 

Dyoclesyan's  father  offers  to  give-up  the  Empire  to  him  ;  but  he 
refuses  it,  helps  his  father  till  he  dies,  and  then  reigns  long  and 
happily.  On  the  history  and  sources  of  this  Eomance  of  the 
Seven  Sages,  see  the  Introduction  to  it  in  Ellis,  the  prehminary 
essay  in  Warton's  History  of  English  Poetry,  Mr.  T.  Wright's 
Preface  or  Essay  for  the  Percy  Society,  M.  Paulin  Paris,  etc.,  on 
the  Erench  Dolopathos,  besides  numerous  Germans. 

XXVI.  The  Wife  Lapt  in  a  Morels  Skin.    This  is  an  interesting 


XXVI.   The  Wife  lapt  in  a  Morels  Skin.  Ixv 

and  amusing  old  poem  on  the  Charming  or  Taming  of  a  Shrew, 
long  before  Shakspere's  famous  play,  of  which  the  quarto  edition 
bears  date  1594.     The  only  old  edition  now  known  is, 

Here  begynneth  a  merry  Jeste  of  a  skrewde  and  curste  Wyfe,  lapped  in 
Morrelles  skin,  for  her  good  behauyour.  Imprinted  at  London  iu  Fleetestrete, 
benethe  the  Conduite,  at  the  signe  of  Saint  John  Euangelist,  by  H.  Jackson. 
(No  date,  4to,  23  leaves.) 

Modern  reprints  are  Mr.  Utterson's  in  his  Select  Pieces  of  Early 
Popular  Poetry,  1817 ;  Mr.  T.  Amyot's  for  the  Shakespeare  So- 
ciety, 1844  ;  Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt's,  in  his  excellent  Early  Popidar 
Poetry,  vol.  iv.  p.  179-226,  a.d.  1866.  The  Poem  tells,  in  1114 
lines,  how  a  good  meek  mnn  had  a  curst  wife — that  is,  one  with 
the  devil's  own  temper — and  two  daughters,  one  meek  like  him- 
self, and  the  other  curst  like  her  mother ;  how  the  meek  daughter 
got  well  married;  and  how,  notwithstanding  the  father's  strong 
warnings,  a  young  man  would  marry  the  curst  daughter.  The 
courtship,  the  getting  the  mother's  consent,  as  well  as  the  girl's 
and  the  father's,  the  wedding-feast,  first  night  and  next  morning, 
are  all  capitally  told.  The  new  couple  begin  business,  and  every- 
thing goes  well  till  the  curst  bride  falls  foul  of  her  husband's  ser- 
vants, and  then,  on  his  reproving  her,  abuses  him  violently.  He, 
much  grieved,  rides  away  to  let  his  wife's  temper  blow  over;  but 
when  he  comes  back,  she  abuses  him  worse  than  before.  So  he 
has  his  blind  old  horse,  Morell,  killed  and  flayed ;  salts  the  skin 
that  it  mayn't  stink,  and  gets  a  stock  of  new  birch  brooms.  Then 
he  asks  her  whether  she  will  be  master :  she  swears  she  will,  and 
hits  him ;  on  which  he  catches  her  up,  and  locks  her  in  the  cellar. 
There  they  have  a  regular  wrestling-match ;  he  throws  her,  tears 
her  smock  off  her  back,  and  lays  into  her  well  with  a  rod  in  each 
hand  till  she  bleeds  freely,  and  swoons.  Then  he  wraps  her  in 
old  Morell's  salted  hide,  which  makes  her  smart ;  and  he  declares 
he'll  keep  her  in  it  all  her  life.  On  this,  she  promises  to  amend, 
and  obey  him ;  and  he  promises  never  to  hurt  her  again.  Her 
sores  are  soon  cured ;  and,  to  test  her,  her  husband  gives  a  feast 
to  his  father-  and  mother-in-law,  and  friends,  and  makes  his  wife 
wait  on  them.  This  she  dutifully  does,  to  her  mother's  great 
disgust.  The  mother  abuses  her  son-in-law  for  his  cruelty,  and 
vows  she'll  see  his  heart's  blood  for  it.  But  he  tells  the  old 
woman  that  if  she  doesn't  keep  quiet,  he'll  make  her  dance  too, 
and  put  her  in  old  Morell's  hide.     She  thinks  he  means  what  he 

/ 


Ixvi  XXYll.  The  Sak  full  0/ Nues. 

says,  and  gets  out  of  the  house  as  soon  as  dinner  is  done.  All  the 
neighbours  hold  that  the  bridegroom  has  done  right ;  and,  says 
the  author  unknown. 

He  that  can  charme  a  shrewde  wyfe 

Better  then  thus, 
Let  him  come  to  me,  and  fetch  ten  pound 

And  a  golden  purse. 

XXVII.  The  Sahfull  ofNuez.  This  story-book  or  jest-book  was 
licensed  to  John  Kynge,  with  two  other  books,  in  1557-8,  "  a 
saeke  full  of  newes"  (Stat.  Eeg.  A,  leaf  22;  Collier,  i.  3).  It 
was  afterwards  Awdeley's,  and  then  licensed  to  John  Charlwood 
on  15  Jan.  1581-2,  and  to  Edward  White  on  5  Sept.  1586  {Collier, 
ii.  155,  215)  but  the  earliest  edition  now  known  is,  says  Mr.  W. 
C.  Hazlitt,  that  of  1673 ;  from  which  Mr.  Halliwell  reprinted  it 
in  1861,  and  Mr.  Hazlitt  also  reprinted  it  in  his  Old  English 
Jest  Boohs,  second  series,  p.  163.  It  is  a  collection  of  22  tales, 
of  which  Mr.  Hazlitt  has  in  his  edition  suppressed  two,  as  being 
too  gross  for  publication.  I  take  a  sample  at  random,  from 
p.  173-4.  "  There  was  a  priest  in  the  country  which  had  christned 
a  child ;  and  when  he  had  christned  it,  he  and  the  dark  were 
bidden  to  the  drinking  that  should  be  there;  and  thither  they 
went  with  other  people ;  and  being  there,  the  priest  drunk,  and 
made  so  merry,  that  he  was  quite  foxed,  and  thought  to  go  home 
before  he  laid  him  down  to  sleep.  But  having  gone  a  little  way, 
he  grew  so  drousie  that  he  could  go  no  further,  but  laid  him  down 
by  a  ditch  side,  so  that  his  feet  did  hang  in  the  water,  and,  lying 
on  his  back,  the  Moon  shined  in  his  face.  Thus  he  lay,  till  the 
rest  of  the  company  came  from  drinking ;  who,  as  they  came  home, 
found  the  priest  lying  as  aforesaid,  and  they  thought  to  get  him 
away ;  but,  do  what  they  could,  he  would  not  rise,  but  said :  '  do 
not  meddle  with  me,  for  I  lie  very  well,  and  will  not  stir  hence 
before  morning :  but,  I  pray,  lay  some  more  cloathes  on  my  feet, 
and  blow  out  the  candle,  and  let  me  lie  and  take  my  rest.'  " 

XXVIII.  The  Seargeaunt  that  hecame  a  Fryar.  This  is  a  jocose 
poem  of  288  lines,  said  to  be  by  Sir  Thomas  More,  and  printed  in 
the  postumous  1557  edition  of  his  English  Worhes.  An  earlier  edi- 
tion of  it,  "  A  mery  Gest  how  a  Sergeaunt  wolde  lerne  to  be  a 
Frere"  was  "Enprynted  at  London  by  me,  Julyan  Notary, 
dwellyng  in  Powlys  churcbe  yarde,  at  the  weste  dore,  at  the  synge 
of  saynt  Marke,"  no  date,  4to,  black  letter,  4  leaves ;  and  another 


XXVIII.  The  Fryar-Seargeaunt.    XXIX.  Skogan.     Ixvii 

edition  was  "  Imprinted  at  London  by  Rycharde  Jhonea,"  also 
without  date,  in  4to,  in  one  little  volume  with,  but  after,  The 
Mylner  of  Abyngdon}  From  this  edition  of  Jhones's,  collated 
with  that  in  Sir  T.  More's  Worhes,  Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt  printed 
the  poem  in  his  Early  Popular  Poetry,  iii.  119-129.  The  moral 
of  the  tale  is,  that  a  man  who  has  been  brought  up  to  one  trade 
shouldn't  take  to  another,  but  stick  to  his  own  business.  A  young 
spendthrift  drinks  away  all  the  money  his  father  has  left  him,  and 
then  borrows  more,  right  and  left,  which  he  squanders  '  in  mirth 
and  play.'  Then  he  goes  to  'Saint  Katherine' — wherever  that  may 
be, — and  defies  his  creditors.  One  of  them  asks  a  Serjeant  how  to 
proceed ;  and  the  Serjeant  undertakes  to  arrest  the  Debtor.  The 
Serjeant  accordingly  disguises  himself  as  a  Friar,  gets  admission 
to  the  Debtor's  room,  and  there  tries  to  arrest  him.  But  the 
Debtor  knocks  the  Serjeant  down,  and  they  have  a  regular  fight. 
At  last  'the  maide  and  wife'  of  the  place  come  up,  and  beat  the 
Friar-Serjeant  about  the  noil  and  crown  '  till  he  was  well  nighe 
slaine.'  Then  they  throw  him  headlong  down  stairs ;  and  the 
author  counsels  every  man,  "  His  own  crafte  use ;  all  newe  re- 
fuse." 

XXIX.  SJcogan.  On  this  old  collection  of  Jests,  which  is  attri- 
buted to  Andrew  Boorde,  I  have  commented  in  my  Forewords  to 
Boorde's  Introduction  and  Dyetary  for  the  Early  English  Text  So- 
ciety's Extra  Series,  1870.  I  do  not  believe  it  to  be  Boorde's  work, 
though  "  many  of  the  Jests  turn  on  doctors  and  medicine  .  .  .  and 
many  are  concerned  with  Oxford  life,  which  we  assume  Boorde  to 
have  passed  through.     Read  the  Prologue  to  the  Jests : 

"  There  is  nothing  beside  the  goodness  of  Ood,  that  preserves 
health  so  much  as  honest  mirth  used  at  dinner  and  supper,  and 
mirth  towards  bed,  as  it  doth  plainly  appear  in  the  Directions  for 
Health :  therefore  considering  this  matter,  that  mirth  is  so  neces- 
sary for  man,  I  publish  this  Book,  named  The  Jests  of  Scogin,  to 
make  men  merry :  for  amongst  divers  other  Books  of  grave  mat- 
ters I  have  made,  my  delight  had  been  to  recreate  my  mind  in 
making  something  merry ;  wherefore  I  do  advertise  every  man,  in 
avoiding  pensiveness,  or  too  much  study  or  melancholy,  to  be 

'  "A  ryght  pleasaunt  and  merye  liistorie  of  the  Mylner  of  Abyngdon,  with 
his  wife,  and  his  fayre  daughter,  and  of  two  pore  scholera  of  Cambridge. 
Where-vnto  is  adioyned  another  merye  jest  of  a  Sargeaunt  that  would  have 
learned  to  be  a  iryar."    4to,  14  leaves.    The  Mylner  is  not  by  Andrew  Boorde. 

/2 


Ixviii  XXIX.  Skoyan. 

merry  with  honesty  in  Grod,  and  for  God,  whom  I  humbly  beseech 
to  send  us  the  mirth  of  Heaven,  Amen. 

"  and  then  compare  it  with  the  extracts  from  Boorde's  Breuiary 
on  Mirth  and  honest  Company,  p.  88,  ete.^;  lastly,  compare  the  first 
Jest  with  Boorde's  chapters  on  Urines  in  his  Extrmiagantes,  and 
remark  the  striking  coincidence  between  the  Jest's  physician 
saying,  '  Ah  ...  a  water  or  urine  is  but  a  strioonpet ;  a  man  may 
be  deceived  in  a  water,'  and  Boorde's  declaring  that  urine  '  is  a 
strumpet  or  an  harlot,  for  it  wyl  lye;  and  the  best  doctour  of 
Phisieke  of  them  all  maye  be  deceyued  in  an  vryne,  and  his  cun- 
nyng  and  learning  not  a  tote  the  worse.'  (JExtrauagantes,  Fol. 
xxi.  back.)" 

"  Scogin's  Jests,  an  idle  thing  unjustly  fathered  upon  Dr.  Boorde, 
have  been  often  printed  in  Duck  Lane,"  says  Anthony  a  Wood, 
Ath.  Oxon,  i  172.  The  first  edition  known  to  us  is  in  the  Bodleian, 
A.D.  1613 ;  the  second  is  in  the  British  Museum :  "  The  first  and 
best  parts  of  Scoggins  lests:  full  of  witty  Mirth  and  pleasant 
Shifts  done  by  him  in  France  and  other  Places ;  being  a  Preser- 
uatiue  against  Melancholy.  Gathered  by  An.  Boord,  Dr  of 
Physicke."  London,  F.  "Williams,  1626.  Lowndes  names  an 
earlier  edition  in  black  letter,  undated.  The  work  was  licensed 
to  Colwel  in  15662  (^Collier's  Stat,  Beg.  i.  120).  We  see  that  Lane- 
ham  doesn't  give  Skoggan  to  "Doctor  Boord,"  as  he  does  the 
Breuiary  of  Health.  "  A.  B."  may  be  Any  Body,  and  some  of 
the  stories  are  old  ones  put  into  Scogin's  mouth,  like  the  following 
from  the  edition  of  1796,  which  is  altered  a  little  from  one  in  The 
Seven  Sages  (No.  XXV,  p.  Ix,  above),  and  Le  Menagier  de  Paris, 
1393,  p.  158-65. 

Soto  Scogin  caused  his  ivife  to  he  let  Hood. 
After  that  Scogin's  wife  had  played  this  prank,  she  used  so  long 
to  go  a  gossiping,  that  if  her  husband  had  spoken  any  word  con- 
trary to  her  mind,  she  would  crow  against  him,  that  all  the  street 
should  ring  of  it.  Scogin  thought  it  was  time  to  break  his  wife 
of  such  matters,  and  said  to  her,  "  I  wish  you  would  take  other 
ways,  or  else  I  will  displease  you."  "Displease  me!"  said  she, 
"beware  that  you  do  not  displease  yourself!"  "yea,"  said  Scogin, 
"  I  will  see  that  one  day,  how  you  will  displease  me :"  she  still  con- 
tinued her  approbrious  words :  at  last,  Scogin  called  her  into  a 

*  Of  my  ed.  of  the  Introduction  and  Dyetary,  -  lb.  p.  31. 


XXIX.  Skogan.     XXX.   Collyn  Clout.  Ixix 

chamber,  and  took  one  of  his  servants  with  him,  and  said  to  her 
"  Dame,  you  have  a  little  hot  and  proud  blood  about  your  heart, 
and  in  your  stomach ;  and  if  it  be  not  let  out,  it  will  infect  you 
and  many  more ;  therefore  be  content ;  there  is  no  remedy  but 
that  blood  must  be  let  out:"  "I  defie  thee,"  said  Scogin's  wife, 
and  was  up  in  the  house  top:  "yea!"  said  he:  "come,"  said 
Scogin  to  his  servant,  "  and  let  us  bind  her  to  this  form."  She 
scratched  and  clawed  them  by  the  faces,  and  spurned  them  with 
her  feet  so  long,  that  she  was  weary :  so  at  the  last  she  was  bound 
hand  and  foot  to  a  form,  "Now,"  said  Scogin  to  his  servant, 
"  go  fetch  a  chyrurgeon,  or  a  barber  that  can  let  blood."  The 
servant  went  and  brought  a  surgeon.  Scogin  said  to  him,  "  sir, 
it  is  so,  that  my  wife  is  mad,  and  doth  rave ;  and  I  have  been  with 
physicians,  and  they  bave  counselled  me  to  let  ber  blood :  she  bath 
infectious  blood  about  the  heart,  and  I  would  have  it  out :" 
"sir,"  said  the  chyrurgeon,  "it  shall  be  done."  Scogin  said, 
"she  is  so  mad,  she  is  bound  to  a  form  ;"  "the  better  for  that," 
said  the  surgeon :  when  Scogin  and  the  surgeon  entered  into  the 
chamber,  she  made  an  exclamation  upon  Scogin.  Then  said 
Scogin,  "  you  may  see  that  my  wife  is  mad ;  I  pray  you  let  her 
bleed  both  in  the  arm  and  the  foot,  and  under  the  tongue:" 
Scogin  and  his  man  held  out  her  arm,  and  they  opened  a  vein 
named  Cardica.  When  she  had  bled  well,  "now  stop  that  vein," 
said  Scogin,  "  and  let  her  blood  under  the  foot."  When  she  saw 
that,  "  sir,  said  she,  forgive  me,  and  I  will  never  displease  you 
hereafter:"  "well,"  said  Scogin,  "if  you  do  so,  then  I  do  think  it 
shall  be  best  for  us  both."  By  this  tale  is  proved,  that  it  is  a 
shrewd  hurt  that  maketh  the  body  fare  the  worse,  and  an  unhappy 
house  where  the  woman  is  master. 

There  are  59  anecdotes  of  Scogin  and  his  tricks  in  the  edition 
of  1796 ;  but  the  one  above  will  perhaps  be  enough  for  the  reader. 

XXX.  Collyn  Clout.  This  is  the  well-known  vigorous  satire  of 
Skelton^,  poet-laureat  to  Henry  VIII,  against  the  pride  and  ill 
deeds  of  Cardinal  Wolsey^,  the  clergy,  monks,  and  friars  ;  the 

^  I  assume  that  it  is  not  Barnes's  skit  against  Andrew  Boorde  for  his  attack 
on  beards, — "  The  treatyse  answerynge  the  boke  of  Berdes,  compyled  by  Collyn 
Clowte,  dedycatyd  to  Bamarde  barber,  dwellyng  in  Banbery  "  (1542  or  1543  ?), 
reprinted  at  the  end  of  my  edition  of  Boorde' s  Introduction  etc.  1870,  p.  305-316. 

2  Skelton's  special  satire  against  Wolsey  is  his  "  Why  come  ye  nat  to  Courte  ?" 
Works,  ed.  Dyce,  ii.  26.  Compare  Eoy's  bitterer  satire  against  the  Cardinal, 
Rede  me  and  be  not  wroth,  1527  ;  and  the  Impeachment  of  Wolsey  in  my  '  Ballads 
from  Manuscripts,'  Pt.  2,  Ballad  Soc.  1871. 


Ixx 


XXX.   Collyn  Clout. 


neglect  of  learning  and  politics  by  the  nobles,  and  the  anti- 
church  and  heretical  spirit  among  the  commonalty.  It  was  edited 
by  Mr.  Dyce  in  his  Poetical  Works  of  John  Skelton,  1843,  vol.  i. 
p.  311-360,  from  three  old  editions,  and  the  only  manuscript 
known,  in  the  Harleian  MS.  2252,  leaf  147.  Here  are  the  open- 
ing lines  from  that  manuscript : — 

Harl.  MS.  2252,  fol.  147. 

quis  rcsurgat  Ad  Malyngnawtes  ?  aut  quis  stabit  mecuw  aduersus 
ope?'aiites  iniquitatow*  ?  nemo,  domme  ! 


Whate  Can  hyt  Avayle 

To  dryve  forthe  A  snayle, 

or  to  make  A  Sayle 

of  an  heryng  tayle  ?  4 

to  Ryme  or  to  Rayle, 

to  -wryte  or  to  endji;e, 

eythyr  for  to  endyte 

or  else  for  to  desyte,  3 

or  bokw  to  compyle 

of  dyvers  man«r  of  style, 

vycts  to  revyle, 

&  syn^  for  to  exile,  12 

To  teche  or  to  preche 

as  Reason  wcldis  reherse  ? 

say  thus  or  say  that, 

hys  hede  ys  so^  fatte,  16 

&  saythe  lie  wott  not  whate, 

nor  wherof  he  spekythe : 

he  Cryethe,  he  Crekji;he, 

he  priethe,  he  pr^kythe,  20 

he  Chydethe,  he  Chate^s, 

he  pz-atythe,  he  patyrs, 

he  Cleteryth,  he  claters, 

he  medelythe,  he  smaters,  24 

he  glosythe,  he  Flatt'rs ; 

or  yf  he  speke  playne, 

Then  he  lackythe  brajTie ; 

he  ys  but  A  foole ;  28 

lett  hym  go  to  scole, 

on  A  iij"  fotyde  stole 

bat  he  may  downe  sytte, 

for  he  lackythe  wytte ;  32 

&  yfi'  )>(ii  he  hytte 


J5^  nayle  on  the  bade, 

hyt  stondythe''  in  no  stede : 

The  devyll,  they  sey,  ys  dede.         36 

hyt  may  so  well«  be. 

or  else  they  wolde  see 

ho)>erwyse,  &  flee 

From  worldly  vanyte,  40 

8c  fowUe  Covetosnes, 

&  h.o\>er  wi-echydnes, 

And  fykylle  falsenes, 

&  varyabulnes  44 

vfith  vnstedfastnes  : 

And  yf  they  stonde  in  dowte 

whoo  browghte  JjiS  Ryme  Abowte, 

My  name  ys  Colyn  Ciowte,  48 

And  [I]  purpose  to  shake  owte 

all  my  Connyng  Bagge, 

lyke  A  clarkely  hagge  ; 

for  thowe  my  Ryme  be  Ragge[d]    52 

Tateryde  &  laggyde, 

Rvdely  Rayne-betyn, 

Rusty  &  mothe-etyn, 

And  yf  thow  take  well  b^t  wythe,   56 

hyt  bathe  in  hyt  se^m  pythe ; 

for,  as  fer  as  I  Can  see, 

hyt  ys  wronge  with  ecbe  degre  ; 

for  the  Temporalte  60 

Accusythe  the  spyrytualte ; 

The  spiritualti  Agayne 

dothe  groge  &  complayne 

vppon  the  Temporall  men  :  64 

Thys,"*  ecbe  with  hothyr  Men, 

\>'^  tone  ayenste  )>at  bother. 

Laymen  say  the  Prelates  are  so  haughty,  they  take  no  heed  to 
feed  their  sheep,  but  only  to  pluck  their  wool.  The  Bishops  per- 
vert justice,  creep  within  noble  walls  to  fatten  their  bodies,  dis- 
dain to  preach,  and  have  little  wit  in  their  heads ;  but  two  or  three 
are  good  men,  though  hen-hearted ;  they  daren't  reform  abuses,  are 

'  The  final  ens  and  ems  have  curls  over  their  backs. 
2  MS.  fo.  3  MS.  stondydytbe.  ^  thus. 


XXX.  Collyn  Clout.  Ixxi 

loth  to  hang  the  bell  round  the  cat's  neck,  and  have  forgotten 
Becket's  example.  Other  spiritual  fathers  hunt,  hawk,  fornicate, 
sell  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  eat  flesh  in  Lent ;  many  are 
'bestiall  and  untaught,'  drunken,  can't  construe  their  lessons, 
haunt  ale-houses,  adulterize  with  women,  can  hardly  read.  Mitres 
are  bought  and  sold,  simony  prevails ;  Bishops  ride  mules  with 
golden  trappings  and  stirrups,  all  richly  clad,  and  grind  poor  Gil 
and  Jack. 

See  what  lies  the  people  tell  of  you  !  Isn't  it  sad  ?  They  say 
you  Clergy  and  Monks  pillage  the  people,  and  pervert  the  laws ; 
that  Abbesses  and  Prioresses  are  as  bad ;  and  that  it's  all  the 
fault  of  the  Bishops,  who  turn  monasteries  into  mills,  and  abbeys 
into  granges,  to  get  money  to  spend  among  wanton  lasses  and 
live  in  luxury.  Except  you  mend,  you'll  have  a  fall ;  sour  sauce 
after  sweet  meat ! 

But  I  must  denounce  also  those  laymen  who  kbour  to  bring 
the  Church  to  the  ground.  Some  argue  against  the  Sacraments, 
Predestination,  Christ's  manhood  &c. ;  and,  when  good  ale's  in 
their  foretop,  rail  against  priestly  dignities.  Some  have  a  smack  of 
Luther's  heresy,  of  Wycliffe's,  of  Huss's ;  and  say  the  clergy  have 
much  ;  also  that  they  can't  keep  their  wives  from  them. 

Isn't  it  too  bad  that  the  laymen  talk  of  how  Prelacy  is  sold  and 
bought ;  how  men  of  low  degree  are  made  prelates,  and  forget  all 
humility  ?  Tes,  you  Prelates  are  so  puft  up  with  pride  that  no  man 
may  abide  you!  you  lord  it  over  lords,  and  those  of  royal  blood  ;  and 
you  boast  and  brag !  If  our  lords  did  but  understand  how  Learn- 
ing would  help  them,  they'd  pipe  you  another  dance !  But  alas, 
they  scorn  Learning,  do  but  hunt  and  hawk^,  care  nothing  for 
politics  ;  and  therefore  have  to  crouch  to  you.  Well  do  the  com- 
monalty call  you  prelates  '  Idols  of  Babylon,'  proud  upstarts  from 
the  dung-cart,  you  who  now  reign  and  rule,  and  late  lay  your  drowsy 
heads  in  lowsy  beds  !  But  mind  your  foot  doesn't  slip,  and  you 
go  to  the  devil !  Ton  are  blinded  by  flatterers !  Why  don't  you 
rouse  yourselves,  and  be  lights  to  the  people  ? 

ISTow,  teaching's  only  to  be  got  from  some  poor  clerk  with  but 
10£  a  year,  or  some  Friar.  And  it's  your  work  ;  you  should  do  it ! 
What  good  can  drunken  old  Doctor  Dawpate  teach,  or  a  Priar 

^  See  my  Forewords  to  the  Bahees  Book,  and  to  Queene  Elizabethes  Acha- 
demy  &c.  Also,  especially,  Starkey's  Dialogue,  Pt.  2,  p.  182-6  (E.  E.  Text  Soc. 
1871  (Extra  Series). 


Ixxii  -  XXX.  CoUyn  Clout. 

that  must  preach  to  get  money,  and  who  sets  people  against  their 
own  clergy  ?  Ton  Bishops  are  so  taiuted  with  covetousness  and 
ambition  that  you  lead  not  your  flocks.  Laymen  call  you  Barrels  of 
Gluttony  and  Hypocrisy  !  All  is  fish  that  comes  to  your  net ! 
Tou  build  fine  palaces,  painted  with  loose  heathen  tales  of  lusty 
Venus  and  naked  Diana,  and  "naked  boyes  strydynge,  with  wanton 
wenches  winkyng."  Tet  [Wolsey !]  beware  of  a  Queen's  yell- 
ing !  It's  a  busy  thing  for  one  man  to  rule  a  King !  (1.  899- 
992).  Some  of  you  have  so  checkmated  great  lords  lately,  that 
the  rest  dare  do  nothing  except  it  please  the  "  one  that  ruleth  the 
roste  alone"  (1.  1021).  No  one  can  get  at  the  King  except 
through  our  President.  But  mind,  man,  you  don't  get  cast  into 
the  mire  !  Seek  sound  footing ;  give  up  at  once  all  your  wrong 
schemes  !  And  don't  murmur  at  me,  Colyn  Clout,  for  my  writing  : 
I  write  not  against  the  good,  but  only  the  bad.  Therefore  let  all, 
clergy  or  lay,  who  feel  my  reproof,  amend.  Don't  be  high  and 
mighty,  and  order  me  off  to  the  Fleet  or  the  Tower  !  Don't  say, 
'  See  how  the  villain  calls  us  Clergy  shameless  and  merciless, 
incorrigible  and  insaciate,  full  of  partiality,  turning  right  into 
wrong!'  Drop  your  threats  of  sawing,  hanging,  slaying,  beating, 
those  who  go  against  your  will,  you  who  will  not 

Nor  of  thejT  noddy  polles, 
Nor  of  theyr  sely  soules, 
Nor  of  some  wytles  pates 
Of  dyuers  great  estates, 
As  well  as  other  men. 

(1.  1239-1249,  Works,  vol.  i.  p.  359.) 


.  .  sufFre  this  hoke 

By  hoke  ne  by  croke 

Prynted  for  to  be^, 

For  that  no  man  shulde  se 

Nor  rede  in  any  scrolles 

Of  thejT  di'onken  nolles, 


May  our  Saviour  Jesus  send  us  grace  to  set  right  the  things 
that  are  amiss,  when  His  pleasure  is  ! 

Southey  has  well  said  of  Skelton  :  "  The  power,  the  strangeness, 
the  volubility  of  his  language,  the  audacity  of  his  satire,  and  the 
perfect  originality  of  his  manner,  made  Skelton  one  of  the  most 
extraordinary  writers  of  any  age  or  country."  His  Colyn  Gloute 
gave  rise,  in  1533  or  1534,  to  even  a  fiercer  diatribe  against  the 
whole  crew  of  Clergy,  Monks,  and  Friars,  The  Image  of  Ypocre- 
sye,  edited  from  the  unique  copy  in  the  Lansdowne  MS  794  by 
Mr.  Dyce  in  his  SJcelton'' s  Poetical  Works  ii.  413,  and  by  me, 
with  an  Introduction,  in  my  Ballads  from  Manuscripts,  Vol.  i. 
p.  167-274  (Ballad  Society  1868). 

^  Some  of  the  allusions  in  the  Poem  may  have  been  introduced  into  it  after 
it  was  first  written. 


XXJi.  Collyn  Clout.     'K'X.Xl.  The  Fryarandthe  Boy.     Ixxiii 

Of  old  printed  editions  of  Coli/n  Cloute,  Mr.  Djce  and  Mr. 
Hazlitt  between  them  note  the  following: — 

q.  1.  "Here  after  foloweth  a  lytell  boke  called  collyn  clout, 
cowzpyled  by  mayster  Skelton,  poete  Laureate. 

Qids  consurgat  milil  adversuxn  malignnntes  cf*c.  Cmn  privilegio 
regali. 

[Colophon]  Imprynted  at  Loudon  by  Thomas  Godfrey.  Cum 
privilegio  regali,"  8vo.  black  letter.  D  in  eights,  the  first  and 
last  leaves  blank  ;  at  Woburn  Abbey,  the  only  copy  known. 

2.  Colophon :  "  Imprinted  at  London  by  me  liycharde  Kele 
dwellyng  in  the  powltry  at  the  long  shop  under  saynt  Myldredes 
chyrche,"  12mo.  no  date.  30  leaves.  Henry  Huth  Esq.  has  a 
copy. 

"  An  edition  by  Kele,  4to.  n.  d.  is  mentioned  in  Tgpogr.  Antiq. 
iv.  305,  ed.  Dibdin  :  but  qy.  ?"  says  Mr.  Dyce. 

3.  Colophon  :  "  Imprinted  at  London  in  Paules  Churche  yarde 
at  the  Sygne  of  the  Rose  by  John  Wyghte,"  12mo,  no  date, 
b.  1.,  D  6  in  eight,  or  30  leaves ;  in  the  British  Museum. 

4.  Col.  "Imprynted  at  London  by  Jhon  Wallye  dwelling  in 
Fosterlane,"  [?  about  1550].  8vo.  b.  1.  30  leaves.  A  copy  without 
the  title-page  was  sold  among  Mr.  JoUey's  books  in  1844. 

5.  a.  Col.  "  Imprynted  at  London  in  Paules  Churche  Yard  at 
the  Sygne  of  the  Sunne  by  Anthony  Kytson."  32  leaves  ;  in  the 
British  Museum. 

b.  Colophon  in  some  copies :—"  Imprynted  at  London  in 
Paules  Churche  yarde  at  the  Sygne  of  the  Lambe  by  Abraham 
Veale."  12mo.  n.  d.  32  leaves,  the  first  and  last  blank  ;  in  the 
British  Museum. 

6.  In  "  Pithy,  pleasaunt,  and  profitable  workes  of  maister  Skel- 
ton, Poete  Laureate.  Nowe  collected  and  nevvly  published.  Anno 
1568.  Imprinted  at  London  in  Pletestreate,  neare  vnto  saint 
Duustones  churche  by  Thomas  Marshe  "  12mo.,  the  15th  piece 
is  "  Colyn  Clout." 

XXXI.  The  Fryar  and  the  Boy.  This  merry  and  most  popular 
poem  has  been  printed  at  least  3  times  in  modern  days  from  Manu- 
scripts :  1  by  Mr.  Thomas  Wright  in  his  series  of  Early  English 
Poems,  1836,  from  a  MS  at  Cambridge ;  2.  by  Mr.  J.  0.  Halliwell 
for  the  Warton  Club  1855,  in.  "  Early  English  Miscellanies  in 
Prose  and  Verse  from  the  Porkington  MS.",  p.  46-62,  in  426 
lines ;  3.  by  Mr.  Hales  and  myself  in  '  Bp.  Percy's  Folio  MS  ; 
Loose  and  Sv/mourous  So7igs,'  p.  9-28  ;  which  is  the  completest 
copy,  though  imperfect,  in  507  lines. 

Of  old  printed  editions  we  have  1.  Wynkyn  de  Worde's,  not 


Ixxiv  XXXI.   The  Fryar  and  the  Boy. 

dated,  in  4to,  black  letter,  7  leaves  :  "  Here  begynneth  a  raery 
G-este  of  the  Frei'e  aud  the  Boye."  This  was  reprinted  by  Mr. 
W,  C,  Hazlitt  in  his  Early  Popidar  Poetry,  ii.  54-81,  with 
collations  from  the  next  edition,  and  contains  480  lines,  in  6-line 
stanzas  up  to  1.  456,  and  in  4-line  stanzas  to  the  end.  2.  Ed- 
ward Allde's  in  4to,  about  1585,  says  Mr.  Hazlitt :  if  so,  after 
Captain  Cox's  time  ;  but  the  two  following  editions,  of  which  no 
copies  have  yet  been  catalogued,  are  licensed  in  the  Stationers' 
Register  A,  leaf  22  ;   Collier,  p.  1 : — 

[1557-8]  To  mr.  Joka  Wally  these  bokes,  called  Weltlie  and  helthe  /  the 
treatise  of  the  ifrere  and  the  boye  /  stans  puer  ad  mensom' ;  a  nother,  youghte, 
charyte,  and  humylyte^ ;  an  a  b  c  for  cheldren,  in  englesshe,  'with  syllabes ; 
also  a  boke  called  an  hundredth  mery  tayles^  .  .  .  ijs. 

[1568-9]  'Received  of  Jonn  Aide  for  his  lycense  for  pryntinge  of  a  boke 
intituled  the  Freer  and  the  boye  .  .  .  iiijd. 

Later,  a  second  Part  was  added  to  the  story,  and  it  became  a 
common  chap-book.  The  reader  should  consult  Mr.  T.  Wright's 
preface  to  his  edition  of  1836,  and  Mr.  W,  C.  Hazlitt's  to  his  of 
1866. 

The  story  of  the  poem  is  one  of  a  boy,  little  Jack,  whom  his 
stepmother  spites.  She  gets  his  father  to  make  him  tend  the 
cattle,  and  gives  him  such  bad  food  that  he  can't  eat  it.  The  boy 
gives  the  food  to  an  old  hungry  man,  and  he  in  return  grants  the 
boy  three  wishes  :  1.  a  Bow  that'll  always  hit  the  mark ;  2.  a  Pipe 
that'll  make  every  one  who  hears  it,  dance ;  3.  that  his  Step- 
mother, whenever  she  looks  spitefully  at  him,  shall  '  a  rap  let  go.' 
At  nightfall  the  cattle  follow  Little  Jack's  pipe;  aud  he  goes 
home,  asks  his  father  for  some  supper,  and  gets  a  capon's  wing, 
at  which  his  stepmother  scowls.  She  '  lets  go  a  blast '  that  makes 
the  people  laugh,  and  another  when  she  scowls  again ;  so  that  she 
has  to  look  good-tempered ;  but  she  asks  a  Friar  whom  she  loves, 
to  revenge  her.  Next  day  the  Friar  goes  to  beat  the  boy ;  but 
Little  Jack  shoots  a  bird  for  him,  and  when  he  goes  into  the 
briars  to  fetch  it.  Jack  pipes  up,  and  makes  the  Friar  dance  till 
he's  scratcht  so  that  he  bleeds  fast.  Then  he  vows  he'll  not 
touch  Jack  if  he'll  stop  the  pipe ;  and  the  boy  lets  him  go  tattered 
and  bleeding  home.  At  night  the  Stepmother  complains  to  Jack's 
father,  and  he  insists  on  hearing  the  Pipe.  The  Friar  is  bound 
to  a  post  to  stop  his  being  obliged  to  dance;   but  when  Jack 

>  See  No.  XXXVIII  below.  «  See  No.  XLVIII  below. 

3  See  No.  XLIH  below. 


X.XX1.  Fryar  a7id  Boy.    liX.X.11.  Elynor  Rumming.     Ixxv 

begins,  the  Friar  knocks  his  pate  against  the  post,  and  Father, 
Stepmother,  and  every  one  near,  dance  through  the  streets,  some 
rushing  naked  out  of  their  beds  to  join  in.  When  Jack's  tired, 
he  stops ;  and  here  the  original  story  ended,  I  believe,  as  the 
Porkington  MS.  does,  with  a  moral ;  but  the  Percy  and  De  Worde 
copies  give  us  a  second  scene,  of  the  Friar  summoning  Jack  before 
the  Official  or  Archdeacon,  for  witchcraft.  The  Stepmother  joins 
in ;  but  '  her  tail  blows,'  and  she  has  to  stand  mute.  Then  the 
Official  orders  Jack  to  play  up ;  which  he  does,  and  a  mad  scene 
follows,- — judge,  proctors,  suramoners,  prisoners,  etc.,  all  dancing 
and  smashing  against  one  another. — At  last,  the  Official  promises 
to  forgive  Jack  if  he'll  stop  his  Pipe,  and  he  does  so. 

XXXII.  Elynor  Bumming.  This  is  a  most  life-like  picture  by 
Skelton  of  a  Surrey  ale-wife  of  the  time  of  Henry  VIII,  and  of  a 
drinking-bout  by  country  women  at  her  inn.  The  coarse  loose 
life  of  the  time  is  painted  with  the  faithfulness  of  a  Dutch  painter, 
and  with  a  most  powerful  and  humourous  hand.  The  scene  is 
laid  by  Skelton  on  a  hill  in  Surrey,  in  a  certain  stead  beside 
Leatherhead ;  but  tradition  has  it,  that  '  Elynour  on  the  hyll ' 
dwelt  at  the  foot  of  glorious  clialk  Boxhill,  on  the  road  from 
Leatherhead  to  Dorking — that  hill  which  we  Sunday  walkers 
from  the  Working  Men's  College  used  to  know  so  well,  in  storm 
of  snow,  fresh  green  of  spring,  parch  of  summer,  and  golden 
stretch  of  autumn  at  its  foot,  with  the  after  tongues  of  flame-red 
leaves  shooting  up  its  dark-green  Burford  sides. — The  place  is 
alive  with  beauties  of  nature,  and  memories  of  distinguished 
men  and  happy  days.  But  it's  a  coarse  picture  that  Skelton  sets 
before  us,  repulsive  to  any  one  who  doesn't  care  to  know  how 
people  really  lived  in  '  the  good  old  times '  when  Mr.  Froude 
tells  us  working  men  were,  in  the  main,  so  much  better  oif  than 
they  are  now. 

Elynour  herself  is  scurvy  and  lowsy,  slaver  running  from 
her  lips,  and  dropping  from  her  nose ;  blear-eyed,  jawed  like  a 
jetty,  footed  like  a  plane,  and  legged  like  a  crane.  Her  customers 
are  no  better  -.  Kate,  Cysly,  and  Sare,  with  their  legs  bare, 
their  feet  full  unsweet,  their  kirtles  all  jagged,  their  smocks  all 
ragged ; 


Some  wenches  come  vnlassd, 
Some  huswyues  come  vnbrased, 
Wyth  tlieyr  naked  pappes, 
Tiiat  flyppes  and  flappcs, 


That  wygges  and  that  wagges 
Lyke  tawny  safiton  bagges ; 
A  sorte  of  fonle  drahhes 
All  scurvy  with  scabhes. 


Ixxvi    XXXll:  Elynor  Rumming.  XXXJIJ.  Nut brooun  Maid. 

The  hogs  come  and  dirt  in  the  house,  the  hens  in  the  mash  tub, 
which  Elynour  skims  with  her  mangy  fists — or  doesn't. — Some 
women  pay  coin  for  their  ale ;  some  a  coney,  or  honey,  a  salt- 
cellar, spoon,  hose,  a  pot,  meal,  a  wedding  ring,  a  husband's  hood 
or  cap,  flax  or  tow,  distaff  or  spinning  wheel,  thread,  yarn,  piece 
of  bacon,  &c. :  all  tmist  have  ale.  Then  they  gossip  and  drink,  let 
it  out  as  they  sit,  etc.  Then  another  and  another  lot  of  women 
come,  who  pledge  all  kinds  of  things  for  ale  ;  then  drink,  and 
tumble  about.  Among  them,  a  pretended  witch,  and  stubby-legd 
Margery  Mylkeducke,  are  described,  and  a  prickmedainty  quiet 
dame  (?  a  nun)  who  pledges  her  beads  for  her  ale  .  .  . 


.  .  .  my  fyngers  ytche  ; 
I  haue  ■written  to  mytche 
Of  this  mad  mununjoige 
Of  Elynour  E-ununynge. 


Thus  endeth  the  gest 
Of  this  worthy  fest, 
Quod  Skelton,  Laureat. 


No  separate  old  printed  edition  of  this  poem  is  known.  It 
occurs  in  a  collection  of  some  of  Skelton's  works : 

1.  "  Here  after  foloweth  certaine  bokes  cowzpyled  by  mayster 
SkeltoM,  Poet  Laureat,  whose  names  here  after  shall  appere. 

Speake  Parot. 

The  death  of  the  noble  Prynce  Kynge  Edwarde  the  fourth. 

A  treatyse  of  the  Scottes. 

Ware  the  Hawke. 

The  Tunnynge  of  Elynoure  Eummyng." 

[And  5  Minor  Poems.] 

Colophon.  "  Thus  endeth  these  lytle  workes  compyled  by 
maister  Skelton,  Poet  Laureat.  Imprynted  at  London,  in  Crede 
Lane,  by  John  Kynge  and  Thomas  Marche."     12mo,  no  date. 

2.  "  Imprynted  at  London  by  Jhou  Day."     12mo,  no  date. 

3.  "  Printed  at  London  by  Richard  Laut,  for  Henry  Tab, 
dwelling  in  Pauls  church-yard,  at  the  sygne  of  Judith."  12mo, 
no  date. 

4.  Mr.  Dyce  says  '  An  edition  printed  for  W.  Bonham,  1547, 
12mo,  is  mentioned  by  Warton,  Sist.  of  U.  Foetry,  ii.  336  (note) 
ed.  4to. 

XXXIII.  The  Nutbrooun  Maid.  '  One  of  the  most  exquisite 
pieces  of  late  Mediaeval  poetry,'  rightly  says  Mr.  Hales  in  the 
Percy  Folio  MS.  Ballads  and  JRoynances,  iii.  174,  where  a  poor 
shortened  copy  of  the  poem  is  printed  in  the  text,  and  a  full  copy, 
from  Eichard  Hill's  MS.  at  Balliol,  in  the  notes. 

In  answer  to  the  reproach  that  women's  love  is  utterly  decayd, 
the  Nutbrown  Maid  records  "  that  they  love  true,  and  doe  con- 


XXXIII.  The  Nutbrooun  Maid.  Ixxvii 

tinue."  Her  Lover — a  squire  of  low  degree — comes  to  her,  a 
Baron's  daughter,  and  tells  her  that  he  is  a  banisht  man ;  he  must 
either  die,  or  take  to  an  outlaw's  life  in  the  greenwood,  alone. 
She  says  '  I  love  but  you  alone.'  He  tells  her  that  she'll  soon  get 
over  it,  and  forget  him  ;  but  she  declares  she  is  ready  to  go  with 
him,  she  loves  but  him  alone.  Then  he  tries  to  dissuade  her :  if 
she  goes,  people  will  say  it's  to  fulfill  her  wanton  will ;  she'll  have 
to  bear  a  bow,  and  live  as  a  thief;  if  he's  hung,  there'll  be  no  one 
to  help  her;  if  not,  she  must  endure  thorns,  snow,  rain,  and  heat, 
lodge  on  the  bare  ground,  get  no  dinner,  ale,  or  wine,  have  no 
sheets  but  leaves  and  boughs ;  must  cut  her  hair  to  her  ears,  and 
her  kirtle  to  her  knees,  and  fight  for  him,  if  need  be.  But  always 
she  says  '  I  love  but  you  alone.'  Then  her  Lover  tries  another 
tack :  women  are  soon  hot,  soon  cold  ;  soon  she'll  change  too. 
Then  what  a  cursed  deed  it  were  for  a  baron's  child  to  be  fellow 
with  an  outlaw.  But  still  she  says  she'll  risk  all  for  him :  '  I  love 
but  you  alone.'  Comes  the  hardest  trial :  the  Lover  says  he  has 
another  fairer  maid  than  she,  whom  he  loves  better.  But  still 
comes  the  sweet  iteration,  '  I  love  but  you  alone ;'  for  his  sake 
she'll  wait  on  paramours,  one  or  a  hundred.  The  proof  is  over ; 
the  Lover  clasps  his  own  dear  love ;  he  is  no  banisht  man,  but  the 
Earl  of  "Westmoreland's  son,  and  will  wed  her  as  soon  as  he  can. 

Here  may  ye  see,  that  -women  be 

in  love,  meke,  kynd,  &  stable. 
Lett  never  men  repreve  them  then, 

yf  they  be  charytable, 
But  rather  pray  God  that  we  may 

to  them  be  comfortable.  .  . 

The  reader  should  turn  to  the  poem  itself  again ;  no  doubt  he 
knows  it  well.  It  runs  with  the  Squire  of  Low  Degree,  p.  xxiv. 
above.  The  first  printed  edition  of  it  is  in  Arnold's  Chronicle  (at 
sig.  N  6,)  '  which  is  supposed  to  have  appeared  at  Antwerp,  from 
the  press  of  John  Doesborcke,  about  1502.'  The  2nd  edition  of 
Arnold  was  in  1521 ;  to  the  3rd  edition  no  date  has  been  assigned. 
Prom  the  first  two  editions  Mr.  Thomas  Wright  printed  the 
Nutbrown  Maid  in  his  set  of  Early  English  poems  in  1836,  and 
Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt  reprinted  this  text  in  his,  Early  Popidar  Poetry 
ii,  271-94.  Mr.  T.  Wright  says  "  I  am  told  that  in  a  manuscript 
of  University  College,  Oxford,  there  is  a  list  of  books  on  sale  at 
a  stall  in  that  city  in  1520,  among  which  is  the '  Not-broon  Mayd,' 
price  one  penny."     I  wrote  to  the  Librarian  of  University  to  ask 


iTxviii  XXX TV.   The  Shepherdz  Kalendcv. 

if  this  list  existed,  and  his  substitute  said  he  believed  not.     On 

leaf  31  of  the  Stationers'  Eegister  A  (Collier  i.  IG)  we  find  an  entry 

John  Kynge  ys  fyned  for  that  he  ded  prynt  the  nuthrowne  mayde  witAout 
lycense ijs.  vjd. 

We  have  now  finisht  Captain.  Cox's  "matters  of  storie" — thirty- 
three  of  the  famous  books  of  Elizabeth's  early  time, — and  turn 
to  the  "  philosophy  both  morall  and  naturall :  beside  poetrie,  and 
astronomie,  and  oother  hid  sciences." 

II.  Captain  Cox's  Books  op  Philosophy  and  PosTrvT. 

XXXIV.  The  Shepherdz  Kalendei:  Translated  from  Le  com- 
post et  Kalendrier  des  Bergers ;  and  of  this  handbook  of  Popular 
Philosophy,  including  'astronomy,  ethics,  politics,  divinity, 
physiognomy,  medicine,  astrology,  and  geography,'  many  editions 
before  Captain  Cox's  time  have  come  down  to  us. 

1.  The  Kalendayr  of  The  Shyppars.  [Colophon]  Heyr  endyth 
the  kalendar  of  shyppars,  translatyt  of  franch  in  englysh,  to  the 
lowyng  of  almyghty  god,  &  of  his  gloryous  mother  mary,  and 
of  the  holy  cowrt  of  hy wyn :  prentyt  m  parys  the  .xxiii.  day  of 
iuyng,  oon  thowsand  .ccccc  &  III.  Polio,  A  to  M,  in  eights. 
With  woodcuts.     A  unique  copy  at  Althorp,  imperfect. 

2.  Printed  by  Julian  Notary,  about  1502,  in  folio,  with  wood- 
cuts, many  of  which  Dibdin  has  copied  in  his  edition  of  Herbert. 

3  A  copy  without  printer's  name  or  date,  in  the  Bodleian  ; 
but  probably  from  Pynson's  press.     See   Dibdin  s  Ames,  ii.  526. 

4.  Eobert  Copland's  translation,  printed  by  Pynson  in  1506^ 
Iblio,  with  woodcuts.     An  imperfect  copy  is  at  Althorp. 

5.  Eobert  Copland's  new  translation  printed  by  himself,  under 
Wynkyn  de  Worde's  name,  Dec.  8,  1508.     No.  G  in  Dibdin's  list. 

6.  Wynkyn  de  Worde.     24  Jan.,  1528.     No.  8  in  Dibdin's  list. 

7.  The  Kalender'newely  augmented  and  corrected.'  Imprynted 
by  Wyllyam  Powell  a.d.  1556. 

8.  An  edition  of  1559,  newly  augmented  and  coi-rected,  is  noted 

*  So  says  Mr.  Hazlitt,  from  whom  I  take  this  and  like  lists ;  hut  the  Brit. 
Mus.  Catalogue,  under  Ephemericles,  Compost,  8561  f,  has  1505?.  The  book 
has  no  printer's  name,  and  uses  woodcuts  used  hy  Eobert  and  William  Cop- 
lande,  K  iiii  back ;  and  another,  B  iiii  back,  used  or  copied  in  the  fioxburghe  Bal- 
lads. Ballad  Soc.  Reprint,  ii.  370.  On  first  seeing  it,  I  said  this  copy  couldn't 
be  Pynson's ;  and  on  looking  at  it  a  little,  fixed  on  William  Coplande  as  its 
probable  printer.  Mr.  Eussell  Martineau  afterwards  examined  it  thoroughlj 
for  the  Museum,  and  found  that  the  first  date  in  the  Calendar  was  1560  (sign 
0  v)  so  that  that  is  the  probable  date  of  the  book.     See  note  below,  p.  Ixxxiii. 


XXXIV.  The  Shepherdz  Kalender.  Ixxix 

in  Ames  ii.  735   from   the  Catalogue  of  Benet  (Corpus)   Coll. 
Library,  Cambridge,  p.  208  etc. 

9.  An  undated  edition  by  John  Waley  '  newly  augmented  and 
corrected,'  is  among  Malone's  books  in  the  Bodleian.  Folio,  102 
leaves,  or  A  to  N  in  eights,  except  that  M  has  only  6  leaves. 
Waley  printed  from  1546  to  1575. 

10.  An  edition  by  T.  East,  no  date,  folio. 

The  book  is  a  very  curious  and  interesting  mixture  of  all  kinds 
of  learning  of  the  time,  with  many  quaint  cuts^  and  certainly 
deserves  reproducing.  To  show  its  range  of  subjects,  I  copy  its 
Table  of  Contents  from  the  1604  edition  '  printed  at  London  by 
G.  Elde  for  Thomas  Adams,  dwelling  in  Paules  Church-yard  at 
the  signe  of  the  white  Lion.  1604,'  which  is  evidently  a  page  for 
page  reprint,  with  changed  spelling,  of  the  edition  of  1540-60  I 
say, — but  1505  ?,  by  Pynson  ?,  says  the  Brit.  Mus.  catalogue — of 
which  an  imperfect  copy  beginning  on  B  ii.  is  in  the  British 
Museum  (8561  f.). 

"  This  is  the  table  of  this  present  booke,  of  the  Shepheards 
Kalender,  drawne  out  of  French  into  English,  with  many  more 
goodly  editions  than  be  chaptered,  newly  put  thereto. 

First  the  Prologue  of  the  Authour,  that  saith  that  euery  man 
may  Hue  Ixxiiii.  yeares  at  the  least,  and  they  that  die  before 
that  terme,  it  is  by  euill  gouer[n]ment,  and  by  violence,  or  out- 
rage of  themselfe  in  their  youth.  Cap.  primo. 

The  second  Prologue  of  the  great  maister  Shepheard,  that 
proueth  true,  by  good  argument,  all  that  the  first  shepheard 
saith.  cap.  ii. 

Also  a  Kalender  with  the  figures  of  euery  Saint  that  is  hallowed 
in  the  yeare,  in  the  which  is  the  figures,  the  houres,  and  the  mo- 
ments, and  the  new  Moones.  cap.  iii. 

The  table  of  the  mouable  feasts,  with  the  compound  manuell. 

cap.  iiii. 

The  table  to  knowe  and  vnderstand  euery  day  what  signe  the 
Moone  is  in.  cap.  v. 

Also  in  the  figure  of  the  eclipse  of  the  Sunne  and  the  ]\loone, 
the  dales,  houres,  and  moments.  cap.  vi. 

The  trees  and  branches  of  vertues  and  vices.  [See  Dan  Michel's 
Ayenbite  of  Inwyt,  and  Chaucer's  Parson's  Tale.]  cap.  vii. 

The  paines  of  hell,  and  how  that  they  be  ordayned  for  euery 
deadly  sinne,  which  is  shewed  by  figures.  cap.  viii. 

'  Mostly  copied  from  the  French.  The  planets,  Moon  etc.  are  each  shown 
at  the  lork  of  the  legs  of  a  naked  man  or  woman  walking. 


Ixxx  XXXIV.   The  Shepherdz  Kalender, 

The  garden  and  fielde  of  all  vertues,  that  sheweth  a  man  how 
he  should  know  whether  he  be  in  the  state  of  the  grace  of  Grod 
or  not,  cap.  ix, 

A  nohle  declaration  of  the  seuen  principall  petitions  of  the 
Pater  noster,  and  also  the  Aue  Maria :  of  the  three  salutations, 
of  which  the  Angel  G-abriell  made  the  first,  the  second  was  made 
by  saint  Elisabeth,  and  the  third  maketh  our  mother  holy 
Church.  cap.  x. 

Also  the  Credo  in  English  of  the  xii.  articles  of  our  faith,     cap.  xi. 

Also  the  ten  commaundementes  in  English^ ;  and  the  five  com- 
maundementes  of  the  Church  Catholike.  [Not  given ;  but  they 
are  "  in  tlie  booke  of  Jesus,"  leaf  E  viii.  not  signed.]  cap.  xii. 

Also  a  figure  of  a  man  in  a  shippe,  that  sheweth  the  vnstable- 
nesse  of  this  transitory  worlde.  cap.  xiii. 

Also  to  teach  a  man  to  know  the  fielde  of  vertues,       cap.  xiiii. 

Also  a  Shepheardes  ballad,  that  sheweth  his  frailty.        cap.  xv. 

Also  a  ballad  of  a  woman  shepheard,  that  profiteth  greatly. 

cap.  xvi. 

Also  a  ballad  of  death,  that  biddeth  a  man  beware  betime. 

cap.  xvii. 

Also  the  ten  commaundements  of  the  deuill,  and  the  reward 
that  they  shal  haue  that  keepe  them^.  cap.  xviii. 

^        One  God  onely  thou  shalte  loue  &  worshyp  perfytely. 

God  in  vayne  thou  shalte  not  swere,  nor  by  y^  lie  made  truely. 
The  sondayes  thou  shalt  kepe,  in  seruinge  God  deuoutlye. 
Father  &  mother  thou  shalt  honour,  end  shalt  lyue  longely. 
Mansleer  thou  shalt  not  be,  in  dede,  ne  wylljTigely. 
Lecherous  thou  shalt  not  be  of  thy  hodj^,  ne  consentyngely. 
No  mans  goods  thou  shalt  not  stele,  nor  witholde  falsely. 
False  wytnesse  thou  shalte  not  bare,  in  any  wyse  lyingely. 
The  worke  of  the  lieshe  desjTe  not,  but  in  maryage  onely. 
The  goodes  of  other,  couet  not  to  haue  them  vniustly. 

?  Co2)lande's  (called  Pynson'sJ  cd.  leaf  F  7  back,  not  signed. 

2  Here  after  foloweth  the  .x.  commandements  of  the  deuill.  (sign.  G  6  bacli. 
ed  Coplande  ?) 

'Ho  so  will  do  my  commaundements, 
And  kepe  them  well  and  sure, 
Shall  haue  in  hell  great  torments 
That  euermore  shall  endure. 
[1]   Thou  shalt  not  feare  God,  nor  thinke  of  his  goodnes. 
[2]   To  dampne  thy  soule,  blaspheme  God  and  his  saintes, 
Euermore  thine  o\vne  \s'ill  be  fast  doing ; 
Deceaue  men  and  women,  and  euer  be  swearing ; 
[3]    Be  dronken  hardely  vpon  the  holy  day. 

And  cause  other  to  sinne,  if  thou  may. 
[4]   Father  nor  mother,  loke  thou  loue  nor  drede, 

Nor  helpe  them  neuer,  though  they  haue  nede. 
[5]    Hate  thy  neighbour',  and  hurt  him  by  enuy  ; 
Murder,  and  shed  man's  blood  hardely ; 
Forgeue  no  man,  but  be  all  vengeable. 


W 


XXXIV.  The  Shepherdz  Kalender.  Ixxxi 

Another  ballad  that  sainct  John  sheweth  in  the  Apocalipa,  of 
the  black  horse  that  death  rideth  vpon.  cap.  xix. 

{Sign.  A  3.]  A  ballad  how  princes  and  states  should  gouerne 
them.     [?  Lydgate's  '  estate  and  order  of  euery  degree'.]    cap.  xx. 

The  trees  and  branches  of  vertues,  and  vices,  with  the  seauen 
vertues  against  the  seauen  deadly  sinnes.  cap.  xxi. 

Also  a  figure  that  sheweth  howe  the  xii.  signes  raigne  in  mans 
body;  and  which  be  good,  and  which  be  bad,  cap.  xxii. 

A  picture  of  the  phisnomy  of  mans  body,  and  sheweth  in  what 
parts  the  seauen  planets  hath  domination  in  man,  cap.  xxiii. 

And  after  the  number  of  the  bones  in  mans  body,  followeth  a 
picture  that  sheweth  of  all  the  veyns  in  the  body,  and  how  to 
bee  let  bloud  in  them.  cap.  xxiiii. 

To  knowe  whether  a  man  be  likely  to  be  sicke  or  no,  and  to 
heale  them  that  be  sicke.  cap.  xxv. 

And  also  heere  sheweth  of  the  replexion  of  euill  humors,  and 
also  for  to  dense  them.  cap.  xxvi. 

Also,  how  men  should  gouerne  them  the  iiii.  quarters  of  the 
yeare.  ca.  xxvii. 

Also,  how  men  should  do,  when  phisieke  doth  faile  them,  for 
health  of  body  and  soule :  made  in  a  ballad  royal.  ["The  Diatorie" 
in  the  Bahees  Book,  1858,  Pt.  1,  p.  54-8,  enlarged.]      cap.  xxviii. 

Also,  to  shew  men  what  is  good  for  the  braine,  the  eyes,  the 
throate,  the  breast,  the  heart  and  stomacke,  properly  declared. 

cap.  xxix. 

Also  the  contrary,  to  shew  what  is  euill  for  the  braine,  the 
eyes,  the  throat,  the  breast,  the  heart,  and  the  stomaek,  following 
by  and  by.  cap.  xxx. 

Also  of  the  foure  elements,  and  the  similitude  of  the  earth ; 
and  how  euery  planet  is  one  aboue  another,  and  which  be  mascu- 
line &  feminine.  cap.  xxxi. 

[7]   Be  lecherous  in  dede,  and  in  touching  delectable ; 

Breake  thy  wedlocke,  and  spare  not ;  [leaf  Gr  7,  not  signed.] 

And  to  deceaue  other  hy  falsehode,  care  not. 
[8]    The  goodes  of  other  thou  shalt  holde  falsly, 

And  yelde  it  no  more  though  they  speake  curtesly. 

[9]    Company  often  with  women,  and  tempte  them  to  sinne ; 

[10]   Desire  thy  neighbours  wife,  and  his  goodes  to  be  thine. 

Do  thus  hardely,  and  care  not  therfore, 

And  thou  shalt  dwell  with  me  in  hell  euermore  ; 

Thou  shalt  lye  in  frost  and  fjTC,  with  sicknes  and  hunger ; 

And  iu  a  thousand  pceces  thou  shalt  be  tome  a  sunder ; 

yet  thou  shalt  dye,  and  neuer  be  deade ; 

Thy  meate  shalbe  todes,  and  thy  drinke  boyling  leade. 

Take  no  thought  for  the  blud  that  God  for  thee  shed, 

And  to  my  kingdome  thou  shalt  be  straight  led. 

Here  foloweth  the  rewarde  oi  them  that  kepeth  these  commauhdementes 
uforesayde.   [17  lines  of  verse.   But  no  doubt  the  reader  has  had  enough  of  it.] 


Ixxxiv  XXXIV.  The  Shepherds  Kalender. 

I  must  take  a  few  of  the  Proverbs,  from  the  end  of  the  imper- 
fect copy  of  Jhon  "Wally's  edition,  1680  (?)  in  the  Museum. 

IT  And  also  an  other,  forget  it  nat : 

Kepe  your  owne  home  as  doth  a  mouse ; 
For  I  tell  you,  the  deuil  is  a  wyly  cat ; 
He  -will  spye  you  in  another  mans  house. 

If  And  in  espetiall,  God  to  please, 
Desyre  thou  neuer  none  other  mans  thinge : 
Remember  that  many  fingers  is  well  at  ease, 
That  neuer  ware  on,  no  gay  golde  riage. 

U  And  this  I  tell  you  for  good  and  all. 
Remember  it,  you  that  be  wyse  : 
That  man  or  woman  hath  a  great  fall. 
The  which  slyde  downe,  and  do  neuer  ryse. 

And  one  also  forget  not  behynde, 
That  man  or  woman  is  likely,  good  to  be, 
That  banisheth  malyce  out  of  their  mynde. 
And  slepeth  euery  night  in  charitie. 

I  rede  you  worke  by  good  councell. 
For  that  man  is  worthy  to  haue  care 
That  hath  twise  faU  into  a  well, 
And  yet  the  thirde  tjTne  cannot  beware. 

Say  that  a  fryer  tolde  you  this : 
'H]e  is  wyse  that  doth  forsake  sinne  : 
"Tjhen  may  we  come  to  heauen  blysse. 
"G]od  giue  vs  grace,  that  place  to  winne. 

FINIS 

The  following  extract  shows  how  Man  is  a  microcosm,  and 
includes  in  himself  all  animals  : 

And  they  say  that  Grod  ne  formed  creature  for  to  inhabite  the 
world,  wyser  then  man ;  for  there  is  no  conditione  maner  in  a 
beaste,  but  that  it  is  founde  comprehended  in  man,  Naturally,  a 
man  is  hardy  as  the  Lyon,  true  and  worthy  as  the  oxe,  large  and 
liberall  as  the  Cock,  auaricious  as  the  Dog,  and  aspre  as  the 
Hart,  debonayre  and  true  as  the  Turtle,  malicyous  as  the  Leoparde, 
preuy  and  tame  as  the  Doue,  dolorous  and  guilefull  as  the  Foxe, 
simple  and  debonayre  as  the  lambe,  shrewde  as  the  ape,  light  as 
the  horse,  soft  and  piteable  as  [the]  Beare,  dere  and  precious  as 
the  Oliphant,  good  &  holesome  as  the  Unicorne,  vyle  &  slouthfull 
as  the  Asse,  fayre  and  proude  as  the  Pecocke,  glotonous  as  the 
"Wolfe,  enuyous  as  the  Bitch,  debel  &  inobedient  as  the  Nightin- 
gale, humble  as  the  Pygeon,  fel  and  folish  as  the  Oystrich,  pro- 
fytable  as  the  Pysmare,  dyssolute  and  vagabund  as  the  Gote, 
spytefuU  as  the  Pesaunt.  Soft  and  meeke  as  the  Chekin.  Mou- 
ab'le  and  varying  as  the  Fish.     Lecherous  as  the  Bore.     Stronge 

»  falne,  ed.  1604. 


XXXIV.  Shepherdz  Kalender.  XXXV.  Ship  ofFoolz.    Ixxxv 

and  puissant  as  the  Camell.  Traytor  as  the  Mule.  Aduised  as 
the  Mouse.  Eeasonable  as  au  aungell.  And  therefore  he  is  called 
the  little  world,  for  he  participeth  of  all,  or  he  is  called  all  crea- 
tures; for,  as  it  is  sayd,  he  participeth  and  hath  condiciou  of  all 
creatures. — From  Cap.  xlii.  The  iudgementes  of  mans  body. 
Back  of  L  vij  not  signed. 

XXXV.  The  Ship  of  Foolz.  Of  this  work  there  are  two  old 
versions,  one  in  prose  and  another  in  verse.  The  prose  version 
was  translated  by  H.  Watson,  and  printed  by  "Wyukyn  deWorde 
in  1517 ;  and  of  this  a  copy  is  among  Deuce's  books  in  the  Bod- 
leian. 

From  Herbert,  in  Ames  i.  158,  we  find  that  "Watson  says  :  "  this 
booke  hathe  ben  made  in  Almayne  language  /  and  out  of  Almayne 
it  was  translated  in  to  Latyn  /  by  mayster  Jacques  Locher  /  and 
out  of  Latyn  in  to  rethoryke  Frensshe.  I  haue  consydered  that 
the  one  delyteth  hym  in  latyn  /  the  other  in  Frensshe  /  some  in 
ryme  /  and  the  other  in  prose  /  for  the  whiche  cause  I  haue  done 
this "  in  prose. — "  Consyderynge  also  that  the  prose  is  more 
familiar  vnto  euery  man  than  thG  ryme,  I,  Henry  Watson,  haue 
reduced  this  present  boke  in  to  our  maternall  tongue  of  Englysshe 
out  of  Frensshe  /  at  y^  request  of  my  worshypfull  mayster  wynken 
de  worde  /  through  the  entysement  and  exhortacyon  of  the  excel- 
lent prynces  Margarette  /  couwtesse  of  E.ychemonde  and  Derby  / 
and  grandame  vnto  our  moost  naturall  souerayne  lorde  kynge 
Henry  y^  VIII.  whome  Jhesu  preserue  from  all  encombrau/2ce. — 
*\  By  the  shyppe  we  may  vuderstande  the  folyes  and  erroures  that 
the  mowdoynes  are  in  /  by  the  se  this  presente  worlde  / — Syth 
that  it  is  so  /  we  must  serche  this  booke,  the  whiche  may  wel  be 
called  'the  doctrynall  of  fooles.'"  Imprynted— M.  CCCCC.  & 
xvii.  The  nynthe  yere  of  the  reygne  of  our  souerayne  kynge 
Henry  the  viii.     The  xx.  daye  of  June. 

The  poetical  version  of  The  Ship  of  Fools  is  the  chief  work  of 
Alexander  Barklay,  who  was  probably  a  Scotchman,  was  "  educated 
at  Oriel  College,  Oxford,  accomplished  his  academical  studies  by 
travelling,  and  was  appointed  one  of  the  priests  or  prebendaries 
of  the  college  of  saint  Mary  Ottery  in  Devonshire.  Afterwards 
he  became  a  Benedictine  monk  of  Ely  monastery ;  and  at  length 
took  the  habit  of  the  Franciscans  at  Canterbury."  {Warton,  ii. 
419,  ed.  1840).  He  finished  "  The  Shyp  of  Folts,  translated  in 
the  colege  of  saynt  Mary  Otery,  in  the  counte  of  Devonshyre, 


Ixxxvi  -      XXXV.  The  Ship  of  Foolz. 

oute  of  Laten,  Frenche,  and  Dotch,  into  Englishe  tonge,  by 
Alexander  Barclay,  preste  and  chaplen  in  the  sayd  colledge, 
M.  CCCCC.  VIII."  John  Cawood  printed  a  second  edition  of 
the  book  in  1570.  "  About  the  year  1494,"  says  Wartou,  i.  420 
Sebastian  Brandt,  a  leai'ned  civilian  of  Basil,  and  an  eminent 
philologist,  published  a  satire  in  German  with  this  title  [If^avis 
Stultifera  Mortalium].  The  design  was,  to  ridicule  the  reigning 
vices  and  follies  of  every  rank  and  profession,  under  the  allegory 
of  a  Ship  freighted  with  Fools  of  all  kinds,  but  without  any  variety 
of  incident  or  artificiality  of  fable ;  yet  although  the  poem  is 
destitute  of  plot,  and  the  voyage,  of  adventures,  a  composition  of 
such  a  nature  became  extremely  popular.  It  was  translated  into 
French  ;  and,  in  the  year  1488,  into  tolerable  Latin  verse  by 
James  Locher,  a  German,  and  a  scholar  of  the  inventor  Brandt. 
From  the  original,  and  the  two  translations,  Barklay  formed  a 
large  English  poem,  in  the  balade  or  octave  stanza,  with  consider- 
able additions  gleaned  from  the  follies  of  his  countrymen.  It  was 
printed  in  1509  by  Pynson^,  whose  name  occurs  in  the  poem: 

How  be  it  the  charge  Pynson  has  on  me  layde, 
"With  many  fooles  our  nauy  not  to  charge. 

(leaf  38  back,  Cawood's  ed.  1670.) 

Barclay's  paraphrase  is  not  at  all  so  bright  or  biting  as  one  would 
have  hoped  it  would  be ;  nor  do  his  special  envoys  or  addresses  to 
each  class  of  Fools  at  the  end  of  his  enlargements  of  the  Latin 
text,  give  one  a  good  sketch  of  the  vices  and  ways  of  his  time : 
still,  one  is  thankful  to  have  them ;  and  as  each  of  us  is  bound  to 
think  first,  wherein  he  is  a  fool  himself,  suppose  we  get  Mr.  G. 
Parker  of  the  Bodleian  to  give  us  Brandt's  and  Barclay's  sketches 
of  us  Fools  who '  books  assemble,' — though  we  do  read  some — 
adding  Watson's  translation  too,  to  show  how  he  treats  his  original. 
For  more,  the  reader  can  turn  to  the  volume  itself :  he'll  enjoy  its 
quaint  cuts,  if  he  doesn't  the  text. 

[P.  1.  16.  Jur.  Seld.  (Bodl.  Libr.).] 

The  Shyp  of  folts. 

translated  \n  the  College 

of  saynt  mary  Otery  in  the  eounte  of  Deuonshyre :  out  of  Laten  / 
Frenche  /  and    Docbe    into   Englj'^sshe  tonge  by  Alexander  Barclay 

*  The  Granville  copy  in  the  Brit.  Mus.  is  in  beautiful  condition,  though 
cut  down  grievously  by  one  of  that  cursed  race  of  binders. 


XXXV.   The  Ship  of  Foolz.  Ixxxvii 

Preste :  and  at  that  tyme  Chaplen  in  the  sayde  College,  translated 
.  .  .  1508.  Inprentyd  in  the  Cyte  of  London  in  Fletestre  {sic)  at  the 
signe  of  Saynt  George  By  Rycharde  Pynson  to  hys  Coste  and  charge : 
Ended  .  .  .  1509.     The  13  day  of  December. 

[The  title-page  is  covered  with  one  large  Coat  of  Arms  and  a 
Crest  above  it :  at  the  back  of  this,  towards  the  bottom  of  the 
page,  is  the  title  copied  above.] 

Cf°'- 12.]  Argumentum  in  narragoniam. 

AD  humani  generis  foelicitatem :  doeumentumque  salnberrimum  :  stul- 
torum  classis  ad  Narragoniam  construeta  fulget :  quam  quidem  omnes 
conscendunt :  qui  de  se  mita  /  veritatis  /  et  aperto  sani  intellectus  calle 
vagantes  :  in  varias  et  vmbrosas  mentis  tenebras  :  ac  corporis  iilecebras 
Sat  ra  corruunt.     Potuisset  presens  hie  noster  libellus  /  non  in- 

concinne  satyra  nuncupari :  sed  auctorem  nouitas  tituli 
delectauit.  aicuti  enim  prisci  satyrici :  variis  poematibus  contextis : 
[etc.]. 

HEre  after  foloweth  the  Boke  named  the  Shyp  of  Foles  of  the  worlde : 
translated  out  of  Laten  /  Erenche  &  Doehe  into  Englysse  in  the 
Colege  of  saynt  Mary  Otery  By  me  Alexander  Barclay  to  the  felicite 
and  moste  holsom  instruccion  of  ma?2.kynde  the  whiche  conteyneth  al 
suche  as  wandre  from  the  way  of  trouth  and  from  the  open  Path  of 
PfolPSl         holsom     vnderstondynge    &    *wysdom:      fallynge    into 

dyuers  blyndnesses  of  tke  mynde  /  folysshe  sensualytees  / 
and  vnlawful  delectacions  of  the  body.     This  present  Boke  myght  haue 
Satyra  inter-      ben  callyd  nat  inconuenyently  the  Satyr  (that  is  to  say) 
pretatur  repre-  the  reprehencion  of  foulysshnes.  but  the  neweltye  of  the 
^°  '°'  name  was  more  plesant  vnto  the  fyrst  actour  to  call  it 

the  Shyp  of  foles  :  For  in  lyke  wyse  as  olde  Poetes  Satyriens  in  dyuers 
Poesyes  coreioyned  repreued  the  synnes  and  ylnes  of  the  peple  at  that 
tyme  lyuynge  :  so  and  in  lyke  wyse  this  our  Boke  representeth  vnto 
the  iyen  of  the  redars  the  states  and  cowdicions  of  men :  so  that  euery 
man  may  behold  within  the  same  the  cours  of  his  lyfe  and  his  mys- 

gouerned  maners  /  as  he  sholde  beholde  the  shadowe  of 
stultMum.         *^^  fyg^r^  of  ^is  visage  within  a  bright  Myrrour.     But 

concernynge  the  translacion  of  this  Boke :  I  exhort  the 
reders  to  take  no  displesour  for  that  it  is  nat  translated  word  by  worde 
acordinge  to  the  ve^-ses  of  my  actour.  For  I  haue  but  only  drawen 
into  our  moder  tunge  /  in  rude  langage,  the  sentences  of  the  verses  as 
nere  as  the  parcyte  of  my  wyt  wyl  suffer  me  /  some  tyme  addynge  / 
somtyme  detractinge  and  takinge  away  suche  thinges  a[s]  semethe  me 
necessary  and  superflue.  wherfore  I  desyre  of  you  reders,  pardon  of 
my  presumptuous  audacite,  trustynge  that  ye  shall  holde  me  excused 
if  ye  consyder  the  scarsnes  of  my  wyt  and  my  vnexperfc  youthe.  I  haue 
ji  many  places  ouerpassed  dyuers  poetical  digressions  and  obscurenes 
of  Fables,  and  haue  concluded  my  worke  in  rude  langage^  as  shal 
apere  in  my  translacion.  But  the  speciyl  cawse  that  mouethe  me  to 
this  besynes  is,  to  auoyde  the  execrable  inconuenyences  of  ydilnes, 

'  What  follows  on  fol.  12  6  is  not  translated  or  paraphrased. 


Ixxxviii  XXXV.  The  Ship  of  Foolz. 

whyche  (as  sai^it  Bernard  saytk)  is  moder  of  al  vices  :  and  to  the  vtter 
derisiore  of  obstynat  men  delitynge  them  in  folyes  &  mysgouernance. 
But  bycause  the  name  of  this  boke  semeth  to  the  redar  to  procede  of 
derysion :  and  by  that  mean  that  the  substance  therof  shulde  nat  be 
profitable :  I  wyl  aduertise  you  tliat  this  Boke  is  named  the  Shyp  of 
foles  of  tlie  worlde :  For  this  woi'lde  is  nought  els  but  a  tempestuous 
se,  in  the  whiche  we  dayly  wander  and  are  caste  in  dyuers  tribulacions, 
paynes,  and  aduersitees :  some  bj^  ignoraunce,  and  some  by  wilfulnes  : 
wherfore  suche  doers  ar  worthy  to  be  called  foles,  syns  they  gyde  them 
nat  by  reason  as  creatures  resonable  ought  to  do.  Therfore  the  fyrst 
actoure,  willynge  to  deuyde  suche  foles  from  wysemen  and  gode  lyuers, 
hathe  ordeyned  vpon  the  se  of  this  worlde  this  present  Shyp  to  con- 
teyne  these  folys  of  the  worlde  /  whiche  ar  in  great  nomber.  So  that 
who  redeth  it,  perfytely  consyderynge  his  secrete  dedys  /  he  shall  not 
lyghtly  excuse  hym  selfe  out  of  it  /  what  so  euer  good  name  that  he 
hath  outwarde  in  the  mouth  of  the  comontye  /  And  to  the  entent  /  that 
this  my  laboure  may  be  the  more  pleasaunt  vnto  lettred  men  /  I  haue 
adioyned  vnto  the  same  the  verses  of  my  Actour,  with  dyuerse  con- 
cordau?2ces  of  the  Bybyll  to  fortyfy  my  wrytyuge  by  the  same  /  &  also 
to  stop  the  enuyous  mouthes  (If  any  suche  shal  be)  of  them  that  by 
malyce  shall  barke  ayenst  this  my  besynes. 

[foi.  13.]  De  inutilibus  libris. 

Inter  precipuos  pars  est  mihi  reddita  stultos 

Prima:  rego  docili  vastaque  vela  manu. 

En  ego  possideo  multos  :  quos  rare  libellos 

Perlego :  turn  lectos  negligo :  nee  sapio. 

Invtilitas  librorum. 
Quod  si  quis  percurrere  omnes  scriptores  cupiat  opprimetur :  turn 
librorum  multitudine  :    tum  diuersa  scribentium  varietate :    vt  hand 
facile  verum  possit  elicere.  distrahit  enim  librorum  multitudo.  et  faci- 
endi  libros  plures  non  est  finis. 

Diodorus  Sicu-  PEimus  in  excelsa  teneo  quod  naue  rudentes 
3if.  Dabiti^  ^^'  Stultiuagosque  sequor  comites  per  flumina  vasta : 
liber  nescienti-   Non  ratione  vacat  certa :  sensuque  latenti : 
bus  litteras.       Congestis  etenim  stultus  confido  libellis 

Spem  quoque  nee  paruam  coUecta  volumina  praebeut : 
Calleo  nee  verbum :  nee  libri  sentio  mentem. 
Attamen  in  magno  per  me  seruantur  honore : 
Pulueris  et  cariem  plumatis  tergo  flabellis. 
Ast  vbi  doctrine  certamen  voluitur  :  inquam 
Aedibus  in  nostris  librorum  culta  supellex 
Eminet :  et  chartis  viuo  contentns  opertis  : 
Ptolomens         Quas  video  ignorans  :  iuuat  et  me  copia  sola. 
cSmeLlnit.  Constituit  quondam  diues  Ptolomeus :  haberet 
Josephus  lib.      Vt  libros  toto  quesitos  vndique  mundo 
^'j-  Quos  grandes  rerum  thesauros  esse  putabat : 

[fol.  136.]  Non  tamen  archane  legis  documenta  tenebaL : 

Quis  sine  non  poterat  vite  disponere  cursum 
Qui  parum  En  pariter  teneo  numerosa  volumina  /  tardus 
studet  paa-um     Pauca  lego  :  viridi  contentus  tegmine  libri. 


XXXV.  The  Ship  of  Foolz.  Ixxxix 

proficit  gio.  in  (Jm-  vellem  studio  sensus  turbare  frequenti  P 
de!'prox?"sac^!  ^^^  t^™  sollicitis  aiiimum  confundere  rebus 
sori.  {sic).  Qui  studet  /  assiduo  motu  /  fit  stultus  et  aniens. 

Seu  studiam  :  seu  non  :  dominus  tamen  esse  vocabor 
Et  possum  studio  socium  disponere  nostro : 
Qui  pro  me  sapiat :  doctasque  examinet  artes. 
At  si  cum  doctis  versor  :  concedere  malo 
Omnia :  ne  cogar  fors  verba  latina  profari 
Theutonicos  inter  balbos  sum  maximus  auctor : 
Cum  quibus  incassum  sparguntur  verba  latina. 
Prouerbio.  v.  flf.  O  vos  doctores  :  qui  grandia  nomina  fertis : 
Mi^poft'origi-  E'espicite  antiquos  patres  :  iurisque  peritos. 
n'em  Persius.      Non  in  candidulis  pensepant  dogmata  libris  : 
("<'•)  Arte  sed  ingenua  sitibundum  pectus  alebant. 

Auriculis  asini  tegitur  sed  magna  caterua  : 

^  Here  begynneth  the  foles  :  and  first,  inprofytable  bokes. 

I  Am  tlie  firste  fole  of  all  the  hole  nauy 

To  kepe  the  pompe  /  the  helme  and  eke  the  sayle 

For  this  is  my  mynde  /  this  one  pleasoure  haue  I 

Of  bokes  to  haue  grete  plenty  and  aparayle 

I  take  no  wysdome  by  them  :  nor  yet  auayle 

Nor  them  perceyue  nat :  And  then  I  them  despyse 

Thus  am  I  a  foole  and  all  that  sewe  that  guyse. 

Diodorus  Sicu-  THat  in^  this  shyp  the  chefe  place  I  gouerne 
Ecolesi.  xij.        ^7  tliis  wyde  see  with  folys  wanderynge 
The  cause  is  playne  /  and  easy  to  dyscerne 
Styll  am  I  besy  bokes  assemblynge 
For  to  haue  plenty  it  is  a  plesaunt  thynge 
Dabitur  liberne  In  my  conceyt  and  to  haue  them  ay  in  honde 
scentibus  hte-   -g^^  ^j^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^  j  ^^^  vnderstonde 


ras  esaie.  xxiz. 


But  yet  I  haue  them  in  great  reuerence 

And  honoure  sauynge  them  from  fylth  and  ordure 

By  often  brusshynge  /  and  moche  dylygence 

Full  goodly  bounde  in  pleasaunt  couerture 

Of  domas  /  satyn  /  or  els  of  veluet  pure 

I  kepe  them  sure  ferynge  lyst  they  sholde  be  lost 

For  in  them  is  the  connynge  wherin  I  me  bost 

right.]        '     ^^^  ^^  i^  fortune  that  any  lernyd  men 
Within  my  house  fall  to  disputacion 
I  drawe  the  curtyns  to  shewe  my  bokes  then 
That  they  of  my  cu?inynge  sholde  make  probacion 
I  kepe  nat  to  fall  in  altercacion 

And  whyle  they  comon  my  bokes  I  turne  and  wynde 
For  all  is  in  them  /  and  no  thynge  in  my  mynde 

^  Printed  '  u.' 

2  The  book  is  foliated  properly,  like  the  Vernon  MS,  the  2  pages  shown  on 
opening  the  book,  being  &  folium,  and  the  two  here  being  headed  Folium  (on 
the  left  page,)  XIIII  (on  the  right).     Later  printers  stupidly  transferred  the 


xc 


XXXV.  The  Ship  of  Foolz. 


Ptolomeo* 
philadetemus 
meniinit  Jo 
Sephus.  li.  lij. 
(sic.) 


Qui  parum 
studet  parum 
proficit  glo. 
L.  Tnicuique  C 
dex  sacr.  scri. 
(«tc.) 


Tholomeus  the  riche  causyd  longe  agone 
Ouer  all  the  worlde  good  bokes  to  be  sought 
Done  was  his  commaundement  anone 
These  bokes  he  had  and  in  his  stody  brought 
Whiche  passyd  all  erthly  treasoure  as  he  thought 
But  neuertheles  he  dyd  hym  nat  aply 
Unto  theyr  doctryne  /  but  lyued  vnhappely 

Lo  in  lyke  wyse  of  bokys  I  haue  store 
But  fewe  T  rede  /  and  fewer  vnderstande 
I  folowe  nat  theyr  doctryne  nor  theyr  lore 
It  is  ynoughe  to  bere  a  boke  in  hande 
It  were  to  moche  to  be  it  {sic)  suche  a  bande 
For  to  be  bounde  to  loke  within  the  boke 
I  am  content  on  the  fayre  couerynge  to  loke 

Why  sholde  I  stody  to  hurt  my  wyt  therby 
Or  trouble  my  mynde  with  stody  excessyue 
Sythe  many  ar  whiche  stody  right  besely 
And  yet  therby  shall  they  neuer  thryue 
The  fruyt  of  wysdom  can  they  nat  contryue 
And  many  to  stody  so  moche  are  inclynde 
That  vtterly  they  fall  out  of  theyr  mynde 

Eche  is  nat  lettred  that  nowe  is  made  a  lorde 

Nor  eche  a  clerke  that  hath  a  benefyce 

They  are  nat  all  lawyers  that  plees  doth  recorde 

All  that  are  promotyd  are  nat  fully  wyse 

On  suche  chaunce  nowe  fortune  throwys  hir  dyce 

That  thoughe  one  knowe  but  the  yresshe  game 

yet  wolde  he  haue  a  gentyll  ma?inys  name 

So  in  lyke  wyse  I  am  in  suche  case 

Thoughe  I  nought  can  I  wolde  be  callyd  wyse 

Also  I  may  set  another  in  my  place 

Whiche  may  for  me  my  bokes  excercyse 

Or  els  I  shall  ensue  the  comon  gyse 

And  say  concedo  to  euery  argument 

Lyst  by  moche  speche  my  latyu  sholde  be  spent 

[foLXV^left.]  I  am  lyke  other  Clerkes  whiche  so  frowardly  them  gyde. 
That  after  they  ar  onys  come  vnto  promocion 
They  gyue  them  to  plesour  theyr  stody  set  asyde. 
Theyr  Auaryce  couerynge  with  fayned  deuociou. 
yet  dayly  they  preche  :  and  haue  great  derysyon 
Agaynst  the  rude  Laymen :  and  al  for  Couetyse. 
Though  theyr  owne  Conscience  be  blynded  witA  that  vyce. 

name  folium  to  a  leaf,  two  pages  back  to  back,  and  sheepish  librarians  etc. 
have  followed  suit,  re-leafing  already-foUated  MSS,  under  the  idea  that  thoy 
were  foliating  them  for  the  first  time.  The  difference  between  a  leaf  and  a 
folium  has  yet  to  be  drilled  into  the  bibliographic  mind.  ^  Printed  XX. 


XXXV.  The  Ship  of  Foolz.  xci 

But  if  I  durst  trouth  playnely  vtter  and  expresse. 
This  is  the  special  cause  of  this  Inconuenyence. 
That  greatest  foles  /  and  fullest  of  lewdnes 
Hauynge  least  wyt :  and  symplest  Science 
Ar  fyrst  promoted  :  and  haue  greatest  reuerence. 
For  if  one  can  flater  /  and  here  a  hawke  on  his  Fyst 
He  shalbe  made  Person  of  Honyngton  or  of  Clyst^ 

But  lie  that  is  in  Stody  ay  ferme  and  diligent. 

And  without  al  fauour  prechyth  Chrystys  lore 

Of  al  the  Comontye  novre  adayes  is  sore  shent. 

And  by  Estates  thretened  to  Pryson  oft  therfore. 

Thus  what  auayle  is  it  /  to  vs  to  Stody  more  : 

To  knowe  outher  scripture  /  trouth  /  wysedom  /  or  vertue 

Syns  fewe  /  or  none  without  fauour  dare  them  shewe. 

Piouer.  qutnto.  But  O  noble  Doctours  /  that  worthy  ar  of  name  : 

Consyder  our  olde  faders  :  note  wel  theyr  diligence  : 
Ensue  ye  theyr  steppes  :  obtayne  ye  suche  fame. 

ff.  de  origine.     As  they  dyd  lyuynge :  and  that  by  true  Prudence. 

oH-inem!'"^''      Within  theyr  hartys  they  planted  theyr  scyence 

And  nat  in  plesauwt  bokes.     But  nowe  to  fewe  suche  be. 
Therfore  in  this  Shyp  let  them  come  rowe  with  me. 

^  The  Enuoy  of  Alexander  Barclay  Translatour  exortynge  the  Foles 
accloyed  with  this  vice  to  amende  theyr  foly. 

SAy  worthy  doctours  and  Clerkes  curious  : 

What  moueth  you  of  Bokes  to  haue  such  nomber. 

Syns  dyuers  doctrines  throughe  way  contrarious. 

Doth  mannys  mynde  distract  and  sore  encomber. 
Translatio  a       Alas  blynde  men  awake  /  out  of  your  slomber 
somniantibus.     j^^^  •£•  yg  ^yj  nedys  your  bokes  multyplye 

With  diligence  endeuer  you  some  to  occupye. 

Now  for  Watson's  translation. 

[Douce  B.  subt.  254.] 

The  grete  shyppe  of  fooles  of  this  worlde. 

[Title  wanting  ;  tlie  Colophon  follows.] 

^  Thus  endeth  the  shyppe  of  fooles  of  this  worlde.  Imprynted  at 
Londod  {sic)  in  flete  strete  by  Wywkyn  de  Worde.  the  yere  of  our 
lorde.  M.  CCCCC.  and.  xvii.  ^  The  nynthe  yere  of  the  reygne  of  our 
souerayne  lorde  kynge  Henry  the  viii.     The.  xx.  daye  of  June. 

^  Argument  of  the  shyppe  of  Fooles  of  this  worlde. 

THis  booke  compyled  /  for  the  felycyte  and  salute  of  all  the  humayne 
gendre  /  and  dyrecte  the  shyppe  of  fooles  of  this  trawsy  tory  worlde  /  in 
the  whiche  ascewdeth  all  they  that  vageth  frome  the  playne  exhortacyow 
of  the  intellectyf  vnderstawdynge   in   transmutable   and   of  obscure 

'  Compaie  Latimer  etc.  on  t>iis  point  of  unfit  persons  made  parsons. 


^cii  XXXV.  The  Ship  of  Foolz. 

thoughtes  of  the  frayle  body  /  wlier  by  tlieyr  decyuable  wyttes  /  and 
bye  enterpryses  /  within  shorte  space  inuade  our  barge.  Wherfore 
this  present  boke  may  be  called  satyre  /  notwitbstaudynge  that  the 
fyrste  auctoure  dyde  delyte  hym  in  the  uewe  intytulacyon  of  this  pre- 
sent boke  /  for  ryght  so  as  by  the  poesy es  and  fyccyons  /  the  auncyent 
poetes  dyde  correcte  the  vyces  and  the  fragylytes  of  mortall  men. 

%  Semblably  this  present  pagyne  specyfyeth  before  theyr  syght  the 
estate  and  condycyon  of  men  /  to  the  ende  that  a  myrroure  they  beholde 
the  meurs  and  rectytude  of  lyfe  Neuertheles  tbynke  not  you  lectours 
that  I  haue  worde  by  worde  dyrecte  and  reduced  this  present  booke 
out  of  Frensshe  in  to  our  maternall  tongue  of  Englysshe  /  for  I  Laue 
onely  (as  recyteth  Flaccus)  take  entyerely  the  substaunce  of  the  scryp- 
ture  /  in  esperannce  that  my  audace  presumptuous  sholde  be  pardonned 
of  the  lectoures  /  hauynge  aspecte  vnto  the  capacyce  of  my  tendre 
yeres  /  and  the  imbelycyte  of  my  lytell  vnderstandynge  /  in  leuynge 
the  egressyons  poetyques  and  fabulous  obscurytees  /  in  a  cheuynge  in 
werke  in  facyle  sentence  and  famylyer  style  /  in  supplyenge  all  the 
r*SiL'n  A  i  6 1  seders  to  haue  me  for*  excused  yf  that  I  haue  fay  led  in 
ony  thynge. 

^  Here  after  ensueth  the  fyrste  chapytre. 

*I[  Of  bookes  inutyle.  capitulo.  primo. 

%  The  fyrste  foole  of  the  shypps'  I  am  certayne 

That  with  my  handes  dresse  the  sayles  all 

For  to  haue  bookes  I  do  all  my  besy  payne 

Whiche  I  loue  not  to  rede  in  specyall 

Nor  them  to  se  also  in  generall 

Wherfore  it  is  a  prouerbe  all  aboute 

Suche  thynketh  to  knowe  that  standeth  in  doubte. 

[A  woodcut  here.] 

[Sign.  A.  ii.]  YOnge  folkes  that  entende  for  to  knowe  dyuers  thywges 

approche  you  vnto  this  doctryne  and  it  reuolue  in  your 
myndes  organyques  to  the  ende  that  ye  maye  comprehende  and  vnder- 
stande  the  substaunce  of  it  /  and  that  ye  be  not  of  the  nombre  of  the 
fooles  that  vageth  in  this  tempesteous  flode  of  the  worlde.  And  you 
also  the  whiche  haue  passed  the  flourynge  aege  of  your  youthe  /  to  the 
end  that  and  you  be  of  the  nombre  of  the  fooles  moundaynes  that  ye 
maye  lerne  somwhat  for  to  detraye  you  out  of  the  shyp  stultyfere. 
"Wherfore  vnderstande  what  the  fyrste  foole  sayth  beynge  in  the  grete 
shyppe  of  of"  fooles.  •[[  I  am  the  fyrste  in  the  shyppe  vagaunte  with  the 
other  fooles.  I  tourne  and  hyse  the  cordes  of  the  shyppe  saylynge  ferre 
within  the  see.  I  am  founded  full  euyll  in  wytte  and  in  reasow.  I  am 
a  grete  foole  for  to  affye  me  in  a  grete  multytude  of  bokes.  I  desyre 
alway  and  appetyteth  newe  inuencyons  compyled  mystycally  /  and  newe 
bookes  /  in  the  whiche  I  can  not  comprehende  the  substaunce'^  /  nor 
vnderstande  no  thynge.  But  I  doo  my  besy  cure  for  to  kepe  them 
honestly  frome  poudre  and  dust.     I  make  my  lectrons  and  my  deskes 

*  Printed  '  shyppf.'  ^  gic.  3  Printed 'substanuce.' 


XXXV.  The  Ship  ofFoolz.  xciii 

clene  rygli[t]  often.  My  mansyon  is  all  repylnysshed  with  bokes  / 1 
solace  me  ryght  often  for  to  se  them  open  without  ony  thynge  com- 

pylynge  out  of  them.  *([  Ptolomeua  was  a  ryche  maw  the 
phnadriphu8  whiche  constytued  (sic)  and  also  commaunded  that  they 
cuius  memini.  _  sholde  serche  how  thorough  euery  regyon  of  the  worlde 
Jo3epLns.li.xij.  ^j^g  ruoost  excellentest  bookes  that  myght   be   founden. 

And  whan  they  had  brought  theym  all  /  he  kepte  theym 
for  a  greate  treasoure.  And  that  not  withstandynge  he  ensued  not  the 
ensygnementes  nor  the  doctryne  of  the  dyuyne  sapyence  /  how  be  it 
,  A  ••  A  T  ^^^''  ^^  coude  dyspose  nothynge*  of  the  Ij'fe  without  is  / 

L  ign.  .  11.  .]  ^ijg^^  bookes  someuer  he  had  /  nor  compose  ony  thynge 
to  the  relefe  of  his  body  at  that  tyme.  I  haue  redde  in  dyuers  bookes  / 
in  the  whiche  I  haue  studyed  but  a  lytell  whyle  /  but  oftentymes  I 
haue  passed  the  tyme  in  beholdynge  the  dyuersytees  of  the  couerynges 
of  my  bookes.  It  sholde  be  grete  foly  to  me  to  applye  by  excessyue 
study  myne  vnderstandynge  vnto  so  many  dyuers  thynges  /  where 
through  I  myghte  lese  my  sensuall  intellygence  /  for  he  that  procureth 
too  knowe  ouermoche  /  and  occupyeth  hymself  by  excessyue  studye  /  is 
in  daunger  for  to  be  extraught  from  hymself  also  euerychone  is  dys- 
pensed  /  be  he  a  clerke  or  vnderstande  he  nothynge  yet  he  bereth  the 
name  of  a  lorde.  I  maye  as  well  commytte  one  in  my  place  the  whiche 
thynketh  for  to  lerne  seyence  {sic)  for  hym  and  for  me.  And  yf  that  I 
fynde  my  selfe  in  ony  place  in  the  company  of  wyse  men  to  the  ende 
that  I  speke  no  latyn  / 1  shall  condyscende  vnto  all  theyr  preposycyons 
p^      ,  for  fere  that  I  sholde  not  be  reproched  of  that  that  I  haue 

so  euylly  lerned.  ^  O  doctours  the  whiche  bereth  the 
name  and  can  nothywge  of  seyence  /  for  to  eschewe  grete  dyshonoure 
come  neuer  in  the  company  of  lerned  men  /  our  auncyent  faders  here 
before  dyde  not  lerne  theyr  repplendysshynge  seyence  in  the  multy  tude 
of  bookes  /  but  of  an  ardaunte  desyre  and  of  a  good  courage.  They  had 
not  theyr  spyrytes  so  vnstedfaste  as  the  clerkes  haue  at  this  present 
tyme  /  it  were  more  propyre  for  suche  folke  for  to  here  asses  eeres 
than  for  to  bare  the  names  of  doctoures  and  can  nothynge  of  cunnynge. 

[Fr.  Douce's  MSS.  notes  on  fly-leaf  at  beginning  of  book] 

"  Some  of  the  signatures  are  misplaced,  but  the  book  is  other- 
wise perfect,  unless  it  want  a  title,  which  is  not  clear,  as  there  are 
6  leaves  prefixed  to  signature  A. 

"  I  know  of  no  other  copy  of  this  edition,  but  have  seen  one 
printed  on  vellum  with  the  date  1509,  4to,  in  the  national  library 
at  Paris. 

"  Messrs.  Brunet  and  Dibdin,  the  former  in  his  '  Manuel  du 
Libraire,'  and  the  latter  in  his  Bibl.  Spenceriana,  iii.  204,  have 
erroneously  ascribed  the  above  edition  of  1509  to  the  press  of 
Pynson,  and  confounded  it  with  the  metrical  translation  by  Barclay, 
which  was  printed  in  that  year  by  Pynson  in  folio. 

"  The  above  French  copy  on  vellum  has  a  leaf  at  the  beginning 
with  (X  The  shyppe  oe  pooles  on  a  scroll,  [etc.  .  .  .] 


xciv  XXXY.  The  ShipofFoolz. 

"  This  is  the  Colophon :  d  Thus  eiideth  the  shyppe  of  fooles  of 
this  worlde.  Enprynted  at  London  in  Flete  strete  by  Wyukyn  de 
Worde  [.  .  .]  MCCCC.  ix  [sic—G.  P.].  d  The  fyrste  yere  of  the 
reygne  of  [.  .]  Henry  the  VIII.     The  vi.  daye  of  Julii." 

[In  pencil  by  F.  D.]  "  Some  cuts  used  in  '  Cock  Lorels  bote^.' 
The  Duke  of  Eoxburgh's  copy  for  £63." 

Long  as  the  extracts  are  from  the  two  versions  of  Brandt's 
book,  I  venture  to  take  another  from  Barclay's  englishing,  which 
justifies  his  captaining  this  Ship  of  Fools  : — 

Barclay  the  Translatour  to^  the  Foles. 

nnO  Shyp !  galantes !  the  se  is  at  the  ful ; 
-*-    The  wynde  vs  calletb,  our  sayles  ar  displayed ; 
Where  may  we  best  argue  P  at  Lyn  or  els  at  Hulle  ? 
To  vs  may  no  hauen  in  Englonde  be  denayd. 
Why  tary  we  P  the  Ankers  vp  wayed. 
If  any  corde  or  Cabyl  vs  hurt  /  let,  outher  hynder, 
Let  slyp  the  ende  /  or  els  hewe  it  in  sender. 

Eetourne  your  syght ;  beholde  vnto  the  shore  ! 
There  is  great  nomber  that  fayne  woldbe  aborde, 
They  get  no  rowme,  our  Shyp  can  holde  no  more. 
Haws  in  the  Cocke  !  gyiie  them  none  other  worde. 
God  gyde  vs  from  Eockes  /  quicsonde,  tempest,  &  forde ! 
If  any  man  of  warre  /  wether  /  or  wynde,  apere, 
My  selfe  shal  trye  the  wynde,  and  kepe  the  Stere. 

But  I  pray  you  reders,  haue  ye  no  dysdayne 

Thoughe  Barclay  haue  presumed  of  audacite 

This  Shyp  to  rule,  as  chefe  mayster  and  Captayne. 

Though  some  thynke  them  selfe  moche  worthyer  than  he. 

It  were  great  maruayle  forsoth,  S3'th  he  hath  be 

A  scoler  longe,  and  that  in  dyuers  scoles. 

But  he  myght  be  Captayne  of  a  Shyp  of  Poles. 

But  if  that  any  one  be  in  suche  maner  case 

That  he  wyl  chalange  the  maystershyp  fro  me, 

yet  in  my  Shyp  can  I  nat  want  a  place, 

For  in  euery  place  my  selfe  I  oft  may  se. 

But  this  I  leue,  besechynge  eche  degre 

To  pardon  my  youth  e  and  to[o]  bolde  interprise ; 

For  harde  it  is,  duely  to  speke  of  euery  vyce. 

No»  mihi  si        YoT  yf  I  had  tunges  an  hundreth,  and  wyt  to  fele 

hneue  centum       ai  iU-  x        i         i  ^        ii 

Bint  oraquB        AI  tniDges  natural  and  supernatui-all 
centum :  ferrea  A  thousand  mouthes,  and  voyce  as  harde  as  stele, 
sceierum  com.    ^^^^  0^'^^'}  ^^ne  all  the  seuen  Sciences  lyberal, 
prehendere       yet  cowde  I  neuer  touche  the  vyces  all, 

'  A  Iragment  of  C.  L.  is  in  the  Douce  collection.  ^  tho,  ori(/. 


XXXV.  ShipofFoolz.     XXXVI.  Danielz  Breamz.     xcv 

formas :  Omnia  And  syn  of  the  woi'lde,  ne  theyr  braunches  comprehende, 
:™"nS'a  Nat  thoughe  I  lyued  vnto  the  worldes  ende. 

possem. 

But  if  these  vyces  whiche  raankynde  doth  incomber 

Were  clene  expellyd,  and  vertue  in  theyr  place, 

I  cowde  nat  haue  gathered  of  fowles  so  great  a  nomber, 

Whose  foly  from  them  out-chaseth  goddys  grace. 

But  euery  man  that  knowes  hym  in  that  case, 

To  this  rude  Boke  let  hym  gladly  intende. 

And  lerne  the  way  his  lewdnes  to  amende. 

XXXVI.  Danielz  Breamz.  I  cannot  find  this  in  the  British 
Museum  or  at  Lambeth,  in  Hazlitt's  Sandhooh,  or  Collier's 
Bibliograpliical  Catalogue,  and  therefore  copy  Lowndes's  entry  of 
it,  p.  586,  col.  1,  ed.  Bohn : — "The  Dreames  of  Daniell,  with  the 
Exposycions  of  the  xij  Sygnes,  devyded  by  the  xij  Monthes  of  the 
Yeare ;  and  also  the  Destenys  both  of  Man  and  Woman  borne  in 
eche  Monthe  of  the  Tere.  Very  necessarye  to  be  knowen.  Im- 
printed by  me  Eobert  Wyer.  16mo.  Contains  [A  B  C  D  E]  F  in 
fours.  Mr.  W.  Brenchley  Rye  of  the  Museum  says  that  '  Heber's 
copy  sold  35  years  ago  for  the  moderate  sum  of  two  shillings.' 

XXXVII.  The  BooJce  of  Fortune.  This  is  supposed  to  be  a 
little  verse  tract  in  the  Lambeth  Library  by  Sir  Thomas  More ; 
but  on  seeing  it,  I  felt  sure  that  this  tract  was, — as  the  printers 
of  More's  WorTces  said  it  was, — meant  only  as  a  Preface  to  the 
Booke  of  Fortune ;  for  More  must  refer  to  that  Book  in  the  last 
lines  of  his  own  poem  ;  he  cannot  have  meant  that  the  few  French 
lines  in  bis  (or  Wyer's)  tract,  and  the  English  ones  he  puts  into 
Fortune's  mouth,  were  the  real  Booke  of  Fortune.  The  title  of 
Wyer's  tract  is 

"  d  The  Boke  of  the  fayre  GI-enty[l]-/woman,  that  no  man 
shulde  /  put  his  truste,  or  confy-/dence  in  :  that  is  to  say,  /  Lady 
Fortune :  /  flaterynge  euery  man  /  that  coveyteth  to  /  haue  all, 
and  specyally,  /  them  that  truste  in  /  her,  she  decey-/ueth  them  / 
at  laste."  /  (over  a  woodcut  of  "  The  Lady  Fortune.")  Colophon. 
"  Imprynte  by  me  Robert  Wyer  dwellyn-/ge,  in  Saynt  Martyns 
parysse,  in  /  the  Duke  of  Suffolkes  rentes  /  besyde  Charynge  / 
Crosse.  /     Ad  imprimendum  /Solum"/. 

4to,  8  leaves,  A  (not  signed)  and  B  in  fours,  no  date. 

On  the  back  of  the  title  is,  in  3  stanzas, 

d  The  Prologue 

As  often  as  I  cowsydre  these  olde  noble  clerkes, 
I'oetis,  Oratours,  &  Phylosophers,  — sectes  thre — ■ 


xcvi  XXXVII.  The  Booke  of  Fortune. 

Howe  wonderfull  they  were  in  all  theyr  werkes, 
Howe  eloquent,  howe  inuentyue  to  euery  degra, 
Halfe  amased  I  am,  and  as  a  deed  tre 
Stond  stjdl,  ouer  rude  for  to  brynge  forth 
Any  fruyte  or  sentence  that  is  ought  worth. 

a  Neuerthelee,  though  rude  I  he,  in  all  co;;tryuyng 
Of  mattisrs,  yet  ":o)Mwhat  to  make  I  need  not  to  care ; 
I  se  many  occupycd  in  the  same  thynge. 
Lo !  vnlerned  men  nowe  a  dayes  wyll  not  spare 
To  wryte,  to  bable,  theyr  myndes  to  declare, 
Trowynge  them  selfe,  gay  fantasyes  to  drawe, 
When  all  theyr  cunnynge  is  not  worth  a  strawe. 

Q  Some  in  french  Cronycles  gladly  doth  presume, 
Some  in  Englysshe  blyndly  wade  and  wander, 
Another  in  latin  bloweth  forth  a  dark  fume. 
As  wyse  as  a  great  hedded  Asse  of  Alexandre  ; 
Some  in  Phylosophye,  lyke  a  gagelynge  gandre 
Begynneth  lustely  the  browes  to  set  vp. 
And  at  the  last  concludeth  in  the  good  ale  cup. 

Q   Finis  Prologus. 
quod.  T.  M. 

On  leaf  A  ii  (not  signed)  is  the  reduced  woodcut  of  St.  J  ohn 
writing  his  Revelation  (with  a  printer's  ornament  on  the  left), 
used  on  the  title-page  of  Robert  Wyer's  1542  edition  of  Andrew 
Boorde's  Dyetary  (see  my  edition  for  the  E.  E.  Text  Soc.  1870), 
and  then  two  verses  of  French,  with  a  printer's  border  on  each 
side 


Fortune  perverse, 
Qui  le  monde  versse 
Toult  a  ton  desyre, 
Jamais  tu  nas  cesse 
Plaine  de  finesse, 
Et  y  prens  pleasire 


(I  Par  toy  ve//nent  maulx, 
Et  guerres  mortaulx, 
Touls  iuconueniens ; 
Par  mens  et  par  vaulx, 
Et  aulx  hospitalx, 
Meurent  tant  de  gens. 


On  the  back  are  two  English  stanzas  denouncing  Fortune,^  with 
"  d  Finis,  quad.  T.  M."  and  a  fresh  woodcut  of  Lady  Fortune. 

On  A  iii  (not  signed)  follow  "  d  The  wordes  of  Fortune  to  the 
People,  qxiod  Tho.  Mo.",  in  six  7-line  stanzas,  beginning  "  Myne 
hyghe  estate,  power,  aud  auctoryte,"  and  ending  "  And  he  that 
wyll  be  a  begger,  let  hym  be."  At  the  foot  of  the  back  in  A  iii  is 
the  title  of  the  next  poem  "  ([  To  them  that  trusteth  in  Fortune" 
in  thirty-three  7-line  stanzas,  beginning  "  Thou  that  art  proude  of 
honour,  shape,  or  kyn,"  and  ending  "as  are  the  iudgementes  of 
Astrouomye.     (I  Here  Fiueth  Lady  Fortune."     The  back  of  the 

'  Printed,  like  the  foregoing  Prologue,  in  Maitland's  Early  Frinied  Books, 
p.  441. 


XXXVII.  The  Booke  of  Fortune.  xcvii 

last  leaf  (B  iv  not  signed)  is  taken  up  witli  two  Frencli  stanzas  of 
8-lines  each,  asking  Fortune  where  are  divers  heroes,  "  Fortune, 
ou  est  Dauid  et  Salomon"  etc.  and  with  the  burden  "  Ilz  sont 
tons  mors :  ee  mo^ide  est  chose  vaine,"  and  followed  by  the 
Colophon. 

Now  if  we  turn  to  Sir  Thomas  More's  Worhes, '  printed  at  Lon- 
don at  the  eostes  and  charges  of  John  Cawood,  John  VValy,  & 
Eicharde  Tottell,  Anno  1557,  Q  5,'  we  find  the  main  part  of 
Wyer's  tract  printed  as  "  Certain  meters  in  English  written  by 
master  Thomas  More  in  hys  youth  for  the  boke  of  Fortune,  and 
caused  them  to  be  printed  in  the  begynning  of  that  boke."  The 
first  poem  is  '  The  wordes  of  Fortune  to  the  people'  a  boast  by 
her  of  her  power,  and  a  call  on  men  to  wait  on  her,  ending 

And  he  that  out  of  pouertie  and  mischaunce 

List  for  to  liue,  and  will  himself  enhaunce 

In  wealth  &  riches,  come  forth  and  waits  on  me  ! 

And  he  that  will  he  a  begger,  let  hyme  he.  (See  21  lines  above.) 

The  second  poem  is  '  Thomas  More  to  them  that  trust  in  for- 
tune', warning  them  of  her  fickleness,  and  what  dangers  lie  in 
trusting  her, 

Fast  by  her  side  doth  wearie  Labour  stand, 

Pale  Feare  also,  and  Sorrowe  all  bewept, 

Disdayne  and  Hatred  on  that  other  hand, 

Eke  restles  watch  fro  slepe  with  trauayle  kept, 

His  eye  drowsy  and  lokinge  as  he  slept ; 

Before  her  standeth  Daunger  and  Enuy, 

Flatery,  Dyceyt,  Mischeif  and  Tyranny. 

contrasting  her  with  Poverty,  and  advising  men  to  choose  her 

before  Fortune : 

"Wherefore  yf  thou  in  suretie  lyst  to  stande. 
Take  pouerties  parte,  and  let  prowde  fortune  go  ; 
Eeceyue  nothynge  that  commeth  from  her  hande. 
Loue  Manner  and  Vertue  ;  they  be  only  tho 
"Which  double  Fortune  may  not  take  the  fro ; 
Then  mayst  thou  boldlie  defye  her  tomyng  chaunce ; 
She  can  the  neyther  hynder  nor  auaunce. 

The  third  poem  is  '  Thomas  More  to  them  that  seke  Fortune,' 

and  ends  thus 

"  Then  forasmuch  as  it  is  fortunes  guyse 
To  graunt  no  manne  all  thinge  that  he  will  axe 
But  as  her  selfe  lyst  order  and  deuyse, 
Doth  euery  manne  his  part  deuide  and  taxe, 
I  counsayle  you  eche  one  trusse  vp  your  packs. 
And  take  nothing  at  all,  or  be  content 
With  such  rewarde  as  fortune  hath  you  sent. 


xcviii  XXXVII.  The  Booke  of  Fortune. 

He  meanetli       All  thinges  in  this  tooke  that  ye  shall  rede, 
the  booke  of       pgg  ^g  yg  ^is^^  there  shall  no  man  you  bynde 

Them  to  beleiue  as  surely  as  yoirr  crede ; 

But  notwithstandinge,  certes  in  my  m;yTide 

I  durst  well  sweare,  as  true  you  shall  them  fjoide 

In  euery  poynt,  eche  answer  by  and  by, 

As  are  the  iudgementes  of  astronomye. 

Thus  endeth  the  preface  to  the  booke  of  Fortune." 

I  think  it  clear,  then,  that  Wyer's  tract  is  a  made-up  one — 
after  More's  death  in  1535  perhaps  ^ — and  not  '  the  Booke  of 
Fortune'  that  Captain  Cox  had.  What  that  was,  I  can't  say  ; 
but  no  doubt  an  edition  of  the  book  licensed  to  William  Powell 
on  Febry.  6,  1559-60. 

Eecevyd  of  "William  Powell,  for  his  Lycense  for  pryntinge  of  the  boke  of 
fortune  in  folio,  the  vj.  day  of  Februarij      .         .         .         .         .         .     viij  d. 

Stationers^  Register  A,  leaf  48  ;  Collier's  Extracts  i.  25. 

The  earliest  Fortune-telling  book  under  Fortune  in  tlie  British 
Museum  Catalogue,  is  "  A  merry-  conceited  Fortune-Teller :" 
P(r)ognosticating  to  all  Trades  and  Professions  their  good  and 
bad  Fortune.  Calculated  according  to  Art,  for  the  Meridian  of 
England,  but  may  serve  for  all  four  parts,  East,  West,  North, 
and  South,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  end  thereof, 
[over  a  portrait  of  a  man]  London,  Printed  for  John  Andrews, 
at  the  White-Lion  near  Py-corner  1662."  Here  are  a  few  ex- 
tracts : 

"  Polterers  shall  have  very  good  fortune  if  they  can  make  G-eese 
of  their  customers  :  and  they  shall  have  ill  fortune  when  their  old 
Coneys  will  not  go  off  for  young  Eabits. 

Booksellers  shall  have  very  good  fortune  by  other  mens  wits : 
and  they  shall  have  ill  fortune  when  they  have  no  customers  for 
their  Books,  but  Sir  Ajax  [a  jakes.     See  Nares's  Glossary.']. 

Citizens  wives  shall  have  very  good  fortune  by  going  to  Epsom- 
wels  in  the  Summer-time,  for  there  they  may  purge  themselves  of 
all  their  good  qualities  :  but  their  Husbands  shall  have  hornluck, 
for  in  the  mean  time  they  may  chance  to  be  made  Cuckolds, 
and  their  wives  cannot  help  it. 

Labourers  shall  have  very  good  fortune  if  they  can  have  work 
all  the  year ;  and  they  shall  have  bad  fortune,  when  they  spend 
their  wages  on  Saturday  nights,  and  Sundays,  and  to  have  never 
a  penny  on  Munday 

Habberdashers  shall  have  good  fortune  when  each  gallant  wears 


'  R.  Wyer  printed  from  1527  to  1542. 


X^TWl.  Booke  of  Fortune.    ^XXYlll.  Stans  Puer.     xcix 

Beavers,  and  when  Countrymen  buy  coarse  felts  :  they  shall  have 

ill  fortune  when  their  knavery  is  felt  out 

Shoemakers  shall  have  good  fortune  if  they  do  not  drink  on 
Mundays,  &  so  play  all  the  week  :  &  they  shall  have  ill  fortune 
when  the  stitch  of  love  takes  them,  so  that  they  go  beyond  their 
Last,  and  run  a  woing  to  get  a  young  Lass." 

XXXVIII.  Starts  Puer  ad  Mensam.  Of  this  well-known  trans- 
lation, or  rather,  paraphrase — probably  by  Lydgate — of  a  Latin 
poem  on  how  a  youth  should  behave  at  meals,  Caxton  printed  a 
first  edition  in  4to,  in  his  2nd  type,  before  1479  (Blades's  How  to 
tell  a  Caxton,  1870,  p.  53)  ;  the  Duke  of  Devonshire  has  one 
copy ;  and  the  only  other  known,  that  in  Cambridge  University 
Library,  is  imperfect.  Then  Wynkyn  de  Worde  printed  3  edi- 
tions,— the  earliest  one  without  a  date,  containing  12  leaves,  and 
tlie  others  in  1518  and  1524  (in  six  leaves)  in  the  Cambridge 
University  Library.  Of  the  first  edition  by  Wynkyn  De  Worde, 
Mr.  Bradshaw  says  : — "  W.  de  Worde's  edition  is  Staiis  puer  ad 
mensam  -\- '  Little  John^,'  which  fully  accounts  for  the  12  leaves. 
He  must  have  reprinted  from  a  copy  where  Caxton's  two  were 
bound  together.  He  reproduces  Caxton's  mistake  of  two  pages 
transposed  in  printing,  which  is  enough  to  show  where  he  got 
his  text."     Mr.  Bradshaw  describes  the  book  as 

"  Stans  puer  ad  mensam  in  English  by  John  Lidgate.  The  Book 
of  Courtesy  or  Little  John.  London,  Wynkyn  de  Worde,  no 
date  (1501-1510)  4°. 

Collation :  A  B  in  Sixes,  12  leaves. 

Title  (in  white  on  a  black  ground)  'Stans  puer  ad  mesa';  be- 
low this  block,  three  woodcuts  of  a  man,  a  woman,  and,  between 
them,  a  family  of  children. 

Colophon  (on  the  last  page)  :  ([  Enpvynted  at  London  in  Flete 
strete  at  the  sygne  of  the  sonne  by  me  Wynkyn  de  Worde." 

The  book  was  licensed  to  Wally  in  1557,  as  we  have  seen  at 
p.  Ixxiv  above.  Doubtless  there  were  several  other  old  editions 
of  it.  A  recast  of  it  is  worked  into  Hewe  E-odes's  Boke  of  Nurture, 
of  editions  of  which  before  1575  we  know  those  by  Johan  Eedman 
(about  1530),  Thomas  Colwell,  Abraham  Veale,  Thomas  Petyt, 
and  perhaps  John  Kynge.  See  my  reprint  of  H.  Jackson's  edition 
of  1577  in  the  Bahees  Book. 

1  Caxton's  Book  of  Curtesije,  edited  by  me  for  the  Early  English  Text 
Society's  Extra  Sex-ies  in  1868,  from  2  MSS.  and  Caxton's  imique  print. 

h2 


c  XXXVIII,  Stans  Puer  ad  Mensam. 

The  short  Latin  original  Stans  Puer  ad  Mensam,  I  printed  in 
the  Babees  Book,  Part  II,  p.  30-3,  with  a  literal  englishing  of  it 
by  Professor  Seeley.  In  Part  I  of  the  same  volume,  pages  26-33 
are  two  copies  of  the  English  paraphrase  attributed  to  Lydgate, 
from  the  Lambeth  MS.  853,  about  1430  a.d.,  and  the  Harleian 
MS.  2251,  probably  about  1460  a.d.  In  my  second  Babees  Book, 
or  Queene  Mizahethes  Acliademy  &c.  E.  E.  Text  Soc.  1869,  p.  56-64, 
is  a  much  expanded  version  of  the  Stans  Puer  from  the  Ashmole 
MS.  61,  after  1460  a.d.  Of  the  shorter  English  version  Mr. 
Halliwell  printed  a  copy  in  Beliquice  Antiques,  i.  156-8  from  the 
MS.  2.  r.  8,  at  Jesus  College,  Cambridge  ;  and  Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt 
printed  the  same  copy,  in  his  Early  Popular  Poetry,  iii.  23,  but 
collated  with  three  MSS.  in  the  British  Museum,  Harl.  4011, 
Lansdowne  699,  and  Additional  5467.  There  are  other  copies  of 
the  poem  in  Ashmole  MS.  59,  art.  57,  &c.,  and  a  diflering  version 
in  Cott.  Calig.  A  ii.  leaf  13. 

The  poem  tells  a  youth,  that  when  he  stands  before  his  sove- 
reign at  the  table,  he's  not  to  speak  recklessly,  and  is  to  keep  his 
hands  still ;  not  to  stare  about,  lean  against  a  post,  look  at  the 
wall,  pick  his  nose,  or  scratch  himself;  to  look  steadily  at  the 
man  who  speaks  to  him,  and  not  cast  his  head  lumpishly  down  ; 
not  to  laugh  wantonly  before  his  lord,  and  to  walk  demurely  in 
the  streets.  Before  meals,  the  youth  is  to  clean  his  nails,  and 
wash  his  hands.  At  meals,  he's  not  to  press  up  to  too  high  a 
seat,  or  be  too  hasty  to  eat;  he's  not  to  gi'in,  make  faces,  or  shout ; 
not  to  stuff  his  jaws  too  full,  or  drink  too  fast.  He's  to  keep  his 
lips  clean,  and  wipe  his  spoon  ;  not  to  make  sops  of  his  bread, 
drink  with  a  dirty  mouth,  dirty  tlie  tablecloth,  or  pick  his  teeth 
with  his  knife.  He's  not  to  swear  or  talk  ribaldry,  or  take  the 
best  morsels,  but  to  share  with  his  fellows,  eat  up  his  scraps,  and 
keep  his  nails  from  getting  black.  Also,  he's  not  to  bring  up 
anew  old  complaints,  or  play  with  his  knife,  shuflle  his  feet  about, 
spill  the  broth  over  liis  chest,  use  dirty  knives,  or  fill  his  spoon  too 
full.  He's  to  be  quick  in  doing  whatever  his  lord  orders  ;  to  take 
salt  with  his  knife,  and  not  to  dip  his  meat  in  the  salt  cellar ;  not 
to  blow  in  the  general  cup,  or  quarrel  with  his  fellows,  or  interrupt 
any  man  telling  a  story.  He's  to  drink  ale  and  wine  only  in 
moderation  ;  not  to  talk  too  much ;  and  is  to  be  gentle  and  tract- 
able, but  not  over  soft,  and  not  revengeful.  Lastly,  children  who 
don't  behave  well  are  to  have  the  rod.  But  if  they  attend  to  this 
'  litil  balade,'  it  will  lead  them  into  all  virtues. 


XXXIX.  ?%e  Hy  Way  to  the  Spitl-house.  ci 

XXXIX,  The  Sy  Way  to  the  Spitl-house.  Of  this  very  ini- 
poi'tant  and  interesting  sketch  of  the  broken-downs,  scamps,  and 
rogues, — the  resorters  to  Bartholomew's  Hospital — in  Henry 
VIII's  time,  after  the  Statute  22nd  Henry  VIII  (1530-1) 
against  vagabonds  (1.  375),  and  after  the  Reformation  was  esta- 
blished (].  551  of  the  poem)  we  have  only  copies  of  one  edition, 
printed  by  the  author  and  printer  of  the  poem,  Robert  Copland. 
He  printed  it  at  the  shop  where,  after  at  least  22  years'  work,  he 
was  succeeded  by  William  Copland  (?  his  younger  brother,  or  son) 
in  1547  or  -8,  the  Eose-garland  in  Fletestrete''.  Mr.  Utterson 
reprinted  the  Ily  Way  in  his  Select  Pieces  of  Early  Popular  Poetry, 
1817,  and  Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt  also  reprinted  it  in  his  Early  Popular 
Poetry,  1866,  iv.  17.  After  a  Prologue,  Copland  tells  us  that 
about  a  fortnight  after  Hallowmas  or  All  Saints'  Day,  Nov.  1, 
(the  beggars'  jubilee,)  he  took  refuge  from  a  storm  under  the 
porch  of  a  hospital  (Bartholomew's),  and  while  there,  talked  to 
the  porter,  and  saw  a  crowd  of  poor  tniserable  people,  and  beggars, 
gather  at  the  gate.  (The  hospital  then  gave  temporary  lodging 
to  almost  all  the  needy,  as  well  as  a  permanent  home  to  the 
deserving  poor  and  sick;  and  Sisters  attended  to  them.)  Copland 
asks  the  Porter  about  the  different  classes  of  people  who  come  to 
the  hospital ;  and  in  their  long  talk — the  poem  is  1097  lines — all 
classes  of  the  poor,  the  ne'er-do-weels,  and  the  rascals,  are  de- 
scribed and  discussed :  twenty-three  sets  of  them,  I  make. 

First,  Vagabonds^  are  rejected,  and  they  lie  huddled  together 
like  beasts  about  Smithfield  market  and  places  near,  chiding  and 

^  William  Copland's  dated  Rose-Garland  books  range  from  1548  to  1557; 
he  afterwards  moved  to  the  Three  Cranes  in  the  Vintry,  whence  two  of  his 
dated  books  are  Tyndale's  Parable  of  the  Wicked  Mammon,  1561,  and  a 
NEVVE  BOKE  (of  prayers  etc.,  at  Lambeth)  1561 ;  lastly,  he  moved  to 
Lothbury,  whence  he  issued  no  dated  book,  so  far  as  I  know,  but  Andrew 
Boorde's  First  Boke  of  the  Introduction  of  Knowledge  that  he  printed  at 
Lothbury  was  licensed  in  1662-3.  The  full  title  of  the  Neivc  Boke  is  "  (J  A 
NEVVE  BOKE  /  Conteyninge.  /  An  exortaciow.  to  the  sicke  /  The  sycke 
mans  prayer.  /  A  prayer  with  thankes,  /  at  the  purificatio«  of  womew  /  A  Con- 
solatioM  at  buriall.  /  Colossi,  iii.  /  (J  WTiat  soeuer  ye  do  in  /  word  or  dede,  do 
al  in  the  /  name  of  the  Lord  lesu,  &  /  geue  thankes  vnto  God  /  the  father  by 
hyro.  /  M.  D.  LXl.  /"  Collation.  A  B  C  in  eights,  D  in  four,  (D  ii  signed 
D  iii),  the  last  leaf  blank.  Colophon.  "(J  Imprinted  at  London  in  /  saynt 
Martines  in  the  /  Vintry  vpon  the  thre  /  craned  wharfe  by  /  Wyllyam  /  Cop- 
land. /  (.-.)  /  "     (The  /  marks  the  end  of  a  line.) 

-  I  ought  to  have  referred  to  Eobert  Copland  as  one  of  Awdeley's  and  Har- 
man's  forerunners,  in  my  Preface  to  their  Vagabond-treatises,  E.  E.  T.  Soc. 
Extra  Series,  1869. 


cii  XXXIX.  2^he  Hy  Way  to  the  Spitl-house. 

brawling.  2,  the  persons  admitted  are  the  old,  sick,  and  impo- 
tent, women  in  childbed,  honest  folk  fallen  in  mischance,  wayfaring 
men,  maimed  soldiers,  and  bedridden  folk:  all  others  have  lodging 
for  a  night  or  two : — the  modern  Refuge,  Poor-house,  and  Hos- 
pital, in  one. — 3,  the  Beggars,  who  work  in  pairs,  one  asking 
bygoers  to  take  pity  on  the  other:  then  one  pulls  out  lid.,  says 
'  we've  had  a  bad  day,  but  let's  go  dine.'  These  don't  come  to  the 
Hospital ;  their  haunts  are  in  Barbican,  Turnmill  St.  (the  whores' 
quarter),  Houndsditch,  and  behind  the  Fleet;  and  there  they  revel 
and  get  drank,  lying  like  swine  on  their  backs.  Some  beggar- 
masters  have  men  under  them,  who  sham  diseases,  put  soap  in 
their  mouths  to  make  'em  foam  etc.  These  only  come  to  the 
Hospital  when  they're  sick  indeed.  4,  the  Masterless  Men,  who 
say  they've  served  the  King  abroad,  and  beg  for  help  till  they  get 
a  fresh  service.  Ot"  these  are  2  classes,  a  open  beggars,  ragged 
and  lowsy,  who  prowl  about  and  steal ;  b  Nightingales  of  New- 
gate, who  walk  about  decently  drest — '  In  theyr  hose  trussed 
rounde  to  theyr  dowblettes  ' — telling  you  where  they've  fought, 
or  that  they've  been  unjustly  imprisoned,  and  then  set  free:  all 
over  the  country  they  go,  and  they'll  rob  you  of  purse  and  clothes 
if  they  get  a  chance ;  and  then  at  night  dress  up  in  sword, 
buckler,  and  short  dagger,  swear,  brag,  and  '  passe  the  tyme  with 
daunce,  hore,  pipe,  (and)  thefe.'  These  at  last  come  to  the  gal- 
lows or  the  Hospital.  Ah,  says  Copland,  the  Vagabond  Act  of 
1530-1  isn't  enforced  ;  and  the  bawdy  brybrous  knaves  who  keep 
these  Beggars-lodging-houses  are  not  lookt  after.  5.  Rogers^, 
who  go  about  singing  and  praying,  saying  that  they're  poor 
scholars :  6,  Glewners,  whom  the  Rogers  obey  as  captains,  and 
who  say  they've  taken  the  degree  of  priest  in  the  university,  and 
want  money  to  go  home  and  sing  their  first  Mass  for  their  bene- 
factors :  7  Sapients  or  Quack-doctors,  who  work  in  two  couples ; 
the  first  Doctor  affects  not  to  know  English ;  his  mate  tells  a 
woman  her  child  is  near  dying,  but  the  Doctor  can  cure  it.  She 
gives  the  man  money ;  the  Doctor  refuses  any,  but  gives  her  some 
powder  for  her  child;  and  the  quacks  go  on.  Nest  day  the 
second  couple  come  to  her  house,  and  say  that  the  child  is  very 
bad,  they'll  stay  a  fortnight  until  they  make  it  well.  These  rogues 
don't  come  to  tl^e  Hospital.     8.  Fardoners,  whose  business  the 


*  1  don't  find  this,  or  any  of  the  foui'  next  names,  in  Awdeley  or  Harman. 


XXXIX.   The  Hy  Way  to  the  Spill-house.  ciii 

Eeforraation  has  taken  away :  these  do  come,  though  they're  as 
big  rogues  as  the  others  : 

"  For  by  letters  they  name  them  as  they  be ; 
P.  a  Pardoner :  Clewner  a  C  : 
E.  a  Roger :  A.  an  Aurium :  and  a  Sapyent,  S." 

Copland  doesn'b  describe  the  Auriums,  so  far  as  I  see.  9.  The 
Porter  then  describes,  in  lines  573-743,  the  unthrifts  who  come 
to  the  Hospital :  men  with  no  heart  towards  God,  bad  sons,  ale- 
house priests,  wasteful  heirs,  poor  people  dressing  finely,  careless 
folk  who  don't  keep  accounts,  bad  landlords,  men  always  going  to 
law,  negligent  farmers,  self-willed  people,  meddlers,  foolish  mer- 
chants and  workmen,  wasteful  rufflers,  taverners  and  innkeepers 
for  whores  and  thieves,  dishonest  bakers  and  brewers,  people  who 
marry  too  young,  insolvent  merchants,  waiters  for  relations' 
money,  men  letting  their  wives  ruin  them,  etc.  10.  Men  with 
shrews  for  wives.  11.  Negligent  masters,  changeable  servants, 
borrowers,  too  generous  parents,  gluttons,  untidy  careless  people. 
12.  Adulterers,  swearers,  and  blasphemers.  13.  Sluggards.  14. 
Usurers  and  extortioners,  if  they  get  poor ;  but  15.  Thieves  and 
murderers  generally  go  to  prison  and  the  gallows.  16.  Drunkards 
— Dutch  folk  and  Flemings  are  the  worst. — 17.  Quarrellers.  18. 
Proud  decayed  gentry.  19.  Hypocrites.  20.  Men  with  wasteful 
gay  wives.  21.  Pedlars  talking  cant,  'the  patryng  cove'  etc. 
(with  a  specimen  of  Cant  or  Pedlyng  Frenche).  22.  Mariners  of 
Cock  Lorel's  Boat,  unthrifts,  the  24  Orders  of  Knaves^,  aud  the 
Order  of  Fools.     23,  and  last,  of  women, 

The  systerhod  of  drabbes,  sluttes  and  callets, 
Do  here  resorte,  with  theyr  bags  and  wallets 

And  be  parteners  of  the  confi-ary  [=  fraternity]         1080 
Of  the  maynteners  of  yll  husbandry. 

'  To  eschue  vyce  I  the  vndertoke,'  says  E-obert  Copland  of  his 
poem,  which  is  a  most  valuable  help  to  our  knowledge  of  Henry 
VIII's  time,  the  necessary  complement  to  Halle's  Chronicle  of 
the  splendour  and  gaiety  of  that  king's  court  life. 

XL.  Julian  of  Br ainf or d's  Testament.  Of  this  second  poem  by 
the  old  printer  Eobert  Copland,  two  editions  only  are  known,  and 
they  were  both  printed  by  William  Copland,  in  black  letter. 
Each  contains  eight  leaves  4to.,  and  the  earlier  one's  title,  ac- 

*  See  Awdeley's  25  Orders  of  Knaves,  after  his  Fratemitye  of  Vacabondcs, 
in  om-  edition  (E.  E.  T.  Soc.)  p.  12. 


civ  XL.  Julian  of  Brainford's  Testament. 

cording  to  a  copy  made  for  me  by  Mr.  Gr.  Parker,  is  "  Jyl  of 
Breyntford's  testament.  Newly  compiled,"  with  the  colophon 
"Impreated  at  London  in  Lothbury  ouer  agaynst  Saint  Mar- 
garytes  church  by  me  "Wyllyam  Copland."  A  copy  of  this  edi- 
tion is  in  the  Bodleian,  among  Seidell's  books,  4to,  C.  39.  Art. 
Seld.  As  it  was  printed  in  Lothbury,  its  date  must  be  1562  or  a 
few  years  after.  The  later  edition  is  called  "  Jyl  of  Braintford's 
testament  newly  compiled^,"  and  has  a  colophon  "  Imprinted  at 
London  by  me  William  Copland."  According  to  Mr.  J.  Payne 
Collier  (£ibl.  Cat.  i.  152-S),  the  Loudon  edition  of  Jyl  of 
Braintford  is  earlier  than  the  Lothbury  edition  of  Jyl  of  Breynt- 
ford,  because  the  Lothbury  edition  corrects  many  mistakes  of  the 
London  one.  But  this  fact  proves  to  me  that  the  Lothbury  edi- 
tion is  the  earlier  of  the  two,  because  it  is  a  commonplace  among 
old-book  men  that  first  editions  are  the  correct  ones,  and  reprints 
the  careless  ones.  The  truth  of  this  has  been  impressed  on  me 
by  the  collations  of  the  1st  and  2nd  editions  of  Wynkyn  de 
Worde's  £oke  of  Keruinge  and  Pope  Piccolomini's  Lucres  and 
JEurialus  englished,  No.  XIV,  p.  xxxviii  above.  The  date  of  the 
later '  London '  edition  of  Jyl  of  Braintford  must  be  between  1547 
and  1567  ;  near  the  latter  year,  I  suppose.^ 

The  object  of  the  excellent  old  printer  in  writing  the  poem 
has  been  obscured  by  some  readers  dwelling  only  on  the  coarse- 
ness of  the  legacy  left  by  the  old  alewife  (a  fart^)  to  the  people 
whom  she  satirizes.  The  poem  is  really  of  the  same  class  as 
The  Hye  Way  to  the  Spytel  Uous,  and  its  main  object  is  to 
show-up  the  follies  and  vices  of  Henry  YIII's  time.  As  Cop- 
land says  of  himself  when  he  read  the  Testament  given  him  : 


It  dyd  styre  me  to  fall  on  smylyng, 
Consyderyng  the  prety  pastyme 
And  rydycle  ordre  of  the  ryme, 
The   couert    termes,   vnder   a   mery 

sence, 
Shewyng  of  many  the  blynd  insolence, 


Tauntyng  of  thynges  past  and  to  come, 
Where  as  my  self e  was  hyt  with  some : 
And  for  that  cause  I  dyd  intend 
After  tliys  maner  to  haue  it  pende, 
Prayeng  all  them  that  mery  be, 
If  it  touch  them,  not  to  blame  me. 


And  again  at  the  end,  Robert  Copland  says,  that  his  hostess's 

legacies  are 

Wylled  to  them  that,  without  aduysement, 
Do  that  thynge  waer-of  they  repent. 

^  Hazlitt's  Handbook  which  spells  '  Breyntford.' 

2  I  expect  that  all  W.  Copland's  "London  "  books  were  printed  at  Loth- 
bury, and  possibly  after  those  printed  "  at  London  in  Lothbury." 
Compare  Chaucer,  in  the  Frere's  Tale. 


XL.  Julian  of  Brainford's  Testament.  cv 

Only  one  or  two  of  these  '  things '  blamed  or  ridiculed — the 
treatment  of  a  fair  wench,  and  a  thirsty  bystander — are  right  mo- 
rally ;  the  rest  are  all  wrong  or  foolish ;  the  people  who  do  them, 
being  those  who  would  ultimately  have  to  take  refuge  in  Copland's 
'  Spytel-Hous,'  St.  Bartholomew's.  The  setting  of  the  story,  the 
tale  to  point  the  moral,  is  unnecessarily  coarse  ;  but  so  was  Cop- 
land's time ;  we  must  put  up  with  the  rough  husk  if  we  get  the 
kernel. 

The  old  alewife  leaves  twenty-five  of  her  '  raps '  to  twenty-five 
sets  of  fools,  and  one  and  a  half  to  the  curate  who  makes  her 
will.     Let's  take  the  first  six  as  a  sample.     They  are 

(1)  ...  hym  that  is  angry 

"With  his  frend,  and  wotes  not  why. 

2  .  .  hym  that  selleth  al  his  herytage, 
And  all  his  lyfe  lyueth  in  seruage  .  .  . 

3  He  that  settes  by  no  man,  nor  none  by  hym, 
And  to  promocion  fayn  wold  clym.  .  .  . 

4.  He  that  wyll  not  lerne,  and  can  do  nothjmg, 
And  with  lewed  folk  is  euer  conuersyng  .  .  . 

5.  He  that  boroweth  without  aduantage. 
And  euermore  renneth  in  arrerage  .  .  . 

6.  He  that  geueth,  and  kepeth  nought  at  all, 
And  by  kyndnes  to  pouerte  dooth  fall. 

Robert  Copland  says,  or  pretends,  that  a  mery  fellow,  John 
Hardlesay,  whom  he  met  at  Brentford,  and  with  whom  he  went 
to  drink  at  the  Eed  Lion,  at  the  shambles'  end,  first  explained  to 
him  the  meaning  of  Old  Jyl's  legacy,  and  gave  him  a  tattered 
copy  of  her  Testament. 

As  this  tract  has  not  been  reprinted  lately  (I  believe),  I  shall 
send  it  to  press  shortly,  with  another  of  the  same  class^.  The  Wyll 
of  the  Deuyl,  of  which  a  unique  copy  of  the  early  edition  is  at 
Lambeth.  I  have  heard  that  Mr.  J.  P.  Collier  has  reprinted  a 
later  edition  in  one  of  his  Series.  Mr.  Halliwell  noticed  Jyl  of 
Breyntford  in  his  edition  of '  The  Eirst  Sketch  of  Shakespeare's 
Merry  Wives  of  Windsor '  for  the  Shakespeare  Society,  1842, 
p.  68  ;  and  he  said  that  the  only  copy  of  the  earlier  edition  passed 
through  the  hands  of  E-itson  and  Heber ;  but  neither  he  nor  Mr. 
Collier  said  where  it  was  when  they  wrote.  Buried  in  the  case 
of  some  bibliotaph^,  perhaps. 

^  The  verse  '  Talk  of  Ten  Wives  on  their  Hvisbands'  Ware,'  by  some  suc- 
cessor of  the  Wife  of  Bath,  and  a  few  other  like  pieces,  will  be  included  in  the 
volume.  2  ggg  Blades's  How  to  tell  a  Caxton,  1870,  p.  27. 


cvi  -  XLI.  Castle  of  Love. 

XLI.  Castle  of  Love.  The  original  of  this,  says  Mr.  W.  F, 
Cosens,  is  the  Carcel  de  Amor  or  Prison  of  Love,  by  Diego  de 
San  Pedro,  published  in  1492.  Diego's  poetry,  says  Mr.  Tickuor 
{Hist.  Spanish  Lit.  1863,  i.  382)  "is  found  iu  all  the  Cancioneros 
Generales.  He  was  evidently  known  at  the  court  of  the  Catholic 
sovereigns  [Ferdinand  and  Isabella],  and  seems  to  have  been 
favoured  there ;  but  if  we  may  judge  from  his  principal  poem, 
entitled  '  Contempt  of  Fortune,'  his  old  age  was  unhappy,  and 
filled  with  regrets  at  the  follies  of  his  youth.  Among  these  follies, 
however,  he  reckons  the  work  of  prose  fiction  which  now  consti- 
tutes his  only  real  claim  to  be  remembered.  It  is  called  the 
Prison  of  Love  '  Carcel  de  Amor,'  and  was  written  at  the  request 
of  Diego  Hernandez,  a  governor  of  the  pages  in  the  time  of  Fer- 
dinand and  Isabella. 

"  It  opens  with  an  allegory.  The  author  supposes  himself  to 
walk  out  on  a  winter's  morning,  and  to  find  in  a  wood  a  fierce, 
savage-looking  person  who  drags  along  an  unhappy  prisoner 
bound  by  a  chain.  This  savage  is  Desire ;  and  his  victim  is 
Leriano,  the  hero  of  the  fiction.  San  Pedro,  from  natural  sym- 
pathy, follows  them  to  the  Castle  or  Prison  of  Love,  where,  after 
groping  through  sundry  mystical  passages  and  troubles,  he  sees 
the  victim  fastened  to  a  fiery  seat,  and  enduring  the  most  cruel 
torments.  Leriano  tells  him  that  they  are  in  the  kingdom  of 
Macedonia,  that  he  is  enamoured  of  Laureola,  daughter  of  its 
king,  and  that  for  his  love  he  is  thus  cruelly  imprisoned ;  all  of 
which  he  illustrates  and  explains  allegorically,  and  begs  the  author 
to  carry  a  message  to  the  lady  Laureola.  The  request  is  kindly 
granted,  and  a  correspondence  takes  place,  immediately  upon 
which  Leriano  is  released  from  his  prison,  and  the  allegorical  part 
of  the  work  is  brought  to  an  end. 

"  From  this  time  the  story  is  much  like  an  episode  in  one  of 
the  tales  of  chivalry.  A  rival  discovers  the  attachment  between 
Leriano  and  Laureola,  and,  making  it  appear  to  the  king,  her 
father,  as  a  criminal  one,  the  lady  is  cast  into  prison.  Leriano 
challenges  her  accuser,  and  defeats  him  in  the  lists  ;  but  tlie  accu- 
sation is  renewed,  and,  being  fully  sustained  by  false  wdtnesses, 
Laureola  is  condemned  to  death.  Leriano  rescues  her  with  an 
armed  force,  and  delivers  her  to  the  protection  of  her  uncle,  that 
there  may  exist  no  further  pretext  for  malicious  interference. 
The  king,  exasperated  anew,  besieges  Leriano  in  his  city  of  Susa. 


Xhl.  Casile  of  Love.    'KIAl.BoogetofDemaunds.     cvii 

jn  the  course  of  the  siege,  Leriano  captures  one  of  the  false  wit- 
nesses, and  compels  him  to  confess  his  guilt.  The  king,  on 
learning  this,  joyfully  receives  his  daughter  again,  and  shows  all 
favor  to  her  faithful  lover.  But  Laureola,  for  her  own  honor's 
sake,  now  refuses  to  hold  further  intercourse  with  him ;  in  conse- 
quence of  which,  he  takes  to  his  bed,  and,  w'ith  sorrow  and  fasting, 
dies.  Here  the  original  work  ends  ;  but  there  is  a  poor  continua- 
tion of  it  by  Nicolas  Nunez,  which  gives  an  account  of  the  grief 
of  Laureola,  and  the  return  of  the  author  to  Spain." 

The  style,  so  far  as  Diego  de  San  Pedro  is  concerned,  is  good 
for  the  age ;  very  pithy,  and  full  of  rich  aphorisms  and  antitheses. 
But  there  is  no  skill  in  the  construction  of  the  fable,  and  the 
whole  work  only  shows  how  little  romantic  fiction  was  advanced 
in  the  time  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella.  The  Garcel  de  Amor  was, 
however,  very  successful.  The  first  edition  appeared  in  1492 ; 
two  others  followed  in  less  than  eight  years ;  and,  before  a  century 
was  completed,  it  is  easy  to  reckon  ten,  besides  many  translations^ 

Mr.  F.  W.  Cosens  says :  "  In  Grayangos  and  Vedia's  Spanish 
edition  of  Ticknor  is  the  following  note.  Tomo  3°,  p.  546  : — The 
'  chivalresque-sentimental '  novel  to  which  genus  belongs  the 
Garcel  de  Amour  of  San  Pedro  was  imported  from  Italy,  but  never 
enjoyed  much  favour  in  Spain,  rapidly  passing  away  to  give  place 
to  '  books  of  chivalry,'  which  in  time  became  absolute  masters  of 
the  field." 

XLII.  The  Booget  of  Demaunds.  This  is  perhaps  *'  The  De- 
maundes  Joyous,"  a  short  set  of  comical  Questions  and  Answers, 
the  first  printed  edition  of  which  (according  to  the  reprint,  which 
Mr.  Collier  says  had  about  50  mistakes)  has  this  Colophon, "  Thus 
endeth  y*^  Demaundes  Joyous  /  Emprented  at  London  in  Flete- 
stre/te  at  the  sygne  of  the  Sonne^  by  /  me  Wynkyn  de  worde  /  In 
the  yere  of  our  /  lorde  a  M  /  CCCCC  /  and  xi."  It  was  reprinted 
in  1829  from  the  unique  copy  belonging  to  the  late  Richard 
Heber,  by  Thomas  White,  and  the  British  Museum  copy  is 
inserted  between  the  '  Contents '  and  text  of  Hartshorne's  Ancient 
Metrical  Tales,  1829.  Mr.  Collier  has  described  the  book  in  his 
Bill.  Catal.  i.  217-18. 


1  See  Brunet,  under  San  Pedro,  iv.  193.  The  earliest  French  translation  is 
La  prison  damours,  Paris,  G-aliot  du  Pre,  1526,  reprinted  in  Paris  1527. 
Others  are  Lyon  1528,  Paris  1533,  1552,  etc. 

*  '  swane '  says  the  reprint,  hut  it's '  Sonne '  says  Mr.  Collier,  Bibl,  Cat.  i.  218. 


cviii  HIAl.  BoogeiofDemaunds.  XIAll.  Hundred Mery  Tales. 

Here  is  a  sample  of  the  Demaundes  from  the  careless  reprint : 
"  ^  Demaunde.  where  became  y®  asse  that  our  lady  rode  upon. 
^  Adams  raoder  dede  ete  her.  ^  Demaunde.  -who  was  Adams 
moder.  ^  The  erthe.  •  •  .  ^  Demaunde.  How  many  calues  tayles 
behoueth  to  reche  frorae  the  erthe  to  the  skye.  ^  No  more  but 
one  if  it  be  louge  ynough.  .  .  .  ^  Demaunde.  "What  thynge  is  it 
that  neuer  was  nor  neuer  shall  be.  ^  Neuer  mouse  made  her 
nest  in  a  cattes  ere.  •  .  .  ^  Demaunde.  why  doth  an  oxe  or  a  cowe 
lye.  Bycause  she  can  not  sytte.  .  .  .  ^  Demaunde.  How  maoy 
strawes  go  to  a  gose  nest.  ^  None,  for  lacke  of  fete.  ^  De- 
maunde. what  tyme  in  the  yere  bereth  a  gose  moost  feders. 
^  When  the  gander  is  upon  her  backe." 

Mr.  J.  M.  Kemble  reprinted  the  Demaundes  in  his  Yercelli 
Poems  for  the  ^Elfric  Society, 

Mr.  Halliwell  says,  however,  that  Captain  Cox's  book  is  pro- 
bably "  Delectable  uemandes  and  pleasaunt  questions,  with  their 
seueral  aunswers  in  matters  of  lone,  naturall  causes,  with  morall 
and  politique  deuises.  Newly  translated  out  of  Prenche  into 
Englishe,  this  present  year  of  our  Lord  Grod,"  1566,  printed  by 
John  Cawood  in  4to.  Dibdin's  Ames,  iv.  401,  No.  2551.  I  can 
find  no  reference  to  the  dwelling-place  of  any  copy  of  this  book. 
But  as  we  are  among  Captain  Cox's  books  of  '  philosophy  .  .  . 
beside  poetrie  and  astronomic,  and  oother  hid  sciences,'  it  is  more 
than  possible  that  the  Booget  of  Demaunds  was  "  The  Boke  of 
Demaundes  of  the  scyence  of  Phylosophye  and  Astronomye. 
Betwene  Kynge  Boccus  and  the  Phylosopher  Sydracke.  Printed 
by  E.  Wyeri,  no  date,  8vo,  black  letter,  A  to  D  in  fours,"  a  later 
edition  of  which  Mr.  Collier  says  is  to  be  understood  by  the  fol- 
lowing entry  in  the  Stationers'  Eegister  A,  leaf  86, 

nycholas     Eecevyd  of  nycholas  "Wyer,  for  his  lycense  for  pryntinge  of  a  boke 
Wyer  intituled  the  demaundes iiijd 

No  copy  of  this  edition  is  specified. 

XLIII.  The  Hundred  Mery  Tales.  This  is  one  of  the  best  of 
our  old  Jest-Books,  and  is  alluded  to  by  Shakspere  in  his  Much 
Ado  about  Nothing.  We  know  of  only  2  old  editions  of  it,  both 
by  Eastell,  and  of  each  only  one  copy  is  known.  The  earlier  of 
the  two  editions  is  no  doubt  that  of  1526,  "A  .C.  mery  talys," 

1  Eobert  Wyer's  date  is  1534-42,  and  Eichard  Wyer's  1548-50.  both  mora 
or  less,  according  to  Ames  and  Dibdin. 


XLIII.   The  Hundred  Mery  Tales.  cix 

wliose  colophon  is  "*[[  Thus  endeth  the  booke  of  a  .C.  mery  talys. 
Emprynted  at  London  at  the  sygne  of  the  Merymayd  At  Powlys 
gate  next  to  chepe  syde.  ^  The  yere  of  our  Lorde  .M.  v.  C.  xxvi. 
^  The  xxii.  day  of  JN'oue^nber,  Johannes  Eastell.  ^  Cum  preui- 
legio  Eegali."  This  was  re-edited  in  186G  by  the  discoverer  of  it, 
Dr.  Herman  Oesterley,  from  the  only  perfect  copy  known,  which 
is  in  the  Eoyal  Library  of  the  University  of  Grottingen.  The 
copy  of  the  later  edition  by  E-astell  is  imperfect ;  it  was  discovered 
by  the  Rev.  J.  J.  Conybeare  in  1815,  reprinted  in  the  same  year 
as  Part  II.  of  Mr.  J.  W.  Singer's  ShaJcespeare  Jest-Boohs  (3  Parts 
1814-16),  and  again  reprinted  by  Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt  in  his 
Shakespeare  Jest-Boohs,  1864.  Besides  many  small  differences, 
this  later  undated  edition  leaves  out  4  tales  and  three  '  morals ' 
that  the  1526  edition  has,  but  puts  3  new  tales  instead  of  them. 
Of  the  edition  by  Walley  in  1558^,  no  copy  is  known.  The 
character  of  the  book  may  be  gathered  from  two  short  tales  at  the 
page  on  which  my  copy  of  Dr.  Oesterley's  edition  chances  to  open, 
and  that  next  to  it,  p.  77,  78, — tales  of  which  no  originals  were 
known  to  the  Editor  of  them^: — 

XLV.   Of  tlie  ploiomannys  sonne  that  sayd  he  .saw  one  mahe 
a  Gose  to  hrehe  sweetly. 

There  was  a  certayn  ploughmannys  sonne  of  the  contrey,  of 
the  age  ofe  .xvi.  yeres,  that  neuer  come  moche  among  company, 
but  alway  we«t  to  plough  and  husbandry  /  On  a  tyme  this  yong 
lad  we?2t  to  a  weddynge  with  hys  fader,  when  he  see  one  lute 
vppon  a  lute^.  And  when  he  came  home  agayne  at  nyght,  his 
moder  askyd  hym  what  sport  he  hade  at  weddynge.  This  lad 
answeryd  and  sayd,  "  by  my  trouth,  moder,"  quod  he,  "  ther  was 
one  that  brought  in  a  gose  betweene  his  armys,  and  tykled  her  si. 
vppo?i  the  nek,  that  she  crekyd  the  swetlyest  that  euer  I  hard 
gose  creke  in  my  lyfe. 

XL VI.  Of  the  maydys  answers  that  was  with  cJiylde. 
In  a  marchauntys  house  in  London  there  was  a  mayd  whiche 

^  See  the  entry  above,  p.  Ixxiv. 

^  The  56th  Tale  alludes  to  the  Coventry  Plays.  A  parish  priest  of  a  village 
in  Warwickshire  preaches  to  his  parishioners  on  the  Twelve  Articles  of  the 
Belief,  and  -winds  up  thus :  "these  artycles  ye  be  bounde  to  beleue,  for  they 
be  trew,  &  of  auctoryte.  And  yf  you  beleue  not  me  /  the??,  for  a  more  suerte, 
&  sufiycye;(t  auctoryte  /  go  your  way  to  Couentre  /  and  there  ye  shall  se  them 
all  playd  in  Corpus  Cristi  playe"  (p.  100).  Dr.  Oesterley  notes  that  these 
XII  Articles  of  the  Creed  are  in  the  Chester  Play  of  "  The  Emission  of  the 
Holy  Grhost,"  Chester  Flays,  vol.  ii.  p.  134,  Shaksp.  Soc.,  1847. 

^  See  p.  66  below,  as  to  the  shape  of  the  lute. 


ex     XLIII.  Hundred  Mery  Tales.    XLIV.  Book  of  Riddels. 

was  gotten  with  chylde;  to  whome  the  mastres  of  the  house 
came,  &  chargyd  her  to  tell  who  was  the  fader  of  the  chylde. 
To  whome  the  mayden  answeryd,  "forsoth,  no  body"  /  "why!" 
quod  the  maystres  "  yt  ys  not  possyble  but  some  mwane  muste  be 
the  fader  thereof."  To  whome  the  mayd  sayd  /  "  why,  mastres  ? 
why  may  not  I  haue  a  chylde  without  a  man,  as  well  as  a  hen  to 
lay  eggys  wythout  a  cok." 

^  Here  ye  may  see  it  is  harde  to  fyude  a  woman  wythout  an 
excuse. 

As  another  old  writer  says,  "  excuses  are  neuer  further  off  women 
than  their  apron  strings."  {Tarltori's  Neioes  out  of  JPurgatorie, 
4to,  London,  1590,  The  Tale  of  the  two  lovers  of  Pisa.) 

XLIV.  The  Booh  of  Biddels.  This  set  of  questions  and  answers 
like  the  Demaundes  Joyous,  p.  cvii,  above,  I  have  not  been  able 
to  see,  and  therefore  take  Mr.  J.  P.  Collier's  description  of  it  from 
his  Bibliographical  Catalogue,  ii.  261.  Mr.  Hallivvell  says  that 
the  1629  edition  of  the  Booh  is  in  the  Library  of  the  Earl  of 
Ellesmere. 

"  The  Booke  of  mery  Eiddles.  Together  with  proper  Questions,  and  wittie 
Proverbs  to  make  pleasant  Pastime.  No  lesse  usefull  then  behooveful  for 
any  yong  man  or  child  to  know  if  he  be  quicke-witted  or  no. — London.  Printed 
by  Edward  AUde,  dwelling  in  Little  Saint  Bartholomewes,  neere  Ckrist-chiu-ch. 
1600.     8vo.     B.  L.     24  leaves. 

"  We  can  very  well  believe  that  this  was  not  only  "  the  book  of 
riddles  "  which  Master  Slender  had  lent  to  Alice  Shortcake,  but 
that  it  was  the  edition  which  Shakespeare  had  in  his  mind  when 
he  wrote  "The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor"  about  the  date  when 
the  reprint  before  us  (for  such  it  no  doubt  was)  was  brought  out. 
We  take  it  also,  that  it  was  a  recent  edition  of  the  same  "  book  of 
riddels"  which  Laneham  in  his  Letter  from  Keailworth  mentions 
in  1575  as  in  the  library  of  Captain  Cox.  (See  vol.  i.  p.  451.) 

"  Plow  many  times  it  may  have  been  reprinted  between  1575  and 
1600  it  is  impossible  to  state  ;  but  we  never  find  it  entered  in  the 
Stationers'  Eegisters,  and  the  oldest  impression  hitherto  known, 
until  the  discovery  of  the  present  copy,  was  of  the  year  1629, 
when  it  was  '  printed  by  T.  C.  for  Michael  Sparke,  dwelling  in 
Greene  Arbor  at  the  signe  of  the  blue  Bible.'  We  may  be  sure 
that  such  a  collection  was  in  great  popular  demand,  but  between 
1681^  and  1660  we  are  aware  of  no  reproduction  of  it:  in  1660  it 

'  "  The  exact  wording  of  the  title-page  of  the  edit.  1631  is :  "A  Booke  of 
M.errie  Riddles.     Very  meete  and  deUgitfuU  for  youth  to  try  their  wita. — ■ 


XLIV.  The  Book  of  Riddels.  cxi 

was  '  printed  for  John  Stafford  and  W.  G.  and  are  to  be  sold  at 
the  George  near  Pleetbridg.'  All  copies  are  in  black  letter,  and 
the  intermediate  edition  of  1631  was  printed  by  Eobert  Bird  in 
Cheapside. 

"  The  wording  of  the  title-page  is  nearly  the  same  in  all  the 
copies  we  have  been  able  to  examine,  but  it  is  to  be  observed  that 
the  impression  of  1660,  although  it  announces  '  proper  questions 
and  witty  proverbs,'  contains  nothing  of  the  kind :  nevertheless, 
it  is  obviously  complete,  with  the  word  Finis,  and  the  initials  of 
the  publishers,  in  a  chaplet,  at  the  end.  The  '  proper  questions 
and  witty  proverbs '  was  therefore  a  false  pretence,  and  the  book 
consists  of  only  12  leaves.  All  editions  have  the  following  linea 
opposite  the  title-page,  but  they  are  sometimes  differently 
divided : — 


*  Is  the  wit  quicke  ? 
Then  do  not  sticke 
To  reade  these  Eiddes  darke : 


Which  if  thou  doo, 
And  rightly  too, 
Thou  art  a  witty  sparke.' 


Later  copies  than  the  one  we  have  used  read  '  Is  thy  wit  quicke,' 
and  it  is  perhaps  right.  The  antiquity  of  some  of  the  riddles  is 
thus  established,  carrying  us  back  fourteen  years  anterior  to  the 
date  of  Laneham's  Letter  from  Kenil worth  : — 

'  What  is  that,  round  as  a  hall, 
Longer  than  Pauls  steeple,  weather  cock  &  all  ?' 

The  answer,  called  '  solution,'  is  '  It  is  a  round  bottome  of  thread 
when  it  is  unwound.'  Now,  we  know  that  the  steeple  of  St. 
Paul's,  with  its  weathercock,  was  consumed  by  fire,  occasioned  by 
lightning,  in  June,  1561.    (Stow's  Annales,  p.  1055,  edit.  1605, 

London.  Printed  for  Rohert  Bird  and  are  to  bee  solde  at  his  shoppe  in 
Cheapeside  at  the  sign  of  the  Bible.     1631."     12mo  B.  L.  11  leaves. 

"  We  quote  the  following  from  the  Edit.  1630,  the  more  curious  because  it 
contains  the  words  of  a  very  old  Catch,  then  usually  sung  by  '  Ale  Knights,' 
and  which  has  come  down  to  oui'  day. 

Q.  I  am  foule  to  be  looked  unto,  j   Nutmegs,  Ginger,  Oinamon  and  Cloves, 


Yet  many  seeke  me  for  to  win, 
Not  for  my  beauty,  nor  my  skin, 
But  for  my  wealth  and  force  to  Imow. 
Harde  is  my  meate  whereby  I  live. 
Yet  I  bring  men  to  dainty  fare  : 
If  I  were  not,  then  Ale-Knio-hts  should 


Tlieg  gave  us  this  jolly  red  nose. 
The  foure  parts  of  the  world  I  show. 
The  time  and  howers  as  the  doe  goe ; 
As  needfuU  am  I  to  mankind 
As  any  thing  that  they  can  find. 
Many  doe  take  me  for  their  guide, 


To  sing  this  song  not  be  so  bold,  i  Who  otherwise  would  runne  aside. 

'  Sol(ution).  It  (is)  a  Loadestone,  for  without  it  no  Pilot  were  able  to  guide 
a  ship  in  the  Ocean  Seas.'  " 


cxii  .    XLIV.  The  Book  of  Riddels. 

edit.  1631,  p.  647,  and  this  vol.  p.  134.)  The  riddle  was  therefore 
older  than  1561. 

"  Some  of  the  best  E-iddles  are  in  '  The  Demaundes  Joyous^' 
printed  by  Wynken  de  Worde  in  1511,  (reviewed  in  vol.  i.  p.  217) 
the  first  of  which  is — '  Who  bare  the  best  burden  that  ever  was 
borne  ?'  and  the  answer,  '  That  bare  the  asse  when  our  lady  fled 
with  our  lorde  into  egypte.'  It  stands  thus  in  our  '  Booke  of 
Merry  Eiddles,'  1660 — 'Who  bare  the  best  burthen  that  was 
ever  bore  at  any  time  since,  or  at  any  time  before  ?'  with  the  fol- 
lowing '  solution  :'  '  It  was  the  Asse  that  bare  both  our  Lady  and 
her  son  into  Egypt.'  Again,  in  the  'Demaundes  Joyous'  we 
have,  just  afterwards — '  What  space  is  from  y^  hyest  space  of  the 
se  to  the  depest  ?' — '  But  a  stones  cast.'  In  our  more  modern 
form  it  is  given  as  follows — '  What  space  is  from  the  highest  of 
the  sea  to  the  bottom  ? — Solut.  A  stones  cast,  for  a  stone  throwne 
in,  be  it  never  so  deepe,  will  go  to  the  bottome.'  A  third  instance 
from  the  '  Demaundes  Joyous '  is  this — '  How  many  calves 
tayles  behoueth  to  reche  from  the  erthe  to  the  skye  ?• — No  more 
but  one,  if  it  be  longe  enough.'  The  Eiddle-book  of  1600  has  in 
it  nearly  the  same  terms — '  How  manie  Calves  tailes  will  reach  to 
the  sky  ? — Solut.  One,  if  it  bee  long  enough.'  The  two  last  are 
precisely  the  same  in  the  impressions  of  1629,  1631  and  1660. 

"  The  following  was  no  doubt,  invented  and  printed  before  the 
Eeformation,  but  it  is  not  in  the  '  Demaundes  Joyous '  for  ob- 
vious reasons :  '  Of  what  faculty  be  they  that  everie  night  turn 
the  skins  of  dead  beastes  ?  Solution.  Those  be  Fryars,  for  everie 
nigbt  at  Mattins  [Vespers]  ?  they  turn  the  leaves  of  their  parch- 
ment bookes  that  be  made  of  sheep  skins,  or  calfes  skins.'  The 
following  is  of  a  different  character  to  the  riddles  we  have  already 
noticed,  but  it  is  not  at  first  very  intelligible : — 

'  L  and  V  and  C  and  I, 
So  hight  my  Lady  at  the  Font  stone.' 

The  '  solution,'  so  to  call  it,  is  thus  given :  '  Her  name  is  Lucy,  for 
in  the  first  line  is  LVCI,  which  is  Lucy :  but  the  Riddle  must  be 
put  and  read  thus :  fifty  and  five,  a  hundred  and  one :  then  is  the 
riddle  very  proper,  for  L  standeth  for  fifty,  &  V  for  five,  C  for  an 
hundred  and  I  for  one.' 

*  See  No.  XLII,  p.  cvii,  above. 


XLIV.  The  Book  of  Riddels,  exiii 

"  Some  are  in  rhyme,  as  the  following,  which  is  in  substance  and 
in  prose,  also  in  the  '  Demaundes  Joyous :' — 

'  A  water  there  is  wMcli  I  must  passe ;  I   And  yet  of  all  waters  tliat  ever  I  see 
a  broader  water  there  never  was,        |   To  pass  it  over  is  lest  jeopardie.' 

The  solution  in  1600  is  "It  is  the  due  [dew]  for  that  lyeth  over 
all  the  world :"  '  Demaundes  Joyous '  adds  "  "Which  is  the  broad- 
est water  and  the  leest  jeopardye  to  passe  over." 

"  The  most  curious  and  interesting  part  of  this  little  volume  con- 
sists of  a  list  of  '  witty  Proverbs,'  which  as  we  have  stated,  are 
altogether  omitted  in  the  reprint  of  1660.  They  are  entirely 
miscellaneous,  and  we  select  only  a  few  of  the  most  pointed  and 
satirical. 

'  There  is  no  vertue  that  povertie  destroyeth  not. 
All  weapons  of  warre  cannot  arme  feare. 
Chuse  not  a  woman,  nor  linnen  cloth,  by  a  candle. 
He  helps  little  that  helpeth  not  himselfe. 
He  knoweth  enough  that  knoweth  nothing,  if  so  bee  hee  know 
how  to  holde  his  peace. 

He  danceth  well  enough  to  whom  Fortune  pipeth. 

He  that  liveth  in  Court  dyeth  upon  straw. 

Tbat  is  well  done  is  done  soon  enough. 

Marvell  is  the  daughter  of  ignorance. 

The  deeds  are  manly,  and  the  words  womanly. 

He  that  soweth  vertue  shall  reape  fame. 

The  hearts  mirth  doth  make  the  face  fayre. 

He  that  is  in  poverty  is  still  in  suspition. 

He  that  goeth  to  bed  with  dogs  riseth  with  fleas. 

Fryars  observants  spare  their  owne,  and  eate  other  mens. 

All  draw  water  to  their  owne  mill.' 

"  In  the  whole  there  are  131  of  the  Proverbs. 
"  The  following  shows  that  some  of  the  proverbs  are  of  foreign 
origin : — 

'  Venice,  hee  that  doth  not  see  thee  doth  not  esteeme  thee.' 

This  is,  of  course,  Shakespeare's  '  Venezia,  Venezia,  chi  non  te  vede 
non  te  pregia^'  (L.  L.  L.,  A.  iv.  so.  2)  which,  perhaps,  he  had  from 
Florio's  '  Second  Fruits '  1591,  but  without  the  sequel ;  which. 


1  In  the  Folio,  vemehie,  veneha,  que  non  te  vnde,  que  non  te  perreehe,  Booth's 
reprint,  p.  132,  col.  1. 


cxiv   XIAY.  Book  of  Riddels.   XhY .  Seauen  Sororz  of  Wemen. 

among  other  places,  we  meet  with  in  Howel's  Letters,  p.  53,  edit. 

1655, 

'  Venetia  Venetia,  chi  non  te  vede  non  te  pregia, 
Ma  che  t'  ha  troppo  veduto  te  dispregia ;' 

Which  has  been  thus  translated : — 

'  He  who  ne'er  saw  thee,  Venice,  cannot  prize  thee. 
He  who  too  much  has  seen  thee  must  despise  thee.' 

Thus  we  see  that  our  great  dramatist  may  be  illustrated  from  the 
most  unlikely  sources,  for  there  was  nothing  too  vast  for  his  intel- 
lect, nor  too  insignificant  for  his  observation.  The  small  book  of 
Riddles  in  our  hands  throws  light  upon  two  of  his  noble  dramas." 

XLV.  The  Seauen  Sororz  of  Wemen.  'I  am  not  acquainted 
with  any  tract  bearing  this  title,'  says  Mr.  Halliwell,  and  so  say  I. 
Any  one  who  has  not  read  the  curious  set  of  poems  on  Women  in 
Mr.  Hazlitt's  4th  volume  of  Eai-ly  Popular  Poetry,  1866,  should 
read  them  forthwith  :  they  are  The  Payne  and  Sorowe  of  Evyll 
Maryage,  The  Boke  of  Mayd  Emlyn,  The  Schole-house  of 
Women,  The  Proude  Wyues  Pater-noster  (see  next  article  here), 
A  merry  Jeste  of  a  Shrewde  and  curste  Wyfe  lapped  in  Morelles 
skin  (see  No.  XXVI.  p.  Ixiv  above),  A  Treatyse  shewing  and  de- 
claring the  Pryde  and  Abuse  of  Women  NowaDayes,  and  A  G-lasse 
to  Viewe  the  Pride  of  Vaine-G-lorious  Women. 

XLVI.  The  Proud  Wives  Paternoster.  Customs  founded  on 
the  weaknesses  of  human  nature  abide ;  and  as  women  in  early  days 
didn't  like  going  to  church  when  it  rained  [Babees  Booh,  p.  36, 1. 12), 
so  they  don't  now ;  as,  when  there  in  old  time,  they  lookt  at  one 
another's  dresses,  envied  their  neighbours'  finery  and  resolved  to 
outdo  it,  so  they  do  now,  more  or  less ;  and  as  men  of  old  quizzed 
them  for  it,  and  protested  against  waste  of  money  on  overgay 
frocks  &c.,  so  do  some  now.  When  will  women  dress  as  comfort 
and  good  sense  (and  men  ?)  dictate,  and  not  to  outbrave  other 
women,  or  imitate  nasty  Erench  models  ?  But  one  mustn't 
grumble  at  small  faults  in  great  goods,  and  I  hope  we're  on  the 
mend :  short  frocks  are  in,  chignons  out ;  may  sausages  and  pads 
soon  disappear,  and  female  heads  retake  their  natural  shape ! 

The  Proud  Wife  goes  to  church,  like  other  wives,  thinking 
how  '  to  go  gaye'  and  '  as  gorgyous  as  other.'  She  says  the  clauses 
of  the  Pater  Noster,  and  adds  thought-tags  not  in  the  original 
Lord's  Prayer,  whereof  here  is  a  specimen : 


XLVL  The  Proud  Wives  Paternoster.  cxv 

H  Adueniat  re/jfrnun  tuura. — thy  kingdom  come  to  vs 

After  this  lyfe,  when  we  hens  shall  wende  !  (1.  50) 

But  whyle  we  be  here  now,  swete  Jesus, 

As  other  women  haue,  suche  grace  in  me  sende, 
That  I  may  haue,  Lorde,  my  heede  in  to  wrap, 

After  the  guyse,  kerchefes  that  be  fyne,* 
And  thei'on  to  sette  some  lusty  trymme  cap. 

With  smockes  wel  wrought,  soude  w«th  sylkew  twyne. 

11  Fiat  voluntas  tua — thy  well  [will]  fulfilled  be 

Lorde  god,  alway  !  as  thys  tyme  doth  requj're : 
And  as  my  gossep  that  sytteth  here  by  me. 
So  let  me  be  trymmed  :  nought  elles  I  desyre.  ...      (1.  60) 

IT  Sicut  in  celo  et  in  terra — in  heauen  as  in  erthe ;  (1.  65) 

Yt  is  alway  sene,  go  we  neuer  so  farre, 
That  women  aboue  all,  the  beaute  bereth ; 

And  without  gaye  gere  our  beaute  we  marre ; 
Therfore,  good  lorde,  let  this  be  a-mende. 

And  gaye  gere  to  were,  that  I  may  haue,  (1.  70) 

Or  elles  my  lyfe  wyll  haue  an  ende  : 

For  very  pure  thought  [anxiety],  nought  can  me  saue. 

The  Proud  Wife  nearly  swoons ;  but  her  gossip  wrings  her 
finger  and  revives  her,  and  then  sympathises  with  her  in  her 
trouble — the  stinginess  of  her  husband  wlio  won't  give  her  money 
to  buy  fine  clothes.  The  Gossip  tells  her  how  to  manage  the  man: 
take  a  third  of  his  gains,  and  spend  it  on  *  rybandes  of  sylke  .  . 
with  tryangles  trymly  made  poynte  deuyse,' '  fyne  hoose,'  and '  tryrn 
shos  ;'^  then  ask  him  for  whatever  she  wants,  but  not  when  he's 
angry  ;  crave  it  with  loving  countenance  and  fair  words,  asking 
only  for  small  trifles  at  first,  and  then  she'll  get  whatever  large 
gifts  she  wants.  But  if  he  won't  attend  to  her,  and  plays  the 
churl,  then  the  Wife  must  do  so  too,  seize  half  of  his  goods — half 
is  hers,  and  half  his. 

The  Proud  Wife  says  she  shall  get  nothing  but  fists  and  staves 
if  she  does  ask  her  husband  for  money,  and  so  she  shall  take  what 
she  can,  and  get  another  mate.  After  service,  though,  she  does 
ask  her  goodraan,  and  he  quietly  reasons  with  her;  tells  her  he's 

'  Compare  Chaucer's  Wife  of  Bath,  Prol.  Cant.  Tales,  1.  453-5.     (Group  A, 

k  1) : 

Hir  couercMefs  /  ful  fyne  weren  of  grounds 
I  dorste  swere  /  they  weyeden  ten  pound« 
That  on  a  Sondaij  /  weren  vpon  hir  heede 

^  Compare  again  Chaucer's  Wife, 

Hir  hosen  weren  oifiyn  scarlet  reedo 

fful  streite  j^teyd  /  and  shoes  ful  moyste  and  newe. 

ib.  1.  456-7,  Ellesmere  MS. 

i2 


cxvi  XLVI.  The  Proud  Wives  Paternoster. 

in  debt,  has  only  £20  to  pay  a  hundred  with,  wears  simple  clothes 
himself,  and  cannot  give  her  anything  unless  he  steals  it.  His 
"Wife  only  abuses  and  threatens  him ;  and  he,  poor  man,  goes  to 
consult  his  curate  about  it.  After  Mass,  the  priest  can  only  say, 
'  do  well  and  trust  in  God ;'  and  the  poor  man  goes  home,  to 
find  that  his  wife  has  carried  off  all  his  '  short  endes  &  mony 
that  he  had  in  store,'  so  that  he's  undone  for  ever. 

"  Suche  JPater  Noster  some  wyues  do  saye."  But  instead  of 
it  they'd  better  say  '  the  gow[ld]en  Paternoster  of  deuociou,'  of 
which  we'll  quote  one  stanza,  1.  521-8  : 

Chryt  Jesu  our  kynge,  and  his  mother  dere, 

Be  in  our  nede  our  socour  and  comforte, 
Our  soules  from  synne  to  preserue  clere, 

That  the  flame  of  charyte  in  vs  reporte ; 
To  -whom  that  we  may  resorte 

With  blisfiil  armony  both  all  and  summe  ; 
Swete  Jesus  !  for  vs  exhorte, 

That  vnto  us — Adueniat  regniim  tuum. 

This  abstract  is  made  from  Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt's  reprint  of  the 
two  poems  in  Early  Popular  Poetry  iv.  147-178,  from  the  undated 
edition  in  the  Bodleian,  by  Kynge,  576  lines.  John  Awdeley's 
edition,  licensed  on  Aug.  14,  1560  (see  the  next  article)  has  not 
come  down  to  us,  but  we  have  two  editions  by  John  Kynge,  one 
dated  1560,  and  the  other  undated : — 

The  Proude  Wyves  Pater  noster  that  wolde  go  gaye,  and  undyd  her  Hus- 
bonde  and  went  her  waye.  Anno  Domini  MDLX.  [With  a  woodcut  on  the 
title  of  a  man  with  purses  at  his  girdle.  Colophon]  Imprinted  at  London  in 
Paulas  Churche  yearde  at  the  Sygne  of  the  Swane  by  John  Kynge.  4to,  black 
letter. 

The  License  for  this  on  June  10,  1560,  has  been  already  quoted 
from  the  Stationers'  Eegister  A,  at  p.  xxiii  above.  The  only  copy 
now  known  is,  I  suppose,  in  Lord  EUesmere's  Library  (^Collier's 
Bill.  Account,  ii.  201).    The  title  of  the  unique  Bodleian  copy  is 

The  Proude  wyues  Pater  noster,  that  wolde  go  gaye,  and  vndyd  her  hus- 
bonde  and  went  her  waye.  [With  a  woodcut  on  the  title  of  two  women  con- 
versing, the  righthand  one  the  same  as  that  on  p.  167  of  my  reprint  of  Boorde's 
Introduction  of  Knowledge.  Colophon.]  11  Imprinted  at  London  in  Paulas 
Churcheyearde  at  the  Sygne  of  the  Swane  by  John  Kynge.  4to.  black 
letter,  {fiazlitt.) 

XL  VII.  The  Chapman  of  a  PenewortTi  of  Wit.  This  is  the  poem 
printed  by  Ritson  in  his  Ancient  Popular  Poetry,  1791,  from  the 
Cambr.  Univ.  Libr.  MS.  Ff  ii.  38,  and  by  Mr.  W.  C.  Hazlitt,  in 
his  Early  Popular  Poetry,  vol.  i.  p.  193 — from  the  Harl.  MS. 


XLVII.  The  Chapman  of  a  Peneworih  of  Wit.     cxvii 

5396,  the  Auchinleck  MS.  (as  printed  by  Mr,  D.  Laing)  and  the 
Cambridge  MS. — under  its  other  title  of  "  How  a  Merchande 
dyd  hys  wyfe  betray."  An  edition  that  has  not  reacht  lis  was 
licensed  on  Aug.  M,  1560. 

"  E^  of  John  Sampson,!  for  his  Lycense  for  the  prynting  of  the 
proude  wyues  pater  noster :  a  panyworth  ofwytt,  and  the  plowmans 
pater  noster,  the  xiiij  of  auguste xij"! " 

Other  editions  were  licensed  to  John  Charlwood  on  15  January 
1581-2  {Collier's  Stat.  Beg.  ii.  155)  and  to  Edward  White  on  16 
August,  1586  (ih.  p.  213),  but  they  have  not  reacht  us,  nor  has 
any  other  early  printed  copy.  The  earliest  MS.  of  the  poem  is 
the  Auchinleck,  1320-30  a.d.,  edited  by  Mr.  David  Laing  for 
the  Abbotsford  Club  in  1857,  as  "  A  Penni-worth  of  Witte,  Elorice 
and  Blanchefiour,  and  other  Pieces  of  Antient  English  Poetry." 
It  contains  a  few  lines  more  than  the  MSS  of  100  or  120  years 
later  printed  by  Ritson  and  Mr.  Hazlitt ;  but  the  Harleian  MS. 
only  contains  half  the  poem.  Mr.  Laing  says  that  the  origin  of 
the  poem  is  the  fabliau  of  "  La  Bourse  pleine  de  sens"  printed  in 
the  third  volume  of  Barbazan's  collection  of  Fabliaux  et  Conies, 
ed.  1808. 

A  merchant  has  a  true  wife,  but  neglects  her  for  a  paramour  or 
concubine,  to  whom  he  gives  rich  gifts.  When  he  is  going  to  sea, 
he  asks  his  wife  whether  she  has  any  money  to  give  him  to  buy 
her  a  present.  She  gives  him  a  penny  to  buy  her  a  Pennyworth 
of  Wit,  and  keep  it  in  his  heart.  The  merchant  sails  to  France, 
and  buys  his  leman  brooches,  jewelry,  and  many  fair  things.  Then, 
in  the  hearing  of  an  old  man,  he  wonders  where  he  can  get  a 
pennyworth  of  wit  for  his  wife.  The  old  man  answers  '  Have  you 
a  leman  or  a  wife  ?'  '  Both,'  says  the  merchant,  '  and  I  love  my 
paramour  best.'  '  Then,'  says  the  old  man,  '  when  you  get  home, 
put  on  old  clothes ;  say  that  you've  been  shipwrecked,  have  lost 
everything,  and  have  slain  a  man  ;  ask  for  a  night's  refuge  ;  and 
live  with  the  woman  who  treats  you  best.'  Eor  this  Pennyworth, 
the  merchant  pays  his  wife's  penny,  and  acts  on  the  advice.  Hia 
paramour  sees  him  coming  in  old  clothes,  declares  she  won't  admit 
him :  and  on  hearing  his  story,  threatens  to  fetch  the  bailiffs  il 

'  He  is  Awdeley,  who  wrote  the  Fraternity e  of  Vacahondes,  and  was  called 
Sampson  Awdley,  or  John  Sampson.  There's  an  entry  in  the  Stat.  Keg.  with 
his  aliases.     (See  the  Fraternitye,  with  Harman's  Caueat,  E.  E.  T.  Soc.  1869.) 


cxviii       XLVII.   The  Chapman  of  a  Peneivorth  of  Wit. 

he  doesn't  go  off.  He  does  go,  to  his  wife ;  and  she  receives  him 
gladly,  like  the  Nutbrown  Maid,  says  she'll  shelter  him,  work  for 
him,  beg  his  pardon  of  the  king ;  "  I  will  never  forsake  thee  in 
thy  woe !"  He  sleeps  with  her ;  and  next  morning  dresses  himself 
richly,  and  goes  to  his  paramour.  She  now  is  eager  to  kiss  him 
and  abuse  his  wife.  But  he  won't  have  it.  She  puts  down  all 
the  presents  he  has  given  her,  £400  worth ;  and  he  sends  them 
home  to  his  wife  as  her  own,  bought  with  her  penny ;  and  lives 
with  her  happily  ever  after. 

III.  Captain  Cox's  Ancient  Plays. 

We  have  now  reacht  another  division  of  Captain  Cox's  books, 
his  four  "  auncient  Playz."     Of  these,  the  first, 

XL VIII.  Yooth  and  Gharitee,  is  no  doubt  that  of  which  an- 
other edition  was  licensed  to  John  "Wally  or  Waley  in  1557,  and 
the  entry  of  which,  already  quoted  at  p.  Ixxiv,  is  among  the  earliest 
in  the  Stationers'  Register  A,  and  is  on  leaf  22  : 

To  mr.  John  Wally  these  bokes,  Called  Welthe  and  helthe  /  the  treatise  of  the 
ffrere  and  the  boye'  /  stans  puer  ad  mensam^ ;  a  nother,  youghtc,  charyte,  and 
Immylyte  ;  an  a  b  c  for  cheldren,  in  engiesshe,  w«tA  syllabes ;  also  a  boke 
called  an  hundreth  mery  tayles^ ijs 

A  copy  of  this  edition—  or  perhaps  a  later  and  more  carelessly 
printed  one  from  the  same  press* — is  in  the  British  Museum  (C.  34. 
b.  24)  "  Thereterlude  of  youth"  over  cuts  of  Charitie  and  Youth, 
with  the  colophon,  "  Imprinted  at  London  by  John  waley  /  dwell- 
yng  in  Foster  lane."  Another  edition  is  also  in  the  Museum 
(C.  34.  e.  38)  "The  Enterlude  of  youth,"  over  cuts  of  Charite, 
Youth  (the  cut  used  in  Boorde's  Introduction  of  Knowledge,  for 
a  Bohemian,  p.  166  of  my  reprint  1870)  and  a  third  figure  for 
Humility  (the  cut  in  Boorde's  Introduction,  for  a  Dane,  p.  162  of 
my  reprint)  ;  and  as  the  colophon  is  "  Imprinted  at  London  in 
Lothbury  over  a .  /  gainst  Saiuct  Margarytes  church  by  me  / 
Wyllyam  Copland .  / ,"  the  date  of  the  book  must  be  1562  or 
after,  as  Copland  was  at  the  Three  Craned  wharf  in  the  Vintry 
in  1561,  and  at  the  Rose  Garland,  Fleet  St.  before  that*.  The 
Eev.  S.  R.  Maitland   in   his  Early  Frinted  BooJcs  at  Lamheth 

'  See  No.  XXXT,  p.  Ixxiii,  above.  ^  g^e  XXXVIII.  p.  xcix,  above. 

3  See  No.  XLIII.  p.  cviii,  above. 

*  See  p.  cix.    I  don't  suppose  that  Coplande  printed  from  Waley's  edition. 

*  See  p.  xlviii,  above. 


XliVlll.  Yooth  and  Chariiee.    XIAX.  Hikskoymer.     cxix 


1843,  p.  309  &c.  reprints  a  fragment  of  four  leaves  of  another 
edition^. 

Charity  tries  to  persuade  Touth  to  follow  Grod's  laws,  but 
Youth  scorns  him,  and  threatens  to  stab  him ;  so  he  goes  away 
to  fetch  Humility  to  convince  Touth.  Then  comes  Eiot  from 
Newgate,  and  promises  Touth  some  wine  and  a  wench  at  the 
tavern,  and  gets  him  Pride  as  his  servant.  Pride  suggests  that 
Touth  shall  take  a  wife ;  but  Eiot  poohpoohs  this,  and  says  he 
must  have  Pride's  sister.  Lady  Lechery,  as  his  lemman.  She  comes, 
to  Touth's  delight,  and  they  are  all  going  off  to  the  tavern,  where 
Pride  is  to  be  Eector  Chori  (see  my  pref.  to  Awdeley  etc.,  p.  xv), 
when  Charity  interrupts  them ;  but  they  chain  him  hand  and  foot, 
and  go  on.  Humility  then  comes  up,  pnd  looses  Charity,  and  the 
tavern  party  come  back  to  them.  A  dispute  for  Touth  follows  : 
At  first  he  promises  to  follow  liiot ;  but,  on  hearing  from  Charity 
how  Jesus  bought  back  men  from  hell  with  his  blood,  desires  to 
save  his  soul,  and  betakes  himself  to  Grod. 

As  a  sample  of  the  play,  and  the  2  editions  (of  which  Copland's 
is  the  more  correct),  take  Eiot's  speech  as  to  what  he  can  teach 
Touth,  sign  C.  iiii. 


lohn  Waley,  1557. 

Syr  [I]  can  teache  you  to  play  at  the 

dice, 
At  the   qucnes    game,   and   at    the 

Iryshe, 
The  Treygobet  and  the  hasarde  also, 
And  many  other  games  mo. 
Also  at  the  cardes  I  can  theche  you 

to  play, 
At  the  triump,  and  one  and  thyrtye. 
Post,  pinion,  and  also  aumsase. 
And  at  an''  other  they  call  dewsace. 
Yet  I  can  tel  you  more,  &  ye  wyll 

con  me  thanke, 
Pinke,  and  drinke,  and  also  at  the 

blanke. 
And  many  sportes  mo. 


Wyllyam  Copland,  after  1561^. 

Syr,  I  can  teache  you  to  play  at  the 

dice, 
At  the    quenes    game,  and   at   the 

Iryshe-*, 
The  Treygobet,  and  the  hasarde  also. 
And  many  other  games  mo. 
Also  at  the  cardes  I  can  teche  you  to 

play, 

At  the  triumph,  and  on  and  thirtye. 
Post,  pinion,  and  also  aumsase, 
And  at  an  other  they  call  dewsace. 
Yet  I  can  tel  you  mor,  &  ye  will 

con  me  thanke, 
Piake,  and  drinke,  and  also  at  the 

blanke. 
And  mane  sportes  mo. 


XLTX.  Hikshorner.  Title  "  Hycke  scorner  "  in  a  riband  over  a 
treble  woodcut,  with  3  single  cuts  below  (the  middle  one  an  ele- 
phant with  a  castle  on  its  back),  and  on  the  back,  six  single  cuts 

'  Maitland  had  not  seen  Waley' s  edition  in  the  Museum.    I  have  compared 
his  extracts  with  Waley's  and  Copland's  books. 
2  He  printed  books  in  1567 ;  p.  xxxviii-xxxix,  above.  '  ad,  orig. 

*  A  kind  of  backgammon.     HazUtt's  Brand,  ii.  315. 


cxx  XLIX.  Hikskorner. 

ol'  1.  Cowtompla[tion],  2  Pyte,  3  Prewyll,  4.  Imagyna[oion], 
5  IIy(!kK('»)nicM',  (>.  PcrH(Mi(>[raiu'o]  ;  olwliicli  no.  4  was  afterwards 
1180(1  by  Win.  (\'»|)laiulo  ibr  a  Saxon,  a  Spaniard,  an  l'j<^yptian,  etc. 
in  JJoordc's  IiUrodiicfion  of  Knowlcdi/e  (p.  105  otu.  of  my  reprint)  ; 
no.  2  for  a  lioinbard,  and  a  Latin  man,  by  W.  Copland,  ih.  ]>.  180; 
and  for  Boordo',  by  J{.  Wyer,  lb.  p.  305  ;  and  no.  5  by  W.  Coplando 
for  a  BoluMiiiaii,  ■//;.  p.  100. 

The  coloplion  is  "  Bii()ryntod  by  nio  Wynkyn  de  Worde,"  over 
his  device,  tlie  Sim  and  2  phmets  ringed  with  stars,  Caxton's 
monogram  'WO'  below,  and  '  wynkyn  de  worde,'  witli  his  orna- 
ments underneath. 

First  a[)[)eai*,  one  after  tlie  other,  Pyte,  Oontemplacyon,  and 
Peraeueranee,  eacii  describing  himself,  and  Pity  complaining  of 
the  poverty  then  existing,  how  unkind  rich  men  are,  and  how 
lords  force  v\i(U)\vs  to  mari-y  tlieir  men.  Then  comes  Frewyll, 
boasting  of  iiis  drinking  and  wenching,  and  calls  Iniagynacyon, 
who  has  been  in  the  stocks,  and  lost  his  purse  on  a  girl ;  who 
describes  himself  as  the  friend  of  lawyers  and  all  who  like  lies ;  and 
who  tells  some  of  his  tricks.  To  them  comes  llyekscornor,  I'rom 
'the  londe  of  runibelowe,  thro  luyle  out  of  Iiell,'  and  divers  other 
])la('(>s,  but  last  from  tlu!  sea,  wh(>roin  all  tho  good  i)0()|)lo  going  to 
]  relaml  were  drowned,  while  all  tho  bad  ones  in  his  ship,  where  he 
kept  a  shoj)  of  bawdry,  got  to  England  safe.  Tmagynaeyon  [jroposea 
n  visit  to  the  stews  ;  a  quarrel  follows ;  and  when  Pyte  comes  up  to 
stop  it,  they  all  turn  on  liim,  chain  liis  feet,  and  bind  his  hands 
witii  a  halter.  Pyte  then  moans  over  the  state  of  England,  and 
his  I'ymes  may  bo  quoted  as  a  sample  of  the  play  .- 

Wo  all  may  say  wolo  away 
l^'or  syimo  tluti  is  now-adayo 
]iUO  !  vdi'tiiy  is  vaiiySHlioil  lor  ounv  ami  ayo  ; 
WovHO  was  hyt  iioiuu- ! 

"Wo  ha\io  plonto  of  groat  olhos, 
And  clotlio  ynonpjlio  in  our  clothes, 
liiit.  I'liaryto  many  mou  loUu»s: 

AVorso  was  liyt  lumor ! 
Alas!  now  is  lin-hory  nailed  lono  in  dodo,  (1?.  iii.) 

And  nmrdnni  niiimid  manhodo  in  ouovy  nodii ; 
l^xlovwyon  ia  oallod  laAVo,  bo  god  mo  wpodo  ! 

Woi'so  was  hyt  uouor  ! 


Soo  p.  170,  188  o{  Introduction,  and  Roxburghe  JBuUads,  reprint,  i.  164. 
Those  2  linos  luo  one  in  tho  original. 


XLiX.  Hikskorncr.  cxxi 

Yoiilli  wiillcotli  l)y  7iyt;'lit  willi  HWdrdtvs  &  knyiios, 
And  (Mior  iimoiigo,  ivuo  nioiv  hisdl.li  iluiyr  lyuos. 
J/ylcd  horolylcoH,  wo  occ.iiiiy  otlior  iiioniidH  wyuoB 

Now  !i  (liiycH  in  (mi;;1oh(1(>. 
I!,'iii(li\s  lio  tho  (lyHtryciM  (if  niiuiy  yoiif^'o  womon, 
And  I'liU  lowdo  coiiiiHnyll  i1i(\v  gyuo  vnio  i;lioia : 
How  yon  do  imiTy,  bowiiro  you  yoiif^o  moii! 

Tlio  wyl'o  lunior  taryotb.  to  longo. 

Thoro  1)(^  Dimiy  f^Tot.o  Hcornors, 

ISni  Cor  wyniio  ilioro  bo  fowo  inournovs ; 

Wo  liiiuo  bill,  fowo  tr HO  btiiovH 

In  no  ])l!UM)  now  ji,  diiyoH. 
Tboro  bo  miuiy  j^'oodly  f^'yUo  kiiynos, 
Anil,  1  ti'owo,  iiH  woll  ai>])!U'uyUod  wynos, 
Yot  in.'uiy  oi'  Uiom  bo  ■vnlbryi'ty  of  tboyi-  lyuos, 

And  Jill  Holi  in  [irydo  i.o  \x,o  K"}''^' 

IVIiiyors  on  synno  dooth  no  corroccyon. 
"Willi  f^'oniyll  nion  boroth  troutbo  adovvno ; 
Auonivy  is  nuU'rod  in  ouoi-y  iowno  ; 

Anioiidynuud,  i.s  ilioro  nono. 
And  f^'oddoH  ('.o;j«iiiiu;/donionl,oH,  wo  bi-oko  ibom  nil  .x. 
J)ouocyon  ih  f^'ono,  nisiny  dayos  nyu  : 
Lot  VM  amondo  vs,  wo  trowo  cry«toii  num, 

Or  doth  iiiiiko  you  grono ! 

Courtyons  go  gnyo,  and  tako  lytoll  wa.goH, 

And  many  with  barbittoH  at  tho  ta.uorno  liauntos) 

Tboy  bo  yonion  ol'  tlio  wrotlio  l.hni  bo  Hliaklod  in  gyuoH, 

On  tlioniHCiiro  tboy  baiio  no  pyto.  [J5  iii  back] 

God  ]HtnyHHbotli  full  Horo  with  groto  solconoHHO, 
Ah  ])ook()H,  po.stylonco,  piirjilo,  ajid  axon,    - 
Soiiio  (lyoth  Hodoynly  that  doth  full  poryloiiH, — 

Yot  was  thoro  nouor  so  groto  pouorto ! 

Thoro  bo  somo  HornionoH  nindo  by  noblo  dootoiiros ; 
]5iit  truly  tbo  I'oiido  doibo  utoppo  iiKiniics  oros; 
]|'or  goil,  nor  good  niiin.  Homo  pooplo  not  foros: 

Woi'Ho  was  liyt  uouor  ! 
All  trouth  is  not  host  sn.yd, 
And  our  procluu's  now  a,  dayos  bo  balfo  nfi'aydo. 
WliaTi  wo  do  amondo,  god  woldo  bo  woll  apaydo  : 

Worso  was  hyt  nouor! 

Coutemplacyon  and  Perscucranco  loose  Pyte,  and  ho  starts  to 
arrest  Ilyckscorner  and  his  mates.  Moantimo  Frewyll  conies 
back,  and  relates  his  and  lina<2;ynacyou'8  thefts.  Perseuoranco 
and  Contoinplacyon  argue  witli  him  ;  and  though  he  scorns  them 
at  first,  ho  at  last  agrees  to  he  sorry  I'or  his  sins  and  save  liis  soul. 
To  them  comes  Imagynacyon ;  and  he  also,  after  much  of  his  chafl", 
is  persuaded  to  reform,  and  serve  Persouerance,  while  Frewyll 
servos  Coutemplacyon,  both  converting  others.  Of  llyckescorner'a 
end  nothing  ia  aaid. 


cxxii  h.  Nu  Gt2e. 

L.  Ifii  Gize,  or  the  New  Guise.  This  is,  no  doubt,  the  Inter- 
lude published  two  years  before  Laneham  wrote,  '  for  the  purpose 
of  vindicating  and  promoting  the  Eeformation.'  It  was  reprinted 
in  the  last  edition  of  Dodsley  ;  and  copies  of  the  original  are  in 
the  British  Museum  (two),  Bodleian  (among  Malone's  books), 
Bridgewater  House,  Mr.  Henry  Huth's  library,  &c.  "  A  New 
Enterlude  /  No  lesse  wittie  :  then  pleasant,  entituled  /  new  Cus- 
tome,  devised  of  late,  and  for  diuerse  /  causes  nowe  set  forthe, 
neuer  before  /  this  tyme  Imprinted.  /  1573.  / 

The  players  names  in  this  /  Enterlude  be  these.  / 

The  Prologue 

Feruerse  Doctrine  an  olde  Popishe  priest. 

Ignoraunce  an  other,  tut  elder. 

Newcustonie  a  minister. 

Light  of  the  gospell  a  minister. 

Hypocrisie  an  olde  woman. 

Creweltie  a  Ruffler. 

Auarice  a  Ruffler. 

Edification  a  Sage. 

Assurance  a  Vertue. 

Goddes  felicitie  a  Sage. 

^  Fewer  may  play  this  Enterlude. 

J  /  Newe  Custome. 

1  ■<  Peruersedoctrine         3  \  Auarice. 

^  \  Assurance. 

( Ignoraunce  (  Light  of  the  Gospell. 

2  -<  Hypocrisie  .  \  Creivelti 


_and  Edification.  i  Goddes  felicitie. 


4 

The  Prologue. 


[Col]  "  Imprinted  at  London  in  Eleetestreete  by  William  How 
for  Abraham  Veale,  dwelling  in  Paules  churche  yarde  at  the  signe 
of  the  Lambe."  4to.  black  letter,  A,  B,  C,  D,  in  fours,  16  leaves. 
Perverse-Doctrine  opens  the  play  by  complaining  of  the  *  newe- 
fangled  pratling  elfes'  who '  go  about,  vs  auncients  flatly  to  deface;' 
and  specially  of  one  young  preacher  who  '  in  London  not  longe 
since'  in  a  Sermon  reviled  at  the  holy  sacrament  and  transub- 
stantiation,  disallowed  the  Popish  rites,  and  said  they  were  all 
superstition.  Scene  2  brings  in  New-Custome  lamenting  the  ills 
of  his  time,  and  contrasting  them  with  the  good  old  '  auncient 
times  before'.  As  the  writer  clearly  knew  little  of  the  latter, 
when, 

.  .  in  comparison  of  this  time  of  miserie, 

In  those  dales  men  lyued  in  perfect  felicitie, 


L.  Nu  Gize.  Cxxiii 

we  had  better  take  his  account  of  the  former. 

.  .  this  is  sure,  that  neuer  in  any  age  before,  {sign  B.  ».) 

Naughtines  and  sinne  hath  ben  practised  more, 

Or  halfe  so  muche,  or  at  all,  in  respecte,  so  I  saye, 

As  is  nowe  (God  amende  all !)  at  this  present  daye. 

Sinne  nowe,  no  sinne ;  faultes,  no  faultes  a  whit. 

O  God !  seest  thou  this  ?  and  yet  wylt  suffer  hit  ? 

Surely  thy  mercie  is  great ;  but  yet  our  sinnes,  I  feare. 

Are  so  great,  that  of  Justice  with  them  thou  canst  not  beare. 

Adulterie  no  vice :  it  is  a  thinge  so  rife ; 

A  stale  iest  nowe,  to  lie  with  an  other  mannes  wyfe ; 

For  what  is  that  but  daliaunce  ?  Couetousnesse,  they  call 

Good  husbandrie,  when  one  man  would  faine  haue  all. 

And  eke  a-like  to  that  is  vnmercifull  extorcion, 

A  sinne,  in  sight  of  god,  of  great  abhomination.      {sign.  B.  i.  bach.) 

For  Pride ;  that  is  now  a  grace  !  for,  roimde  about, 

The  humble-spirited  is  termed  a  foole  or  a  lowte. 

"Who  so  will  bee  so  drunken  that  hee  scarsly  knoweth  hia  waye, 

Oh,  hee  is  a  good  fellowe !  so  now  a  dales  they  saye. 

Gluttonie  is  Hospitalitie,  while  they  meate  and  drmke  spill 

Whiche  would  relieue  diuerse  whom  famine  doth  kill. 

As  for  all  charitable  deedes : — they  be  gone,  God  knoweth : 

Some  pretende  lacke ;  but  the  chiefe  cause  is  slowth, 

A  vice  most  outragiouse  of  all  others,  sure, 

Eight  hateful!  to  God,  and  contrarie  to  nature. 

Scarse,  bloud  is  pimished,  but  euen  for  very  shame ; 

So  make  they  of  murther  but  a  trifling  game ! 

O !  how  manie  examples  of  that  horrible  Vice 

Do  dayly  among  vs  nowe  spring  and  arise  ! 

But  thankes  be  to  God,  that  such  rulers  doth  sende, 

Whiche  earnestly  studie  that  fault  to  amende. 

As  by  the  sharpe  punishement  of  that  wicked  crime 

Wee  may  see,  that  committed  was  but  of  late  time. 

God  direct  their  heartes,  they  may  alwaies  continue 

Suche  iust  execution  on  sinne  to  ensue  ! 

So  shall  be  saued  the  life  of  many  a  man ; 

And  God  wyll  withdrawe  his  sore  plagues  from  vs  than. 

Theft  is  but  pollicie,  Periurie  but  a  face : 

Suche  is  now  the  worlde !  so  farre  men  be  from  grace ! 

But  what  shall  I  say  of  Eeligion  and  knowledge 

Of  God,  whiche  hath  ben  indifferent  in  cache  age 

Before  this  ?  howbeit,  his  faltes  then  it  had, 

And  in  some  poyntes  then  was  culpable  and  bad  ? 

Surelj'',  this  one  thinge  I  may  say  aright ; 

God  hath  reiected  vs  away  from  him  quight. 

And  geuen  vs  vp  whoUie  vnto  our  owne  thought, 

Utterly  to  destroy  vs,  and  bring  vs  to  nought. 

For  do  they  not  foUowe  the  inuentions  of  men  ? 

Looke  on  the  Primitiue  Churche,  and  tell  mee  then 

Whether  they  serued  God  in  this  same  wise, 

Or  whether  they  followed  any  other  guyse  ? 

For  since  Goddes  feare  decayed,  and  Hypocrisie  crept  in, 

In  hope  of  some  gaines,  and  lucre  to  win, 

Crueltie  bare  a  stroke,  who  with  fagot  and  fier, 

Braught  all  thinges  to  passe  that  hee  did  desier. 

Next,  Auarice  spilt  all ;  whiche,  lest  it  should  be  spide, 


cxxiv  L.  -Nu  Gize.     LI.  Impacient  Poverty. 

Hypocrisio  ensued,  tlio  matter  to  hide. 

Then  brought  they  in  their  monsters,  their  Masses,  their  Light, 

Their  Torches  at  noono,  to  dai'ken  oiu"  sight ; 

Their  Pojies,  and  their  pardones,  their  Purgatories  for  sowles ; 

Their  smolcing  of  tho  Chui'ch,  and  flinging  of  coolcs. 

I  sayde  that  tho  Masse,  and  suche  trumperie  as  that, — 

Popory,  Purgatorio,  pardons, ^ — were  liatt  [.Z>  ij  haclc] 

Against  Goddes  woorde,  and  Primitiue  Constitution, 

Crept  in  through  Couotousnesse  and  superstition,-— 

Of  late  yeres,  through  Blindenos,  and  men  of  no  knowledge, 

Euon  sucho  as  haue  hen  in  euery  age. 

Act  2  introduces  Light-of-the-Gospell  encouraging  New-Cus- 
tome;  Scene  2,  traitor  Ilypocrisie  advising  Perverse- Doctrine 
and  Ignorance  how  to  act ;  but  when  she  hears  that  Light-of-the- 
Gospell  has  come,  she  swears  at  him  ;  he  '  will  worko  vs  the  mis- 
chiefe : ' 

For  since  these  Geneuian  doctours  came  so  fiist  into  this  lando, 

Since  that  time  it  was  neuer  merie  with  Englande. 

First  came  Newcustome,  and  liee  gaue  the  onsay ; 

And  sithens,  thinges  haue  gone  worse  euerj'  day.  [^Sign  C.  ?// .] 

Scene  3  brings  in  Creweltie  and  Auarice,  advising  stocks,  pri- 
sons, hanging,  burning,  as  in  Queen  Mary's  days ;  but  as  that 
will  not  do,  they  cliauge  their  names  to  Justice-with-Severity, 
and  Frugality  —  Perversedoctrine  being  Sounde-doctrine,  and 
Ignorance,  Simplicitie,  to  deceive  men  and  pervert  their  minds. 
However,  in  Act  3,  Light-of-the-Gospell  converts  Perversedoc- 
trine, advises  Newcustome  not  to  take  too  much  heed  to  the 
fiashion  of  a  garment,  but  to  mind  that '  the  conscience  be  pure '; 
and  Edification,  Assui'ance,  and  Goddes-Pclicitie,  successively 
counsel  the  company. 

The  Captain's  'auncient  playz'  were  the  most  moral  books  in 
his  library. 

LI.  Impacient  Poverty.     In  the  play  of  "  Sir  Thovias  More 

contained  in  the  Harleian  MS.  73G8,  and  first  printed  in  18Ji4 

for  the  Shakespeare  Society  under  the  late  Mr.  Dyce's  editorship, 

one  of  '  My  Lord  Cardinalls  players '  comes  in,  and  offers  to  act 

a  play — as  the  phxyers  afterwards  did  in  ILamlet. — To  More's 

question  "I  prethee,  tell  me,  what  playes  haue  ye?"  the  player 

answers : 

Diuers,  my  lord :  The  Cradle  of  Seeuritie'^, 
Hit  nayle  o'  th  head^,  Impacient  Pouertie, 


*  Not  extant.     See  an  account  of  it  in  Collier'' s  Sist.  of  Engl.  Dram.  Poet, 
ii.  272  sqq.— Dyce.  2  jjot  extant.— D. 


hi.  Impacient  Poverty.    1A\.  Br euiary  of  Health,    cxxv 

The  play  of  Foure  Fees^,  Flues  and  Lazarus^, 
Lustie  Juventus^,  and  The  Marriage  of  Witt  and  Wisedome*. 
Moore.    The  Mariage  of  Witt  and  Wiscdome  !  that,  my  lads, 
Ilo  none  but  that !  the  theam  is  very  good. 

No  copy  of  the  play  is  now  known,  but  in  D,  E.  Baker's  Bio- 
graphia  Dramatica  (1764,  continued  by  Is.  Reed,  1782,  and  edited 
by  (Stephen  Jones,  1812)  we  find  the  following  entry  on  p.  328, 
col.  1  :— 

90.  A  Newe  Interlude  op  Impaciente  Poverte,  newlye 
Imprinted  M.V.  L.  X  (We  suppose  1560)  4to.  This  piece  is  in 
metre,  and  in  the  old  black-letter ;  and  the  title-page  says :  "  Four 
Men  may  well  and  easelye  playe  this  Interlude. ''' 

IV.    Captain  Cox's  Book  of  Medicine. 

LII.  Doctor  Boords  Breuiary  of  Health.  I  have  printed  large 
extracts  from  this  book,  and  given  an  account  of  it,  of  Boorde's 
other  works,  and  his  Life,  in  my  edition  of  his  Fyrst  BoJce  of  the 
Introduction  of  Knoioledge  1547  or  -8,  and  his  Dijetary  1542,  etc., 
for  the  Early  English  Text  Society's  Extra  Series  1870.  To  this 
volume  I  refer  my  readers, — recommending  them  to  read  at  least 
Boorde's  comments  on  7  Evils  of  England, — and  only  repeat  here 
that  the  Breuiary  is  a  brief  '  alphabetical  list  of  diseases  by  their 
Latin  names,  with  their  remedies,  and  the  way  of  treating  them. 
Other  subjects  are  introduced,  as  Mulier  a  woman^,  Nares  nose- 

*  (4  P's)  By  John  Heywood.    Reprinted  in  Dodsley's  Old  Flays,  vol.  i. — D. 
^  Not  extant.    It  was  written  by  a  player,  if  we  may  trust  to  a  passage  in 

Greene's  Groatsworth  of  Wit ;  see  Collier's  Hist,  of  Engl.  Fram.  Foet.  ii.  272, 
•*  By  E.  Wever  (for  I  cannot  think  with  Mr.  Collier — Hist,  of  Engl.  Fram. 
Foet.  ii.  317 — that  there  is  any  reason  for  doubting  that  Wever  was  its  author.) 
Reprinted  in  Hawkins's  Origin  of  the  English  Frama,  vol.  i. 

■*  "  The  Contract  [?  MS.]  of  a  Marige  betweene  wit  and  wisdome,  very 
frutefull,  and  mixed  full  of  pleasant  mirth,  as  well  for  the  beholders  as  the 
readers  or  hearers :  never  before  imprinted  .  .  .  1679."  Additional  MS  26,782 
in  the  British  Museum.  This  title  is  either  copied  from  a  printed  edition  or 
from  a  copy  prepared  for  press.  No  early  printed  edition  is  known.  Mr. 
lialliwell  edited  this  Interlude  for  the  Shakespeare  Society  in  1846.  The 
Play  acted  in  Sir  Thomas  More  as  The  Mariage  is  '  nothing  more  than  a  por- 
tion of  Lusty  Inventus,  with  alterations  and  a  few  additions.' — Dyce,  Sir  Thomas 
More,  p.  61. 

*  Furthermore  now  why  a  woman  is  named  a  woman,  I  wyll  shewe  my 
mynde.  Homo  is  the  latin  worde,  and  in  Englyshe  it  is  as  wel  for  a  woman 
as  for  a  man ;  for  a  woman,  the  silables  co;merted,  is  no  more  to  say  as  a  man 
in  wo ;  and  set  wo  before  man,  and  then  it  is  woman ;  and  wel  she  may  be 
named  a  woman,  for  as  muche  as  she  doth  here  chyldren  with  wo  and  peyne ; 
and  also  she  is  subiect  to  man,  except  it  be  there  where  the  white  mare  is  the 
better  horse ;  therfore  Vt  homo  non  cantet  cum  cuculo,  let  euery  man  please  his 
wyfe  in  all  matters,  and  displease  her  not,  but  let  her  haue  her  owne  wyl,  for 
that  she  wyll  haue,  who  so  euer  say  nay.  (Fol.  Ixxxii,  sign  L.  ii.,  back.) 


cxxvi         LII.  Doctor  Board's  Breuiary  of  Health. 

thx'illes,  &e.'  The  Breuiary  was  written  by  Boorde  by  the  year 
1542,  though  it  was  not  publisht  till  1547, — with  its  2nd  part, 
the  Extrauagantes, — having  been  'examined  in  Oxford  in  June' 
15461.     Boorde  intended  it  as  a  companion  to  his  Dyetary  : 

"  I  wolde  that  euery  man  hauynge  this  hoke,  shulde  haue  the  sayd  Dyetary 
of  Health  with  this  hoke,  consideryng  that  the  one  booke  is  concurrant  with 
the  other." 

His  own  account  of  the  Breuiary,  in  his  Preface  to  it  is  as  follows : 

"Gentyll  readers,  I  haue  taken  some  peyne  in  makyug  this  hoke,  to  do 
sycke  men  pleasure  and  whole  men  profyte,  that  sycke  men  may  recuperate 
theyr  health,  and  whole  men  may  preserue  theym  selfe  frome  syckenes  (with 
goddes  helpe)  as  well  in  Phisicke  as  in  Chierurgy.  But  for  as  much  as  olde, 
aimcyent,  and  autentyke  auctours  or  doctours  of  Physicke,  in  theyr  bokes  doth 
wryte  many  obscure  termes,  geuyng  also  to  many  and  dyuerse  infirmyties, 
darke  and  harde  names,  dyflfycyle  to  vnderstande,  some  and  mooste  of  all 
beynge  Greeke  wordes,  some  and  fewe  beynge  Araby  wordes,  some  beynge 
Latyn  wordes,  and  some  beynge  Barbarus  wordes.  Therefore  I  haue  trans- 
lated all  suche  obscure  wordes  and  names  into  Englyshe,  that  euery  man 
openlye  and  apartly  maye  vnderstande  them.  Furthermore,  all  the  aforesayde 
names  of  the  sayde  infirmites  be  set  togji;her  in  order,  accordynge  to  the 
letters  of  the  Alphabete,  or  the  .A.  B.  C.  So  that  as  many  names  as  doth 
hegyn  with  A.  be  set  together,  and  so  forth,  all  other  letters  as  they  be  in 
order.  Also  there  is  no  sickenes  in  man  or  woman,  the  whiche  maye  be  frome 
the  crowne  of  the  head  to  the  sole  of  the  fote,  but  you  shall  fynde  it  in  this 
booke,  as  well  the  syckenesses  the  which  doth  parteyne  to  Chierurgy  as  to 
phisicke,  and  what  the  sickenes  is,  and  howe  it  doth  come,  and  medecynes  for 
the  selfe  same.  And  for  as  much  as  euery  man  now  a  dayes  is  desyrous  to 
rede  briefe  and  compendious  matters.  I  therefore  in  this  matter  pretende  to 
satisfye  mens  myndes  as  much  as  I  can,  namynge  this  booke  accordyng  to  the 
matter,  which  is.  The  Breuiary  of  health."  (Fol.  v.,  sign  A.  v.) 


V.  Captain  Cox's  Ballads. 

"We  now  come  to  the  Captain's  "  bunch  of  ballets  &  songs,  all 
auncient ";  but  unluckily  Laneham  didn't  care  so  much  for  our  old 
English  ditties  as  he  did  for  our  story-books  and  poems,  and  has 
therefore  stinted  us  to  seven  names  of  ballads,  and  that  disap- 
pointing "a  hundred  more."  What  possesst  the  man  to  care 
more  for  the  songs  that  showed  off  his  "  Spanish  sospires,  his 
French  heighes,  his  Italian  dulcets,  his  Dutch  hovez,  his  doubl 
releas,  his  hy  reachez,  his  fine  feyning,  his  deep  diapason,  his 
wanton  warblz,  his  running,  his  tyming,  his  tuning,  &  his 
twynkling,"  than  for  our  merry  old  greenwood  songs?    Let's  all 

*  Lowndes  says  that  it  was  reprinted  in  1548,  1552,  1577,  etc.  I  have  not 
been  able  to  see  the  1547  and  1548  editions,  hut  of  the  1552  one,  and  the 
next,  I  have  titleless  copies. 


Captain  Cox's  Ballads. 


CXXVll 


vote  him  a  noodle  for  this ;  though  no  doubt  the  "  Gentlwemen  " 
of  his  time  liked  the  sentimental  ballads  best,  as  they  generally 
do  now.  So  we  must  forgive  the  ladies,  and  turn  to  the  seven 
ballads  that  Laneham  does  name.  Of  them,  only  four  have  been 
identified ;  and  as  the  first  and  last  are  partly  given,  with  nine 
others  (perhaps  9  of  Captain  Cox's  *  hundred  more ')  in  a  play  of 
the  period,  we  may  as  well  make  an  extract  from  that  first.  The 
play  is  "  A  very  mery  and  Pythie  Coramedie,  called  The  longer 
thou  liuest,  the  more  foole  thou  art.  A  Myrrour  very  necessarie 
for  youth,  and  specially  for  such  as  are  like  to  come  to  dignitie 
and  promotion :  As  it  maye  well  appeare  in  the  Matter  folowynge. 
Newly  compiled  by  W.  Wager  [Woodcut]  ^  Imprinted  at 
London  by  Wyllyam  HoW  for  Eicharde  Johnes :  and  are  to  be 
soldo  at  his  shop  vnder  the  Lotterie  house  "  [ab.  1568,  says  Mr. 
Hazlitt's  Randhoolc].  (A  B  C  D  E  F  G  in  fours,  but  Giij  signed 
A  iij ;  leaf  iij  of  D  E  F  signed,  but  not  that  of  A  B  C.  British 
Museum  Press-mark,  C.  34.  e.  37.) 

After  '  the  Prologe,'  [A  3]  '  Q.  Here  entreth  Moros,  counterfait- 
ing  a  vaine  gesture  and  a  foolish  countenance,  Synging  the  foote 
of  many  Songes,  as  fooles  were  wont 


Moros.  BEome,  Brome  on  hill, 
The  gentle  Brome  on  hill  hill : 
Brome,  Brome  on  Hiue  hill, 
The  gentle  Brome  on  Hiue  hill, 
The  Brome  standes  on  Hiue  hill  a. 

(J  Robin,  lende  to  me  thy  Bowe,  thy 

Bowe, 
Eobin  the  bow,  Robin  lende  to  me  thy 

bow  a: 

(J  There  was  a  Mayde  come  out  of 

Kent, 
Deintie  loue,  deintie  loue. 
There  was  a  mayde  cam  out  of  Kent, 
Daungerous  be : 

There  was  a  mayde  cam  out  of  Kent, 
Fayre,  propre,  small  and  gent, 


As  euer  vpon  the  grounde  went, 

For  so  should  it  be. 

d  By  a  banke  as  I  lay,  I  lay, 

Musinge  on  things  past,  hey  how. 

(J  Tom  a  lin  and  his  wife,  and  his 
wiues  mother, 

They  went  ouer  a  bridge  all  three  to- 
gether ; 

The  bridge  was  broken,  and  they  fell 
in : 

"  The  Deuil  go  with  all !"  quoth  Tom 
a  lin. 

(J  Martin  swart  and  his  man,  sodle- 
dum,  sodledum. 

Martin  swart  and  his  man,  sodledum 
belli. 


1  Skelton,  laureat,  (who  died  in  1529)  has  an  evident  allusion  to  the  same 
song: 

"  With  hey  troly  lo,  whip  here  Jak. 
Alumbek  sodyldym  syllorym  len, 
Curiowsly  he  can  both  counter  and  knak 
Of  Martyn  Swart  and  all  hys  mery  men," 

(Against  a  comely  Coystrowne,  etc.,  Works  (1736),  p.  2-51.) 

Martin  Swart  was  concerned  in  the  insui-rection  made  by  the  lord  Lovel  and 
others  against  Henry  VII,  anno  1486,  and  was  slain  at  the  battle  of  Stoke; 


cxxviii  LIII.  Broom,  Broom  on  Hil. 


(J  Com  oner  tlie  Boome,  Besse, 
My  little  pretie  Besse, 
Com  ouer  the  Boome,  besse,  to  me^. 
(J  The  white  Doue  sat  on  the  Castell 

wall, 
I  bend  my  Bow,  and  shoote  her  I 

shall, 


Moros.  I  haue  Twentie  mo  songs 
yet, —  [A  3  back] 

A  fond  woman  to^  my  Mother, 
As  I  war  wont  in  her  lappe  to  sit. 
She  taug'ht  me  these  and  many  other ; 
I  can  sing  "  a  song  of  Eobin  Redbrest, 
And  my  litle  pretie  Nightingale;"^ 


I  put  hir  in  my  Gloue,  both  fethers  |   "  There  dwelleth  a  ioUy  Foster  here 
andaU.  ;  by  west;" 


I  layd  my  Bridle  upon  the  shelfe ; 
If  you  wiU  any  more,  sing  it  your 

selfe. 
Discipline.  0  Lorde,   are  you  not 

ashamed, 
Thus  vainly  the  time  to  spende.  .  .  . 


Also,  "I  com  to  drink  som  of  your 
Christmas  ale." 

Whan  I  walke  by  my  selfe  alone, 

It  doth  me  good  my  songs  to  render. 

Such  pretie  thinges  would  soone  be 
gon. 

If  I  should  not  sometime  them  re- 
member. 

LIII.  Broom,  Broom  on  Sil.  This  ballad  is  in  the  list  of  tlie 
Complaynt  of  Scotland,  some  27  years  before  Laneham^,  but  is  now 

having  been  sent  over  with  some  troops,  by  Margaret,  duchess  of  Burgundy, 
sister  to  K.  Edward  IV.  Eitson's  Ancient  Songs,  vol.  i.  p.  Ixxxiv,  note,  ed.  1829. 
See  also  Dyce's  notes  in  his  Skelton's  Works,  ii.  93-4. 

'  Shakspere  has  put  these  three  identical  lines  into  the  mouth  of  Edgar  in 
K.  Lear.  A  moraUzation  of  the  song  is  (with  the  music)  in  the  editor's  folio 
MS.  [Brit.  Mus.  Additional  MS.  5665.  See  notes  to  Forewords.]  Eitson,  ib. 
p.  Ixxxv,  note. 

2  I  had  to,  was. 

^    [Appendix  to  the  Eoyal  MSS  58,  leaf  7  bk.     See  also  leaf  6,  back.] 

The  lytyll  prety  nyghtyne  gale 

a-mong<;  the  leuys  grene, — 
I  wolde  I  wert*  wj'th  hur«  all  nyght ! 

but  j'^et  ye  wote  not  whome  I  mene. 

The  nyghtynge  gale  sat  one  a  brere, 

Amonge  the  thornys  sherpe  &  keync, 
and  comfort  me  wyth  mery  chere : 

but  yet  j^e  wot  not  home  I  mene. 

She  dyd  apere  all  on  hurt'  kj-nde 

a  lady  ryght  well  be-sejTigc, 
Wit/i  wordys  of  loff  tolde  me  Ymre  mjTide : 

but  yet  ye  wote  not  whome  I  mene. 

hyt  dj^d  me  goode  a-pont?  hurfi  to  loke ; 

hiire  corse  was  closyd  all  in  grene ; 
awaj'  fro  me  hure  hert  she  toke ; 

but  yet  ye  wot  not  whome  I  mene. 
"lady,"  I  crj^ed  wji'h  rufull  mone, 

"haue  mynd  of  me  that  true  hath  bene, 
for  I  loue  none  but  you  alone :" 

but  yet  ye  wot  not  whome  I  mene. 

*  See  below,  p.  cliii.  (62). 

*  MS.  I  wolde  I  were,  I  wolde  I  were.  The  final  11  of  the  MS  has  always 
a  line  over  it. 


LIII.  Broom,  Broom.    LIV.  So  well  iz  me  begon.    cxxix 

lost.  Mr,  Wm.  Chappell  in  his  Popular  Music  ii.  458-461  gives 
an  account  of  the  English  ballad  and  tune  of  The  'broom  of  Cowdon 
Knowes,  and  others  connected  with  it.     Its  burden  is 

With  O  the  broom,  the  honny  hroom,  I  Fain  would  I  he  in  the  North  Country, 
The  hroom  of  Cowdon  Knowes ;        |      To  milk  my  daddies  ewes. 

But  this  is  not  to  be  identified  with  Laneham's  ballad,  the  only 

one  approaching  to  which  is  contained  in  the  lines  above,  p.  cxxvii, 

sung  by  Moros,  in  Wager's  interlude,  "  which  appears,"  says  Mr, 

Chappell,  "  to  have  been  written  soon  after  Elizabeth  came  to  the 

throne  .  .  . 

Brome  brome  on  hill,  I      Brome,  brome  on  Hive  hill, 

The  gentle  brome  on  hill,  hill :      |      The  brome  stands  on  Hive  hill-a." 

Mr.  Chappell  quotes  the  passage,  and  then  observes  "  This  repe- 
tition does  not  give  the  metre  or  the  correct  words  of  the  song  " 
meaning,  of  course,  the  later  song  known  to  us.  "  The  tune,  or 
upper  part,  was  to  be  sung  by  one  person,  while  others  sang  a 
foot,  or  burden,  to  make  harmony." 

"The  ballad  oi  JB^-ome  on  hill  in  Mr.  Grutch's  BoUn  Hood  ii. 
363  is  a  modern  fabrication."  The  earliest  ballad  of  the  kind 
preserved,  is  described  by  Mr.  Chappell  as  a  black-letter  one 
in  the  Pepys  Collection,  i,  40,  entitled  The  new  Broome,  London, 
printed  for  P,  Coles — whose  date  is  from  1646  to  1674 — and  con- 
sisting of  7  stauzas  with  the  following  burden : 

The  bonny  broome,  the  well  favour' d  broome. 

The  broome  blooms  faire  on  hill ; 
What  ail'd  my  love  to  Hghtly  mee, 

And  I  working  her  will  ? 

LIV.  So  wo  [=  well]  iz  me  hegon,  Troly  lo.  This  song  in  praise 
of  Serving- Men,  Ritson  printed  in  his  Ancient  Songs  from  the  Time 
of  King  Henry  tlie  Third  to  the  Revolution,  1790,  p.  92,  from  the 
Sloane  MS  1584,  'a  small  book,  partly  paper,  partly  parchment, 
chiefly  written  by  "  Johannes  Gysborn,  Canonicus  de  Couerham," 
whose  manual  or  pocket  book  it  seems  to  have  been^,  tempore 

*  The  book  is  an  odd  mixture  of  recipes,  hymns,  songs,  a  tract  (imperfect) 
on  a  priest's  duties,  questions  to  be  put  at  the  confessional,  etc.  etc.  From 
the  latter,  take 

Questions  for  a  woman.  (Leaf  8.) 

TTaue  ye  maid  youe  more  gayer  in  Reymewt  off  kercheus  one  your  hed,  for 

plesur  of  y<=  world,  ore  off  the  pepull,  ony  tyme  more  thene  other  ?    haue 

youe  obeyd  join:  husband  at  alle  tymes,  os  ye  are  bownd  ?   haue  youe  weschyd 

your  face  -with  any  styllyd  waters  ore  oynteme^^tes  to  make  youe  fayrer  in  the 

h 


cxxx  LIV.  So  well  iz  me  heyon. 

Hen.  8.'  The  song  is  on  the  back  of  leaf  45,  betwen  the  recipe 
for  '  a  souerayne  laxatyffe '  and  a  Sermon  for  Easter-day. 

So  well  ys  me  be-gone,  troly  lole ! 
so  ■well  ys  me  be-gone,  troly  \o\f. 

Off  seruyng^  men.  I  wyll  Toegj'ne,  Troly,  loley, 

fifor  they  goo  mynyon  trym ;  Troly  loley. 

Off  mett  &  drynk  &  feyr  clotliyiig,  Troly  loley. 

by  dere  god,  I  want  none  .  Troly,  loley 

His  bonet  is  of  fyne  scarlett .  Troly  loley, 

Wit/i  here  as  black  os  geitt .  Troly^  lolye. 

His  dublett  ys  of  fyne  satyne  .  Troly  lolye 

Hys  sbertt  well  mayd,  &  tryme* ;  Troly,  lolye. 

Hys  coytt  itt  is  so  tryme  &  rownde ;  Troly,  lolye. 

His  kysse  is  worth  A  hundred  jjoutid^.  Troly,  lolye 

His  hoysse  of  london  black  .  Troly  lolye 

In  hyme  ther  ys  no  lack  .  Troly  lolye. 

His  face  yt  ys  so  lyk  a  maw  .  Troly,  lolye. 

Who  cane  butt  loue  hyme  thaw  ?  Troly,  lolye. 

Wher  so  euer  he  bee,  he  hath  my  hert .  Troly  lolye. 

And  shall  to  deth  de  part^ .  Troly  lolye. 

So  well  ys  me  be-gone  .  troly,  loly. 

S[o]  well  ys  me  be  gone  .  Troly,  lolye. 

syght  off  pepull  ?  haue  youe  schewyd  your  brestes  open  to  tempt  any  to  syne  ? 
haue  youe  had  any  enuy  agayns  any  womane,  that  sche  has  bene  fayrer  then 
youe,  or  better  louyd  then  youe  ?  haue  ye  sjoinyd  in  lechere  ■with  any  mane 
be-syd  your  husband  ?  haue  ye  synnyd  Vfith  your  husband  whew  ye  haue 
ben  in  childbed  ?  haue  ye  ouer-lyne  your  chyld,  ore  peryschyd  itt  att  any 
tyme?  haue  youe  gyffune  any  drynke  vnto  your  husband  to  make  hyme 
lystear  to  occupye  with  youe  ?  haue  youe  drunkune  any  contagius  drynke  to 
dystrowe  your  chyld,  other  weddyd  ore  syngull  ?  haue  youe  bene  mystem- 
pe?yd  with  ale  att  any  tyme  ?  haue  ye  swome  with  any  womane  in  any  pur- 
gacion  apon  a  boke,  &  has  for-sworne  youe  wyUyngly  ?  haue  ye  consentyd 
vnto  any  bawdry  for  [leaf  9]  lukar  off  money,  and  keppyd  ther  cownsellf  ? 
haue  ye  bakbytyd  ore  slaunderd  any  maw  or  womaw,  &  browght  them  in  a 
nyll  name  ?  haue  yowe  maid  any  soleme  vowe  of  fast  ore  pylgrimage  ?  haue 
youe  payd  your  tythes  &  offeryng^s  onto  the  chirche  ?  haue  youe  done  your 
pennans  that  ye  haue  bene  Inueyd  [?]  be-fore  tyme." 

All  the  final  <^'s  have  a  curly  tail  which  may  mean  e.  I  have  long  intended 
to  print  one  or  two  of  these  early  Confessional  treatises,  as  a  help  to  enable  us 
to  understand  the  practical  working  of  the  Romish  system  in  English  homes. 

*  Compare,  in  Syehescorner,  sign.  C.  i. 

Now  wyU  I  synge,  and  lustely  sprynge ; 
But  whan  my  feters  on  my  leges  dyde  rynge, 
I  was  not  glade,  perde  !  but  now,  hey  trolly  lolly  ! 

And  William  Comyshe's  song  facsimiled  in  Mr.  Wm.  ChappeU's  paper  in 
ArchcBologia,  xli.  372,  one  of  a  hundred  specimens  of  a  '  TroUy  Lolly ': — 

Trolly  lolly,  lo  !  syng  troly  loly  ! 
my  loue  is  to  the  grene  wode  gone ; 
now  after  her  will  I  go  ! 

syng  trolly  lolly,  lo  trolly  lolly  ! 

^  sujTig,  Ritson.  3  Torly,  orig.  <  fyne,  Eitson. 

*  C\  orig.  ^  ?  do  part,  or  departe,  divide  us. 


LV-LIX.  Hey  ding  a  ding.    By  a  bank  as  I  lay.    cxxxi 


LV.  Ouer  a  whinny,  Meg.     Not  known  now, 

LVI.  Hey  ding  a  ding.  This  is  the  burden  of  the  famous  old 
ballad  "  Old  Simou  the  King,"  and  that  was  possibly  the  ballad 
which  Captain  Cox  possesst.  It  is  printed  in  Durf'ey's  Pills  to 
purge  Melancholy,  1719,  iii.  143,  and  in  the  Percy  Folio  Loose 
Songs,  p.  124,  from  which,  as  it  gives  the  burden  '  for  the  first 
time  complete,'  I  reprint  the  first  verse  of  the  ballad  below.  The 
two  tunes  to  which  the  ballad  was  sung,  with  a  text  of  the  ballad, 
and  much  interesting  information  about  it,  are  given  by  Mr.  Wm. 
Chappell  in  his  Popular  Music  i.  262-269,  and  he  has  further 
notes  on  it  in  bis  vol.  ii.  p.  776,  792,  796. 

In  an  humor  I  was  of  late, 

as  many  good  fellowes  bee, 
that  thinke  of  no  matter  of  state, 

but  the  keepe  merry  Companye : 
that  best  might  please  my  mind, 

soe  I  -walket  vp  &  downe  the  towne ; 
but  company  none  cold  I  ffind 

till  I  came  to  the  signeof  thecrowne. 
mine  ostes  was  sicke  of  the  mumpes, 

her  mayd  was  ffisle'  att  ease. 


mine  host  lay  drunke  in  his  dumpes  : 

"they  all  had  but  one  disease," 
sayes  old  simon  the  Kincf,  sayes  old 

Simon  the  King, 
with  his  ale-dropt  hose,  &  his  malmesy 

nose, 
with  a  hey  ding,  ding  a  ding,  ding, 
with  a  hey  [ding,  ding  a  ding,  ding,] 
with  a  hey  ding  [ding],  q?<(yth  Simon 

the  king2. 


not  known  now. 


LVII.  Bony  lass  vpon  a  green         "i 
LVIII.  My  hony  on  gaue  me  a  leh  J 
LIX.  By  a  lanh  as  I  lay.     This  exists  in  a  IVIS,  one  of  the 
Appendix  of  Eoyal  MSS,  No.  58,  leaf  8,  back. 

[By  a  Bancke  as  I  Lay.] 


By  a  bancke  as  I  lay 

musynge  my  selfe  A-lone — hey  how  ! 

A  bjTdys  yoyce 

dyd  me  Eeioyce, 

syngynge  by -fore  the  day ; 

And  my-thought  in  hure  lay 

she   sayd  wynter   was    past — ^hey 

how ! 

Dan  dyry,  cwn   den,  dan  dyry, 

cum  dyry,  cum  djTy,  ^cvLin  djo-y, 

cam  dyry,  cu»j  dan !  hey  how ! 

The  master  of  musyke, 

the  lusty  nyghtyngale — hey  how ! 


ffulle  meryly 

&  secretly 

She  syngyth  in  the  thyke. 

And  vnder  hure  brest  a  prike, 

to  kepe  hure  fro  slope — Hey  how, 
Dan  [&c] 

A- wake,  there-for,  yoimge  men, 

Alle  ye  that  louers  be — hey  how ! 

thus"*  monyth  of  may, 

soo  fresh,  soo  gay. 

So  fayi-e  be  feld  on^  fen, 

hath  ffloryshe  ylke  a  den  ; 

gxete  Toy  hyt  is  to  see, — hey  how ! 
&c. 


Dr.  Eimbault  printed  this  ballad  iu  his  Little  Booh  of  Songs 
and  Ballads  1851,  p.  53-4,  with  few  and  adew  (like  Mr.  Collier*') 


'  ?  breaking  wind. 

3  leaf  9. 

«  Stat.  Reg.  i.  193-4. 


2  The  line  is  nearly  all  pared  away. 
'  read  '  this.'  ^  read  '  and.' 

See  my  Andrew  Boorde,  p.  71,  note  ''. 

h2 


cxxxii  Captain  Cox's  Almanacks. 

iovfen  and  a  den, — and  added  on  p.  55-6  a  differing  later  copy, 
naming  '  noble  James  our  king,'  from  Deuteromelia,  or  the  Second 
Part  of  Musich's  Melodie,  or  Melodius  Musicke  of  Pleasant 
Boundelaies,  etc.,  1609.  Its  second  line  is  "  musing  on  a  thing 
that  was  past  and  gone,"  which,  the  Doctor  notes,  is  nearer  to 
Wager's  "Musinge  on  things  past,  hey  how,"  than  the  2nd  line 
of  the  Eoyal  MS.  copy.  Dr.  Eimbault  also  says"  At  the  end  of 
the  only  copy  known  to  exist  of  a  Collection  of  Secular  Songs, 
printed  in  1530,  a  Song  is  inserted  in  MS.  beginning  with  the 
same  words  [as  Wager's?],  but  containing  a  laboured  panegyric 
upon  Henry  the  Eighth.     The  Editor  has  not  seen  this  copy." 

Mr.  Chappell  gives  the  tune,  and  an  account,  of  this  song  at 
p.  92-3  of  his  Popular  Music,  vol.  i. ;  and  at  p.  52  quotes  from 
the  Life  of  Sir  Peter  Carew,  by  John  Vowell,  alias  Hoker,  of 
Exeter,  {Archceologia,  vol.  28)  "the  kiug  himself  [Henry  VIII] 
being  much  delighted  to  sing,  and  Sir  Peter  Carew  having  a  plea- 
sant voice,  the  king  would  often  use  him  to  sing  with  him  certain 
songs  they  call  '  Freemen  Songs,'  as  namely,  ^  By  the  hancTce  as  I 
lay,'  and  '  As  I  walked  the  wode  so  wylde,'  "  &c. 

"  And  a  hundred  more,"  says  Laneham.  Oh  that  we  had  their 
names  ! 

Captain  Cox's  Almanacks. 

AVe  now  come  to  the  last  section  of  Captain  Cox's  books,  his 
Almanacks.  Prof.  De  Morgan  would  be  the  right  man^  to  give  us 
an  account  of  these.  I  can  only  oiFer  a  list  of  those  by  the  Cap- 
tain's three  authors  that  have  come  under  my  notice,  adding  two 
of  Dade's,  because  he  is  mentioned  in  "  The  Kinge  enioyes  his 
rights  againe  "  in  the  Percy  Folio  Ballads  ii.  2519.  We'll  take 
those  in  Bagford's  list  first,  because  he  mentions  among  them  an 
unknown  Caxton,  though  Mr.  Wm.  Blades  judges  this  "all  fudge!": 

Bagford's  Collections.     Harl.  MS.  5937,  leaf  S^. 

"A  Catalouge  of  Almonickes  sence  y''  first  printing  of  them. 

and  y"^  first  I  haue  met  with  is  y^  prodnostication  of  Mr.  Jasper 

*  He  is  gone,  alas,  with  all  his  weight  of  learning,  and  all  his  fun,  since  the 
proof  of  this  went  back  for  revise. 

2  On  another  leaf  Bagford  queries  when  the  first  edition  of  the  Book  of 
Knowledge  (Andrew  Boorde's)  was  puhlisht.  In  1547-8,  no  doubt.  See  my 
reprint,  E.  E.  T.  Soc.  1870. 


Almanacks  by  the  Laets.  cxxxiii 

Leate  of  Antwarpe,  and  translated  out  of  Lattin  into  English  ;  and 

printed  in  4",  by  will  Caxton 1493^ 

"  The  grate  &  true  prodnostication  with  a  Almonicke  composed 
by  M'.  John  Leat  of  Barthlom,  D"^.  Medicyne  and  Astro  [no]  me, 
preceptor  and  Eector  of  y^  Scoold  of  Antwarpe,  in  8  .     .     .  1521 

in  4°  1535 

8-  1539 

8-  1541" 

There  is  however  a  bit  of  an  earlier  almanac  by  Jasper  Laet  de 
Borchloen  in  the  fragments  in  the  Lambeth  Library,  namely  for 
the  year  1510,  which  is  described  by  Maitland  in  his  JEarly  Printed 
Books  at  Lambeth,  p.  264^. 

Among  Bagford's  titlepages  and  fragments  are  the  following  by 
the  Laets : 

Harl.  MS.  5937,  leaf  18,  N°  58.    (a.d.  1516.) 

d  The  pronosticacio?^  of  maister  Jaspar  late,  of  borchloon  / 
doctour  in  astrologie,  of  the  yere  .  M.  CCCC.  xvi.  trans/lated 
in/to  ynglissh,  to  the  honorre  of  te  [so]  moost  noble  &  vie-/ 
torious  kynge  Henry  the  .viij.  by  your  moost  humble  sub-/iect, 
iS^icholas  longwater,  goeuerner  of  our  lady  conception  /  in  y^  re- 
nowmed  towne  of  Andwarp,  in  sinte  lorge  perys  /  (6  lines  at  the 
top  of  1  leaf  full  of 'printing.) 

Harl.  5937  leaf  11,  N"  26     (a.d.  1523) 

A  pronosticacyon  /  of  Master  lasper  Laet  de  /  borchloen  Doctor 
in  medycy/ne  for  y"^  yere  of  our  lorde  god  /  M.  v.  C.  &.  xxiiii.  / 
(J  Cum  gracia  et  priuilegio.  /  ([  laspar  Laet.  {^Over  a  cut,  and 
with  elaborate  borders.     2  leaves) 

lb.  N°  33,  If.  12  bk  and  13.  (A  full  sheet  &  complete  Alma- 
nack, A.D.  1530.  The  headline  is:)  "([  Almynack  and  Pronosti- 
cation  of  the  yere  of  oure  lord  M,  LLLLL,  and  ,  xxx,"  And  at 
foot  is  :  "  Graspar  Laet  The  yonger,  Docter  yn  Phy[syk].  Em- 
prented  at  Autwerpe  by  me  Cristofel  of  E-uremunde." 

MS.  Harl.  5937,  If.  16,  N°  51     (a.d.  1533) 

The  pronosticaci[on]  /  [calcujled  by  mayster  laspar  Lae[t  of]  / 
Andwarpe  /  vpon  the  merydian  /  of  the  sayd  towne,  for  the  /  yere 
of  our  lorde  god.  /  M.  D.xxxiij.  (over  a  cut  of  an  astronomer, 
with   a  quadrant,  looking  at  6  stars  and  a  comet :    at  back  is) 

*  Mr.  Hazlitt  enters,  in  his  Handbook  p.  484,  col.  1,  No.  4,  a  '  Prognostica- 
tion ty  Gaspar  late,  of  Antwerpe,  .  .  .  for  the  yere,  M.  CCCCXXX.  IIII ;  but 
he  must  have  left  out  a  C,  and  meant  1534  :  compare  the  1533  title  below. 

2  Maitland  also  refers  to  two  Prognostications  by  James  Laet,  in  Fanzer, 
II.  346,  No.  71 1.     I  cannot  find  any  life  of  the  Laets, 


cxxxiv  Almanacks  by  the  Laets. 

Bicause  that  .xliiij  [yeres]  past  my  father  mayster  Iasp[ar]  Laet, 
and  .XX.  yere  before  hym,  his  father  mays[ter]  lohn  laet  (Whome 
lesu  pardon),  bothe  astro[no]mers,  hath  yerely,  vnto  the  profyte 
of  the  comyn  [welthe  calcujlate  and  put  forth  certayn  pronosty- 
cacions  ....  wherfore  I  have  proposed  .  .  to  furnysshe  the  same, 
after  the  noble  and  true  sci[ence  of  Astro] nomy  .... 

Harl.  5937,  If.  16,  N"  50.     (a.d.  1541) 

g  Pronostica-/cio«  of  the  yere  /  of  our  Lorde  /  M,  v*^,  xlj,  / 
d  Practysed  by  the  re/nowned  doctor  in  /  Astronomy  and  / 
Physicke  /  Jaspar  Laet /.  {On  the  back  is:)  "For  as  much  as  I 
haue  taken  vpou  me  yearely  to  shewe  the  influences  with  theyr 
operations  here  beneth  vpon  earth,  and  that,  folowynge  alwaye,  for 
the  most  parte,  Ptolome  in  his  seconde  boke  Apotelesmaton,  as  one 
that  is  best  alowed  of  experte  Astronomers,  notwithstandynge 
that  he  is  very  brefe  and  harde  in  his  writynge  :  Therefore  shall  I 
fy[r]ste  brefely  recyte  the  princypall  fundamewtes  of  our  present 
Pronostication,  leste  it  shulde  be  supposed  she  were  pronosticated 
vaynly  and  without  foundament. 

"  The  fyrst  fundament  shalbe  the  Eclipse  of  the  Sonne  of  the 
yeare  of  .xxxix.  last  past,  the  xviii.  day  of  Apryll,  at  .iii.  of  the 
clocke  at  after  noone,  which  was  of  the  greatnesse  of  .ix.  poyntes, 
which  Eclipse  shall  yet  geue  influence  very  strongly,  by  reason 
of  his  distaunce  from  the  orientall  corner  (for  it  befell  in  the 
.viii.  degre  of  Taurus,  in  the  .viii.  house),  and  also  because  the 
same  eclypse  dyd  last  nerehande  .ii.  houres,  as  we  dyd  sbewe  at 
length  at  that  tyme. 

"  The  secounde  fundament  is  &  shalbe  the  Eclipse  of  the  Sonne 
of  the  yeare  of  .xl.  last."     (2  leaves.     I  do?i't  print  the  second.) 

leaf  18  back,  no.  62     (a.d.  1542  ?) 

>J<  An  Aim  [a]  /  nacke  &  P[ro]-/nostication  of  the  ren[ow-]  /  med 
doctor  in  Astron[omye]  /  lasper  Laet  the  yere  of  [our]  Lord  Grod. 
.M.  ccccc  [xl..]  /  and  the  declaration  of  th[e]  /  signes  and  theyr 
qualit[es]  /  with  the  son  rysynge  /  (j  Imprinted  in  Lon[don]  / 
by  John  Waley     (2  leaves) 

leaf  15  back,  (under  Borde's  Pronosticacyon  of  15451)    N°  47 

(a.d.  1543) 

Almanack  /  and  Pronostica-/tion  of  Jaspar  Laet.  /  Of  the 
yare,  of  our  /  Lord  Grod.  M.  D.  /  XLIII.  /  g  In  this  Almanacke 
ye  /  shall  fynde,  all  the  Epystles  and  Gos-/pels  of  euery  Sondaye 
and  holy  daye.     (2  leaves) 

^  One  leaf,  printed  in  my  Boorde,  p.  25. 


Almanacks  by  Laet  and  Nostradamus.  cxxxv 

A.D,  1544 

1^0  48  Pronosticatiow  of  Ja[spar]  /  Laet  doctor  of  Phisicke 
and  Astro  [nomer]  /  for  the  yere  of  our  Lorde  God  /  M.  v'^.  xliiij. 

A.D.  1550. 

A  Pronostication  for  the  year  of  oure  Lorde  M.  CCCCC.  L,  cal- 
culated for  the  Meridian  of  Antwerp,  &c.  by  Jasper  Late,  W.  H. 
Octavo     {Herlert's  Ames,  1786,  i.  584.) 

We  now  come  "  unto  Nostradam  of  Frauns,"  for  printing 
whose  Almanacs  there  is  a  regular  shoal  of  licences  and  fines  in 
the  Stationers'  Register  A.  Bagford's  first  title  is  that  of  the 
Almanac  of  1566 : 

Harl.  MS.  5937,  leaf  14. 

An  Almanicke  made  by  the  Noble  and  worthy  Clarke,  Michaell 
Nostra  [da]  mes  J)^  in  phisick :  Imprinted  at  Loudon  by  Jo.  King- 
ston    1559 

Id.  an  outher  of  y^  same  Nostridames,  Imprinted  by  will:  Cop- 
land for  Nicolas  England 1559 

Harl.  5937,  If.  25,  N«  120 

"An  Almanacke  /  and  prodigious  premonstrati-/on,  made  for 
the  yeare  of  /  grace.  1566.     By  /  Mi.  Nostrodamus,  /  §  *  §  / 

The  God  wliich  eche  mans  visage  well  doth  see, 

His  temple  gates  to  come  for  to  vnbarre  : 
And  Pandores  boxe  vncouered  shall  bee, 

A  great  thicke  cloude  for  to  dissolue  ixom  farre. 

[over  a  woodcut  of  a  globe  in  a  frame,  with  the  legend  '  Admi- 
randus  Altissimus.'] 

(I  Imprinted  at  London  by  Henry  Denhara."    (Title  only) 

but  the  Stationers'  Kegister  A  begins  in  1558  with 

Liike  Haryson    Lucke  Haryson  ys  lycensed  to  prynte  the  p?'onostication  of  m' 
nostradamus  and  also  his  almanack  for  the  same  yere  .  viijd. 

and  in  the  year  1558-9 

William  Copland,  for  pryntinge  of  a  pronostication  of  nosterdamus  vfiih- 
oute  lycense,  and  for  mysbehavynge  hym  selfe  before  the  master  and 
wardyns,  was  fjTied  at  iijs.  iiijd. 

Mr.  Halliwell  says  "Dibdin  (N°  2733)  mentions  an  "  Almanacke 
for  the  yeare  1559  composed  by  Mayster  Mych.  Nostradamus," 
8vo.     In  the  Stationers'  Register  A,  leaf  85,  we  have 

m'  Wally      Recevyd  of  m'  wallye  for  his  lycense  for  pryntinge  of  an  alma- 
nacke &  pronostication  of  nostradamus  for  this  yere  a"  1562  viijd 


cxxxvi  Almanacks  by  Securis  and  Dade. 

Of  the  Almanacs  of  "  oour  John  Securiz  of  Salsbury"  we  find 
these  entries  in  the  Stationers'  Register  A : 

(leaf  72  back,  a.d.  1561-2.) 
J.  Wally     p>  of  master  Wally  for  his  lycense  for  pryntinge  of  an  almanacke 
of  John  securys  iiijd 

m''  Wally  Kecevyd  of  m''  wallye,  for  his  Ij'-cense  for  pryntinge  of  an  alma- 
nacke &  pronostication  of  m''  John  Securys  for  the  yere  of  oux 
lorde  god  1563 viijd.  (MS.  If.  85) 

(MS,  If.  134  back.) 
T  marshe  /  Keceyvd  of  Thomas  marshe,  for  his  lycense  for  pryntinge^ 

of  an  almanacke  &  pronostication  of  m"^  John  Securis  for>-  viijd 
a"  1566  /  3 

Mr.  Halliwell  says  '  In  the  Bodleian  Library  is  preserved  "  A 
newe  Almanacke  for  the  yere  of  our  Lord  Grod,  1567,  practised  in 
Salisbury  by  Maister  John  Securis,  Phisitian."'  I  can  find  no 
life  or  notice  of  Securis. 

Bagford  has  also  a  leaf  of  an  almanac  by  Securis,  a.d.  1573, 
Harl.  MS.  5937,  If.  25. 

No.  123     (John  Securis  a.d.  1573) 

"  (J  A  Prognos-/tication  made  for  the  /  yeare  of  our  Lord  Grod,  / 
1573.  /  d  Practised  in  Salisburie,  by  lohn  /  Securis  Maister  of 
Art  and  /  Phisicke  /  Anno  Mundi  5535  /  (over  a  cut  of  a  war- 
rior (?)  on  a  4-wheeled  chariot  drawn  by  2  horses) 

d  Imprinted  at  London,  by  Richard  /  Watkins,  &  lames 
Eobarts  /  Cum  priuilegio  Eegise  Maiestatis." 

Lastly,  we  note  the  bits  of  Dade's  Almanacs  in  Bagford's 
collection  in  Harl.  MS.  5937,  for  the  reason  given  on  p.  cxxxii. 

"  No.  125.  Dade.  /  A  prognostication  /  in  which  you  may 
be/holde  the. state  of  this  /  present  yeere  of  our  /  Lord  God, 
M.  DC.  /  Made  and  set  foorth  by  /  lohn  Dade  G-ent.  prac/ticioner 
in  Phisicke.  /  Imprinted  at  London  for  Ed/ward  White,  the 
assigne  of  /  lames  Eoberts. 

"  No.  126.  Dade.  1600.  /  An  Almanacke  and  /  Prognostication 
in  which  /  you  may  behold  the  state  of  /  this  yeere  of  our  Lord 
God  / 1600.  /  Beeing  leape  yeere.  /  Made  and  set  foorth  by  lohn  / 
Dade  Gent,  practitioner  in  /  Phisicke.  /  Imprinted  at  London 
by  /  Eichard  Watkins  and  /  lames  Eobertes  /  Cum  priuilegio 
Eegiaj  Maiestatis.  / "     (Both  in  Harl.  59397,  leaf  25  back.) 

On  leaf  7  back,  Bagford  also  notes 

"  An  Almanicke  and  prognosticacion  in  which  you  may  behould  y^  State  of 
y«  Yeare  of  our  L**  god  1599:   made  and  set  ifoiirth:   by  Jo:  Dade  Gent 


Reason  for  the  sketch  of  Capt.  Cox's  books,     cxxxvii 

praktiser  in  phisicke,  and    Imprinted   by  Eich.  Watkins  &  James  Roberts 

in  8 1699 

Id.  on  in  12  by  y^  same  Dade,  and  Imprinted  at  London  by  Assignes  of 
James  Robertes 1602 

That  a  so-called  Dade's  Almanack  was  publisht  so  late  as 
1694,  for  the  year  1695,  see  Harl.  5937,  leaf  64,  No.  338. 

My  reason  for  giving  a  sketch  of  all  Captain  Cox's  books,  and 
printing  all  his  ballads,  that  I  could  get  at,  was,  that  my  readers 
might  contrast  the  literature  of  the  reading  unpious  middle-class 
man  of  Elizabeth's  pre-Shaksperean  time^,  with  tliat  of  the  same 
kind  of  man  now,  and  also  think  whence  Spenser,  Shakspere, 
Bacon,  Milton,  sprang,  and  what  we  owe  to  them.  And  surely, 
no  member  of  the  Tory  Party  even,  can  want  '  the  good  old 
times '  of  literature  before  1575,  back  again  in  our  Victorian  age, 
far  as  we  are  from  what  we  ought  now  to  be.  But  still,  don't 
let  us  misjudge  the  said  old  times ;  neither  wholly,  nor  mainly, 
was  their  sky  filled  with  cumuli  of  silliness,  or  dark  storm-clouds 
of  coarseness ;  the  sun  of  manliness  was  plainly  seen,  and  rays  of 
love,  of  friendly  truth,  and  honest  mirth,  cheered  the  beholder's 
heart. 


We  now  turn  to  compare  the  Englishman's  list  by  Laneham, 
with  the  Scotchman's  list  in  the  Gomplaynt  of  Scotland;  but  must 
recollect  that  we  are  putting  the  Tradesman  who  has  made  his  own 
way  in  the  world,  beside  the  Scholar,  one  who,  though  he  has  his 
affectations  as  well  as  Laneham,  is  a  far  more  cultured  man,  and 
writes  with  a  far  higher  purpose.  He  is  a  Reformer,  part  of  the 
salt  of  the  earth.  To  his  more  serious  ends  his  book  was  at  first 
wholly  devoted ;  but  happily  he  determined  to  hand  dovfn  to  the 
aftertime  an  account  of  his  countrymen's  lighter  readings  and 
sports, — the  books,  songs,  tunes,  and  dances,  that  cheered  the 
hard  life  of  Scotland  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century-. 
He  accordingly,  as  Mr.  James  A.  H.  Murray  will  show  in  his 
edition  of  the  Gomplaynt  for  the  Extra  Series  of  the  Early  English 
Text  Society  1872  or  1873, — inserted  into  his   book,  after  the 

^  He  most  probably  couldn't  read  Cbaucer,  as  bis  modem  representative 
can't,  tbougb  I  bope  oin:  Societies  are  belping  to  alter  tbat. 

-  Tbat  it  was  bard, — yes,  very  hard, — see  my  Preiace  to  Lauder's  Minor 
Poems,  E.  E.  Text  Soc.  1870. 


cxxxviii         "The  Complaynt-ofScotland"  tales, 

sheets  were  printed,  some  pages  on'  different  paper,  of  which  the 
part  that  concerns  us  now  is  as  follows : 

"  I  thynk  it  best  that  ve  recreat  our  selfis  vytht  ioyus  comonyng 
quhil  on  to  the  tyme  that  ve  return  to  the  scheip  i'ald  vytht  our 
flokkis.  And  to  begyn  sic  recreatione,  i  thynk  it  best  that  euyrie 
ane  of  vs  tel  ane  gude  tayl  or  fabil,  to  pas  the  tyme  quhile  enyn. 
Al  the  scheiphirdis,  ther  vyuis  and  saruandis,  var  glaid  of  this 
propositiowe.  than  the  eldest  scheiphird  began,  and  al  the  laif  fol- 
louit,  ane  be  ane  in  ther  auen  place,  it  vil  be  ouer  prolixt,  and  no 
les  tideus,  to  reherse  them  agane  vord  be  vord.  hot  i  sal  reherse 
su«i  of  ther  namys  that  i  herd,  sum  vas  in  prose,  &  sum  vas  in 
verse:  sum  var  storeis,  and  sum  var  flet  taylis.  Thir  var  the 
narais  of  them  as  efter  follouis. 

(1)  The  taylis  of  cantirberrye, 

[By  GeoiFrey  Chaucer.  Editions  before  1548 :  by  Caxton,  about  1478, 
from  a  bad  MS,  and  ab.  1484  from  a  better  MS. ;  by  Pynson  about  1493 
and  (with  the  Boke  of  Fame,  and  Troylus,)  in  1526 ;  by  Wyhkyn  de 
"Worde  in  1498 ;  in  The  Workes  (ed.  Wm.  Thynne),  by  Thomas  Godfray 
in  1532  ;  and  by  John  Eeynes  or  Wyllyam  Bonham  in  1542,  the  Plow- 
man's Tale  being  after  the  Parson's.  The  3rd  ed.  of  the  Works  is  about 
1550,  says  Mr.  Bradshaw,  by  the  Booksellers — "Wm.  Bonham,  E.  Kele, 
Petit,  or  Toy — and  the  Plowman's  Tale  is  before  the  Parson's.] 

(2)  Robert  le  dyabil,  due  of  Norma??die. 

[The  prose  Life  (from  the  French  Romant  de  Robert  le  diable)  was  twice 
printed  by  Wynkyn  de  Worde  without  date:  'the  lyfe  of  the  moost 
feerfullest  and  vnmercyfullest  and  myscheuous  Robert  y*  deuyll,  whiche 
was  afterwarde  called  the  seruant  of  our  lorde  Jh.esu  cryste.'  A  copy  of 
one  edition  is  in  the  British  Museimi,  C.  21.  c. ;  and  another  is  in  the 
Cambr.  Univ.  Library.  Mr.  Thoms  reprinted  this  in  vol.  i.  of  his  Early 
Popular  Romances,  1828,  and  says  it  is  taken  direct  from  the  French,  and 
is  not  a  reduction  of  the  English  verse  text. 

Of  the  verse  Life,  which,  says  Mr.  Hazlitt, '  follows  in  general  the  prose 
narrative,  but  exhibits  occasional  amplifications,'  'a  fragment  printed 
with  the  types  of  Wynken  de  Worde  or  Pynson  is  in  the  Bodleian 
Library.'  The  verse  romance  was  reprinted  for  J.  Herbert  in  1798,  8vo, 
from  a  MS  "  which  appears  to  have  been  transcribed  word  for  word " 
{Thorns)  from  the  old  printed  edition,  and  has  been  again  reprinted  in 
Mr.  Hazlitt's  Remains  of  the  Early  Pojmlar  Poetry  of  England,  i.  217-263  : 
see  also  p.  264-9.  As  the  verse  text  teUs  the  same  story  as  the  prose  one, 
I  use  it  for  the  following  sketch. 

A  good  Duke  of  Normandy,  to  please  his  lords,  weds  the  daughter  of 
the  Earl  of  Burgundy,  but  for  12  years  has  no  child  by  her.  For  this 
they  grieve  greatly,  and  often  pray  for  a  child.  At  last  the  Duchess 
becomes  convinced  that  God  will  not  hear  their  petition,  and  so,  on  the 
night  that  she  conceives,  she  prays  to  the  Devil  to  send  them  a  child,  and 
vows  she  Moll  give  it,  soul  and  body,  to  the  Devil.  Accordingly,  a  boy  ia 
bom,  and  a  terrible  storm  follows.  The  boy  is  very  big ;  his  teeth  grow 
fast,  and  he  bites  his  nurse's  nipples  ofl'.  He  grows ;  bites  other  childi'en, 
puts  their  eyes  out,  breaks  their  legs  and  arms ;  they  call  him  "  Roberte 
the  Deuylle."  At  seven  years  old,  he  thrusts  a  dagger  into  his  teacher's 
belly,  for  correcting  him ;  he  mocks  priests,  scorns  clerks,  and  hurts  men 


"  The  Complaynt-of Scotland"  tales.  cxxxix 

at  their  prayers.  When  he  is  older,  his  Father  makes  him  a  knight,  that 
his  vows  may  improve  him ;  but  he  grows  worse ;  at  jousts,  he  kills 
knights,  breaks  horses'  backs,  and  strikes  down  old  and  young.  Then 
he  makes  a  raid  into  the  country,  robs  and  kills,  ravishes  maidens  and 
wives,  pulls  down  abbeys,  slays  young  children.  His  father  sends  men 
to  take  him;  he  puts  out  their  eyes.  When  more  men  are  sent,  he 
gathers  a  band  of  thieves,  kills  men,  spoils  crops,  eats  flesh  on  Fridays, 
and  cuts  off  7  Hermits'  heads.  Wherever  he  goes,  all  people  flee  from 
him.  This,  at  last,  makes  him  repent;  he  begs  his  fleeing  mother  to 
stay,  to  tell  him  how  he  was  born ;  and  then  he  vows  that  he'll  amend 
and  go  to  Kome.  He  returns  to  his  band  of  thieves,  and  exhorts  them  to 
repent  too ;  but  they  mock  him  and  refuse ;  so  he  kills  them  every  one. 
Then  he  rides  to  an  Abbey,  prays  for  God's  forgiveness,  and  sends  the 
key  of  his  treasure  to  his  father,  to  make  restitution  for  his  robberies  and 
sins.  He  then  goes  to  Eome,  prays  the  Pope's  pardon,  and  confesses  his 
sins  to  him.  The  Pope  send?  Kobert  to  a  hermit  near,  who  has  a  revela- 
tion that  Robert  must  counterfeit  a  fool,  act  like  one,  pull  his  food  from 
a  dog,  sleep  with  dogs,  and  be  dumb.  All  this,  Robert  does ;  acts  the 
fool  at  the  Emperor  of  Rome's  court,  gnaws  one  end  of  a  bone  while  a 
dog  gnaws  the  other,  shares  a  loaf  with  the  dog,  and  sleeps  on  straw  with 
it.  But  soon  the  Seneschall  of  the  Saracens  invades  Rome  to  win  the 
Emperor's  deaf  and  dumb  daughter.  The  infidels  are  winning,  when  an 
Angel  gives  Robert  a  white  steed  and  armour,  and  he  soon  routs  the 
Saracens.  He  rides  oflF,  and  his  horse  and  armour  vanish.  All  this,  the 
Princess  sees.  Robert  comes  again  as  a  fool  to  the  Court ;  and  when  the 
Emperor  asks  who  the  White  Knight  is,  the  Princess  always  points  to 
the  Fool,  for  which  her  father  abuses  her.  Again  the  Saracens  invade 
Rome,  and  again  Robert,  armed  by  the  Angel,  routs  the  foe  and  disap- 
pears. On  the  second  day  of  the  fight,  6  knights  sent  by  the  Emperor, 
try  to  discover  Robert,  and  one  wounds  him  in  the  thigh.  The  Emperor 
thereupon  promises  his  daughter  to  the  wounded  knight.  On  this,  the 
Saracen  Seneschall  wounds  himself,  personates  Robert,  claims  the  Prin- 
cess, and  is  about  to  wed  her,  when  she,  by  miracle,  speaks,  and  exposes 
him.  Robert  is  then  foimd  among  the  dogs,  and  will  not  speak  till  the 
Hermit  tells  him  his  sins  are  forgiven.  He  then  weds  the  Princess,  comes 
to  Normandy,  and  is  loved.  The  Seneschall  invades  and  slays  the  Em- 
peror, for  which  Robert  kills  him ;  and  then  comes  home  again,  fears 
God,  has  a  son  (who  is  one  of  Charlemagne's  knights),  dies,  and  goes  to 
heaven. 

Nowe,  all  men  beare  these  in  remembraunce : 

'He  that  lyueth  well  here,  no  euyll  death  shall  dye.' 
Yonge  and  olde,  that  delyteth  to  reade  in  storye, 

Yt  shall  youe  styrre  to  uertuous  lyuynge, 

And  cause  some  to  haue  theyr  memorye 

Of  the  paynes  of  hell,  that  ys  euer  durynge. 

By  readynge  bookes,  men  knowe  all  thynge 

That  euer  was  done,  and  hereafter  shalbe. 

Idlenes,  to  myschief  many  a  one  doth  brynge.  .  .  . 

The  original  of  Robert  the  Devil  was  Robert,  father  of  William  the 
Conqueror,  and  sixth  Duke  of  Normandy.  Part  of  the  legends  about 
him  have  been  transferred  to  a  different  person,  Robert,  Eong  of  Sicily 
(and  Jerusalem,)  Duke  of  Apulia  etc.,  who  tried  to  make  peace  between 
Edward  III  and  the  French  king,  and  whom  Froissart  and  others  tell  us 
of.  The  Romance  of  Sir  Gowghter  in  the  Royal  MS  17,  printed  by 
TJtterson  in  his  Select  Pieces  of  Early  Popular  Poetry,  1817,  8vo,  vol.  i,  is 
in  character  'substantially  identical  with  Robert  the  Devil,  the  names, 


cxl  ".The  Complaynt-of-Scotland"  tales. 

localities,  and  other  adventitious  features  only  being  changed.'  'Sir 
Frederic  Madden  pointed  out,  in  his  edition  of  the  Old  English  versions  of 
the  Gesta  Romanorum,  1838,  4",  that  the  foundation  story  of '  Robert  the 
Devil '  and  '  Robert  of  Sicily '  is  the  tale  of  Jovinianiis,  which  is  told  at 
considerable  length  both  in  the  English  and  Latin  Gesta.'  (Hazlitt,  E. 
Pop.  Poetnj,  i.  268.)] 

(3)  The  tayl  of  the  volfe  of  the  varldis  end. 

[  Volfe  should  be  voile,  says  Mr.  J.  A.  H.  Murray^,  and  that  means  ivell. 
If  so,  Robert  Chambers,  in  his  Popular  Rhymes  of  Scotland,  1870,  tells  at 
p.  105-7  a  fairy  tale  of  "  The  Wal  at  the  Warld's  End  {Fife);'  whither  a 
nasty  queen  with  a  nastier  daughter,  sends  the  nice  daughter  of  a  king, 
to  fill  a  bottle  with  water.  The  nice  daughter  comes  back  ten  times 
nicer,  and  marries  a  bonnie  young  prince ;  but  the  nasty  daughter,  when 
sent,  comes  back  ten  times  nastier,  and  marries  a  cobbler,  who  licks  her 
every  day  with  a  leather  strap.] 

(4)  Ferrand,  erl  of  Flandris,  that  niareit  the  deuyl. 

[The  story  is  probably  the  same  which  is  related  by  Gervase  of  Tilbury, 
"de  Domina  castri  de  EsperveP,"  and  by  Bournaker,  of  the  ancestor  of 
the  Plantagenet  family^.  Lci/den,  p.  237.  Barbour  mentions  Earl  Fer- 
rand's  mother  in  The  Bruce,  book  iv,  1.  241  etc.,  p.  85,  ed.  Skcat: 

The  erll  ferrandis  moder  was 
Ane  nygramansour,  and  sathanas 
Scho  rasit,  and  him  askit  syne, 
Quhat  suld  worth  of  the  fichtyne 
Betuix  the  franch  kyng  and  hir  sone. 

The  devil  gave  an  ambiguous  answer ;  and  the  outcome  was  that  the  Earl 

.  .  discumfit  wes,  &  schent,         (1.  280) 
And  takyn,  and  to  paris  sent.] 

(5)  The  taiyl  of  the  reyde  eyttyn  vitht  the  thre  heydis. 

[A.  S.  Eoten,  a  giant.  '  Sir  David  Lindsay  relates,  in  the  prologue  to  his 
Dreme,  that  he  was  accustomed,  during  the  minority  of  James  V,  to  lull 
him  asleep  with  '  talcs  of  the  rcd-etin  and  the  gyre  carlin.'  Leijden,  p.  319. 
See  the  Early  English  Text  Society's  ed.  of  Lyndesay,  p.  264,  1.  45. 
As  Lyndesay  mentions  several  of  the  stories  named  in  the  Complaynt,  it 
may  be  as  well  to  quote  his  lines  here : — 

More  plesandlie  the  tyme  for  tyll  ouerdryue,  32 

I  haue,  at  lenth,  the  storeis  done  discryue 
Oif  Hectour,  Arthour,  and  gentyll  lulyus, 
Oif  Alexander,  and  worthy  Pompeyus, 

Off  lasone  and  Media,  all  at  lenth,  36 

Off  Hercules  the  actis  honorabyll, 

And  of  Sampsone  the  supernaturall  strenth, 

And  of  leill  Luffaris  storeis  amiabyll ; 

And  oft  tymes  haue  I  fein^eit  mony  fabyll, —  40 

^  Volfe  should  undoubtedly  be  'voile'  or  'velle.'  The  South-Scotch  pro- 
nunciation of  well  is  woll  or  wuU,  and  a  place  near  Ashkirk  written  Well  is 
always  called  Woll.  I  am  going  to  print  voile,  in  my  edition  of  the  Covi- 
pleynt,  having  no  doubt  as  to  it.  Wolf  is  before  given  as  voff,  modern  woiif. — 
J.  A.  H.  M. 

2  (!)tia  Imperialia,  ap.  Script.  Rer.  Brunsvic.  vol.  i,  p.  978. 

3  Eorduni  Scotichron.  a  Goodall,  vol.  2,  p.  9. 


*' The  Complaynt-of-Scotland'^  tales.  cxli 

Off  Troylus  the  sorrow  and  the  loye, 
And  Seigis  all,  of  Tyir,  Thebes,  and  Troye. 

The  Prophiseis  of  Rymour,  Beid,  &  Marlyxg, 
And  of  mony  vther  plesand  storye, —  44 

OS  the  reid  Etin,  and  the  gyir  carlyng, — 
Comfortand  the,  quhen  that  I  saw  the  sorye. 

Robert  Chambers,  in  his  Popular  Rhymes  of  Scotland,  1870,  p.  89-94,  prints 
'from  Mr.  Buchan's  curious  manuscript  collection' — an  untrustworthy 
source,  I  assume — a  fairy  tale  of  the  Red  Etin  of  Ireland,  a  three-headed 
giant,  who  is  killed  by  a  poor  widow's  son  who  answers  his  three 
questions,  "Whether  Ireland  or  Scotland  was  iirst  inhabited?  Whether 
man  was  made  for  woman,  or  woman  for  man  ?  Whether  men  or  brutes 
were  made  first  ?"  The  young  man  frees  the  giant's  prisoners,  and  among 
them  a  king's  daughter,  whom  he  marries.] 

(6)  The  tail  quhou  perseua  sauit  andromada  fra  the  cruel  morestir. 

\_Ovid's  Metamorphoses,  iv.  663  etc.  This  and  the  other  classical  stories 
were  probabty  only  short  tales  from  some  translation  of  Ovid,  and,  most 
likely,  not  printed  ones.] 

(7)  The  prophysie  of  merlyne. 

[See  the  Lyndesay  extract  above,  1. 43.  Editions  by  Wynkyn  de  Worde 
in  1510  and  1529  are  known,  and  Warton  says  there  was  an  edition  by  John 
Hawkins  in  1533.  '  Here  begjTineth  a  Lytel  Treatyse  of  the  Byrth  and 
Prophecy e  of  Marlyn.'  Colophon :  '  Here  endeth  a  lytell  treatyse  of  Mar- 
lyn,  whiche  prophesyed  of  many  fortunes  or  happes  here  in  Englande. 
EnprjTited  in  London  in  fletestrete  at  the  sygne  of  the  sonne  by  Wynkyn 
de  Worde  the  yere  of  our  lorde  a  M  CCCCC  and  X.'  4to,  44  leaves. 
(Hazlitt.)  'This  poetical  romance,'  says  Lowndes,  'differs  in  many 
respects  from  the  MS.  copies.  See  Brydges's  Censura  Literaria.'  After 
the  date  of  the  Complaynt  we  have  a  book  which  perhaps  contains  some 
Prophecies  made  before  that  date:  "The  Whole  Prophesie  of  Scotland, 
England,  &  some  part  of  France,  and  Denmark,  Prophesied  bee  meruellous 
Merling,  Beid,  Bertlingtoun,  Thomas  Rymour,  Waldhaue,  Eltraine, 
Banester,  and  Sibbilla,  all  according  in  one.  Containing  many  strange 
and  meruelous  things.  Printed  by  Robert  Waldegraue,  Printer  to  the 
Kings  most  Excellent  Majestic.  Anno.  1603."  And  reprinted  for  the 
Bannatyne  Club  in  1833.  The  Prophesies  of  'Merling'  are  on  pages 
3-9,  12-14  of  the  reprint;  and  another  version  of  parts  of  the  second  of 
these  was  printed  by  Mr.  Lumby  for  the  Early  English  Text  Society,  in 
Bernardus  de  Cura  Rci  familiaris  etc.  1870,  p.  18-22 :  see  Preface,  p.  ix.] 

(8)  The  tayl  of  the  giantis  that  eit  quyk  men. 

[Probably  some  version  of  Jack  the  Giant-killer,  or  Jack  and  the  Bean- 
stalk, many  varieties  of  which  used  to  thrill  me  when  a  boy,  when,  after 
darkness  had  put  an  end  to  "Kings,  Covenanters!"  "Duck,"  or  "Hy- 
Spy,"  we  used  to  gather  into  an  entry  to  "tell  boglie  tales,"  tiU  our  hair 
stood  on  end,  and  we  were  too  frightened  to  separate  to  go  home. — J.  A. 
H.  Murray.] 

(9)  On  fut,  by  fortht,  as  i  culd  found. 

[That  is,  '  On  foot,  by  Forth,  as  I  did  go.'   A  ballad  not  now  known.] 

(10)  Vallaee. 

[Of  the  only  edition  known  before  1548,  a  fragment  of  20  leaves  only 
has  been  preserved.  It  appears  to  be  printed  with  Chepman  and  Myllar's 
peculiar  types,  and  is  supposed  to  be  about  1520  a.d.     It  is  translated 


cxlii  "  The  Complaynt-of-Scotland"  tales. 

from  the  Latin  of  Eobert  Blair,  written  in  the  heginning  of  the  14th  cen- 
tury {Sazlitt's  Handbook).  Many  later  editions  exist.  The  best  is  from 
the  unique  MS  in  the  Advocates'  Library,  dated  1488,  edited  by  Dr. 
Jamieson  in  1820,  and  reprinted  at  Glasgow  in  1869,  with  all  its  mistakes. 
The  translator  is  said  to  have  been  Blind  Harry  the  Minstrel,  about  1470.] 

(11)  Thebruce. 

[By  Chaucer's  contemporary,  John  Barbour,  Archdeacon  of  Aberdeen, 
who  died  in  1395  or  1396.  No  printed  edition  before  about  1570  is  now 
known.  Only  2  MSS  of  the  poem  are  known,  of  which  the  best,  which 
has  lost  its  first  third,  is  in  the  Library  of  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge, 
and  is  dated  1487.  The  inferior  MS  is  in  the  Advocates'  Library,  Edin- 
burgh, is  complete,  is  dated  1489,  was  edited  by  Dr.  Jamieson  in  1820, 
and  reprinted  at  Glasgow,  with  all  its  mistakes,  in  1869.  The  Rev.  W.  W. 
Skeat  is  now  re-editing  the  work  from  both  MSS  and  the  old  printed 
editions  for  the  Early  English  Text  Society's  Extra  Series :  Part  I.  was 
publisht  in  1870.  Mr.  Cosmo  Innes  made  a  dreadful  mess  of  the  text, 
which  he  symmetrized,  in  his  edition  for  the  Spalding  Club,  1856.  Mr. 
Henry  Bradshaw,  University  Librarian  at  Cambridge,  has  found  two 
MSS  containing  parts  of  a  verse  Troy  Book  by  Barbour,  and  another 
very  long  MS  of  Saints'  Lives  in  verse,  also  by  Barbour.] 

(12)  Tpomedon. 

['  The  Life  of  Ipomydon.'  Colophon :  '  Enprjoited  at  London  in  the 
Fletestrete  at  the  sygne  of  the  Sonne  by  Wynkyn  de  Worde ;'  no  date, 
4to,  but  with  "  L'enuoye  of  Robert  C[opland]  the  prynter."  Only  one 
incomplete  copy  known.  This  romance  was  printed  by  Weber  in  his 
Metrical  Romances,  1810,  a^oI.  ii.  p.  279,  from  the  Harl.  MS.  2252 ;  and 
the  story  of  it  is  told  in  EUis's  Early  English  Metr.  Rom.  p.  505  etc.,  ed. 
Bohn.  "The  hero  of  this  romance  is  a  Norman,  though  his  name  be 
derived  from  the  Theban  war.  He  is  son  of  Ermones,  King  of  Apulia, 
and,  by  his  courtesy  and  skill  in  hunting,  gains  the  afi"ections  of  the 
heiress  of  Calabria,  whom  he  visits  in  disguise."  {Leyden,  p.  240.)] 

(13)  The  tail  of  the  thre  futtit  dog  of  norrouay. 

[Robert  Chambers  gives  the  story  of  '  The  Black  Bull  of  Norroway ' 
in  his  Popular  Rhymes,  p.  95-99,  and  that  of  the  similar  'Red  Bull  of 
Norroway'  at  p.  99-101.] 

(14)  The  tayl  quhou  Hercules  sleu  the  serpent  hidra  that  hed  vij 

heydis, 

[This  was  doubtless  a  short  story  from  Ovid's  Metamorphoses,  vs..  70. 

The  earliest  known  English  Romance  on  Hercules  is  late:  "The 
History  of  the  Life  and  Glorious  Actions  of  the  mighty  Hercules  of  Greece, 
his  encountering  and  overthrowing  serpents,  hons,  monsters,  giants, 
tyrants,  and  powerful  armies;  his  taking  of  cities,  towns,  kings,  and 
langdoms,  etc.  With  many  rare  and  extraordinary  adventures  and 
exploits,  wonderful  and  amazing.  Also  the  manner  of  his  unfortunate 
death :  being  the  most  excellent  of  histories.  Printed  for  S.  Bates  at  the 
Sun  and  Bible  in  Pye-Comer."  Small  4to,  no  date.  One  copy  is  among 
Malone's  books  in  the  Bodleian,  and  another  was  sold  at  Mr.  Corser's 
second  sale  {Catalogue,  p.  55),  where  was  also  sold  "Hercules.  Sensuyt 
les  proesses  et  vaillances  du  preux  et  vaillant  Hercules.  Bk.  1.,  small  4to. 
Paris,  par  Alain  Lotrian.   s.d."] 

(15)  The  tail  quhou  the  kyng  of  est  mure  land  mareit  the  kyngis 

dochtir  of  vest  mure  land. 
[Can  this  be  "King  Estmere"  in  Percy's  Reliques?    Percy  tore  this 


"The  Complaynt-of- Scotland"  tales.  cxliii 

ballad  out  of  his  Folio  Manuscript— confound  him  for  it! — so  that  we 
cannot  tell  how  hadly  he  cookt  the  copy  he  has  left  us.  See  the  Feroj 
Folio  Ballads  and  Romances,  vol.  ii,  p.  200,  note  1 ;  p.  600-7.] 

(16)  Skail  gillenderson,  the  kyngis  sone  of  skellye. 

[Some  Scandinavian  legend.] 

(17)  The  tayl  of  the  four  sonnis  of  aymon. 
[Capt.  Cox,  III,  p.  xix,  above.] 

(18)  The  tayl  of  the  brig  of  the  mantribil, 

[No  doubt  a  lost  English  Charlemagne  romance,  for  in  Barbour's 
Bruce,  it  is  said  that  Charlemagne 

"...  wan  Mantrybill,  and  passed  Flagot." 

Ed.  Pinkerton,  i,  81  {Leyden,  p.  237).] 

(19)  The  tail  of  syr  euan,  arthours  knycht. 

[No  separate  printed  tale  of  Sir  Ywain  is  known  except  the  poem  of 
'Ywaine  and  Gawin,'  printed  by  Ritson  in  his  Metrical  Romances  from 
the  Cotton  MS.  Galba  E  ix.  Leyden  says,  p.  256,  "in  Peringskiold's  list 
of  Scandic  MSS  in  the  Royal  library  of  Stockholm,  besides  a  metrical 
history  of  king  Arthur,  which  records  his  league  with  Charlemagne,  the 
following  titles  occur:  Sagan  af  Ivent,  Eingland  Kappe ; — the  history  of 
Ewain,  Arthurs  best  beloved  knight  in  England,  containing  his  combats 
with  the  Giants  and  Blacks.  This  is  undoubtedly  the  romance  of  Ewain 
mentioned  in  the  Complaynt. — Sagan  af  Serra  Bewus,  the  Romance  of  Sir 
Bevis."] 

(20)  Eauf  collf ear. 

[Dunbar,  in  his  address  '  To  the  King,'  and  Gawin  Douglas,  in  his 
'  Palice  of  Honour,'  mention  this  poem  of  Ralph  the  Collier,  though  no 
printed  edition  of  it  is  known  before  that  '  Imprentit  at  Sanct  Androis 
by  Robert  Lekpreuik,  anno  1572,'  which  Mr.  David  Laing  reprinted  in 
his  Select  Remains  of  the  Early  Popular  Poetry  of  Scotland,  1822:  "Heire 
beginnis  the  taill  of  Rauf  CoUjear,  how  he  harbreit  King  Charhs."  See 
Irving's  History  of  Scotish  Poetry,  p.  88-92.  A  capital  poem  it  is,  that 
ought  to  be  known  better  in  England.  It  is  the  Scotch  parallel  of  John  the 
Reve  in  the  Percy  Folio,  (with  which  Dunbar  and  Douglas  couple  it,)  and 
is  told  in  humoui-ous  alliterative  stanzas;  only,  the  Collier  treated 
Charlemagne  more  roughly  than  the  Reve  treated  Edward  Longshanks, 
for  he 

.  .  hit  him  vnder  the  eir  with  his  richt  hand 

Quhill  he  stakkerit  thatr-with-all 

Half  the  breid  of  the  haU. 

Mr.  Laing  has  kept  us  waiting  a  most  tantalizingly  long  time  for  a  new 
edition  of  his  excellent  Select  Remains.  The  volume  contains  several 
English  pieces.] 

(21)  The  seige  of  millan. 

[Milan  has  seen  many  a  siege  since,  at  the  end  of  the  third  century, 
Maximianus  surrounded  it  with  walls.  Attila  devastated  it ;  so  did  the 
Goths  ia  539  a.d.  under  Vitiges.  Frederic  Barbarossa  and  his  Germans 
took  it  by  assault,  and  razed  it  to  the  ground  in  1 162.  In  the  petty  wars 
of  the  Italian  cities  in  the  13th  and  later  centuries,  Milan  took  a  pro- 
minent part.  But  I  suppose  the  Co^nplaynt  tale  to  refer  to  the  great 
Barbarossa  siege.] 


cxliv  ''The  Complaynt-of- Scotland"  tales. 

(22)  Grauen  and  gollogras. 

[Cp.  Capt.  Cox's  Sijr  Gmvyn,  XII,  p.  xxxiv  above.] 

(23)  Lancelot  du  lac. 

[No  early  printed  English  Lancelot  is  known ;  and  we  have  only  one 
MS,  a  Scotch,  one  at  Cambridge,  in  the  University  Library,-  carelessly 
printed  by  Mr.  Stevenson  for  the  Maitland  Club,  1839  {Lancelot  of  the 
Laik),  and  carefully  edited  for  the  Early  English  Text  Society,  1865,  by 
the  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat.  It  is  short,  and  contains  only  a  small  part  of  the 
French  Lancelot.'] 

(2'i)  Arthour  knycht,  he  raid  on  nyeht, 
vitht  gyltin  spur  and  candil  lycht, 

[Leyden  says,  p.  229,  "  The  romance,  of  which  these  lines  seem  to  have 
formed  the  introduction,  is  unknown;  but  I  have  often  heard  them 
repeated  in  a  nursery  tale,  of  which  I  only  recollect  the  following  ridicu- 
lous verses : 

Chick  my  naggie,  chick  my  naggie ! 
How  mony  miles  to  Aberdeagie  ? 
'Tis  eight,  and  eight,  and  other  eight ; 
"We'll  no  win  there  wi'  candle  light." 

I  don't  believe  in  Leyden's  supposed  "romance."     It  was  probably  a 
ballad.] 

(25)  The  tail  of  floremond  of  albauye,  that  sleu  the  Avagon  be  the 

see. 
[This  Tale  is  lost.     Leyden  says  (p.  229)  that  the  name  of  the  hero  is 
mentioned  in  the  romance  of  Rosivall  and  Lilian  (Ediab.  1663,  blk.  Ir., 
846  lines;  and  Laing's  Larlij  Metrical  Tales,  1826) : — 

Because  that  I  love  you  so  well, 
■  Let  your  name  be  Sir  Lion  dale, 
Or  great  Florent  of  Albanie, 
My  heart,  if  ye  bear  love  to  me ; 
Or  call  you  Lancelot  du  Lake, 
For  your  dearest  true-love's  sake ; 
Call  you  the  KJnight  of  arm[e]s  green*, 
For  the  love  of  j^our  Lady  sheen.] 

(26)  The  tail  of  syr  valtir,  the  bald  leslye. 

[Leyden  says  (p.  230)  "This  seems  to  have  been  a  romance  of  the 
Crusades.  Sir  Walter  Lesly  accompanied  his  brother  Norman  to  the 
East,  in  the  Venetian  expedition,  to  assist  Peter,  kiag  of  Cyprus ;  where, 
according  to  Fordun  {Scotichronicon,  lib.  xvi,  cap.  15)  '  coeperunt  civitatem 
Alexandrinam  tempore  tdtimi  regis  David.'  After  the  death  of  his 
brother  he  became  Earl  of  Ross,  and  Duke  of  Leygaroch  in  France.  The 
romance,"  if  one  ever  existed,  is  lost.] 

(27)  The  tail  of  the  pure  tynt. 

["  Probably  the  groimdwork  of  the  Fairy  tale  of  'the  pure  tint  Rashy- 
coat'  a  common  nursery  tale."  Leyden,  p.  236.  The  tale  of  'Rashie-Coat 
{Fife) '  is  told  in  R.  Chambers's  Popular  Rhymes,  1870,  p.  66-8,  and  an 
inferior  version  follows  it.  It  is  "the  Scottish  edition  of  the  tale  of 
Cinderella."] 

*  Sir  Gawain  and  the  Green  Knight  (Roxb.  Club,  and  E.  E.  Text  Soc). 


"  I'he  Complaynt-of -Scotland"  tales.  cxlv 

(28)  Claryades  and  maliadea. 

[No  printed  copy  is  known  earlier  than  1830,  when  Dr.  David  Irving 
edited  the  romance  of  Clariodus  from  an  imperfect  MS  of  about  1550  a.d, 
for  Mr.  Edward  Piper's  present  to  the  Maitland  Club.  The  romance  is 
earlier  than  its  MS,  and  is  translated  from  a  French  prose  original,  of 
which  there  was  once  an  English  translation,  made  before  the  Scotch  one. 
The  story  is  of  England : — how,  after  the  days  of  King  Arthur,  the  young 
knight  Clariodus,  son  of  the  Earl  of  Esture,  or  the  Asturias,  wins  and 
weds  the  lovely  lady  Meliades,  daughter  and  heiress  of  Philipon,  king  of 
England ;  and  how,  after  their  marriage  (at  p.  304)  feastings,  adventures, 
tourneys,  journeys  to  Castalie,  Ireland  &o  go  on,  till  the  text  ends,  im- 
perfectly, at  p.  376  of  the  printed  edition.] 

(29)  Arthour  of  litil  bertang^e. 

[This  is  the  book  reprinted  in  4to  by  Utterson  in  1814  as  "Arthur  of 
Brytayn.  The  hystory'  of  the  moost^  noble  and  valyaunt  knyght  Ai-thur 
of  lytell  brytajrne,  translated  out  of  frensshe  in  to  engiushe^  by  the  noble 
Johan  Bourghcher  knyght  lorde  Barners,  newly  Imprynted:"  no  date, 
black  letter,  folio,  179  leaves.  (Collier,  Bibl.  Cat.  i.  63).  Colophon: 
"  Here  endeth  the  hystory  of  Arthur  of  lytell  Brytayne.  Imprynted  at 
London  in  Bowles  churche  yeard  at  the  sygne  of  the  Cocke  by  Roberto 
Eedborne."  Only  2  perfect  copies  exist,  at  Althorp  and  Bridgewater 
House ;  and  one  imperfect  copy.] 

(30)  Eobene  hude  and  litil  ihone. 

[See  Capt.  Cox's  Robiii  Hood,  XXII,  p.  li,  above.  It's  the  same  book, 
no  doubt.] 

(31)  The  meruellis  of  maTzdiueil. 

[We  know  3  editions  before  1548  of  this  most  amusing  book  of  travels 
and  legends,  1.  Wynkyn  de  Worde's  in  1499  ;  2.  at  his  sign  of  the  Sun 
in  1503;  3.  Pynson's,  without  date.  1.  "Here  Begynneth  a  lytell 
treatyse  or  booke  named  Johan  Mandeuyll  Knyght  born  in  Englonde  in 
the  towne  of  saynt  Albone  and  speketh  of  the  wayes  of  the  holy  londe 
toward  Jherrusalem,  and  of  marunyles  of  Ynde  and  of  other  dyuerse 
cou«trees."  Colophon.  "Here  endeth  the  boke  of  Johan  Mau7?devyll 
knyght,  of  the  wayes  towarde  Jerusalem,  &  of  the  meruayles  of  Ynde  & 
of  other  dyuerse  couwtrees.  Emprynted  at  Westmynster  by  Wynken  de 
Worde.  Anno  Aomini  M.  CCCC.  LXXXXIX."  8vo.  An  edition  was 
publisht  in  1725  from  the  Cotton  MS,  Titus  C.  xvi, — incorrectly,  I  expect 
— and  was  reprinted  in  1839  and  1869,  with  an  Introduction  by  Mr. 
Halliwell,  and  some  very  quaint  woodcuts  from  the  MS  and  the  old 
printed  editions.  Sir  John  Mandeville  left  England  for  Jerusalem  etc. 
in  1322,  and  wrote  his  Travels  in  1356,  thirty-four  years  after  he  started. 
Later  on,  the_  work  was  turned  into  a  chap-book :  "  The  Foreign  Travels 
of  Sir  John  llandeville.  Containing,  An  Account  of  remote  Kingdoms, 
Countries,  Rivers,  Castles,  &c.  Together  with  a  Description  of  Giants, 
Pigmies,  and  various  other  People  of  odd  Deformities ;  as  also  their  Laws, 
Customs,  and  Manners.  Likewise  enchanted  Wildernesses,  Dragons, 
Griffins,  and  many  more  wonderful  Beasts  of  Prey,  &c  &c  &c."  (With  7 
woodcuts.)  '  Printed  and  Sold  in  Aldermary  Church- Yard,  London.  (In 
Mr.  Corser's  sale.)] 

(32)  (33)  The  tayl  of  the  Jowg  tanilene,  and  of  the  bald  brabaud. 
[Leyden  identifies  Tamlene  with  the  later  ballad  of  The  Young  Tamlane 

in   Scott's  Minstrelsy,   a.d.  1802,  (p.  474-480  of  A.  Murray's  reprint, 
1869),  a  few  verses  of  which  appeared  in  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  1776, 

'  Mystory — Eazlitt's  Handbook.        ^  moast — Hazlitt.        ^  englishe — Hazlitt. 

I 


cxlvi  "The  Complaynt-of -Scotland"  tales. 

i.  159  (ed.  1869),  as  'Kertoiihe,  or  the  Fairy  Court,'  and  Johnson's 
Museum.  (See  p.  clxiv  below.)  He  therefore  makes  The  Bald  Braband  a 
separate  romance  of  French  or  Norman  origin.  Mr.  J.  A.  H.  Murray- 
does  so  too,  notwithstanding  the  author's  singular  "tayl,"  which  would 
lead  us  to  suppose  that  the  two  heroes  belonged  to  one  story.  See  some 
doggrel  verses  on  'Tam  o'  the  Linn'  in  E.  Chambers's  Popular  Ehymes, 
ed.  1870,  p.  33,  and  p.  cxxvii  above.] 

(34)  The  ryngi  of  the  roy  Eobert. 

[In  Mackenzie's  Lives,  vol.  i,  and  Pinkerton's  list  of  the  poems  in  the 
FoKo  Maitland  MS,  this  poem  is  ascribed  to  Deine  David  Steill.  It  begins 
"  In  to  the  ring  of  the  roy  Robert."  A  modernized  copy  was  issued  in 
1700  under  the  title  of  "  Robert  the  III,  king  of  Scotland,  his  Answer  to 
a  Summonds  sent  by  Henry  the  IV.  of  England  to  do  homage  for  the 
Crown  of  Scotland,"  is  [re]printed  in  "Watson's  Collection  of  Scotish 
poems,  pt.  3,  which  begins  "  Dureing  the  reigne  of  the  Royal  Robert." 
Ley  den,  p.  231.  It  is  also  reprinted  'in  two  different  publications  of  Mr. 
Laing,  Fugitive  Scotish  Poetry,  and  Early  Metrical  Tales.  It  contains  a 
magnanimous  and  indignant  answer,  supposed  to  have  been  returned  by 
Robert  the  Third,  when  Henry  the  Fourth  of  England  summoned  him  to 
do  homage  for  his  kingdom.  The  author's  patriotism  may  be  more  safely 
commended  than  his  poetry,  which  is  of  a  very  inferior  order.'  Irving' s 
Hist,  of  Scotish  Poetry,  p.  201,  ed.  1861.] 

(35)  Syr  egeir  and  syr  gryme. 

[Of  this  verse  Romance  no  printed  copy  is  known  earlier  than  1687. 
It  belongs  to  Mr.  David  Laing,  who  reprinted  the  2nd  edition  known, 
that  of  1711,  in  his  Early  Metrical  Tales,  1826.  By  far  the  best  copy^  is 
in  Bp.  Percy's  Folio  MS,  and  is  printed  in  the  Ballads  and  Romances  of  it, 
i.  354-400,  in  1474  lines.  Its  "  subject  is  the  true  and  tried  friendship  of 
Sir  Eger  and  Sir  Grime.  It  sings  how  a  true  knight  (Sir  Grime)  stood 
faithfully  by  his  friend  when  misfortune  overtook  him,  and  fought  his 
battle,  and  won  it,  and  was  rewarded  with  the  same  happiness  which  he 
had  so  nobly  striven  to  secure  for  his  friend — success  in  love."  In  1497, 
the  sum  of  nine  shilhngs  was  paid  to  "  twa  fithelaris  that  sang  Gray  Steil 
to  the  King."  See  Mr.  D.  Laing's  Introduction,  and  Mr.  Hales's  in  the 
Percy  Folio  Bal.  and  Rom.    Gray  Steel  was  the  knight  who  overcame  Sir 

^  reign. 

2  However,  the  lines  praised  so  strongly  by  Prof.  Lowell  in  his  charming 
essay  in  My  Study  Windotvs,  p.  256-7,  are  not  in  the  Percy-Folio  copy.  The 
author  of  the  inimitable  Bigloiv  Papers  says :  "  One  more  passage  occurs  to  me, 
almost  incomparable  in  its  simple  straight-forward  force,  and  choice  of  the 
right  words : — 

"  Sir  Graysteel  to  his  death  thus  thi-aws, 

He  welters,  and  the  grass  updraws 

A  little  whale  then  lay  he  still, 
(Friends  that  saw  him,  liked  full  ill,) 
And  bled  into  his  armour  bright.'" 

The  last  line,  for  suggestive  reticence,  almost  deserves  to  be  put  beside  the 
famous 

"  Quel  giorno  piti  non  vi  leggemmo  avante  " 

of  the  great  master  of  laconic  narration  [Dante].  In  the  same  poem" — Sir 
j^ger  and  Sir  Grime  in  the  Percy  Folio  i.  354.  The  passage  quoted  is  from 
EUis — "  the  growing  love  of  the  lady,  in  its  maidenliness  of  unconscious  be- 
trayal, is  touched  with  a  delicacy  and  tact  as  surprising  as  they  are  delightful." 


"  The  Complaynt-of Scotland''  tales.  cxlvii 

Eger,  and  who  cut  off  the  right  little-finger  of  every  knight  he  vanquisht. 
But  Grime  slew  him.  for  Eger's  sake.] 

(36)  Beuis  of  southamtonn. 

[See  Captain  Cox's  IV,  p.  xxii  ahove.] 

(37)  The-  goldin  targe. 

[This  is  a  poem  of  Dunhar's,  first  printed  on  6  leaves  by  "Walter  Chep- 
man  and  Andro  Millar  at  Edinburgh  in  1508,  though  the  copy  in  the 
Advocates'  Library,  Edinburgh,  has  no  place  or  date  on  it.  It  is  reprinted 
in  Mr.  David  Laing's  edition  of  Dunbar's  Works  1834  (with  a  Supple- 
ment 1865),  i.  11,  and  "the  object  of  this  poem  is  to  demonstrate  the 
general  ascendency  of  love  over  reason :  the  golden  terge,  or  the  shield  of 
reason,  is  found  an  insufficient  protection  against  the  assaults  of  the  train 
of  love."  Irving' s  Mist,  of  Scotish  Poetry^  p.  235,  ed.  1861.] 

(:58)  The  paleis  of  honour. 

[No  copy  of  this  is  known  so  early  as  1548-9,  though  a  Scotch  printer's 
copy  must  have  existed  earlier.  As  William  Copland  was  at  the  Kose 
G-arland  in  1548,  his  imdated  edition  might  have  been  printed  in  the  first 
year  of  Mary's  reign:  "The  Palis  of  Honoui-e  composed  by  Gawyne 
Dowglas,  Byshope  of  Dunkyll.  Imprinted  at  London  in  flet-stret,  at  the 
sygne  of  the  Rose  garland  by  wyllyam  Copland.  God  saue  Quene 
Marye,"  4to,  black  letter,  40  leaves.  Henrie  Charteris's  edition  of  1579 
was  reprinted  for  the  Bannatyne  Club  in  1827,  4to.  The  poem,  which  is 
the  longest  of  Douglas's  original  works,  seems  to  have  been  written  in 
1501,  and  describes  the  author's  dream  of  all  the  worthies  of  antiquity 
down  to  nearly  his  own  day,— heathen  gods  and  goddesses,  as  well  as 
Chaucer,  Gower,  and  Lydgate, — journeying  to  the  Palace  of  Honour. 
This  he  describes,  nnd  the  lake,  wherein  those  who  fail  to  seek  it,  fall. 
The  poem  is  an  odd  mixture  of  ancient  and  modern :  Calliope  expounds 
the  scheme  of  human  redemption.  See  Irving,  p.  269-277,  for  an  outline 
of  it.] 

(39)  The  tayl  quhou  acteon  vas  trawsformit  in  ane  hart,  and  syne 

slane  be  his  auen  doggis. 
[Another  tale  from  Ovid's  Metamorphoses,  iii.  155  etc.] 

(40)  The  tayl  of  Pirramus  and  tesbe. 

[No  doubt  a  short  tale  from  some  lost  translation  of  Ovid  {Met.  iv, 
55-165).  Golding's  translation  was  not  publisht  till  1567.  Mr.  Halliwell 
prints  the  Pyramus  story  from  it  in  his  Introduction  to  Shakespeare  s  Mid- 
summer Nighfs  Dream,  1841,  p.  12-16.  The  first  notice  that  we  have  of 
a  book  on  this  subject  is  in  an  entry  in  1562-3  in  the  Stationers'  Register  A, 
leaf  92  {Collier,  i.  79)  :— 

W  greffethe     Kecevyd  of  Wylliam  greffeth  for  his  lycense  for  \  ....^ 
pryntinge  of  a  boke  intituled  Perymus  and  Thesbye  j     J 

No  copy  of  the  book  is  known,  nor  a,ny  of  the  later  edition  by  Hacket. 
Mr.  Collier  says  '  The  History  of  Pyramus  and  Thisbie,  truly  translated,' 
is  contained  in  the  'Gorgeous  Gallery  of  gallant  Inventions,'  1578;  and 
in  the  '  HandfuU  of  Pleasant  Delights,'  1584,  is  '  a  new  Sonet  of  Pyramus 
and  Thisbie,'  subscribed  J.  Tomson.  {Stat.  Meg.  i.  80.) 

(41)  The  tail  of  the  amours  of  leander  and  hero. 

[The  only  notice  we  have  of  the  earliest  and  otherwise  unknown  trans- 
lation of  the  work  of  Musseus  the  Grammarian,  Be  Amore  Herois  et  Leandri, 
is  a  marginal  note  in  Abraham  Fleming's  translation  of  Virgil's  Georgics, 
1589,  4to:   "The  poet  alludeth  to  the  historic  of  Leander  and  Hero, 

Z2 


cxlviii  "  The  Complaynt-of- Scotland"  tales. 

written  by  Musseus,  and  Englished  by  me  a  dozen  yeares  ago  [1577], 
and  in  print."  J.  P.  Collier,  in  Notes  and  Queries,  Dec.  8,  1849,  p.  84-5. 
This  'tayl'  of  the  Comj^laynt  before  1548  may — like  many  others  in  the 
list — have  been  a  broadside.     Ovid  mentions  the  story,  Her.  xviii.  19.] 

(42)  The  tail  quhou  lupiter  transformit  his  deir  loue  yo  in  ane 

cou. 

[More  Ovid :  Metamorphoses,  bk.  i.] 

(43)  The  tail  quhou  that  iason  vau  the  goldin  fleice. 

[This  may  be  '  A  Boke  of  the  hoole  Lyf  of  Jason '  printed  by  Caxton 
about  1477,  consisting  of  148  leaves,  and  reprinted  in  1492,  by  Gerard 
Leeu  of  Antwerp,  with  cuts,  '  The  veray  trew  History  of  the  valiauwt 
Knight  Jaso>« ;'  but  was  probably  only  a  short  Tale  from  the  7th  book  of 
Ovid's  Metamorphoses.  Caxton' s  edition  is  translated  fi-om  Raoul  Le 
Fevre's  French  original.] 

(44)  Opheus,  kyng  of  portingal. 

[This  cannot  be  the  romance  of  Orfeo  and  Heurodis  in  the  Affleck  MS, 
printed  in  Mr.  D.  Laing's  Select  Remains,  1822,  in  which  Orfeo  is  a  king 
in  England,  has  the  city  of  Traciens  or  Winchester,  and  recovers  Heurodis 
who  has  been  carried  oif  by  the  King  of  the  Fairies.  Nor  can  it  be 
Henryson's  poem  printed  by  W.  Chepman  and  A.  Millar  in  1508 : — 
"  Heire  begynnis  the  traitie  of  Orpheus  kyng,  and  how  he  yeid  to  hewyn 
and  to  hel  to  seik  his  queue :  And  ane  other  ballad  in  the  lattir  end ; — " 
and  repi'inted  in  Mr.  David  Laing's  edition  of  Henryson's  Works,  1865. 
Henryson  rightly  makes  his  Orpheus,  king  of  Thrace.  Perchance  some 
Middle-age  writer  altered  Thrace  to  Portugal.  Geography  was  'of  no 
consequence '  with  the  story-tellers  of  those  days.] 

(45)  The  tayl  of  the  goldin  appil, 

[That  of  Eris,  inscribed  '  to  the  fairest,'  thrown  among  the  Gods  at  the 
wedding  of  Peleus  and  Thetis,  whence  sprang  the  dispute  between  Juno, 
Minerva,  and  Venus,  its  decision  by  Paris,  the  rape  of  Helen,  and  the  fall 
of  Troy,  that  central  romance  of  the  Middle-ages.  Plenty  of  stories  of 
it, — long  to  shorten,  short  to  translate, — were  there  to  serve  as  the  original 
of  the  Coniplaynt  'tayl.'] 

(46)  The  tail  of  the  thre  veird  sy stirs. 

['  Clotho,  the  spinning  fate ;  Lachesis,  the  one  who  assigns  to  man  his 
fate ;  and  Atropos,  the  fate  that  cannot  be  avoided.'  Ovid,  3Iet.  xv.  781, 
808  etc.] 

(47)  The  tayl  quhou  that  dedalus  maid  the  laborynth  to  keip  the 

ino«ster  minotaurus. 
[Ovid,  Met.  viii.] 

(48)  The  tail  quhou  kyng  midas  gat  tua  asse  luggis  on  his  hede, 

be  cause  of  his  auereis. 
[Another  story  from  Ovid,  book  xi  of  the  Metamorphoses.  There  is  a 
Ballad  on  the  same  subject  among  the  broadsides  of  the  Society  of  Anti- 
quaries, written  by  T.  Hedley,  and  imprinted  at  London,  by  Hary  Sutton, 
dwellyng  in  Poules  Churchj^ard,  and  reprinted  in  Mr.  Halliwell's  Litro- 
duetion  to  Shakespeare's  Midsicmmer  Night's  Dream,  p.  18-19.  Sutton 
printed  and  publisht  from  1557  to  1575.] 

^  Quhen  thir  scheiphyrdis  lied  tald  al  thyr  pleysand  storeis, 
tlian  thay  and  ther  vyuis  began  to  sing  sueit  melodius  sangis  of 
natural  music  of  the  antiquite,  the  foure  marmadyns  that  sang 


"  The  Complaynt-of -Scotland  "  sweet  Songs.        cxlix 


qulieu  thetis  vas  mareit  on  month  pilliow,  thai  sang  nocht  sa  sueit 
as  did  thir  scheiphyrdis,  quhilkis  ar  callit  to  name,  parthenopie, 
leucolia,  illigeatempora,  the  feyrd  callit  legia,  for  thir  scheiphirdis 
excedit  al  thir  foure  marmadyns  in  melodius  music,  in  gude  ac- 
cordis  and  reportis  of  dyapason  prolations,  and  dyatesseron.  the 
musician  amphion  quhilk  sa«g  sa  dulce,  quhil  that  the  stanis  mouit, 
and  alse  the  scheip  and  nolt,  and  the  foulis  of  the  ayr,  pronuncit 
there  bestial  voce  to  sing  vitht  hym.  zit  nochtheles  his  ei'moniws 
sa«g  prefferrit  nocht  the  sueit  sangis  of  thir  foir-said  scheiphirdis. 
Nou  i  vil  reherse  sum  of  the  sueit  sangis  that  i  herd  amang  thew 
as  eftir  follouis.  in  the  lyrst, 

(49)   Pastance  vitht  gude  companye. 

[English.  Written  by  Henry  VIII.  Facsimiled,  with  the  tune,  for 
Ml.  Wm.  Chappell,  in  ArchcBologia,  xli.  372,  from  a  MS  that  once  belonged 
to  Henry  VIII,  and  now  belongs  to  a  Mrs.  Lamb.  The  song  was  also 
printed  by  Dr.  Rimbault  in  his  Little  Book,  p.  37,  and  Mr.  Chappell  in 
his  Fo2mlar  Muxic,  from  the  Additional  MS  5665  in  the  British  Museum, 
which  was  once  Joseph  Eitson's.  It  is  there  called  "  The  Kyngis  Balade." 
Here  it  is  from  Mrs.  Lamb's  MS,  pages  24,  25,  as  facsimiled  in  Arckceo- 
loffia,  A'ol.  xli,  PI.  xvi,  p.  372 ;  but  in  the  MS  every  U  has  a  Une  across 
its  top. 

The  kynge.  H.  viij. 


(1) 
PAstyme  with  good  eo;«panye 
I  loue,  &  shall  vntyll  I  dye ; — 
gruche  who  lust,  but  none  denye, 
so  god  be  plesyd,  thus  leue  wyll  I. 
for  my  pastance 
hunt,  syng,  &  dau;!ce, 

my  hart  is  sett ! 
all  goodly  sport, 
for  my  co?wfort, 
who  shall  me  let  ? 

(2) 

youthe  must  haue  sum  daliance, 
off  good  or  yll,  sum  pastance ; 
Company  me  thynkis's  then  best, 
all  thoughts*  &  fansys  to  deiest ; 


ffor  Idillnes 
is  cheif  mastres 

of  vices  all ; 
then  who  can  say 
but  mirth  and  play 

is  best  of  all  ? 

(3) 
Company  -with  honeste 
is  vertu,  vices  to  flee ; 
Company  is  good  &  ill, 
but  euery  man  hath  hys  fre  wyll ; 
the  best  ensew, 
the  worst  eschew, 

my  mynde  shalbe ; 
vertu  to  Tse, 
vice  to  refuce ; 

thus  shall  I  vse  me. 


Bishop  Latimer,  says  ]Mr.  Chappell,  wished  to  instil  into  Edward  VI  a 
higher  view  of  what  "  Pastyme  with  good  Company  "  should  be  than  he 
would  get  from  his  father's  Ballad,  and  on  that  account  in  his  Second 
Sermon  before  the  young  king, — preacht  on  Deut.  xxii.  18,  "  And  it  shall 
be  when  he  sitteth  upon  the  throne  of  his  kingdom,  that  he  shall  write 
him  a  copy  of  this  law  in  a  book  out  of  that  which  is  befoi-e  the  priests  the 
Levites :  And  it  shall  be  with  him,  and  he  shall  read  therein  all  the  days 
of  his  life,  that  he  may  learn  to  fear  the  Lord  his  God,"  etc., — says 

"  And  when  the  kyng  is  sette  in  the  seate  of  hys  Kyngedome,  what 
shal  he  do  ?  shal  he  daunce,  and  dally,  banket  ?  hauke  and  hunte  ?  No 
forsothe  syr.  For  as  Grod  set  an  order  in  the  Kyngs  stable  as  I  tolde  you 
in  my  last  Sermon,  so  wyll  he  appoynte  what  pastyme  a  Kynge  shall 


cl 


'^  The  Complaynt-of -Scotland^'  sweet  Songs. 


haue.  What  must  he  do  then?  He  muste  he  a  studient.  He  must 
wryte  Goddes  hoke  hym  sclfe.  Not  thynkynge  bycause  he  is  a  kynge, 
he  hath  lycence  to  do  what  he  wyl,  as  these  worldlye  flatterers  are  wont 
to  say.  Yea,  trouble  not  your  selfe  sir,  ye  mai  hauke  and  hunt,  and  take 
youre  pleasure.  As  for  the  guydinge  of  your  kyngdome  and  people,  let 
vs  alone  wyth  it. 

"These  flattering  clawbackes  are  originall  rotes  of  all  mischyue,  and 
3'et  a  Kynge  maye  take  hys  pastyme  in  haukinge  or  huntynge  or  such 
lyke  pleasures.  But  he  must  vse  them  for  recreation  when  he  is  wery  of 
waighty  aflayres,  that  he  mai  returne  to  them  the  more  lustye.  and  this 
is  called  ^J««ime  tviih  <jood  companye."   (Ed.  Arber,  p.  64.) 

And  again,  "  So  your  grace  must  learne  howe  to  do  of  Salomon.  Ye 
must  make  youi-  petition,  now  study,  nowe  praye.  They  must  be  yoked 
togither,  and  thys  is  called  '•pastime  wyth  good  company.'  "  {lb.  p.  70.)] 

(50)  The  breir  byndis  me  soir. 

(51)  Stil  vudir  the  leyuis  grene. 

[See  (96).  In  the  Maitland  MS,  and  printed  by  Pinkerton  in  his  Mait- 
land  Poems,  p.  205.  In  his  notes,  p.  424,  ri:.l:?rton  says  "This  piece, 
for  the  age  it  was  written,  is  almost  miraculous.  The  tender  pathos  is 
finely  recommended  by  an  excellent  cadence.  An  age  that  produced  this, 
might  produce  almost  any  perfection  in  poetry."  I  wonder  what  the 
worthy  editor's  notion  of  'quite  miraculous'  was,  though  the  'sang'  is  a 
good  one.  Mr.  Lumby  has  kindly  read  this  print  with  the  MS ;  but  the 
initial  '  y '  is  printed  '  th.' 

The  Muening  Maidin. 


(1) 

Still  under  the  levis  grene, 

This  hinder  day  I  went  alone  ; 

I  hard  ane  may  fair  mwrne  and 

meyne ; 
To  the   King  of  Ltjif  scho  maid 

hir  mone.  4 

Scho  sychit  sely  soir ; 
Said  '  LoKD,  I  luif  thi  loir. 
Mair  wo  droit  never  woman  one. 

0  langsum  lyfe,  and  thow  war  gone, 
Than  suld  I  mwrne  no  moir !'         9 

(2) 
As  rid  gold-wyir  schynit  hir  hair ; 
And  all  in  grene,  the  may  scho  glaid. 
Ane  bent  bow  in  hir  hand  scho  bair ; 
Undir  hir  belt  war  arrowis  braid.  13 

1  foUowit  on  that  fre. 
That  semelie  wes  to  se. 

Withe  still  mwming  hir  mone  scho 

maid. 
That  bird  undir  a  bank  scho  baid. 
And  lenit  hir  to  ane  tre.  18 

(3) 
Wanweird,  scho  said :  "  Quhat  have 

I  wrocht, 
"  That  on  me  kytht  kes  aU  this  cair  ? 


Trew  lufe,    so    deir    I    have    the 

bocht  !— 
Certis,  so  sail  I  do  na  mair.  22 

Sen  that  I  go  begyld 
With  ane  that  fay  the  has  syld. — 
That  gars  me  oftsyis  syis'  full  sair ; 
And  walk  among  the  holtis  hair. 
Within  the  woddis  wyld.  27 

(4) 
"  This  grit  disese  for  luif  I  dre  — 
Thair  is  no  toung  can  tell  the  wo ! — 
I  luif  the  lufe  that  luifis  not  me ; 
I  may  not  mend,  but  mwrning  mo. 
Qiihill  God  send  sum  remeid,        32 
Throw  destany,  or  deid. 
I  am  his  freind,  and  he  my  fo. 
My  sweit,  allace !  quhy  dois  he  so  ? 
I  wrocht  him  never  na  feid !         36 

(5) 
"  Withoutin  feyid  I  wes  his  freind 
In  word  and  wark.     Grit  God  it 

wait! 
Quhair  he  wes  placit,  thair  list  I 

leynd, 
Doand  him  service  ayr  and  lait.   40 
He  kepand  eftir  syne 
Till  his  honour  and  myne. 


'  for  sich,  sigh. 


The  Cornptaynt-ofScotland  ^'  sweet  Songs. 


cli 


Bot  now  he  gais  ane  uther  gait, 
And  hes  no  e  to  my  estait ; 
Quhilk  dois  me  all  this  pyne.        45 

(6) 
"  It  dois  me  pyne  that  I  may  prufe, 
That  maks  me  thus  muming  mo. 
My  lufe,  he  luifis  ane  uther  lufe  ! 
AUace,  sweithart !  Q,uhy  dois  he  so  ? 
Quhy  sould  he  me  forsaik  ?  50 

Have  mercye  on  his  maik ! 
Thairfoir  my  hart  will  hirst  in  two. 
And  thus,  walking  with  da  and  ro, 
My  leif  now  heir  I  taik."  54 

(7) 
Than  wepit  scho,  lustie  in  weyd  ; 
And  on  her  wayis  can  scho  went. 
In  hy  eftir  that  heynd  I  jeyd, 
And  in  my  armes  could  hir  hent,    5  8 
And  said  "  Fayr  lady,  at  this  tyd, 
A¥ith  leif  ye  man  abyde, 
i^jid  tell  me  quho  yow  hidder  sent. 
Or  quhy  ye  heir  yom-  bow  so  bent 
To  sla  our  deir  of  pryd  ?  63 

(8) 
"  In  waithman  weyd  sen  I  yow  find 
In  this  wod  walkand  your  alone, 
Your   mylk-qhyt  handis   we    sail 

bind 
Quhill  that  the  blude  hirst  fra  the 

bone.  67 

Chargcand  yow  to  prwsoun. 
To  the  king's  deip  dwngeoun. 
Thai  may  ken,  be   your  fedderit 

flane, 
Ye  have  moi^y  beistis  bane 
Upon  thir  bentis  broun."  72 

(9) 
That  fre  answerit  with  fayr  afeir, 
And  said,  "  Schir,  mercy,  for  your 

mycht ! 
Thus  man  I  bow  and  arrowis  beir, 
Becaus  I  am  ane  baneist  wycht ;    76 
So  will  I  be  full  lang. 
For  Godis  luif  lat  me  gang ; 
And  heir  to  yow  my  treuth  I  plj-cht, 
That  I  saU,  nowder  daj-  nor  nycht. 
No  wyld  beist  wait  with  wrang.    8i 

(10) 

"  Thocht  I  walk  in  this  forrest  fre. 
Withe  bow,  and  eik  with  fedderit 
flane, 


It  is  weill  mair  than  dayis  thro, 
And  meit  or  drynk  yit  saw  I  nane. 
Thocht  I  had  never  sic  neid  86 

My  selffe  to  wjti  my  breid, 
Your  deir  may  walk,  schir,  thair 

alane. 
Yet  wes  I  nevir  na  beistis  bane ; 
I  may  not  se  thame  bleid.  90 

(11) 
"  Sen  that  I  never  did  yow  ill, 
It  wer  no  skill  ye  did  me  skaith. 
Your  deir  may  walk  quhairevir  thai 

will ; 
I  wyn  my  meit  with  na  sic  waitho. 
I  do  bot  litill  wrang,  95 

Bot  gif  I  flowris  fang. 
Giff  that  ye  trow  not  in  my  aythe, 
Tak    heir    my    bow  and    arrowis 

baj-the. 
And  lat  my  awin  selffe  gang.        99 

(12) 
"I    say    your    bow    and    arrowis 

bricht ! — 
I  bid  not  have  thame,  be  Sanct 

Bryd. 
Bot  ye  man  rest  with  me  all  nycht. 
All  nakit  sleipand  be  my  syd."  103 
"  I  will  not  do  that  syn !" 
"  Leif  yow  this  warld  to  wyn ! 
Ye  ar  so  haill  of  hew  and  hyd, 
Luif  hes  me  fangit  into  this  tyd ; 
I  may  not  fra  yow  tvvyn."  108 

(13)  [p.  203.] 

Than  lukit  scho  to  me,  and  lewch ; 
And  said  "  Sic  lufe  I  rid  yow  layne. 
Albeit  ye  mak  it  never  sa  tewch. 
To  me  your  labour  is  in  vane.    112 
Wer  I  out  of  your  sycht 
The  space  of  halfe  a  nycht, 
Suppois  ye  saw  me  never  agane — 
Luif  hes  yow  streinyeit  with  litle 

pane, 
Thairto  my  treuthe  I  plycht."    117 

(14) 
I  said,  "  My  sweit,  forsuythe  I  sail 
For  ever  luif  yow,  and  no  mo. 
Thocht  utheris  luif,  and  leif,  with 

aU, 
Maist  certanlie  I  do  not  so.         122 
I  do  yow  trew  luif  hecht, 
Be  all  the  bewis  bricht ! 
Ye  ar  so  fair !  be  not  my  fo ! 
Ye  sail  have  syn,  and  ye  me  slo 
Thus  throw  ane  suddan  sycht."  126 


clii 


The  ^omplaynt-of- Scotland"  sweet  So7igs. 


(15) 
"That  I  yow  sla,   tliat  God  for- 

scheild ! 
Quhat  have  I  done,  or  said,  yow 

tm  ? 

I  wes  not  wont  wappynis  to  weild ; 

Bot  am  ane  woman,  gif  ye  will,  130 

That  suirlie  feiris  yow, 

And  ye  not  me,  I  trow. 

For,  gude  schii-,  tak  in  none  ill. 

Sail  never  berne  gar  breif  the  bill 

At  bidding  me  to  bow.  135 

(16)  [p.  210.] 

"Into  this  wode  ay  walk  I  sail, 
Ledand  my  lyfe  as  woful  wycht : 
Heir  I  forsaik  bayth  hour  and  hall, 
And    all    thir    bigings    that    are 

brycht!  139 

My  bed  is  maid  full  cauld, 
With  beistis  bryme  and  bauld. 
That  garris  me  say,  bayth  day  and 

nycht, 
Allace  that  ever  the  toung  sould 

hecht 
That  hart  thocht  not  to  hauld!"   144 


(17) 

Thir  words  out  throw  my  hairt  so 

went. 
That  neir  I  wepit  for  hir  wo  ; 
But  thairto  wald  I  not  consent. 
And  said  that  it  sould  not  be  so.    148 
Into  my  armes  swythe 
Embrasit  I  that  blythe, 
Sayand,   "Sweit  hart!    of  harmes 

ho! 
Found  sail  I  never  this  forrest  fro, 
Quhill  ye  me  confort  kyth."       153 

(18) 

Than  knelit  I  befoir  that  cleir ; 

And  meiklie  could  Mr  mercye  craiiF 

That  semlie  than,  with  sobir  chier, 

Me  of  hir  gudlynes  forgaif .         157 

It  wes  no  neid  I-wys, 

To  bid  ws  uther  kys. 

Thau"  mycht  no  hairtis  mair  joy 

resaif, 
Nor  uther  could  of  uther  haif : 
Thus  brocht  wer  we  to  blys.       162 
(MS.  in  Pepysian  Libr.  Cambr.)] 
(52)  Cou  thou  me  the  raschis  greue. 

[Appendix  to  the  Eoyal  ]\ISS,  58  (No.  26  in  the  '  Catalogue  of  the 
Manuscript  Music  in  the  British  Museum,  1842,  p.  10).  The  FayrfaxMS. 
leaf  2.    Printed  in  liitson's  Ancient  Songs,  vdl.  i,  p.  Ixxv,  witii  the  music. 

c  OUe  to  me  the  Rysshys  grene.     CoUe  to  me. 
CoUe  to  me  the  Eysshes  grene.     CoUe  to  me. 

ffor  my  pastyme,  vpon  a  day, 

I  walkyde  a-lone  ryght  secretly ; 

in  A  mornynge  of  lusty  may, 

me  to  Reioyce  I  dj^d  A-plye. 

wher  I  saw  one  in  gret  dystresse 

Conipla}Tiyng«  hym  thus  pytuously: 

"Alas !"  he  sayde,  " for  my  mastres, 

I  well  p«rseyue  that  I  shall  dye. 
"  wythout  that  thus  she  of  huiY  grace, 

to  pety  she  wyll  some  what  reuert, 

I  bane  most  cause  to  say  A-las ! 

ffor  hyt  ys  she  that  hath  my  hart, 
"  Soo  to  contynew  whyle  my  lyff  endure, 

though  I  fore  hure  sholde  suffre  dethe ; 

She  hath  my  hart  wyth  owt  Recure, 

And  euer  shall,  durynge  my  brethe." 

On  the  back  of  leaf  12  is  the  same  burden — 

"  Coll  to  me  the  russhes  grene.     Coll  to  me. 
Coll  to  me  the  russhes  grene.     Coll  to  me." 

set  to  a  different  tune.] 


"  The  Complaynt-of- Scotland"  sweet  Songs.  cliii 

(53)  Allace,  i  vyit  zour  tua  fayr  ene  !^ 

(54)  Gode  zou,  gude  day,  vil  boy. 

(55)  Lady,  help  zour  presoueir^. 

(56)  Kyng  villzamis  note. 

(57)  The  laug  nounenou  [=  uonuy  no]. 

(58)  The  cheapel  valk. 

(59)  Faytht  is  there  none. 

(60)  Skald  abellis  nou. 

(61)  The  abirdenis  nou. 

(62)  Brume  brume  on  hil. 

[JEiifflisk.   See  Capt.  Cox,  LIII,  p.  cxxvlii  atove,  and  Pop.  Mus.  p.  459.] 

(63)  Allone  i  veip  in  grit  distres. 

[aodlified  in  The  Gude  and  Godlie  Ballates,  p.  129,  ed.  D.  Laing,  1868.] 

(64)  Trolee  lolee,  lemnien  dou. 

[Cp.  Capt.  Cox's  Trohj  lo,  LIV,  p.  cxxix.] 

(65)  Bille,  vil  thou  cum  by  a  lute, 

and  belt  tlie  in  Sanct  Francis  cord  ? 

[In  Constable's  MS.  Cantus  the  following  lines  [probably]  of  this  song 
are  introduced  into  a  medley : 

Bille,  will  ye  cum  by  a  lute, 

And  tuich  it  with  your  pin  ?  trow  low !  [Leyden,  p.  279.)] 

{Q^  The  frog  cam  to  the  myl  dur. 

[Pinkerton,  in  his  Select  ISallads,  ii.  33,  says  that  "  The  froggie  came 
to  the  mill  door"  was  sung  on  the  Edinburgh  stage  shortly  before  1784. 
Leyden,  p.  279,  gives  a  few  Lines  of  another  nursery  song  on  the  frog  (or 
cat)  and  mouse.  The  earliest  English  notice  of  a  Frog-song  that  we 
have  is  the  entry  on  the  Stationers'  Register  of  a  license  to  Edward 
"White  on  21  November  1580  of  fom^  ballads,  of  which  the  first  is  "  A 
moste  strange  weddinge  of  the  frogge  and  the  mouse"  {Collier's  Stat. 
Reg.  ii.  132).  Dr.  Rim'bault  has  printed  in  his  Little  Book,  p.  87-94,  three 
versions  of  the  wedding  of  the  Frog  and  Mouse,— one  Scotch,  from  Mr. 
C.  K.  Sharpe's  Ballad  Book  1826, — and  mentions  another  old  "Frogge 
Song"  in  Halliwell's  Nurscrij  Rhymes,  ed.  1843,  p.  87,  and  a  parody  upon 
the  same  in  Tom  d'TJrfey's  Pills  to  2niyge  Melancholy,  1719,  vol.  i.  p.  14.] 

(67)  The  sang  of  gilquhiskar. 

(68)  E-ycht  soirly  musing  iu  my  mynde, 

[Godlified  in  the  Godlie  Ballates,  p.  54,  ed.  D.  Laing,  1868.] 

(69)  Grod  sen  the  due  hed  byddin  in  France, 
And  delaubaute  hed  neuyr  cum  harae. 

[This  song  is  not  known ;  it  must  have  been  on  '  the  Chevalier  de  la 
Beaute,'  who  was  left  as  Pro-regent  va  Scotland  when  John  Duke  of 
Albany  retired  to  France,  in  the  minority  of  James  V,  and  who  was 
murdered  in  1515.'  Leyden,  p.  276.  See  in  Dunbar's  Works,  ed.  Laing, 
i.  251  "  Ane  Orisoun  quien  the  Govemour  past  into  France."] 

•  Mr.  David  Laing  thinks,  from  these  first  lines,  that  their  songs  are  Kkely 
to  have  been  Alexander  Scott's.  Al.  Scott's  Poems,  p.  x. 


cliv  '^'  The  Complaynt-of-Scolland"^  siveet  Songs, 

(70)  Al  musing  of  raeruellis,  amys  hef  i  gone. 

[A  verse  of  this  song  occurs  in  Constable's  MS.  Cantua  : 

"  All  musing  of  mervells  in  the  mid  morne, 
Through  a  sltmk  in  a  slaid,  amisse  have  I  gone ; 
I  heard  a  song  me  beside,  that  reft  from  me  my  sjirite, 
But  through  my  dream  as  I  dreamed,  this  was  the  effect." 

Letjden,  p.  279.] 

(71)  Mastres  fayr,  ze  vil  forfayr. 

(72)  O  lusty  maye,  vitht  flora  quene. 

["This  beautiful  song  was  printed  by  Chepman  and  Myllar  in  1508, 
and  also  ia  Forbes' s  Aberdeen  Cantus  [thence  reprinted  by  Ritson,  Scothh 
Songs,  Hist.  Essay,  p.  xli]  :  a  copy  with  several  variations,  is  preserved 
in  the  Bannatyne  MS."  Leijde)!,  p.  279.  The  latter,  not  modernized 
as  in  Forbes,  whose  second  song  it  is,  is  printed  at  the  end  of  Alexander 
Scott's  Poems,  p.  97-9,  ed.  D.  Laing. 


(1) 
"  0  lusty  May  with  Flora  qnono. 
The  balmy  dropis   fi'ome   Phebus 
shene, 
Preluciand  hemes  be-foir  the  day, 
bcfoir  the  day. 
By  the  Diana  growis  grene, 

Throwch  glaidnes  of  this  lusty 
May. 

(2)   _ 
Than  Esperus,  that  is  so  bricht 
Till  wofuU  hairtis,  castis  his  lye/it 
"With   bankis    that    blumes    (on 
euery  bray) — bis ; 
And  schiiris  ar  sched  furtA  of  Jjat 
sicht 
Thruch  glaidnes  of   this    lusty 
May. 

"  The  following  stanza,  which  occurs  not  in  the  Manuscript  is  added 
from  the  Aberdeen  Cantus. 


(3) 
Birdis  on  bcwis  of  every  birth, 
Reiosing  nottis  makand  thair  mirth, 
Ryc/(t  pleasandly  vpoun  the  spray 
W/tA  fflurissingis,  oiu-  fcild  &  firth, 
Thruch  '  glaidnes  of  this   lusty 
May.' 

(4) 

All  luvaris  l^at  ar  in  cair, 
To  thair  ladcis  than  do  repair 
In  fresch  mornyngis  (befoir  the 

And  ar  in  mirth  ay  mair  &  mair 
Thruch   glaidnes   of    this   lusty 
May. 

Bann.  MS.  fol. 


Of  everie  moneth  in  the  yeir 

To  mirthfull  May  thair  is  no  peir, 

Hir  glistrine  garments  ar  so  gay, 


You  lovaris  all  mak  merie  choir, 
Tlu-uch    glaidness    of    this    lustie 
May."] 


(73)  O  myue  hart,  hay,  this  is  my  sang, 
[Godlified  in  the  Oodlie  Ballatcs,  p.  121.] 

(74)  The  battel  of  the  hayrlaui. 

[The  battle  was  fought  ni  1-ill  hy  the  Earl  of  Mar  and  his  force  against 
the  plundering  Donald  of  the  Isles  with  an  army  of  10,000  men.  *'  But 
the  earliest  edition  [of  the  ballad]  that  can  be  traced  was  published  by 
Ramsay :  and  all  the  ancient  poetry  which  passed  through  his  hands  was 
exposed  to  the  most  unwarrantable  alterations  .  .  The  poem  consists  of 
248  lines  .  .  is  a  dry  and  circumstantial  narrative,  with  little  or  no  em- 


^  See  the  Dance  Tune — The  Battel  of  Harloe  in  the  British  Museum  Addit. 
MS.  10,114,  leaf  4  bk.  No.  8. 


^^  The  Complaynt-of- Scotland '^  stveet  Songs.  clv 

bellislimcnt,  and  can  only  bo  considered  as  valuable  in  the  belief  of  its 
being  ancient.  Of  the  author's  historical  vein  a  sufficient  estimate  may 
be  formed  from  the  subsequent"  stanza: 

Gude  Sir  Alexander  Irving, 

The  much  renownit  laird  of  Drum, 
Nane  in  his  days  was  bettir  sene, 

Quhcn  they  war  semblit,  all  and  sum ; 

To  praise  him  we  sould  not  be  dumm, 
For  valour,  witt,  and  worthyness. 

To  end  his  days  he  ther  did  cum, 
Quhois  ransom  is  remeidyless." 

Irving' s  ITist.  of  Scottish  Poetry,  p.  162-3. 

A  copy  of  this  ballad  dated  1668  was  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  Robert 
Mylne,  the  Collector.  The  ballad  is  printed  in  Allan  Eamsay's  Evergreen 
1724,  and  Laing's  Early  Metrical  Talcs,  1826,  {HazUtt's  Handbook,  p.  32, 
col.  2.)  in  "Two  old  Historical  Scots  Poems  giving  an  account  of  the 
Battles  of  Harlaw  and  the  Eeid-Squair,"  Glasgow  1748,  &c  &c. 

Fi'om  MotherivclV s  Min&trehy  Ancient  and  Modern,  (Glasgow  1827)  p.  Ixii 
note,  Mr.  Murray  sends  me  the  following:  "The  Battle  of  Hairlaw. — 
Antiqviaries  have  differed  in  opinion  regarding  the  age  of  this  composi- 
tion ;  but  the  best  informed  have  agreed  in  looking  upon  it  as  of  coeval 
production,  or  nearly  so,  with  the  historical  event  on  which  it  is  founded ; 
and  in  this  opinion  the  present  writer  entii'cly  coincides.  No  edition 
prior  to  E,am8a}''s  time  has  been  preserved,  though  it  was  printed  in  1668 
as  we  are  informed  by  Mr.  Laing  in  his  Eaidy  Metrical  Tales,  an  edition 
of  that  date  having  been  in  the  curious  library  of  old  Robert  Mylne.  In 
the  Complaynt  of  Scotland  1549,  this  ballad  is  mentioned.  In  tJie  Polcmo 
Middinia  its  tune  is  referred  to 

Interea  ante  alios  dux  piperlarius  heros, 
PrEccedens  magnamque  gerens  cum  burdine  pypam, 
Incipit  Harlai  cunctis  sonare  Batellum. 

And  in  a  MS.  collection  of  tunes,  written  in  the  hand  of  Sir  "William 
Mure  of  Rowallan,  which  I  have  seen,  occurs,  "the  battle  of  harlaw." 
From  the  extreme  popularity  of  the  Song,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
though  every  early  imprint  of  it  has  now  disappeared.  (!  !  !)  Ramsay 
probably  gave  his  copy  from  a  stall  edition  of  his  own  day,  which  copy 
has  successively  been  edited  by  Mr.  Sibbald,  Mr.  Finlay,  and  Mr.  Laing, 
and  has  appeared  in  other  collections.  A  copy  apparently  taken  for 
recitation  is  given  in  "The  Thistle  of  Scotland,  Aberdeen,  1823," — the 
editor  of  which  among  a  good  deal  of  stuff  which  is  not  very  comprehen- 
sible, points  out  various  localities,  and  gives  3  stanzas  of  a  bui'lesque  song 
on  the  same  subject  popular  in  the  north."] 

(75)  The  hunttis  of  cheuet. 

[This  is  the  older  and  far  finer  version  of  the  well-known  ballad  of 
Chevy- Chase.  A  noble  ballad  it  is,  this  Suntisnj  of  the  Cheviot, — no  doubt 
that  which  stirred  the  heart  of  Sidney  more  than  a  trumpet, — though 
it's  not  known  nearly  so  well  as  its  poorer  modernization,  Chevy-Chase. 
The  only  copy  we  have  of  it  is  in  the  Ashmole  MS.  48,  leaves  15-18. 
Hearne  first  printed  it  in  his  Preface  to  the  History  of  Gulielmus  Neu- 
brigensis,  p.  Ixxxii.  Percy  made  it  the  first  ballad  in  his  llcliques,  and 
it  has  been  reprinted  in  Prof.  Child's  Ballads,  vii.  29,  &c,  &c.  The  Rychard 
Shcale,  whose  name  is  at  the  end  of  the  ballad,  was  a  well-known  minstrel 
and  writer  of  doggrel,  and  made  either  this  copy  or  the  one  from  which  it 
was  taken.     Copiers  in  old  times  often  signed  their-  names  to  the  works 


clvi  "  The  Complaynt -of -Scotland"  sweet  Songs. 


they  copied.  The  fight  of  which  the  ballad  tells,  is  not  known  to  History, 
except  in  so  far  as  it's  mixt  up  with  the  battle  of  Otterbourne  fought  in 
1388. 

Of  the  modern  version  of  the  ballad,  Ohevy  CJiase,  the  copies  and  varia- 
tions are  many.  Perhaps  the  oldest  copy  is  in  the  Percy  Folio  Ballads  and 
Romances,  ii.  7-16.  That  in  'the  Scotch  edition  printed  at  Glasgow  8vo. 
1747,  is  remarkable,'  says  Bp.  Percy,  'for  the  wilful  Corruptions  made 
in  all  the  Passages  which  concern  the  two  nations. ' 

See  Maidment's  Scotish  Ballads,  1868,  i.  81 ;  Dr.  Rimbault's  Musical 
Illustrations  to  Percy's  Reliqttes,  p.  1 ;  Chappell's  Pojpular  Music,  &c.,  &c.] 

(76)  Sal  i  go  vitht  zou  to  rumbelo  fayr  ? 

[No  such  place  as  Eumbelo  or  Rumbeloch  is  known,  sayb  Mr.  Murray 
though  the  word  rumbeloiv  has  been  common  in  ballad-burdens  from  early 
times.  Take  this,  on  the  battle  of  Bannockburn,  1314,  preserved  by  the 
English  chronicler  Fabyan : 

Maydins  of  England,  sore  may  ye  morne 

For  your  lemmans  ye  haue  loste  at  Bannockysborne, 

Wyth  heue  a  lowe. 
What  wenyt  the  kynge  of  England 
So  soone  to  have  wonne  Scotlande, 

Wylh  rumhylow .?] 


(77)   Greuit  is  my  sorrou. 

[Godlified  in  the  Godlic  Ballates,  p.  132.     The  poem  is  English; 
lament  of  a  sad  lady  whom  her  lover's  unkindness  slays. 


The 


Sloane  MS.  1584,  leaf  85.' 


(1) 


Greuus  ys  my  sorowe 

Both  evyne  and-  moro ! 

Vnto  my  selflfe  a-lone 

Thus  do  I  make  my  mowne,  4 

That  Vnkyndnes  haith  kyllyd  me, 

And  putt  me  to  this  peyne. 

Alas  !  what  Remedy  ? 

That  I  cannot  refreyne.  8 

(2) 
Whan  other  me«  doyth  sleype, 
Thene  do  1  syght  and  weype ; 
AUe  Ragius  in  my  bed. 
As  one  for  paynes  neyre  ded,        12 
That  vnkyndnes  haue  kyllyd  me, 
And  putt  me  to  this  payne. 
Alas  !  what  remedy  ? 
That  I  cannott  refreyne.  16 


(3) 


My  harte,  ytt  haue  no  Reste, 

but  styll«  witA  peyn««  oppreste  ; 

And  yett  of  alls  my  Smart, 

Yit  grevith  moste  my  harte  20 

That  vnkjTidnes  shuld  kylle  me, 

and  putt  me  to  this  payne. 

Alas !  what  Remedy  ?      [If.  85  bk.] 

That  I  cannott  refreyne.  24 

Wo  worth^  trust  vntrusty ! 

Wo  worth  love  vn-lovyd ! 

Wo  worth  hape  vn-blamyd ! 

Wo  worth  favtt  vn-namyd,  28 

Thus  vnkyndly  to  kyll  me, 

And  putt  me  to  this  payne ! 

Now  alas  !  what  Remedy  ? 

That  I  cannott  refrayne.  32 


•  Printed  also  by  Ritson,  in  his  Ancient  Songs,  1790,  p.  93 ;  and  in  the 
Reliqiiice  Antiqum,  1841,  i.  70. 

-  Every  final  d  has  a  ciui  to  it ;  and  nearly  every  final  n  and  h  have  a  stroke 
over  them.  ■*  be  to. 


The  Complaynt-of-Scotland"  sweet  Songs.         clvii 


(6) 

Alas  !  I  l5've  to  longe  ; 

my  paynes  be  so  stronge  ; 

for  coOTforth  haue  I  none ; 

God  wott  I  wold  fayne  be  gone,    36 

for  vnkyndnes  haith.  kyllyd  me, 

And  putt  me  to  this  payne. 

Alas !  what  remedy  ? 

That  I  cannott  refrayne.  40 

(6) 
Iff  ony  wyght  be  here 
That  byetli  love  so  dare : 
come  nere  !  Ij'e  downe  by  me. 
And  weype  for  company  !  44 

for  vnkyndnes  haith  kyllyd  me, 
And  putt  me  to  this  payne. 
Alas !  what  Remedy  ?         {leaf  86.] 
That  I  cannott  refrayne.  48 

(7) 
My  foes  whiche  love  me  nott, 
Be-vayle  my  deth,  I  wott ; 
And  he  that  love  me  beste, 
hyme  selfe  my  deth  haith  dreste.    52 
What  vnkyndnes  shuld  kyle  me, 
If  this  ware  nott  my  payne  ? 
Alas !  what  remedy  ? 
That  I  cannott  refreyne.  56 

(8) 
My  last  wylle  here  I  make, 
To  god  my  soule  I  be-take. 
And  my  wrechyd  body 
As  erth  in  a  hole  to  lye ;  60 

for  vnkyndnes  to  kyle  me. 
And  putt  me  to  this  payne. 
Alas !  what  remedy  ? 
That  I  cannot  refreyne.  64 


(10) 

Placebo,  dilexi! 

com,  weype  this  obsequye, 

My  mowmarMii  dolfully, 

come  weype  this  psalmody  76 

of  vnkyndnes  haith  kyllyd  me 

and  putt  me  to  this  pajme. 

be-hold  this  wrechid  body,  79 

thai  yowr  vnkyndnes  haith  slayne  ! 

(11) 
Now  I  be-  sych  alle  ye, 
namely^  that  lovers  be, 
my  love  my  deth  fox'-gyve, 
and  sofFer  hyme  to  lyve  84 

Thovght  vnkyndnes  haith  kyllyd 

me. 
And  putt  me  to  this  payne. 
Yett  haid  I  rether  dye 
for  his  sake  ons  agayne.  88 

(12) 
My  tombe,  ytt  schalbe  blewe, 
In  tokyne  that  I  was  trewe 
To  bringe  my  love  frome  dovte  ; 
Itt  shalbe  writtynge  abowtte,       92 
That  vnkyndnes  haith  kyllyd  me, 
and  putt  me  to  this  payne. 
be-hold  this  wrechid  body   [/<■«/ 87.] 
That  y°'  vnkyndnes  haith  slayne ! 

(13) 
O  lady,  lerne  by  me, 
Sley  nott  love  wylfully, 
for  fer  love  waxyth  denty, 


vnkyndnes  to  kyle  me, 
or  putt  love  to  this  payne. 
I  ware  the,  better  dye 
for  loves  Sake  a-gayne. 


100 


104 


(9) 
O  harte,  I  the  bequyeth 
To  hyme  that  is  my  deth 
Yff  that  no  harte  haith  he, 
my  harte  his  schalbe,  68 

Thovght  vnkyndnes  haith  kyllyd  j 
me,  ■ 

And  putt  me  to  this  payne. 
Yett  if  my  body  dye,        [//.  86  blc.'\ 
my  hertt  cannot  refrayne  !  72  1 

(78)  Turne  the,  sueit  ville,  to  me. 


(14) 

Grevus  Is  my  Soro, 

but  deth  ys  my  boro  ; 

ffor  to  my  selfe  a-lone 

Thus  do  I  make  my  mone,  108 

That  vnkyndnes  haith  kyllyd  me. 

And  passyd  is  my  payne. 

prey  for  this  ded  body 

<//rtty"vnkyndnes  haith  slayne!  112 

fOlnis   amen. 


'  (mourners)  MS.  mowrmarz^s. 


2  especially. 


clviii        "  The  Complaynt -of- Scotland  "  sweet  Songs. 

(79)  My  lufe  is  lyand  seik  ; 

Send  hym  ioy,  send  hym  ioy ! 

[I  suppose  these  2  lines  belong  to  one  song.] 

(80)  Fayr  luf,  lent  thou  me  thy  mantil  ?  ioy ! 

[The  original  song  is  probably  lost,  but  a  ludicrous  parody,  in  -which  the 
chorus  is  preserved,  is  well  known  in  the  South  of  Scotland.     It  begins, 

Our  guidman's  away  to  the  Mers 

Wi'  the  mantle,  jo !  wi'  the  mantle  jo ! 
Wi'  his  breiks  on  his  held,  and  his  bonnet  on  his  ers, 

Wi'  the  merry  merry  mantle  o'  the  green,  jo  ! 

Leaden,  p.  279.] 

(81)  The  perssee  &  the  raongumrye  met. 

[This  is  line  117  of  the  modernized  Scotch  version  of  the  ballad  of 
"  The  Battle  of  Otterbourne, "  printed  in  Minstrels?/  of  the  Scottish  Border, 
i.  354,  and  Prof.  Child's  Ballads,  vii.  19,  &c.  :— 

The  Percy  and  Montgomery  met, 

That  either  of  other  were  fain ; 
They  swapped  swords,  and  they  twa  swat, 

And  aye  the  blood  ran  down  between. ^ 

The  two  verses  before  it  have  a  suspiciously  modern  twang,  and  this 
verse  seems  to  me  a  modern  cooking  of  the  earlier  verse  about  Percy  and 
Douglas : 

English  version.  Scotch  version. 


The  Percy  and  the  Douglas  mette. 
That  ether  of  other  was  fajme ; 

They    scihapped    together,    whyll 
that  the  swette, 
With  swords  of  fyne  coUayne. 


When  Percy  wi'  the  Douglas  met, 

I  wat  he  was  fu'  fain ; 
They  swakked  their  swords,  till  sair 
they  swat. 

And  the  blood  ran  down  like  rain. 


But  it  may  be  one  of  the  genuine  repetitions  that  the  old  ballad  writers 
often  indulged  in. 

The  oldest  copy  of  the  ballad  that  we  have  is  that  of  the  English  version, 
in  a  MS.  of  about  1550  a.d.,  Cotton,  Cleopatra  C  iv,  leaf  64,  and  was 
printed  by  Percy  in  the  fourth  edition  of  his  Meliques,  instead  of  the  later 
and  less  perfect  copy  that  he  had  given  in  his  earlier  editions  fi-om  the 
Harleian  MS.  293,  leaf  52.  The  English  version  says  nothing  of  Sir 
Hugh  Montgomery  killing  Percy,  but  only 

Then  was  ther  a  Scottyshe  prisoner  tayne, 

Sir  Hugh  Mongomery  was  hys  name.    (1.  161-2.) 

See  the  treatise  by  Mr.  Kobert  White  of  Newcastle,  on  the  Battle  of 
Otterbourne,  with  appendix  and  illustrations,  London,  1857,  and  his  ad- 
vertised '  History '  of  the  battle.] 

'  In  the  differing  and  short  version  ia  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  i.  154  (ed.  1869), 
and  Child's  Ballads,  vii.  177-180,  where  Douglas  is  killed  by  a  little  boy  with 
a  little  penknife,  the  verse  above  runs  thus 

Then  Percy  and  Montgomery  met. 

And  weel  a  wat  they  war  na  fain  : 
They  swapped  swords,  and  they  twa  swat, 

And  ay  the  blood  ran  down  between.  (lines  33-6.) 


"  The  Complaynt-of- Scotland''  sweet  Songs.  clix 

(82)  That  day,  that  day,  that  gentil  day. 

[In  the  Brit.  Mus.  Additional  MS.  5465,  leaf  108  back,  is  the  following 
pretty  song  to  which,  an  authority  in  such  matters  has  referred  me  as  the 
same  as  '  That  day,  that  day,  that  gentil  day '  in  the  Comiolaynt  list ;  but 
the  two  are  evidently  different.  The  present  song  is  perhaps  in  praise 
of  the  White  Rose  of  Lancaster  which,  (for  Edward  IV)  Adam  of  Cobsam 
praised  in  The  Wright's  Chaste  Wife,  p.  iv,  p.  20. 

This  day  day  dawes, 
this  gentill  day'  dawes, 
this  gentill  day  dawes, 
&  I  must  home  gone. 

'In  a  glori?<s  garden  grene, 
sawe  I  syttyng  a  comly  quene, 
a-mong  Y  flouris  >at  fresh  byn. 
She  gaderd  a  floure,  and  sett  be-twene. 
Y"  lyly  white  rose  me  thoujt  I  sawe, 
&  euf'j'  she  sang 

this  day  day  dawes, 

this  gentill  day  dawes,  vt  supra. 

In  that  garden  be  flouris  of  hew, 
the  gelofir  gent  J>fft  she  well  knewe, 
the  lioure  de  luce  she  did  on  rewe, 
&  said  '  the  whijt  rose  is  most  trewe, 
this  garden  to  rule  be  ryjt-wds  lawe.' 
the  lyly  whyjte  rose  me  thought  I  sawe, 
&  euer  She  sang 

this  day  day  dawes, 

this  gentill  day  dawes,  vt  supra. 

The  notion  that  Prof.  Child  seems  to  have  started  (Ballads  vii.  34, 
note),  and  that  Mr.  Hales  sanctions  [Tercy  Fol.  Hal.  ^-  Rom.  ii.  2),  that  the 
'  That  day,  that  day,  that  gentill  day'  of  the  Complayid,  is  a  misquota- 
tion of  "  That  day,  that  day,  that  dredfuU  day!"  1.  99  of  The  Hunting  of 
the  Cheviot,  and  therefore  means  that  Ballad,  I  cannot  away  with.  For, 
1.  the  Comj)laynt  has  already  put  The  Hunttis  of  Cheuct  in  its  list  of  "  sueit 
sangis,"  eight  above  "  That  day,  that  day,  that  gentil  [or  dredfull]  day," 
and  would  not,  of  course,  repeat  it :  2.  Why  should  we  suppose  the  care- 
ful writer  of  the  Coniplaynt  to  have  put  "gentil"  for  "dredfull,"  and 
thus  made  a  double  fool  of  himself,  when  the  natural  supposition  that 
the  ballad — like  so  many  others  in  the  list— has  not  come  down  to  us, 
removes  all  difficulty  ?  It  is  true  that  Dauney  [Ancient  Scotish  Melodies, 
Edinburgh,  1838,  p.  53)  runs  the  two  lines  together  as  part  of  one  song 
or  ballad. 

The  Persee  &  the  Mongumrye  met 
That  day,  that  day,  that  gentil  day ; 

but  if  he  is  right,  this  must  be  a  new  ballad,  and  all  prior  critics  have 
been  wrong  in  identifying  the  first  line  with  the  Battle  of  Oterhourne 
ballad.  Till  the  discovery  of  the  new  ballad,  most  of  us  will  hold  on  to 
the  old  one,  especially  since  '  That  day'  has  4  accents,  as  if  it  were  a  first 
line  ;  though  4  accents  often  occur  in  second  lines.] 


MS.  day  day.  ^  j  take  the  words  at  the  foot  of  the  page. 


clx      "  The  Complaynt-of-Scotland''  Songs  and  Dances. 

(83)  My  luf  is  laid  apon  ane  knycht. 

(84)  Allace,  that  samyn  sueit  face ! 
[Godlified  in  the  Godlie  Ballates,  p.  56.] 

(85)  In  ane  myrtbtful  morou. 

(86)  My  hart  is  leiuit  [=  left]  on  the  la«d. 

^  Thir  scheiphirdis  ande  there  vyuis  sang  mony  vthir  melodiiw 
sangis,  the  quhilkis  i  hef  nocht  in  raemorie.  than  eftir  this  sueit 
celest  armonye,  tha  began  to  dance  in  ane  ring,  euyrie  aid  seheip- 
hyrd  led  his  vyfe  be  the  hand,  and  euyrie  zong  scheiphird  led 
hyr  quhome  he  luffit  best.  Ther  vas  viij  scheiphyrdis,  and  ilk 
ane  of  them  hed  ane  syndry  instrament  to  play  to  the  laif.  the 
fyrst  hed  ane  drone  bag  pipe,  the  nyxt  hed  ane  pipe  maid  of  ane 
bleddir  and  of  ane  reid,  the  thrid  playit  on  ane  trump,  the  feyrd  on 
ane  corne  pipe,  the  fyft  playit  on  ane  pipe  maid  of  ane  gait  home, 
the  sext  playt  on  ane  recordar^,  the  seuint  plait  on  ane  fiddil,  and 
the  last  plait  on  ane  quhissil.  kyng  amphion  that  playit  sa  sueit 
on  his  harpe  quhen  he  kepit  his  scheip,  nor  zit  appollo  the  god  of 
sapiens,  that  kepit  kyng  adraetus  scheip,  vitht  his  sueit  menstra- 
lye,  none  of  thir  tua  playit  mayr  cureouslye  nor  did  thir  viij 
scheiphyrdis  befor  rehersit;  nor  zit  al  the  scheiphirdis  that  virgil 
makkis  mention  in  his  bucolikis,  thai  euld  nocht  be  comparit  to 
thir  foir  said  scheiphyrdis ;  nor  orpheus  that  playit  sa  sueit  quhe 
he  socht  his  vyf  in  hel,  his  playing  prefFerrit  nocht  thir  foir  said 
scheiphirdis ;  nor  zit  the  scheiphyrd  pan,  that  playt  to  the  goddis 
on  his  bag  pype,  nor  mercurius  that  playit  on  ane.sey  reid,  none  of 
them  euld  preffer  thir  foirsaid  scheiphirdis.  i  beheld  neuyr  ane  mair 
delectabil  recreatio^te.  for  fyrst  thai  begaw  vitht  tua  bekkis  and  vitht 
a  kysse.  euripides,  iuuenal,  perseus,  horasse,  nor  nane  of  the  satiric 
poiettis,  qubilkis  mouit  ther  bodeis  as  thai  hed  bene  dansand  quhen 
thai  pronuncit  ther  tragiedeis,  none  of  them  kepit  moir  geomatrial 
mesure  nor  thir  scheiphyrdis  did  in  ther  dansiug.  Nor  ludius,  that 
vas  the  fyrst  dansar  of  rome,  euld  nocht  hef  bene  comparit  to  thir 
scheiphirdis.  it  vas  ane  celest  recreation  to  behald  ther  lyeht  lopene, 
galmouding^,  stendling^  bakuart  &  forduart  dansand  base  dansis*, 

'  See  p.  9  (note  7).  ^  gambolling.  ^  striding'. 

*  [Doi:ce,  B.  507.  (Bodl.  Libr.)] 

The  introductory  to  wryte  and  to  pronounce  Frencbe  compyled  by 
Alexander  Barcley.     Lond.  1521,  4°. 

[leaf  16.]        If  Here  foloweth  the  maner  of  dauncynge  of  bace  dau);ces  after 
the  vse  of  fraunce  &  other  places  translated  out  of  frenche  in  englysshe 
by  Robert  coplande. 

FOr  to  daunce  ony  bace  daunce  there  behoueth  .iiii.  paces  /  thai  is  to  wite 
sy^^gle  /  double :  repryse  /  &  braule.     And  yo  ought  fyrst  to  make  reue- 
rence  towarde  the  lady  /  &  than  make  .ii.  syngles  .i.  double  /  a  repryse  /  &  u 


"  The  Complaynt-of-Scotland  "  Dances  and  Tunes,     clxi 

braule.  And  this  rule  ye  ought  alway  to  kepe  at  the  beginnynge  /  as  it  is 
sayd.  And  somtjone  is  made  .ii.  syngles  after  the  doubles  /  &  before  the 
reprinses  /  &  that  is  done  whan  the  measures  ben  parfite.  Also  wha;?  ony 
songe  or  daunce  is  wryten.  E.  betokeneth  reuerewce.  By  .ss.  double  betokeneth 
.ii.  syngle  paces  /  &  by  .d.  betokeneth  .i.  double  pace.  And  yf  there  be  .ddd. 
ye  ought  to  make  iii.  doubles  after  as  the  dauwce  requyreth  /  for  somtyme  is 
made  but  .i.  double  /  &  somtime  iii.  or  .v.  one  after  another  /  and  therfore  is 
ddddd.  thus  wryten.  And  whan  .3.  is  wrytew  it  betokeneth  /  repryse.  &  yf 
.535.  be  wrytew  it  signyfieth  .iii.  repryses  /  &  .53333.  betokeneth  fiue.  For 
ye  ought  neuer  to  make  .ii.  nor  .iiii  togyder  /  nor  of  the  doubles  also  /  for  the 
doubles  &  the  repryses  ben  euer  odde  in  nowibre.  ^  Also  aU  bace  dau^ces 
begjTi  by  syngles  or  reuerence  /  and  ende  vfith  braule.  If  Also  it  behoueth  to 
knowe  liie  nombre  of  notes  of  euery  bace  dauwce  /  &  the  paces  after  the 
r»l  f  ifis  1  i^sasure  *of  the  notes.  Therfore  ye  ought  to  wyte  that  fyrst  ye 
'■  **  ■-'  ought  to  make  reuerence  we'tA  the  lyfte  fote  /  &  than  a  braule 
vfiih  the  right  fote  /  than  two  syngle  paces  /  the  fyrst  -with  the  lyfte  fote  and 
the  seconde  with  the  ryght  fote  in  goynge  forwarde  /  &  ye  must  reyse  your 
body. 

II  The  fyrst  double  pace  is  made  -with  the  lyft  fote  in  reysynge  the  body 
steppynge  .iii.  pace  forwarde  lyghtly  /  the  fyrst  wi't/j  the  lyfte  fote  /  the  seconde 
vfith  the  ryght  fote  /  &  the  thyrde  with  the  lyft  fote  /  as  the  fyrst. 

IT  The  seconde  double  pace  begynneth  wet/;  the  ryght  fote  goynge  thre  paces 
forwarde  as  is  sayd  of  the  fyrst  in  reysynge  the  body.  &c. 

IT  The  thyrd  double  pace  is  done  as  the  first. 

f  It  is  to  note  that  there  be  neuer  .ii.  double  paces  togyder  /  for  the  doubles 
&  repryses  be  euer  odde  in  nombre  .i.  ui.  or  v.  &c. 

IT  A  repryse  alone  ought  to  me  made  -with  the  ryght  fote  in  drawynge  the 
ryght  fote  bakwarde  a  lytyU  to  the  other  fote. 

IT  The  seconde  repryse  ought  to  be  made  (whan  ye  make  .iii.  at  ones)  vfith 
the  lyft  fote  in  reysynge  the  body  in  lyke  wyse. 

IF  The  thjT-de  repryse  is  made  iu  place  and  as  the  fyrst  also. 

IT  And  merke  for  all  that  is  sayd  that  euery  of  these  paces  occupyeth  as 
moche  tyme  the  one  as  the  other.  That  is  to  wyte.  a  reuerewce  /  one  note,  a 
double  /  one  note,  two  syMgles  one  note,  a  repryse  /  one  note,  a  braule  /  one 
note. 

IT  And  ye  ought  to  wyte  that  in  some  places  of  fraunce  they  call  the  repryses  / 
desmarches  and  the  braule  they  call  /  conge,  in  englysshe  leue. 

U  This  done  /  ye  ought  to  put  iu  wrytynge  for  a  repryse  thus  .5.  &  for  thre 
reprises  thus  335  /  and  for  the  braule  thus  .b. 

IT  Bace  daunces. 

IT  Filles  a  marier  /  with  .iiii.  measures. 

K.b.^.Md.333.b.    ^^,^,^, 

IT  Le  petit  rouen  /  with  .iiii.  measiuxn. 
E.  b.  ss.  ddddd.  ss.  333.  b. 
ss.  d.  ss.  333.  b.  Parfv+fl 

ss.  ddddd.  ss.  333.  b.    ^^^^T^ 
8S.  ddd.  ss.  333.  b. 

IT  Amours,  with  two  measures. 
E.  b.  ss.  d.  ss.  333.  b.   \  p-_nxp 

ss.  ddd.  ss.  333.  b.      ]  ^a^^iyte. 

m 


clxii    "  The  Complaynt-of-Scotland  "  Dances  and  Tunes. 

pauuans^,  galzardis^,  turdions^,  braulis*  and  branglis,  buffons^,  vitlit 
mony  vthir  lycht  dawcis,  the  quhilk  ar  ouer  prolixt  to  be  rehersit. 

H  La  gorriere  /  thre  measures. 

K.  b.  ss.  ddd.  '533.  b.   tt        p  , 
S8.  d.  5.  b.  Unparfyte. 

ss.  ddd.  333.  b. 

II  La  allemande.  thre  measures. 

ss.  ddd.  5.  b.  Unparfyte. 

IT  La  brette  /  foure  measures. 
E.  b.  ss.  d.  ss.  3.  b. 

ss:dd!:3:b.  Halfparfyte. 

8S.  d.  ss.  3.  b. 

IT  La  royne  /  foure  measures. 
E.  b.  ss.  ddd.  3.  b. 
ss.  d.  3.  b.  Unparfyte. 

ss.  ddd.  3.  b. 
ss.  d.  ss.  3.  b.  Parfyte. 

IT  These  daimces  haue  I  set  at  the  ende  of  this  bake  to  thentent  that  euery 
lemer  of  the  sayd  boke  after  thejT  dyfygent  study  may  reioyce  somwhat  theyr 
spyrytes  honestly  in  eschewynge  of  ydlenesse  the  portresse  of  vyces. 

IT  Imprynted  at  London  in  the  Fletestrete  at  the  sygne  of  the  rose  Garlande 
by  Eobert  coplande.  the  yere  of  our  lorde.  M.  CCCCC.  xxi.  the  xxii.  day  of 
Marche. 

END. 

^  Puttenham  speaks  of  '  Songs  .  .  such  as  might  be  sung  with  voice  .  .  or 
danced  by  measures,  as  the  Itaii&n  pavan  andgalliard  are  at  these  daies  [15  ] 
in  Princes'  courts,  and  the  places  of  honourable  or  civil  assembly'  (Art  of 
Foesie,  p.  27,  Haslewood's  reprint).  Favana,  according  to  Italian  writers,  was 
derived  from  Faduana, — and  not  from  Favo  a  peacock.'  Pop.  Mus.  n.  772. 
"  Morley  says  '  The  pavan  for  grave  dancing  :  galUards,  which  usually  follow 
pavans,  they  are  for  a  lighter  and  more  stimng  kind  of  dancing.'  .  .  Baker, 
in  his  Frinciples  of  Musick,  1636,  '  says  '  Of  this  sort  (the  Ionic  mood)  are 
pavans,  invented  for  a  slow  and  soft  kind  of  dancing,  altogether  in  duple  pro- 
portion [common  time].  Unto  which  are  framed  galUards  for  more  quick  and 
nimble  motion,  always  in  triple  proportion:  and  therefore  the  triple  is  oft 
called  galliard  time,  and  the  duple,  pavan  time.  In  this  kind  is  also  com- 
prehended the  infinite  multitude  of  Ballads,  set  to  sundry  pleasant  and  de- 
lightful tunes  by  cunning  and  witty  composers,  with  country  dances  fitted  unto 
them,  .  .  .  and  which  surely  might  and  would  be  more  freely  permitted  by 
our  sages,  were  they  used,  as  they  ought  [to  be],  only  for  health  and  recreation.' 
[p.  8]     At  this  time  Puritanism  was  nearly  at  its  height."     Fop.  Mus.  i.  157. 

2  The  Galliard  is  the  only  one  of  these  dances  mentioned  in  a  late  English 
list  of  '■^  Nine  sorts  of  common  Bances  always  used :  Salingers  round,  Bobbin-jo, 
Jingle-de-cut,  Bodkings  Galliard,  the  madmans  Morris,  Drunken  Bamaby, 
the  Bedfull  of  bones,  room  for  Cuckolds,  and  the  Lankishire  hornpipe.  "  The 
Figure  of  Nine.  Frinted  for  J.  Beacon  and  C.  Bennison.  ?  temp.  Charles  II. 
The  galliard  was  not  introduced  into  England  till  about  ]541  a.d.    It  is 


"  The  Complaynt-of -Scotland"  Dances  and  Tunes,    clxiii 

zit  nochtlieles  i  sal  rehers  sa  mony  as  my  ingyne  can  put  in 
memorie.  in  the  fyrst,  thai  dancit, 

(87)  Al  cristyn  mennis  dance. 

(88)  The  northt  of  Scotland. 

(89)  Huntis  vp. 

[This  is  a  lively  English  tune  well  fitted  for  dancing,  printed  in  Mr. 
Chappell's  Popular  Music,  i.  60,  with  much  infonnation  about  the  tune 
and  the  various  words  to  it.  The  reader  will  find  a  reprint  of  the  first 
mention  of  the  tune  in  my  Ballads  from  Manuscripts  for  the  Society, 
vol.  i,  p.  310.  This  was  "in  1537  when  information  was  sent  to  the 
Council  against  one  John  Hogon,  who  had  offended  against  the  procla- 
mation of  1633,  which  was  issued  to  suppress  '  fond  books,  ballads,  rhimes, 
and  other  lewd  treatises  in  the  English  tongue,'  by  singing  '  with  a  crowd 
or  a  fyddyll'  a  poUtical  song  to  that  tune."   {Pop.  Mus.  i.  60.) 

Of  WiUiam  Gray — "one  Gray,  what  good  estimation  did  he  grow  vnto 
with  the  same  king  Henry  [VIII],  and  afterward  with  the  Duke  of 
Sommerset,  Protectour,  for  making  certaine  merry  Ballades,  whereof  one 
chiefly  was  The  hunte  it  [=  t«]  vp,  the  hunts  is  vp" — the  reader  will  find 
some  Birthday  Verses  to  Somerset  in  my  said  Ballads,  p.  311.  Eeligious 
parodies  of  The  Hunt  is  up  are  printed  at  the  end  of  Mr.  HalKwell's  edition 
of  the  moral  play  of  Wit  and  Science,  from  the  Addit.  MS.  Brit.  Mus. 
15,233,  and  in  the  Godlie  Ballates,  p.  153,  ed.  D.  Laing,  1868:  "With 
huntis  vp,  with  huntis  vp."  Any  song  intended  to  arouse  ia  the  morning, 
even  a  love-song,  was  formerly  called  a  hunt's-up,    Chappell.'] 

(90)  The  comout  entray. 

(91)  Lang  plat  fut  of  gariau. 

(92)  Eobenehude. 

[Captain  Cox  XXII,  p.  li.  ?  Does  the  translator  of  the  Soman  de  la 
Pose  refer  to  this  dance : 

But  haddest  thou  knowen  hym  hefome, 
Thow  woldest  on  a  hooke  have  swome, 
Whan  thou  hym  saugh  in  thylke  aray^ 
That  he,  that  whylome  was  so  gaye, 

mentioned  in  the  ballad  of  John  de  Eeeve,  in  the  Pei-cy  Folio  Bal.  %  Pom. 
n.  579,  1.  529.  Cotgrave  has  '  Galop  gaillard.  The  Gallop  GaUiard ;  or  a 
Passasalto ;  or,  one  pace  and  a  leap ;'  and  '  Balladinerie :  f.  High,  or  lively 
dancing,  as  of  Galliards,  Corantoes,  or  Jigges.' 

^  Tourdion  the  daunce  tearmed  a  Round.     Cotgrave. 

■•  Webbe  mentions  braivls,  as  well  others  of  the  Complaynt  dances :  "  neithei 
is  there  anie  tune  or  stroke  which  may  be  sung  or  plaide  on  instruments, 
which  hath  not  some  poetical  ditties  framed  according  to  the  niombers  thereof : 
some  to  Eogero,  some  to  Trenchmore,  to  downe  right  Squire,  to  Galliardes,  to 
Pauines,  to  lygges,  to  Brawles,  to  all  maimer  of  tunes  which  euerie  Fidler 
knowes  better  then  my  selfe."  1586.  W.  Webbe.  A  Discourse  of  English 
Poetrie,  p.  61,  ed.  1870. 

*  Dancer  les  Buffons.  To  daunce  a  morris.  Buffon :  m.  A  buffoon,  ieaster 
sycophant,  merrie  fool,  sportfull  companion ;  one  that  lines  by  making  others 
merrie.     Cotgrave. 

m2 


clxiv     "  The  Complaynt-of-Scotland  "  Dances  and  Tunes. 

And  of  the  datmce  Jolly  JRobyn\ 
Was  tho  become  a  Jacobyn. 

Eomaimt  of  the  Rose  (?  Chaucer  s)  1.  7465. 

Cotgrave  has  '  Chanson  de  Robin,  a  merrie  and  extemporall  song,  or 
fashion  of  singing,  whereto  one  is  ever  adding  somewhat,  or  may  at 
pleasure  adde  what  he  hst.  .  .' 

In  1550,  Robert  Crowley,  in  his  Voyce  of  the  last  Trumpet  (sign.  B.  ii.), 
says  to  '  the  lewde  or  vnlemed  priest,' 

Geue  ouer  all  thy  tippillyng, 

Thy  taueme  gate,  and  table  playe, 
Thy  cardes,  thy  dice,  and  wjnie  bibyng, 

And  learne  to  walks  a  sobre  waye.  .  . 

But  if  thou  canste  do  any  good, 

In  teachyng  of  an  A.  B.  C. 
A  primar,  or  else  Robynhode  : 

Let  that  be  good  pastyme  for  the. 

The  old  puritan  printer  and  preacher  was  not,  then,  a  condemner  of 
ballads.] 

(93)  Thorn  of  lyn. 

[Leyden  quotes  at  p.  274,  a  verse  from  Forbes's  Aberdeen  Cantus : — 

The  pypers  drone  was  out  of  tune. 

Sing  Young  Thomlin, 
Be  merry,  be  merry,  and  twise  so  merrie, 

With  the  light  of  the  moon. 

I  suppose  this  to  be  the  English  baUad  licensed  later  to  Mr.  John  Wallye 
and  Mr.  Toye  in  1557-8,  Stationers'  Register  A,  leaf  22,  (Collier's  Stat. 
Reg.  i.  4),  and  quoted  by  Moroa  in  Wager's  Interlude  above,  p.  cxxvii.] 

(94)  Freris  al. 

(95)  Ennyrnes  [=  Inverness,  Gael.  lonar  nl8\. 

(96)  The  loch  of  slene  [=  Slyue]. 

(97)  The  gosseps  dance. 

(98)  Leuis  grene. 
[see  No.  (51),  p.  cl.] 

(99)  Makky. 

(100)  The  speyde. 

(101)  The  flail. 

(102)  The  lammes  vynde. 

(103)  Soutra. 

[Soutra  or  Soultra  edge  forms  the  watershed  between  the  Forth  and 
the  Tweed ;  and  Soutra  is  a  small  hamlet  on  the  ridge,  on  the  highroad 
from  Edinbm-gh  to  Lauder.  Soutra,  separates  the  South  countrie  iyova. 
Lothian. — J.  A.  H.  Murray.] 

^  The  French  original  is 

Que  cil  qui  devant  soloit  estre 
De  la  dance  li  biaus  Robins. 


"  The  Complaynt-of -Scotland  "  Dances  and  Tunes,     clxv 

(104)  Cum  kyttil  me  naykyt  vantounly. 

(105)  Schayke  leg  fut  befor  gossep. 

(106)  Eank  at  the  rute. 

(107)  Baglap  and  al. 

(108)  Ihonne  ermistrangis  dance. 

[The  earliest  ballad  that  we  have  on  Johnny  Armstrong  is  an  English 
one,  but  Mr.  "Wm.  Chappell  has  not  yet  found  the  tune  of  it.  The  words 
are  in  Wit  restored,  1658,  and  in  Wit  and  Drollery,  Jovial  Foems,  1682, 
called  "  A  Northern  Ballet,"  beginning : 

'  There  dwelt  a  man  in  fair  Westmoreland, 
Johnny  Armstrong  men  did  him  call ; 
He  had  neither  lands  nor  rents  coming  in, 
Yet  he  kept  eight  score  men  in  his  hall.' 

Popular  Music,  i.  260,  note. 

Another  English  ballad  about  this  hero  is  entitled  "  Johnny  Armstrong's 
last  Good-night ;  shewing  how  John  Armstrong  with  his  eight-score 
men  fought  a  bloody  battle  with  the  Scotch  king  at  Edenborough,  To  a 
2)retty  Northern  Tune.''  A  copy  is  in  the  Bagford  Collection  (643,  m.  10, 
p.  94)  printed  by  and  for  W.  0[nley]  :  also  in  Old  Ballads,  1727,  i.  170, 
and  in  Evans's  Old  Ballads,  1810,  iii.  101.'     Pop.  Mus.  n.  776. 

But  the  Cnmplaynt  dance  must  have  been  one  named  in  honour  of  the 
great  Border  plunderer  Johnie  Armstrong  of  Gilnockie,  who  was  hung' 
by  James  V.  soon  after  that  king  attained  his  majority  in  1524,  and 
about  whom  Allan  Ramsay  published  a  ballad  in  his  Evergreen,  which  he 
says  he  took  down  from  the  recitation  of  a  gentleman  of  the  name  of 
Armstrong,  who  was  the  sixth  in  descent  from  the  hero.  It  was  printed 
too  in  the  '  Minstrelsy  of  the  Scottish  Border,'  in  E.  Chambers's  Scottish 
Ballads,  p.  35,  &c.,  &c.  How  much  of  the  ballad  is  Ramsay's  writing, 
no  one  Imows.  '  Jock  o'  the  Sj'^de  was  another  Armstrong,  and  there's  a 
third  Johnie  Armstrong  in  'Dick  o'  the  Cow :'  see  the  Ballads  in  Cham- 
bers, p.  40,  46. 

In  R.  Chambers's  Scottish  Songs,  n.  528,  is  also  an  '  Armstrong's  Good- 
night' cookt  up  from  two  bits  of  four  lines  each  found  by  Bums.  He, 
being  a  poet,  left  the  bits  as  he  found  them.  When  wUl  his  countrymen 
learn  to  follow  his  example,  and  keep  their  meddling  fingers  off  their  old 
singers'  remains  P] 

(109)  The  alman  haye. 

[The  Almayne  or  German  haye.  The  Hay  was  a  country-dance,  of 
which  the  reel  was  a  variety.  "  In  Sir  John  Davies's  Orchestra, '  He  taught 
them  rounds  and  winding  heys  to  tread.'  (In  the  margin  he  explains 
'  roimds  and  winding-heys'  to  be  country  dances.)  In  The  Dancing  Master 
the  hey  is  one  of  the  figures  of  most  frequent  occurrence.  In  one 
country-dance,  '  the  women  stand  still,  the  men  going  the  hey  between 
them.'     This  is  evidently  winding  in  and  out.    In  another,  two  men 


*  See,  in  Lyndesay's  Satyre  (ed.  E.  E.  T.  Soc.)  p.  454, 1.  2092-4 

Heir  is  ane  coird  baith  great  and  lang — 
Quhilk  hangit  Johne  the  Armistrang — 
Of  gude  hemp,  soft  and  sound. 

Mr.  Murray  says  that  *  Johne  the '  is  an  error  for  '  Johnye.* 


clxvi     "  The  Complaynt-of- Scotland"  Dances  and  Tunes. 

and  one  woman  dance  the  hey — like  a  reel.  In  a  third,  three  men  dance 
this  hey,  and  three  women  at  the  same  time — like  a  double  reel.  In 
Bargason,  where  many  stand  in  one  long  line,  the  direction  is  'the 
single  hey,  all  handmg  as  you  pass,  till  you  come  to  your  places.' 
When  the  hand  was  given  in  passing,  it  was  always  so  directed ;  but 
the  hey  was  more  frequently  danced  without  '  handing.'  In  '  the  square 
dance,'  the  two  opposite  couples  dance  the  single  hey  tmce  to  their 
places,  the  woman  standing  before  her  partner  at  starting.  When  danced 
by  many  in  a  circle,  if  hands  were  given,  it  was  like  the  '  grande  chaine ' 
of  a  quadrille."     Fop.  Mus.  ii.  629.] 

(110)  The  bace  of  voragon. 

(111)  Dangeir. 

(112)  The  beye. 

(113)  The  dede  da^ice. 

[Not  known,  I  believe,  in  Scotland ;  but  it  is,  no  doubt,  either  the 
tune  referred  to  in  Sawkins  (see  below)  or  'The  Doleful  Dance  and 
Song  of  Death,'  of  which  the  tune,  and  a  late  Ballad,  are  printed  by  Mr. 
Chappell  in  his  Popular  Music,  i.  85.  The  tune  is  also  called  '  The  Shak- 
ing of  the  Sheet,'  and  '  is  frequently  mentioned  by  writers  in  the  16th  and 
I7th  centuries,  both  as  a  country  dance  and  as  a  ballad  tune.'  In  the 
recently-discovered  play  of  Misogo>ius,  produced  about  1560,  T/ie  Shaking 
of  the  Sheets,  The  Vicar  of  St.  Fools,  and  the  Catching  of  Quails,  are  men- 
tioned as  country  dances.  .  .  The  tune  is  also  mentioned  in  LiUy's  Fappe 
with  a  Hatchet,  1589  ;  in  Gosson's  Schoole  of  Abuse,  1679  ;  by  Rowley, 
Middleton,  Taylor  the  water-poet,  Marston,  Massinger,  Heywood,  Dekker, 
Shirley,  &c.,  &c.  'There  are  two  tunes  under  this  name,  the  one  in 
William  Ballet's  Lute-Book,  which  is  the  same  as  [that]  printed  by  Sir 
John  Hawkins  in  Yiis  History  of  Music  (vol.  ii.  p.  934,  8vo  edit.);  the 
other,  and  in  all  probability  the  more  popular  one,  is  contained  in  nume- 
rous publications  from  The  Bancing  Master  of  1650-51,  to  the  Vocal  En- 
chantress of  1783.'     Fop.  Mus.  i.  84.] 

(114)  The  dance  of  kylrynne. 

(115)  The  vod  and  the  val. 

(116)  Schaikatrot. 

Than,  quhen  this  dansing  vas  dune,  tha  departit  and  past  to 
cal  there  scheip  to  ther  scheip  cottis.  thai  bleu  vp  there  bagpipis» 
than  the  bel  veddir  for  blythtnes  bleyttit  rycht  fast,  and  the 
rammis  raschit  there  heydis  to  gyddir.  than  the  laif  of  ther  fat 
flokkis  foUouit  on  the  fellis,  baytht  zouis  and  lammis,  kebbis^,  and 
daihs^,  gylmyrs^  and  dilmondis*,  and  mony  herueist  hog*,  than  i 
departit  fra  that  companye. 

*  ewes,  the  lambs  of  which  have  died  soon  after  being  produced. 

2  ewes  which  miss  conceiving  and  are  fattened  for  eating. 

3  ewes  two  years  old. 

*  wethers  more  than  twelve  months  old. 

*  hog,  a  young  sheep  before  it  has  lost  its  first  fleece,  termed  harvest-hog 
from  being  smeared  at  the  end  of  harvest,  when  it  ceases  to  be  called  a  lamb. 
Leyden. 


Ballads  in  Old  Scotland.  clxvii 

The  list  of  Songs  in  the  Complaynt  is  so  much  longer  than  that 
in  Laneham's  Letter  that  some  readers  might  suspect  that  Scot- 
land was  far  richer  in  ballads  and  songs^  in  the  17th  century, 
than  England ;  but  a  perusal  of  Mr.  Wm.  Chappell's  Popular 
Music  will  soon  cure  them  of  this  opinion.  Pre-Eeformatiou 
Scotland  was,  no  doubt,  as  prolific  of  songs  and  ballads — relatively 
to  its  population — as  England.  Andrew  Boorde  says  that  the 
Scotchmen  (of  about  1540  a.d.)  "  be  hardy  men,  and  well  fauored, 
and  stronge  men,  ^  good  musycyons ;  in  these  jiii.  qualytes  they 
be  moost  lyke,  aboue  all  other  nacions,  to  an  Englyshe  man." 
{Introduction,  p.  137,  ed.  E.  J.  E.  1870.)  The  ballads  of  one 
country  were  sung  in  the  other :  at  least  7  of  the  Scotch  list  are 
English  ballads :  two  of  Captain  Cox's  are  possibly  Scotch,  or  at 
least  Northern.  Compare,  too,  in  the  extract  that  Dauney  gives, 
in  his  Ancient  Scofish  Melodies,  from  the  accounts  of  the  Lords 
High  Treasurers, 

1489,  Jul.  10.     Item,  to  Inglis  pyparis  that  cum  to  the  castel 

yet,  and  playit  to  the  king,  viij.  li.^  viij  s. 
1491,  Aug.  21.     item  to  iiij.  Inglis  pyparis,  viij.  unicorns,  vij.  li. 

iiij.  s. 

1503,  Aug.  13.     Item  to  viij  Inglis  menstrales,  be  the  kingis 
command,  xl.  french  crownis,  xxviij.  1. 

Item,  to  the  trumpetis  of  Ingland,  xxviij.  1. 

Item,  to  the  Erie  of  Oxfordis  tua  menstrales,  xxviij.  1. 

1504.  Item,  to  tua  Inglise  wemen  that  sang  in  the  Kingis 
pailzeoune,  xxiij.  s. 

But  after  the  Eeformation,  the  ballad-life  was  crusht  out  of 
Scotland,  though  it  flourisht  in  England.  Knox's  followers  dis- 
couraged ballads  and  music  by  every  means  in  their  power,  and 
procured  the  passing  of  a  series  of  Acts,  punishing  the  singers  of 
ballads.  Here  are  a  few  samples,  sent  me  by  Mr.  "Wm.  Chappell, 
from  Chambers's  Domestic  Annals  of  Scotland: 

In  1574.  "  Pipers,  fiddlers,  and  minstrels  are  unceremoniously 
classed  together  as  vagabonds,  and  threatened  with  severe  penalties, 
should  they  venture  into  the  city"  [of  Glasgow]  "  in  contraven- 

'  All  ballads  are  songs,  becatise  they  are  meant  to  be  sung ;  but  all  songs 
are  not  ballads,  because  songs  proper  are  not  verse  narratives  meant  for  tbe 
common  people,  and  meant  for  recitation  as  much,  as  music,  as  ballads  are,  but 
lyrical  expressions  of  feeling,  meant  only  to  be  sung.  A  balade  was  originally 
a  poem  of  tbree  stanzas,  all  having  the  same  burden,  followed  by  an  Envoy. 

^  A  Scotch  pound  was  a  crown,  of  5s. 


clxviii  Scotch  Ballads  put-down.     "  Balow." 

tion  of  the  act."  —  Chambers's  Domestic  Annals  of  Scotland,  V.  1, 
p.  92. 

An.  1574.  "  At  this  date  he  "  [the  Eegent  Morton]  "  induced 
the  Privy  Council  to  issue  an  edict  that  '  nane  tak  upon  hand  to 
emprent  or  sell  whatsoever  book,  ballet,  or  other  werk,'  without 
its  being  examined  and  licensed,  under  pain  of  death,  Sf  confisca- 
tion of  goods." — {Ditto,  p.  94.) 

12  Aug.  1579.  "  Twa  poets  of  Edinburgh,  remarking  some  of 
his  [the  Earl  of  Morton's]  sinistrous  dealing,  did  publish  the 
same  to  the  people,  by  a  famous  libel  written  against  him ;  & 
Morton,  hearing  of  this,  causit  the  men  to  be  brought  to  Stirling, 
where  they  were  convict  for  slandering  ane  of  the  king's  council- 
lors, &  were  there  baith  hangit.  The  names  of  the  men  were 
William  TurnbuU,  schoolmaster  in  Edinburgh,  and  William  Scot, 
notar.  They  were  baith  weel  belovit  of  the  common  people  for 
their  common  offices." — {(Quoted  in  ditto, p.  125.) 

"  At  the  fall  of  Morton,  less  than  two  years  after,  when  he  was 
taken  prisoner  and  conducted  to  Edinburgh  Castle,  as  he  passed 
the  Butter  Tron,  a  woman  who  had  her  husband  put  to  death  at 
Stirling  for  a  ballad  entitled  Daff,  Sf  dow  nothing  [as  much  as  to 
say,  '  Sport,  and  he  at  your  ease"^  sitting  down  on  her  bare  knees, 
poured  out  many  imprecations  upon  him." — {Ditto,  same  page.) 

\_Still  1579.]  "  The  estates  passed  an  act  against  '  strang  and 
idle  beggars,'  and  '  sic  as  make  themselves  fules,  and  are  hards* 
.  .  .  .  '  minstrels,  sangsters,  and  tale  tellers,  not  avowed  in  special 
service  by  some  of  the  lords  of  parliament  or  great  burghs,'  and 
vagabond  scholars  of  the  universities  of  St.  Andrews,  Griasgow,  and 
Aberdeen,'  "  Two  poets  hanged  in  August,  and  an  act  of  Parlia- 
ment against  bards  and  minstrels  in  October ;  truly,  it  seems  to 
have  been  sore  times  for  the  tuneful  tribe." — {Ditto,  p.  131.) 


The  Ballad  of  "  Balow." 

While  on  the  subject  of  English  and  Scotch  Ballads,  I  take  the 
opportunity  of  printing  the  only  two  known  hitherto-unprinted 
copies  of  Balow,  which  Mr.  David  Laing  of  Edinburgh  has  been 
kind  enough  to  send  me  from  Pinkerton's  4to.  MS.^  that  now 
belongs  to  him.     One  of  these  copies,  ^Palmer's  Balow,*  is  a  ver- 

1  This  is  the  MS.  of  which  Eitson  says  in.  his  Scotish  Songs,  vol.  i.  p.  cix, 
note  (108),  "The  editor  of  Select  Scotish  ballads  pretends,  that  in  a  quarto 
manuscript  in  his  possession,  '  oontaioing  a  collection  of  poems,  by  different 
hands,  from  the  reign  of  queen  Elizabeth  to  the  middle  of  the  last  [17th] 
centmy,  when  ii  was  apparently  written,  there  are  two  balowes,  as  they  are 
tiiere  stiled,  the  first,  The  balow,  Alton,  the  second.  Palmer's  balow.' " 


The  Ballad  of  "  Balow."  clxix 

sion  of  the  genuine  old  Balow  ;  the  other, '  The  Balow :  Allane,^  is 
a  poorer  and  later  affair.  See  Evans's  Old  Ballads,  1810,  '  the 
New  Balow.' 

The  cause  of  my  asking  Mr.  Laing  for  these  copies,  was  this. 
In  the  Percy  Folio  Ballads  and  Bomances,  vol.  iii.  p.  516-523,  we 
printed  for  the  first  time  the  only  three  MS.  copies  of  the  genuine 
Balow  that  had  ever  been  in  type  in  an  uncookt  state^.  In 
the  Introduction  to  the  ballad,  p.  518-19,  Mr.  Wm.  Chappell 
stated  that  Balow  was  a  16tli  century  ballad,  not  a  17th  ;  that  it 
was  English,  not  Scotch  ;  and  that  Watson  in  Part  III.  of  his 
Comic  and  Serious  Scots  Poems,  Edinburgh,  1713,  was  the  first 
to  claim  for  Lady  Anne  Bothwell  '  the  particular  honour  of  hav- 
ing been  the  wench  of  his  version  of '  The  new  Balow;  or,  a 
Wenches  Lamentation  for  the  loss  of  her  Sweetheart :  he  having 
left  her  a  babe  to  play  with,  being  the  fruits  of  her  folly.'  Mr. 
Chappell  further  showed  on  the  evidence  of  one  of  two  stanzas 
added  in  Watson's  Scotch  version,  and  not  in  any  English  copy, 
that  it  was  ridiculous  to  suppose  that  this  Scotch  addition,  or  the 
poem  in  which  it  was  found,  referred  to  Lady  Anne  Bothwell  or 
any  lady  of  rank.  "  In  the  second  [stanza]  we  find  the  inducement 
supposed  to  have  been  offered  by  Lady  Anne's  lover : 

I  was  too  credulous  at  the  first 
To  grant  thee  that  a  maiden  durst, 
And  iti  thy  bravery  thou  didst  vaunt 
That  I  no  maintenance  should  want  [!]" 

Out  of  Watson's  own  mouth  then,  Ms  attribution  of  the  Ballad, 
at  any  rate,  to  Lady  Anne  Bothwell,  was  shown  to  be  absurd. 
But  this  pricking  of  the  Bothwell  bubble  by  Mr.  Chappell  raised 
the  bile  of  either  Messrs.  Ogle  of  Glasgow,  or  some  shopman  of 
theirs  whom  they  employed  to  write  notes  to  their  new  reprint  of 
Watson's  Collection  in  1868  ;  and  in  a  very  impertinent  tone  the 
said  shopman  attackt  Mr.  Chappell  and  his  argument.  The  man 
seems  to  have  felt  acutely  that  Scotland's  honour  had  been 
wounded  by  a  little  truth ;  '  yet  he  knew  so  little  of  his  subject  as 
to  suppose  Evans's  Collection  of  Old  Ballads,  printed  in  1811,  of 
equal  date  and  authority  with  the  originals  in  the  Eoxburghe 
Collection.'  It  is  needless  to  say  that  he  does  not  move  an  inch 
Mr.  Chappell's   strong   point,  that  the  tune  of  Balow, — which 

*  Of  the  Percy  Folio  copy,  I  hold  the  5th  and  6th  stanzas  to  be  clearly 
later  insertions 


clxx  Two  versions  of  "  Balow  "  from 

implies  the  words — is  in  two  16tli  century  Englisli  music-books, 
and  that  both  tune  and  words  are  in  two  other  English  music- 
books  of  1649  and  1658,  while  the  words  are  in  Bp.  Percy's  Folio 
MS.  of,  say,  1645-50.  Against  this,  the  only  Scotch  evidence  is 
the  report  that  Mr.  Kirkpatrick  Sharpe  (Walter  Scott's  contem- 
porary) said  he  had  heard  that  the  Ballad  applied  to  Lady  Anne 
Bothwell.  This  rumour  is  not  worth  serious  notice.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  ballad  in  Pinkerton's  4to  MS.  belonging  to  Mr.  Laing, 
— which  he  considers,  as  Pinkerton  did,  to  be  of  about  1650 — 
so  far  from  being  evidence  in  favour  of  the  Scotch  origin  of  the 
ballad,  is  against  it ;  for,  says  Mr.  Laing,  "  There  is  nothing  in 
the  MS  to  indicate  when  or  where  it  was  written."  Had  it  been 
written  in  Scotland,  the  Scotch  mark  of  dialect  at  least,  if  not  of 
handwriting,  would  have  been  unmistakeably  on  the  MS.  That 
being  absent,  we  may  safely  conclude  that  the  MS  is  English,  as 
the  ballad  of  Balow  is.  Even  if  we  grant  the  a  priori  probability 
that  a  woman's  lament  over  her  seduction  and  desertion  would 
belong  to  Scotland,  the  MS.  evidence  is  yet  clearly  in  favour  of 
the  ballad  beiug  English,  as  its  language  is.  But  annexed  bal- 
lads, like  annexed  territories,  and  stolen  waters,  are  sweet :  and 
doubtless  Scotch  balladists  will  not  be  ready  to  give  up  Balow. 
The  most  profitable  question  hereafter  will  be,  who  shall  gain 
the  best  title  to  it  by  admiring  it  most,  for  '  singularly  beautiful,' 
*  most  touching,'  it  is. 


PALMER'S  BALOW. 

\_Finkerton  MS.  itop.  48.     On  the  margin  Pinkerton  writes  '^Lady  BothweU\ 
Lament.  Ball.  2.  194."] 

Balow  my  babe,  ly  still  and  sleepe ! 
It  greves  me  sore  to  see  the  weeps ! 
If  thow  wert  quyet,  I  wold  be  glade ; 
Thy  mumeinge  makes  thy  mother  sade ! 

Balow,  my  boy,  thy  mother's  ioy ; 

Thy  father  bred  me  great  amioy ! 

Balow ! 

'And  thow,  my  darleinge,  sleep  awhyle, 
And  when  thow  waikest,  sueetUe  smyle ! 
O  doe  not  smyle  as  thy  father  did 
To  Cousinge-  maides :  nay  God  forbid ! 

*  This  stanza  is  like  the  third  of  the  Addit.  MS.  10,  337.  -  cozen. 


Pinkerton's  Mo  MS,  now  Mr.  David  Laing's.      clxxi 

But  yet  I  feare  that  thow  wilt  leare* 
Thy  father's  face  and  hart  to'  beare  t 
Balow ! 

2  When  he  begane  to  court  my  loue, 
And  with  his  sugared  wordes  to  move, 
His  fained  tongue  and  flatteringe  cheare 
That  tyme  to  me  did  not  apeire ; 

But  now  I  see  that  crevelP  he 

Caires  nather  for  my  babe  nor  me. 

Balow ! 

Fairweell,  fairweell,  the  falsest  youths 
That  ever  kist  a  womans  mouthe ! 
Let  never  maidew  efter  me 
Commit  hir  to  thy  curtasie ! 

For  crevell*  thow,  if  once  she  bowe, 

"Wilt  her  abuse  ;  thow  caires  not  how. 

Balow ! 

I  cannot  chuse,  but  ever  will 
Be  loueinge  to  thy  father  still , 
Though  cuninge  he  procxired  my  hart, 
That  can  in  no  wayes  from  him  paii-t. 

In  weell  or  woe,  whare  ere  he  goe. 

My  hart  sail  never  pairt  him  fro ! 

Balow ! 

®Heir,  by  my  greeff,  I  wowe  and  sueare. 
The,  and  all  vthers,  to  forbeare. 
I'le  never  kise,  nor  cull,  nor  clape, 
But  lull  my  younglinge  in  my  lape. 

Hart,  doe  not  greeve  !  leave  off  to  mume ! 

And  sleepe  securelie,  hart,  allone ! 

[Balow.] 


\^Pinkerfon^s  4^o  MS.  p.  46.  Sis  scarcely  legible  note  in  tJie  margin  says :  "  Thii 
in  Ramsay  is  mingled  with  the  following  (Palmer's  Balow)  except  a  few 
stanzas."'\ 

THE   BALOW.      ALLANE. 

Balow  my  babe,  frowne  not  on  me. 

Who  still  will  weepe  for  wronginge  the, 

Till  from  myne  eyes  a  sea  sail  flow. 

To  saUe  my  soule  from  mortall  woe 
To  that  immortall  mirtall  shore, 
"Where  greeff  slane  ghosts  can  greeve  no  more. 
Balow,  Balow,  Balow,  Balow ! 

'  better  readings  than  the  heare  and  still  of  the  Addit.  MS.  10,    37. 

2  This  is  the  2nd  stanza  of  the  Addit.  MS.  copy. 

3  cruel.  *  for  crewell,  cruel. 

5  Marginal  note  by  Piokerton :  ""Wanting  in  Dr.  Percy's  edition."  It's 
in  both  Gamble's  copy  and  the  Addit.  MS.  10,337.  Percy  Fol.  JBal.  4-  £otn. 
ii.  616-17. 


clxxii  The  Ballad  of  "  Balow." 

Be  still  my  sad-one !  spare  those  teaxes 
To  weepe  when  thow  hast  witt  and  yearos ! 
Thy  greeffs  are  gatheringe  to  a  sum, 
God  send  the  patience  when  they  cum ! 
Borne  to  Bewaile  a  father's  shame, 
A  Mother's  fall,  a  bastard's  name! 
Balow  &c. 

Balow,  my  deare !  thy  feathles  dade, 
When  he  the  prodigall  had  mead. 
Of  gudes  and  oathes  regairdles,  he 
Preferr'd  the  warrs  to  the  and  me ; 

Whare  now,  perhaps,  thy  curse  and  myne 
Makes  him  eate  accornes  with  the  swyne. 
Balow ! 

Yet  peace,  my  comfort !  curse  not  him, 
Who  now  in  sea  of  greeif  doth  sweim, 
Perhaps  of  death,  for  who  can  tell, 
Wither  the  iudge  of  heavin  and  hell 
By  some  predest[i]ned  deadlio  lead, 
Revengeinge  me,  hath  struke  him  dead  P 
Balow ! 

And  were  I  neir  the  fattall  boundes 
Where  he  lyes  gaspinge  in  his  woundes ; 
Repeatinge,  as  he  pantes  for  breath, 
Hir  name,  that  woundes  more  deep  then  death, 
And  therwith  dies :  what  hart  so  stronge 
But  wold  forgiue  the  greatest  wrongs  ? 
Balow ! 

If  lininge^  lack,  for  that  loues  sake 
Which  once  I  bore  him  I  wold  make 
My  smoake  vnto  his  body  meit, 
A[nd]  wrap  him  in  that  winding  sheet ! 
Ay  me !  how  hapy  had  I  bein 
If  he  had  neir  bein  wrap't  therin ! 
Balow ! 

Balow,  my  babe !  when  thou  hast  yeares, 
Forget  thy  Mother,  scorne  hir  teares. 
Thy  birth  denay,  thy  freindes  deride, — 
It's  but  a  courtlie  trick  of  pryde, — 

Then  mayest  thou  ryse,  my  sone,  to  be 
A  courtier,  by  disclameinge  me. 
Balow ! 


The  copy  of  Balow  in  Eitson's  Scotish  Songs,  i.  158,  ed.  1794, 
like  that  in  Herd's  Scottish  Songs,  etc.,  i.  65,  ed.  1869,  is  in 
13  stanzas,  9  of  which  are  spurious ;  that  in  Pinkerton'a  Select 

*  for  linnen. 


The  Example  of  Germany.  clxxiii 

ScotisJi  Ballads,  i.  59,  has  only  4  verses,  the  last  being  spurious, 
and  all  scotified. 


I  have  now  ended  the  list  of  work  I  set  myself:  to  sketch 
hastily  the  stories  of  the  books  and  ballads  on  which  an  English- 
man of  Shakespere's  class  and  time  tells  us  he  was  trained,  and 
contrast  them  with  those  of  a  more  educated  Scotchman  of  a 
generation  earlier.  Of  the  Ballads  of  England  tlie  history  has 
been  written  by  Mr.  Wm.  Chappell.  The  Ballads  of  Scotland 
have,  unluckily,  not  yet  found  their  Chappell,  so  far  as  I  know^, 
the  man  who  will  honestly  give  us  chapter  and  verse  for  every 
assertion,  will  go  no  further  than  his  authorities  warrant,  and 
will  expose  the  falsifications  and  forgeries  of  the  men  who  have 
tampered  with  and  invented  many  of  their  old  ballads,  real  and 
unreal.  Honest  prints  of  all  their  old  musical  and  ballad  MSS. — 
however  few — are  much  wanted,  as  these  are  evidence.  We've  had 
enough  of  Allan  Eamsay,  "Watson,  Buchan,  and  Co. 

To  trace  the  history  of  Kenilworth  is  no  part  of  my  task^ — for 
that  I  refer  to  Dugdale,  and  the  many  copiers  of  him  :  as  for  its 
present  state,  I  refer  to  Mr.  Knowles's  excellent  photographs  in 
liis  new  edition  of  Laneham:  to  discuss  the  character  of  Leicester  or 
his  great  Queen  Elizabeth — great  in  spite  of  all  her  littlenesses — 
I  do  not  purpose,  much  as  I  like  to  fancy  our  aftercomers  setting 
Victorian  England  by  the  side  of  Elizabethan,  and  judging  it 
worthy  to  be  there.  But,  having  spent  this  spring  and  summer 
in  the  sunshine  and  the  glad  light  green  of  our  fair  native  land,  I 
cannot  but  dwell  a  while,  in  thought  at  least,  on  the  bright  days 
of  our  author  during  his  happy  stay  in  Warwickshire,  a  county 
lit  for  us  all  by  a  light  of  glory  kindled  in  his  time,  and  that  will 
never  die  so  long  as  our  race  lasts.  Truly  one  understands  the 
Grerman  soldier's  quiet  words  to  his  comrade  lately  on  the  Rhine : 
"  We  are  not  worthy  to  be  a  nation,  if  we  let  the  French  take  this 
from  us."  So  felt  the  Elizabethans  when  the  Armada  was  near  ; 
so  the  Georgians  when  the  first  Napoleon  threatened;  so  the 


1  Of  course  I  trust  Mr.  Laing  and  Mr.  Maidment. 

2  I  add  in  an  Appendix,  p.  63,  the  Survey  of  Kenilworth  in  Henry  VIII' s 
time,  from  the  Cotton  MS.  Vespasian,  F  is.     It's  in  Dugdale,  etc. 


clxxiv  Elizabeth's  Arrival  at  Kenilworth. 

Victorian  volunteers  when  the  Colonels  of  the  third  Napoleon 
planned  to  plunder  London.  But  what  are  our  170,000  to  the 
two  millions  wanted  ?  Where  is  our  statesman  to  make  us  an 
armed  nation  ?  Where  is  our  Moltke  to  organize  our  defence  ? 
May  the  splendid  example  that  Prussian  patriotism  has  set  us, 
teach  us  to  make  sure,  that  a  like  fate  to  that  which  awaits  Louis 
Napoleon's  soldiers  shall  meet  the  foe  that  sets  *  one  foot^ '  on 
our  soil ! 

EaHAM, 

August  21, 1870. 


P.S. — The  proof  of  the  forgotten  lines  above  comes  on  March 
31,  1871,  and  makes  me  glad  that  I  did  not  doubt  Germany's 
triumph,  much  as  I  grieve  over  the  present  state  of  Paris.  But, 
to  return  to  Laneham : — 

In  exchange  for  the  use  of  my  description  of  Captain  Cox's 
books,  Mr.  Knowles  has  been  kind  enough  to  give  the  Society 
copies  of  his  map  or  plan  of  Kenilworth,  reengraved  from  Kenil- 
worth Illustrated,  in  order  that  our  Members  may  be  able  to  fol- 
low on  it  Laneham's  description  of  the  place.  Mr.  Knowles  has 
also  given  us  the  following  note  on  Elizabeth's  reception  at  the 
Castle.     She  entered  by  the  North-west  Gate,  from  Warwick : — 

"Besides  postern  gates  (through  the  North-western  one  of 
which  the  Queen  crossed  'the  fayr  tymbred  bridge,'  on  July  11, 
1575,  '  too  hunt  the  Hart  of  fors ')  there  were  not  more  than  two 
entrance-gates  to  the  Castle. 

1.  The  fine  portal  under  the  keep  opened  originally  on  to  the 
Redfen  Lane.  But  it  was  now  reduced  in  importance  by  Leices- 
ter, who,  to  make  the  Castle  garden  private,  had  shifted  the  great 
north  entrance  eastward,  building  his  new  stately  Gateway  near 
Lunn's  Tower  (see  map),  and  forming  aviaries  in  the  Northern 
towers  of  the  outer  wall  (see  below). 

2.  Elizabeth  came  into  the  Castle  by  the  entrance  from  War- 
wick, which  was  less  altered.  The  floodgate  or  Gallery  Tower 
had  been  rebuilt  by  Leicester,  who  had  also  (probably)  widened 
the  great  dam,  and  made  a  broadish  roadway  on  it. 

*  The  French  boast  after  Saarbruck. 


Elizabeth's  Arrival  at  Kenilworih.  clxxv 

The  map  will  show  Mortimer's  Tower,  an  interesting  building 
(1200-1223),  which  Leicester  had  left  untouched.  Here  the 
Lady  of  the  Lake  meets  Elizabeth,  who,  having  thanked  her, 
passes  through  to  the  eastern  gateway  close  under  Csesar's  Tower, 
along  the  edge  of  the  original  Norman  ditch,  which  was  now  '  a 
dry  valley.'  Part  of  this  fosse  happily  yet  remains,  as  is  said 
below,  though  Hawkesworth,  when  he  dismantled  the  Castle  (ab. 
1650),  filled  up  two-thirds  of  it  with  the  wreck  of  Henry  the 
Eighth's  building." 

P.P.S. — Since  these  lines  were  written,  i.e.  during  the  present 
year  (1871),  the  foundations  and  some  exceedingly  fine  fragments 
of  a  third  chapel  have  been  discovered.  It  stood  in  the  lower  or 
Eastern  outer  Bailey ;  and  its  dimensions  were  about  100  feet  by 
50  (outside  measurement).  A  jamb-base  of  the  Sedilia  and  a 
simple  string-course  are  still  in  site.  All  that  has  been  found  is 
of  rather  Earl  v  Decorated  work,  say  about  1330  a.d.  Edward  III 
was  at  Kenilworth  in  December,  1329,  as  a  charter  granted  to  the 
Cistercian  Abbey  at  Stoneleigh  proves. — E.  H.  K. 


clxxvi 


NOTES  TO  FOEEWOEDS. 

Tage  x. — The  first  modern  edition  of  Laneham's  Letter  was 
printed  at  Warwick  in  1784. 

2.  In  Nichols's  Progresses  of  Q.  Eliz.  vol.  i.,  1788. 

3.  Printed  for  G-.  H.  Burn  in  1821. 

4.  In  Kenilworth  Illustrated,  1821. 

5.  Again  in  2nd  edit.  vol.  i.  of  Nichol's  Frog,  of  Q.  E.  (1823). 

6.  A  reprint  of  Burn's  edit,  in  Kenilworth  Festivities  in  1825. 

7.  Hotten's  modernised  reprint. 

8.  Amye  Eobsart  and  the  Earl  of  Leicester ;  a  Critical  Inquiry 
into  the  Authenticity  of  the  various  Statements  in  relation  to  the 
Death  of  Amye  Eobsart,  and  of  the  Libels  on  the  Earl  of  Leices- 
ter, with  a  vindication  of  the  Earl  by  his  nephew  Sir  Philip 
Sydney,  with  a  History  of  Kenilworth  Castle,  including  an  account 
of  the  Splendid  Entertainment  given  to  Queen  Elizabeth  by  the 
Earl  of  Leicester,  in  1575,  from  the  "Works  of  Eobert  Laneham 
and  George  G-ascoigne ;  together  with  Memoirs  and  Correspon- 
dence of  Sir  Eobert  Dudley,  Son  of  the  Earl  of  Leicester.  By 
G-EOEGE  Adlabd,  author  of  "  The  Sutton-Dudleys  of  England," 
&c.     8vo,  pp.  368,  with  plates,  cloth.     12s. 

Nichols,  in  the  2nd  ed.  of  Q.  E.  Prog.,  extracts  nearly  the  whole 
of  Burn's  Preface  and  most  of  Burn's  notes,  with  an  acknow- 
ledgment. 

Page  xi.  Progresses. — Here  is  Hall's  account  of  Henry  VIII's 
first,  in  1510  :— 

"  From  thence  the  whole  Courte  remoued  to  "Wyndesore,  than 
begynnyng  his  progresse,  exercisyng  hym  self  daily  in  shoting, 
singing,  dauwsyng,  wrastelyng,  casting  of  the  barre,  plaiyng  at 
the  recorders,  flute,  virginals,  and  in  setting  of  songes,  makyng  of 
balettes,  &  dyd  set  .ii.  goodly  masses,  euery  of  them  fyue  partes, 
whiche  were  sange  oftentimes  in  hys  chapel,  and  afterwardes  in 
diuerse  other  places.  And  whan  he  came  to  Okyng  [?  Woking] 
there  were  kept  both  lustes  and  Turneys :  the  rest  of  thys  pro- 
gresse was  spent  in  huntyng,  hawkyng,  and  shotyng." — SalVs 
Chronicle,  p.  515,  ed.  1809. 

Page  xxxii,  1.  19,  and  note  *.  The  ioke  of  nurture. — Jackson's 
edition  of  Hewe  Eodes  in  1577  was  probably  the  sixth :  "  The 
Boke  of  Nurture,  or  Schoole  of  good  maners  for  men  Seruants 
and  children,  with  Stans  puer  ad  mensam.  Newly  corrected,  &c." 
In  my  reprint  I  gave  some  collations  of  the  second  known  edition, 
by  Petyt, — from  the  imperfect  copy  in  the  Bodleian, — and  of  the 


Notes  to  Forewords.  clxxvii 

3rd  known  edition  by  Thomas  Colwell,  and  the  4th  by  Abraham 
Veale,  from  Mr.  Corser's  unique  copies,  which  he  kindly  lent  me. 
Of  the  5th  edition  by  Thomas  East  in  1568,  Lord  Ashburnham 
has  a  copy,  and  I  need  not  say  that  I  have  not  seen  it :  he  buys 
his  books  "  for  his  own  gratification,  not  for  other  people  to  look 
at."  Of  the  first  edition,  about  1530,  Mr.  W.  C  Hazlitt  reports 
a  copy  to  be  in  the  possession  of  a  Cornish  gentleman,  Mr. 
Eobartes,  "  Imprynted  at  London  in  Southwarke  by  me  Johan 
Redman."  The  8th  edition  was  perhaps  '  The  booke  of  Nurture ' 
licensed  to  Thomas  Easte  on  the  12th  March,  1581-2. — Collier's 
Mxtracts,  ii.  160. 

Fage  xxxvii.  Olyuer  of  the  Castl. — Mr.  E.  "W.  Cosens  says:  In 
the  Spanish  translation  of  Ticknor  by  Grayangos  and  Vedia,  vol.  i, 
p.  523,  is  the  following  note :  "  Of  El  Bey  Artus,  or  more  cor- 
rectly, *  La  historia  de  los  nobles  cavalleros  Oliveros  de  Castilla 
y  Artus  de  Algarve,'  we  have  before  us  a  copy  printed  at  Burgos 
in  1499,  an  edition  unknown  to  Mendez.  It  is  in  folio,  with 
wood  engravings.  On  the  last  leaf  is  printed,  '  To  the  praise  and 
glory  of  our  redeemer  Jesus  Christ  and  of  the  blessed  virgin  Holy 
Mary.  The  present  work  was  finished  in  the  very  noble  and  loyal 
city  of  Burgos  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  May,  year  of  our  redemption 
1499.'     (In  gothic  letter,  double  columns.) 

"  Besides  the  editions  cited  by  Brunet,  1501  and  1604,  there  is 
one  by  Cromberger,  Seville,  20  November,  1510,  folio,  in  double 
columns,  without  pagination,  34  leaves,  Grothic  letter  (letra  de 
tdrtis),  but  of  a  different  shape  to  that  of  the  1499  edition.  In 
the  earlier  editions  it  is  stated  that  the  work  was  translated  out 
of  the  Latin  into  the  Erench  tongue  by  "  Eelipe  Comus,"  licen- 
ciado  '  in  utroque^  but  in  those  of  the  18th  and  later  it  is  attri- 
buted to  a  certain  Pedro  de  la  Eloresta." 

IBage  xliii.— No.  XVI.  Tie  Castle  of  Ladiez.  Mr.  Hy.  Huth 
has,  with  his  usual  kindness,  lent  me  his  copy  of  The  Cyte  oj 
Ladyes ;  but  there  is  nothing  in  it  to  identify  it  with  Laneham's 
Gastle  of  Ladiez  except  that  it  is  all  about  virtuous  ladies,  and 
that  the  '  Cyte '  in  the  woodcut  on  the  title-page,  before  which 
two  ladies  stand,  is  that  of  a  castle  or  large  tower,  perhaps  part  of 
the  city-wall.  The  book  is  a  translation  of  the  Erench  work  of 
Cristine  de  Pise,  printed  in  1496,  Le  tresor  de  la  cite  des  dames 
(contenant  plusieurs  histoires  et  enseignemens  notables  aux  roys, 
roynes,  princesses  et  chevaliers,  etc.)  selon  dame  Cristine.  Colo- 
phon :  "  Cy  finist  le  tresor  .  .  .  imprime  a  Paris,  le  viij  iour  daoust 
mil  quatre  cens  quattre  vingtz  et  xvij  pour  Anthoine  Verard  .  .  . 
in  fol.  goth." — Brunet.  Cristine,  taking  up  a  book  by  Matheolus 
Hfho  did  '  not  speke  well  of  the  reuerence  of  women ' — perhaps 

Le  livre  de  Matheolua 

qui  nous  monstre  sans  varier 


clxxviii     Notes  to  Forewords  (The  Cyte  of  Lady es), 

lea  biens  et  aussi  les  vertus 

qui  viennent  pour  soi  marier  etc.  (Paris,  1492) — 

*  made  grete  meruayle  ,  .  ,  what  mygbt  be  the  cause,  and  wherof 
it  myght  come,  that  so  many  dyuers  men,  clerkes  and  others, 
haue  ben,  and  ben,  enclyned  to  say  by  mouthe  /  &  in  theyr  trea- 
tyse  and  wrytynges,  so  many  slaundres  and  blames  of  women  and 
of  theyr  condycyons  .  .  .  that  tliQ  condycyons  of  women  ben  fully 
enclyned  to  all  vyces."  Cristine,  having  examined  herself  '  as  a 
woman  naturall,'  and  discust  the  matter  with  her  friends,  is  forct 
to  the  conclusion  '  tliat  god  made  a  foule  thynge  when  he  fourmed 
woman.'  This  troubles  her  much,  and  she  dreams  that  three 
Ladies,  Reason,  Righteousness,  and  Justice,  appear  to  her,  argue 
against  her  conclusion,  and  say  to  her 

We  be  come  to  tell  the  of  a  certayne  buyldynge  made  in  the  manere  of  a 
sloystre  of  a  Cj'te  strongely  wrought  by  masons  bandes  &  well  buylded  / 
whlcbe  is  predestynate  to  the  for  to  make  and  to  stable  it  by  our  helpe  and 
coimsayle  /  in  the  whiche  shall  none  enhabyte  but  onely  ladyes  of  good  fame  / 
and  women  worthy  of  praysynges.  For  to  them  where  vertue  shall  not  be 
founde  /  the  walles  of  our  Cyte  shall  be  strongely  shytte.  (sign.  Cc.j.) 

The  City  is  a  metaphorical  one ;  the  foundations  are  to  be  dug 
with  the  pickaxe  of  understanding,  by  asking  questions  of  Reason 
as  to  women's  nature  and  state.  "Woman  is  shown  to  be  'ryght 
a  noble  thyng,'  and  Cato's  unpolite  remark  '  that  the  woman  that 
pleaseth  a  man  naturally  resembleth  tlie  rose,  whiche  is  pleasaunt 
to  se  /  but  tlie  thorne  is  vnder,  &  prycketh '  is  explained  to  mean, 
that  a  good  woman  '  is  one  of  the  plesauntest  thynges  that  is  to 
se,'  but  the  thorn  is  only  for  herself,  '  the  thorne  of  drede  to  do 
amysse'  (sign.  Ee.  j.).  Many  good  women  are  then  described, 
Mary  the  mother  of  Christ,  '  Mary  Magdaleyne  &  Martha  her 
syster,'  '  the  Empresse  ISTychole  and  dyuers  noble  quenes  and 
pryncesses  of  Fraunce,  the  quene  Eredegonde,  Semyramys,  the 
Amozones,  the  quene  of  Amozonye  (Thamaris).  Howe  the  stronge 
Hercules  &  Theseus  wente  vpon  the  Amozones,  and  howe  the  .ij. 
ladyes  Menalope  and  Ipolyte  had  almoost  ouercome  them  (cap. 
18).  Of  the  quene  Pantassylea,  howe  she  wente  to  the  socours  of 
Troye  ;  of  Cenobye,  quene  of  Palmurenes ';  Lylye,  mother  of  that 
good  knyght  Thyerrys ;  quene  Eredegonde,  the  mayde  Camylle, 
quene  Veronycle  of  Capadoce,  the  noble  Archemyse,  quene  of 
Carye,  and  of  the  hardynesse  of  Cleolis.  Then  of  the  women  that 
were  enlumyned  of  grete  scyences:  the  noble  mayde  Cornyfye 
(cap.  28),  Probe  the  Romayne,  Saplio  poete  and  phylosophre  (cap. 
30),  the  mayde  Manthoa,  Medea  and  another  qu.ene  named  Cyrtes. 
Then  of  the  women  that  of  themselves  '  founde  ony  thynge  .  .  . 
that  was  not  knowne  before :  Nyeostrate,  otherwyse  called  Car- 
mentis  (cap,  33)  j  Mynerue  that  founde  many  scyences  /  and  the 


Notes  to  Forewords  (The  Cyte  of  Ladyes).       clxxix 

manere  to  make  Armoure  of  Iron  and  Steele ;  the  ryght  noble 
quene  Seres;  and  the  noble  quene  Ises,  that  founde  fyrste  the 
crafte  to  make  Orcharde,  and  to  plante  plantes.  Then  '  of  the 
grete  welthe  that  is  come  to  tlie  worlde  by  dyuers  ladyes  (cap. 
37-8)  .  .  the  mayden  iVrenye,  tliat  founde  the  crafte  to  shere 
sheepe  /  to  dresse  the  wolles  /  and  to  make  clothe  ;  Pamphyle,  that 
founde  the  crafte  to  drawe  sylke  of  thewormes  (cap.  40) ;  Thamar, 
that  was  a  souerayue  maystresse  in  the  crafte  of  payntynge  /and 
.  .  .  Irayne ;  and  Semproyne.'  Next  of  the  *  naturall  prudence  in 
woman:  of  Graye  Cyryle  (cap.  45),  Dydo  quene  of  Cartage,  Opys, 
Lauyne,  doughter  of  the  kynge  Latyn.'  These  end  the  first  Book, 
and  Reason's  talk  to  Cristine. 

The  second  Book  contains  Eyghtwysnesse  (or  Eighteousuesa)'a 
account  of  good  women,  those  who  are  to  form  'good  buyldynge 
&  hyghe  palaces  /  royal  &  noble  mansyons  of  these  excellente 
ladyes  of  grete  worshyp  and  renowne,  [whi]che  shal  be  lodged  in 
this  cyte  /  &  shal  abyde  perpetually  fro  hens  forth.'  1.  those  of 
souerayne  dygnyte  hyghly  fulfylled  of  Sapyence,'  the  .x.  Sybylles, 
also  of  Sybylle  Erytee,  and  Sybylle  Alraethea ;  of  dyuers  ladyes 
(cap.  4),  also  of  Nycostrate  /  and  of  Cassandra  /  and  of  the  quene 
Basyne ;  of  Anthoyne  that  became  Empresse  :  of  doughters  that 
loued  fader  &  moder,  &  fyrst  of  Drypetue  (cap.  8),  also  of  Isy- 
phyle,  of  the  vyrgyne  Caudyne,  of  a  woman  that  gaue  her  moder 
sowke  in  pryson  (cap.  11).  Next  of  the  '  grete  loue  of  women  to 
theyr  housbandes  :  of  the  quene  Ipsytrace,  the  Empresse  Tryarye, 
quene  Archemyse  ;  Argyue,  doughter  of  the  kynge  Adrastus  ;  the 
noble  lady  Agryppyne  ;  the  noble  lady  Julye,  doughter  of  Julyua 
Cezar  /  &  wyfe  of  the  prynce  Pompee  (cap.  19)  ;  the  noble  lady 
Tyerce  Emulyen;  Zancyppe,  wyfe  of  the  phylosophre  Socrates 
(cap.  21) ;  Pompay  paulyne,  wyfe  of  seneke  ;  the  noble  Sulpyce  ; 
also  of  dyuers  ladyes  togyder  that  respyted  theyr  housbandes 
from  the  dethe '  (cap.  24).  Next,  how  wrong  it  is  to  say  that 
'  women  can  kepe  no  counsayle,'  and  here  '  of  Porcya,  doughter  of 
Catho;  of  the  noble  lady  Curya,'  and  of  a  Eoman  woman  in 
Nero's  time.  Then,  what  a  mistake  it  is  to  '  say  that  a  ma?2  is  a 
fole  that  byleueth  the  counsayle  of  his  wyfe,  &  taketh  ony  trust 
to  it,'  with  instances  '  of  men  to  whom  it  hathe  well  sewed  of 
byleuynge  of  theyr  wyues'  (cap.  29).  Then  'of  the  grete  welthe 
that  is  come  to  the  worlde,  &  cometh  all  day,  bycause  of  women. 
Also  of  Judyth  the  noble  wydowe,  quene  Hester,  the  ladyes  of 
Sabyne,  Yeturye,'  and  'the  quene  of  Eraunce,  Clotylde.  Also 
agaynsb  them  that  say  that  it  is  not  good  that  women  lerne  letters 
.  .  and  that  there  ben  but  fewe  womew  chast ;  &  speketh  of  Susan, 
of  Sarra,  Eebecca,  Euth,  Penolope,  Maryamyre,  &  of  Anthoyne 
wyfe  of  Druse  Tyber.  Also  agaynst  them  that  saye  that  women 
wyll  be  wylfully  rauysshed  of  men  /  ensamples  dyxxers  /  &  fyrst  of 


clxxx        Notes  to  Forewords  (The  Cyte  of  Ladyes). 

Lucresse ;  also  of  the  quene  of  G-awsgrees,  the  Sycambres  &  other 
may  dens.*  Next,  against  the  inconstancy  of  women,  Eyghtwys- 
nesse  cites  examples  '  of  the  inconstaunce  of  dyuers  Emperors ; 
also  of  Nero',  Galba,  and  others.  But  of  women's  constancy, 
'  Grysylde,  marquyse  of  Saluce,  a  stronge  woman  in  vertue  (cap. 
50)  ;  Florence  of  Kome ;  and  the  wyfe  of  Barnabo  the  Geneuoys. 
Then,  how  it  is  not  true  that '  there  are  but  fewe  wome«  praysable 
in  the  lyfe  of  loue ;'  citing  '  Dydo,  quene  of  Cartage,  to  the  pur- 
pose of  stable  loue  in  a  woman ';  also  Medea,  Tysbe  the  mayde, 
Hero,  Sysmonde  doughter  of  the  prynce  of  Salerne,  Lyzabeth  & 
other  louers,  Juno  &  other  worshypful  ladyes'  (cap.  60).  Next 
is  an  answer  '  agaynst  those  that  sayth  that  women  draweth  men 
to  them  by  theyr  Jolytees :  Of  Claudyne,  woman  of  Home ;'  yet 
'  Howe  that  he  lyeth  not  that  sayth  that  some  women  delyteth 
them  in  fayre  clothynge  or  araye  (cap.  63).  Of  quene  Blaunche, 
moder  of  saynt  Lewes,  &  other  good  womera  loued  for  theyr 
virtues.'  Lastly,  that  women  are  not  by  nature  *  scarce  and 
covetouse '  as  witness  '  the  ryche  lady,  &  lyberall,  Buyse  ;  and 
pryncesses  &  ladyes  of  Eraunce  '  (cap.  67). 

The  Third  Part '  speketh  howe  &  by  whome  the  hyghe  batyl- 
mentes  of  the  towres  of  the  Cyte  of  Ladyes  were  perfourraed  /  & 
what  noble  ladyes  were  chosen  for  to  dwelle  in  the  hyghe  &  grete 
palays  and  hyghe  dongeons.'  They  are  the  chief  Women-Saints, 
described  by  the  lady  Justice :  Mary, '  quene  of  heuen ;  the  systers 
of  oure  Lady,  Mary  Magdaleyne,  saynt(s)  Katheryne,  Margarete, 
Luce  (of  Eome),  Martyne,  Luce  (of  Syracuse),  Justyne  &  other 
vyrgynes,  the  blessyd  Theodosyne,  Barbara,  Dorothe,  Christine ; 
also  dyuers  sayntes  whiche  sawe  theyr  chyldren  martyred  before 
them ;  also  saynt  Maryne  the  vyrgyne,  Eutrosyne,  Anastase  &  her 
felawes,'  and  among  the  others,  the  iij.  systers  vyrgynes,  Agappe, 
Thyonne,  Hyrene  (x.  6,  back)  ;  saynt  Theodore,  the  noble  Athalye 
(or  Natalye),  saynt  Afire,'  and  '  dyuers  noble  ladyes  whiche  serued 
&  herboured  the  apostles  &  other  dyuers  say«tes'  (cap.  18). 
Lastly, '  in  the  ende  of  this  boke  Christine  speketh  to  the  Ladyes,' 
telling  them  that '  nowe  is  our  Cyte  well  accheued  and  made 
parfyte  .  .  that  ihe  matter  wherof  it  is  made  is  all  of  vertue,' 
exhorting  them  to  be  humble,  obedient,  chaste,  and  pure,  guarding 
themselves  against  the  wiles  of  men,  who  strive  to  snare  them  '  as 
one  dothe  to  take  wylde  beestes ': — 

And  thus  that  it  please  you,  my  ryght  redoubted  ladyes,  to  drawe  to  th* 
vertues,  and  flee  vyces,  to  encrease  and  isulteplye  our  Cyte  /  and  ye  to  reioyce 
in  well  doynge.  And  me,  your  seruaunt,  to  be  recommended  vnto  you  i^ 
praynge  god,  whiche  by  his  grace  in  this  worlde  graunte  me  for  to  lyue  /  and 
perseuer  in  his  holy  seruyce  /  and  at  the  ende  to  be  pyteous  to  my  grete 
defautea  /  and  graimte  bothe  vnto  you  and  me  the  loye  whiche  end'ure[th] 
eueimore.    Amen.    (J  .  Finis. 


Notes  to  Forewords.  clxxxi 

Surely  a  good  book  for  Captain  Cox  and  Eobert  Laneham  to 
have.  Let  us  believe  that  it  was  the  Captain's  Castle  of  Ladiez. 
Its  colophon,  under  a  woodcut  of  two  women,  and  between  bor- 
ders, is  "  (J  Here  endeth  the  thyrde  and  the  last  partye  of  the 
boke  of  the  Cyte  of  Ladyea.  (J  Imprynted  at  London  in  Poules 
chyrchyarde  at  the  sygne  of  the  Trynyte  by  Henry  Pepwell.  In 
the  yere  of  our  lorde  .M.  CCCCC.  xxj.  The  .xxvj.  day  of  October. 
And  the  .xij.  yere  of  the  reygne  of  our  souerayne  lorde  kynge 
Henry  the  .viij."  On  the  back  of  the  leaf  is  Pepwell's  mono- 
gram, a  large  woodcut  of  the  Trinity,  with  elaborate  borders  all 
round. 

Page  Ixxxv.  The  Ship  of  Foolz. — Mr.  "W.  Paterson  of  Princes 
St.,  Edinburgh,  announces  as  in  preparation  a  reprint  of  Alexander 
Barclay's  Shyp  of  Fooles  from  Pynson's  edition  of  1509,  with 
Introduction,  Notes,  and  Glossary  by  T.  H.  Jamieson,  and  112 
Woodcuts  reproduced  in  facsimile  from  the  Basle  edition  in  Latin 
of  1497,  by  John  T.  Eeid,  Artist.  (P.S.  I  am  dismayed  to  see 
that  Warton  in  his  Sistory  of  English  Poetry  (§  28,  vol.  iii. 
p.  193,  ed.  Hazlitt,  etc.,  1871)  has  made  the  same  extract  from 
The  Ship  of  Fools  that  I  have.  The  Book-Pool  tempted  both 
Warton  and  me.) 

Page  cxxviii,  note  ^ — Here  follows  the  moralized  "  Com  ouer 
the  Boorne,  Besse,"  from  Ritson's  MS,  which  he  gave  to  the 
British  Museum. 

[Addit.  MS.  6666,  leaf  143  back,] 

Come  oner  Y  burne,  besse, 

])ou  lytyll  pr«ty  besse ! 

com  ouer  the  burne,  besse,  to  me  ! 

The  burne  is  fis  worlde  blywde 

&  besse  is  ma«kynde ; 

so  propyr  I  can  none  fynde  as  she. 

she  dauncys  &  lepys, 

&  crist  sto«dys  &  clepys : 

cum  ouer  the  burne,  besse,  to  me  ! 
Cnm  oxxer  the  burne,  besse, 
J)ou  lytyll  praty  besse, 
cum  ouer  the  burne,  besse,  to  me ! 

The  original  (says  Mr.  Chappell)  is  "A  Songe  betwene  the 
Queues  Majestic  and  England,"  a  duet  between  England  and 
Queen  Elizabeth,  under  the  name  of  Bessy.     Each  stanza  consists 


clxxxii  -  Notes  to  Forewords. 

of  four  lines,  and  they  are  marked  alternately  E.  and  B.     The 
first  verse  is : 

"  B.  Come  over  the  born,  Bessy,  come  over  the  born,  Bessy, 
Swete  Bessy  come  over  to  me, 
And  I  shal  the  take,  and  my  dere  Lady  make, 
Before  all  other  that  ever  I  see." 

23  verses.  "Finis,  q.  "Wylliam  Birche."  "Imprinted  at  Lon- 
don by  William  Pickeringe,  dwellyng  under  Saynt  Magnus 
Church."  A  copy  in  the  library  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries. 
See  Catalogue  of  Broadsides,  p.  17. 

Page  cxxxii.  Sagford  and  the  Gaxton  Prognostication. — "  Bag- 
ford's  collection  of  printed  Titles  etc.  (although  mostly  stolen 
from  the  Univ.  Lib.  Camb.  and  elsewhere)  is  certainly  of  value. 
His  MS.  Titles,  and  his  remarks  about  Caxton  and  other  printers, 
serve,  as  Dibdiu  truly  said,  only  to  mislead.  His  '  prodnostica- 
tion,'  printed  by  Caxton,  1493,  is  all  fudge,  like  many  other  works 
he  attributed  to  the  same  printer." — "William  Blades. 

P.  xxii,  No.  lY.  Bem/s  of  Hampton. — A  shilling  abstract  in 
modern  prose,  The  Romance  of  Sir  Bevis  of  S.  ITamtoim,  Newly 
done  into  English  Prose  from  the  Metrical  Version  of  the  Auchin- 
lech  MS,  hy  Eustace  H.  Jones  has  just  been  '  publisht  by  H.  M. 
Grilbert  xxxvij  Bernard  St.  and  A.  Handle  cxxxix  &  cxl  High  St. 
Southampton.'  Mr.  Jones  doesn't  know  much  about  Early 
English,  but  his  book  may  be  bandy  to  many  who  can't  get  at 
the  original. 

P.  cxlii,  No.  14.  Sercules. — In  Lilly's  Sale  Catalogue  (Sotheby's, 
1871)  p.  139  is  this  entry:  "1313.  Hercules.  The  Birthe  of  Her- 
cules. A  Comedye.  Manuscript  of  the  XVIth  Century,  with 
directions  for  the  actors  in  Latin  and  English  on  margins.  Ssec. 
xvi  {circa  1595).  In  all  probability  this  is  the  first  part  of  Mar- 
tin Slaughter's  Play  of  Hercules,  said  to  have  been  acted  in  1598 
by  the  Lord  Admiral's  Servants,  but  of  which  no  copy  is  now 
known." 


A   LETTER: 

SEfiearin,  part  of  ttie  entertain^ 
ment  trntoo  tfje  (^ntmt  JKaicstg, 

Et  ^illingiuxjorth  (Eastl,  in  SEattoik  §i\\tzt 

in  this  ,S0omer5  ^voqxz8b  1575.  iz 

BiQwifitb  :  fxom  a  fxzznb  ofSiczx 

att^iant  in  the  (Exrxmrt,  tontxr 

hi^  ixzznb  a  (Eiti^en, 

anb  JEerrhannt 

jjf  ^irniimt. 

DE  REGINA  NOSTRA  ILLVSTRISSIMA. 

Z)um  laniata  ruat  vicina  ah  Regna  tumiiltu  : 
Lceta  suos  inter  genialibtis  ILLA  diebus, 
{Gratia  Dijs)fruitur :  Rupantur  6^  ilia  Codro. 


VNTOO    MY    GOOD    FBEEND,     MA- 

ster  Humfrey  Martin,  Mercer. 

AFter  my  liartie  commendacionz,  I  commende  mee  hartily 
too  yoo.  Vnderstande  yee,  that  sins  throogh  God  & 
good  freends,  I  am  placed  at  Coourt  heer  (as  yee  wot)  in 
a  woorshipfulP  room :  whearby  I  am  not  onlie  acquainted 
with  the  most,  and  well  knoen  too  the  best,  and  euery 
officer  glad  of  my  company :  but  also  haue  poour,  a  dayz, 
(while  the  Councell  sits  not,)  to  go  and  too  see  things 
sight  worthy,  and  too  bee  prezent  at  any  sheaw  or  spectacl, 
only  whear  this  Progresse  reprezented  vnto  her  highness : 
And  of  part  of  which  sportez,  hauing  takin  sum  notez  and 
obseruationz,  (for  I  can  not  bee  idl  at  ony  hand  in  the 
world,)  az  well  too  put  fro  me  suspition  of  sluggardy,  az  too 
pluk  from  yoo  doout  of  ony  my  forgetfulnes  of  freendship  : 
I  haue  thought  it  meet  too  impart  them  vntoo  yoo,  az 
frankly,  az  freendly,  and  az  fully  az  I  can.  Well  wot  yee 
the  blak  Prins''  waz  neuer  stained  with  disloyaltee  of  ingra- 
[-#  2  1  titude  towarde  ony  :  I*  dare  bee  his  warrant  hee 
will  not  beginne  with  yoo,  that  hath  at  hiz  hand  so 
deeply  dezerued. 

Bub  lieerin,  the  better  for  conceyuing  of  my  minde,  and 
instruction  of  yoors,  ye  must  gyue  mee  leaue  a  littl,  az  well 
to  preface  vntoo  my  matter,  az  to  discoors  sumwhat  of  Kil- 
lyngwoorth  Castl.  A  Territory  of  the  right  honorabl,  my 
singular  good  Lord,  my  Lord  the  Earl  of  Leyceter  :  of  whooz 
incomparabl  cheeryng  and  enterteynment  thear  vntoo  her 
Maiesty  noow,  I  will  shew  yoo  a  part  heer,  that  coold  not 
see  all ;  nor  had  I  seen  all,  coold  well  report  the  hallf :  Whear 
thynges,  for  the  parsons,  for  the  place,  time,  cost,  deuisez, 
straungnes,  and  aboundauns,  of  all  that  euer  I  sawe  (and  yet 
haue  I  been,  what  vnder  my  Master  Bomsted,  and  what  on 
my  oun  affayres,  whyle  I  occupied  Merchaundize,  both  in 
Frauns  and  Flaunders  long  and  many  a  day,)  I  saw  none 
ony  where  so  memorabl,  I  tell  you  plain. 

'  Orig.  worwipfuU. 

*  Laneham.     See  his  signature,  El  Prencipe  Negro  at  the  end.     Perhaps  the 
gn  of  his  shop. — /.  S.  Burn,  1821. 

B 


2  ~       Kenihvorth  Castle  described. 

Killin"--  '^^^^   Castl  liath  name  of  Killingwoorth,  but  of 

woorth        trutli  grounded  vppon  feythfull  storie,Kenelwoortli. 
Castl.  It  stonds  in  WarwykshyrOj  a  Ixxiiii.  myle  north- 

west from  London,  and  az  it  wear  in  the  Nauell  of 
L'TP-  -J  Englandef,  foure  myle  sumwhat  south  from  Couen- 
tree,  (a  proper  Cittee,)  and  a  lyke  distauns  fromWarwyk,  a 
fayre  Sheere  Toun  on  the  North  :  In  ayr  sweet  and  hollsum, 
raised  on  an  eazy  mounted  hill,  iz  sette  eeuenlie  coasted  with 
the  froont  straight  intoo  the  East,  hath  the  tenaunts  and 
Tooun  about  it,  that  pleasantly  shifts  from  dale  too  Hyll, 
sundry  whear  wyth  sweet  Springs  bursting  foorth :  and  iz 
so  plentifullie  well  sorted  on  euery  side,  intoo  arabl,  meado, 
pasture,  wood,  water,  &  good  ayrz,  az  it  appeerz  to  haue 
need  of  nothing  that  may  perteyn  too  lining  or  pleazure. 
Too  auauntage^  hath  it,  hard  on  the  West,  still  nourisht  with 
many  liuely  Springs,  a  goodly  Pool  of  rare  beauty,  bredth, 
length,  deapth,  and  store  of  all  kinde  freshwaterfish,  delicat, 
great,  and  fat,  and  also  of  wildfooul  byside.  By  a  rare  situa- 
cion  and  natural  amitee  seemz  this  Pool  conioynd  to  the 
Castlz,  that  on  the  West  layz  the  head  (az  it  wear)  vpon  the 
Castlz  boosom,  embraceth  it  on  either  side,  Soouth  [a]nd 
North,  with  both  the  armz,  settlz  it  self  az  in  a  reach  a  flight- 
shoot  brode",  stretching  foorth  body  and  legs  a  myle  or  too 
Westward  :  between  a  fayre  Park  on  the  one  side,  which  by 
i-t  .,  the  §Braiz^  is  linked  too  the  castl  on  the  South, 
sprinckled  at  the  entrauns  with  a  feaw  Coonyez,  that 
for  colour  and  smallnes  of  number  seem  too  bee  suffered 
more  for  pleasure  then  commoditee :  And  on  the  oother 
side.  North  and  West,  a  goodlie  Chase  :  wast,  wyde,  large, 
and  full  of  red  Deer  and  oother  statelie  gamez  for  hunting : 
beautified  with  manie  delectabl,  fresh  &  vmbragioous 
Boow  [r]  z,  Arberz,  Seatz,  and  walks,  that  with  great  art,  cost, 
&  diligens,  wear  very  pleazauntly  appointed  :    which  also 

*  Orig.  anauntage. 

^  This  passage  may  have  two  significations :  One  derived  from  the  same 
expression  which  Laneham  uses  when  speaking  of  the  fire-works  (p.  12),  in 
which  place  it  is  understood  to  mean  a  flying  shot,  or  one  discharged  fi'om  a 
mortar.  The  other  .  .  supposing  that  a  flight  signified  a  small  arrow ;  in  con- 
tradistinction to  shafts,  quarrels,  bolts,  and  piles.  The  latter  of  these  is,  how- 
ever, the  most  probahle.as  the  pool  itself  was  not  more  than  300  ft.  in  breadth. 
—Burn,  p.  94;  Nichols,  i.  427  (edit.  1823). 

^  The  old  niilitary  word  for  an  outwork  defended  by  palisades,  with  watch- 
towers  at  intervals,  to  protect  sentinels.  See  Le  Due,  under  braie. — E.  H. 
Knowles.  The  Park  at  Kenilworth  was  separated  from  the  Castle  on  the 
8outli  side  by  a  part  of  the  pool. — Burn,  p.  94  ;  Nichols,  i.  427. 


Kc3^ 


The  History  of  Kenilworth  Castle.  3 

the  naturall  grace  by  tlie  tall  and  fresh  fragrant  treez  & 
soil  did  so  far  foorth  commetidj  az  Diana  her  selfe  might  haue 
deyned  thear  well  enough  too  raunge  for  her  pastime.  The 
leaft  arme  of  this  pool  Northward,  had  my  Lorde  adooourned 
with  a  beautifull  bracelet  of  a  fayr  tymbred  bridge^,  that  iz 
of  xiiii.  foot  wide,  and  a  six  hundred  foot  long  :  railed  all  on 
both  sidez,  strongly  planked  for  passage,  reaching  from  the 
Chase  too  the  Castl :  that  thus  in  the  midst  hath  clear  pro- 
spect ouer  theez  pleasurz  on  the^  backpart :  and  forward, 
ouer  all  the  Toun,  and  mooch  of  the  Countree  beside.  Heer- 
too,  a  speciall  commoditee  at  hand  of  sundrie  quarreiz  of 
large  building  stone,  the  goodnes  whearof  may  the  ||eazlyar 
i-..  ^  -,  be  iudged  in  the  bilding  and  auncienty  of  the 
Castl,  that  (az  by  the  name  &  by  storiez,  well  may 
be  gathered)  waz  first  reared  by  Kenulph,  and  hiz  young 
sun  and  successor  Kenelm^ :  born  both  indeed 
fo°22i°&  "^it^i^  t^6  Ream  heer,  but  yet  of  the  race  of 
225.  Saxons  :  and  reigned  kings  of  Marchlond  from  the 

yeer  of  oour  Lord  .798.  too  .23.  yeerz  toogyther, 
aboue  770.  yeer  ago.  Although  the  Castl  hath  one  aun- 
cient,  strong  and  large  Keep,  that  iz  called  Ceazarz  Tour, 
rather  (az  I  haue  good  cauz  to  think)  for  that  it  iz 
mesb  li^l"  square  and  hye  foormed,  after  the  maner  of  Cezarz 
Fortz,  then  that  euer  he  bylt  it. 

Nay,  noow  I  am  a  littl  in.  Master  Martin,  ile  tell  you  all. 

This  Marchlond,  that  Storyerz  call  Mercia,  iz  numbred  in 
their  bookes,  the  foourth*  of  the  seauen  Kingdomes  that  the 
Saxans  had  whilom  heer  diuided  among  them  in  the  Ream. 
Began  in  Anno  Domi.  616.  139.  yeer  after  Horsins^  and 
Engist  continued  in  the  race  of  a  17.  Kings  a  .249.  yeer 
togyther :  and  ended  in  Ann.  875.  Reyzed  from  the  rest 
(sayz  the  book)  at  first  by  Pendaz  prezumption^ :  ouerthroun  at 

*  See  Notes  at  the  end. 

"  Orig.  &. 

3  This  is  all  gammon.  "  Sir  WiUiam  Dugdale  says,  that  the  land  on  which 
the  Castle  is  situate  was  given  by  King  Henry  I.  to  a  Norman,  named  Geoffry 
de  Clinton,  his  Lord  Chamberlain  and  Treasurer,  by  whom  tlae  building  was 
first  erected." — Note  in  Gascoigne's  Frinc.  Pleas,  ed.  1821,  p.  81. 

•*  Robert  Manning  of  Brunne  makes  it  the  sixth  : — 

\>e  syxte  was  Merce,  now  ys  Lyndeseye, 
J^e  hed  toun  l^er  to  Lyncokie  laj'. 
Stori  oflnglande,  1.  14761-2,  vol.  ii.  p.  512,  ed.  1871,  F.  J.  F 

^  Another  copy  reads  'Horsus,'  rectius  Horsa. — Nichols,  1788,  i.  428. 
^  See  Notes  at  the  end. 

B   2 


4  Of  Mercia.     The  meaning  of  -worth. 

last  by  Buthreds  Hascardy^,  and  so  fel  to  the  kingdoom  of 
the  West  Saxons. 

*And  Marchlond  had  in  it,  London,  Mildelsex, — 
Mercia  heerin  aBishoprik ; — Had  more  of  Shyrez^ :  Gloceter, 
Woorceter,  and  Warwik, — and  heerin  a  Bishop- 
rik ; — Chester  (that  noow  we  call  Chesshyre),  Darby,  and 
Staffoord, — whervntoo  one  Bishop,  that  had  also  part  of  War- 
wik and  Shrewsbery,  and  hiz  See  at  Couentree,  that  waz  then 
aforetime  at  Lychfeeld. — Heertoo :  Hereford,  (wherin  a 
Bishoprik,  that  had  more  too  iurisdiction,  half  Shreusbury, 
part  of  Warwik,  and  also  of  Gloceter,  and  the  See  at  Here- 
ford;)— Also  had  Oxford,  Buckingham,  Hertford,  Hunting- 
don, and  halfe  of  Bedford,  and  too  theez,  Northampton^,  part 
of  Lecyter  and  also  Lincoln,  (whearvnto  a  Bisshop,  whoz  See 
at  Lincoln  Citee,  that  sumtime  before  waz  at  Dorchester.) 
Heerto,  the  rest  of  Leyceter  &  in  Nottingham,  that  of  olid 
had  a  speciall  Bishop,  whooz  See  waz  at  Leyceter,  but  after, 
put  to  the  charge  of  the  Archbishop  of  Yorke. 

Noow  touching  the  name,  that  of  olid  Kecordes  I  vnder- 
stand,  and  of  auncient  writers  I  finde,  iz  calld  Kenelworth. 
Syns  most  of  the  Worths  in  England  stand  ny  vntoo  like 
lakez,  and  ar  eyther  small  Ilandz,  such  one  az  the  seat  of  this 
r ,  -  -1  fCastl  hath  been,  &  eazly  may  bee,  or  is  londground 
V  on  Tacit  ^  P^^^  ^^ riuer,  whearon  willoz,  alderz,  or  suchlike 
fol.  142.  doo  gro  :  which  Althamerus*  writez  precizely  that 
The  Ger-  the  Germains  cal  Werd  :  loyning  these  too  togither, 
mains  call  ^^.j^  ^j^g  nighness  allso  of  the  woords,  and  svbred^ 
werfc,  that       i^ii.x  iiit  i 

we  woork.   01  the  toongs,  i  am  the  bolder  to  pronoouns,  that 

Werlt :        az  our  English  Woorth,^  with  the  rest  of  our  aun- 
woor  d.       cient  langage,  waz  leafb  vs  "  from  the  Germains  : 

*  Hask,  harsh,  Line. :  Bailey.  '  Hask,  coarse,  harsh,  rough ' :  Brockett. 
'  An  Haskarde,  proletarius,  ignobilis ' :  Levins.  '  Haskerde,  a  rough  fellow ' : 
Bekher.   '  Vilane  hastarddis '  [/o>-  hascarddis].    Percy's  Eel.  p.  25. — Balliwell. 

2  See  these  (save  Middlesex  and  Hertford)  in  English  of  ab.  1300  a.d.  in 
the  Life  of  St.  Kenelm,  in  my  Early  Eiiglish  Poems  and  Lives  of  Saints,  p.  48-9, 
1.  21-42.    Mercia  is  there  called  '  >e  march  of  Wales.' 

•^  Orig.  Norhnmpton. 

*  Andrew  Althamer,  a  Lutheran  ministei  of  Nuremberg,  who  lived  about 
1560 ;  he  wrote  several  controversial  works,  and  some  valuable  notes  on 
Tacitus,  from  which  the  passage  in  the  text  is  taken.  See  Bictionnaire  Universel. 
• — Burn,  p.  95  ;  Nichols,  i.  429. 

'  A.  Sax.  sibrceden,  consanguinity. 

"  The  termination  Worth,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  text  to  signify  land 
situate  by  water,  is  more  properly  derived  from  the  Saxon  pop's,  a  court  or 
farm ;  and  hence  the  place  was  originally  denominated  Kenelm'a  Worth,  or 
the  Court  of  Kenelm. — Burn,  p.  95 ;  Nichols,  i,  429. 


Caesar's  Tower,  Kenilworth  Castle. 


July  9,  1575.     Queen  Elizabeth  arrives  at  Kenilworth.     5 


Wermut:  eeuoii  SO  tliiit  tlioir  Word  and  our  Woorth  is  all 

woorm-  one  tiling  in  sign  [i]  fiauns,  common  too  vs  both,  een 

'viei^eH°  ^^  ^^^^^  ^''^^'         ^         *^°  ^^^^  ^^  clecr,  that  I  say 

So  much  not  az  mooch  as  I  moought.     Thus  proface  yo^  with 

woorth.  the  Preface.     And  noow  to  the  matter. 


ON  Saterday  the  nyenth  of  luly,  at  long  Ichington,  a  Toun 
and  Lordship  of  my  Lord's,  within  a  seauen^  myle  of 
Killingworth,  hiz  honor  made  her  Maiesty  great  cheer  at 
Dinner,  and  pleazaunt  pastime  in  hunting  by  the  wey  after, 
that  it  was  eight  a  clock  in  tliQ  euening  ear  her  highness 
came  too  Killingwoorth.  Whear,  in  the  Park,  about  a  flight- 
shoot  from  the  Brayz,  &  first  gate  of  the  Castl,  one  of  tliQ 
J..,   J  ten  Sibills,  that  (wee  reed)  wear  all  Fatidicse  and 

Theobula3§,  (az  partiez  and  priuy  too  the  Godsgra- 
'-^^'  '^  cious  good  wilz,)  cumly  clad  in  a  palP  of  white  sylk, 
pronounced  a  proper  poezi  in  English  rime  and  meeter* :  of 
effect,  hoow  great  gladnesse  her  goodnesse  prezenze^  brought 
into  euerie  steed^  whear  it  pleazed  her  too  cum,  and  speciall 
now  into  that  place  that  had  so  long  longed  after  the  same  : 
ended  with  prophesie  certain,  of  mooch  and  long  prospe- 
ritee,  health,  and  felicitee  :  this,  her  Maiestie  beningly  ac- 
cepting7,  passed  fooorth  vntoo  the  next  gate  of  the  Brayz, 
which  (for  the  length,  largenes  and  vse,  az  well  it  may  so 
Th  P  t  serue,)  they  call  noow  the  Tyltyard,  whear  a  Porter, 
tall  of  person,  big  of  lim,  &  steam  of  coounti- 
nauns,  wrapt  also  all  in  silke,  with  a  club  &  keiz  of  quanti- 


1  That  is,  'I.' 

^  Another  copy  erroneously  states  this  town  to  he  only  three  miles  distant 
from  Kenilworth.  In  Dr.  Thomas's  edition  of  Dugdale's  Warwic/cshiri; 
Lond.  1730,  vol.  i.  p.  346,  it  is  related  that  at  the  period  mentioned  in  the 
text,  "  the  Earl  of  Leicester  gave  the  Queen  a  glorious  entertainment  here,  in 
her  passage  to  Kenilworth  Castle,  erecting  a  tent  of  extraordinary  largeness 
for  that  purpose,  the  pins  helonging  whereto  amounted  to  seven  cart-loads ;  by 
which  the  magnificence  thereof  may  be  guessed  at."  Laneham  also  subse- 
quently notices  this  circumstance,  when  speaking  of  the  preparations  for  tho 
Queen's  reception  at  Kenilworth  (p.  66  below). — Burn,  p.  96  (from  Nichols's 
first  edition  of  1788,  vol.  i.  p.  5) ;  Nichols,  ed.  1823,  vol.  i.  p.  429. 

^  A  long  and  large  upper  mantle  was  denominated  a  pall,  from  the  Latin 
pallium,  or  palla,  a  cloak.  The  great  mantle  worn  by  the  Knights  of  the 
Garter,  is  by  ancient  writers  caMe^  pallium. — Burn,  p.  95  ;  Nichols,  i.  430. 

■*  These  verses,  written  by  Mr.  Hunnis,  Master  of  Queen  Elizabeth's 
Chapel,  are  the  first  in  Gascoigne's  Frincely  Pleasures,  p.  3-4,  ed.  1821. 

*  Another  copy  reads  "gracious  presence." — Nichols,  i.  430. 

*  Stead  is  from  the  Saxon  Stede,  a  room  or  place.  See  Somner. — Burn, 
p.  96 ;  Nichols,  L  430.  ^         7  Ori^.  accepning. 


6  The  Porter,  Trumpeters,  and  Lady  of  the  Lake. 

tee  according,  had  a  rough  speech,  full  of  passions,  in 
meeter  aptly  made  to  the  purpose :  whearby  (az  her  high- 
nes  was  cum  within  his  warde)  hee  burst  out  in  a  great 
pang  of  impatiens^  to  see  such  vncooth  trudging  too  and 
fro,  such  riding  in  and  out,  with  such  dyn  and  noiz  of  talk 
within  the  charge  of  his  offis  :  whearof  hee  neuer  saw  the 
like,  nor  had  any  warning  afore,  ne  yet  coold  make  too  him- 
r ,     g  T       selfe  any  cauze  of  the  matter  :  at  last,  vpon  better 

vieu  and  auisementf,  as  hee  preast  too  cum  neerar  : 
confessing  anon  that  hee  found  him  self  pearced  at  the  pre- 
zens  of  a  personage  so  euidently  expressing  an  heroicall  Sou- 
eraintee  ouer  all  the  whole  estates  &  hy  degreez  thear  be- 
syde,  callmd  hiz  stoniz",  proclaims  open  gates  and  free  pas- 
sage to  all,  yeelds  vp  hiz  club,  hiz  keyz^,  hiz  office,  and  all, 
and  on  hiz  kneez  humbly  prayz  pardon  of  hiz  ignorauns  and 

impaciens  :  which  her  highnes  graciouslie  graunt- 
petooux3°^"  ^^^'  ^^  cauzd  hiz  Trumpetoourz  that  stood  vppon 

the  wall  of  the  gate  thear,  too  soound  vp  a  tune  of 
welcum  :  which,  besyde  the  nobl  noyz,  was  so  mooch  the 
more  pleazaunt  too  behold,  becauz  theez  Trumpetoourz, 
beeing  sixe  in  number,  wear  euery  one  an  eight  foot  hye*,  in 
due  proportion  of  parson  besyde,  all  in  long  garments  of 
sylk  sutabl,  eache  with  hiz  syluery  Trumpet  of  a  hue  foot 
long,  foormed  Taperwyse,  and  straight  from  the  vpper  part 
vntoo  the  neather  eend,  whear  the  Diameter  was  a  16. 
ynchez  ouer,  and  yet  so  tempered  by  art,  that  being  very 
eazy  too  the  blast,  they  cast  foorth  no  greater  noyz,  nor  a 
more  vnpleazaunt  soound  for  time  and  tune,  then  any  oother 
r*T)  101      common  Trumpet,    bee    it   neuer   so   artificially* 

foormed.  Theese  armonious  blasterz, — from  the 
foreside  of  the  gate  at  her  highnes  entrauns  whear  they  be- 
gan, walking  vpon  the  wallz,  vntoo  the  inner, — ^liad  this 
mu.zik  mainteined  from  them  very  delectably  while  her  high- 
ness all  along  this  tiltyard  rode  vuto  the  inner  gate  next  the 

base  coourt  of  the  Castl :  where  the  Lady  of  the 
the  Lake     Lake   (famous  in  King  Arthurz  book^)   with  too 

Nymphes  waiting  vppon  her,  arrayed  all  in  sylks, 
attending  her  highness  comming  :  from  the  midst  of  the 
Pool,  whear,  vpon  a  moouabl   Hand,  bright  blazing  with 


'  See  Notes  at  end.  "  Astonishment.  ^  Orig.  heyz. 

••  Sham  ones  with  sham  trumpets,  but  real  men  and  trumpets  behind.     See 
p.  5  of  Gascoigne's  Pr.  Fleas. 


The  Lady  of  the  Lake  receives  the  Queen.   9  July,  1575.     7 

torches,  site,  floting  to  land,  met  her  Maiesty  with  a  well 
penned  meter  and  matter^  after  this  sort :  first  of  the  auu- 
cientee  of  the  Castl, — whoo  had  been  ownerz  of  the  same  een 
till  this  day,  most  allweyz  in  the  hands  of  the  Earls  of 
Leyceter, — hoow  shee  had  kept  this  Lake  sins  king  Arthurz 
dayz,  and  now,  vnderstanding  of  her  highness  hither  cum- 
ming,  thought  it  both  office  and  duetie  in  humbl  wize  to  dis- 
couer  her  and  her  estate :  offering  vp  the  same,  her  Lake 
and  poour  therein,  with  promise  of  repayre  vnto  the  Coourt. 
It  pleozed  her  highness  too  thank  this  Lady,  &  too  ad 
withall,  "  we  had  thought  indeed  the  Lake  had  been  oours, 
P^.  .  J  -,  and  doo  you  ^call  it  yourz  noow  ?  Wei,  we  will 
heerin  common  more  with  yoo  heerafter/* 
This  Pageaunt  waz  clozd  vp  with  a  delectable  harmony  of 
Hautboiz^,  Shalmz^,  Cornets*,  and  such  oother  looud  muzik, 

*  Verses  printed  in  Gascoigne's  Princely  Pleasures,  p.  7-9,  ed.  1821,  and 
'  devised  and  penned  by  M.  Ferrers,  sometime  Lord  of  Misrule  in  the  Court.' 
— Nichols,  i.  431. 

^  Straight  wooden  wind-instruments,  with  holes  down  the  front,  and  conical 
ends,  blown  through  reed  mouthpieces  at  the  top.     See  Notes  at  the  end. 

3  Shalmz.  See  Chappell's  Popular  Music  of  the  Olden  Time,  i.  35,  note  b. 
"  A  very  early  drawing  of  the  Shalm  or  Shawm,  is  in  one  of  the  illustrations 
to  a  copy  of  Froissart,  in  the  Brit.  Mus. — Royal  3£SS.  18  E.  Another  in  Com- 
menius'  Visible  World,  translated  by  Hoole,  1650,  (he  translates  the  Latin 
word  gingras,  shawm,)  from  which  it  is  copied  into  Cavendish's  Life  of  JVolsey, 
edited  by  Singer,  vol.  i.  p.  114,  ed.  1825.  The  modem  clarionet  is  an  improve- 
ment upon  the  shawm,  which  was  played  with  a  quill,  or  reed,  like  the  wayte, 
or  hautboy,  but  being  a  bass  instrument,  with  about  the  compass  of  an  octave, 
had  probably  more  the  tone  of  a  bassoon.  It  was  used  on  occasions  of  state. 
'  What  stately  music  have  you  ?  You  have  shawms  ?  Ralph  plays  a  stately 
part,  and  he  must  needs  have  shawms.' — Knight  of  the  Burning  Pestle.  Drayton 
speaks  of  it  as  shrill-toned  :  'E'en  from  the  shrillest  shawm,  unto  the  coma- 
mute.' — Polyolbion,  vol.  iv.  p.  376.  I  conceive  the  shrillness  to  have  arisen 
from  over-blowing,  or  else  the  following  quotation  will  appear  contradic- 
tory :— 

'  A  Shawme  maketh  a  swete  sounde,  for  he  tunythe  the  basse. 
It  mountithe  not  to  bye,  but  kepithe  rule  and  space. 
Yet  yf  it  be  blown  withe  to  vehement  a  wynde. 
It  makithe  it  to  mysgoverne  out  of  his  kynde.' 
"  This  is  one  of  the  '  proverbis '  that  were  written  about  the  time  of  Henry  VII. , 
on  the  walls  of  the  Manor  House  at  Leckingfield,  near  Beverley,  Yorkshire, 
anciently  belonging  to  the  Percys,  Earls  of  Northumberland,  but  now  de- 
stroyed.   There  were  other  proverbs  relating  to  music  and  musical  instru- 
ments   (harp,   lute,   recorder,  claricorde,  clarysymballis,  virgynalls,  clarion, 
organ,  singing,  and  musical  notation),  and  the  inscribing  them  on  the  walls 
adds  another  to  the  numberless  proofs  of  the  estimation  in  which  the  art  was 
held.    A  manuscript  copy  of  them  is  preserved  in  MS.  Bibl.  Eeg.  18,  D.  11, 
Brit.  Mus." 

*  Among  Henry  VIII. 's  instruments  were  "  Gitteron  Pipes  of  ivory  or 
wood,  called  Cornets,"  The  Cornet  described  by  Mersenne  (the  French  writer 
on  musical  instruments)  is  of  a  bent  shape  like  the  segment  of  a  large  circle 


8  The  7  presents  of  the  7  Gods  and  Goddesses 

that  held  on  while  her  Maiestie  pleazaunbly  so  passed  from 
thence  toward  the  Castl  gate  :  whearunto,  from  the  baze 
Coourt,  ouer  a  dry  valley  cast  into  a  good  foorm,  waz  thear 
framed  a  fayre  Bridge  of  a  twentie  foot  wide^  and 
Driage.  ^  geauenty  foot  long^  graueld  for  treading,  railed 
Seauen  pair  on  either  part  with  seaue?t  posts  on  a  side,  that 
of  posts.  stood  a  twelue  foot  a  sunder,  thikned  betweene  with 
well  proportioned  Pillars  turnd. 

Vpon  the  first  payr  of  posts  were  set  too  cumly  square 

wyre  cagez,  each  a  three  foot  long,  too  foot  wide  and  hy  : 

in  them,  line  Bitters,  Curluz,  Shoouelarz,  Hearsheawz^,  God- 

witz,  and  such  like  deinty  Byrds,  of  the  prezents  of 

^JeSr     Syluanus,  the  God  of  foul. 

On  the  second  payr,  too  great  Syluerd  Bollz, 
featly  apted  too  the  purpoze,  filde  with  Applz,  Pearz,  Oher- 
riz,  Filberdz,  Walnuts,  fresh  vpon  their  braunchez,  and  with 
Oringes,  Poungarnets^,  Lemmanz,  and  Pipinz,  all  for  the 
Pomona,  giftz  of  Pomona,  Goddes  of  frui[t]ez. 
ftp.  12.1  '^^^  third  pair  of  posts,  in  too  such  syluerdf  Bollz, 
had  (all  in  earz,  green  and  old)  Wheat,  Barly, 
Ceres.  3.      Ootz,  Beanz,  and  Peaz,  az  the  gifts  of  Ceres. 

The  fom'th  Post  on  the  leaft  hand,  in  a  like  syluered  Boll, 
had  Grapes  in  Clusters,  whyte  and  red,  gracified  with  their 
Vine  leauez :  the  match  post  against  it  had  a  payree  of 
great  whyte  syluer  lyuery  Pots  for  wyne  :  and  before  them 
two  glassez  of  good  capacitie  filld  full :  the  ton  with  whyte 
Wine,  the  two  other  with  claret :  so  fresh  of  cooler,  and  of 
looke  so  lonely  smiling  to  the  eyz  of  many,  that  by  my  feith 
mee  thought  by  their  leering  they  could  haue  foound  in 
their  harts  (az  the  euening  was  hot)  to  haue  kist  them  sweet- 
lie,  and  thought  it  no  sin  :  and  theez  for  the  potencial  pre- 
Bacchus.  4.  zents  of  Bacchus  the  God  of  wine. 

The  fift  payr  had,  each  a  fair  large  trey  streawd 
a  littP  with  fresh  grass,  and  in  them,  Coonger*,  Burt^,  Mullet, 

gradually  tapering  from  the  bottom  to  the  mouthpiece.  The  cornet  was  of  a 
loud  sound,  but  in  skilful  hands  could  be  modulated  so  as  to  resemble  the 
tones  of  the  human  voice. —  Ghappell,  i.  248,  note  a :  see  also  p.  631. 

'  Bitterns,  curlews,  shovellers,  heronshaws  (or  herons).      '^  Pomegranates. 

3  Nichols,  copying  a  Bodleian  edition,  leaves  out '  a  littl :'  ed.  1788,  vol.  i.  p.  9. 

*  Conger  is  nothing  but  a  sea-eele,  of  a  white,  sweet,  and  fatty  flesh :  little 
Congers  are  taken  in  great  plenty  in  the  Severn,  betwixt  G-locester  and 
Tewkesbury,  bvit  the  great  ones  keep  onely  in  the  salt  seas,  which  are  whiter- 
flesht  and  more  tender. — Dr.  Bonnet's  ed.  of  Muflett's  Healths  Improvement, 
p.  149. 

*  Fr.  Limaude,  f.  A  Burt  or  Bret  fish. — Cotgrave.   '  Ehomhi.  Turbuts  . .  some 


to  Queen  Elizabeth,  on  the  Bridge.     9  July,  1575.        9 

fresh  Herring,  Oisters,  Samoiij  Creuis^,  and  such  like^  from 

jfg^^_       NeptunuSj  Grod  of  the  Sea. 

nu8.  5.  On  the  sixth  payr  of  Posts  wear  set  two  ragged 

stauez^  of  syluer,  as  my  Lord  giuez  them  in  armz, 
beautifully  glittering  of  armour  thereupon  depending,  Bowz, 
r .  j3  1  Arroz,  Spearz,  Sheeld,  Head  pees.  Gorget,  Corse- 
Mars  6       flets,  Swoords,  Targets,  and  such  like,  for  Mars 

gifts,  the  God  of  war.  And  the  aptlyer  (me  thought) 
waz  it  that  thooz  ragged  staues  supported  theez  Martiall 
prezents,  as  well  becauz  theez  staues  by  their  tines^  seem 
naturallie  meete  for  the  bearing  of  armoour,  as  also  that 
they  chiefly  in  this  place  might  take  vpon  them  principall 
protection  of  her  highnes  Parson,  that  so  benignly  pleazed 
her  to  take  herb  our. 

On  the  seauenth  Posts*,  the  last  and  next  too  the  Castl, 
wear  thear  pight^,  too  faer  Bay  braunchez  of  a  fourfoot  hy, 
adourned  on  all  sides  with  Lutes,  VioUz,  Shallmz*,  Cornets, 

Flutes,  Recorders'^  and  Harpes,  as  the  prezents  of 
oe  us.  7.  piiQgbus,  the  God  of  Muzik,  for  reioysing  the  mind, 
and  also  of  Phizik,  for  health  to  the  body. 

call  the  Sea-Pheasant .  .  whilst  they  be  young  .  .  they  are  called  Butts'-^ 
Muffett,  p.  173,  in  Babees  Book,  p.  167,  and  see  p.  231  ib. 

1  Crayfish,  or  crab.     See  Babees  Book,  pp.  158,  159,  166,  174,  216,  231,  281. 

2  The  Kagged  Staff  was  the  well-known  badge  of  the  house  of  the  king- 
maker Warwick. — See  my  FoUtical  Meligious  and  Love-Foems  (E.  E.  Text  Soc. 
1866)  p.  xii  and  3  :— 

An  R.  for  )>c  Raged  staf  ]»at  no  man  may  askape  ; 
from  Scotlonde  to  Calles  )»erof  they  stonde  in  awe ; 
he  is  a  stafe  of  stedfastnes  bothe  erly  and  latte 
To  chastes  siche  kaytifes  as  don  against  j^e  lawe. 

Also  the  passage  there  quoted  from  the  Cotton  Rolls,  ii.  23,  in  Wright's  Poli- 
tieal  Songs,  Rolls  Series,  vol.  ii.  p.  222 : — 

The  Bere  (Warwik)  is  bound  that  was  so  wild, 
flFor  he  hath  lost  his  ragged  staffe. 

Elizabeth's  entertainer.  Sir  Robert  Dudley,  K.G.,  Earl  of  Leicester,  was  the 
younger  son  of  John  Dudley,  19th  Earl  of  Warwick,  created  Duke  of  Northum- 
berland, 11th  Oct.  1551,  K.G.  attainted  and  beheaded  1553. — Nicolas' s  Peer- 
age, p.  369,  678. 

^  tines,  short  pricks  of  an  antler,  prongs  of  a  fork.  ''  t.  i.  pair  of  posts. 

^  Pitched,  placed:  pret.  oipicchen  to  pitch,  fix.  ^  See  note,  p.  7. 

7  See  "The  Genteel  Companion  for  the  Recorder,"  by  Humphery  Salter, 
1683.  Recorders  and  (English)  Flutes  are  to  outward  appearance  the  same, 
although  Lord  Bacon,  in  his  Natural  History,  cent.  iii.  sec.  221,  says  the  Re- 
corder hath  a  less  bore,  and  a  greater  above  and  below.  The  number  of  holes 
for  the  fingers  is  the  same,  and  the  scale,  the  compass,  and  the  manner  of 
playing,  the  same.  Salter  describes  the  recorder  from  which  the  instrument 
derives  its  name,  as  situate  in  the  upper  part  of  it,  t.  e.  between  the  hole  below 
the  mouth,  and  the  highest  hole  for  the  finger.     He  says,  "  Of  the  kinds  of 


10        The  Gods'  Poem  of  Welcome  to  Queen  Elizabeth. 

Ouer  the  Castl  gate  was  there  fastened  a  Tabl,  beauti- 
fully garnisht  abooue  with  her  highness  armes,  and  featlie 
with  luy  wreathz  boordred  aboout :  of  a  ten  foot  square  :  the 
ground  blak,  whearupon,  in  large  white  Capitall  Roman,  fayr 
written,  a  Poem  mencioning  theez  Gods  and  their  giftes 
thus  prezented  vntoo  her  highness :  which,  becauz  it  re- 
mained vnremooued,  at  leyzure  &  pleaze^  I  took  it  oout,  as 
foloeth : 

[p-14.]  AB  MAIESTATEM  BEGIAM? 

Iwpiier  hue  certos  cernens  te  tendere  gressus, 
Goelicolas  peinceps  actutum  conuocat  omnes  : 
Ohseqvium  jprcestare  iuhet  tibi  quenqae  henignaim. 
Vnde  suas  Syluanus  aues,  Pomonaque  frudus, 
Alma  Geres  f rug es,  hilar antia  vina  IAcbus, 
Neptunus  Pisces,  tela  ^  tutantia  Manors, 
Suaue  melos  Phoebus,  soUdam  longamque  salutem. 
Bij  TIBI  EBGiNA  hoEc  (cwm  SIS  dignissima)  prehent : 
Hcec  TIBI  cum  Bomino  dedit  se  Sf  werda  Kenelmi. 

All  the  letterz  that  mention  her  Maiesty,  which  heer  I 
put  capitall,  for  reuerens  and  honor,  wear  thear  made  in 
goUd. 

But  the  night  well  spent,  for  that  theez  versez  by  Torch- 
light coold  not  easily  bee  read,  by  a  Poet  thearfore  in  a 
long  ceruleoous^  garment,  with  a  side*  and  wide  sleeuez  Vene- 

music,  vocal  has  always  had  the  preference  in  esteem  and  in  consequence,  the 
Recorder,  as  approaching  nearest  to  the  sweet  delightfulness  of  the  voice,  ought  to 
have  first  place  in  opinion,  as  we  see  by  the  universal  use  of  it  confirmed." 
The  Hautboy  is  considered  now  to  approach  most  nearly  to  the  human  voice, 
and  Mr.  Ward,  the  military  instrument  manufacturer,  informs  me  that  he  has 
seen  "  old  English  Flutes"  with  a  hole  bored  through  the  side,  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  instrument,  the  holes  being  covered  with  a  thin  piece  of  skin,  like 
gold-beater's  skin.  I  suppose  this  would  give  somewhat  the  eflect  of  the 
quill  or  reed  in  the  Hautboy,  and  that  these  were  Recorders.  In  the  pro- 
verbs at  Leckingfield  (quoted  ante,  note  b,  p.  35),  the  Recorder  is  described  as 
"  desiring"  the  mean  part,  but  manifold  fingering  and  stops  bringeth  high 
(notes)  from  its  clear  tones.  This  agrees  with  Salter's  book.  He  tells  us 
the  high  notes  are  produced  by  placing  the  thumb  half  over  the  hole  at  the 
back,  and  blowing  a  Uttle  stronger.  Recorders  were  used  for  teaching  birds  to 
pipe. — ChappelVs  Pop.  Music,  i.  246,  note  a.     See  Notes  at  the  end. 

1  ?  not  pleasure,  but  place :   '  time  and  place  suiting.' 

■  We  learn  from  Gascoigne  {Princely  Pleasures,  p.  10-11)  that  these  verses 
were  written  by  M.  Paten. — Nichols,  i.  433. 

3  Azure-blue,  or  sky-colour,  from  the  Latin  ceruleus.  Anciently,  blue 
dresses  were  worn  by  all  servants. — See  Strutt.     Hum,  p.  97 ;  Nichols,  i.  434. 

*  Side,  or  syde,  in  the  North  of  England,  and  in  Scotland,  is  used  for  long, 


A  Poet  reads  the  Poem.  The  Queen  alights.   9  July,  1575.    11 

cian  wize^,  drawen  vp  to  his  elboz,  his  Dooblefc  sleeuez  vnder 
that,  Crimzen,  nothing  but  silke  :  a  Bay  garland  on  hiz  head, 
and  a  skro^  in  his  hand,  making  first  an  humble  obeizaunz  at 
her  highness  cummyng,  and  pointing  vntoo  euerie  prezent 
az  hee  spake  :  the  same  wear  pronounced.^  Pleazauntly  thus 
ftp  15.1  viewing  the  giftes  az  fshe  past,  &  hoow  the  posts 
might  agree  with  the  speech  of  the  Poet,  at  IKq 
eend  of  ^/te  bridge  &  entree  of  the  gate  waz  her  highnes 
receiued  with  a  fresh  delicate  armony  of  Flutz,  in  perfour- 
mauns  of  Phoebus  prezents. 

So   passing  intoo  the   inner    Coourt,  her  Maiesty   (that 
neuer  ridez  but  alone)  thear  set  doun  from  her  Pallfree,  waz 

when  applied  to  the  garment ;  and  the  word  has  the  same  signification  in 
Anglo-Saxon  and  Islandic  or  Danish  : — 

"  The  Erie  Jamys  with  his  Eowte  hale 
Thare  gert  stent  thare  Pavillownys, 
And  for  the  Hete  tiik  on  syd  Gwnys." 

Wyntown's  Chronicle,  vol.  ii.  339. 
The  wide  and  long-pocketed  sleeve,  called  by  heralds  the  manche,  was  much 
in  fashion  in  the  reign  of  Henry  IV.  Stowe,  in  his  Chronicle,  p.  327,  temp. 
Henry  IV.,  says,  "  This  time  was  used  exceeding  pride  in  garments,  gownea 
with  deepe  and  broade  sleeves  commonly  called  poke  sieves,  the  servants  ware 
them  as  well  as  their  masters,  which  might  well  have  been  called  receptacles 
of  the  devil,  for  what  they  stole,  they  hid  in  their  sleeves,  whereof  some  hung 
down  to  the  feete,  and  at  least  to  the  knees,  full  of  cuts  and  jagges.  Again, 
in  Fitzherbert's  "  Book  of  Husbandrie,"  is  the  following  passage : — 

"  Theyr  cotes  be  so  syde  that  they  be  fayne  to  tucke  them  up  when  they 
ride,  as  women  do  theyr  kyrtels  when  they  go  to  the  market." 
Of  these  Hoccleve,  a  master  of  that  age,  says : — 

Nor  has  this  land  less  need  of  brooms 
To  sweep  the  filth  out  of  the  street, 
Sen  side-sleeves  of  pennyless  grooms 
Will  lick  it  up  be't  dxy  or  wet. 
Camden's  Remains  ;  Peck's  Desiderata  Curiosa,  xv.  No.  II.  §  51. — 
Xenilworth  Illustrated,  Appendix,  p.  11 ;  and  Nichols,  i,  434. 

'  Cp.  on  the  enormously  wide  Venetian  breeches  or  hose,  Stubbes's  Anato- 
mie,  in  Nares,  and  the  eleventh  song  in  Thomas  Heywood's  Eape  of  Lucrece : — 

The  Spaniard  loves  his  ancient  slop, 
The  Lumbard  his  Venetian. 

Fercy  MS.  Loose  Songs,  p.  76. 
The  wide  sleeve  is  spoken  of  by  Peacham,  says  Fairholt  {Costume  in  England, 
p.  211,  note),  '  "  the  wide  saucy  sleeve  that  would  be  in  every  dish  before  their 
master,  with  buttons  as  big  as  tablemen  ;"  similar  to  the  "  men  "  now  used  for 
draughts.'  '  Peacham  also  tells  us  that  "  long  stockings  without  garters,  then 
was  the  Earl  of  Leicester's  fashion,  and  theirs  who  had  the  handsomest  leg."  ' 

2  scroll. 

3  Gascoigne  gives  13  other  lines  of  Latin  verse, — different  from  Mr.  Paten's, 
— which  he  says  '  were  devised  by  Master  Muncaster.  .  .  I  am  not  very  sure 
whether  these  or  Master  Paten's  were  pronounced  by  the  Author,  but  they 
were  all  to  one  effect.' — Princely  Pleasures,  ed.  1821,  p.  11, 


12  Sunday,  July  10.     Service,  dancirig,  fireworks. 

conueied  vp  to  cliamber :  wlien  after,  did  folio  so  great  a 
peal  of  gunz,  and  such  liglituing  by  fyr  work  a  long  space 
toogither,  as  lupiter  woold  sheaw  himself  too  bee  no  further 
behind  with  hiz  welcum,  then  the  rest  of  hiz  Gods  :  and  that 
woold  hee  haue  all  the  countrie  to  kno  :  for  indeed  the  noiz 
and  flame  wear  heard  and  seene  a  twenty  myle  of.  Thus 
much.  Master  Martin,  (that  I  remember  me)  for  the  first  daiz 
'  Bien  venu.*  Be  yee  not  wery,  for  I  am  skant  in  the  midst 
of  my  matter. 

Sunday  ^^  Sunday  :  the  forenoon  occupied  (az  for  the 

Sabot  day)  in  quiet  and  vacation  ivom  woork,  &  in 
diuine  seruis  &  preaching  at  the  parish  church  :  The  after- 
noon, in  excelent  muzik  of  sundry  swet  instruments,  and  in 
dauncing^  of  Lordes  and  Ladiez,  and  oother  woorshipfull  de- 
rtpao-e  16  1  grees,  vttered  with  such  liuely  agilitee  &  commend- 
abl  grace,  faz,  whither  it  moought  be  more  straunge 
too  the  eye,  or  pleazunt  too  the  minde,  for  my  part  indeed  I 
coold  not  discern :  but  exceedingly  well  waz  it  (me  thought) 
in  both. 

At  night  late,  az  though  lupiter  the  last  night  had  forgot 
for  biziness,  or  forborn  for  curtezy  &  quiet,  part  of  hiz  well- 
coom  vntoo  her  highness  appointed  :  noow  entring"  at  the 
fyrst  intoo  hiz  purpoze  moderately  (az  mortallz  doo)  with  a 
warning  peec  6v  too,  preceding  on  with  encres ;  at  last  the 
Altitonant  displeaz^  me  hiz  mayn  poour  :  with  blaz  of  burn- 
ing darts,  flying  too  &  fro,  leamz"*^  of  starz  coruscant,  streamz 
and  hail  of  firie  sparkes,  lightninges  of  wildfier  a  water  and 
lend,  flight  &  shoot  of  thunderboltz  :  al  with  such  counti- 
uauns,  terror,  and  vehemencie,  that  the  heauins  thundred, 
the  waters  scourged,  the  earth  shooke :  and  in  such  sort 
surly,  az,  had  we  not  bee  [n]  assured  of  ^  the  fulmieant  deitee 
waz  all  hot  in  amitee,  and  could  not  otherwize  witnesse  hiz 
welcomming  vnto  her  highnesse,  it  woold  haue  made  mee, 

*  Compare  Stubbes  on  dancing  on  Sundays.  "  But  other  some  spend  the 
sabaoth  day  for  the  most  part  in  frequenting  of  baudie  stage-playes  and  enter- 
ludes,  in  maintaining  Lords  of  Misrule  (for  so  they  call  a  certaine  kinde  of 
play  which  they  use),  may-games,  chui'ch-ales,  feasts,  and  wakesses :  in 
pyping,  dauncing,  dicing,  carding,  bowling,  tennisse-plajang ;  in  b  care -bay  ting, 
cock-fighting,  hawking,  hunting,  and  such  like  .  .  .  Anatomie  of  Abuses,  1st 
ed.  1683,  Collier's  reprint,  p.  130.  See  also  Stubbes's  most  amusing  chapter  on 
"The  horrible  Vice  of  pestiferous  dauncing,  used  in  Ailgna,"  ib.  p.  160-168  ; 
and  his  next  chapter  "  Of  Miisick  in  Ailgna,  and  how  it  allureth  to  vanitie," 
p.  168-172. 

*  Oriff.  entrins.  *  displays. 

*  A.  Sax.  koma,  a  ray  of  Hght,  a  beam,  light,  flame. — Boswortk.       ^  ?  that. 


Monday,  July  11.     The  Hunting  of  the  Hart.  13 

for  my  part,  az  hardy  az  I  am,  very  veangeably  afeard.  This 
a-doo  lasted  while  [t]he  midnight  waz  past,  that  well  waz 
mee  soon  after  when  I  waz  cought^  in  my  Cabayn.  And 
[tpage  17.]  thiz  for  fthe  secund  day. 

Munday,  3.  Munday waz  hot;  and  thearfore  her  highnesse  kept 
in  a  till  a  fine  a  clok  in  the  eeuening :  what  time 
it  pleazzd  her  too  ryde  foorth  into  the  Chase^  too  hunt  the 
The  hu«t-  Hart  of  fors^ :  which  foound  anon,  and  after  sore 
ing-  of  the  chased,  and  chafed  by  the  hot  pursuit  of  the 
Hart  of  hooundes,  waz  fain,  of  fine  fors,  at  last  to  take  soil.* 
^°''^-  Thear   to  beholld  the  swift  fleeting  of  the  Deer 

afore,  with  the  stately  cariage  of  hiz  head  in  hiz  swymming, 
spred  (for  the  quantitee)  lyke  the  sail  of  a  ship :  the 
hoounds  harroing  after,  az  they  had  bin  a  number  of  skiphs^ 
too  the  spoyle  of  a  karuell® :  the  ton  no  lesse  eager  in  pur- 
chaz  of  hiz  pray,  then  waz  the  other  earnest  in  sauegard  of 
hiz  life  :  so  az  the  earning^  of  the  hoounds  in  continuauns  of 
their  crie,  the  swiftnes  of  the  Deer,  the  running  of  footmen, 
the  galloping  of  horsez,  the  blasting  of  hornz,  the  halloing  & 
hewing^  of  the  huntsmen,^  with  the  excellent  Echoz  between 
whilez  from  the  woods  and  waters  in  valleiz  resounding, 
mooued  pastime  delectabl  in  so  hy  a  degree,  az  for  ony 


*  ?  coft,  coffined,  coffered,  shut  up  as  in  a  coffer. 
^  See  Notes  at  the  end. 

•''  fors,  Ft.  force,  force,  might,  strength,  power,  ahilitie,  vigour. — Cotgrave. 
■*  A  term  used  in  hunting,  when  a  deer  runs  into  the  water. — See  Phillips  ; 
Burn,  p.  97 ;  Nichols,  i.  435.     See  note  2,  p.  33  below. 

*  Lat.  scapha,  a  boat ;  Fr.  esquif,  a  Skiffe,  or  little  boat. — Cotgrave. 

8  At  the  lengthe,  three  shyppes  were  appoynted  hym  [Columbus]  at  the 
kinges  charges  :  of  the  which  one  was  a  great  caracte  with  deckes :  and  the 
other  twoo  were  light  marchaunte  shyppes  without  deckes,  whiche  the 
Spaniardes  call  Carauelas. — Arber's  reprint  of  Peter  Martyr's  Lecades,  bk.  i. 
p.  65.  Sp.  carobela,  a  small  ship,  called  a  caruell. — Minshew.  *A  Carvel,  or 
Caravel,  was  a  species  of  light  round  vessel,  with  a  square  stem,  rigged  and 
fitted  out  like  a  galley,  and  of  about  140  tons  burthen.  Such  ships  were  for- 
merly much  used  by  the  Portuguese,  and  were  esteemed  the  best  sailers  on  the 
seas.     See  Phillips.' — Burn,  p.  97  ;  Nichols,  i.  436. 

'I  baying,  connected  with  Lat.  hirrire,  Welsh  hyrrio,  Engl,  harr,  to  snarl. 
— See  Wedgwood's  Diet,  under  ire  and  irritate,  and  my  Notes,  p.  63  &c. 

8  Cp.  our  '  hue  and  cry.'  Fr.  huer,  to  hoot,  shout,  exclaime,  ciy  out,  make 
hue  and  cry. — Cotgrave.     See  also  Wedgivood. 

*  Tourberville,  in  the  "  Noble  Art  of  Vonorie,  or  Hunting,"  4to.  Lond.  1611, 
has  an  entire  chapter  of  "  cortaine  observations  and  subtelties  to  be  used  by 
Huntsmen  in  hunting  an  Hart  at  force,' '  and  gives  us  the  words  of  encourage- 
ment to  the  hounds  as  follows  : — 

"  Hyke  a  Talbot,  or  Hylce  a  Bewmont,  Hyke,  Hyke,  to  him,  to  him 
There  he  goeth,  that's  he,  that's  he,  to  him,  to  him  ! 


14     Monday,  July  11.    Stag-hunt,  Savage  Man,  and  Echo. 

parson  to  take  pleazure  by  moost  sensez  at  onez,  in  mine 
r  ■  g  jg  -]  opinioTi  thear  can  be  none  ony  wey  comparable  to 
this ;  And  speciall  in  ftliis  place,  that  of  nature  iz 
foormed  so  feet  for  the  purpose  :  in  feith.  Master  Martin,  if  ye 
coold  with  a  wish,  I  woold  ye  had  been  at  it !  Wei,  the  Hart 
waz  kild,  a  goodly  Deer ;  but  so  ceast  not  the  game  yet. 

For  aboout  nien  a  clock,  at  the  hither  part  of  the  Chase, 
whear  torchlight  attended :  oout  of  the  woods,  in  her  Mai- 

estiez  return,  rooughly  came  thear  foorth  Hombre 
The  sauage   gai^agio^,  with  an  Oken  plant  pluct  vp  by  the  roots 

in  hiz  hande,  himself  forgrone^  all  in  moss  and  luy : 
who,  for  parsonage,  gesture,  and  vtterauns  beside,  coounten- 
aunst^  the  matter  too  very  good  liking,  and  had  speech  to 
effect:  ^'That  continuing  so  long  in  theez  wilde  wastes, 
whearin  oft  had  he  fared  both  far  and  neer,  yet  hapt  hee 
neuer  to  see  so  glorioous  an  assemble  afore  :  and  noow  cast 
intoo  great  grief  of  mind,  for  that  neyther  by  himself  coold 
hee  gess,  nor  knew  whear  else  to  bee  taught,  what  they 
should  be,  or  whoo  bare  estate.  Reports  sum  had  he  hard 
of  many  straunge  thinges,  but  brooyled  thearby  so  mooch 
the  more  in  desire  of  knoledge.  Thus  in  great  pangz  be- 
thought he  &  cald  he  vpon  all  his  familiarz  &  companionz  : 
r .  jg  -|  the  Fawnz,  the  Satyres,  the  Nymphs,  the  fDryardes, 
and  the  Hamadryades ;  but  none  making  aunswear, 
whearby  hiz  care  the  more  encreasing,  in  vtter  grief  &  ex- 
treem  refuge  calld  hee  allowd  at  last  after  hiz  olid  freend 
Echo  Echo,  that  he  wist  would  hyde  nothing  from  him*,  but 
tel  him  all  if  she  wear  heer.^^  ''  Heer  "  (quoth  Echo.) 
"  Heer,  Echo,  and  art  thou  thear?  (sayz  he)   Ah,  hoow  mooch 

To  him,  boyes,  counter,  to  him,  to  him  ! 
Talbot,  a  Talbot,  a  Talbot !" 

"  Such  is  the  cry, 
"  And  such  th'  harmonious  din,  the  soldier  deems 
The  battle  kindling,  and  the  statesman  grave 
Forgets  his  weighty  cares ;  each  age,  each  sex. 
In  the  wild  transport  joins !"  — Somerville,  in  Nichols,  i.  436. 

'  Bp.  Percy  mistakes  his  appellation  of  the  print  at  the  end  of  the  third 
volume  of  his  Old  Ballads ;  it  being  the  hombre  salvaggio  of  Laneham. — Nichols, 
i.  436. 

2  For,  before  .  .  the  radical  meaning  is  '  in  front  of '  .  .  For  in  composition 
has  the  meaning  oi  '  out,  without,'  .  .  to  forget  is  to  away-get,  to  lose  from 
memory  .  .  In  French  we  have  forjeter  to  jut  out. —  Wedgwood,  ii.  82.  For- 
groivn,  grown  away,  grown  over. 

3  Fr.  contenancer,  to  .  .  grace,  maintaine,  give  countenance  vnto ;  also,  to 
frame,  or  set  the  face  handsomely ;  to  give  it  a  gracefull  and  constant  garbe, 
— Cotgrave.  *  Grig,  hiw. 


Monday,  July  11.     The  Savage  Man  and  Echo.        15 

hast  thou  relieued  my  carefuU  spirits  with  thy  curtezy  on- 
ward !  A,  my  good  Echo,  heer  iz  a  marueiloouz  prezenz  of 
dignitee  !  what  are  they,  I  pray  thee  ?  who  iz  Souerain  ?  tell 
me,  I  beseech  thee,  or  elz  hoow  moought  I  kuo  ?"  "  I  kno  " 
(quoth  shoe) .  "  Knoest  thou  ?"  sayz  hee :  "  Mary,  that  iz  ez- 
ceedingly  well :  why  then,  I  dezire  thee  hartily  to  sho  mee  what 
Maiestie  (for  no  mean  degree  iz  it)  haue  wee  heer :  a  King 
or  a  Queen  V  "A  Queen''  (quoth  Echo.)  "  A  Queen?"  sayez 
hee.  Pauzing  and  wisely  viewing  a  while,^'noow  full  certeynlie 
seemez  thy  tale  to  be  true."  And  proceeding  by  this  manor 
of  dialog,  with  an  earnest  beholding  her  highnes  a  while,  re- 
counts he  first  hoow  iustly  that  foormer  reports  agree  with 
hiz  present  sight :  toouching  the  beautifuU  linaments  of 
coountinauns,  the  cumly  proportion  of  body,  the  prinsly 
[tp.  20.]      gi'^.ce  of  prezenz,  the  graciouz  giftz  fof  nature,  with 

the  rare  and  singular  qualities  of  both  body  and 
mind  in  her  Maiesty  conioynd,  and  so  apparant  at  ey.  Then 
shortly  rehearsing  Saterdaiz  acts  :  of  Sibils  salutation,  of  the 
Porters  proposition,  of  hiz  Trumpetoours  muzik,  of  the  Lake 
ladiez  oration,  of  the  seauen  Gods  seauen  prezents  :  hee  re- 
porteth  the  incredibl  ioy  that  all  estatez  in  the  land  haue 
allweyz  of  her  highnes  whear  so  euer  it^  cums  :  eendeth  with 
presage  and  prayer  of  perpetuall  felicitee,  and  with  humbl 
subiection  of  him  and  hizzen^,  &  all  that  they  may  do.  After 
this  sort  the  matter  went  with  littl  differens,  I  gesse,  sauing 
only  in  this  point :  that  the  thing  which  heer  I  report  in 
vnpolisht  proez,  waz  thear  pronounced  in  good  meeter  and 
matter,  very  wel  indighted  in  rime.  Echo  finely  framed 
most  aptly  by  answerz  thus  to  vtter  all.^  And  I  shall  tell 
yoo,  master  Martin,  by  the  mass,  of  a  mad  auenture  :  az  thiz 
Sauage,  for  the  more  submissio?i,  brake  hiz  tree  a  sunder, 
kest  the  top  from  him,  it  had  allmost  light  vpon  her  highnes 
hors  head  :  whereat  he  startld,  and  the  gentlman  mooch  dis- 
mayd.  See  the  benignitee  of  the  Prins,  az  the  foot  men  lookt 
well  too  the  hors,  and  hee  of  Generositee  fsoon  callmd 
[tp.  21.]     ^^  ^^^  ^^^^'  "  ^o  hurt,  no  hurt !"  quoth  her  highnes. 

Which  words,  I  promis  yoo,  wee  wear  all  glad  to 
heer,  &  took  them  too  be  the  best  part  of  the  play. 


'  ?  she.  2  iiis'n^  gen.  plur.  of  his. 

^  The  speech  of  the  Savage  man,  and  his  dialogue  with  Echo,  all  in  verse, 
'devised,  penned  and  pronounced  by  Master  Gascoyne,'  are  given  in  hia 
Frincehje  Pleasures,  p.  12-21,  ed.  \^2l.— Nichols,  i.  437. 


16   July  12,  Music.  July  13,  Stag-hunt.  July  14,  Bear-baiting. 

™  .  ,  Tuisday,   pleazaunt   passing   of  the   time   with 

muzik  &  daunsyng :  sailing  that  toward  night  it 
liked  her  Maiesty  too  walk  a  foot  into  the  Chase  ouer  the 
Bridge  :  whear  it  pleased  her  to  stand,  while  vpon  the  Pool, 
oout  of  a  Barge  fine  appoynted  for  the  purpoze,  too  heer 
sundry  kinds  of  very  delectabl  Muzik.  Thus  recreated,  & 
after  sum  wallk,  her  highnes  returned. 
"W  d  s  5        Wednsday,  her  Maiesty  rode  intoo  the  chase  a 

hunting  again  of  the  hart  offers.  The  Deer,  after  hiz 
property,  for  refuge  took  the  soyl :  but  [was]  so  masterd  by 
hote  pursuit  on  al  parts,  that  he  was  taken  quik  in  the  pool : 

the  watermen  held  him  vp  hard  by  the  hed,  while 
ard^ed     ^^  ^®^  highnes  commaundemewt  he  lost  hiz  earz 

for  a  raundsum,  and  so  had  pardon  of  lyfe. 
Thursday  6       Thursday,  the  foourteenth  of  this  luly,  and  the 

syxth  day  of  her  Maiestyez  cumming :  a   great 
sort  of  bandogs^  whear  thear  tyed  in  the  vtter  Coourt,  and 

thyrteen  bearz^  in  the  inner.  Whoosoeuer  made 
^  Beara  *^®  pannell,  thear  wear  inoow  for  a  Queast,  &  -^one 
r+    22  T     ^^^  challenge,  &  need  wear.     A  wight  of  great  wiz- 

doom   and    grauitee  seemed  their  forman  to   be, 

'  Bewick  describes  the  Ban-dog  as  being  a  variety  of  the  mastifiF,  but 
lighter,  smaller,  and  more  vigilant ;  although  at  the  same  time  not  so  power- 
ful. The  nose  is  also  less,  and  possesses  somewhat  of  the  hound's  scent ;  the 
hair  is  rough,  and  of  a  yellowish-grey  colour,  marked  with  shades  of  black. 
The  bite  of  a  Ban-dog  is  keen,  and  considered  dangerous;  and  its  attack  is 
usually  made  upon  the  flank.  Dogs  of  this  kind  are  now  rarely  to  be  met 
with. — Burn,  p.  98 ;  Kenilworth  Illustrated,  App.  14 ;  Nichols,  i.  438. 

*  Bear-baitings  were  at  this  time  not  only  considered  as  suitable  exhibitions 
before  the  Queen  and  her  nobles,  but  the  amusement  was  under  the  particular 
patronage  of  her  Majesty.  An  Order  of  Privy  Council,  in  July  1591,  pro- 
hibits the  exhibition  of  Plays  on  Thursdays,  because  on  Thursdays  bear- 
baiting,  and  such  like  pastimes,  had  been  usually  practised ;  and  an  injunc- 
tion to  the  same  effect  was  sent  to  the  Lord  Mayor,  wherein  it  is  stated,  that 
"in  divers  places  the  players  do  use  to  recite  their  plays  to  the  great  hurt  and 
destruction  of  the  game  of  bear-baiting,  and  like  pastimes,  which  are  main- 
tained for  her  Majesty's  pleasure." — ^Wben  confined  at  Hatfield  House,  Eliza- 
beth and  her  sister  Mary  were  recreated  with  a  grand  exhibition  of  bear- 
baiting,  "with  which  their  Highnesses  were  right  well  content."  (Warton's 
Life  of  Sir  Thomas  Pope,  sect.  ui.  p.  85.)  The  French  Ambassadors  were, 
soon  after  her  ascension  of  the  throne,  entertained  with  bear  and  bull-baiting  , 
and  she  stood  to  see  the  exhibition  until  six  in  the  evening.  A  similar  exhibi- 
tion took  place  the  next  day  at  Paris-garden  for  the  same  party.  The  Danish 
Ambassador,  twenty-seven  years  afterwards,  was  entertained  by  a  like  spec- 
tacle at  Greenwich.  The  Bear-gardens  on  the  Bankside  are  too  well  known 
to  be  noticed  here,  further  than  to  mention  that  Crowley,  a  poet  [parson 
and  printer]  in  the  time  of  Henry  VIII.  describes  them  as  then  existing, 
that  they  exhibited  on  Sundays,  and  the  price  of  admission  to  Paris-garden 
was  one  halfpenny. — Kenilworth  Illustrated,  App.,  14 ;  Nichols,  i.  438. 


Thursday,  July  14.     Bearbaiting  before  the  Queen.      17 

had  it  cum  to  a  lury  :  But  it  fell  oout  that  they  wear  cauzd 
too  appeer  thear  vpon  no  such  matter,  but  onlie  too  aun- 
swear  too  an  auncient  quarrell  between  them  and  the  ban- 
dogs, in  a  cause  of  controuersy  that  hath  long  depended, 
been  obstinatly  full  often  debated  with  sharp  and  byting 
arguments  a  both  sydes,  and  coold  neuer  bee  decided : 
grown  noow  too  so  marueyloous  a  mallys,  that  with  spitefull 
obrayds  and  vncharitabl  chaffings  alweiz  they  freat,  az  far 
az  any  whear  the  ton  can  heer,  see,  or  smell  the  toother :  and 
indeed  at  vtter  deadly  fohod.^  Many  a  maymd  member, 
(God  wot,)  blody  face,  &  a  torn  cote,  hath  the  quarrell  cost 
betweene  them ;  so  far  likely  the  lesse  yet  noow  too  be  ap- 
peazd,  az  thear  wants  not  partakerz  too  bak  them  a  both 
sidez. 

Well,  syr,  the  Bearz  wear  brought  foorth  intoo  the  Coourt, 
the  Dogs  set  too  them,  too  argu  the  points  eeuen  face  too 
face  :  they  had  learnd  coounsell  allso  a  both  parts  :  what, 
may  they  be  coounted  parciall  that  are  retaind  but  a  to"  syde  ? 
ftp  23  1  ^  ween  no.  Very  feers,  both  ton  and  toother,  & 
feager  in  argument ;  if  the  dog  in  pleadyng  woold 
pluk  the  bear  by  the  throte,  the  bear  with  trauers  woould 
claw  him  again  by  the  skalp,  confess  &  a  list,  but  a-voyd  a 
coold  not,  that  waz  bound  too  the  bar :  and  hiz  coounsell 
tolld  him  that  it  coold  bee  too  him  no  poUecy  in  pleading. 

Thearfore  thus,  with  fending  &  proouing,  with  plucking  & 
tugging,  skratting^  &  byting,  by  plain  tooth  &  nayll  a  to 
side  &  toother,  such  exspews  of  blood  &  leather  waz  thear 
between  them,  az  a  moonths  licking  (I  ween)  wyl  not  re- 
coouer :  and  yet  remain  az  far  oout  az  euer  they  wear. 

It  waz  a  sport  very  pleazaunt,  of  theez  beastz  :  to  see 
the  bear  with  hiz  pink  nyez*  leering  after  hiz  enmiez  ap- 
proch,  the  nimblness  &  wayt^  of  the  dog  too  take  hiz  auaun- 
tage,  and  the  fors  &  experiens  of  the  bear  agayn  to  auoyd 
the  assauts  :  if  he  wear  bitten  in  one  place,  hoow  he  woold 
pynch  in  an  oother  too  get  free  :  that  if  he  wear  taken  onez, 
then  what  shyft,  with  byting,  with  clawyng,  with  roring,  toss- 
ing &  tumbling,  he  woold  woork  too  wynde  hym  self  from 
them  :  and  when  he  waz  lose,  to  shake  hiz  earz  twj^se  or 
thryse  wyth  the  blud  &  the  slauer  aboout  hiz  fiz- 
[tp.  24.]     namy,  waz  fa  matter  of  a  goodly  releef.^ 

'  foehood,  feud.  -  on  one.  **  scrat,  to  scratch. — Brockets s  Gloss. 

*  See  Notes  at  the  end.  *  watch. 

6  So  evidently  thought  also  the  nohles  of  Elizaheth's  court  (p.  16,  note  2), 

C 


18    Thursday y  July  14.    Fireworks.   An  Italian  Tumbler. 

Gunshot  &  ^^  ^^^  sport  waz  had  a  day  time  in  the  Castl,  so 
fyrework.  waz  thear  abrode  at  night  very  straunge  and  sun- 
dry kindez  of  fier  works^^  compeld  by  cunning  too 
fly  too  and  fro,  and  too  moount  very  hy  intoo  the  ayr^  vp- 
ward,  and  allso  too  burn  vnquenshabl  in  the  water  beneath  : 
contrary,  yee  wot,  too  fyerz  kinde.  This,  intermingid  with 
a  great  peal  of  guns  :  which  all  gaue,  both  too  the  ear  and 
to  the  ey,  the  greater  grace  and  delight,  for  that  with  such 
order  and  art  they  wear  tempered  toouching^  time  and  con- 
tinuauns,  that  waz  about  too  houres  space. 
Tumblino-  Noow  within  allso  in  the  mean  time  waz  thear 
of  the  sheawed  before  her  highnes,  by  an  Italian,  such 
itahan.  feats  of  agilitiee,  in  goinges,  turninges,  tumblinges, 
castinges,  hops,  iumps,  leaps,  skips,  springs,  gambaud^, 
soomersauts,  caprettiez^  and  flights :  forward,  backward, 
syde  wize,  a  doownward,  vpward,  and  with  sundry  windings, , 
gyrings^,  and  circumflexions :  allso  lightly,  and  with  such 
easines,  az  by  mee  in  feaw  words  it  iz  not  expressibl  by  pen 
or  speech,  I  tell  yoo  plain.  I  bleast  me,  by  my  faith,  to  be- 
hold him,  and  began  to   doout  whither  a  waz  a  man  or  a 

whose  *  moral  grace '  Mr.  Froude  holds  has  departed,  and  is  not  with  us  Victo- 
rians. Short  Studies  on.  great  Subjects  quoted  in  the  Forewords  to  my  Queene 
'JSlizabethes  Achademy .  (E.  E.  Text  Soc.  1869).  Set  beside  the  moral  grace  that 
delighted  in  bear-baiting,  the  opinion  of  the  old  puritan  Stubbes  in  1583,  whom 
the  gracious  nobles  would  have  no  doubt  called  a  coarse  and  vulgar  brute :  "  is 
not  the  baiting  of  a  bear  besides  that  it  is  a  filthie,  stinking,  and  lothsome 
game,  a  daungerous  and  perilous  exercyse  ?  wherein  a  man  is  in  daunger  of 
his  life  every  minut  of  an  howre  ;  which  thing,  though  it  weare  not  so,  yet 
what  exercyse  is  this  meet  for  any  Christian  ?  What  Christen  heart  can  take 
pleasure  to  see  one  poore  beast  to-rent,  teare,  and  kill  another,  and  all  for  his 
foolish  pleasure  ?  And  although  they  be  bloody  beasts  to  manlcind,  and  seeke 
his  destruction,  yet  we  are  not  to  abuse  them,  for  his  sake  who  made  them, 
and  whose  creatures  they  are  ....  And  some,  who  take  themselves  for  no 
small  fooles,  are  so  fan-e  assotted  that  they  will  not  stick  to  keep  a  dozen  or  a 
score  of  great  mastives  and  bandogs,  to  theii-  no  small  charges,  for  the  main- 
tenance of  this  goodly  game  (forsooth) ;  and  wil  not  make  anie  bones  of  xx. 
xl.  c.  pound  at  once  to  hazard  on  a  bait,  with  "  feight  dog,"  "  feight  beare," 
(say  they),  "the  devill  part  aU !"  And,  to  be  plaine,  I  thinke  the  devill  is 
the  maister  of  the  game,  beareward  and  all.  A  goodly  pastime,  forsooth ! 
worthie  of  commendation !  and  wel  fitting  these  gentlemen  of  such  reputa- 
tion!"— Anatomie  of  Abuses,  ed.  1683,  Collier's  reprint,  p.  177-8. 

'  See  Nichols,  vol.  i.  p.  319,  under  the  year  1572,  when  Fireworks  were  in- 
troduced for  the  Queen's  amusement  at  Warwick. — N. 

-  Orig.  ayz.  ^  Orig.  coouching. 

*  Gambade,  a  gamboll,  yew-game,  tumbling-tricke.  Gambader,  to  tume 
heeles  ouer  head,  make  many  gambols,  fetch  many  friskes,  shew  tumbling 
tricks. — Cotgrave. 

*  Capriot,  a  caper  in  dauncing. — Cotgrave.  Sp.  capriola,  a.  ca^ev  or  lofty 
tricke  in  dauncing. — Minsheu.  ^  L.  gyrus,  a  circle,  circuit. 


Thursday,  July  14.     Men  of  the  Happy  Island.         19 

r .  25  "I  spix'ite  j  and  I  ween  had  fdoouted  mee  till  this  day, 
had  it  not  been  that  anon  I  bethought  me  of  men 
that  can  reazon  &  talk  with  too  toongs,  and  with  too  parsons 
at  onez,  sing  Hke  burds,  curteiz  of  behauiour,  of  body  strong, 
and  in  ioynts  so  nymbl  withall,  that  their  bonez  seem  az 
lythie  and  plyaunt  az  syneuz.  They  dwel  in  a  happy  Hand 
(az  the  booke  tearmz  it)  four  moonths  sayUng  Southward 
beyond  Bthiop.^ 

Nay,  Master  Martin,  I  tell  you  no  iest :  for  both 
Sicul*' De  Diadorus  Siculus,  an  auncient  Greeke  historiograph- 
anti.  Egyp-  er,  in  his  third  book  of  the  acts  of  the  olid  Egyp- 
tioruOT         cians'-^ :  and  also  from  him,  Conrad  Gesnerus'^  a  great 


1  See  Mandeville  (from  Pliny)  on  Ethiope,  p.  157,  ed.  1839.  There,  are  the 
'  folk  that  han  but  o  foote  :  and  thai  gon  so  fast  that  it  is  marvaylle :  and  the 
foot  is  so  large,  that  it  schadewethe  alle  the  Body  ajen  the  Sonne,  whanne 
thel  wole  lye  and  reste  hom.' 

2  The  reference  made  in  the  text  to  the  third  book  of  this  author  is  errone- 
ous ;  the  passage  alluded  to,  being  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  second  book, 
the  which,  as  it  tends  more  perfectly  to  illustrate  Laneham's  remarks,  is  here 
extracted  from  Booth's  translation  of  Diodorus  Siculus,  page  82.  "The  in- 
habitants are  much  unlike  to  us  in  this  part  of  the  world,  both  as  to  their 
bodies  and  their  way  of  living ;  but  among  themselves,  they  are  for  form  and 
shape  like  one  to  another,  and  in  stature  about  four  cubits  high  (six  feet). 
They  can  bend  and  turn  their  bodies  like  unto  nerves ;  and  as  the  nervous 
parts,  after  motion  ended,  return  to  their  former  state  and  position,  so  do  their 
bones.  Their  bodies  are  very  tender,  but  their  nerves  far  stronger  than  ours, 
for  whatever  they  grasp  in  their  hands,  none  are  able  to  wrest  out  of  their 
fingers.  They  have  not  the  least  hair  on  any  part  of  their  bodies,  but  upon 
their  heads,  eyebrows,  eyelids,  and  chins  ;  all  other  parts  are  so  smooth,  that 
not  the  least  down  appears  anywhere.  They  are  very  comely  and  well- 
shaped,  but  the  holes  of  their  ears  are  much  wider  than  ours,  and  have  some- 
thing like  little  tongues  growing  out  of  them.  Their  tongues  have  something 
in  them  singular  and  remarkable,  the  efl'ect  both  of  nature  and  art ;  for  they 
have  partly  a  double  tongue,  naturally  a  little  divided,  but  cut  further  in- 
wards by  art,  so  that  it  forms  two,  as  far  as  to  the  very  root,  and  therefore 
there  is  great  variety  of  speech  among  them,  and  they  not  only  imitate  man's 
voice  in  articulate  speaking,  but  the  various  chatterings  of  birds,  and  even  all 
sorts  of  notes,  as  they  please ;  and  that  which  is  more  wonderful  than  all, 
is,  that  they  can  speak  perfectly  to  two  men  at  once,  both  in  answering  to 
what  is  said,  and  aptly  carrying  on  a  continued  discourse  relating  to  subject- 
matter  in  hand ;  so  that  with  one  part  of  their  tongue  they  speak  to  one,  and 
with  the  other  part  to  the  other."  Diodorus,  surnamed  Siculus,  because  he 
was  born  at  Argyra  in  Sicily,  iiourished  about  44  years  before  the  Christian 
aera. — Burn,  p.  98-9 ;  Nichols,  i.  440. 

^  An  eminent  physician,  naturalist,  and  scholar  of  the  16th  century,  who 
was  born  at  Zurich  in  1516.  He  was  made  Professor  of  Greek  at  Lausanne, 
and  at  Basil  he  took  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  After  having  pub- 
lished many  valuable  works  in  Botany,  Medicine,  Natural  History,  and  Phi- 
lolog3%  he  died  of  the  plague  in  the  year  1565,  aged  forty-nine.  His  "  Mi- 
thridates,"  mentioned  in  the  text,  is  a  work  on  the  difference  of  tongues 
throughout  the  world. — Burn,  p.  99;  Nichols,  i.  441. 

c  2 


20       July  15,  16,  rest.     Sunday,  July  17,  a  Bride-ale. 

gestis.i        learned  man,  and  a  very  diligent  writer  in  all  good 

'^  '  '  arguments  of  oour  time  (but  deceased),  in  the  first 

Mithrid.      Chapter  of  hiz  Mithridates  reporteth  the  same.    A  z 

esneri.      ^^^  ^-^^^  fellow,  I  cannot  tell  what  too  make  of  him, 

saue  that  I  may  gesse  hiz  bak  be  metalld  like  a  Lamprey, 

that  haz  no  bone^,  but  a  lyne  like  to  a  Lute  string. 

Wei,  syr,  let  him  passe  and  hiz  featz,  and  this  dayz  pastime 

withall;   for  heer  iz  az  mooch  az  I  can  remember  mee  for 

Thursdaiz  entertainment. 

Friday  and  Saterday  wear  thear  no  open  fsheawz 

Friday.         abrode,  becauz  the  weather   enclynde    too    sum 
Saterday.  8.  ,         o  -in,  -,  i     i  -i 

(- ,     26  -]       moyster  &  wynde  :  that  very  seazouably  tempera 

the  drought  and  the  heat  cauzed  by  the  continuans 
of  fayr  weather  &  sunshyne  afore,  all  the  whyle   syns  her 
Maiestiez  thither  cumming. 
Sunday  9         ^  Sunday,  opportunely,  the  weather   brake  vp 

again,  and  after  diuine  seruis  in  the  parish  church 
for  the  Sabot  day,  and  a  frutefull  sermon  thear  in  the  fore- 
noon :  at  after  noon,  in  woorship  of  this  Kenelwoorth  Castl, 
and  of  God  &  Saint  Kenelm^,  whooz  day  forsooth  by  the  cal- 
Brideale      endar  this  waz :    a   solem    brydeale*  of   a  proper 

coopl  waz  appointed :  set  in  order  in  the  tyltyard, 
too  cum  and  make  thear  sheaw  before  the  Castl  in  the  great 


^  On'/;,  gestia. 

-  See  Dr.  Christ.  Bennet's  ed.  of  Miiffet's  Healths  Improvement,  1655,  p.  182, 
in  which,  we  find,  of  Lampreys,  and  Lamprons,  Lampretce,  Murcenm,  that 
"  They  are  best  (if  ever  good)  in  March  and  April ;  for  then  they  are  so  fat, 
that  they  have,  in  a  manner,  no  back-bone  at  all :  towards  Summer  thej'  wax 
harder,  and  then  they  have  a  manifest  bone,  but  their  flesh  is  consiimed." 

•*  See  his  Life  in  my  Early  English  Poems  and  Lives  of  Saints,  1862,  p.  47- 
57.  He  was  king  of  the  March  of  Wales  [see  above,  p.  4,  note],  and  Warwick- 
shire was  one  of  his  counties.  '  His  day  is  given  as  July  17  in  the  Primer  of 
153G,  but  as  Dec.  13  by  Butler.'—^.  S.  Knowles. 

*  As  the  accoimt  of  this  rustic  bride-ale  has  a  considerable  share  of  the  ludi- 
croxis  mixed  up  with  it,  the  following  description  of  the  procession  of  a  bride 
of  middle  rank,  from  the  "  History  of  Jack  of  Newbmy,"  may  not  be  unac- 
ceptable :  "  The  bride,  being  attired  in  a  gown  of  sheep's  russet,  and  a  kirtle 
of  fine  worsted,  attii-ed  with  a'billement  of  gold,  and  her  hair  as  yellow  as  gold, 
hanging  down  behind  her,  which  was  curiously  combed  and  plaited,  she  was 
led  to  church  between  two  sweet  boys,  with  bride  laces  and  rosemary  tied 
about  their  silken  sleeves.  There  was  a  fair  bride-cup  of  silver  gilt  carried  be- 
fore her,  wherein  was  a  goodly  branch  of  rosemary,  gilded  very  fair,  hung 
about  with  silken  ribands  of  all  colours.  Musicians  came  next,  then  a  group 
of  maidens,  some  bearing  great  bride-cakes,  others  garlands  of  wheat  finely 
gilded;  and  thus  they  passed  unto  the  church."  Out  of  the  bride-cup, 
above  described,  it  was  customary  for  all  the  persons  present,  together  with 
the  new-married  couple,  to  diink  in  the  church.     There  is  a  ludicrous  re- 


Sunday,  July  17.     The  Bride-ale  before  the  Queen.      21 

coourtj  wliear  az  waz  pight  a  cumly  quiutine^  for  featz  at 
arinz,  which,  when  they  had  don,  too  march  oout :  at  the 
northgate  of  the  Castl,  homeward  againe  intoo  the  tooun. 

And  thus  were  they  marshalld.  Fyrst,  all  the  lustie  lads 
and  bolld  bachelarz  of  the  parish,  sutablie  euery  wight  with 
hiz  bin  buckeram  bridelace^  vpon  a  braunch  of  green  broom 
(cauz  rozemary^  iz  skant  thear)  tyed  on  hiz  leaft  arme  (for  a 
r.  27  ]  tla&t  syde  lyez  the  heart),  and  hiz  allder  poll  ffor  a 
spear  in  hiz  right  hand,  in  marciall  order  raunged 
on  a  fore,  too  &  too  in  a  rank  :  sum  with  a  hat,  sum  in  a  cap, 
sum  a  cote,  sum  a  ierken,  sum  (for  lightnes)  in  hiz  dooblet  & 
hiz  hoze,  clean  trust  with  a  point  afore :  sum  botes  &  no 
spurz,  he  spurz  &  no  boots,  and  he  neyther  nother :  one  a 
sadel,  anoother  a  pad  or  a  pannell  fastened  with  a  cord,  for 
gyrts  wear  geazon  :*  and  theez  too  the  number  of  a  sixteen 

ference  to  tliis  in  the  mad  wedding  of  Catherine  and  Petruchip,  the  latter 
of  whom 

Quaff 'd  off  the  muscadel, 
And  threw  the  sops  all  in  the  sexton's  face. 

The  custom,  indeed,  was  universal,  from  the  Prince  to  the  Peasant ;  and  at 
the  marriage  of  the  Elector  Palatine  to  the  daughter  of  James  I.  ia  1613,  we 
are  informed  by  an  eye-witness  there  was,  "in  conclusion,  a  joy  pronounced 
by  the  King  and  Queen,  and  seconded  with  congratulation  of  the  Lords  there 
present,  which  crowned  with  draughts  of  Ippocras  out  of  a  great  golden 
bowle,  as  an  health  to  the  prosperity  of  the  marriage  (began  by  the  Prince 
Palatine  and  answered  by  the  Princess.)  After  M^hich  were  served  up,  by  six 
or  seven  Barons,  as  many  bowles  filled  with  wafers,  so  much  of  that  work  was 
consummate." — Keiiilworth  Illustrated,  App.  16,  17;  Nichols,  i.  441. 

'  See  Brand  ii.  102-3,  and  i.  212  (ed.  1841),  referring  to  many  authorities, 
and  quoting  Aubrey,  Hasted,  etc.,  and  Blount,  whose  Glossoyraphia  (5th  ed. 
ed.  1681,  2  years  after  his  death)  says  "  Quintain,  a  game  or  sport  still  in  re- 
quest at  Marriages,  in  some  parts  of  this  Nation,  specially  in  Shropshire,  the 
manner  now  corruptly  [as  is  clear  from  Laneham's  account]  thus :  A  Quintin, 
Buttress,  or  thick  Plank  of  Wood  is  set  fast  in  the  ground  of  the  High-way 
where  the  Bride  and  Bridegroom  are  to  pass ;  and  Poles  are  provided,  with 
which  the  young  men  run  a  Tilt  on  Horse-back  ;  and  he  that  breaks  most 
Poles,  and  shews  most  activity,  wins  the  Garland.  But  Stow,  in  his  Survey 
of  London,  p.  76,  says.  That  in  anno  1253,  the  youthfuU  Citizens,  for  an  exer- 
cise of  their  activity,  set  forth  a  game  to  run  at  the  Quintin ;  and  whosoever 
did  best,  should  have  a  Peacock  for  prize,  etc."  Fr.  Quintaine  :  f.  A  Quin- 
tane  (or  Whintane)  for  countrey  youthesto  runne  at. — Cotgrave,  a.d.  1611. 

2  Blue  bride-laces  were  worn  at  weddings,  and  given  to  the  guests  in  the 
16th  and  17th  centm-ies. — FairhoWs  Costume  in  England,  p.  520.  See  examples 
in  Ilrand,  ii.  81,  ed.  1841,  from  Ben  Jonson,  Herrick,  etc. 

^  See  Brand,  n.  74  on  '  Rosemary  and  Bays  at  Weddings.' 

^  Geason,  scarce;  '  scant  and  geason.' — 'H.axiisorHs  England,  p.  236,  in  HaVi' 
well's  Gloss.     Geason,  an  ancient  word  signifying  rare  or  sccuoe. — fcJce  PLillips. 

"  And  if  we  speake  of  Astronomy, 
They  will  say  it  is  a  great  lye, 
For  they  can  no  other  reason  ; 


22      Sunday,  July  17.     The  Bride-ale  before  the  Queen. 

wiglit^  i-iding  men,  and  well  beseen^ :  but  tho  bridegroom  for- 
mostj  in  liiz  fatherz  tawny  worsted  iacket,  (for  Ms  freends 
wear  fayn  tliat  he  slioold  be  a  brydegroom  before  the  Queen) 
a  fayr  strawn^  hat,  with  a  capitall  crooun  steepl  wyze  on  hiz 
hed  :  a  payr  of  haruest  glouez  on  hiz  hands,  az  a  sign  of 
good  husbandry :  a  pen  &  inkorn  at  his  bak,  for  he  woold 
be  knowen  to  be  bookish ;  lame  of  a  leg,  that  in  his  yooth  was 
broken  at  footbalP :  wellbeloued  yet  of  hiz  mother,  that  lent 
him  a  nu  muflfiar  for  a  napkin,  that  was  tyed  too  hiz  gyrdl 
for^  lozyng :  It  Avas  no  small  sport  too  marke  this  minio??-  in 
hiz  full  apointment,  that  throogh  good  scoolation  becam  az 
formall  in  his  action  az  had  he  been  a  bride  groom  indeed : 
ftp  28  1  with  this  speciall  grace  by  the  wey,  that  euer  az  fhe 
woold  haue  framed  him  the  better  countenauns, 
with  the  woors  face  he  lookt. 

Well,  syi%  after  theez  horsmen,  a  liuely  morisdauns^,  ac- 

But  all  tliat  knoweth  good  and  better, 

As  gentleman  that  loveth  swete  and  swetter, 

Wisdome  witli  them  is  not  geason,"  &c. 

Shepheard's  Kalendar,  sign  A.  66. 
^  active.  ^  clad.  ib.  ^  straw-en,  made  of  straw. 

*  See  Stubbes's  most  amusing  account  of  this  Sunday-game,  in  his  Anato- 
mie  of  Abu-^es,  p.  184  of  Collier's  reprint  of  the  1st  ed.  1583  :  "as  concerning 
football  playing,  I  protest  unto  you  it  may  rather  be  called  a  frendly  kinde  of 
fight,  then  a  play  or  recreation ;  a  bloody  and  murthering  practise,  than  a 
felowly  sporte  or  pastime.  For  dooth  not  every  one  lye  in  waight  for  his  ad- 
A'ersarie,  seeking  to  overthrowe  him,  and  to  picke  [=  pitch]  him  on  his  nose, 
though  it  be  uppon  hard  stones  ?  in  ditch  or  dale,  in  valley  or  hil,  or  what 
place  soever  it  be,  hee  careth  not,  so  he  have  him  down.  And  he  that  can 
serve  the  most  of  this  fashion,  he  is  counted  the  only  felow ;  and  who  but  he  ? 
So  that  by  this  means,  sometimes  their  backs,  sometime  their  legs,  sometime 
their  armes ;  sometime  one  part  thrust  out  of  jojTit,  sometime  an  other ;  some- 
time the  noses  gush  out  with  blood,  sometime  theii-  eyes  start  out,  and  some- 
times hurt  in  one  place,  sometimes  in  another.  But  whosoever  scapeth  away 
the  best,  goeth  not  scotfree,  but  is  either  sore  wounded,  craised,  and  bruseed, 
so  as  he  dyeth  of  it,  or  els  scapeth  very  hardly.  And  no  mervaile,  for  they 
have  the  sleights  to  meet  one  betwixt  two,  to  dashe  him  against  the  hart  with 
their  elbowes,  to  hit  him  under  the  short  ribbes  with  their  grij^ed  fists,  and 
with  their  knees  to  catch  him  upon  the  hip,  and  to  pitch  him  on  his  neck,  with 
a  hundred  such  mm-dering  devices :  and  hereof  groweth  envie,  malice,  ran- 
cour, cholor,  hatred,  displeasui-e,  enmitie,  and  what  not  els :  and  sometimes 
fighting,  brawling,  contention,  quarrel-picking,  murther,  homicide,  and  great 
effusion  of  blood,  as  experience  dayly  teacheth. 

"  Is  this  murthering  play,  now,  an  exercise  for  the  sabaoth  day  ?  is  this  a 
Christian  dealing,  for  one  brother  to  majnne  and  hurt  another,  and  that  upon 
prepensed  malice  or  set  purpose  ?  is  this  to  do  to  another  as  we  would  wist 
another  to  doo  to  us  ?  God  make  us  more  careful  over  the  bodyes  of  our 
brethren!"  *  against,  to  prevent,  losing  it. 

*  See  'Morris  Dancers'  in  Brand,  i.  142-155,  ed.  1841. — Blount's  GlossO' 
graphia,  there  quoted,  gives  only  six  performers,  as  against  Laneham's  eight : 
"Morisco  (Span.)  a  Moor;  also  a  Dance  so  called,  wherein  there  were  usually 


Sunday,  July  17.     The  Bride-ale  before  the  Queen.      23 

cording  too  the  auucient  manner,  six  daunserz,  Mawdmarion, 
and  the  fool.  Then,  three  prety  puzels^  az  bright  az  a  breast 
of  bacon,  of  a  thirtie  yeere  old^  a  pees,  that  carried  three 
speciall  spisecakes^  of  a  bushell  of  wheat,  (they  had  it  by 
meazure  oout  of  my  Lord^s  backhouse*,)  before  the  Bryde : 
Syzely,  with  set  countenauns,  and  lips  so  demurely  simpring, 
az  it  had  been  a  Mare  cropping  of  a  thistl.  After  theez,  a 
loouely  loober  woorts'^,  freklfaced,  red  headed,  cleen  trust  in 
his  dooblet  &  hiz  hoze,  taken  vp  now  in  deed  by  commission, 
for  that  hee  waz  so  loth  to  cum  forward,  for  reuerens  (belike) 
of  hiz  nu  cut  canuas^  dooblet :  &  woold  by  hiz  good  will  haue 
been  but  a  gazer,  but  found  too  bee  a  meet  actor  for  hiz 
offis :  that  waz,  to  beare  the  bridecup,  foormed  of  a  sweet 
sucket'''  barrell,  a  faire  turnd  foot  set  too  it,  all  seemly  be- 
syluerd  and  parcelP  gilt,  adourned  with  a  bea  [u]  tiful  braunch 
of  broom,  gayly  begilded  for  rosemary  :  from  which,  too 
brode  brydelaces  of  red  and  yelloo  buckeram  begilded,  and 
galauntly  streaming  by  such  wind  az  thear  fwaz  (for  hee 
ftp  29  1  carried  it  aloft :)  This  gentl  cupbearer  yet  had  hiz 
freckld  fiznemy  sumwhat  vnhappily  infested,  az  hee 
went,  by  the  byzy  flyez,  that  floct  about  the  bride  cup  for 
the  sweetnes  of  the  sucket  that  it  sauored  on  :  but  hee,  like 
a  tall  fello,  withstood  their  mallis  stoutly  (see  what  man- 
hood may  do  !),  bet  them  away,  kild  them  by  scores,  stood  to 
hiz  charge,  and  marched  on  in  good  order. 

five  Men,  and  a  Boy  dressed  in  a  Girls  habit,  whom  they  call  the  Maid 
Marrion  .  .  .  Common  people  call  it  a  Morris  Dance."  Brand's  quotation,  i. 
149,  from  Cobbe's  Froj)hecics,  1614,  says  that 

.  .  cheefest  of  them  all,  the  Foole 
Plaied  with  a  ladle  and  a  toole. 

^  Fr.  pticeUe,  a  maid,  virgine  ;  girle,  damsell,  mother. — Cotgrave. 

^  Nichols's  copy  reads  '  a  thirtie-five  yeer  old.' 

^  See  Brand  on  Bride-cake,  ii.  62-4,  cd.  1841.  "*  bakehouse. 

*  Fr.  Baligaut :  m.  An  unweldy  lubber,  great  lobcocke,  huge  luske,  mis- 
shapen lowt,  ill-favoured  flaberguUion. — Cotgrave.  '  Loobber  woorts,  a  dull, 
heavj',  and  useless  fellow.  The  word  is  probably  derived  from  the  Danish 
lubben,  gross,  or  fat,  and  vorte,  a  wart  or  wen. — See  WollF.  Shakespeare  uses 
the  latter  word  somewhat  in  this  sense,  when  he  makes  Prince  Henry  say  to 
Falstafi",  "  I  do  allow  this  wen  to  be  as  familiar  with  me  as  my  dog."  ' — JSur)i, 
p.  100 ;  Nichols,  i.  443. 

^  Cp.  Laneham's  saying  of  himself,  p.  57,  below.  "I  go  noow  in  my  sylks, 
that  else  might  ruffl  in  my  cut  canues," — poor  man's  clothes. 

'  Suckcts,  dried  sweet-meats  or  sugar-plums ;  that  which  is  sucked. — Nares : 
see  the  quotations  there,  and  cp.  Fr.  dragee  any  jonkets,  comfets,  or  sweet- 
meats, served  in  as  the  last  course  (or  otherwise)  for  stomake-closere. — Cot- 
grave. 8  partly. — Burn. 


24  Sunday,  July  17.     Running  at  the  Quintain. 

Then  foUoed  the  worshipfull  Bride,  led  (after  the  cuntrie 
maner)  between  too  auncient  parishionerz,  honest  toounsmen. 
But  a  stale  stallion^  and  a  wel  spred,  (hot  az  the  weather 
waz,)  God  wot,  and  an  il  smelling,  waz  she  :  a  thirtie^  yeer 
old,  of  colour  brounbay,  not  very  beautifull  in  deed,  but  vgly, 
fooul,  ill  fauord :  yet  marueyloous  fain  of  the  offis,  because  shee 
hard  say  shee  shoold  dauns  before  the  Queen,  in  which  feat 
shee  thought  shee  woold  foote  it  az  j&nely  az  the  best :  Well, 
after  this  bride  cam  thear,  by  too  and  too,  a  dozen  damzels 
for  bridemaides  :  that  for  fauor,  attyre,  for  facion  and  clean- 
lines,  were  az  meete  for  such  a  bride,  az  a  treen^  ladl  for  a 
porige  pot :  mo,  but  for  fear  of  earring  all  clean,  had  been 
appointed :  but  tlieez  feaw  wear  inoow. 
ftp.  30.1  t Az  the  cumpany  in  this  order  wear  cum  into  the 

coourt,  maruelous  wear  the  marciall  acts  that  wear 
doon  thear  that  day. 

.  The  Brydegroome  for  preeminens  had  the  fyrst 

at  ^d^tine.  ^^ors  at  the  Quintyne,  brake  hiz  spear  tres  hardi- 
ment :  but  his  mare  in  hiz  manage  did  a  littl  so 
titubate*,  that  mooch  a  doo  had  hiz  manhod  to  sit  in  his 
sadl,  &  too  scape  the  foyl  of  a  fall :  with  the  help  of  his 
band,  yet  he  recoouerd  himself,  and  lost  not  hiz  styrops  (for 
he  had  none  too  his  saddl)  :  had  no  hurt,  as  it  hapt,  but  only 
that  hiz  gyrt  burst,  and  lost  hiz  pen  &  inkorn,  that  he  waz 
redy  to  wep  for.  But  hiz  handkercher,  az  good  hap  waz, 
found  he  safe  at  his  gyrdl :  that  cheerd  him  sumwhat,  & 
had  good  regard  it  shoold  not  be  fyeld.  For  though  heat  & 
coolnes  vpon  sundry  occazions  made  him  sumtime  too  sweat, 
and  sumtime  rumatick  :  yet  durst  he  be  bollder  too  bio  hiz 
noze,  &  wype  hiz  face,  with  the  flapet  of  his  fatherz  iacket^, 
then  with  hiz  mothers  mufflar ; — tiz  a  goodly  matter,  when 
yooth  iz  manerly  brought  vp  in  fatherly  looue  &  motherly  aw. 

^  Stallion,  a  term  of  reproval,  applied  to  a  woman  in  the  Life  of  Long  Bleg 
of  Westminster,  1635.  Cotgrave's  first  meaning  for  Estalon  is,  '  a  Stalion  for 
Marcs;'  his  second  meaning  'a  stale  (as  a  Larke,  etc.)  wherewith  Fowlers 
traine  silly  birds  unto  their  destruction.' 

^  Nichols,  following  a  Bodleian  copy,  reads  "  thirtie-five."    Ed.  1788,  i.  19. 

made  of  tree  or  wood. 
^    Titubant  tripping,  stumbling,  staggering. — Cotgrave. 
Yf  thy  nose  thou  dense,  as  may  befalle, 
Loke  thj  honde  thou  dense,  as  wythe-alle, 
Priuely  wit/*  skyrt  do  hit  away, 
Other  ellis  thurghi?  thi  tepet  thai  is  so  gay. 

Boke  of  Curtasye,  ab.  1460  a.d.,  in  Bahces  Boole, 
p.  301,  1.  89-92. 


Sunday,  July  17.     The  Quintain  and  Tournament.      25 

Noow^  syr,  after  the  Brydegroom  liad  made  hiz  coorSj  ran 
ftp  31 1  ^  ^'®^^  ^^  ^^^®  band  a  fwliyle  in  sum  order,  but 
soon  after,  tag  and  rag^,  cut  &  long  taiP  :  wliear  the 
specialty  of  the  sport  waz,  to  see,  how  sum  for  hiz  slakness 
had  a  good  bob  with  the  bag^,  and  sum  for  his  haste  too 
toppl  dooun  right,  &  cum  tumbling  to  the  post :  sum  stryuing 
so  mooch  at  the  first  setting  oout,  that  it  seemd  a  question 
betweene  the  man  &  the  beast,  whither  the  coors  shoold 
be  made  a  horsback  or  a  foot :  and  put  foorth  with  the 
spurz,  then  wold  run  hiz  race  byas*  among  the  thickest  of 
the  throng,  that  dooun  came  they  toogyther,  hand  ouer  hed : 
anoother,  whyle  he  directed  hiz  coors  to  the  quintyne,  hiz 
iument^  woold  cary  him  too  a  mare  amoong  the  pepl :  so  hiz 
hors  az  amoroos,  az  him  selfe  aduenturoous.  Another,  too 
run  &  miss  the  quintyne  with  hiz  staff,  and  hit  the  boord 
with  his  hed. 

Many  such  gay  gamez  wear  thear  among  theez  ryderz : 
who  by  &  by  after,  vpoii  a  greater  coorage,  leaft  thear  quin- 
tining,  and  ran  one  at  anoother.  Thear  to  see  the  stearn 
countenauns,  the  giym  looks,  the  cooragioous  attempts,  the 
desperat  aduejiturez,  the  daungeroous  cooruez^,  the  feers 
encoounterz,  whearby  the  buff'''  at  the  man,  and  the  coounter- 
rtp.  32  1  ^^^^  ^^  ^-^"^^  hors,  that  fboth  sumtime  cam  topling  to 
the  ground.     By  my  trooth.  Master  Martyn,  twaz  a 

^  En  bloc  et  en  tascJie,  one  with  another,  tag  and  rag,  all  together. — Cotgrave. 

^  This  phrase  [cut  and  long  tail']  occurs  in  the  Merry  Wives  ofWindsor,  where 
Slender  after  the  declaration  of  Shallow,  that  he  shall  maintain  Ann  Page 
like  a  gentlewoman,  says,  "  Ay,  that  I  will,  come  cut  and  lotig-tail,  under  the 
degree  of  a  squire."  It  is  also  foimd  in  the  First  Part  of  the  Eighth 
Liberal  Science,  entitled,  "  Ars  Adulandi,"  &c,  devised  and  compiled  by  Ul- 
pian  Fulwell  1676,  "  Yea,  even  their  very  dogs,  Rug,  Eig,  and  Eisbie,  yea, 
cut  and  long-tailc^  they  shall  be  welcome."  Many  other  instances  of  the 
usage  of  this  phrase  are  to  be  met  with  in  old  plays,  and  it  seems  probable 
that  it  originally  referred  to  horses  only,  which  might  be  denominated  cut 
and  long-tail,  as  they  were  curtailed  of  this  appendage  or  allowed  its  full 
growth:  and  this  might  be  practised  according  to  their  value  or  uses. 
In  this  view,  cut  and  long-tail,  would  include  the  whole  species  of  horses, 
good  and  bad,  and  such  appears  to  be  the  comi^rehensive  meaning  of  the 
jihrase. — Kenilworth  Illustrated,  App.  19;  Nichols,  i.  445. 

^  Hung  at  the  other  end  of  the  cross-bar  of  the  quintain-pole. 

■*  Biais  :  m.  Byas,  compasse,  aslope,  or  sloping. — Cotgrave. 

^  stallion ;  though  Fr.  jument  is  a  mare.     Lat.  jumentum,  a  beast  of  burden. 

^  '  curves,'  as  Mr.  linowles  suggests ;  not  for  '  courses ;'  or  from  Fr.  Corvee, 
Courvee,  a  daycs  worke,  due  by  a  Tenant  vnto  his  Lord.  II  a  fait  vne  grande 
courvee,  he  hath  done  a  great  dayes  worke,  he  hath  made  a  long  dayes  iourney ; 
or,  he  hath  dispatched  the  matter  with  verie  much  toyle. — Cotgrave. 

7  Buffe :  f.  A  buffet,  blow,  cufte,  boxe,  or  whirret  on  the  eare,  &c. — Col- 
grave. 


26  Sunday,  July  17.     The  Coventry  Men's  Play. 

liuely  pastime ;  I  beleeue  it  woold  liaue  mooued  sum  mian 
too  a  right  meery  mood,  thoogli  had  it  be  toold  him  hiz  v/ife 
lay  a  dying. 

Hok  Tuis-  -^^^  heertoo  folloed  az  good  a  sport  (me  thooght) 
day>  by  the  prezented  in  an  historical!  ku^,  by  certain  good 
Couentree  harted  men  of  Couentree^,  my  Lordes  neighboors 
™™"  thear  :  who,  vnderstanding  amoong  them  the  thing 

that  coold  not  bee  hidden  from  ony,  hoow  carefull  and  stu- 
dious hiz  honor  waz,  that  by  all  pleazaunt  recreasions  her 
highnes  might  best  fynd  her  self  wellcom,  and  bee  made 
gladsum  and  mery,  (the  groundworke  indeede,  and  foundacion, 
of  hiz  Lordship^s  myrth  and  gladnesse  of  vs  all),  made  peti- 
tion that  they  moought  renu  noow  their  olid  storiall  sheaw*  : 
Florileg.  Of  argument,  how  the  Danez  whylom  heere  in  a 
li.  I.  fol.  troubloous  seazon  wear  for  quietnesse  born  withall, 
^^^*  &  suffeard  in  peas,  that  anon,  by  outrage  &  import- 

abl  insolency,  abuzing  both  Ethelred,  the  king  then,  and  all 
estates  euerie  whear  byside :  at  the  greuoous  complaint  & 

*  See  Brand  and  Ellis's  long  notes  on  this  custom  in  their  Antiquities,  i. 
107-114,  ed.  1841. 

*  ?  style.  Cue.  From  the  letter  Q,  of  quando  or  qualis  by  which  the  place 
for  a  fresh  actor's  speech  was  marked. — See  Wedgwood,  iii.  650. 

3  On  the  Coventry  men's  plays,  &c.  see  Thomas  Sharpe's  "Dissertation  on 
the  Pageants  or  Dramatic  Mysteries  anciently  performed  at  Coventry  by  the 
Trading  Companies  of  that  City  &c.  "  1825 ;  and  "  the  Coventry  Mysteries," 
edited  for  the  Shakspere  Society  by  Mr.  Halliwell,  1841.  'Previous  to  the 
suppression  of  the  English  Monasteries,  the  City  of  Coventry  was  particu- 
larly famed  for  the  pageants  which  were  performed  in  it  on  the  14th  of  June, 
or  Corpus- Christi  day.  This  appears  to  have  been  one  of  the  ancient  fairs  ; 
and  the  Grey  Friars,  or  Friars  Minors,  of  that  City,  had,  as  Dugdale  relates, 
"  Theatres  for  the  several  scenes  very  large  and  high,  placed  upon  wheels, 
and  drawn  to  all  the  eminent  parts  of  the  city,  for  the  better  advantage  of 
the  spectators  ;  and  contained  the  story  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  com- 
posed in  the  Old  English  rhyme."  Coventry  appears  to  have  derived  great 
benefit  from  the  numbers  of  persons  who  came  to  visit  these  Pageants.' — 
Burn,  p.  101 ;  Nichols,  i.  446. 

*  'The  origin  of  this  once  popular  holiday,  called  Hoke-daj'-,  Hoke-tuesday,  or 
Hoke-tide,  is  involved  in  considerable  obscurity.  By  some  writers  it  is  supposed 
to  be  commemorative  of  the  massacre  of  the  Danes  in  the  reign  of  Etheked,  on 
the  13th  of  November,  1002 ;  whilst  by  others,  the  deliverance  of  the  English 
from  the  tyranny  of  the  Danes,  by  the  death  of  Hardicanute,  on  Tuesday  the 
8th  of  June,  1042,  is  pointed  out  as  its  origin.  Our  author  adopts  the  former 
hypothesis,  though  the  weight  of  argument  preponderates  in  favour  of  the 
national  deliverance  by  Hardicanute' s  death;  and  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  the  festival  was  celebrated  on  a  Tuesday,  and  that  Hoke-tuesday  was 
the  Tuesday  in  the  second  week  after  Easter.  Various  conjectures  have  been 
offered  respecting  the  etymology  of  the  word  Hoke.  Lambard  imagined  it  to 
be  a  corruption  of  Suextyde,  the  time  of  scorning  or  mocking.  Bryant  pre- 
fers Hock,  high,  apprehending  that  Sock-day  means  no  more  than  a  high  day; 
but  Mr.  Denne,  in  a  very  learned  memoir  upon  this  subject,  printed  in  the 


Sunday,  July  17.     The  Coventry  Men's  Play.  27 

coounsell  of  Huna,  the  king's  cliieftain  in  warz^  on  Saint 
r.  33  -1  Brices  night,  Ann.  Doin.  1012.^  t(Az  the  book  sayz) 
that  falleth  yeerely  on  the  thirteenth  of  Nouem- 
ber,  wear  all  dispatoht,  and  the  Ream  rid.  And  for  becauz 
the  matter  mencioneth  how  valiantly  our  English  women  for 
looue  of  their  cuntree  behaued  themseluez  :  expressed  in 
actionz  &  rymez  after  their  maner,  they  thought  it  moought 
mooue  sum  myrth  to  her  Maiestie  the  rather. 

The  thing,  said  they,  iz  grounded  on  story,  and  for  pastime 
woont  too  bee  plaid  in  oour  Citee  yeerely  :  without  ill  ex- 
ampl  of  mannerz,  papistry,  or  ony  superstition  :  and  elz  did 
so  occupy  the  heads  of  a  number,  that  likely  inoough  woold 
haue  had  woorz  meditationz  :  had  an  auncient  beginning,  and 
a  long  continuauns  :  tyll  noow  of  late  laid  dooun,  they  knu 
no  cauz  why,  onless  it  wear  by  the  zeal  of  certain  theyr 
Preacherz^ :  men  very  commendabl  for  their  behauiour  and 
learning,  &  sweet  in  their  sermons,  but  sumwhat  too  sour 
in  preaching  awey  theyr  pastime^ :  wisht  therefore,  that  az 
they  shoold  continu  their  good  doctrine  in  pulpet,  so,  for 
matters  of  pollioy  &  gouernauns  of  the  Citie,  they  woold  per- 

Archseologia,  vol.  vii.  p.  244,  &c.,  adopts  Spelman's  derivation  of  the  term 
from  the  German  Hocken,  in  reference  to  the  practice  of  binding,  which  was 
formerly  practised  by  the  women  upon  the  men  upon  Hoke-tuesday  ;  though 
he  considers  this  as  metaphorical,  and  that  the  German  word  for  marriage,  or 
a  wedding-feast,  Hock-zeit,  is  more  immediately  applicable,  because  it  was  at 
the  weddmg  feast  of  a  Danish  Lord,  with  the  daughter  of  a  Saxon  Nobleman, 
that  Hardicanute  died  suddenly,  not  without  suspicion  of  being  poisoned. — 
Nichols,  i.  446. 

^  More  correctly  1002. — Kenilworth  Illustrated,  20  ;  Nichols. 

2  Compare  Stubbes's  chapter  '  Of  Stage-play es  and  Enterludes,  with  their 
wickednes,'  Anatomie,  p.  134-141 ;  Northbrooke's  Treatise  on  Dicing,  Dan- 
cing, Plays  and  Interludes,  &c.,  1577,  a.d.  (Shaksp.  Soc.  1843),  &c.  &c. 

3  While  the  Catholic  Eeligion  was  the  established  faith  of  England,  there 
were,  in  connection  with  it,  many  public  amusements  and  festivals,  by  which 
all  the  orders  of  society  were  entertained ;  such  as  the  performance  of  Morali- 
ties or  sacred  plays,  popular  customs  to  be  observed  on  certain  vigils  and 
Saints'  days,  and  the  keeping  of  the  many  holidays  enjoined  by  the  Romish 
Calendar,  in  the  pastimes  common  to  the  lower  classes.  In  the  commencement 
of  most  reformations  in  society,  it  is  common  to  find  the  reverse  of  wrong  as- 
sumed for  right ;  and  hence  the  Puritans,  who  increased  rapidly  after  the 
English  Reformation,  not  only  banished  all  those  festivals  and  customs  pecu- 
liar to  the  Catholic  religion,  but  also  violently  declaimed  against  popular 
pastimes,  innocent  in  themselves,  but  condemned  by  them  because  they  had 
existed  in  former  times.  This  illiberal  spirit  of  denouncing  public  amuse- 
ments, was,  however,  not  without  some  opposition ;  Randolph  severely  at- 
tacked "the  sanctified  fraternity  of  Blackfriars,"  in  his  "Muses  Looking 
Glass,"  and  Ben  Jonson  scarcely  ever  let  them  pass  without  some  satirical 
remark.  In  the  Monologue,  or  "  Masque  of  Owls,"  the  latter  of  which,  as  it 
was  performed  at  Kenilworth,  in  the  Reign  of  Charles  I.,  is  most  to  the  pre- 


28  Sunday,  July  17.     Captain  Cox  of  Coventry. 

mifc  tliem  to  tlie  Mair  and  Magistratez :  and  seyed^  by  my 
rtp-  34-1      ^^y^^'   Master   Martyn,  tliey  fwoold    make    theyr 
liumbl  peticion  vntoo  her  liig-lmes^  that  they  might 
haue  theyr  playz  vp  agayn. 

Ccaptain  But  aware,  keep  bak,  make  room  noow,  heer  they 

^o^-  cum !  And  fyrst,  captin  Cox,  an  od  man  I  promiz  yoo : 

by  profession  a  Mason,  and  that  right  skilful!,  very  cunning 

sent  purpose ;  the  third  owl  is  intended  to  represent  a  Puritan  of  Coventry, 
one  of  those  who  contributed  to  put  down  the  Coventry  plays,  and  is  thus  de- 
scribed : — 

Hey  Owl  Third. 


'  A  pure  native  bird 
This,  and  though  his  hue 
Be  Coventry  blue, 
Yet  is  he  undone 
By  the  thread  he  has  spun ; 
For  since  the  wise  town 
Has  let  the  sports  down 
Of  May-games  and  Morris, 
For  which  he  right  sorry  is ; 
Where  their  maids  and  their  makes, 


At  dancings  and  wakes. 
Had  then-  napkins  and  posies. 
And  the  wipers  for  their  noses. 
And  their  smocks  all-be-wrought 
"With  his  thread  which  they  bought ; 
It  now  lies  on  his  hands. 
And  having  neither  wit  or  lands, 
Is  ready  to  hang  or  choke  him, 
In  a  skein  of  that  that  broke  him." 


From  the  above  keen  satire  may  be  gathered,  that  in  abolishing  of  the  Co- 
ventry Pageants,  the  trade  of  that  City  sufl'crod  considerably.  The  chief 
staple  of  the  place  was  the  manufactory  of  blue  thread,  of  which  a  great  con- 
sumption was  formerly  made  in  the  embroidering  of  scarfs  and  napkins.  But 
beside  the  decay  of  trade  in  Coventry,  occasioned  by  the  loss  of  the  Pageants, 
the  unpatriotic  taste  for  articles  of  foreign  production,  was  also  of  considerable 
detriment  to  that,  as  well  as  to  the  other  manufacturing  Towns  of  England. 
In  a  very  rare  tract,  entitled,  "  A  Briefe  Conceipte  of  English  PoUicye," 
Lond.  1681,  with  the  initials  W.  S.,  and  ascribed  to  Shakspearc,  but  in  reality 
written  by  W.  Stafford,  there  are  the  following  passages  concerning  the  effect 
of  this  destructive  fashion  upon  the  staple  of  Coventry :  and  as  they  tend  so 
particularly  to  illustrate  the  period  of  the  Kenilworth  pageants,  and  Lane- 
ham's  own  manners,  which  were  so  strongly  tinctured  with  foreign  fopperies, 
it  is  presumed  that  their  insertion  will  not  be  unacceptable  to  the  reader :  (fo. 
48)  "  I  will  tell  you  :  while  men  were  contented  with  such  as  were  made  in  the 
market-townes  next  vnto  them,  then  were  they  of  our  Townes  &  Cities  well 
set  a  worke :  as  I  knewe  the  time  when  men  were  content  with  Cappes,  Ilattes, 
Gyrdcls,  and  Poyntes,  and  all  manner  of  garmentes  made  in  the  townes  next 
aciioyning,  whereby  the  Townes  were  then  well  occupied  and  set  a  woi-ke,  and 
yet  the  money  payd  for  the  same  stuff"e  remayned  in  the  coimtrey.  Now,  the 
poorest  younge  man  in  a  countrey  cannot  be  content  with  a  lethor  gyrdle,  or 
lether  poyntes,  Kniucs  or  Daggers,  made  nigh  home.  And  specially  no  Gen- 
tleman can  be  contente  to  haue  eyther  Cappe,  Cote,  Dublet,  Hose,  or  shyrte, 
in  his  countrey,  but  they  must  haue  this  geare  come  ivom  Lowdon ;  and  yet 
many  thinges  hereof  are  not  there  made,  but  beyowd  the  sea :  whereby  the 
artificers  of  our  good  to^sTies  are  idle,  and  the  occupations  in  London,  and 
specially  of  the  townes  beyond  the  seaes,  are  well  set  a  worke  euen  vpon  our 
costes.  .  .  (f.  49)  I  haue  heard  say  that  the  chiefe  trade  of  Couentry  was  hereto- 
fore in  making  of  blewe  threde,  and  then  the  towne  was  riche  euen  vjjon  that 
trade  in  manner  onely ;  and  now  our  thredde  comes  all  from  beyond  Sea. 
Wherefore  that  trade  of  Couentry  is  decaied,  and  thereby  the  towne  likewise." 
{fol.  49). — In  consequence,  therefore,  of  the  desire  for  foreign  articles  of  dress 


July  17.     Captain  Conn's  Story-books.  29 

in  fens,  and  hardy  az  Gawin ;  for  liiz  tonsword^  hangs  at  his 
tablz  ecnd :  great  ouersight  hath  he  in  matters  of  storie  : 
For,  az  for  king  Arthurz  book^,  Huow  of  Burdoaus,  The  foour 

and  ornament,  England,  which  had  hoon  hitherto  in  a  great  measure  supplied 
from  her  own  resources,  became  about  the  close  of  the  16th.  century  iilled  with 
manufactures  which  wore  imported  from  the  Continent ;  while  at  the  same 
time  the  most  important  British  productions  were  exchanged  for  what,  in 
a  commercial  sense,  might  bo  considered  only  as  superfluities.  This,  also, 
is  very  forcibly  hinted  at  in  the  pamphlet  before  quoted,  in  the  following 
manner  : — "  And  I  maruell  no  man  takes  heede  to  it,  what  number  first  of 
trifles  comes  bother  from  beyond  the  sea,  that  wee  might  either  cloano  spare, 
or  els  make  them  within  our  realme,  for  the  whicb  wee  either  pay  inestimable 
treasm-e  euery  yero,  or  else  exchaunge  substantiall  wares  and  necessary,  for 
them,  for  the  which  wo  might  receaue  great  treasure.  Of  tho  which  sort  I 
meane  as  well  looking-glasses  as  drinking,  and  also  to  glazo  windowcs,  Diallos, 
Tables,  Gardes,  Balles,  Puppettes,  Penners  [pen-cases],  Inkehorns,  Toothe- 
picks,  Gloues,  Kniues,  Dagges,  Owches  [jewels  or  ornaments],  Brouches, 
Agglettes  [the  metal  ends  of  tags  or  laces],  liiittons  of  sillce  «&  siluer. 
Earthen  pots,  Pinnes  and  Pointes,  Hawlvos  belles.  Paper  both  wliite  and 
brownc,  and  a  thousand  like  thinges  that  might  either  be  cleane  spared,  or 
els  made  within  the  realme,  sulficient  for  vs :  and  as  for  some  thinges,  they 
make  it  of  our  owne  commodities,  and  send  it  vs  againo,  whereby  they  set 
their  people  a  worke,  and  doe  exhauste  much  treasure  out  of  this  llealme  :  as, 
of  our  well  they  make  Clothes,  Cappes,  and  Kersois ;  of  our  folles  [hides]  they 
make  Spanish  skins,  Gloues,  and  Girdels ;  of  our  Tinne,  Saltsellers,  Spoones, 
and  Dishes ;  of  our  broken  Linnen,  clothes  and  ragges.  Paper  both  white  and 
browne.  What  Treasure  (thinke  yee)  goes  out  of  this  Realme  for  euery  of 
these  thinges  ?  and  then  for  all  together,  it  exceedes  myno  estimation.  There 
is  no  man  that  can  be  contented  now  with  any  other  Glouos  than  be  made  in 
Fraunce  or  in  Spayne ;  nor  Kersie,  but  it  must  bo  of  Flaunders  die ;  nor 
Cloth,  but  French,  or  Fryseadowe ;  nor  Ouche,  Brooch,  or  Agglet,  but  of 
Venice  making,  or  Millen ;  nor  Dagger,  Swearde,  Knife,  or  Gyrdle,  but  of 
Spanish  making,  or  some  outward  countrey ;  no,  not  as  much  as  a  Spurre,  but 
that  is  fetched  at  the  Millener.  I  haue  heard  within  these  xl.  years,  when 
there  were  not  of  these  Haberdashers  that  selles  French  or  Millen  Cappes, 
Glasses,  Kniues,  Daggers,  Swordes,  Gyrdels,  and  such  thinges,  not  a  dosen  in 
all  London :  &  now  from  the  Tower  to  Westminster  alonge,  euery  streate  is 
full  of  them ;  and  their  shoppes  glitter  and  shyno  of  Glasses,  as  well  drynking 
as  looking,  yea,  all  manner  of  vessel  of  the  same  stufl'e :  paynted  Cruses,  gaye 
Daggers,  Knyucs,  Swordes,  and  Gyrdels,  that  it  is  able  to  make  any  towiperate 
man  to  gase  on  them,  and  to  buy  somewhat,  though  it  serue  to  no  purpose 
necessarie." — Burn,  p.  101-4;  Nichols,  i.  447-449.  (Corrected  by  /Stafford. 
'Fol.  25.    I  shall  re-edit  the  book  for  the  E.  E.  Text  Sec.  in  a  year  or  two.) 

*  "  Perhaps  a  one-handed  sword,  fi-om  ton  the  one  (see  p.  37),  guesses  Nares, 
who  says  he  has  not  found  the  word  anywhere  else  than  in  this  tractt,  hero, 
and  on  page  31.  Bui-n  (p.  lOG),  more  probably,  makes  it  a  largo  two- 
handed  sword.  See  Preface.  '  In  the  account  of  expenses  by  the  Drapers' 
Company  in  Coventry  on  Midsummer  night,  1657,  occur,  fifteen  gunners,  a 
flag-bearer,  flute,  drum,  and  a  "  wysscler."  There  is  also  the  following  Item, 
"payd  for  a  long-sivordc  and  the  skouiyng,  xijd."  which  long  sword  was  evi- 
dently for  the  person  marshalling  or  commanding  the  fifteen  gunners,  and 
seems  to  be  exactly  analogous  to  the  tonnword  of  Captain  Cox." — Kenilivorth 
Illustrated,  App.  22;  Nichols,  i.  451. 

-  For  notes  on  all  this  and  the  following  names  of  books,  ballads,  etc.,  see 
the  Forewords. 


30       July  17.     Captain  Cox's  Story-books  and  Ballads. 

suns  of  Aymon,  Beuys  of  Hampton,  The  squyre  of  lo  degree, 
The  knight  of  courtesy,  and  the  Lady  Faguell,  Frederik  of 
Gene,  Syr  Eglamoour,  Sir  Tryamoour,  Sir  Lamwell,  Syr 
Isenbras,  Syr  Gawyn,  Olyuer  of  the  Castl,  Lucres  and  Eu- 
rialus^,  VirgiFs  life.  The  castle  of  Ladiez,  The  wide  Bdyth, 
The  King  &  the  Tanner,  Frier  Rous,  Howleglas,  Gargantua, 
Robinhood,  Adambel,  Clim  of  the  clough,  &  William  of 
Cloudesley,  The  Churl  &  the  Burd,  The  seauen  wise  Masters, 
The  wife  lapt  in  a  Morel's  skin,  The  sak  full  of  nuez.  The 
seargeaunt  that  became  a  Fryar,  Skogan,  Collyn  cloout. 
The  Fryar  &  the  boy,  Elynor  Rumming,  and  the  Nutbrooun 
r ,  gg  -]  maid,  with  many  moe  fthen  I  rehearz  heere  :  I  be- 
leeue  hee  haue  them  all  at  hiz  fingers  endz. 
Then,  in  Philosophy,  both  morall  &  naturall,  I  think  he 
be  az  naturally  ouerseen- :  beside  poetrie  and  Astronomic, 
and  oother  hid  sciencez,  as  I  may  gesse  by  the  omberty'  of 
hiz  books  :  whearof  part  az  I  remember,  the  Sheperdz  kalen- 
der.  The  Ship  of  Foolz,  Danielz  dreamz,  the  booke  of  For- 
tune, Starts  puer  ad  mensam,  the  hy  wey  to  the  Spitlhouse, 
lulian  of  Brainford's  testament,  the  castle  of  Loue,  thebooget 
of  Demaunds,  the  hundred  Mery  talez,  the  book  of  Riddels, 
the  Seauen  sororz  of  wemen,  the  prooud  wiues  Pater  noster, 
the  Chapman  of  a  peniwoorth  of  Wit :  Beside  hiz  auncient 
playz,  Yooth  &  charitee,  Hikskorner,  Nugize,  Impacient 
pouerty ;  and  heerwith,  doctor  Boord's  breuiary  of  health. 
What  shoold  I  rehearz  heer,  what  a  bunch  of  ballets  &  songs, 
all  auncient :  Az  Broom  broom  on  hil.  So  wo  iz  me  begon, 
troly  lo.  Ouer  a  whinny  Meg.  Hey  ding  a  ding.  Bony 
lass  vpon  a  green.  My  bony  on  gaue  me  a  bek.  By  a 
bank  az  I  lay  :  and  a  hundred  more,  he  hath,  fair  wrapt  vp 
in  Parchment,  and  bound  with  a  whipcord, 
r .     Qg  -1  And  az  for  Allmanaks  of  antiquitee,  (a  fpoint  for 

Ephemerides)  I  weene  hee  can  sheaw  from  lasper 
Laet  of  Antwarp  vnto  Nostradam  of  Frauns,  and  thens  vnto 
oour  John  Securiz  of  Salsbury.  To  stay  ye  no  longer  heerin, 
I  dare  say  hee  hath  az  fair  a  library  for  theez  sciencez,  & 
az  many  goodly  monuments  both  in  proze   &  poetry,  &  at 


1  Nichols  reads  '  Curialus,'  ed.  1788,  vol.  i.  p.  23. 

"  Well-read,  leai-ned  :  cp.  Fr.  retraicter,  to  revise,  peruse,  overlook,  oversee, 
run  over. — Cotgrave. 

3  ?  shadowing.  Cp.  '  coming  events  cast  their  shadows  before ;'  and  Fr. 
Vn  poll  fait  ombre :  Prov.  A  haire  makes  a  shadow ;  the  smallest  things 
haue  their  shadows ;  viz.  their  vse,  or  some  ornament. — Cotgrave. 


Sunday,  July  1 7.  Capt.  Cox,  and  the  Coventry  Men's  Play.    31 

affcernoonz  can  talk  az  much  without  book,  az  ony  Inholder 
betwixt  Brainford^  and  Bagsliot,  what  degree  soeuer  lie  be. 

Beside  thiz,  in  the  field  a  good  Marshall  at  musters" :  of 
very  great  credite  &  trust  in  the  toun  hear,  for  he  haz  been 
choze7i  Alecurmer^  many  a  yeere,  when  hiz  betterz  haue 
stond  by :  &  euer  quited  himself  with  such  estimation,  az 
yet  too  the  tast  of  a  cup  of  Nippitate^,  his  iudgement  will  be 
taken  aboue  the  best  in  the  parish,  be  hiz  noze  near  so 
read. 

Captain  Cox  cam  marching  on  valiantly  before,  cleen 
trust,  &  gartered  aboue  the  knee,  all  fresh  in  a  veluet  cap 
(master  Goldingha?J^^  lent  it  him)  floorishing  with  hiz  ton- 
swoord,  and  another  fensmaster  with  him  :  thus  in  the  fore- 
ward  making  room  for  the  rest.  After  them  proudly  prickt 
on  formost,  the  Danish  launsknights^  on  horsbak,  and  then 
the  English  :  each  with  their  allder  fpoll  marcially  in  their 
hand.  Eeuen  at  the  first  entree  the  meeting  waxt 
Ltp-  7.J  sumwhat  warm :  that  by  and  by  kindled  with 
The  Couen-  gQ^jj^gQ  ^  both  sidez,  gru  from  a  hot  skirmish  vnto 
a  blazing  battail :  first  by  speare  and  shield,  out- 
ragious  in  their  racez  az  ramz  at  their  rut'^,  with  furious 
encoounterz,  that  togyther  they  tumbl  too  the  dust,  sumtime 
hors  and  man  :  and  after  fall  too  it  with  sworde  &  target, 
good  bangz  a  both  sidez  :  the  fight  so  ceassing ;  but  the  bat- 
tail  not  so  ended  :  folloed  the  footmen,  both  the  hostez,  ton 
after  toother  :  first  marching  in  ranks  :  then  warlik  turning, 
the?!  from  ranks  into  squadrons,  then  in  too  trianglz  ;  from 

^  Brentford  in  Middlesex,  and  Bagshot  in  Surrey,  are  both  on  the  South- 
Western  road  from  London.   What  can  have  made  Laneham  quote  them  here  ? 

2  See  Notes  at  the  end. 

3  Ale-conner  or  Ale-taster,  an  Officer  appointed  in  every  Court-Leet,  and 
Sworn  to  look  to  the  Assize  and  Goodness  of  Bread,  Ale  and  Beer,  sold  -within 
the  Jurisdiction  of  the  Leet. — Kersey's  Phillips,  a.d.  1706. 

*  See  note  on  Arion,  p.  34,  in  Notes  at  the  end. 

5  Stubbes,  in  his  Anatomie  of  Abuses,  1595,  describing  the  excesses  at 
Church-ales,  on  which  occasion  he  says  ten  or  twenty  quarters  of  malt  is  fre- 
quently made  into  very  strong  ale  or  beer;  adds,  "Then,  when  this  nippita- 
tum,  this  huffe-cappe,  as  they  call  it,  this  nectar  of  life,  is  set  abroach,  well  is 
ho  that  can  get  the  soonest  to  it,  and  spend  the  most  at  it ;  for  he  is  counted 
the  godliest  man  of  all  the  rest,  and  most  in  God's  favour,  because  it  is  spent 
upon  his  Church  forsooth."  May  not  the  terms  nappy-ale  and  brown-nappy,  be 
derived  fi'om  this  origin? — ICeitilworfh  Illustrated,  App.  23;  Nichols,  i.  455. 
See  Notes  at  the  end. 

8  Dan.  lantse  a  lance,  knegt  a  knight ;  Germ,  lands-lmecht  a  foot-soldier. — 
Ludwig. 

7  Fr.  ruit :  m.  The  rut  of  Deere  or  Bores ;  their  lust ;  and  the  season 
wherein  they  ingender.— Co/^y^flw. 


32    Sunday.   A  Sham-Fight,  Bride-ale,  Play  and  Banquet. 

that  intoo  rings^  &  so  winding  oout  again :  A  valiant  cap- 
tain of  great  prowez^  az  fiers  az  a  fox  assauting  a  gooz,  waz 
so  hardy  to  giue  the  first  stroke  :  then  get  they  grisly  to- 
gyther :  that  great  waz  the  actiuitee  that  day  too  be  seen 
thear  a  both  sidez  :  ton  very  eager  for  purchaz^  of  pray, 
toother  vtterly  stoout  for  redemption  of  libertie :  thus, 
quarrell  enflamed  fury  a  both  sidez.  Twise  the  Danes  had 
the  better ;  but  at  the  last  conflict,  beaten  doun,  ouercom, 
and  many  led  captiue  for  triumph  by  our  English  weemen. 
r ,     gg  -1  This  waz  the  effect  of  this  sheaw,  that,  faz  it  waz 

handled,  made  mooch  matter  of  good  pastime  : 
brought  all  indeed  intoo  the  great  court,  een  vnder  her 
highnes  windo  too  haue  been  seen :  but  (az  vnhappy  it  waz 
for  the  bride)  that  cam  thither  too  soon,  (and  yet  waz  it  a 
four  a  clok).  For  her  highnes  beholding  in  the  chamber  de- 
lectabl  dauncing  indeed :  and  heerwith  the  great  throng 
and  vnrulines  of  the  people,  waz  cauz  that  this  solemnitee  of 
Brideale  &  dauncing,  had  not  the  full  muster  waz  hoped  for : 
and  but  a  littl  of  the  Couentree  plea  her  highnes  also  saw  : 
commaunded  thearfore  on  the  Tuisday  folloing  to  haue  it  ful 
oout :  az  accordingly  it  waz  prezented,  whearat  her  Maies- 
tie  laught  well :  they  wear  the  iocunder,  and  so  mooch  the 
more  becauz  her  highnes  had  giuen  them  too  buckes,  and 
fine  marke  in  mony,  to  make  mery  togyther  :  they  prayed 
for  her  Maiesty,  long,  happily  to  reign,  &  oft  to  cum  thither, 
that  oft  they  moought  see  heer :  &  what,  reioycing  vpon 
their  ampl  reward,  and  what,  triumphing  vpon  the  good  ac- 
ceptauns,  they  vaunted  their  plaj'^  waz  neuer  so  dignified, 
nor  euer  any  players  afore  so  beatified. 

r ,     gg  -]  Thus  though  the  day  took  an  eend,  yet  fslipt 

not  the  night  all  sleeping  awey :  for  az  neyther 
offis  nor  obsequy  ceassed  at  any  tyme  too  the  full,  to  per- 
form the  plot  hiz  honor  had  appoynted :  So,  after  supper 
waz  thear  a  play  prezented  of  a  very  good  theam,  but  so  set 
foorth  by  the  Actoourz  wel  handling,  that  pleazure  &  mirth 
made  it  seeme  very  short,  though  it  lasted  too  good  ooarz 
and  more.     But  stay,  master  Martyn,  all  iz  not  doon  yet. 

After  the  play  oout  of  hand,  foUoed  a  most  delicioouz  and 
(if  I  may  so  terme  it)  an  Ambrosiall  Banket  :  whearof, 
whither  I  myght  more  muze  at  the  deintynesse,  shapez  and 
the  cost :  or  els  at  the  variete  &  number  of  the  disshez  (that 

'  Fr.  pourchas,  eager  pui-suit,  earnest  chace  after  (Cotgrave)  and  so,  gain, 
getting,  securing. 


Entrance  to  the  Banqueting  Hall,  Kenilworth  Castle. 


Monday,  July  \^.  A  Stag-hunt.  Triton  on  a  Mermaid.     33 

wear  a  three  hundred),  for  my  part  I  coold  littl  tel  them, 
and  noow  less,  I  assure  yoo.  Her  Maiesty  eat  smally  or  no- 
thing :  which  vnderstood,  the  coorsez  wear  not  so  orderly 
serued,  &  sizely  set  dooun,  but  wear  by  and  by  az  disorderly 
wasted  &  coorsly  consumed ;  more  courtly^,  me  thought,  then 
curteously.  But  that  was  no  part  of  the  matter  :  moought  it 
pleaz  and  be  liked,  &  do  that  it  cam  for,  then  waz  all  well 
inough. 

Vntoo  this  banket  thear  waz  appoynted  a  mask :  for 
rt  40 1  riches  of  aray,  of  an  incrediblf  cost :  but  the  time 
so  far  spent,  and  very  late  in  the  night  noow,  waz 
cauz  that  it  cam  not  foorth  to  the  sheaw.  And  thus  for  Son- 
dayz  seazon  hauing  stayd  yoo  the  longer  (according  too  the 
matter)  heer  make  I  an  eend :  ye  maye  breath  yee  a  while. 
Munda  10  Munday,  the  eyghteenth  of  this  luly,  the  weather 
being  hot,  her  highnes  kept  the  Castl  for  coolness, 
till  aboout  fine  a  clok  her  Maiesty  in  the  Chase  hunted  the 
hart  (az  afore)  of  fors  :  that,  whyther  wear  it  by  the  cunning 
Psal  24  ^^  *^®  huntsmen,  or  by  the  naturall  desyre  of  the 
Deer,  or  els  by  both  :  anon  he  gat  him  too  soyP 
agayne,  which  reyzed  the  accustomed  delight :  a  pastime 
indeede  so  intyrely  pleazaunt,  az  whearof  at  times  whoo 
may  haue  the  ful  and  free  fruition,  can  find  no  more  sacie- 
tee  (I  ween)  for  a  recreation,  then  of  theyr  good  viaundes 
at  timez  for  their  sustentation. 

Well,  the  game  waz  gotten  :  and  her  highnes  returning, 
cam  thear  vppon  a  swimming  Mermayd  (that  from  top  too 
tayl  waz  an  eyghteen  foot  long,)  Triton,  Neptunes  blaster  : 
Triton.  whoo,  with  hiz  trumpet  foormed  of  a  wrinkld  wealk, 
[tp.  41.]  az  her  Maiestyf  waz  in  sight,  gaue  soound  very 
shrill  &  sonoroous,  in  sign  he  had  an  ambassy  too  pronoouns  : 
anon  her  highnes  waz  cummen  vpon  the  bridge,  whearunto 
he  made  hiz  fish  to  swim  the  swifter,  and  he  then  declared^ : 
"  how  the  supreame  salsipotent*  Monarch  Neptune,  the  great 


*  Compare,  in  Russell's  Book  of  Nurture,  Babees  Book,  p.  163,  the  caution  to 
the  officers  to  look  out  that  no  dish  of  a  course  is  stolen,  1.  180  ;  and  the  note 
there  from  Household  Ordinances,  p.  45,  that  Edw.  IV's  Siirveyor  is  to  see 
that  '  of  every  messe  that  cummyth  from  the  dressing  hourde  .  .  thereof  he 
nothing  withdrawn  hy  the  squires.' 

2  took  to  the  water.    Fr.  batre  les  eaux,  a  Deere  to  take  soyle. — Cotgrave. 

3  See  Notes  at  the  end. 

*  An  epithet  derived  from  the  Latin  salsipotens,  which  signifies  one  who 
has  power  over  the  salt  seas ;  in  which  sense  it  is  used  by  Plautus. — Ains' 
worth,  in  Burn. 

D 


34    Monday,  July  \^.    The  Queen  frees  the  Lady  of  the  Lake. 

God  of  the  swelling  seaz,  Prins  of  profunditees,  and  Soouer- 
ain  Segnior  of  al  Lakez,  freshwaterz,  Eiuerz,  Creekes,  & 
Goolphs :  vnderstanding  how  a  cruel  Knight,  one  syr  Bruse 
sauns  pitee^j  a  mortall  enmy  vntoo  Ladiez  of  estate,  had  long 
lyen  about  the  banks  of  this  pooU,  in  wayt  with  his  bawds 
heer  to  distress  the  Lady  of  the  lake,  whearby  she  hath  been 
restrayned  not  only  from  hauing  any  vse  of  her  ancient 
liberty  and  territoriez  in  theez  parts,  but  also  of  making 
repayr  &  giumg  attewdauns  vnto  yoo,  nobl  Queen,  (qd.  he)  az 
she  woold,  shee  promist,  and  allso  shoold  :  dooth  thearfore 
signify  :  and  heerto,  of  yoo,  az  of  hiz  good  leag  and  deer 
freend,  make  this  request,  that  ye  will  deyn  but  too  sheaw 
yoor  parson  toward  this  pool,  whearby  yoor  only  prezens 
shallbe  matter  sufficient  of  abandoning  this  vncurtess  knight, 
and  putting  all  his  bands  too  flight,  &  also  of  deliuerauns 
r .     ^2  -1      of  tthe  lady  oout  of  this  thralldom."    Moouing  heer- 

with  from  the  bridge,  &  fleeting  more  intoo  the 
pool,  chargeth  he  in  Neptunes  name  :  both  Eolus  with  al  his 
windez,  the  waters  with  hiz  springs,  hiz  fysh  &  fooul,  and 
all  his  clients  in  the  same,  that  they  ne  be  so  hardye  in  any 
fors  too  stur,  but  keep  them  calm  &  quiet  while  this  Queen 
be  prezent.  At  which  petition  her  highnes  staying,  it  ap- 
peerd  straight  hoow  syr  Bruse  became  vnseen,  his  bands 
skaled^,  and  the  Lady  by  and  by,  with  her  too  Nymphs,  flot- 
ing  vpon  her  moouable  Hands  (Triton  on  hiz  mermaid 
skimming  by,)  approched  toward  her  highnes  on  the  bridge  : 
az  well  too  declare  that  her  Maiestiez  prezens  hath  so  graci- 
ouslye  thus  wi'ought  her  deliuerauns,  az  allso  to  excuze  her 
not  comming  to  coourt  az  she  promist,  and  cheefly  to  pre- 
zent her  Maiesty  (az  a  token  of  her  duty  &  good  hart) 
for  her  highness  recreation,  with  thiz  gift,  which  was  Arion^, 
that  excelle?it  &  famouz  Muzicien,  in  tyre  &  appointment 
straunge  well  seeming  too  hiz  parson,  ryding  aloffce  vpon 
hiz  olid  freend  the  Dolphin,  (that  from  hed  to  tayl  waz  a 
Ftp  43 1     foo^^  ^  twenty  foot  long)  &  swymd  hard  by  theez 

Hands  :  f^eerwith  Arion,  for  theez  great  benefitez, 
after  a  feaw  well  coouched  words  vntoo  her  Maiesty  of 
thanksgyuing,   in  supplement  of   the  same,  beegaw  a  de- 

'  See  Notes  at  the  end. 

2  skedaddled  ?  '  S/cale,  to  scatter,  in  haymaking,  is  still  used  transitively 
in  Cumherland.' — U.  H.  Knowles. 

^  See  the  note  on  Goldingham  from  Ken.  III.  p.  25  ;  and  Nichols,  i.  458,  in 
Notes  at  the  end. 


July  18.     Music  from  the  Dolphin.     Knights  made.     35 

lectabl  ditty  of  a  song^  wel  apted  too  a  melodious  noiz^, 
compoounded  of  six  seuerall  instruments  al  coouert,  cast- 
ing soouw-d  from  the  Dolphin's  belly  within;  Arion,  the 
seauenth,  sitting  thus  singing  (az  I  say)  withoout. 

Noow  syr,  the  ditty  in  miter  so  aptly  endighted  to  the 
matter,  and  after  by  voys  so  delicioously  deliuerd :  the  song 
by  a  skilful  artist  intoo  hiz  parts  so  sweetly  sorted :  each 
part  in  hiz  instrument  so  clean  &  sharpely  toouched,  euery 
instrument  again  in  hiz  kind  so  excellently  tunabl :  and  this 
in  the  eeu[en]ing  of  the  day,  resoounding  from  the  callm 
waters  :  whear  prezens  of  her  Maiesty,  &  longing  too  listen, 
had  vtterly  damped  all  noyz  &  dyn  ;  the  hole  armony  conueyd 
in  tyme,  tune,  &  temper,  thus  incomparably  melodious  :  with 
what  pleazure  (Master  Martin),  with  what  sharpnes  of  con- 
ceyt,  with  what  lyuely  delighte,  this  moought  pears  into  the 
heerers  harts,  I  pray  ye  imagin  yoor  self  az  ye  may ;  for,  so 
God  iudge  me,  by  all  the  wit  &  cunning  I  haue,  I  cawnot  ex- 
r ,  ^^  -1  press,  I  promis  yoo.  Mais  -fieo  bien  vieu  cela,  Mon- 
seur,  que  forte  grande  est  la  pouuoyr  qu'auoit  la 
tresnohle  Science  cle  Musique  sur  les  esprites  humains :  per- 
ceiue  ye  me  ?  I  haue  told  ye  a  great  matter  noow.  As  for 
me,  surely  I  was  lulld  in  such  liking,  &  so  loth  too  leaue  of, 
that  mooch  a  doo,  a  good  while  after,  had  I,  to  fynde  me 
whear  I  waz.  And  take  ye  this  by  the  way,  that  for  the 
smal  skyl  in  muzik  that  God  hath  sent  me,  (ye  kno  it  iz 
sumwhat,)  ile  set  the  more  by  my  self  while  my  name  .iz 
Laneham,  and  grace  a  God.     A  !   muzik  iz  a  nobl  Art ! 

A !  stay  a  while  !   see  a  short  wit :  by  my  trooth  I  had 
almost  forgot.     This  daye  waz  a  day  of  grace  beside,  whearin 
wear  auaunced  fyue  gentlemen  of  woorshippe  vnto  the  de- 
gree of  knighthood :  Sir  Thomas  Cecyl,  sun  &  heyr 
made    ^      vntoo  the  right  honorabl  the  Lord  Treazorer ;  Syr 
Henry  Cobham,  broother  vnto  the  Lord  Cobham; 
Syr  Thomas  Stanhop,  Syr  Arthur  Basset,  and  Syr  Thomas 
Tresham  :  and  allso,  by  her  highnes  accustumed  mercy  & 
charitee,  nyne  cured  of  the  peynfull  and  daungerous  diseaz, 
called  the  kings  euill ;  for  that  Kings  &  Queenz  of  this  Eealm, 
Ftp.  45.1     withoout  oother  medsin  (saue  only  by  fhandling  & 
prayerz),  only  doo  cure  it :  bear  with  me,  though 
perchauns  I  place  not  thoz    Gentlmen  in  my  recitall  heer, 

'  In  Gascoigne's  account  the  song  is  given,  but  Protheus  is  the  character 
instead  of  Avion,  which  is  apparently  an  error. — Nichols,  i.  458 ;  Ken.  III.  p. 
25,  note  3.  ^  i  noiz '  =  noise — a  company,  or  band,  of  musicians. —  W.  C, 

D  2 


36   July  19,20.  The  Coventry  Play.  The  Device  of  Gods  etc. 

after  theyr  estatez  :  for  I  am  neyther  good  heraud  of  armez, 
nor  yet  kno  lioow  they  are  set  in  tlie  Subsydy  bookez. 
Men  of  great  woorsliip  I  vnderstand  they  are  all. 
Tuisdav  11  Tuisday,  according  to  commaun dement,  cam 
oour  Couentree  men  :  what  their  matter  waz,  of  her 
highnes  myrth  and  good  acceptauns,  and  rewarde  vntoo 
them,  and  of  their  reioysing  thearat,  I  sheawd  you  afore, 
and  so  say  the  less  noow. 

"Wedns  12  Wednesday  in  the  forenoon,  preparacion  was  in 
hand  for  her  Maiesty  too  haue  supt  in  Wedgenall, 
a  three  myle  west  from  the  Castl.  A  goodly  park  of  the 
Queenz  Maiestyez^ :  for  that  cauz,  a  fayr  Pauilion,  and  other 
prouision  accordingly  thither  sent  &  prepared :  but  by  meanz 
of  weather  not  so  cleerly  dispozed,  the  matter  waz  counter- 
maunded  again.  That  had  her  highnes  hapned  this  daye  too 
haue  cummen  abrode  :  there  was  made  reddy  a  deuise  of 
Goddessez  &  Nymphes^:  which,  az  well  for  the  ingenious  ar- 
gument, az  for  the  wel  handling  of  it  in  rime  &  endighting, 
ftp  46 1  woold  vndooutedly  haue  gaind  great  lyking,  & 
mooned  no  less  delight.  Of  the  particulariteez, 
whearof,  I  ceas  to  entreat :  least,  like  the  boongling  car- 
pentar,  by  missorting  the  peecez,  I  mar  a  good  frame  in 
the  bad  setting  vp,  or  by  my  fond  tempring  afore  hand  em- 
bleamish  the  beauty,  when  it  shoold  be  reard  vp  in  deede. 

A  this  day  allso  waz  thear  such  earnest  tallk  &  appoint- 
ment of  remoouing,  that  I  gaue  ouer  my  noting,  and  barkened 
after  my  hors. 

Mary,  syr,  I  must  tell  yoo  :  Az  all  endeuoour  waz  too  mooue 
mirth  &  pastime  (az  I  tolld  ye)  :  eeuen  so  a  ridiculoous  de- 
uise of  an  auncient  minstrell  &  hiz  song  waz  prepared  to 
haue  been  profierd,  if  meet  time  &  place  had  been  foound 
for  it.  0ns  in  a  woorshipfull  company,  whear,  full  appointed, 
he  recoounted  his  matter  in  sort  az  it  shoould  haue  been 
vttred,  I  chaunsed  too  be :  what  I  noted,  heer  thus  I  tel 
yoo :  A  parson  very  meet  seemed  he  for  the  purpoze,  of  a 
xlv.^  yeers  olid,  apparelled  partly  as  he  woold  himself.     Hiz 


*  The  Duchess  of  Portland's  copy  reads  "  a  ^-oodly  park  of  the  right  honour- 
ahle  my  very  good  Lord  the  Earl  of  Warwick."  It  still  belongs  to  that  noble 
family,  and  is  now  called  Wedgnock  Park. — Nichols's  Progresses,  1788,  vol.  i. 
p.  29. 

2  See  Notes  at  the  end. 

2  The  Duchess  of  Portland's  copy  reads  "xiv." — Nichols,  ed.  1788,  vol.  i. 
p.  30. 


The  auncient  Minsirell  described.  37 

cap  of :  his  hed  seemly  roounded  tonster  wyze^  :  fayr  kemb, 
that  with  a  spoonge  deintly  dipt  in  a  Httl  capons  greaz  was 
rtp  47 1  fiii^ly  smoothed  too  make  fit  shine  like  a  Mallard's 
wing.  Hiz  beard  smugly  shauen :  and  yet  hiz 
shyrt  after  the  nu  trink^^  with  rufi's  fayr  starched^  sleeked, 
and  glistering  like  a  payr  of  nu  shooz :  marshalld  in  good 
order :  wyth  a  stetting  stick,  and  stoout,  that  euery  ruff  stood 
vp  like  a  wafer :  a  side  gooun  of  kendall  green,  after  the 
freshnes  of  the  yeer  noow,  gathered  at  the  neck  with  a 
narro  gorget,  fastened  afore  with  a  white  clasp  and  a  keepar 
close  vp  to  the  chin :  but  easily  for  heat  too  vndoo  when  he 
list :  Seemly  begyrt  in  a  red  caddiz^  gyi'dl :  from  that  a  payr 

'  Fr.  tondre,  to  slieere,  clip,  cut,  powle,  nott,  pare  round. — Cotgrave. 

2  ?  trick,  fashion. 

3  Caddis,  worsted,  such  as  is  now  termed  cruell,  used  for  the  ornament  of  the 
dresses  of  servants  and  the  lower  classes  in  the  16th  century.  Oaddis  garters 
are  mentioned  by  writers  of  that  era  as  worn  by  country  folks. — Fairholt's 
Costume  in  England.— ^'■Th.is  description  of  the  minstrel's  dress  is  particularly 
valuable,  as  it  gives  a  highly-finished  portrait  of  a  class  of  men  long  since  en- 
tirely extinct ;  and  therefore,  as  many  parts  of  the  costume  alluded  to  in  the 
text  are  now  unknown,  it  will  form  an  interesting  note  to  consider  over  and 
to  explain  them.  The  person  mentioned  is  stated  to  have  resembled  "a 
Squire  IVIinstrel  of  Middlesex  ;"  and  from  this  Dr.  Percy  supposes,  that  "there 
were  other  inferior  orders,  as  yeomen  minstrels,  or  the  like."  Philip  Stubbes, 
in  his  "  Anatomy  of  Abuses,"  1595,  gives  a  particular  detail  of  the  Ruff,  which 
is  the  jBrst  part  of  the  minstrel's  dress  mentioned  in  the  text.  From  this  it 
may  be  learned,  that  a  setting  stick,  also  alluded  to,  was  an  instrument  made 
either  of  wood  or  bone  for  laying  the  plaits  of  the  ruff  in  proper  form.  "  A 
side  gown  of  Kendal  green,"  was  a  long  hanging  robe  of  coarse  green  woollen 
cloth  or  baize,  for  the  manufacture  of  which  the  town  of  Kendal  in  Westmore- 
land was  very  anciently  celebrated.  From  Stafford's  tract  already  cited  (p.  28), 
it  would  appear  that  this  cloth  -was  appropriated  to  servants ;  as  he  there  says, 
"  For  I  know  when  a  Seruingman  was  cowtent  to  go  in  a  Kendall  coate  in 
Sommer,  and  a  frise  coate  in  winter ;  and  with  a  plaine  white  hose  made  meete 
for  his  body;  And  with  a  piece  of  biefe,  or  some  other  dishe  of  sodden  meate,  all 
the  weeke  longe.  Now  he  will  looke  to  haue  at  the  least  for  sommer,  a  coate  of 
the  finest  cloth  that  may  bee  gotten  for  money,  and  his  Hosen  of  the  finest 
Kersey,  and  that  of  some  straung  die,  as  Flaunders  die  or  French  puke,  that 
a  Prince  or  great  Lord  can  weare  no  finer  if  he  weare  cloth."  {Fol.  33  b.)  The 
mantle  of  Kendal-green,  Laneham  proceeds  to  state,  was  gathered  at  the  neck 
with  a  narrow  gorget,  or  collar.  The  gorget,  which  literally  signifies  a  throat- 
piece,  was  originally  a  part  of  the  female  dress,  and  consisted  of  a  long  piece  of 
cloth,  or  other  stuff,  wrapped  several  times  about  the  neck,  raised  on  either  side 
the  face,  and  secured  in  the  front  by  long  pins  driven  into  the  folds.  The 
white  clasp  and  keeper  were  probably  formed  of  pewter,  as  the  words  "  white 
metal "  are  often  used  in  this  sense  in  the  writers  of  Laneham' s  period.  A 
red  Caddis  girdle  was  one  of  those  Spanish  manufactures  of  which  Stafford  so 
much  complains ;  they  derived  their  name  from  being  made  at  the  city  of 
Cadiz  in  Spain,  out  of  the  feUs  or  untanned  hides,  which  were  sent  from  Eng- 
land to  be  formed  into  skina  of  Spanish  leather.  To  this  girdle  hung,  as 
usual,  a  pair  of  Sheffield  knives,  capped,  or  placed  within  a  case  ;  for  as  the  use 
of  forks  was  not  known  in  England  till  about  the  year  1610,  knives,  for  com- 


38  The  auncient  Minstrell  described. 

of  capped  Sheffeld  kniuez^  hanging  a  to  side :  Out  of  hiz 
bozome  drawne  foorth  a  lappet  of  his  napkin,  edged  with  a 
bin  lacOj  &  marked  with  a  trulooae^,  a  hart,  and  A.  D.  for 
Damian  :  for  he  was  but  a  bachelar  yet. 

Hiz  gooun  had  syde^  sleeuez  dooun  to  midlegge,  slit  from 
the  shooulder  too  the  hand,  &  lined  with  white  cotten.  Hiz 
doobled  sleeuez  of  blak  woorsted,  vpon  them  a*  payr  of 
poynets^  of  towny  Chamblet^  laced  a  long  the  wreast  wyth 
blu  threeden  points,  a  wealt  toward  the  hand  of  fustian 
anapes  v'  a  payr  of  red  neatherstocks  :  a  pair  of  pumps  on 
hiz  feet,  with  a  cross  cut  at  the  toze  for  cornz :  not  nu  in- 
rtp.  48.1  <^6ede,  yet  cleanly  fhlakt  with  soot,  &  shining  az  a 
shoing  horn. 

Aboout  hiz  nek  a  red  rebond  sutable  too  hiz  girdl :  hiz 
harp  in  good  grace  dependaunt  before  him :  hiz  wreast^  tyed 
to  a  green  lace,  and  hanging  by :  vnder  the  gorget  of  hiz 
gooun  a  fair  flagon  cheyn,  (pewter,  for)  siluer,  az  a  squier 
minstrel  of  Middilsex^,  that  trauaild  the  cuntree  this  soommer 
seazon  vnto  fairz  &  worshipfull  mens  hoousez :  from  hiz 
chein  hoong  a  Schoochion,  with  mettall  &  cooller  resplen- 
dant  vpon  hiz  breast,  of  the  auncient  armez  of  Islington  : 
vpow  a  question  whearof :  he,  az  one  that  waz  wel  schoold, 

mon  purposes,  \vere  usually  made  in  pairs.  The  word  napJcin  is  placed  for 
handkerchief.  The  description  of  the  minstrel's  gown  will  easily  be  under- 
stood ;  and  it  is  only  requisite  to  remark  upon  it,  ih3.t  fustian-a-napes  signifies 
Naples  fustian,  or  what  was  sometimes  called  fustian  hustian.  Nether  stocks 
were  under  stockings.  The  scutcheon  about  the  minstrel's  neck,  alludes  to  an 
ancient  custom  for  persons  of  that  profession  to  wear  the  badge  of  that  family 
by  which  thej'^  were  retained ;  as  the  three  belonging  to  the  House  of 
Percy  wore  each  of  them  a  silver  crescent. 

"  Towards  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  centmy,  this  class  of  men  had  lost  all 
their  former  credit,  and  were  sunk  so  low  in  public  estimation,  that  in  1597, 
39th  of  Eliz.  a  statute  was  passed,  by  which  minstrels,  wandering  abroad, 
were  included  with  "rogues,  vagabonds,  and  sturdy  beggars,"  and  were 
directed  to  be  punished  as  such.  This  act  seems  to  have  put  an  end  to  the 
profession." — Burn,  p.  107-8 ;  Nichols,  i.  461. 

'  See  Notes  at  the  end. 

2  A  true-lover's  knot.  True-love  is  Herb  Paris,  a  quatrefoil  whose  leaves 
bear  a  sort  of  likeness  to  a  truo-lover's  knot. — See  Gloss,  to  my  Wright's 
Chaste  Wife. 

3  1,  wide ;  2,  long.  ■*  Orig.  a  a.  *  Poynets,  Fr.  wristbands. 

^  Camlet  a  mixed  stuff  of  wool  and  silk,  used  for  gowns,  temp.  Elizabeth  and 
James  I.,  and  mentioned  by  writers  of  that  era.  It  was  originally  manufac- 
tured of  the  hair  of  the  camel,  and  from  thence  its  name  is  derived. — Fair- 
holt. 

'  Fustian  anapes  [=of  Naples]  is  Naples  fustian ;  sometimes  called  fustian 
bustian. — Ken.  III.  p.  101. 

8  wrest = tuning  hammer,  to  wrest  or  turn  the  tuning  pins  of  the  harp.  See 
p.  41,  62.  9  Orig.  Middilsez. 


The  auncieni  Minstrell  described.  30 

&  coold  hiz  lesson  parfit  withoout  booke  too  aunswear  at 
full,  if  question  wear  askt  hym,  declared :  hoow  tlie  woor- 
shipfull  village  of  Islington  in  Middelsex,  well  knooen  too 
bee  one  of  the  most  auncient  and  best  toounz  in  England 
next  London  at  thiz  day :  for  the  feythfuU  freendship  of 
long  time  sheawed,  az  well  at  Cookez  feast  in  Aldersgate 
streete  yeerely  vpon  holly  Rood  day^,  az  allso  at  all  solem 
bridalez  in  the  citie  of  London  all  the  yeer  after :  in  well 
seruing  them  of  furmenty  for  porage^,  not  ouersod  till  it  be 
too  weak  :  of  mylk  for  theyr  flawnez^,  not  pild  nor  chalked  : 
r ,     ^g  -1      of  cream   for   their   custardes,  not    ffrothed  nor 

thykned  with  floour :  and  of  butter  for  theyr  pastiez, 
and  pyepast,  not  made  of  well  curds,  nor  gathered  of  whey 
in  soommer :  nor  mingled  in  winter  with  salt  butter  watered 
or  washt,  did  obteyn  long  ago  thez  woorshipfull  armez  in 
cooler  &  foorm  az  yee  see :  which  are  the  armz,  a  field  ar- 
gent, as  the  field  and  groound  indeed,  whearin  the  milk- 
winez  of  thiz  woorthy  tooun,  and  euery  man  els  in  hys 
faculty  doth  trade  for  hiz  lining :  on  a  Fess  Tenny*  three 
platez  betweene  three  milke  tankerds  proper.  The  three 
milk  tankerds,  az  the  proper  vessell  whearin  the  substauns 
and  matter  of  their  trade  iz  too  and  fro  transported.  The 
Fess  Tenny,  which  iz  a  cooler  betokening  dout  &  suspitiow^  : 
so  az  suspition  &  good  heed  taking,  az  wel  to  their  markets 
&  seruants,  az  to  their  customers,  that  they  trust  not  too 
farre  :  may  bring  vnto  them  platez,  that  iz,  coynnd  syluer  : 
three,  that  iz,  sufiicient  and  plentie,  for  so  that  number  in 
Armory  may  well  signifie. 

For  Creast,  vpon  a  wad  of  ote  strawe  for  a  wreath,  a  boll 
of  furmenty :  Wheat  (az  yee  kno)  iz  the  most  precious  gyft 

of  Ceres,  and  in  the  midst  of  it,  sticking,  a  doozen 
spoonz™  ^^  hornspoonz  in  a  bunch,  az  the  instrumentsf 
r ,     CQ 1      meetest    too    eate    furmenty   porage   wythall :    a 

doozen,  az  a  number  of  plenty  compleat  for  full 
cheere  or  a  banket,  and  of  horn,  az  of  a  substauns  more  es- 

'  14  Sept.,  the  boys'  nutting-day. — ^Ellis's  Brand,  i.  194-5. 

-  furmity :  ^]>e  frumenty  potage.' — Babees  Booh,  p.  141,  1.  391,  etc. ;  Percy 
MS.  Loose  Songs,  p.  61,  64-5. 

■^  Fr.^ans:  m.  Flawns,  Custards,  Egge-Pies. — Cotgrave,  A  Cheese-cake 
or  FlawTie. — Hexham;  see  Babees  Book  Index. 

*  An  orange-coloured  band,  horizontally  crossing  the  middle  of  the  ehield, 
of  which  it  takes  up  the  third  part. — Cussans. 

'  Orange  or  yellow  is  the  colour  of  doubt. 

-  '  spnooz '  in  the  Brit.  Mus.  copy ;  but  spoonz  in  the  St.  John's  copy. 


40  The  auncient  Minstrell  described. 

timabl  then  iz  made  for  a  great  deel :  bfeing  aether  so  churl- 
ish in  weight  az  iz  mettall :  nor  so  froward  and  brittl  to 
manure  az  stone,  nor  yet  so  soily  in  vse,  nor  roongh  to  the 
lips,  az  wood  iz  :  but  lyght,  plyaunt,  and  smooth,  that  with 
a  litfrl  licking  wooll  allweiz  be  kept  az  clen  az  a  dy,  "  With 
yoor  paciens,  Gentlmen/'  (quoth  the  minstrel)  "  be  it  said : 
wear  it  not  in  deede  that  hornz  bee  so  plentie,  hornware  I  be- 
leeue  woold  bee  more  set  by  than  it  iz,  and  yet  are  thear  in 
our  parts,  that  wyll  not  stick  too  auoow  that  many  an  honest 
man  both  in  citee  and  cuntree  hath  had  hiz  hoous  by  horn- 
ing well  vphollden^,  and  a  daily  freend  allso  at  need.  And 
thiz  (with  your  fauoour)  may  I  further  affirm  :  a  veiy  ingeni- 
oous  parson  waz  hee,  that  for  dignitee  of  the  stuff,  coold 
thus  by  spooning,  deuise  to  aduauns  the  horn  so  neer  too 
the  hed. 

"  With  great  congruous  also  wear  theez  hornspoonz  put 

too  the  wheat :  az  a  token  and  porcion  of  Cornucopias,  the 

horn  of  Achelous,  which  the  Naiades^  did  fil  with  fall 

111^9.™^     good  frutez,  corn  &  grain  :  &  after  did  consecrate 

r ,     g,  -,      vnto  abooundauns  and  plenty. 

"  This  skoochion,  with  beastz  very  aptly  agreeing 
both  to  the  armz  and  to  the  trade  of  the  bearerz,  glorioously 
supported.  Between  a  gray  Mare  (a  beast  meetest  for 
carying  of  mylktankards,)  her  pannell  on  her  bak,  az  alwayz 
reddy  for  seruis  at  euery  feast  and  brydale  at  neede,  her 
tail  splayd  at  most  eaz  :  and  her  filly  fole^,  fallo,  and  a  flaxen 
mane  after  the  syre. 

"  In  the  skro  vndergrauen,"  (quoth  hee)  "  thiz  ear  a  proper 
Salern  ca  woord,  an  hemisticlii,  well  squaring  with  al  the  rest, 
taken  out  of  Salerns  chapter  of  things  that  most 
noorish  man^s  body :  Lac,  Caseus  infans.  That  iz,  good 
milke  and  yoong  cheez.  And  thus  mooch,  Gintlmen,  and 
pleaz  you  (quoth  he)  for  the  armz  of  oom*  woorshipfull  tooun." 
And  thearwithal  made  a  manerly  leg,  and  so  held  his  peas. 

Az  the  cumpany  pawzed,  and  the  minstrell  seemde  to  gape 
after  a  praiz  for  hiz  Beauparlar  :  and  bicauz  he  had  renderd 
hiz  lesson  so  well :  Saiz  a  good  fello  of  the  cuwipany,  "  I  am 
sory  to  see  hoow  mooch  the  poore  minstrell  mistakez  the 
matter  :  for  indeed  the  armez  are  thus. 

^  Seo  the  Btillad  of  "  Cuckold's  Haven,  or  The  Married  Man's  Miserie,  who 
must  ahide  the  penaltie  of  being  hornify'd  "  in  the  BalUid  Soc.'s  Roxb.  Ballads, 
i.  148.  "  Qu.  Maiades  '^—Nichols,  i.  464. 

*  fallow  (-coloui-ed)  she-foal :  foal  is  a  horse-colt ;  Jllly  a  mare-colt. 


The  auncient  MinstrelVs  sollem  Song.  A<\ 

r+     r1^  "tTliT6c  milk  tankords  proper,  in  ix  fioldo    of 

cloouiod  cream  ;  three  p^reeii  clioesez  vpon  ;i,  shealf  of 
cakebread.  "^riie  fyrmeiity  Loll  and  liornspooiiz  :  cauz  their 
profit  coins  nil  hy  horned  boast/j.  Hu})ported  by  n,  Mjiro  with 
a,  gald  back,  lk>  thearfore  still  couerd  with  a.  pannit'll,  tiskiiig 
with  her  tail  for  llye/,  and  her  filly  fole  neying  after  the 
dam  for  suk.  This  woord  Lac,  Caseus  infans.  'Iliat  is,  ji 
fresh  cheez  and  cream,  &  the  common  cry  that  theez  milk- 
wiuez  make  in  London  streetes  yeerly,  betwixt  Kaater  and 
Whitsontide :  ami  this  iz  the  very  matter ;  I  kno  it  well 
inough  :"  and  so  ended  hiz  tnle,  and  sate  him  dooiin  again. 

Heerat  euery  in.-in  Luight  a  good,  sane  the  minstrell : 
that,  thoough  the  fooU  wear  mii.de  priny,  all  wiiz  bnt  for  sport, 
yet  too  see  him  self  thus  crost  with  a  contrary  ku  that  heo 
lookt  not  for,  woold  straight  hauo  goen^  ouor  all,  waxt  very 
wayward,  enger'^,  and  soour  :  hoow  be  it,  last,  by  sum  entreaty 
h  and  many  fayr  woords,  with  sak  h  suger,  we  swecitned  him 
againe,  and  after  bi;cam  az  mory  az  a  py.  Appecu'ez  thiui 
a  fresh,  in  hiz  ful  forTtuvlitee,  with  a  louiily  loock  :  after  three 
loly  cooursiez'',  cleeredhis  vois  with  ;i,  hem  and  a  reacli,  and 
r .  ,„  I  spat  oout  withal,  wipedf  hiz  lips  with  the  hollo  of  his 
hand,  for"^  fybng  hiz  napkin,  temperd  a  string  or  too 
with  h.is  wroast :  and  after  a  littl  warbling  on  hiz  harp  for  a 

prelude,  came  foorth  with   a   sollem  song,  war- 
thi^sbook     I'aunted  for  story  oout  of  King  Ari,lmrz  acts,  thi; 

first  booke  and  2G.  chapter'',  whearof  I  ga,Le  a  copy, 
and  that  iz  this. 

SO  it  befell  vpon  a  Penticost  day. 
When  King  Arthur  at  Camolot  kept  coourt  rial. 
With  hiz  cumly  (^)ueen,  dame  Gaynoour  the  gay. 
And  many  bolld  Barrens  sitting  in  hall. 
Ladies  appa,raild  in  purpl  and  pall. 
When  herauds  in  hukes'^  horried  full  by'', 
"  Largess  !  Largess  !  cheualiers  treshardy  \" 

^  A  doouty  Dwarf  too  the  vppermost  deas 
Right  peartly  gan  prik,  and,  kneeling  on  knoo, 
With  stecuen**  full  stoout  aniids  all  the  prcas, 

'  given.  ^  Fr.  aigre.  ^  lowly  ciirtsios. 

■•  to  prevent.   Compare,  on  the  saving  of  the  naplcin,  the  mvJjUr  above,  p.  24. 
'  See  Notes  at  the  end.  ••  See  Notes  at  tho  end. 

Ken.  111.  reads  hy  (high)  and  translates  hcrricd,  cried,  (Fr.  huier). 


"  voice.     A.  Sax.  stefn. 


42  The  auncient  MinstreWs  soUem  Bong. 

Said  "  hail,  syr  king  !  God  tlieo  saue  and  see  ! 
King  Ryons  of  Nortligalcz  greotctli  well  tlicc, 
And  bids  that  thy  board  anon  thou  him  send, 
Oi"  els  from  thy  iawz  he  will  it  of  rend. 

"  ^  For  his  robe  of  state,  a  rich  skarlet  mantcll. 
With  a-leaueu  kings  beards  bordred  aboout, 
Hee  hath  made  late,  and  yet  in  a  cantelU 
Iz  leaft  a  place,  the  twcltli  to  make  oout :  [p.  54.] 

Wear  thin  must  stand,  bee  thou  neuer  so  stoout : 
This  must  bee  doon,  I  tell  thee  no  fabl, 
Mawgre  the  poour  of  all  thy  roound  tabl." 

^  When  thiz  mortall  message  from  hiz  moouth  waz  past, 
Great  waz  the  brute  in  hiill  and  in  boour  : 
Tho  King  famed,  the  queen  shriked,  ladiez  wear  agast. 
Princes  puft,  Bar[o]nz  blustered,  Lordz  bega?i  too  loour. 
Knights  stampt,  squirez  startld,  az  steedz  in  a  stoour^, 
Yeemen  and  pagez  yeald'^  oout  in  the  hall : 
Thearwith  cam  in  Syr  Kay  of  Seneshall. 

"  ^  Sylens,  my  suffrainz,"  quoth  the  courteyz  Knight, 
And  in  that  stoound  the  cliearm  becam  still, 
The  Dwarfs  dynner  full  deerly  waz  dight, 
For  wine  and  wastcll'  hoc  had  at  hiz  will : 
And  when  heo  had  oaten  and  fed  hiz  fill, 
One  hundred  peeces  of  coyned  gould 
Wear  giuen  the  Dwarfe  for  hiz  message  bolld. 

"  ^  Say  too  Syr  Rycns,  thou  Dwarf,''  quoth  tho  King, 

"  That  for  his  proud  message  I  him  defy. 
And  shortly  with  basinz  and  panz  will  him  ring 
Oout  of  Northgalez,  whearaz  hee  and  I 
With  sweards  (and  no  razerz)  shall  vtterly  try 
Which  of  vs  both  iz  the  better  Barber :" 
And  thearwith  ho  shook  hiz  sword  Excalaber. 

r,.     ^g6  -,         t^t  this,  the  minstrell  made  a  pauz  &  a  curtezy, 
for  Primus  passus'^.    More  of  the  song  iz  thear,  but 

'  A  piece,  or  part.    Shakspeaxe  uses  tho  -word  in  King  Henry  IV.  part  1. 
act  3,  scone  1. 

"  And  cuts  mo,  from  tho  best  of  all  my  land, 
A  huge  half-moon,  a  monstrous  cantle  out. — Bum,  p.  10. 
2  battle.— i?«r//.  3  yelled.  *   Wastel,  fine  bread. 

6  In  the  numbering  of  tho  pages  in  the  original,  65  is  skipped. 
6  l^st  fitt,  Ist  canto.  Fassus  is  the  name  for  the  divisions  in  Piers  Fkwman, 


Wednesday,  July  'Xl ,  1575.     The  Queen  goes.  43 

I  gat  it  not.     Az  for  the  matter,  had  it  cum  to  the  shoaw,  I 
think  the  fello  would  hauc  handled  it  well  ynoough. 

Her  highnes  tarryed  at  Kylliiigwoorth  tyll  the  Wednesday 
after,  being  the  27  of  this  luly,  and  the  ninteenth  (inclu- 
siue)  of  her  Maicstiez  cumming  thither^. 

For  which  seuen  daiz,  percoyuing  my  notez  so  slenderly 
aunswering :  I  tooke  it  less  blame  too  ceas,  &  thearof  too 
write  yoo  nothing  at  al,  the??/  in  such  matterz  to  write  no- 
thing likely.  And  so  mooch  the  rather  (az  I  haue  well  be- 
thooght  me)  that  if  I  dyd  but  ruminate  the  dayz  I  haue 
spoken  of,  I  shall  bring  oout  yet  sumwhat  more,  meet  for 
yoor  appetite,  (thoogh  a  deinty  tooth  haue  ye,)  which  I  be- 
leue  yoor  tender  stomak  will  brook  wel  inoogh. 

Whearof  part  iz  :    fyrst  hoow  according  to  her  highnes 
name  ELIZABETH,  which  I  heer  say  oout  of  the 
seauenz       Hebru  signifieth  (amoong  oother)  the  Seauenth  of 
my  God  :  diuerz  things  heer  did  soo  iustly  in  number 
square  with  the  same.     Az  fyrst,  her  highnes  hither  cum- 
ming in  this  seauenth  fmoonth :    then,  prezented  with  the 
r ,     --  -■      seauen  prezents  of  the  seauen  Gods :    and  after, 
with  the  melody  of  the  seauen  sorted  muzik  in  the 
dollphin,  the  Lakeladiez  gyft. 

Then^  too,  consider  how  fully  the  Gods  (az  it  seemed)  had 
conspyred  most  magnificently  in  aboundauns  too  bestow 
theyr  influencez  &  gyfts  vpon  her  coourt,  ihear  too  make  her 
Maiesty  merry. 

Sage  Saturn  himself  in  parson  (that  bycauz  of 
PalkT  ^^  ^^^  lame  leg  coold  not  so  well  stur)  in  chayr  thear- 
fore  too  take  order  with  the  graue  officerz  of  hoous- 
hold,  holpen  in  deed  with  the  good  aduise  of  his  prudent 
Nees  Pallas :  That  no  vnruly  body  or  disquiet  disturb  the 
nobl  assemblee,  or  els  be  ons  so  bolld  too  cuter  within  the 
Castl  gatez.  Awey  with  al  rascallz,  captiuez,  melawcholik, 
waiward,  fro  ward,  Coniurerz,  and  Vsurers  !  and  to  haue  la- 
borers and  vnderwoorkmen  for  the  beautifying  of  ony  place, 
alwey  at  hand,  az  they  shoold  be  commaunded. 
J    .,  lupiter.     Sent  parsonagez  of  hy  honor  &  dig- 

nitee :    Barows,   Lords,    Ladies,   luges,    Bishops, 
Lawyerz,  Doctors  :  with  them,  vertu,  noblness,  equitee,  liber- 
j-       -g  ,      alitee  &  compassionf  :  due  seazow-,  &  fayr  weather : 
sauing  that,  at  the  petition  of  hiz  deer  sister  Ceres, 


See  Notes  at  tho  end. 


44  Tke  Gods  and  Goddesses'  gifts  to  the  Queen. 

ho  grau?itod  a  day  or  too  of  sum  sweet  shoourz  for  rypening 
of  her  corn  that  waz  so  well  set,  &  too  set  forward  haruest : 
Heerwith,  bestoed  he  such  plenty  of  pleazaunt  thunder, 
lightning,  &  thu7iderbollts,  by  hiz  halting  sun  &  fyer- 
master,  Vulcan,  stil  fresh  &  fresh  framed,  alweyz  so  frequent, 
so  intellabl,  &  of  such  cojitinuauns  in  the  speeding  (az  I 
partly  tolld  ye)  consumed,  that  surely  he  seemz  too  be,  az 
of  poour  inestimabl,  so,  in  store  of  municion,  vnwastabl. 
For  all  Quid's  censui'e,  that  saiz  : 

Si  quoties  peccant  homines,  sua  fiilmina  mittat 
lupiter  :  exiguo  tempore  inermis  erit. 
If  loue  shoold  shoot  hiz  thu?iderbollts  az  oft  as  men  offend. 
Assure  yoo  hiz  artillary  wold  soon  be  at  an  end. 

What  a  number  of  estatez  &  of  nobilit6e  had  lupiter  as- 
sembled thcar,  gess  yee  by  this :  that  of  sort  woorshipfull 
thear  wear  in  the  coourt  dayly  aboone  fourty,  whearof  the 
meynest,  of  a  thoouza7id  mark  yeorly  reuenu,  and  many  of 
mooch  more.  This  great  gyft  byside  did  hiz  deitee  cast 
vpon  her  highnes,  too  hauo  fayr  &  seazonabl  weather  at  her 
rih  69  1      ooun  appointment :  II  According  whearvnto,  her  Ma- 

iestye  so  had.  For  her  gracious  prczons  thearfore 
with  this  great  gift  indewed,  Lichfeeld,  Worceter,  and 
Middelton',  with  manyo  placcz  rao,  made  humbl  sute  vntoo 
her  highnes  too  cum  :  too  such  whearof  as  her  Maiesty  coold, 
it  cam :  and  they  seazon  acceptabl. 
Phoeb  s  Phoebus.     Biside  his  continuall  &  most  delicious 

muzik  (az  I  haue  toold  yoo),  appointed  he  Princes 
too  adoourn  her  highnes  coourt,  Ooounselerz,  Herauds,  and 
sanguine  yooth,  pleazaunt  &  mery,  costlye  garments,  learned 
Phizicianz,  &  no  neede  of  them. 
J  luno.     Golld  cheynez,  Ouchez,  lewels    of  gret 

price,  &  rich  attyre,  woorn  in  mooch  grace  &  good 
beseeming,  without  pryde,  or  emulacion  of  ony. 
,j  Mars.    Captainz  of  good  conduct.  Men  skylfull  in 

feats  of  armz,  pollitik  in  stratagemz.  Good  coorage  in 
good  quarelz,  valiant,  &  wizeliardy :  Abandoning  pikquar- 
rels  &  ruffianz :  appoynting  also  Pursyuaunts,  currarz^  & 
posts,  still  feeding  her  highnes  with  nuze  &  intelligencez 
from  all  parts. 

Venus.  Venus.      Vntoo   the   Ladyez  &  Gentl-§wemen, 

Uv-  60.]     beauty,    good   fauour,    cumlinesse,    galawt   attyre, 

^  See  Notes  at  the  end.  -  couriers. 


The  Gods  and  Goddesses^  gifts  to  the  Queen.  45 

dauncing  witli  cumly  grace,  sweet  vois  in  song,  &  pleazaunt 
tallk :  with  express  commaundment  &  charge  vntoo  her 
sunn^,  on  her  blessing,  that  he  shoote  not  a  shaft  in  the 
Coourt  all  the  while  her  highnes  remayned  at  Killing  wo  orth. 
-_        .  Mercuri.    Learned  men  in  Sciencez,  Poets,  Mer- 

chaunts,  Painterz,  Karuerz,  Players,  Engyners, 
Deuyserz,  &  dexteritee  in  handling  of  all  pleazaunt  at- 
tempts. 

Luna.     Callm  nights  for  quiet  rest,  and  syluer 
moonshine,  that  nightly  in-deede  shone  for  most 
of  her  Maiestyez  beeing  ihear. 
p,  Blinde  Plutus.      Bags   of  moony,    Custumerz^ 

Exchaungers,  Bankers,   Store   of  riches  in  plate 
and  in  coyn. 
■p     ,  Bacchus.     Full  Cups  euery  whear,  euery  oour,  of 

al  kynds  of  wyne. 
,,    ,  Thear  waz  no  deintee  that  the  sea  coold  yeeld, 

but  Neptune  (thoough  hiz  reign  at  the  neerest  ly 
well  ny  a  hundred  mile  of)  did  dayly  send  in  great  plenty, 
sweet  and  freash.     As  for  freashwater  fish,  the  store  of  all 
sorts  waz  aboundaunt. 
Pj  And  hoow  bountiful  Ceres  in  prouizion  waz,  gess 

ye  by  this :  that  in  lyttl  more  then  *a  three  dayz 
r*  fii  1  space,  72.  tunn  of  Ale  &  Beer  waz  pyept^  vp  quite, 
'-  ^'  ■-'  what  that  mighte,  whilst  with  it  of  bread,  beside 
meat,  I  report  me  to  yoo.  And  yet,  master  Controller,  mas- 
ter Coferar,  and  diuerz  ofl&cers  of  the  Coourt,  sum  honorabl, 
and  sundrye  right  woorshipfuU,  placed  at  Warwik  for  more 
rooum  in  the  Castl.  But  heer  was  no  ho*.  Master  Martin,  in 
deuoout  drinking  allwey  :  that  broughte  a  lak^  vnlookt  for ; 
whiche  being  knoen  too  the  WoorshipfuU  my  Lord^s  good 
neighboourz,  cam  thear  in  a  too  dayz  space,  from  sundry 
friendz,  a  releef  of  a  xl.  tunn,  till  a  nu  supply  was  gotten 
agayn :  and  then  too  oour  drinking  a  freshe,  az  fast  az  euer 
we  did. 
Flora  Flora.    Abrode  &  within  the  hoous  ministred  of 

flourz  so  great  a  quantitee  :  of  such  sweet  sauoour, 
so  beautifully  hued,  so  large  and  fayr  of  proporcion,  and  of 
so  straunge  kindez  &  shapez,  that  it  waz  gTeat  pleasure  too 

1  Cupid. 

2  Collectors  of  the  customs,  or  duties  payable  at  ports  to  the  Queen.     See 
Master  Smith,  Custumer,  p.  61. 

*  piped,  suckt,  swallowed.  *  halt,  stop.  *  Orig.  a-lak. 


46  The  Gods  and  Goddesses'  gifts  to  the  Queen. 

see :  &  so  moocli  the  more,  az  thear  waz  great  store  yet 
counterfet  &  foormed  of  featlierz  by  art,  lyke  glorioous  too 
the  sheaw  az  wear  the  naturall. 

Protheus.         Protheus.     Hiz  Tumbler  that  coold  by  nirabl- 
[tp.  62.1     ^6ss  ^^st  himself  intoo  so  manyf  foorms  &  facionz. 
Pan.     Hiz  mery  morrys  dauns,  with  their  pype 
^'''''  &  taber. 

Bellona.  Bellona.     Her  quintine  knights,  &  proper  bick- 

erings of  the  Couentree  men. 
Polyplie-         Polyphemus.     Neptunez  sun  &  heyr  (let  him,  I 
°^^^'  pray,  &  it  be  but  for  hiz  father's  sake  and  for  his 

good  wyll,  he  allowed  for  a  God,)  with  hiz  bearz,  hiz  bear- 
whealps,  and  bandogs. 

.    ,  jiEolus.     Hollding  vp  hiz  windez  while  her  high- 

nes  at  any  tyme  took  pleazure  on  the  water,  and 
staying  of  tempests  during  [her]  abode  heer. 
o  ,  Syluanus.      Beside   hiz   plentifuU   prouizion  of 

fooul  for  deynty  viaunds,  his  pleazaurit  and  sweet 
singing  byrds :  whearof  I  will  sheaw  yoo  more  anon. 
Echo.  Echo.     Her  wel  endighted  dialog. 

Faimu3.  Faunus.     Hiz  ioly  Sauage. 

Genius.  Genius  loci.     Hiz  tempring  of  al  things  within 

&  without,  with  apt  tyme  &  place  too  pleazure  &  delight, 
p,     .,  Then    the    three    Oharites :     Aglaia,    with   her 

lightsum  gladnes.  Thalia,  her  floorishing  freshnes. 
Euphrosyne,  her  cheerfullnes  of  spirite;  and  with  theez 
r  go  -J  three  in  one  assent,  Concordia :  with  fher  amitee  and 
good  agreement.  That  too  hoow  great  effects  their 
poourz  wear  pooured  oout  heer  among  vs,  let  it  bee  iudged 
by  this :  that  by  a  multytude  thus  met,  of  a  three  or  foour 
thoouzand,  euery  day,  and  diuerz  dayz  more,  of  so  sundry 
degrees,  professions,  agez,  appetytz,  dispozicions,  &  affec- 
tions :  such  a  drifte  of  tyme  was  thear  passed,  with  such 
amitee,  looue,  pastime,  agreement,  and  obediens  whear  it 
shoold :  and  without  quarrel,  iarring,  grudging,  or  (that  I 
coold  heer)  of  yll  woord  between  any.  A  thing,  master 
Martin,  very  rare  &  straunge ;  and  yet  no  more  straunge 
then  tru. 

The  Parcae  (as  earst  I  shoold  haue  sayd)  the 

first  night  of  her  Maiestiez  cumming :  they — heer- 

ing  &  seeing  so  precioous  ado  heer  at  a  place  vnlookt  for,  in 

an  vplowdish  cuntree  so  far  within  the  Ream, — preassing 

intoo  euery    steed  whear  her   highnes  went,   whearby   so 


TJie  Fates  stop  working  during  the  Queen's  visit.        47 

duddld*  witli  such  varietee  of  delyglits,  did  set  aside  their 
huswifrye,  coold  not  for  their  harts  tend  their  work  a  whyt. 
But  after  they  had  seen  her  Maiesty  a  bed,  gat  them  a 
prying  into  euery  place ;  olid  hags,  az  fond  of  nuellries^,  az 
yoong  girls  that  had  neuer  seen  Court  afore* :  but  neyther 
r«  (54-1  ^^  with  gazing,  nor  wery  with  gadding,  leaft 
of  yet  for  that  time ;  and  at  high  midnight,  gate 
them  gigling,  (but  not  alooud,)  into  the  prezens  Chamber : 
minding  indeed  with  their  prezent  diligens,  too  recompens 
their  former  slaknes. 

So,  setting  themseluez  thus  dooun  too  their  woork  :  "  alas  V 
sayz  Atropos,  "  I  haue  lost  my  sheerz  :"  Lachesis  laught 
apace,  and  woold  not  draw  a  threed :  "  And  thinke  ye,  damez, 
that  ile  hoold  the  distaff  whyle  both  ye  sit  idle  ?  why,  no  !  by 
my  mootherz  soil  V  qwod  Clotho.  Thearwith,  fayr  lapt  in  a 
fine  lawn  the  spindel  and  rok^,  that  waz  dizend  with  pure 
purpl  sylk,  layd  they  safely  vp  toogyther :  that  of  hir  Mai- 
estyez  distaff,  for  an  eighteen  dayz,  thear  waz  not  a  threed 
spoon,  I  assure  you. 

The  two  systers  after  that,  (I  hard  say,)  began  their  woork 
again :  that  long  may  they  continu ;  but  Atropos  hard  no 
ty dings  of  her  sheers ;  and  not  a  man  that  moned  her  loss. 
She  iz  not  belooued  surely ;  for  this  I  can  tell  yoo :  that 
whither  it  bee  for  hate  too  the  hag,  or  looue  to  her  highnes, 
or  els  for  both,  euery  man  prayz  God  she  may  neuer  find 
(- ,  g .  -]  them  for  that  woork,  and  so  pray  I  fdayly  and  duly 
with  the  deuooutest. 

Thus  partly  ye  perceyue  noow,  hoow  greatly  the  Gods  can 
do  for  mortals,  and  hoow  mooch  alwey  they  looue  whear 
they  like,  that  what  a  gentl  loue  waz  thys,  thus  curteoosly 
too  contriue  heer  such  a  treyn  of  Gods  !  Nay  then  rather, 
master  Martin,  (to  cum  oout  of  oour  poeticaliteez,  &  too  talk 
no  more  serioous  tearms),  what  a  magnificent  lord  may  we 
iustly  account  him,  that  cold  so  highli  cast  order  for  such  a 
lupiter,  &  all  hiz  Gods  besid,  that  none  with  hiz  influens, 
good  property,  or  prezewt,  wear  wanting :  but  aalweis  redy 
at  hand,  in  such  order  and  aboundans,  for  the  honoring  and 
delight  of  so  high  a  Prius,  oour  most  gracious  Queen  & 
souerain.  A  prins  (I  say,)  so  singuler  in  preemineus  & 
worthines  abooue  al  other  Princes  and  digniteez   of  oour 

*  muddled,  confused.     Cp.  doddle  to  toUer;  doddy-pate,  doddypoll,  a  num- 
ekull,  fool,  in  my  Ballads  from  MSS,  vol.  i. 
2  novelries,  novelties,  new  things.  ^  See  liotes  at  the  end. 


48  Praise  of  Lord  Leicester  and  Kenilworth. 

time :  thoogh  1  make  no  comparison  too  yeerz  past,  to  him 
that  in  thiz  point,  either  of  ignorauns  (if  any  such  can  be) 
or  els  of  maleuolens,  woold  make  any  doout :  '  Sit  liber  index ' 
(az  they  say)  let  him  look  on  the  matter,  and  aunswer  him- 
self :  he  haz  not  far  too  trauell. 

Az  for  the  Amplitude  of  his  Lordship's  mynde  :  all  bee  it 
J-,    gg-,      that  I,poor  soil,  can  in  §conceit  no  more  attain  vntoo, 

then  iudge  of  a  gem,  whearof  I  haue  no  skill,  ye, 
thoogh  daily  worn  &  resplendant  in  myne  ey :  yet  simi  of 
the  vertuze  and  propertiez  thearof,  in  quantitee  or  qualitee 
so  apparaunt  az  cannot  be  hidden,  but  seene  of  all  men, 
moought  I  be  the  boolder  too  reaport  her  vnto  yoo  :  but  as 
for  the  valu,  yoor  iewellers  by  their  Garrets  let  them  cast,  and 
they  can. 

And  fyrst :  who  that  considerz  vntoo  the  stately  seat  of 
Kenelwoorth  Castl,  the  rare  beauty  of  bilding  that  his  honor 
hath  auaunced^ :  all  of  the  hard  quarry  stone  :  euery  room  so 
spacioous,  so  well  belighted,  and  so  hy  roofed  within :  So 
seemely  too  sight  by  du  proportion  without :  a  day  time  on 
euerye  side  so  glittering  by  glasse,  a  nights  by  continuall 
brightnesse  of  candel,  fyre,  &  torchlight,  transparent  throogh 
the  lyghtsom  wyndz,  az  it  wear  the  Egiptian  Pharos  re- 
lucent  vntoo  all  the  Alexandrian  coast;  or  els  (too  tallke 
merily  with  my  mery  freend)  thus  radiaunt,  as  thoogh 
PhcBbus  for  hiz  eaz  woold  rest  him  in  the  Castl,  and  not 
euery  night  so  to  trauell  dooun  vnto  the  Antipodes.  Heertoo, 
r*Tj  67 1      ^°  ^^7  furnisht  of  rich  apparell,  &  vtensilez  *apted 

in  all  pointes  to  the  best. 

Vntoo  thiz,  hiz  honorz  exquisit  appointment  of  a 
den.    ^"     beautifuU  garden^,  an  aker  or  more  of  quantitee, 

that  lyeth  on  the  north  thear.  Whearin,  hard  all 
along  the  Castl  wall,  iz  reared  a  pleazaunt  Torres  of  a  ten 

*  See  Notes  at  the  end. 

2  It  would  appear  from  the  "  Secret  Memoirs  of  the  Earl  of  Leicester,"  that 
the  magnificent  gardens  and  spacious  parks  at  Kenilworth  were  not  completed 
without  some  oppression  on  the  part  of  their  possessor,  as  the  unknown  author 
of  the  ahove  work  thus  speaks  concerning  them : — "  The  like  proceedings  he 
used  with  the  tenants  ahout  Eallingworth,  where  he  received  the  said  Lord- 
ship and  Castle  from  the  Prince,  in  gift,  of  24^.  yearly  rent,  or  thereabouts, 
hath  made  it  better  than  500/.  by  year,  by  an  old  record  also  found,  by  great 
good  fortune,  in  a  hole  of  the  wall,  as  it  is  given  out  (for  he  hath  singular 
good  luck  always  in  finding  out  records  for  his  purpose  ;)  by  virtue  whereof 
he  hath  taken  from  his  tenants  round  about,  their  lands,  woods,  pastures,  and 
commons,  to  make  himself  parks,  chases,  and  other  commodities  therewith,  to 
the  subversion  of  many  a  good  family  which  was  maintained  there  beforethis 


The  beautiful  Garden  at  Kenilworth.  49 

foot  hy  &  a  twelue  brode^  eeuen  vnder  foot,  &  fresh  of  fyne 
grass :  az  iz  allso  tlie  side  thearof  toward  the  gardein,  in 
wMche  by  sundry  equall  distauncez,  with  obelisks,  sphearz, 
and  white  bearz^^  all  of  stone,  vpow  theyr  curioouz  basez,  by 
goodly  shew  wear  set :  too  theez,  too  fine  arbers  redolent  by 
sweet  trees  and  floourz,  at   ech  end   one,  the  garden  plot 

devourer  set  foot  in  that  country."  At  a  subsequent  part  of  the  same  volume 
is  mentioned  Lord  Leicester's  "  intolerable  tyranny  "  upon  the  lands  of  one 
Lane,  "who  offered  to  take  Killingworth  Castle."  A  royal  favourite,  how- 
ever, and  a  successful  minister,  was  never  yet  without  enemies,  and  it  is  cer- 
tain that  Lord  Leicester  was  not ;  the  whole  of  the  volume  out  of  which  these 
extracts  have  been  made,  is  filled  with  charges  of  the  most  dreadful  crimes 
with  which  human  nature  can  be  stained ;  yet  even  these  are  related  with 
such  levity,  such  seeming  familiarity  with  vice,  that  the  reader  is  tempted  to 
believe  that  a  great  proportion  of  it  was  fabricated  by  malice,  and  that  the 
author  was  even  worse  than  the  character  he  describes.  But  to  return : — The 
garden  mentioned  in  the  text  will  doubtless  remind  some  readers  of  those 
splendid  pleasure-grounds  which  belonged  to  Lord  Burleigh,  at  Theobalds  ia 
Hertfordshire,  and  Sir  "Walter  Raleigh's  at  Shirburne  Castle  in  Dorsetshire. 
Of  the  former,  Peck,  in  his  "  Desiderata  Curiosa,"  says,  "  He  also  greatly  de- 
lighted in  making  gardens,  fountaias,  and  walks,  which  at  Theobalds  were 
perfected  most  costly,  beautifully,  and  pleasantly.  Where  one  might  walk 
two  miles  in  the  walks  before  he  came  to  their  ends."  Sir  Paul  Hentzner,  in 
his  "  Journey  into  England,"  when  speaking  of  the  same  place,  describes  it 
more  particularly.  "  From  this  place  "  [i.  e.  the  gallery,]  "  one  goes  into  the 
garden,  encompassed  with  a  ditch  full  of  water,  large  enough  for  one  to  have 
the  pleasure  of  going  in  a  boat,  and  rowing  between  the  shrubs ;  here  are 
great  variety  of  trees  and  plants  ;  labyrinths  made  with  a  great  deal  of  labour ; 
a  jet  d'eau,  with  its  bason  of  white  marble ;  and  columns  and  pyramids  of 
wood  and  other  materials  up  and  down  the  garden :  After  seeing  these,  we 
were  led  by  the  gardener  into  the  summer-house,  in  the  lower  part  of  which, 
built  semicircularly,  are  the  twelve  Roman  Emperors,  in  white  marble,  and  a 
table  of  touchstone  ;  the  upper  part  of  it  is  set  round  with  cisterns  of  lead, 
into  which  water  is  conveyed  through  pipes,  so  that  fish  may  be  kept  in  them, 
and  in  summer  time  they  are  very  convenient  for  bathing  ;  in  another  room 
for  entertainment,  very  near  this,  and  joined  to  it  by  a  little  bridge,  is  an  oval 
table  of  red  marble."  Concerning  the  pleasure-groimds  at  Shirburne,  in 
Peck's  work  before  cited,  there  is  only  a  notice  that  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  had 
drawn  the  river  through  the  rocks  into  his  garden ;  but  Coker  states,  that  he 
built  in  the  park  adjoining  to  the  Castle,  "  from  the  ground,  a  most  fine  house, 
which  he  beautified  with  orchards,  gardens,  and  groves,  of  such  variety  and 
delight,  that  whether  you  consider  the  goodness  of  the  soil,  the  pleasantness 
of  the  seat,  and  other  delicacies  belonging  to  it,  it  is  unparalleled  by  any  in 
these  parts."  The  above  extracts  will  be  an  amusing  covmterpart  to  Lane- 
dam's  elaborate  description  of  Lord  Leicester's  gardens. — Burn,  p.  110-112; 
Nichols,  i.  472. 

1  "  These  effigies  were  allusive  to  the  ancient  badge  of  the  Earls  of  Warwick, 
which  was,  a  bear  erect  Argent,  omizzled  Gules,  supporting  a  ragged  staff  of  the  first ; 
the  ragged  staffs  were  introduced  in  another  part  of  the  garden,  vide  ante, 
page  75.  Lord  Leicester's  connexion  with  the  Earls  of  Warwick  was  through 
the  houses  of  Lisle  and  Beauchamp,  brought  into  the  family  of  Dudley  by  his 
mother,  Elizabeth  Talbot.  In  1561,  Ambrose  Dudley,  Robert's  elder  brother, 
was  made  Earl  of  Warwick,  and  consequently  the  badge  was  thus  introduced." 
—Burn,  p.  112;  Nichols,  i.  473. 


50  The  Garden  and  Bird-Cage  at  Kenilworth. 

vnder  that,  with  fayr  alleyz  green  by  grass,  eeuen  voided 
from  the  borderz  a  both  sydez,  and  sum  (for  chaunge)  with 
sand,  not  light  or  to  soft,  or  soilly  by  dust,  but  smooth  and 
fyrme,  pleasaunt  too  walk  on  az  a  sea  shore  when  the  water 
iz  auaild^ :  then,  much  gracified  by  du  proporcion  of  four 
eeuen  quarterz :  in  the  midst  of  each,  vpon  a  base  a  too 
foot  square,  &  hy,  seemly  borderd  of  it  self,  a  square 
pilaster  rizing  pyramidally,  of  a  fyfteen  foote  hy  :  Simmetri- 
cally  peerced  through,  from  a  foot  beneath,  vntill  a  too  foot 
rt  68  ^  ^^  ^^^®  ^*^P  •  ^^^^®^i'  vpon,  for  a  Capitell,  an  Orb  of  a 
tenf  inches  thik  :  euery  of  theez  (withhiz  base)  from 
the  groound  too  the  top  of  one  hole  pees,  heawen  oout  of 
hard  Porphiry,  and  with  great  art  &  heed  (thinks  me) 
thyther  conueyd,  &  thear  erected. 

Whear  further  allso,  by  great  cast  &  cost,  the  sweetnes  of 
sauoour  on  all  sidez,  made  so  respiraunt^  from  the  redolent^ 
plants  and  fragra7it  earbs  and  floourz,  in  foorm,  cooUer  and 
quantitee,  so  delicioously  variant :  and  frute  Trees  bedecked 
with  their  Applz,  Peares,  and  ripe  Cherry ez. 
The  C  o-  And  vnto  theez,  in  the  midst,  agaynst  the  Torres  : 

°  '  a  square  cage,  sumptuoous  and  beautifull,  ioyned 
hard  to  the  Northwall  (that  a  that  side  gards  the  gardein, 
as  the  gardein  the  Castl),  of  a  rare  form  and  excellency  was 
reyzed :  in  heyth  a  twentye  foot,  thyrty  long,  and  a  foour- 
teen  brode.  From  the  ground  strong  h  close,  reared 
breast  hy,  whearat  a  soyl  of  a  fayr  moolding  was  coouched 
all  aboout :  From  that  vpward,  foour  great  Avyndoz  a  froont, 
and  too  at  each  eend,  euery  one  a  fyue  foot  wide,  az  many 
mo  eeuen  abooue  them,  diuided  on  all  parts  by  a  transum* 
and  Architraue"  so  likewize  raunging  aboout  the  Cage.  Each 
windo  arched  in  the  top,  and  §parted  from  oother  in  eeuen 
rs  69 1  distauns  by  flat  fayr  bolteld^  columns,  all  in  foorm 
&  beauty  like,  that   supported  a  cumly  Cornish, 

'  avaled,  lowered,  gone  down,  ebbed.     Fr.  d  val. 

^  Fit  for  breathing,  refreshing ;  Lat.  respira-,  re^'ive,  be  refreshed. 

^  Lat.  redolent;  emitting  a  scent,  diffusing  an  odour. 

■•  Transom,  an  overthwart  Beam  or  Brow-Post :  Kersey's  Phillips  ;  the  piece 
of  Timber  which  is  fram'd  across  in  a  double  light  Window  :  Blount. 

^  Architrave,  the  main  Beam  in  any  Building,  and  the  fii'st  Member  of  the 
Entablatui'e,  i.  e.  that  part  of  a  Stone-Pillar  which  is  above  the  Capital  and 
below  the  Frize  :  In  Timber-Buildings,  it  is  called  the  Reason-piece  or  Master- 
Beam  ;  in  Chimneys,  the  Mantle-piece;  and  over  the  Jambs  of  Doors  or 
Lintels  of  Windows,  'tis  termed  Hyperthyron. — Kersey's  Fhillips. 

6  Bolt  el  is  a  term  used  in  building,  to  signify  any  prominence  or  jetting- 
out  beyond  the  flat  face  of  the  wall. — Bicrn,  p.  112 ;  Nichols,  i.  474. 


The  Bird- Cage  in  Kenilworth  Garden.  51 

couclied  al  along  vpon  the  hole'  square.  Which,  with  a  wire 
net,  finely  knit,  of  mashez  sixe  square,  an  inch  wyde  (az  it 
wear  for  a  flat  roof)  and  likewise  the  space  of  euery  windo, 
with  great  canning  and  cumlines,  eeuen  and  tight,  waz  al 
cuerstrained.  Vnder  the  Cornish  again,  euery  part  beauti- 
fyed  with  great  Diamons,  Bmerauds,  Rubyes,  and  Saphyres : 
poynted,  tabid,  rok,  and  roound^,  garnisht  with  their  golld  by 
skilfuU  hed  and  hand,  and  by  toile  and  pensill  so  lyuely 
exprest,  az  it  naought  bee  great  marueil  and  pleasure  to  con- 
sider how  neer  excellency  of  art  could  approch  vntoo  per- 
fection of  nature. 

Bear  with  me,  good  cuntreeman,  thoogh  thinges  be  not 
sheawed  heer  az  well  az  I  woold,  or  az  well  as  they  shoold. 
For  indeed  I  can  better  imagin  &  conceyue  that  I  see,  then 
wel  vtter,  or  duly  declare  it.  Holez  wear  thear  also,  and 
cauerns,  in  orderly  distauns  &  facion,  voyded  intoo  the  wall, 
az  wel  for  heat,  for  coolnes,  for  roost  a  nightz,  &  refuge  in 
weather,  az  allso  for  breeding,  when  time  iz.  More,  fayr, 
P .  -„  -,  eeuen,  and  fresh  fholly  treez,  for  pearching  and  proin- 
ing^,  set  within,  tooward  each  eend  one.  Heereto 
their  diuersitee  of  meats,  theyr  fine  seueral  vessels  for  their 
water,  and  sundry  grainz,  And  a  man  skilful  and  diligent 
to  looke  too  them  and  tend  them. 

But  (shall  I  tell  yoo)  the  siluer  soounded  Lute,  withoout 
the  sweet  toouch  of  hand :  the  glorioous  goollden  cup,  with- 
oout the  fresh  fragrant  wine;  or  the  rich  ring  with  gem, 
without  the  fayr  feawtered*  fiynger,  iz  nothing  indeede  in 
hiz  proper  grace  &  vse :  Euen  so  his  Honor  accounted  of 
thiz  mansion,  till  he  had  plast  thear  tenauntes  according : 
Had  it  thearfore  replenishte  with  liuely  Burds,  English, 
French,  Spanish,  Canarian,  and  (I  am  deceaued  if  I  saw  not 

*  Orig.  bole. 

"  It  is  evident  that  these  precious  stones  were  imitated  in  painting ;  and 
that  they  were  meant  to  represent  the  gems  in  their  various  appearances. 
Pointed,  or  rose,  as  it  is  termed  hy  the  lapidaries,  is  when  a  stone  is  cut  with 
many  angles  rising  from  an  octagon,  and  terminating  in  a  point.  Tabled 
is  when  a  diamond  is  formed  with  one  flat  upper  surface ;  and  the  word  tahle 
also  signifies  the  principal  face.  Rough  is  understood  to  mean  the  gem  in  its 
primary  state,  when  its  radiance  is  seen  to  sparkle  through  the  dross  of  the 
mine.  Round  denotes  the  jewel  when  it  is  cut  and  polished  with  a  convex 
surface.  The  expression,  "Garnisht  with  their  golld,"  which  follows  in  the 
text,  signifies  ornamented  with  their  settings. — Burn,  p.  112-13;  Nichols,  i. 
474. — See,  also,  Kenilworth  Illustrated,  p.  102,  where  the  writer  says,  that 
"  rough  "  is  the  modern  term  for  Laneham's  "  rok." 

^  preening :  for  hirds  to  trim  and  clean  their  feathers  on. 

♦  ij'eatured^  shaped,  ovfeutred,  poised. 

E  2 


52  The  Fountain  in  Kenihoorth  garden, 

sum)  African.  Whearby,  wliitlier  it  becam  more  deliglit- 
sum  in  channge  of  tnnez  and  armony  too  tlie  eare :  or  els  in 
differens  of  coollerz,  kyndez,  &  property ez  too  tlie  ey,  lie  tell 
5^00  if  I  can  whe?^  I  liaiie  better  betliouglit  me. 

One  day   (Master  Martin)   az   tlie   Gardin-door 
diner  ^"    ^'^^  open,  &  ber  biglmes  a  bunting*,  by  licens  of  my 
good   freend  Adriaj;  I  cam  in  at  a  bek,  but  woold 
skant  oout  ■witb  a  tbrust :  for  sure  I  waz  lotb  so  soon  to  depart, 
p,     -1  1  §Well  may  tbis   (Master  Martyn)  bee  sumwbat 

too  magnitude  of  mynde  :  but  more  tbearof  az  ye 
sball  kno,  more  cauz  ye  sliall  bane  so  too  tbink  :  beer  out 
"wbat  I  tel  yooj  and  tell  me  wben  we  meet. 

In  tbe  center  (az  it  wear)  of  tbis  goodly  Gar- 
tain  °^^'  ^^^}  ""^as  tbeer  placed  a  very  fayre  Foountain, 
cast  intoo  an  eigbt  square,  reared  a  four  foot  by, 
from  tbe  midst  wbearof  a  Colum  vp  set  in  tbe  sbape  of  too 
Atblants  ioined  togeatber  a  backbalf,  tbe  toon  looking  East, 
tootber  West,  witli  tbeyr  bands  vpbollding  a  fap*  formed 
boll,  of  a  tbree  foot  ouer :  fi'om  wbeans  sundrye  fine  pipez 
did  liuety  distill  continuall  streamz  intoo  tbe  receyt^  of  tbe 
FoouutajTi,  maynteyned  styll  too  foot  deep  by  tbe  same 
fresb  falling  Avater :  wbearin  pleazauntly  playing  too  &  fro, 
&  round  about.  Carp,  Tencb,  Bream,  and  for  varietee,  Pearcb 
&  Eel,  fysb  fayi'liking  all,  and  large ;  in  tbe  toppe,  tbe  ragged 
staffe-,  wbicb,  witb  tbe  boll,  tbe  pillar,  and  eygbt  sides 
beneatb,  wear  all  beawen  oout  of  ricb  &  bard  wlute  Marbl. 
A  one  syde,  Neptune  witb  bis  Tridental  Fuskin^  triumpbing 
in  biz  Tbrone,  trayled  into  tbe  deep  by  bis  marine  borsez. 
On  anotber,  Tbetis  in  ber  cbariot  drawn  *by  ber  Dollpbins. 
r^  -,  -,  Tben,  Triton  by  biz  fvsbez.  Heer,  Protbeus  beard- 
ing biz  sea  buls.  Tbear,  Doris  &  ber  doougbterz 
solacyng  a  sea  &  sandz.  Tbe  wauez  scourging  witb  frotli 
&  fome,  entermengled  in  place  witb  wbalez,  wbirlpoolz*, 
sturgeonz,  Tunneyz,  Ooncbs,  &  wealks :  all  engraue?i  by  ex- 
quisit  denize  and  skill,  so  az  I  maye  tbinke  tbis  not  much 
inferioour  vnto  Pboebus  gatez,  wbicb  (Ouid  sayz),  &  perad- 
uentur  a  pattern  to  tbiz,  that  Vulcan  bimself  dyd  cut :  wbear- 
of sucb  was  tbe  excellency  of  art,  tbat  tbe  woork  in  valu  sur- 
moounted  tbe  stuff;  and  yet  war  tbe  gatez  all  of  clean  massy 
Byluer. 

'  pool,  basin.  ^  See  note  2  above,  p.  9. 

^  Lat.  fuscina,  a  three-pronged  spear,  a  trident. 
■*  Fr.  Jkorepole :  /.,  A  wMrlepoole  (fish). — Cotgrave. 


The  Kenilworth  Garden  is  Paradise.  53 

Heer  wear  thinges,  ye  see^  moought  enflame  ony  mynde  too 
long  after  looking  :  but  whoo  so  was  found  so  hot  in  desyre, 
with  the  wreast^  of  a  Cok  was  sure  of  a  coolar :  water  spurt- 
ing vpward  with  such  vehemency,  az  they  shoold  by  &  by 
be  moystned  from  top  too  to :  The  hees  to  sum  laughing, 
but  the  shees  to  more  sport. 

Thiz  sumtime  waz  occupied  to  very  good  pastime". 

A  Garden  then  so  appoynted,  az  whearin  aloft  vpon 
sweet  shadoed  wallk  of  Torres,  in  heat  of  Soomer,  too  feel 
J- ,  ^„  1  the  pleazauntf  whysking  winde  abooue,  or  delectabl 
coolnes  of  the  foountain  spring  beneath :  Too  tast 
of  delicioous  strawberiez,  cheryez,  &  oother  frutez,  eeuen 
from  their  stalks  :  Too  smell  such  fragrancy  of  sweet  odoourz 
breathing  from  the  plants,  earbs,  &  floourz :  Too  heer  such 
naturall  meloodioous  musik,  and  tunez  of  burds  :  To  haue 
in  ey,  for  myrth,  sumtime  theez  vndersprynging  streamz ; 
then,  the  woods,  the  waters  (for  both  pool  &  chase  wer  hard 
at  ha7id  in  sight),  the  deer,  the  peepl  (that  oout  of  the  East 
arber  in  the  base  coourt,  allso  at  hande  in  view),  the  fruto 
trees,  the  plants,  the  earbs,  the  floourz,  the  chaunge  in 
coolers,  the  Burds  flyttering,  the  Foountaine  streaming,  the 
Fysh  swymming :  all  in  such  delectabl  varietee,  order,  dig- 
Paradisus.  nitee :  whearby  at  one  moment,  in  one  place,  at 
Graec.  hande,  without  trauell,  too  haue  so  full  fruition  of 

Hortus  gQ  many  Gods  blessinges,  by  entyer  delight  vnto 
AutHebi-fe.  al  sencez  (if  al  ca?i  take)  at  ones :  for  Etymon  of 
Pardes,  id  the  woord  woorthy  to  bee  calld  Paradys^ :  and 
est,  Hortus.  ^j^^^g}^  j^q^  go  goodly  az  Paradis,  for  want  of  the 
fayr  Riuers,  yet  better  a  great  deel  by  the  lak  of  so  vnhappy 
a  tree.  Argument  most  certein  of  a  right  nobl  minde,  that 
p,     _ .  -l      in  this  soort  coold  §haue  thus  all  contriued. 

But,  Master  Martin,  yet  one  wyndlesse*  must  I 

The  num-    featch,  too  make  ye  one  more  fayr  coorz,  and  I  can  : 

^  ■  and  cauz  I  speak  of  one :  let  me  tel  yoo  a  littl  of 

the  dignitee  of  onehod,  whearin  allweyz  al  hy  Deitee,  al  Soue- 

raintee,  Preeminens,  Principalitee,  and  Concord  withoout  pos- 

*  twist,  turn. 

2  This  sentence  is  wanting  in  the  Dutchess  of  Portland's  copy. — Nichols,  ed. 
1788,  i.  46.  _ 

3  Laneham,  in  making  use  of  this  expression,  gave  to  Lord  Leicester's 
gardens  a  name  which  it  was  customary  to  apply  to  pleasure-grounds  and 
houses  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries,  as  in  the  instances  of 
Wressell  and  Lekinfield,  in  the  East  Eiding  of  Yorkshire. — Burn,  p.  113 
Nichols,  i.  477.  *  See  Notes  at  the  end. 


54         Of  Ones  and  Twos,  and  the  2  Kenilworth  Dials. 

sibilitee  of  disagreement,  iz  conteyned.  Az  one  God,  one  Sa- 
uioour,  one  Feith^  one  Prins^  one  Sun,  one  Phenix;  and,  az  one 
of  greatwizdom  sayz,  one  liart, one wey^.  Whear  oneliod  reinz, 
tlier  quiet  beai^s  rule,  &  discord  fliez  a  pase.  Three  again 
may  signify  cumpany,  a  meeting,  a  multitude,  pluralitee : 
so  az  all  talez  and  numbrings  from  too  vntoo  three,  and  so 
vpward,  may  well  be  counted  numberz,  till  they  moount  vn- 
too infinitee,  or  els  too  confusion,  which  thing  the  sum  of 
Too  can  neuer  admit :  nor  it  self  can  well  bee  coounted  a 
number,  but  rather  a  freendly  coniunction  of  too  ones,  that, 
keeping  in  a  synceritee  of  accord,  may  purport  vnto  vs, 
Charitee  each  too  other,  mutuall  looue,  agreement,  &  integ- 
ritee  of  friendship  withoout  dissimulation.  Az  iz  in  thez : 
The  too  testamentes.  The  too  Tables  of  the  Law.  The 
too  great  lights,  Duo  himinaria-f  magna,  The  Sun  &  Moon. 
P ,     _g  -■     And  but  mark  a  lyttl,  I  pray,  and  see  hoow  of  all 

things  in  the  world,  oour  toongs  in  tallk  doo  alweyz 
so  redily  trip  vpon  tooz,  payrz,  &  cooplz :  sumtymez  as  of 
things  in  equality,  sumtime  of  differens,  sumtime  of  con- 
trariez,  or  for  comparyzon,  but  cheefly,  for  the  most  part,  of 
things  that  between  theiirseluez  do  well  agree  &  ar  fast 
linked  in  amitee  :  Az  fyrst,  for  pastymez,  hoounds  and  hawks  : 
deer,  red  &  fallo ;  hare  and  fox  ;  partrich  &  fezaunt ;  fysh  & 
fooul;  carp  &  tench.  For  warz,  spear  &  sheeld,  hors  & 
harneis,  swoord  &  bukler.  For  sustenauns,  wheat  &  barly, 
peaz  and  beanz,  meat  and  drinke,  bread  &  meat,  beer  &  ale, 
appls  and  pearz. 

But  least  by  such  dualiteez  I  draw  you  too  far:  let  vs 
heer  stay,  and  cum  neerer  home.  See  what  a  sort  of 
freendly  biniteez  we  oour  seluez  doo  consist  &  stond  vpon. 
Fyrst,  oour  too  feet,  too  legs,  too  kneez,  so  vpward :  and 
abooue,  too  shoolderz,  too  armz  &  too  hawds.  But  cheefly 
our  principll  Too,  that  iz,  body  and  soil :  then  in  the  hed, 
whear  all  oour  sensez  meet,  and  allmost  all  in  Tooz  :  too  noze- 
thrills,  too  earz,  and  too  eyz.     So  ar  we  of  freendly  Tooz,  from 

top  too  to.  Wei,  to  this  number  of  biniteez§,  take 
[?P-  76.]  yg  Qj^Q  jj^Q  £qj.  ^^  vpshot,  &  heer  an  eend.  Too 
Diallz         Dyallz  ny  vnto  the  battilments  ar  set  aloft  vpon  too 

of  the  sidez  of  Cezarz  toour,  one  East,  thoother 
Soouth^ ;  for  so  stond  they  best  to  sheaw  the  oourz  too  the 

^  The  motto  of  the  great  Lord  Bacon  was  Cor  tmum,  una  via. — Ken.  III.  p.  38. 
2  The  marks  occasioned  by  fastening  up  these  dials  are  very  distinct  and 
obvious  at  the  present  day  (1821). — Ken.  III.  p.  38,  note  4. 


The  2  Dials  always  pointed  to  tivo  o'clock.  55 

tooun  &  cuntree :  both  fayre^  large,  and  ridi,  by  vyse^  for 
grooujid,  &  goold  for  letterz,  whearby  they  glitter  conspic- 
uous a  great  wey  of.  The  clokbell  that  iz  good  &  shrill, 
waz  commaunded  too  silens  at  first,  and  in  deede  sang  not  a 
note  all  the  while  her  highnes  waz  thear;  the  clok  stood  also 
still  withall.  But  mark  noow,  whither  wear  it  by  chauns, 
by  constellation  of  starz,  or  by  fatall  appoyntment  (if  fatez 
and  starz  doo  deal  with  dialz).     Thus  waz  it  in  deede  :  The 

handz  of  both  the  tablz  stood  firm  and  fast, 
^ii  a  clok    ^H^eyz  poynting  too  iust  too  a  clok,  still  at  too  a 

clok.  Which  thing  beholding  by  hap  at  first,  but 
after  seriously  marking  in  deed,  enprinted  intoo  me  a  deepe 
sign  &  argument  certein.  That  thiz  thing,  amoong  the  rest, 
waz  for  full  signifiauns  of  his  Lordship^  s  honorabl,  frank, 
frendly,  and  nobl  hart  toward  al  estates.  Which,  whither  cum 
they  to  stay  &  take  cheer,  or  straight  to  returne :  too  see, 
j-^     __  1     or  to  be  seene  :  cum  they  for  duty  too  her  Maiesty 

or  looue  '^too  hiz  Lordship,  or  for  both ;  cum  they 
early  or  late :  for  his  Lordship^ s  part,  they  cum  allweyz  all 
at  too  a  clok,  een  iump^  at  too  a  clok  :  That  iz  to  say,  in  good 
harte,  good  acceptauns,  in  amitee,  and  freendlye  wellcoom. 
Who  saw  els  that  I  saw,  in  right  must  say  az  I  say.  For  so 
manye  thinges  byside.  Master  Humfrey,  wear  heerin  so  con- 
sonant vnto  my  construction,  that  thiz  poynting  of  the  clok 
(to  my  self)  I  took  in  amitee,  as  an  oracle  certain.  And 
heer  iz  my  windlesse,  lyke  yoor  coorse  as  pleaz  ye. 

But  noow,  syr,  to  cum  to  eend.  For  receyuing  of  her 
hig  [h]  nes,  and  entertainment  of  all  thoother  estatez.  Syns  of 
delicatez  that  ony  wey  mought  serue  or  delight :  az  of  wyne, 
spice,  deynty  viaunds,  plate,  Musik,  ornaments  of  boons, 
rich  arras  &  sylk,  (too  say  nothing  of  the,  meaner  thinges,) 
the  mass  by  prouizion  waz  heaped  so  hoouge,  which  the 
boounty  in  spending  did  after  bewray.  The  conceit  so 
deep  in  casting  the  plat  at  first.  Such  a  wizdom  and  cun- 
ning in  acquiring  things  so  rich,  so  rare,  and  in  such  abun- 
dauns  :  by  so  imminens'^  &  profuse  a  charge  of  expens,  whiche 
P      »g  -|      by  so  honorabl  seruis  &  exquisit  order,  curteizy  fof 

officerz,  and  humanitee  of  al,  wear  after  so  boounti- 
fuUy  bestoed  and  spent,  what  may  this  express,  what  may 
this  set  oout  vntoo  vs,  but  only  a  magnifyk  minde,  a  singuler 

*  See  Notes  at  the  end. 

^  plump,  exactly.     Did  the  two  mean  Elizabeth  and  Leicester  ? 

3  immense ;  or  noteworthy,  wondrous,  startling,  from  emiiwis. 


56         The  yreat  Tent,  great  Wether,  and  great  Child. 

wizdoom,  a  prinsly  purs,  and  an  heroicall  hart  ?  If  it  wear  my 
theam,  Master  Martin,  too  speake  of  hiz  Lordship's  great  honor 
&  magnif  [i]  cens,  though  it  be  not  in  me  too  say  suflBciently, 
az  bad  a  penclark  az  I  am,  yet  coold  I  say  a  great  deel  more. 

But  being  heer  now  in  magnificens,  &  matters  of  great- 

nes :    it  fals  wel  too  mynd,    The  greatnes  of  his 

Tent^^^*    honor's  Tent,  that  for  her  Maiestyez  dining  was 

pighte  at  long  Ichington,  the  day  her  highnes  cam 

to  TCillingworth  Castl.     A  tabernacl  indeed,  for  number  and 

shift  of  large  and  goodlye  roomz,  for  fayr  &  eazy  offices,  both 

inward  &  ooutward,  al  so  likesum  in  order  &  eysight,  that 

iustly for  dignitee  maybe  comparabl  with  a  beautifull  Pallais, 

&  for  greatnes  &  qua^ititee  with  a  proper  tooun,  or  rather, 

a  Cittadell.      But  to  be  short,  least  I  keepe  yoo  too  long 

from  the  E-yall  Exchaunge  noow,  and  too  cauz  yoo  conceyue 

mooche  matter  in   feawest  woordes  :   the  Iron  bedsted    of 

Og  the  King  of  Basan  (ye  wot)  waz  foour  yards 

\hv  79  1      ^^"^  ^  halfe  long,  and  too  yards  §widei,  whearby  ye 

consider  a  Gyaunt  of  a  great  proportion  waz  he. 

This  tent  had  seauen  cart  lode  of  pynz^  perteining  too  it : 

noow  for  the  greatness,  gess  az  ye  can. 

And  great  az  it  waz  (too  marshall  oour  matters  of  great- 
nes togither),  not  forgetting  a  Weather  at  Grafton,  brought 
too  the  Coort,  that  for  body  and  wooll  was  exceding  great : 
the  meazure  I  tooke  not ;  let  me  sheaw  you  with  what  great 
marueyl  a  great  Ohyld  of  Leycetershire,  at  this  long  Iching- 
ton, by  the  Parents  waz  prezented :  great  (I  say)  of  limz  & 
proportion,  of  a  foour  foot  &  foour  inches  hy  :  and  els  lanu- 
ginoous^  az  a  lad  of  eyghteen  yee  [r]  z,  beeing  indeede  auowd 
too  be  but  six  yeer  olid  :  nothing  more  bewraying  hiz  age 
the?!  hiz  wit :  that  waz,  as  for  thooz  yeers,  simpl  &  childish. 

As  for  vnto  hiz  Lordship,  hauing  with  such  greatnes  of 

honorabl  modestye  &  benignitee  so  passed  foorth, 

"^^^^  ■        as  Laudem.  sine  inuidia  et  amicos  ]jararit.  By  great- 

nesse  of  well  dooing,  woon  with  all  sorts  to  bee  in  such  re- 

g£^g  uerens,  az  :  Be  quo  mentirifama  veretur.  In  syncer- 

itee    of  freendship  so    great,    az    no    man   more 

deuooutly  woorships. 

*  Deuteronomy,  chap.  iii.  verse  11. — Burn. 

2  The  pins  or  pegs  driven  into  the  ground  to  hold  the  tent-ropes.  (See 
note  -,  p.  5  above.) 

3  Lat.  latiuginosus,  full  of,  or  abounding  in  laimgo  (a  wool-like  production, 
down,  etc.),  hence  '  covered  with  down,  downy.' —  White  and  Riddle, 

*  Terentius,  Andr.  T.  i.  Z'i.— Nichols,  ed.  1788,  i.  50. 


The  great  Lord  Leicester.   His  kindness  to  Laneham.     57 

[*p.  80.]      ^Illud  amicitia  sanctum,  et  venerahile  nomen. 
Quid. 

So  great  in  liberalitie^  az  hatli  no  wey  to  heap  vp  the 
mass  of  hiz  trezure^  but  only  by  liberal  gyuing  &  boounteoous 
bestoing  hiz  trezure :  foloing  (az  it  seemez)  the  saw^  of 
MartialP^  that  sayth, 

E^tra  fortunavD.  est,  quicquid  donatur  amicis ; 
Quas  dederis,  solas  semper  hahehis  opes. 

Oout  of  all  hazered  doest  thou  set  that  to  thy  freends 

thoou  gyuest : 
A  surer  trezure  canst  thoou  not  haue  euer  whyle 

thoou  lyuest. 

What  may  theez  greatnesses  bode^  but  only  az  great 
honor,  fame,  &  renooum,  for  theez  parts  heer  awey,  az  euer 
waz  vntoo  thoz  too  nobl  Greatz  :  the  Macedonian  Alexander 
in  Bmathia  or  Grees,  or  to  Romano  Charles  in  Germanye  or 
Italy  ?  which,  wear  it  in  me  ony  wey  to  set  oout,  no  man  of 
all  men,  by  God  (Master  Martin),  had  euer  more  cauz,  and 
that  heerby  consider  yoo.  It  pleazed  his  honor  to  beare 
me  good  wil  at  fyrst,  &  so  too  continu.  To  haue  giueu  me 
apparail,  eeuen  from  hiz  bak,  to  get  me  allowauns  in  the 
stabl,  too  aduauns  me  vntoo  this  worshipful!  office,  so  neer 
the  most  honorabl  Councell,  to  help  me  in  my  licens  of 
Beanz  (though  indeed  I  do  not  so  much  vze  it,  for  I  thank 
ftp  811  ^°^  ■'■  ^6ed  not),  to  permit  my  good  Father  to 
serue  the  stabl.  t^liearby  I  go  noow  in  my  sylks, 
that  else  might  ruffl  in  my  cut  canues  :  I  ryde  now  a  hors 
bak,  that  els  many  timez  mighte  mannage  it  a  foot:  am 
knoen  to  their  honors,  &  taken  foorth  with  the  best,  that  els 
might  be  bidden  to  stand  bak  my  self :  My  good  Father  a 
good  releef,  that  hee  farez  mooch  the  better  by ;  and  none 
of  theez  for  my  dezert,  eyther  at  fyrst  or  syns  :  God,  hee 
knoez.  What  say  ye,  my  good  freend  Humfrey  ?  shoold  I 
not  for  euer  honor,  extol  him,  al  the  weyz  I  can  ?  Yes, 
by  yom'  leaue,  while  God  lends  me  poour  to  vtter  my 
minde !  And  (hauing  az  good  cauz  of  his  honor,  az  Virgil 
had  of  Augustus  Cezar,)  wH  I  poet  it  a  httl  with  Virgill, 
and  say, 

*  Nichols,  ed.  1788,  i.  50,  reads  'that  saw,'  and  says  'Another  copy  reads 
tJie  law  of  Martial.'  2  j^]j  y.,  Epig.  xHii. — Nichols. 


58     Of  Leicester  and  the  Queen.    Laneham  gets  up  at  7. 

Eo-lo''  I      Nam  que  erit  ille  mihi  semper  Deus,  illius  arava. 
Sepe  tener  nostris  ah  ouilibus  imhuet  agnus. 

For  lie  sliallbe  a  god  to  me^  till  death,  my  life  consumez : 
His  auters  will  I  sacrifice  "with  incens  and  parfumez. 

A  singular  patron  of  humanitee  may  he  be  well  vnto  vs, 

towarde  all  degreez ;    of  Houor^   toward  hy   Estates ;    and 

clieeflye^  whearby  we  may  learne  in  what  dignitee^  worship, 

and  renerens,  her  highnes  iz  to  be  esteemed,  honored,  and  re- 

ceiued,  that  waz  neuer  indeed  more  condignly  doon  then 

heer,  so  as  neither  by  the  bylders  at  first,  nor  by  fthe 

50  H  n3    -^^*^^  °^  pacification  affcer^,  was  euer  Kenelworth 

,^'  '    more  nobled  then  by  thiz,  hiz  Lordship^s  receiui?ig 

hir  highnes  heer  now. 

But,  lesu  !  lesu  !  whither  am  I  drawen  noow?  But  tallk  I  of 
rny  Lord  onz,  een  thus  it  farez  with  me :  I  forget  all,  my 
freends,  &  my  self  too.  And  yet  yoo,  being  a  Mercer,  a 
Merchant,  az  I  am :  my  cuntreeman  born,  &  my  good 
freend  withal,  whearby  I  kno  ye  ar  compassiond  with  me : 
Me  thought  it  my  part,  suiuwhat  to  empart  vnto  yoo  hoow 
it  iz  heer  with  me,  &  hoow  I  lead  my  life,  which  indeed 
iz  this  : 

A  mornings  I  rize  ordinarily  at  seauen  a  clok  :  Then 
reddy,  I  go  intoo  the  Chappell :  soon  after  eyght,  I  get  me 
commonly  intoo  my  Lord^s  Chamber,  or  intoo  my  Lord^s  pre- 
zidents.  Thear,  at  the  cupboord,  after  I  haue  eaten  the 
manchet,  serued  ouer  night  for  liuery^,  (for  I  dare  be  az  bolld, 
I  promis  yoo,  az  any  of  my  freends  the  seruauiits  thear :  and 
indeed,  coold  I  haue  fresh  if  I  woold  tary ;  but  I  am  of  woont 
iolly  &  dry^  a  mornings)  I  drink  me  vp  a  good  bol  of  Ale  : 
when  in  a  sweet  pot  it  iz  defecated  by  al  nights  sta?iding,  the 
drink  iz  the  better ;  take  that  of  me* :  &  a  morsell  in  a  morn- 
ing, with  a  sound  draught,  iz  very  holsome  and  good  for  the 
rip  S31  eysight.  Then  I  am  az  fresh  all  ^the  forenoon  after, 
az  had  I  eaten  a  hole  pees  of  beef.     Noow,  syr, 

*  See  JYotes  at  the  end. 

^  A  loaf  of  fine  bread  served-out  over-night  as  Laneham's  liver;/  or  allowance. 
Henry  Viil.'s  Knights,  and  others  of  the  King's  Conncell,  Gentlemen  of  the 
Chamber,  etc.,  had  each  in  1526,  '  Everie  of  them,  being  lodged  within  the 
courte,  for  their  Bouch  in  the  morning,  one  chet  [coarse]  loafe,  one  manchet, 
one  gallon  of  ale.' — Sousehold  Ordinances,  p.  163. 

3  Is  this  the  first  use  of  this  now  slang  phrase  ? 

*  John  Russell  and  Andrew  Boorde  say  that  Ale  must  be  5  days  old  before 
it  is  drunk. — Babees  Book,  p.  128,  208.  Before  it  was  hopt,  it  had  to  be  brewed 
fresh  and  fresh,  and  must  have  been  all  the  better  for  standing. 


How  Robert  Laneham  spends  his  day.  59 

if  tlie  Councell  sit,  I  am  at  hand,  wait  at  an  inch,  I  warrant 
yoo.  If  any  make  babhng,  "  peas  !  "  (say  I)  "  woot  ye  whear 
ye  ar  V  if  I  take  a  lystenar,  or  a  priar  in  at  the  chinks  or  at 
the  lokhole,  I  am  by  &  by  in  the  bones  of  him^ ;  but  now  they 
keep  good  order;  they  kno  me  well  inough  :  If  a  be  a  freend, 
or  such  one  az  I  lyke,  I  make  him  sit  dooun  by  me  on  a 
foorm,  or  a  cheast :  let  the  rest  walk,  a  God^s  name  ! 

And  heer  doth  my  langagez  now  and  than  stond  me  in 
good  sted,  my  Freiich,  my  Spanish,  my  Dutch,  &  my  Latten, 
sumtime  amoong  Ambassadours  mew,  if  their  Master  be 
within  with  the  Couwcel,  sumtime  with  the  Ambassadour 
himself,  if  hee  bid  call  hiz  lacky,  or  ask  me  whats  a  clok : 
and  I  warrant  ye  I  aunswer  him  roundly,  that  they  maruell  to 
see  such  a  fello  thear  :  the?i  laugh  I,  &  say  nothing.  Dinner 
&  supper  I  haue  twenty  placez  to  go  to,  &  hartly  prayd  to  : 
And  sumtime  get  I  too  Master  Pinner,  by  my  faith  a  worship- 
full  Gentlman,  and  az  carefull  for  his  charge  az  ony  hir  high- 
nez  hath  :  thear  find  I  alway  good  store  of  very  good  viaunds  : 
we  eat  and  bee  merry,  thank  God  &  the  Queene  !  Himself  in 
r*p  84 1  feeding  very  temperat  &  moderat  az  ye  shall  see 
ony  :  *and  yet,  by  your  leaue,  of  a  dish — az  a  colld 
pigeoTt  or  so,  that  hath  cum  to  him  at  meat,  more  then  he 
lookt  for, — I  haue  seen  him  een  so  by  and  by  surfit,  az  he 
hath  pluct  of  hiz  napkin,  wyept  his  knife,  &  eat  not  a  mor- 
sell  more  :  lyke  ynoough  to  stik  in  hiz  stomake  a  too  dayz 
after :  (Sum  hard  message  from  the  higher  officers,  perceiue 
ye  me  ?)  Vpon  search,  hiz  faithfuU  dealing  and  diligens 
hath  found  him  fautles.  In  afternoons  &  a  nights,  sumtime 
am  I  with  the  right  worshipfull  Sir  George  Howard,  az  good 
a  Gentlman  as  ony  liuez  :  And  sumtime  at  my  good  Lady 
Sidneis^  chamber,  a  Noblewooman  that  I  am  az  mooch 
boound  vntoo,  as  ony  poore  man  may  bee  vnto  so  gracyous 
a  Lady :  And  sumtime  in  sum  oother  place ;  But  alwayez 
among  the  Gentlwemen^  by  my  good  will  (0,  yee  kno  that 
cum  alweyez  of  a  gentle  spirite) ;  &  when  I  see  cumpany  ac- 
cording, than  can  I  be  az  lyuely  to  ;  sumtyme  I  foote  it  with 
daunsing  :  noow  with  my  Gittern,  and  els  with  my  Cittern, 


1  give  Mm  a  good  dig  in  the  ribs. 

2  Mary,  the  sister  of  Eohert  Dudley,  Earl  of  Leicester,  wife  of  Sir  Henry 
Sydney,  K.G.  Their  son,  Robert  Sydney,  was  created  Baron  Sydney  of  Pens- 
hurst,  in  Kent,  13th  May,  1603  ;  created  Viscount  L'Isle,  May  4,  1605;  and 
on  2  August,  1618,  Earl  of  Leicester. — Nicolas's  Peerage,  ii.  630. 

'  See  note  -  on  next  page. 


60       How  Laneham  sings  to  the  Ladies,  and  is  in  love. 

then  at  the  Virgynalz^ : — Ye  kno  nothing  cums  amisse  to  mee  : 
— ^then  Carroll  I  vp  a  song-  withalP^  that  by  and  by  they  com 
flocking  about  me  lyke  beez  too  hunny  :  and  euer  they  cry, 
r ,     gg  1      ''  anoother,  good  Langham,  anoother  !"     Shall  I  tell 

you?   fwlien  I  see  Misterz (A!  see  a  madde 

knaue !  I  had  almost  toUde  all !)  that  shee  gyuez  onz  but  an  ey 
or  an  ear  :  why^  then  man,  am  I  blest !  my  grace,  my  corage, 
my  cunning  iz  doobled :  She  sayz  sumtime  she  likez  it,  &  then 
I  like  it  mooch  the  better;  it  dooth  me  good  to  heer  hoow 
well  I  can  doo.  And,  too  say  truth  :  what,  with  myne  eyz,  az  I 
can  amoroously  gloit  it,  with  my  Spanish  sospires,^  my  French 

*  The  musical  instruments  principally  in  use  in  barbers'  shops,  during  the 
16th.  and  I7th.  centuries  were  the  cittern,  the  gitterii,  the  lute,  and  the  virgi- 
nals. Of  these  the  cittern  .  .  was  in  shape  somewhat  like  the  English  guitar 
of  the  last  century,  but  had  only  four  double  strings  of  wire,  i.  e.  two  to  each 
note  .  .  .  The  peculiarity  of  the  cittern,  or  cithren,  was  that  the  third  string 
was  tuned  lower  than  the  fourth,  so  that  if  the  first  or  highest  string  waa 
tuned  to  e,  the  third  would  be  the  g  below,  and  the  fourth  the  intermediate  h  .  . 
The  git  tern  .  .  Ritson  rightly  says,  differed  chieily  from  the  cittern  in  being 
strung  with  gut  instead  of  wire.  It  was  in  fact  a  guitar.  In  the  catalogue  of 
musical  instruments  left  in  the  charge  of  Philip  von  Wilder  at  the  death  of 
Henry  VIII,  we  find  "  four  Gitterons,  which  are  called  Spanish  vialles."  These 
were  guitars  with  six  strings,  for,  at  this  time,  the  Spanish  guitar  had  but 
four  strings,  and  the  Spaniards  gave  the  name  of  Vihuela  to  those  with  six. 
In  the  old  play  of  '  Lingua '  we  read 

'Tis  true  the  finding  of  a  dead  horse-head 
Was  the  first  invention  of  string  instruments, 
Whence  rose  the  Gitteme,  Viol  and  the  Lute. 

Dodsley's  Old  Flays,  vol.  v.,  p.  198  ...  . 
The  virginals  (probably  so  called  because  chiefly  played  upon  by  young  girls) 
resembled  in  shape  the  '  square '  pianoforte  of  the  present  day,  as  the  harpsi- 
chord did  the  '  grand.'     The  sound  of  the  pianoforte  is  produced  by  a  hammer 
striking  the  strings  ;  but  when  the  keys  of  the  virginal  or  harpsichord  were 
pressed,  th.Q  jacks  (slender  pieces  of  wood,  armed  at  the  upper  end  with  quills) 
were  raised  to  the  strings,  they  acted  as  plectra,  by  impinging,  or  twitching 
them. — ChappeU's  Popular  Music,  vol.  i.  p.   101-4.     See  also  p.  35,  98,  248, 
764,  etc. 
2  Compare  Hugh  Rhodes's  Boke  of  Nurture  in  the  Babees  Book,  p.  85, 
A  plyaunt  seruaunt  gets  fauour  to  his  great  aduauntage ; 
Promoted  shall  he  be  in  offyce  or  fee,  easilier  to  lyue  in  age. 
Vse  honest  pastyme,  talke  or  synge,  or  some  Instrument  vse : 
Though  they  be  thy  betters,  to  heare  they  will  thee  not  refuse. 

(1.  129-36.) 
And  as  to  the  '  Gentlwemen '  above,  compare  Ehodes's  further  directions, 
p.  86, 

For  your  preferment  resorte  to  such  as  may  you  vauntage  : 
Among  Gentlemen  for  their  rewards ;  to  honest  dames  for  maryage  .  .  . 
Honest  qualUtyes  and  gentle,  many  men  doth  advaunce 
To  good  maryages,  trust  me,  and  their  names  doth  inhaunce.  (1. 141-52.) 
^  Laneham  gives  in  this  passage  a  specimen  of  making  love  in  the  various 
languages  in  which  he  was  skilled.    Suspiro,  in  the  Spanish  tongue,  signifies 


Laneham's  Singing.     Why  he's  so  bookish.  61 

heighes,  mine  Italian  dulcets,  my  Dutch  houez, 
yp  lyQ         luy  doobl  releas,  my  lay  reacbez,  my  fine  feyning-, 

my  deep  diapason,  my  wanton  warblz,  my  running-, 
my  tyming,  my  tuning,  and  my  twynkling,  I  can  gracify  the 
matters  az  well  az  the  prowdest  of  them ;  and  waz  yet  neuer 
staynd,  I  thank  God.  By  my  troth,  cuntreman,  it  iz  sumtim 
by  midnight  ear  I  CQ.n  get  from  them.  And  thus  haue  I 
told  ye  most  of  my  trade,  al  the  leeue  long  daye  :  what  will 
ye  more  ?  God  saue  the  Queene  and  my  Lord !  I  am  well,  I 
thank  yoo. 

Heerwith  ment  I  fully  to  bid  ye  farewell,  had  not  this 
doubt  cum  to  my  minde,  that  heer  remainz  a  doout  in  yoo, 
which  I  ought  (me  thought)  in  any  wyze  to  cleer  :  Which 
iz,  ye  maruel  perchauns  to  see  me  so  bookish.  Let  me  tell 
yoo  in  few  woords  :  I  went  to  scool  forsooth  both  at  Pollez, 
r*p  86 1      ^  *allso  at  Saint  Antoniez  :  in  the  fifth  foorm,  past 

Esop  fabls  iwys,  red  Terens  :  "  Yos  istsec  intro  au- 
ferte ;"  &  began  with  my  Virgill "  Tytire  tu  patulee.^^  I  coold' 
my  rulez,  coold  conster  &  pars  with  the  best  of  them.  Syns 
that,  az  partly  ye  kno,  haue  I  traded  the  feat  of  marchaun- 
dize  in  sundry  Cuntreyz,  &  so  gat  me  Langagez,  which 
do  so  littl  hinder  my  Latten,  az  (I  thank  God)  haue  mooch 
encreast  it.  I  haue  leizure  sumtime,  when  I  tend  not  vpon 
the  coounsell :  whearby,  now  look  I  on  one  booke,  noow  on 
an  other.  Stories  I  delight  in,  the  more  auncient  &  rare,  the 
more  likesum  vntoo  mee.  If  I  tolld  ye,  I  lyked  William 
a  Malmesbery  so  well,  bicauz  of  hiz  diligenz  &  antiquitee. 
Perchauns  ye  woold  conster  it  bicauz  I  lone  Mamzey  so 
well :  but,  I  feith !  it  iz  not  so  :  for  sipt  I  no  more  Sak  & 
suger  (&  yet  neuer  but  with  company)  then  I  doo  Malmzey, 
I  should  not  blush  so  moch  a  dayz  as  I  doo :  ye  kno  my 
minde.  Well,  noow !  thus  fare  ye  hartily  well !  y  feith  !  if  with 
wishing  it  coold  haue  been,  ye  had  had  a  buk  or  too  this 
soomer;  but  we  shal  cum  neerer  shortly,  &  then  shal  we  merely 
meet ;  &,  grace  a  God  !  in  the  mean  time  commeiid  me,  I  be- 
sek  yo,  vntoo  my  good  freends,  almost  most  of  them  your 
rc     g.^  1      neighbors.  Master  § Allderman  Pullison^,  a  speciall 

freende  of  mine  :  and,  in  ony  wise,  too  my  good  old 
freend  Master  Smith,  Custumer^,  by  that  same  token,  "  Set 

a  very  deep  sigh  ;  He,  in  the  French,  expresses  the  emotions  of  the  soul  in 
love ;  Dolce,  in  Italian,  means  dear  or  beloved ;  and  in  Dutch,  Hoofsheid  is 
the  word  for  courtship. — Burn,  p.  114;  Nichols,  i.  483. 

'  knew ;  as  in  *  coold  hiz  lesson,'  p.  38. 

•  Afterwards  Sir  Thomas  Pullison,  and  Lord  Mayor  in  1584. — Nichols  and 
Burn.  -       ^  See  p.  45,  note. 


62  Laneham's  Farewell. 

my  hors  vp  too  the  rak,  &  tlien  lets  haue  a  cup  of  Sak  !" — He 
knoez  the  token  well  ynough_,  &  wil  laugh^  I  hold  ye  a  grote. 
— Too  Master  Thorogood :  And  too  my  mery  cumpanion  (a 
Mercer^  ye  wot,  az  we  be,)  Master  Denman, "  Mio  fratello  in 
Christo :"  he  iz  woont  too  summon  me  by  the  name  of  "  Ro. 
La.  of  the  Coounty  Nosingham',  Gentlman."  A  good  com- 
panio?ij  I  feyth  !  Well,  onez  again,  fare  ye  hartely  well ! 
From  the  Coourt.  At  the  Citee  of  Worceter,  the  xx  of 
August,  1575. 

Yor  couutreeman,  companion,  &  freend  assuredly : 
Mercer,  Merchantauenturer,  and  Clark  of  the  Councel- 
chamber  door,  and  also  keeper  of  the  same  :  El  Prencipe 
negro.     Par  me,  R.  L.  Gent.  Mercer. 


DE    MAIE STATE    REGIA 

Benigno. 

Cedant  arma  togce,  concedat  laurea  lingua, 
lactanter  Cicero,  ad  iustius  illud  hahe  : 

Cedant  arma  toga,  vigil  et  toga  cedat  lionori, 
Omnia  concedant  Imperioqne  suo. 

DEO     OPT.     MAX.     GEJTI^. 


'  I  don't  take  this  to  be  a  mistake  for  Nottingham,  but  a  quiz  on  Laneham's 
nose,  which,  as  his  cheeks  blusht  so  much  (p.  61),  must  have  been  red  too. 


^i^slwiSisAjJs^,^ 


—    rd 


**«S«P 


63 


APPENDIX. 

The  following  is  the  report  of  King  Henry  A-^III.'s  surveyors  on 
Kenilworth. 

[Cott.  MS.  Vesp.  F.  ix.  leaf  302.] 
The  Castle  of  Killingworth,  situate  vpon  a  Eock. 

[Ci]rcuit.  1.  The  Circuite  whereof  within  the  walls  eonteyneth 

7.  acres^  vpon  w^ich  the  walks  are  so  spacious  &  faire 
that  two  or  three  persons  may  walke  together  vpon  most  places 
thereof, 

TB  "lildin"-  ^"  ^^®  Castle  with  the  4  Gatehouses  all  built  of 

°'  freestone  hewen  and  cutt ;  the  walls  in  many  places 
of  15.  &  10.  foot  thicke,  some  more,  some  lesse,  the  least  fower 
foot  in  thicknes  square. 

C    e  'no-  ^'  '^^^^  Castle  &  4.  Gatehouses  all  covered  with 

°'       Lead,  whereby  it  is   subiect  to  no  other  decay  then 
the  glasse,  through  the  extremity  of  weather. 
TRloo   es  ^'  '^'^^  Hoomes  of  great  State  within  the  same,  & 

such  as  are  able  to  receaue  his  Majesty,  the  Queen,  & 
Prince,  at  one  tyme,  built  with  as  much  vniformity  and  conve- 
niency  as  any  houses  of  later  tyme ;  and  with  such  stately  Sellars, 
all  caried  vpon  pillars,  and  Architecture  of  free  stone  earned  and 
wrought,  as  the  like  are  not  within  this  Kingdome ;  and  also  all 
other  houses  for  Offices  aunswerable. 

5.  There  lieth  about  the  same  in  Chases  and  Parks 
Kr&^^         ^^^^"  P^^   annwm ;    900".  whereof  are   grounds   for 

pleasure, — the  rest  in  meadow  &  pasture  thereto  ad- 
ioyning,  Tennants  and  freeholders. 

6.  There  ioyneth  vpon  this   ground  a  Parklike 
coiDses  "     ground,   called  the  Kings  wood,  with  15.  seuerall 

Coppisses  lyeug  altogether,  conteyning  789.  acres 
within  the  same ;  wAich,  in  the  Earle  of  Leicesters  tyme,  were 
stored  with  Bed  deere.  Since  wAich,  the  Deere  stroyed;*  but 
the  ground  in  no  sort  blemished,  having  great  store  of  Tymber  & 
other  Trees  of  much  valewe  vpon  the  same. 
rPloole  '^'  ^^^^^^  runneth  through  the  said  grounds  by  the 

walls  of  the  said  Castle  a  faire  Poole,  conteyning  111 
acres,  well  stored  with  fish  and  fowle,  w7«ch  at  pleasure  is  to  be 
lett  round  about  the  Castle. 

8.  In   Tymber  and   woods  vpon  theis  grounds  to 
woS.  *^^^  v^l^^  (as  ^a*^  ^^^^  offred)  of  20,0001* .  hauing 

a  convenient  tyme  to  remove  them ;  which  to  his 
Majestie,  in  the  Suruey,  are  but  valewed  at  117221', — which  pro- 

'  have  been  destroyed. 


Ground  Plan  of  Kexilworth  Castlf.. 

Palaliai  1350 — rSso — iS?©. 


64  _  Appendix. — Survey  of  Kenilworth. 

portion,  in  a  like  measure,  is  held  in  all  the  rest  vpon  the  other 
valewes  to  his  Ma;Vsty. 

rColm-Dasse         ^'     ^^^  Circuits  of  the  Castle,  Manors,  Parks,  and 
Chase,  lieing  round,  together  couteyne  at  least  19.  or 
20.  miles,  in  a  pleasaunt  Countrey, — the  like  both  for  strength, 
state,  and  pleasure  uot  being  ■^/thin  the  Eealme  of  England. 
rSulruev  ^^'  '^^^^^^   lands  haue   been  s^o-ueied  by  Commis- 

sion's from  the  King  and  the  Jjord  Priuy  seale,  we'th 
direccions  from  his  luordsJii-p  to  finde  all  things  vnder  the  true 
worth,  and  vpon  oath  of  Jnrotirs,  aswell  freeholders,  as  Custumary 
Tenazmts ;  viJiich.  course  being  held  by  them  are  notwz'thstanding 
surveied  and  i-eturned  at  38,554;^  15*  Out  of  w/ifch,  for  Sir  Eober^ 
Dudley's  Contempt,  there  is  to  be  deducted  10000^. ;  for  the 
La%  Dudley's  Joynture,  wAzch  is  w/thout  ympeachment  of  wast, 
whereby  she  may  sell  all  the  woods,  (w7»'ch  by  the  Suruey  amount 
vnto  11722^.)  what  shalbe  thought  reasonable. 

li.         s. 

The  Totall  of  the  Suruey  ]   (^^^^^^^^^  •     *     '^5722      2 
arisethasfoUoweth,Yiz.:-j  |^^J^g°^^^;     ;     '.^q—    ^ 

j^g^^^g  11.  His  Majestie  hath  herein  the  meane  profitts  of 

the  Castle  and  premisses  through  S/r  'Robert  Dudley's 
Contempt,  during  his  life  or  his  'Ma.jestie's  Pardon.  The  Keuer- 
c^on  in  fee  being  in  the  Itord  priuy  seale. 


65 


NOTES   ON   LANEHAM'S   LETTEE. 

P.  2.  Ayr  siveet  and  JioUstim. — See  the  interesting  chap.  3  of 
Andrew  Boorde'a  Dyetary,  p.  235  of  my  edition  of  Boorde,  1870. 
Also  chapter  2,  on  the  site  of  a  house. 

P.  3.  Tlie  Bridge. — This  dry  valley  was  partly  filled  up  by 
Col.  Haukeswortli,  ab.  1650,  when  he  dismantled  the  Castle,  but 
part  still  remains.  It  is  in  fact  the  original  Norman  moat  (1135) 
which  was  dried,  and  pai'tly  filled  up,  when  at  the  close  of  the 
12th  century  Greoifrey  Clinton's  successors  threw  out  a  more 
extensive  line  of  fortifications. — E.  H.  Knowles. 

P.  3. — In  the  year  of  642,  Penda,  King  of  Mercia,  invaded  the 
dominions  of  Oswald,  King  of  Northumberland;  who  was  slain 
after  a  fierce  battle  at  Maserfield.  Burthred,  or  Buthred,  wlio  is 
mentioned  in  the  context,  was  the  last  King  of  Mercia ;  whose 
kingdom  was  invaded  in  874',  by  the  West- Saxons,  under  Alfred. 
Tims  overpowered  he  fled  to  Eome,  where  he  died. — Burn's  ed.  of 
Laneham,  p.  94 ;  Nichols,  i.  428. 

P.  6. — The  Porter  burst  out,  in  verses  '  devised  and  pronounced 
by  Master  Badger  of  Oxford,  Master  of  Arts,  and  Bedel  in  the 
same  University,'  and  given  in  Oascoigne,  p.  7,  ed.  1821. 

P.  6. — See  Malory's  Kyng  Arthur,  bk.  i.  cap.  xxv.  Soo  they 
rode  tyl  they  came  to  a  lake,  the  whiche  was  a  fayr  water,  and 
brood.  And  in  the  myddes  of  the  lake,  Arthur  was  ware  of  an 
arrae  clothed  in  whyte  samyte,  that  held  a  fayr  swerd  in  that 
hand.  "Loo,"  said  Merlyn,  "yonder  is  that  swerd  that  I  spak 
of."  With  that  they  sawe  a  damoisel  goyng  vpon  the  lake. 
"  What  damoysel  is  that?"  said  Arthur.  "That  is  the  ladt  oe 
TUE  LAKE,"  said  Merlyn  ;  "  And  within  that  lake  is  a  roche ;  and 
theryn  is  as  fayr  a  place  as  ony  on  erthe,  and  rychely  beseene ; 
and  this  damoysell  wylle  come  to  yow  anone ;  and  thenne  speke 
ye  fayre  to  her,  that  she  will  gyue  yow  that  swerd." 

P.  7,  9.  Musical  Instruments. — Lord  Warren  and  De  Tabley 
has  been  kind  enough  to  lend  me  a  MS  Commonplace  book  of  his 
ancestor  Sir  Philip  Leycester,  dated  1656,  that  the  musical  part 
may  be  edited  by  I3r.  Rimbault  for  the  Early  English  Text  Society. 
But  as  several  of  the  instruments  mentioned  by  Laneham  are 
described  in  it,  I  extract  the  bits  relating  to  them. 
r*leaf  86  back  1  "  *^^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^®  amisse  here  to  insert  the  severall 
Kinds  of  Musicall  Instruments  now  of  most  Vse  in 
England,  as  they  be  now  vsed,  1656.  .  .  . 

[tleafS?.!      "fOf  Single  Wynd  Instruments,  the  most  excellent 
are  the  Cornet,  the  Slialme,  &  Sackbut, 


6Q    Notes  on  Laneham's  hetter,  Musical  Instruments,  p.  7,  9. 

"  The  Cornet  is  about  two  foote  in  length ;  not  so  streight  as 
the  Shahne  ;  but  with  a  little  bendinge  or  Incurvation ;  it  is  bored 
through,  &  hath  little  holes  at  the  side  thereof,  w^«"ch,  beinge 
stopt  with  the  fingers,  gives  the  variety  of  Soundes ;  &  yeildeth  a 
shrill-quakinge-Sound,  wAfch  is  produced  by  the  Art  of  the  Mouth, 
as  the  Hunt's-man's  Home  &  Trumpet  are  caused  by  the  blast  of 
the  mouth. 

r*leaf  87  back  1  "  *T^^  Shalme  is  made  of  Wood,  &  after  the 
same  manner  of  the  Cornet,  &  about  the  same 
length,  bored  thorough  also,  with  little  holes  at  the  side,  to  be 
stopt  with  the  fingers,  for  distinction  of  Soundes.  This  is  a 
streight  Piece  of  Wood,  &  hath  a  Eeede  put  into  the  Smaller  end 
thereof  (which  is  made  artificially,  &  bound  about  the  Lower  end 
with  a  Thred),  which  with  the  blast  of  the  mouth  causeth  a  shrill 
Sound,  &  is  done  with  lesse  straininge  then  the  Cornet,  which. 
hath  no  Eeede,  but  the  Sound  thereof  forced  with  the  Mouth. 
^The  greater  end  of  it  is  made  in  forme  of  a  little  Bell,  like  the 
end  of  a  Trumpet^. 

"  The  Sackbut  is  made  of  Brasse  or  Alchimy^,  &  gives  distinc- 
rtleaf  88  1  ^^^'^  ^^  Soundes,  not  by  holes,  as  other  Pipes,  fbut  by 
movinge  the  outward  part  of  it  higher  or  Lower ;  for 
there  is  a  Devise  vppon  it,  to  be  drawne  vp  &  downe.  The  Sound 
of  it  is  caused  by  the  blast  of  the  mouth  ;  &  it  hath  some  resem- 
blance to  a  Trumpet.  This  Instrument  giveth  a  Deepe  Sound,  & 
is  to  play  the  Basse-parte. 

"  There  are  also  of  an  inferiour  Kind,  as  Fluits,  Recorders, 
Bag- PIPES, — &  these  last  both  greater  &  lesse, — so  called  because 
they  have  bags  fastened  to  the  Pipe,  w^ich,  beinge  stuft  with  the 
wind  of  the  Mouth,  causeth  the  Sounde.  But  these  Pipes  are 
never  vsed  by  any  Artists  in  Musicke  ;  but  by  the  more  Eusticall 
Sorte  of  People. 

r+leaf  88  back  1      "  +The  Stringed  Instruments  now  in  vse  are  two 
'■'^  "    fold,  either  Grut-stringes  or  Wyre-stringes. 

"  Instruments  with  Gut-stringes  are  of  Three  sortes. 

"  1  The  Harpe,  which  is  made  in  forme  of  a  Triangle,  &  hath 
the  stringes  open  on  both  sides,  for  either  hande  to  play  with  all : 
&  is  played  vppon  with  the  fingers  of  both  handes. 

"  2  The  Lute,  which  is  made  with  a  Round  backe,  like  a  halfe- 
Globe,  the  belly  of  it  flat  &  even  to  the  finger-board.  This  is 
playd  vppon  with  the  fingers  of  the  right  hand,  &  stoppinge  the 
rsieaf  891  ^^^^^  '^i^'^  ^^^  ^^ft  hand  on  the  finger-board.  §It  hath 
sometymes  24  strings,  sometimes  19  stringes ;  and  some- 
tymes  lesse,  as  pleaseth  the  Musitian  to  have  it. 

"  Of  this  Kind  is  the  Theorbo,  beinge  only  a  Basse-Lute : 
made  larger  to  carry  a  Deepe  Sounde. 

i-i  Written  in  the  margin,  -  ?  tin. 


Notes  on  Lanehami's  Letter,  Musical  Instruments,  p.  7-9.    67 

"  3  The  ViOLE :  wMch  is  either  Treble,  Tenour,  or  Base,  ac- 
cordinge  to  its  magnitude :  These  have  onely  Sixe  stringes  a  peece, 
and  are  played  vppon  -^ith.  a  Bowe. 

"  of  this  Sorte  also  is  the  Violin,  w/n'ch  hath  but  fowre  stringes, 
&  is  the  least  sort:  w/zech  carryes  an  excellent  Treble  parte; 
save  onely  this  hath  no  frets  on  the  fingerboard  (because  of  its 
littlenes)  as  the  other  Violes  have ;  but  the  notes  on  this  are 
strooke  by  the  Eare. 

r*leaf'  89  back  1       "  *Iiistruments  with  Wyre-stringes  are  of  fowre 
sorts. 

1  ViRQiNALLS.  These  are  made  with  Keyes,  as  the  Organs : 
and  indeed  is  nothinge  else  but  a  stringed  Organ. 

from  these  the  Haepsicalls  &  double  Harpsicalls  are  deduced  ; 
all  made  after  the  same  manner. 

2  Orphabion  :  w/z/ch  is  onely  a  Wyre-stringed  Lute;  save 
the  forme  of  the  backe  of  this  is  made  more  flat,  the  Lute  more 
round  :  &  from  this  the  Bandoea^  (as  we  call  it)  somewhat  larger  ; 
rtleaf  90 1    ^'^®  ffrets  on  the  finger-board  of  these  beinge  made 

of  fbrasse,  w^zch  is  layd  into  the  Wood  ;  but  the  ffreta 
of  the  Lute  &  Violes  are  made  of  Stringes  tyed  about  the  finger- 
board. 

"  3  Haepe  :  wZf/ch  we  vsually  call  the  Irish  harpe,  as  most 
vsed  by  them,  with  Wyre-strings  :  the  other  called  by  vs  The 
Welsh-Harpe,  with  Gut-stringes. 

"  4  The  PsiTTTEHE ;  &  from  thence  the  Gitteene  :  of  w^/ch  I 
haue  made  mention  before,  fo.  85.  [The  passage  at  leaf  85  about 
the  Pisittyrne^  is,  "This  Instrument  is  not  so  apt  for  the  voyce  as 
the  Lute  or  Viole,  but  yeilds  a  Sweete  and  Gentle  Sound,  wAich 
the  name  importeth  :  for  ij/i6vpa  is  a  Greeke  word,  &  commeth  of 
ij/t6vpo<;,  v;hic\\  signifyes  '  a  whisperinge  Sound ';  like  to  which  is 
the  sound  of  this  Instrument :  some  write  it  '  Cithareu,' — but 
falsely, — for  '  Psithyren,'  &,  by  contraction,  '  Psittyrne.'  It  con- 
tayneth  fowre  Course  of  stringes,  as  at  this  day  we  vse  it,  each 
Course  beinge  doubled,  havinge  two  Stringes  of  one  sound  in  each 
course  :  They  are  Wire  Stringes  :  &  is  played  vppon  with  a  little 
peice  of  a  Quill  or  Pen,  wherewith  the  Stringes  be  touched.  It  is 
now  vsually  taught  by  Letters,  not  by  Notes  of  Musicke. 


*  Bandora,  a  musicall  Instrument  with  Wyre-strings,  so  called ;  first  made 
by  John  Kose,  dwellinge  in  Bridewell,  anno  4°  Eliz:  1562,  who  left  a  sonne 
farre  excellinge  himselfe  in  makinge  Instruments.  Howes  continuation  of  Stoiv  : 
pag :  869. — Sir  P.  Leycester's  Index  to  his  MS. 

2  This  is  preceded  by  an  account  of  the  two  best  "  Psithyrists.  For  the 
little  Instrument  called  a  Psittyrne,  Anthony  Holborne  and  Tho :  Eobinson 
were  most  famous  of  any  before  them,  and  haue  both  of  them  set  out  a  Booke 
of  Lessons  for  this  Instrument.  Holborne  hath  composed  a  Basse-parte  for 
the  Viole  to  play  vnto  the  Psittyrne  with  those  Lessons  Set  out  in  his  booke : 
these  lived  about  Anno  Dowmi  1600." 

p2 


68  Notes  on  Laneliam^s  Letter,  p.  7-17. 

Like  vnto  this  is  tlie  Instrument  we  now  vsually  do''  call  a 
GiTTEENE,  w^«ch  indeed  is  onely  a  Treble  Psittyrne,  beinge 
somewhat  lesse  then  the  other,  yeildinge  a  more  Treble  Smart 
Sound,  havinge  tlie  same  number  &  the  same  Order  of  Wynd- 
strings,  &  playd  vppon  with  a  Quill,  after  the  same  order  as  the 
Psittyrne ;  onely  some  variation  in  the  Tuninge,  w^ech  may  also 
be  varyed  in  the  Psittyrne  at  pleasure.] 

"  To  these  may  be  added  the  Apopret,  brought  into  England 
about  1644,  which  is  playd  on  with  two  little  sticks ;  in  either 
hand  one ;  &  hath  Wyre-stringes,  onely  4  Course. 

"  These  I  thought  good  to  mention  here,  that  Posterity  may 
know  the  difference  of  them,  and  likewise  what  new  Inventions 
shall  be  found  out  afterwards." 

P.  12.  Sunday  Dauncing. — 

He  know  to  dance  on  Sundays. 

Little  Thief,  A.  iij.~E.  H.  Knowles. 

P.  13.  The  Chase. — There  is  a  spot  in  the  Chase  still  called  the 
Queen's  Standing-Ground.  Cf.  Sir  Walter  Scott's  Waverley, 
ch.  iii. — E.  H.  Knowles. 

P.  13.  Earning  of  the  hoounds. — Earn  or  Yorne  is  a  term  of 
art :  compare  Vallentine  (tlie  Courtier)  .  .  I  confesse  I  am  vnskil- 
fuU,  yet  vnlesse  I  bee  much  deceaued,  I  haue  hard  hounds  harhe 
by  night,  &  haue  scene  foulers  ketch  Woodcockes  in  colde 
weather. 

Vincent  (the  Cuntrey- Gentleman)  In  deede  it  may  bee  you 
haue  hard  sumtimes  hounds  yorne  (for  so  you  ought  to  terme  it) 
by  night ;  and  I  suppose  the  winter  weather,  and  hard,  is  fittest 
for  ketching  of  Woodcockes  in  deede.  1586.  The  English  Courtier 
and  the  Cuntrey -gentleman,  p.  55-6,  ed.  1868,  Eoxburghe  Library. 

P.  16.  Bearhaiting. — So  too  Arthur  Golding  in  his  '  Discourse 
upon  the  Earthquake '  on  April  6,  1580  "  The  Saboth  dayes  and 
holy  dayes,  ordayned  for  the  hearing  of  Gods  word,  to  the  refor- 
mation of  our  lyves  ....  and  finally  for  the  speciall  occupying  of 
our  selves  in  all  spirituall  exercizes,  is  spent  full  heathenishly  in 
taverning,  tipling,  gaming,  playing,  and  beholding  of  Beare- 
baytings  and  Stage-playes,  to  the  utter  djshonor  of  God,  impeach- 
ment of  all  godlyuesse,  and  unnecessarie  consuming  of  mennes 
substances,  which  ought  to  be  better  employed."  (Quoted  in 
Collier's  Stationers'  Registers,  ii.  118.) 

P.  17.  Nyez. — A  vulgarism. 

Tour  pale  seekes  &  hollow  nyes. 

The  Little  Thief  Act  IV.— E.  H.  Knowles. 

?  pinken  eyes.  There  is  a  singular  coincidence  between  Lane- 
ham's  description  of  a  bear-fight,  and  that  given  in  the  Eomance 
of  "  Kenilworth,"  where  the  Earl  of  Sussex  presents  a  petition 

1  '  tearme  a  Kit  some '  is  struck  ont,  and  '  Gittern '  written  at  the  side. 


Notes  on  Laneham\t  Letter,  p.  26-32.  69 

from  Oraon  Pinnit,  keeper  of  the  Royal  Bears,  against  Shakespeare 
and  the  players.  It  is  evident  that  the  author  of  "  Kenilworth  " 
had  the  passage  in  his  mind ;  and  as  the  reader  may  also  like  to 
compare  the  two  passages,  an  extract  from  the  Romance  is  here 
inserted :  "  There  you  may  see  the  bear  lying  at  guard  with  his 
red  pinky  eyes,  watching  the  onset  of  the  mastiff  like  a  wily  cap- 
tain, who  maintains  his  defence,  that  an  assailant  may  be  tempted 
to  venture  within  his  danger."  See  Kenilworth,  vol.  ii.  p.  129. — 
Burn,  p.  98  ;  Nichols,  i.  439.  Ken.  III.  says  '  pink  nyez ' — winking- 
eyes.     Dutch  inncTcen,  to  wink.     P.  15,  note  1. 

P.  26.  Coventry  .  .  is  a  faire,  famous,  sweet,  and  ancient  City, 
so  walled  about  with  such  strength  and  neatnesse,  as  no  City  in 
England  may  compare  with  it :  in  the  wals  (at  severall  places)  are 
13  Gates  and  Posterns  whereby  to  enter  and  issue  too  and  from 
the  City ;  and  on  the  wals  are  18  strong  defensible  Towers,  which 
do  also  beautifie  it :  in  the  City  is  a  faire  and  delicate  Crosse, 
which  is  for  structure,  beauty,  and  workmanship,  by  many  men 
accounted  unmatchable  in  this  Kingdome ;  although  my  selfe, 
with  some  others,  do  suppose  that  of  Abington  in  Berkeshire  will 
match  it ;  and  I  am  sure  the  Crosse  in  Cheapside  at  London  doth 
farre  out-passe  it.  (1639.  John  Taylor.  Fart  of  this  Summers 
Travels,  p.  9.) 

P.  26,  margin.  Florilegus. — ?  =  Matthew  of  Westminster. — 
E.  H.  Knowles. 

P.  31.  Musters.— In  the  Musters  taken  in  1574  and  1575  a.d. 
printed  in  Household  Ordinances,  p.  270-1,  Warwick  figures  for 
300  able  men,  978  armed  men,  300  artificers  and  pyoneers,  16 
demi-lances,  and  90  light-horse. 

P.  31.  Nippitate. — 

Fompiona,  Princess  of  Moldavia. 
Oft  have  I  heard  of  your  brave  countrymen, 
And  fertile  soil,  and  store  of  wholesome  food. 
My  father  oft  will  tell  me  of  a  drink 
In  England  found,  and  Nipitato  call'd. 
Which,  driveth  all  the  sorrow  from  your  hearts. 

Ralph.  Lady,  'tis  true :  you  need  not  lay  your  lips 
To  better  Nipitato  than  there  is. 

Beaumont  and  Eletcher,  Knirjht  of  the  Burning  Festle, 
Act  iv,  Scene  2,  Works,  ed.  Darley,  1840,  vol.  ii, 
p.  90,  col.  2. 

P.  32.  An  Amhrosiall  Banhet .  .  disshez  .  .  a  three  hundred. — 
A  dinner  in  London  in  1569  is  thus  described : 

This  day,  my  Lords  his  speciall  friende 
must  dyne  with  him  (no  naye), 


70  Notes  on  Laneham's  Letter,  p.  32. 

His  Partners,  Friendes  and  Aldermen : 

wherefore  he  must  puruaye 
Both  Capon,  Swan,  and  Hernshoe  good, 

fat  Bitture,  Larcke,  and  Quayle  : 
Eight  Plouer,  Snype,  and  Woodcock  fine, 

with  Curlew,  Wype^,  and  Rayle  : 
Stonetiuets",  Teale,  and  Pecteales  good, 

with  Bustard  fat  and  plum, 
Fat  Pheasaunt  Powt,  and  Plouer  base 

for  them  that  after  come. 
Stent,  Stockard,  Stampine,  Tawterueale, 

and  Wigeon  of  the  best: 
Puyt^,  Partrich,  Blackbirde  and 

fnt  Shoueler  with  the  rest. 
Two  Warrants  eke  he  must  prouide 

to  haue  some  Venson  fat. 
And  meanes  heele  make  for  red  Deere  too, 

(there  is  no  nay  of  that.) 
And  needefully  he  must  prouide 

(although  we  speake  not  ont) 
Both  Peacock,  Crane,  and  Turkicock, 

and  (as  such  men  ax'e  wont,) 
He  must  foresee  that  he  ne  lacke  [Sign.  D.  iii.] 

colde  bakemetes  in  the  ende : 
With  Custards,  Tarts,  and  Florentines, 

the  bancquet  to  amende. 
And  (to  be  short,  and  knit  it  vp) 

he  must  not  wanting  see 
Straunge  kindes  of  fysh  at  second  course 

to  come  in  their  degree, 
As  Porpesse,  Seale  and  Salmond  good, 

with  Sturgeon  of  the  best, 
And  Turbot,  Lobster,  with  the  lyke 

to  furnish  out  the  feast. 
All  this  theyle  haue,  and  else  much  more, 

sydes  Marchpane  and  greene  Cheese, 
Stewde  wardens.  Prunes,  &  sweete  conserues, 

with  spiced  Wine  like  Lees, 
Greeneginger,  Sucket,  Suger  Plate, 

and  Marmaladie  fine, 
Blauncht  Almonds,  Peares  and  Ginger  bread ; 

But  Peares  should  we  assigne 
And  place  before  (as  meete  it  is) 

at  great  mens  boordes  ;  for  why, 

'  Lapwing.  ^  p  gtonechat.  '  Peewit. 


Notes  on  Laneham's  Letter,  p.  32-36.  71 

Kawe  fruites  are  first  in  seruice  styll', 
Else  Seruing  men  doo  lye. 
1575.     E.  Hake.     Newes  out  of  Powles  Churcbyarde. 

Sign.  D.  ii.  back,  and  D  iii. 

P.  33. — This  device  of  the  Lady  of  the  Lake  was  also  by  Master 
Hunnis  (p.  5,  note  4,  above).  He  had  also  designed  a  prelimi- 
nary night  skirmish  on  the  water  between  the  Lady  of  the  Lake's 
men  and  Sir  Bruce's,  all  floating  upon  heaps  of  bulrushes ;  but 
this  was  not  carried  out.  The  speeches  of  Triton  to  the  Queen, 
and  the  winds,  etc.,  the  Lady  of  the  Lake's  speech,  and  the  Song 
of  Proteus,  all  in  verses,  which  "  as  I  think,  were  penned,  some  by 
Master  Hunnis,  some  by  Master  Eerrers,  and  some  by  Master 
Groldingham,"  ai'e  given  in  Gascoiqne's  Princ.  Fleas,  p.  23-8, 
ed.  1821. 

P.  34.  Syr  Bruse  saunspitee. — See  Sir  E.  Strachey's  modernised 
edition  of  Malory's  Morte  D' Arthur,  bk.  ix.  ch.  41,  p.  235.  "  Sir 
knight,  said  the  lady  [to  Sir  Dinadan]  I  am  the  wofuUest  lady  of 
the  world;  for  within  these  five  days  here  came  a  knight  called 
Sir  Breuse  Sance  Pite,  and  he  slew  mine  own  brother,  and  ever 
since  he  hath  kept  me  at  his  own  will ;  and  of  all  the  men  in  the 
world  I  hate  him  most."  See  also  p.  301.  Sir  Breuse  and  Sir 
Dinadan  are  from  the  Erench  Romance  of  the  Prophecies  de 
Merlin, — Mr.  Hy.  Ward  of  the  Brit.  Mus.  tells  me, — as  are  also 
Alisander  le  Orphelin  and  Alice  la  Beale  Pilgrime,  p.  268,  273, 
455  of  Strachey's  Malory. 

Arion. — "  There  was  a  spectacle  presented  to  Q.  Elizabeth 
vpon  the  water,  and  amongst  others,  Harry  Goldingham  was 
to  represent  Arion  vpon  the  Dolphin's  backe ;  but  finding  his 
voice  to  be  very  hoarse  and  vnpleasant  when  he  came  to  perforrae 
it,  he  teares  of  his  disguise,  and  sweares  he  was  none  of  Arion ; 
not  he !  but  eene  honest  Harry  Goldingham, — which  blunt  disco- 
verie  pleas'd  the  Queene  better  then  if  it  had  gone  thorough  in 
the  right  way.  Yet  he  could  order  his  voice  to  an  instrument 
exceeding  well."— Para.  221,  of  Harl.  MS.  6895— a  book  of 
"  Merry  Passages  &  Jeasts,"  collected  by  Sir  Nicholas  L'Estrange 
of  Hunstanton,  Bart.,  who  died  in  1669. 

P.  35.  Kings  Evil. — Eor  a  form  of  prayer,  see  Maskell,  Monu- 
menta  Situalia,  vol.  iii. — E.  H.  Knowles.  See  Andrew  Boorde  on 
the  King's  Evil,  p.  91-93,  121,  of  my  edition,  1870. 

P.  36.  A  Devise  of  Goddesses  and  Nymphes. — A  very  particular 
account  of  this  intended  "  Devise  "  [in  two  acts]  will  be  found  in 
Gascoigne  {Princely  Pleasures,  p.  30-53),  who  was  the  author  of 
it. — Nichols,  i.  419 ;  Ken.  III.  p.  26,  note  2.  It  was  '  prepared 
and  ready,  (every  actor  in  his  garment)  two  or  three  days  together, 

^  frutes  afore  mete,  to  ete  hem  fastyngely. — ab.  1440  a.d.  JRussell's  Boke  of 
Nurture,  Babees  Book,  p.  162,  1.  667. 


72  Notes  on  Laneham^s  Letter :  Rvffs,  p.  36. 

yet  never  came  to  execution.  The  cause  whereof  I  cannot  attri- 
bute to  any  other  thing  than  to  lack  of  opportunity  and  reasonable 
weather.' — Ih.  p.  53. 

P.  37.  Buffs  fayr  starched,  etc. — ^The  pains  bestowed  by  our  an- 
cestors upon  their  Ruffs  is  little  known  to  the  general  reader, 
who  will  be  surprised  to  find  from  the  ensuing  extracts,  that  it 
fully  equalled  the  Dandyism  of  the  present  day.  In  the  "  Second 
part  of  the  Anatomic  of  Abuses,  by  P.  Stubbes,  1583,"  is  the  fol- 
lowing dialogue : 

"  Theod.  I  haue  heard  it  saide  that  they  vse  great  ruffes  in 
Dnalgne  [England],  do  they  continue  them  still  as  they  were 
woont  to  doe,  or  not  ? 

AmpJiil.  There  is  no  amendement  in  any  thing  that  I  can  see, 
neither  in  one  thing  nor  in  other,  but  euery  day  woorser  and 
woorser,  for  they  not  only  continue  their  great  ruffes  still,  but 
also  vse  them  bigger  than  euer  they  did.  And  wheras  before  they 
were  too  bad,  now  they  are  past  al  shame  &  honestie,  yea  most 
abhominable  and  detestable,  and  such  as  the  diuell  himselfe  would 
be  ashamed  to  weare  the  like.  And  if  it  be  true,  as  I  heare  say, 
they  haue  their  starching  houses  made  of  purpose,  to  that  vse  and 
end  only,  the  better  to  trimme  and  dresse  their  ruffes  to  please 
the  diuels  eies  withall. 

Theod.  Haue  they  starching  houses  of  purpose  made  to  starch 
in  ?  Now  truly  that  passes  of  all  that  euer  I  heard.  And  do  they 
nothing  in  those  brothell  houses  (starching  houses  I  shuld  say) 
but  onelie  starch  bands  and  ruffes  ? 

Amphil.  No,  nothing  else,  for  to  that  end  only  were  they 
erected,  &  therfore  now  are  consecrate  to  Belzebub  and  Cerberus 
arch  diuels  of  great  ruffes. 

Theod.  Haue  they  not  also  houses  to  set  their  ruffes  in,  to  trim 
them,  and  to  trick  them,  as  well  as  to  starch  them  in  ? 

Amphil.  Yea  marry  haue  they,  for  either  the  same  starching 
houses  (I  had  almost  said  farting  houses)  do  serue  the  turn,  or 
or  else  they  haue  their  other  chambers  and  secret  closets  to  the 
same  vse,  wherein  they  tricke  vp  these  cartwheeles  of  the 
diuels  eharet  of  pride,  leading  the  direct  way  to  the  dungeon  of 
hell. 

AmphiP.  What  tooles  and  instruments  haue  they  to  set  their 
ruffes  withall.  For  I  am  persuaded  they  cannot  set  them  artifi- 
cially inough  without  some  kind  of  tooles  ? 

Amphil.  Very  true :  and  doe  you  thinke  that  they  want  any 
thing  that  might  set  forth  their  diuelrie  to  the  world  ?  In  faith 
sir  no,  then  the  diuell  were  to  blame  if  he  should  serue  his  clients 

'  Quotccl  in  Nictols's  Progresses  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  vol.  i.  p.  460,  note  4 ; 
but  our  quotation  from  Stubbes  is  taken  direct  from  the  original. 
*  Mistake  for  Theod. 


Notes  on  Laneham's  Letter :  Ruffs,  p.  36.  73 

so,  that  maintaiue  his  kingdome  of  pride  with  such  diligence  as 
they  doe.  And  therefore  I  would  you  wist  it,  they  haue  their 
tooles  and  instruments  for  the  purpose. 

Theod.  "Whereof  be  they  made  I  pray  you,  or  howe  ? 

AmphiP-.  They  be  made  of  yron  and  Steele,  and  some  of  brasse, 
kept  as  bright  as  siluer,  yea  and  some  of  siluer  it  selfe,  and  it  is 
well,  if  in  processe  of  time  they  grow  not  to  be  gold.  The  fashion 
whereafter  they  be  made,  I  cannot  resemble  to  any  thing  so  well 
as  to  a  squirt,  or  a  squibbe,  which  little  children  vsed  to  squirt 
out  water  withall :  and  when,  they  come  to  starching,  and  setting 
of  their  ruffes,  than  must  this  instrument  be  heated  in  the  fire, 
the  better  to  stiffen  the  ruffe.  For  you  know  heate  will  drie,  and 
stiffen  any  thing.  And  if  you  woulde  know  the  name  of  this 
goodly  toole,  forsooth  the  deuill  hath  giuen  it  to  name  a  putter, 
or  else  a  putting  sticke,  as  I  heare  say.  They  haue  also  another 
instrument  called  a  setting  sticke,  either  of  wood  or  bone,  and 
sometimes  of  gold  and  siluer,  make  forked  wise  at  both  ends,  and 
with  this  {Si  diis  placet)  they  set  their  ruffes.  But  bicause  this 
cursed  fruit  is  not  yet  grown  to  his  full  perfection  of  ripenesse, 
I  will  therefore  at  this  time  say  no  more  of  it,  vntil  I  here  more." 

The  same  caustic  writer  also  mentions  that  the  ruffes  have  a 
support  or  under-propper,  called  a  supportasse^.  Stowe  informs 
us,  that  "about  the  sixteenth  yeare  of  the  Queene  (Elizabeth) 
began  the  use  of  steel  poking-sticTcs,  and  until  that  time  all  lawn- 
dresses  used  setting-sticks  made  of  wood  or  bone." 

In  Marston's  Malcontent,  1604,  is  the  following  observation, 
"  There  is  such  a  deale  of  pinning  these  ruffes,  when  the  fine  clean 
fall  is  worth  them  all."  And  again,  "If  you  should  chance  to 
take  a  nap  in  an  afternoon,  your  falling-band  requires  no  poking- 
stick  to  recover  his  form." 

Middleton's  comedy  o^  Blurt  Master  Constable,  1602,  has  this 
passage :  "  Your  ruff'  must  stand  in  print,  and  for  that  purpose 
get  poking-sticTcs  with  fair  long  handles,  lest  they  scorch  your 
bauds."  To  conclude  this  long  note,  take  the  following  extract 
from  Laio  Tricks,  1608  : 

"  Broke  broad  jests  upon  her  narrow  wheel, 
Poked  her  rabatoes,  and  surveyed  her  steel !" 

Cotgrave  explains  rabai,  "  a  Rebatoe  for  a  womans  ruffe ;  also  a 
falling-band."  Menage  says  from  raiattre,  to  put  back,  because 
it  was  at  first  nothing  but  the  collar  of  the  shirt  or  shift  turned 
back  towards  the  shoulders. 

See  another  curious  passage  on  Euffs  in  the  Anafomie  of  Abuses, 
1583,  leaf  22,  back. 

^  Printed  Amhpil.  ^  Wrongly  printed  sttppertasse  in  Nichols. 


74  Notes  on  Laneham's  Letter,  p.  38-43. 

P.  38.— Cp.  Chaucer's  Miller :  "  a  Shefeld  thwitel  bare  he  in 
his  hose." — Nichols,  i.  462  ;  Ken.  III.  p.  28. 
P.  38.  Islington. — 

At  Islington  ther's  Pudding  Pies 
Hot  Custards. 

M.  Parker's  New  Medley,  ii.  back. — E.  H.  Knowles. 
P.  39.  Solly  Sood  day. — This  festival  was  instituted  on  account 
of  the  recovery  of  a  large  piece  of  the  Cross,  by  the  emperor 
Heraclius,  after  it  had  been  taken  away,  on  the  plundering  of 
Jerusalem  by  Cosroes,  King  of  Persia,  about  615. —  Brand,  i.  200, 
ed.  Hazlitt. 

P.  39.  Islington  and  cream. — 

Imagine  Islington  to  be  the  place, 
The  jornev  to  eat  a'eam. 

ab.  ]616.    K.  C.  Times  Whistle,  p.  83,  1.  2602-3. 

P.  41  (^). — These  stanzas  are  a  versification  of  bk.  1,  eh.  26,  of 
Malory's  edition  ;  ch.  24,  p.  48,  of  Strachey's  modernization  (Mac- 
inillans),  1868. — 'In  Caxton's  edition,  "  La  Morte  d'Arthur,"  the 
chapter  wlience  this  story  is  taken  is  entitled,  "  How  the  tydings 
came  to  Arthur  that  King  Eyons  had  overcome  xi  kynges  ;  and  how 
he  desyred  Arthur's  berde  to  purfyl  his  mantel."  With  respect  to 
the  poetical  tale  given  in  the  text,  Dr.  Percy,  by  whom  it  was 
printed  in  his  "  Reliques  "  (iii.  25),  supposes  the  thought  to  have 
been  originally  taken  from  Jeffery  of  Monmouth's  History.  It 
has  also  been  printed  in  "  Percy  Enderbie's  Cambria  Triumphans," 
with  some  variations  in  the  text,  which  is  probably  much  more 
pure  than  that  used  by  Laneham,  since  it  is  stated  to  have  been 
procured  from  "a  manuscript  in  the  library  of  the  Royal  Honour- 
able Thomas  Lord  Windesore." — Burn,  p.  109:  Nichols,  i.  465. 

Ritson  says  of  James  Aske,  who  wrote  Elizahetha  triumphans, 
1588,  '  The  initials  J.  A.,  probablely  those  of  this  James  Aske, 
are  prefix'd  and  subscribe'd  to  "A  defiance  to  K.  A.  [King 
Arthur]  and  his  round  table,"  at  the  end  of  Musarum  delicice, 
1656 ;  being  the  identical  ballad  intended  to  have  been  sung  by 
the  mock  minstrel  describe'd  in  Langhnms  letter  from  Killing- 
worth,  1579;  beginning  "As  it  befell  on  a  Pentecost  day."' 
Bihliographia  Poetica,  p.  407. 

P.  41  (^).  Huqtie,  derived  from  the  French  huque,  a  cloak. — The 
tabards,  or  surcoats,  of  the  ancient  heralds,  were  often  denominated 
houces,  or  housings ;  and  this  expression  was  applied,  indiscrimi- 
nately, to  their  coats  of  arms  as  well  as  to  a  dark-coloured  robe 
without  sleeves,  edged  with  fur,  which  they  formerly  wore. — 
Burn,  p.  109. 

P.  43. — Before  Elizabeth  went,  a  Farewell, — devised  and  spoken 
by  Gascoigne  as  Sylvanus,  god  of  the  woods, — was  presented 
before  her  '  as  she  went  on   hunting.'    {Princ.  Pleas,  p.  53-74, 


Notes  on  Laneham's  Letter,  p.  43-53.  75 

ed.  1821.)  It  was  nii  elaborate  speech  of  how  the  Gods  rejoiced 
over  her  coming,  and  wept  over  her  going  ;  how  she's  the  loveliest 
of  Diana's  nymphs ;  how  she  had  turned  her  lovers  iuto  trees — 
Coiistaucy  into  au  oak,  Vainglory  into  au  ash  (first  in  bud,  first  to 
cast  its  leaf),  etc.  Then  music  playd  from  an  arbour  of  holly. 
Deep- Desire  spoke  a  poem  to  the  Queen,  and  then  sang  a  song 
(accompanied  by  music). 

P.  44.  Middleton. — Liclifield  and  Worcester  were  both  succes- 
sively honoured  in  this  Progress. — Query,  what  Middleton  is  here 
meant. — Nichols,  i.  468. 

P.  4^1.— Rok,  a  distaff.— See  The  Wright's  Chaste  Wife,  1.  503, 
508,  and  its  Index.  A  distaff  held  in  the  hand,  from  which  the 
wool  was  spun  by  a  ball  fixed  below  on  a  spindle,  upon  which 
every  thread  was  wound  up  as  it  was  done.  It  was  the  ancient 
way  of  spinning,  and  is  still  in  use  in  many  northern  counties. 
Vide  Bailey. — Burn,  p.  110 ;  Nichols,  i.  471. 

P.  48. — The  following  description  refers  to  that  part  of  the 
Castle  called  "  Leicester's  Buildings," — Ken.  III.  p.  35.  See  the 
plan  there,  next  to  p.  55,  and  the  engraving  of  the  ruined  build- 
ings, next  p.  60.  '  On  a  tablet  below  the  middle  window  of  the 
East  front  is  the  date  of  1571.' 

P.  48.  a  heautifull  Garden. — It  was  to  give  privacy  to  this 
garden  that  Leicester  altered  the  whole  north  entrance,  as  the 
road  from  the  Wridfen  and  from  Coventry  came  right  across  it : 
so  he  altered  the  north  towers,  making  an  aviary  of  one,  and  built 
a  new  Grateway  Tower  down  a  hundred  yards  to  the  East. — E.  H. 
Knowles. 

P.  48.  a  pleazaunt  Terres.  P.  53.  sweet  shadoed  wallk  of  Terres. 
— This  remains,  ruined,  but  still  'sweet-shadoed.'  To  form  it, 
Leicester  probably  filled  up  the  northern  division  of  the  original 
Norman  moat. — E.  H.  Knowles. 

P.  50.  heaiven  oout  of  hard  Porphiry. — Poor  Laneham  was  sadly 
hoaxed  in  this.  Fragments  of  these  so-called  porphyry  orbs  have 
been  found  ;  but  they  are  of  painted  sandstone.  The  pillars  also 
were  not  in  one  '  hole  pees.' — E.  H.  Knowles. 

P.  53.  strawheriez,  cheryez. — Strawberries  were  rarely  cultivated 
at  this  time,  but  gathered  wild,  as  in  Switzerland.  The  end  of 
July  was  late  for  these  cherries.  (See  Parker's  Domestic  Archi- 
tecture.)— E.  H.  Knowles. 

P.  53. —  Windlass  or  Windless  (in  a  Ship),  a  Drawbeam  or  piece 
of  Timber  having  six  or  eight  Squares,  and  fixt  on  the  Stern  aloft ; 
which  is  now  only  us'd  in  small  Ships,  and  in  Elemish  Vessels  that 
are  lightly  Manned.  But  it  will  purchase  or  draw  up  much  more 
than  any  Capstan,  in  the  weighing  of  an  Anchor,  and  that  without 
Danger  to  the  Men  that  heave. — Kersey's  Phillips,  1706.  But 
?  the  context  above  points  to  Wanlass,  a  Term  in  Hunting,  as 


*?^  Notes  on  Laneham^s  Letter,  p.  53-58. 

Driving  the  Wanlass,  i.  e.  the  driving  of  Deer  to  a  stand ;  which 
in  some  Latin  Eecords  is  termed  Fugatio  Wanlassi  ad  Stahulum, 
and  in  Domesday-Book,  Stahilitio  Venationis. — lb.  See  the  end 
of  the  '  windlesse,'  p.  55. 

P.  55.  Vyse,  or  bise. — "  The  lawe  peces  and  creates  were  karued 
with  Vinettes  and  trailes  of  sauage  worke,  and  richely  gilted  with 
gold  and  Bise  .  .  .  the  Arches  were  vawted  with  Armorie,  all  of 
Bice  and  golde  .  .  .  and  in  the  hole  arche  was  nothing  but  fine 
Bice  &  golds:'— HalVs  Chronicle,  ed.  1809,  p.  722-3,  a.d.  1527. 
Bis  browne,  duskie,  swart,  blackish. — Cotgrave. — Bice  is  a  pale 
blue  colour  prepared  from  the  Armenian  stone,  formerly  brought 
from  Armenia,  but  now  from  the  silver  mines  of  Grermany ;  in 
consequence  of  which  smalt  is  sometimes  finely  levigated,  and 
called  bice.  The  dials  alluded  to  in  the  text  were  enamelled,  and 
with  the  sun's  reflection  on  the  gold  figures,  heightened  by  the 
azure  ground,  must  have  had  a  most  splendid  appearance. — Burn, 
p.  113;  Nichols,  i.  478. 

P.  58.  The  Edict  of  Pacification. — This  alludes  to  the  famous 
Dictum  de  Kenelworth,  An  act  allowing  persons  disinherited  by 
the  Parliament  after  the  battle  of  Evesham  to  redeem  their  estates 
on  paying  a  fine. — Ken.  III.  p.  20,  41,  from  Dugdale.  See  Statutes 
of  the  Bealm,  ed.  1820,  vol.  i.  p.  12. — Burn. 

P.  58.  Then  reddy,  I  go  intoo  the  Chappell. — This  must  surely 
have  been  a  room  fitted  up  ex  tempore  :  since  Leicester  had  secu- 
larized the  '  Capella  Turris '  or  chapel  in  the  S.W.  turret  of  the 
Keep,  to  insert  a  staircase ;  and  the  larger  or  King's  Chapel  had 
certainly  disappeared. — E.  H.  Knowles. 


77 


INDEX 


(For  notes  on  the  tnights  made  by  Q.  Elizabeth,  p.  35,  see  Nichols's  Pro- 
gresses. The  birds  named  on  p.  70,  I  had  not  time  to  identify  on  my  last 
visit  to  town.     Egham,  8  June,  1871.) 


a  good,  41,  heartily. 

a  ten,  50. 

a  thirtie  yeer,  24,  about  30  years. 

a  to,  17,  on  one. 

Aehelous,  40. 

Actoeon,  the  tale  of,  cxlvii. 

Adam  Bel,  Clim  of  the  Clough,  and 

William  of  Cloudesley,  liv. 
Adrian  the  gardener,  52. 
adulteration  of  milk  &c.,  39. 
Aeolus's  gifts  to  the  Queen,  40,  34. 
African  birds  at  Kenilworth,  52. 
agglettes,  29,  note. 
Aglaia,  46. 
alchimy,  66,  tin.P 
alder  pole,  21. 
Aldersgate  Street,  Cooks'  yearly  Feast 

in,  on  Sept.  14,  p.  39. 
ale  and  beer,  72  tuns  drunk  in  three 

days,  45. 
ale  should  stand  all  night,  58. 
aleauen,  42,  eleven, 
alecunner,  31,  ale-inspector. 
Alexander   and   Lodowyke,   tale    of, 

Ixiii. 
Alexander  of  Macedon,  57. 
Alisander  le  Orphelin,  71. 
Allemande,  la ;  a  dance-figure,  clxii, 

note 
Alman  (a  German)  haye,  a  country 

dance,  clxv. 
Almanacks,  Captain  Cox's,  cxxxii. 
almonds,  blancht,  70. 
Althamerus,  4, 

Altitonant,  12,  loud  thunderer,  Jupi- 
ter, 
ambassadors,  Laneham  can  talk  to, 

59. 
ambassy,  33,  message, 
amours,  a  dance-figure,  clxi. 
anapes,  38,  of  Naples. 
Ancient  Plays,  Captain  Cox's,  cxviii. 
Antipodes,  48. 
apoprey,  a  musical  iuitrument,  T.S. 


apted,  35,  48,  fitted,  suited. 

artificial  flowers,  46. 

artists  in  Musicke,  66. 

arberz,  2,  arbours. 

archdevils,  72. 

architrave,  50. 

Arion,  34,  71. 

Armstrong,  John,  his  dance,  clxv. 

Arthour  of  litil  bertangje,  cxlv,  Ar- 
thvu'  of  Brittany. 

Arthui',  King,  a  poem  on,  41,  74; 
an  unidentified  ballad  on,  exliv ; 
his  book,  6  ;  his  days,  7. 

Arthur  :  King  Arthurz  book,  xv. 

Ascham  on  La  Morte  JDarthur,  xvi. 

Aske,  James ;  his  poem  on  King 
Ai-thur,  74. 

Athlants,  50,  athletes  ? 

Atropos,  47. 

aunswerable,  63,  answering  in  charac- 
ter, fitting. 

auaild,  50,  gone  down,  ebbed. 

Aymon,  the  Four  Sons  of,  xix,  cxliii. 

Ayrton,  Mr.  Acton  S.,  Commissioner 
of  Her  Majesty's  Works,  xii. 

Bacchus's  presents  to  Queen  Eliza- 
beth, 8,  45. 

backhouse,  23,  bakehouse. 

Bacon,  Lord  Verulam,  his  motto,  54. 

Badger,  Master,  his  verses,  Co. 

bagpipes,  66. 

Bagshot,  31. 

bakemetes,  70. 

ballads  and  songs,  distinction  be- 
tween, clxvii. 

Ballads,  Captain  Cox's,  cxxvi;  En- 
glish and  Scotch  in  the  *  Complaynt 
of  Scotland,'  a.d.  1548-9,  cxlix. 

Ballads  Printed: — 
Balow  my  Babe,  ly  still  and  wepe, 

clxx. 
Balow  my  Babe,  frowne  not  on  me, 
clxxi. 


78 


INDEX. 


allads  printed  (continued)  : — 
By  a  baneke  as  I  lay,  cxxxi. 
Come     over    the     burne,     Basse, 

clxxxi. 
For  ray  pastyme,  vpon  a  day  (or 
'  Colle  to  me  the  rysshys  grene'), 
clii. 
Grevus  ys  my  sorowe,  clvi. 
In  a  glorius  garden  grene  (or  '  This 

day  day  dawes'),  elix. 
In  an  humour  I  was  of  late   (or 
'Hy  ding  a  ding'),  cxxxi  (only 
one  verse). 
O  lusty  May,  with   Flora  queue, 

eliv. 
Off  seruyng-men   I   wyll    begyne, 
Troley  loley,  (or,  '  So  well  is  me 
begone '),  cxxx. 
Pastyme     with     good     companye, 

cxlix. 
Tlie    lytyll    prety   nyghtyne    gale, 

cxxviii  note. 
Still  under  the  levis  grene,  cl. 
Balow,    the   ballad   of,  clxviii ;    two 

prints  of,  clxx. 
bandogs  baiting  a  bear,  16. 
bandora,  67. 

banquet,  an  ambrosial,  32. 
Barbour,  John,  Ai-chdeacon  of  Aber- 
deen ;    his  poem  of  '  The  Bruce,' 
cxlii. 
Barclay,  A. ;    his  englished   Ship  of 
Fools,  Ixxxv ;  his  first  3  Eclogues, 
xli ;    the  appendix  to  his  '  Intro- 
ductory,' clx  note. 
Base  Dances,  clx  note. 
Basset,  Sir  Arthur,  35. 
Bayard,    the    horse    of   Renaud    de 

Montalban,  xx, 
beans,  Laneham's  license  of,  57. 
bearbaiting,  16-17. 
Beauparlar,  40,  fine  speech, 
belighted,  48. 
Berners,    Lord  ;    his    englishing    o!' 

Huon  of  Burdeaus,  xvii. 
beseen,  22,  clad,  apparelled, 
beseeming,  44,  appearance, 
bet,  perfect  of  '  beat,'  23, 
Bevys  of  Hampton,  xxii,clxvii,clxxxii. 
(An  abstract  of  this  old  Romance 
in  modern  Enghsh  prose,  has  been 
lately  publisht  by  Gilbert  and  Ran- 
dle,  Southampton,  for  a  shilling.) 
biniteez,  54,  binities,  couples, 
birdcage,  the   grand   one,   at  Kenil- 
worth,  50. 


bittern,  70. 

bitters,  8,  bitterns :  ardea  stellaris. 
blak  Prins,  1,  Robert  Laneham. 
blaster,   33 ;  blasterz,   6,   blowers   of 

blasts  on  trumpets, 
blasting,  13,  blowing  blasts, 
blush,  61,  have  a  red  face. 
Boar  and  the  Shepherd,  Tale  of  the, 

lix. 
bob,  25,  knock,  blow, 
bollz,  8,  bowls, 
bolteld,  50. 
bones :  '  I  am  in  the  bones  of  him/ 

punch  him  in  the  ribs,  59. 
Booke   of  Foi'tune    (not   by    Sir   T. 

Moore),  xcv. 
bookish,  61,  learned  in  books. 
Boorde,   Andi'ew,   probably   did  not 

write    Skogan's   Jests,    Ixvii ;    his 

Breviary    of    Health,    cxxv ;     his 

opinion    of    Scotchmen,   ab.   1540 

A.D.,  clxvii. 
Brain  ford,  31,  Brentford. 
braiz,  2,  5,  a  militai-y  outwork. 
Brandt,  Sebastian  ;  his  Navis  Siulti- 

fera,  or  Ship  of  Fools,  Ixxxvi. 
brangle,  a  dance,  clxii. 
braul,  a  dance,  clxii-xiii. 

Let   sum   ga   drink,   and   sum   ga 
dance ; 

Menstrell,  blaw  vp  ane   hrawll  of 
France. 

Lyndsay's  Satyrs  of  the  thrie 
Estaits,  1.  5623,  p.  547,  ed. 
E.  E.  Text  Soc. 
brette,  la ;  a  dance-figure,  clxii. 
Breviary  of  Health,  Ajidrew  Boorde's, 

cxxv. 
Brice,  St.,  27. 
Bride,   the,   in   the  Brideale    before 

Elizabeth,  24. 
bridelace  of  blu  buckeram,  21 ;  of  red 

and  yelloo,  23. 
bridge,  Leicester's,  at  Kenil worth,  3, 

65. 
broom  instead  of  rosemary,  21,  23. 
Bruce,  the  ;  by  John  Barbour,  cxlii. 
Bruse  sauns  pitee.  Sir,  34,  71. 
brute,  42,  noise,  Fr.  bruit. 
brydeale,  a  solem,  20;  before  Queen 

EUzabeth,  22. 
brydelaces  of  red  and  yelloo,  23. 
buff,  25,  blow,  cut. 
buffon,  a  dance,  clxii-xiii. 
Burleigh,  Lord,  his  pleasure-grounds 

at  Theobald's,  49. 


INDEX. 


79 


burt,  8,  a  young  turbot. 

bustard,  70. 

Buthred,  4,  65. 

byas,  25,  on  the  bias,  aslant. 


caddiz,  37,  worsted. 

Cage,  the  Bird-,  at  Kenilwortb,  50. 

cakebread,  41. 

canary-bh'ds,  51. 

cantell,  42,  corner. 

canvas  doublet  for  a  poor  man,  23  ; 
canvas  cut,  57. 

caprettiez,  18,  capers. 

carrets,  48,  carets. 

earring,  24,  carrying,  taking. 

carroll  I  vp  a  song,  60. 

Castle  of  Ladiez,  xliii ;  ?the  '  Cyte  of 
Ladyes,'  from  Christine  de  Pise's 
French,  clxxvi.  Castle  of  Love,  cvi. 

cause  of  this  edition,  ix. 

Cecyl,  Sir  Thomas. 

Ceres,  43,  45. 

ceruleoous,  10,  sky-blue. 

chafed,  13,  heated. 

chaiBngs,  17,  taunts. 

challenge,  16 :  the  defendant  has  a 
right  to  challenge  any  of  the  jury 
empanelled  to  try  him,  as  likely  to 
be  prejudiced  against  him,  &c. 

chamblet,  38,  camlet. 

chapel  at  Kenilworth,  58,  76,  clxxv. 

Chapman  of  a  Peneworth  of  Wit, 
sketch  of,  cxvi. 

Charites,  46,  the  (three)  Graces. 

Charles,  Komane,  57,  Charlemagne, 
Charles  the  Grreat. 

chase  of  Kenilworth,  13. 

Chaucer's  Canterbury  Tales,  early 
editions  of,  exxxviii. 

chearm,  42,  chirping,  talk,  murmur. 

cheese,  greene,  70.  Grene  chese  is 
not  called  grene  by  the  reason  of 
coloui',  but  for  the  newnes  of  it.' 
A.  Boorde,  in  Bahees  Book,  p. 
200 ;  Breviary,  p.  266,  ed.  1870. 

cherries,  53,  75. 

Chevalier  de  la  Beaute,  eliii. 

child,  the  downy  or  woolly,  to  be 
shown  to  the  Queen,  56. 

chinks,  59. 

Churl  and  the  Burd,  Lydgate's,  Ivi. 

Cinderella,  the  Scotch,  cxliv. 

circumflexions,  18. 

cittern,  59,  60,  67. 

claret,  8. 


Clary ades  and  Maliades,  the  romance 
oi',  cxlv. 

classical  stories  named  in  The  Com- 
playnt  of  Scotland,  xv,  cxli,  &c. 

clock  stood  still  during  Elizabeth's 
visit  to  Kenilworth,  55. 

Clotho,  47. 

Cobham,  Sir  Heiu-y,  35. 

'  Colle  to  me  the  Rysshys  grene,'  a 
ballad,  clii. 

CoUyn  Clout  vby  Skelton),  Ixix. 

'  Come  over  the  burne,  Besse/  clxxxi. 

comparable,  56. 

'Complaynt  of  Scotland,'  1548-9 
A.D. ;  its  list  of  48  Books  and  Tales, 
exxxviii ;  its  list  of  38  sweet  Songs, 
cslix ;  and  of  30  Dances  and 
Dance-Tunes,  clx. 

conchs,  52,  mussels.  See  Bahees 
Book,  p.  232. 

Concordia,  46. 

confess  and  a  list,  but  avoyd  a  coold 
not,  17.  In  an  action-at-law,  when 
a  plaintiff  has  delivered  his  decla- 
ration of  his  cause  of  action  against 
the  defendant,  and  the  latter  has 
answered  by  a  plea,  the  plaintiif 
may  by  his  replication  traverse  (or 
wholly  deny)  the  truth  of  the  plea, 
or  confess  and  avoid  it  "by  some 
new  matter  or  distinction  con- 
sistent with  the  plaintiff's  former 
declaration.  Thus,  in  an  action 
for  trespassing  upon  land  whereof 
the  plaintiff  is  possessed,  if  the  de- 
fendant shows  a  title  to  the  land 
by  descent,  and  that  therefore  he 
had  a  right  to  enter  upon  the  land, 
the  plaintiff  may  either  traverse 
atid  deny  the  fact  of  the  descent,  or 
he  may  confess  and  avoid  it,  by 
replying,  '  that  true  it  is  that  such 
descent  happened,  but  that  since 
the  descent  the  defendant  himself 
demised  the  lands  to  the  plaintiff 
for  a  term  not  yet  expired.'  Kerr's 
Students'  BlacJcstone,  p.  376,  ed. 
1870.  'and  a  list'  means  'if  he 
pleazd.' 

Confessional,  the  Popish ;  questions 
for  a  woman  at  it,  cxxix. 

conserves,  70. 

conster,  61,  construe. 

Cooks'  Feast  in  Aldersgate  St.,  39. 

coolar,  53,  cooler,  a  wetting  with 
water. 


80 


INDEX. 


coold,  39,  61,  knew. 

coonger,  8,  conger. 

coopls,  couples,  54. 

cooruez,  25,  curves. 

coounteuaunst,  14,  lookt  and  acted. 

eooursiez,  41,  curtsies. 

Coplande,  Eobert,  on  Bace  Daunees, 

clx  note, 
cornet,  7,  19,  horn ;  described,  66. 
comisli,  50,  cornice, 
cornucopia,  40. 
Coventry,  69. 

Coventry  Play  on  Hock  Tuesday,  26. 
cought,  13,  shut  up ;  ep.  cofTer,  area. 
country-time  in  England,  clxxiii. 
courses  of  the  banquet,  33. 
Court,  tlie  Great,  of  Keriilworth,  32. 
coounsell,  17,  counsel,  advocates. 
Cox,  Captain,  a  mason  of  Coventry, 
xii,  28. 

his  books  of  Storie.xii,  xv-lxxvi,  29. 

his  books  of  Philosophy  and  Poetry, 
xiii,  Ixxviii-cxvi,  30. 

his  auncient  playz,  xiii,  cxviii-cxxiv, 
30. 

his  book  of  Medicine,  xiii,  cxxv,  30. 

his  Ballets  and  songs,  xiii,  cxxviii- 
cxxxi,  30. 

his  Almanaks   of   Antiquitee,  xiii, 
cxxxii-cxxxvi,  30. 
crane,  70. 

cream  and  IsHngton,  74. 
Cressus,  the  rich  man,  Tale  of,  Ixi. 
creuis,  9,  crayfish, 
crosses  in  Abingdon,  Coventry,  &c., 

69. 
cruell,  37  note,  worsted, 
cunning,  60,  skill. 

curluz,  8,  curlews.  Numenius  arqiiata. 
currarz,  44,  couriers, 
custards,  70. 

custumerz,  45,  collectors  of  customs. 
cut  and  long  tail,  25. 

Dade,  John  ;  his  almanacks,  cxxxvi. 
dailis,   clxvi,   barren   ewes   that    are 

fatting. 
Damian,  38.    Sts.  Cosmo  and  Damian 

are  generally  joined  together, 
dance-music  on  Sundays,  sii. 
Dances  and  dance-tunes  of  Scotland 

in  1548,  clx. 
dancing  and  music  on  Sunday,  12. 
Danes  in  England,  a  play  of  the,  26. 
Danielz   Dreamz,  xcv.     (?  bu-ried  at 

Lord  Ashburnham's.) 


dead  dance,  the,  clxvi. 

deas,  41,  dais. 

defecated,  58,  cleared  of  dregs, 

Denman,  Master,  a  mercer,  62. 

Devil ;  his  Ten  Commandments,  Ixxx 

note, 
deuyserz,  45,  devisers. 
Dials,  the  two  at  Kenilworth  Ca-stle, 

54. 
die  :  '  az  clen  az  a  dy,'  40. 
dilmondis,  clxvi,  wethers  above  a  year 

old. 
dinner,  in  1569  a.d.,  in  London,  69. 
Diodorus  Siculus,  19. 
displeaz,  12,  displays, 
ditty  sung  before  the  Queen,  35. 
divine  service  on  Sunday,  20. 
Daedalus  and  the  Minotaur,  cxlviii. 
Dolphin,  tweuty-fom'  foot  long,  34. 
Doris,  52. 
Douglas,  Bp.  Grawin ;  his  '  Paleis  of 

Honour,'  cxlvii. 
Dryardes,  14,  Dryads, 
dualities  discust,  54. 
duddled,  47,  muddled,  confused, 
dulcets,  61,  sweet  sayings  ? 
Dunbar's  '  Goldin  Targe,'  cxlvii. 

eager,  41,  tart. 

ear,  61,  ere,  before. 

earning,  13,  68,  q.  v.,  giving  tongue. 

Eastmureland,  tale  of  the  king  of, 
cxlii. 

Echo  on  Queen  Elizabeth,  15,  46. 

Edict  of  Pacification,  58,  76. 

Edyth,  TheWido  ;  the  story  of,  xliii. 

Egeir  and  Gryme,  the  romance  of, 
cxlvi. 

Eglamoour,  Syr ;  the  story  of,  xxviii. 

Elizabeth,  Queen ;  her  arrival  at 
Kenilworth,  5 ;  her  answer  to  the 
Lady  of  the  Lake,  7  ;  Latin  poem 
to,  10  ;  rides  always  alone,  11 ;  her 
kind  answer  when  her  horse  was 
startled,  15  ;  gift  of  2  bucks  to  the 
Coventry  players,  32 ;  makes  five 
knights,  35  ;  cures  9  persons  of  the 
king's  evil,  35  ;  stays  19  days  at 
Kenilworth,  43  ;  her  name  means 
Seventh  of  my  God,  43  ;  her  cha- 
racter, 47-8.     See  the  '  Contents.' 

Elynor  Humming,  sketch  of,  Ixxv. 

Emathia,  57. 

Emperor  and  his  Steward's  Wife, 
Tale  of  an,  Ixi. 

Emperor  and  Merlin,  Tale  of  the,  Ix. 


INDEX. 


81 


England,  ruffs  in,  in  1583,  p.  72. 

English  minstrels  in  Scotland,  clxvii. 

English  women,   the  valiantness   of, 
against  the  Danes,  27. 

engyners,  45,  engineers. 

Eolus,  34.     See  Aeolus. 

Esop's  Fables,  61. 

estatez,  44,  grandees. 

Ethelred,  26. 

etymon,  53,  meaning. 

Euan ;  the  tail  of  Syr  Euan,  Artlioui's 
knycht,  exliii. 

Euphrosyne,  46. 

eyesight ;  ale  in  the  morning  is  good 
for  it,  58. 

eyttyn,  cxi,  giant : 

"  There  is  another  canine  appetyde ; 
which  is,  when  a  man  is  euer 
hungry,  and  is  neuer  satisfied,  nor 
is  not  well  but  when  he  is  eatynge 
or  drynkynge  :  ignorant  men  wyll 
say  that  such  persons  hath  an  eaton 
in  the  bely."  1547.  Andreio 
Boorde's  Breuiary  of  Health,  Fol. 
XXV,  ed.  1552. 


Faguell,  the  Lady,  xxiv. 

Father  murdered  by  his  son,  Tale  of 
the,  lix. 

Faunus,  46. 

fayrhking,  52,  fair  to  see. 

feat,  61,  act,  business. 

feawtered,  51,  shaped  ? 

feet,  14,  fit,  exactly  suited. 

fending,  17,  warding  off. 

Ferrand,  erl  of  Flandris,  that  mareit 
the  deuyl,  cxl. 

Ferrers,  Master,  71. 

filberdz,  8,  filbert. 

Filles  a  marier,  a  dance-figure,  clxi. 

filly  foal,  40,  41. 

fireworks,  18,  12. 

fish  in  the  pool  of  the  fountain,  52. 

Asking,  41,  flicking,  whisking. 

fiznamy,  17,  face. 

flapet,  24,  small  flap. 

flawnez,  39,  flawns,  cheese-cakes. 

Flora's  gifts  to  the  Queen,  45. 

Floremond  of  Albanye,  cxliv. 

florentines,  70. 

Florilegus,  26,  69,  ?  Matthew  of  West- 
minster. 

flutes,  66. 

fohod,  17,  foehood,  feud. 

for,  22,  41,  against,  to  prevent. 


foreign  manufactured  goods  in  Eng- 
land, 28,  29,  notes. 

forgrone,  14,  grown  over,  covered. 

forman,  16,  foreman  of  a  jury. 

fors  :  hart  of  fors,  strong  deer,  13. 

fountain  at  Kenilworth,  52. 

foyl,  24,  rebuff. 

Frederik  of  Gene,  xxv. 

Frier  Kous,  the  story  of,  xlvii. 

Frog  ballads  noticed,  clui. 

fruits,  raw,  served  first  at  dinner  in 
1509,  p.  70. 

Fryar  and  the  Boy,  Ixxiii. 

Fryseadowe,  29,  Frisian  ? 

fulmieant,  12,  lightning  and  thunder- 
ing. 

furmenty  for  porage,  39. 

fuskin,  52,  a  three-pronged  spear. 

fyr  work,  12,  fireworks.     See  18. 

galyard,  a  dance,  clxii. 

gambaud,  18,  gambol,  tumbling-trick. 

garden  of  Kenilworth,  48  j  is  Para- 
dise, 53,  75. 

Gargantua,  1. 

Gascoigne,  G.,  74. 

Gauen  and  Gollogras,  cxliv,  xxxiv. 

Gawyn,  Syr,  a  Jeste  of,  xxxiv. 

geazon,  21,  scarce,  A.  Sax.  gcBsen. 

geen,  41,  given. 

Genius  loci,  46. 

gentlewomen,  Laneham  always  with 
when  he  can  be,  59. 

German  soldier  on  the  Khine,  clxxiii. 

Gesnerus,  Conrad,  his  Mithridates 
quoted,  19. 

Giantis  that  eit  quyk  men,  the  tayl  of, 
cxli. 

gingerbread,  70. 

gittern,  59,  60,  68. 

gloit,  60,  gloat,  look  tenderly. 

Goddesses  and  Nymphs,  a  device  of, 
36,  71. 

godwitz,  8,  godwits. 

Golden  apple,  the  tale  of  the,  cxlviii. 

Golding,  Arthur,  on  sports  on  Sun- 
day, 68. 

Goldingham,  master  Henry,  31,  71. 

gorget,  37,  narrow  collar. 

Gorriere,  la,  a  dance-figure,  clxii  note. 

gracify,  61,  adorn,  set  off,  show  off. 

gracified,  50,  beautified. 

Grafton,  56. 

graueld,  8,  gravelled. 

green  ginger,  70. 

Grees,  57,  Greece. 

G 


INDEX. 


*  Grevus  ys  my  sorowe,'  clvi. 
Grreyhound  and  child,  tale  of  the,  lis. 
'  Gvj  of  Warwick '  not  in  Capt.  Cox's 

list,  xiv. 
gylmyrs,  clxvi,  ewes  two  years  old. 
gyrings,  18,  circlinga. 

Hamadryades,  14. 

handkercher,  24,  handkerchief. 

handkerchief,  the  Bridegroom's,  22. 

Harlaw,  the  Battle  of,  cliv. 

harp  described,  66. 

harpsicalls,  67. 

harroing,  13,  giving  tongue,  a  kind  of 

barkuig. 
hart  of  fors,  16. 
hart  hunted,  13,  16,  33. 
hascardy,  4,  bad  conduct, 
hautboiz,  7,  hautboys, 
hearsheawz,   8,   heronshaws,   herons : 

Common  Heron,  ardea  cinerea. 
hees,  52,  males,  men. 
heighes,  60,  heigh-hos !  sighs, 
hemistichi,  40,  hemistich,   half-verse, 

as  a  motto. 
Ilengist  and  Horsa,  3. 
Henry  VIII's   'Pastyme   with  good 

companye,'  cslix  ;  his  Robin-Hood 

games,    liv;      his     first     Progress, 

clxxiv ;    his    surveyors'   report  on 

Kenilworth,  62. 
Hercules  and  the  serpent  Hydra,  tale 

of,  cxlii,  clxxxii. 
hernshoe,  70,  heronshaw,  heron, 
berried,  41,  cried  ? 
hewing,  13,  shouting,  calling. 
Hikskorner,  cxix. 
Hippocrates  and  his  Nephew,  Tale  of, 

Ixi. 
hizzen,  15,  his,  his  belongings. 
ho,  45,  halt,  stop. 
Hock  Tuesday,  the  Play  on,  by  the 

Coventry  men,  26. 
Holborne,  Anthony,  67. 
Holy-Eood  day,  39,  74,  Sept.  14. 
Sombre  Saluagio,   the   savage   Man, 

14. 
hoouge,  55,  huge, 
hornspoons,  39. 

hornware,  40,  things  made  of  horn, 
hoves,  Dutch,  61. 
Howard,  Sir  George,  59. 
Howleglas,  xlviii. 
hukes,  41,  74,  cloaks. 
Huna,  27. 
Hunnis,  Master,  71. 


Huntis  up,  a  tune  and  ballad,  clxiii. 

Hunttis  of  Cheuet,  civ. 

Huon  of  Burdeaus,  the  story  of,  xvii. 

huque,  74,  cloak. 

Husband  out  of  doors.  Tale  of  the,  lix. 

Huth,  Mr.  Hy.,  his    unique   French 

Arthurian  romance,  xv  ;    his  copy 

of  '  The  Cyte  of  Ladyes,'  clxxvii ; 

his  copy  of  Lucres  and  Eurialus, 

xxxviii. 

Ichington,  Long.  5,  56. 

Hand,  the  happy,  19. 

imminens,  55,  wondrous,  great. 

Impacient  Poverty,  a  play,  cxxiv. 

'  In  a  glorius  garden  grene,'  clix. 

inch :  '  wait  at  an  inch,'  close  by,  59. 

incurvation,  66. 

inkorn,  22,  24,  inkhorn. 

Irish-harp,  67. 

Isenbras,  Syr,  the  story  of,  xxxiii. 

island,  the  floating,  6-7. 

Islington,  arms  of,  38. 

Islington,  74. 

Italian  tumbler  or  acrobat,  18. 

Jason  and  the  Golden  Fleece,  cxlviii. 
Jennen  (Genoa),  Frederyke  of,  xxv. 
jewels,  sham,  51. 
John  Armstrong's  Dance,  clxv. 
'Jolly  and  dry,'  58,  very  thirsty. 
Jove,  47. 

iument,  25,  stallion, 
iump,  55,  exactly. 
Juno,  44. 

Jupiter  and  lo,  the  tale  of,  clxviii. 
Jupiter's  welcome  to  Queen  Elizabeth, 
12 ;  his  care  for  her,  43. 

karuell,  13,  a  small  undeckt  ship. 
Kay,  Sir,  Seneschal  of  King  Ai'thm*, 

42. 
kebbis,  ewes  whose  lambs  have  died 

soon,  clxvi. 
keepar,  37,  brooch, 
kemb,  37,  combed. 
Kenelm,  St.,  3,  20. 
KenUworth  Castle  described,  1 ;    its 

history,  3  ;    the    derivation  of   its 

name,  4  ;  its  beauty,  48  ;  report  of 

Henry  VIII's  surveyors  on,  63 ;  Mr. 

Knowles's  notes  on,  clxxiv. 
Kenulph,  3. 

King  and  the  Tanner,  xlvi. 
King  that  didn't  know  his  own  Wife, 

Ixii. 


INDKX. 


83 


king's  evil,  nine  persons  cured  of,  by 
Queen  Elizabeth,  35.     See  p.  71. 

Knight  of  Courtesy,  and  the  Lady 
Faguell,  xxiv. 

Knowles,  E.  H.,  ix  ;  on  Eenilworth, 
clxxiv. 

ku,  41,  cue. 

laborers,  43. 

Lachesis,  47. 

Lady  of  the  Late,  the,  6,  65. 

Laet    of    Antwerp,     almanacks     by, 

cxxxii. 
lampreys  have  no  backbone,  20. 
Lam  well,  Syr,  xxx. 
Lancelot  du  lac,  cxliv. 
Laneham,  Robert ;    his  character,  x, 

xi, — see    the    references     there  ; — 

Leicester's  kindness  to,  57-8  ;  is  '  a 

Mercer,  a   Merchant,'  58 ;    knows 

'langagez,'  59. 
lanuginoous,  56,  covered  with   down 

or  wool. 
Latimer  on  '  Pastime  with  good  Com- 
pany,' (Henry  YIII's  ballad)  cl. 
launsknights,  31,  lanzknechts. 
laymen's  complaints  of  Prelates,  Ixx. 
leag,  34,  liege, 
leamz,  12,  liglits,  flames. 
Leander   and   Hero,  the  tail  of  the 

amours  of,  cxlvii. 
leather,  17,  skin. 
Leicester,    Earl    of;    his    character, 

47-8,  56-8. 
'  Leicester's  Buildings'  at  Kenilworth, 

75. 
lemmanz,  8,  lemons. 
Leslye,  Sir  Walter,  clxiv. 
'  Levis  grene,'  a  tune,  cl. 
Leycester,  Sir  Philip  ;  his  account  of 

musical  instruments  in  England  in 

1656  A.D.,  p.  65. 
Lichfield,  44. 
likesome,  56. 
Little  John,  Hi. 
liuery,  58,  allowance  of  food, 
lobster,  70. 
lokhole,  59,  lockhole. 
London,  a  dinner  in,  in  1569,  p.  69. 
London    goods     fashionable    in    the 

country,  28  note. 
loober  woorts,  23,  lubbers. 
Lord  President's  chamber,  58. 
Lucres  and  Eurialus,  xxxviii. 
Luna's  gifts  to  Queen  EHzabeth,  45. 
hite  described,  66. 


Lydgate's  Churl  and  the  Burd,  Ivi. 
lythie,  19,  lithe,  bendable. 
lyuery,  8,  in   which   the  'livery,'  or 
allowance,  was  served. 

magnifyk,  55,  magnificent. 

Magpie   and    the    Merchant's  Wife, 

Tale  of  the,  Ix. 
Mair,  28,  Mayor. 
Maleore,  Sir  T.,  his  conception  (after 

his    French  originals)    of  Arthur, 

xvi. 
mallys,  17,  malice. 
Mamzey,  61,  Malmsey  wine. 
Mandeville,  the  Marvels  of,  cxlv. 
manchet,  58,  cake  or  loaf  of  fine  bread, 
mannage,  57,  perform  caracoles,  ride 

(for  '  walk ') . 
MantribU,   the   tayl  of  the  Brig  of, 

cxliii. 
Marchlond  or  Mercia,  3. 
marchpane,  70. 
marmalade,  70. 

Mars's  present  to  Q.  Elizabeth,  9,  44. 
Martial  quoted,  57. 
mashez,  51,  meslies. 
Mask  not  perfoi'med,  33. 
Mawdmarion,  23,  Maid  Marian. 
Mercury,  45. 

Mermaid,  the  swimming,  33. 
Midas  and  his  ass's  ears,  cxlviii. 
Middleton,  44,  75. 
Millan,  the  seige  of,  cxliii. 
Millen  cappes,  29  note. 
Millener,   29  note,   dealer   in   Milan 

goods, 
minion,  22,  clownish  fellow. 
Minstrel,  the  Ancient,  36. 
minstrel  of  Middlesex,  38. 
Misterz ,  60,  Mistress ,  Lane- 
ham's  love, 
moolding,  50. 
More,  Sir  Thomas ;   his  '  Sergeaunt,' 

Ixvi ;  his  preface  to  the  '  Booke  of 

Fortune,'  xcv. 
Morels  skin.  Wife  lapt  in  a,  Ixv. 
morisdauns,  22,  a  morris  dance. 
muiBer  used  as  a  handkerchief,  22, 24. 
mullet,  8. 
Murderous  Knight  and  his  Wife,  Tale 

of  a,  Ixi. 
music  on  the  water,  16. 
Muzik  iz  a  noble  Art !  35. 

Naiades,  the,  40. 

napkin,  22,  handkerchief,  24,  41. 


84 


INDEX. 


nees,  43,  niece. 

Neptune,  45,  52. 

Neptune's  presents  to  Queen  Eliza- 
beth, 9,  45. 

nippitate,  31,  69,  a  kind  of  strong  ale. 

nobled,  58,  made  noble. 

nose-blowing,  24. 

Nosingham,  62,  ?  Nottingham  pai'O- 
died. 

Nostradamus,  almanacts  by,  cxxxv. 

Nu  Gize  (or  the  new  Guise),  sketch 
of  the  play,  cxxii. 

nuellries,  47,  novelties. 

Nutbrooun  Maid,  sketcli  of,  Ixxvi. 

nuze,  44',  news. 

nyez,  17,  68,  eyes. 

'O  lusty  maye,  vitht  Flora  queue,'  cliv 

obelisks,  49. 

obrayds,  17,  upbraidings. 

occupied,  1,  carried  on. 

Og's  bedstead,  56. 

oken,  14,  of  oak. 

Old  wise  man  who  bleeds  his  naughty 

wife,  tale  of  the,  Ix. 
Olyver   of   the   CastI,   the   story   of, 

xxxvii,  clxxvii. 
omberty,  30,  shadowing,  indication, 
one  and  onehood,  53. 
'one  hart,  one  wey,'  Bacon's  motto, 

51. 
oneself,  writing  about,  xi. 
Opheus,  kyng  of  Portingal,  the  tale 

of,  cxlviii. 
oringes,  8,  oranges, 
orpharion,  67. 
ouchez,  44,  29. 
overseen,  30,  well-read, 
oversod,  39,  over-boiled, 
overstrained,    51,    strained,    stretcht, 

over. 
Ovid  quoted,  57. 
owches,  29,  44,  ornaments. 

Pacification,  the  Edict  of,  58,  76. 

pall,  5,  cloak  or  mantle. 

pannell,  16.  '  It  is  an  English  word, 
and  signifieth  a  little  Part ;  for  a 
Pane  is  a  part,  and  a  Fannel  a  little 
part  (as  a  Pannel  of  wainscot,  a 
Pannel  of  a  saddle,  and  a  Pannel  of 
a  Parchment,  wherein  the  Jurors 
names  are  written  and  annexed  to 
the  writ :)  and  a  Jury  is  said  to  be 
im-pannelled  when  the  Sheriff  hatli 
entred  their  names  into  the  Pannel, 


or  little  piece  of  Parchment,  in  Pan- 

nello  assiscB.     Cook  on  Lit.  Lib.  2. 

c.  2.  Sect.  234."     The  Law-French 

Dictionary  &e,  1701. 
pannell,  21,  a  substitute  for  a  saddle ; 

40,  41,  pack,  kind  of  saddle.     See 

last  article. 
Paradise,    the     Ken il worth     Garden 

worthy  to  be  called,  53. 
Parcffi,  46,  the  Fates, 
parcell,  23,  partly, 
parklike,  63. 
pars,  61,  parse, 
parson,  9,  34,  person, 
parsonage,  14,  appearance, 
pavvan,  a  dance,  clxii.      The   Pavan 

etc.  are   described    in   MS.  Rawl. 

Poet.  lOS. 
peacock,  70. 
pears  the  first  dish  at  dinner  in  1569, 

p.  70. 
pecteale,  ?  what  bird,  70. 
penclark,  56,  writer. 
Penda,  King,  3,  65. 
penners,  29,  pen-cases. 
Perseus  and  Andi-omeda,  the  tale  of, 

cxli. 
Pharos,  the  Egiptian,  48. 
pheasant  pout,  70. 
Phoebus,  44. 

Phcebus's  presents  to  Q.  Elizabeth,  9. 
piglite,  56,  jDitcht,  set  up. 
pikquarrels,  44,  pickers  of  quarrels, 
pild,  39,  ?  spoilt,  adulterated. 
Pinner,    Master,   one  of   Elizabeth's 

household,  59. 
Pirramus    and    Tesbe,   the    tayl   of, 

cxlvii. 
Pius  II,  Pope,  xxxviii,  xli. 
plat,  55,  plan,  design, 
play  acted  before  the  Q,ueen,  32. 
pleaze,  10,  pleasure, 
plover,  right,  and  base,  70. 
Plutus's  gifts  to  the  Queen,  45. 
poezi,  5,  bit  of  poetry, 
point,  21,  end  of  a  lace, 
pointed  stones,  51. 
poking-stick,  73. 
PoUez,  61,  St.  Paul's  school. 
Polyphemus's  gifts  to  Q.  Elizabeth,  46. 
pool  of  111  acres  of  water,  at  Kenil- 

worth  Castle,  63. 
porphyry,  sham,  50,  75. 
porpoise    for    dinner   in  1569,  p.  70 

(see  Pahees  Boole  Index). 
Porter,  Lord  Leicester's  big  one,  5. 


INDEX. 


85 


poungarnets,  8,  pomegranates. 

poynets,  38,  wrist-bands. 

Preachers  against  Plays,  27» 

priar,  59,  pryer. 

proez,  15,  prose. 

proining,  51,  preening. 

Protheus,  52. 

Protheus's  gifts  to  Queen  Elizabeth, 

46. 
Proud  Wives  Paternoster,  sketch  of, 

cxiv. 
prunes  at  dinner,  70. 
psithyrists,    the    best,    in    England, 

1656  A.D.,  p.  67  note. 
Psittyrne,  the,  67. 
puke,  French,  37  note. 
PuUison,  Alderman,  61. 
purchaz,  32,  gain,  getting, 
putter,  or  putting  stick,  for  ruffs,  73. 
puyt,  70,  peewit, 
puzels,  23,  damsels  (ironically), 
pyept,  45,  piped,  drunk, 
pynz,  56,  tent-pegs. 
pyramidally,  50. 

quarrelling,  none  at  Kenilworth,  46. 

queast,  16,  jury  of  twelve. 

quik,  16,  alive. 

quintine,  21,  24,  quintain. 

rabato,  73. 

Eabelais's  Gargantua,  li. 

I'agged-staff,  Leicester's  badge,  as  a 
Warwick,  9,  52. 

Raleigh,  Sir  Walter,  his  pleasure- 
grounds,  49. 

Rauf  colljear  (or  Ralph  the  Collier), 
cxliii. 

rayle,  70,  rail,  landrail,  the  bird,  70. 

receyt,  52,  pool,  basin. 

recoi'der,  9,  a  musical  instrument,  66. 

red  deer,  2,  70. 

redolent,  50,  sweet-smelling. 

Eeformation,  the,  crusht  ballads  in 
Scotland,  clxvii. 

releef,  17,  content,  pleasure. 

releef,  57,  pension  ? 

vespiraunt,  50,  fit  for  breathing. 

Reyde  Eyttyn  vitht  the  thre  heydis, 
the  taiyl  of,  cxl. 

Rohene  Hude,  a  dance-tune,  clxiii. 

Robert  le  dyabil,  due  of  Normandie, 
cxxxviii. 

Robert,  the  Ryng  of  tlie  Roy,  cxlvi. 

Robin  Hood,  li ;  the  Play  of,  liii. 

Robin  Hood,  clxiv. 


Robin  Hood  and  Little  John,  cxlv. 

Robinson,  Thomas,  67. 

rok,  47,  75,  distaff. 

Roman,  10,  Roman  letters. 

Rome,  the  Seven  Wise  Masters  of,  Iv. 

Rouen :  le  petit  rouen,  a  dance-figure, 

clxi. 
Royne,  la  ;  a  dance-figure,  clxii. 
ruffs,  72. 

Rumbelo  fayr,  clvi. 
Rush,  Friar,  the  story  of,  xlvii. 
rut,  31,  time  of  heat  or  copulation. 
Ryens,  King,  of  Northgalez,  42. 

sacietee,  33,  satiety. 

sack  and  sugar,  61. 

sackbut  described,  66. 

Saint  Anthonj's  School,  61. 

Sak  full  of  Nuez,  Ixvi. 

salmon,  70. 

salsipotent,  33,  ruling  the  salt  seas. 

Saturn's  care  for  Queen  Ehzabeth,  63. 

Savage  man,  the,  46. 

scoolation,  22,  schooling,  teaching. 

Scotch  Acts  against  pipers  and  min- 
strels, clxvii. 

Scotch  editors  of  Ballads,  clxxii. 

Scotch  tales  in  1548,  cxxxviii ;  sweet 
songs  then,  cxHx ;  dances  and 
dance-tunes,  clx. 

seal  for  dinner  in  1569,  p.  70.  See 
Bahees  Book  Index. 

Seargeaunt  that  became  a  Fryar,  Ixvi. 

Seauen  Sororz  of  Wemen,  cxiv. 

Seaven  Wise  Masters,  Iv. 

Securis,  John,  of  Salisbury;  alma- 
nacks by,  cxxxvi. 

sellars  all  caried  vpon  pillars,  63.  *  A 
solar  (Garret,  or  upper  Room)  So- 
larium, Sollarium.^  Law  French 
Diet.  1701. 

*  Set  my  hors  vp  too  the  rak,  &  then 
lets  haue  a  cup  of  Sak,'  62. 

setting  stick  for  ruffs,  73. 

Seventh  of  my  God  =  Elizabeth,  43. 

shalm,  7,  9. 

shalme  described,  66. 

shees,  53,  females,  women, 

Sheffield  knives,  37,  38,  74. 

Shepherdz  Kalender,  Ixxviii. 

Ship  of  Foolz  (by  Alexander  Barklay, 
from  Seb.  Brandt's  Latin),  Ixxxv. 

Shirburne  Castle,  Dorset,  the  plea- 
sure-grounds at,  49. 

shoing-horn,  shinuig  as  a,  38. 

shoouelarz,  8,  shovellers.     Anas  cly- 


86 


INDEX. 


peata:    see  Babees  Book,  p.  153, 

214. 
shoveller,  70. 
Sibyl,  a,  5. 
side,  10,  long. 

side,  37,  syde,  38,  long  and  wide. 
Sidney,  Lady,  59. 
sizely,  33,  according  to  size. 
Skail  Gillenderson,  cxliii. 
slcaled,  34,  ran  away,  dispersed. 
Skelton's  Colyn  Clout,  Ixix  j  Sli/noiir 

Humming,  Ixxv. 
skiphs,  13,  skiffs. 
Skogan's  Jests,  Ixvii. 
skratting,  17,  scratching, 
skro,  11,  40,  scroll, 
sleeked,  37,  made  sleek, 
smally,  33,  httle. 
Smith,  Master,  eustumer,  61. 
soil:  take  soil,  take  to  the  water,  13, 

16. 
soily,  40. 
soil,  47,  48,  soul, 
soomersauts,  18,  somersaults, 
sooui'ged,  12,  surged, 
sospires,  60,  sighs. 
Soutra,  a  dance-tune,  clxiv. 
soyl,  33,  water, 
spieecakes,  23. 
squib  or  squirt,  72. 
Squyre  of  Lo  Degree,  xxiii. 
Stafford,  W. ;  his  <  English  Pollicye  ' 

quoted,  28,  note. 
stag's  ears  cut  off,  16. 
stampine,  70,  ?  what  bird. 
Stanhope,  Sir  Thomas,  35. 
starching  houses  for  ruff's,  72. 
steeuen,  41,  voice. 
Steill,   Deine  David  ;    his  '  Eeign  of 

the  Roy  liobert,'  cxlvi. 
stent,  ?  what  bird,  70. 
stetting-stiek,  37,  and  note.  But  see  73. 
'  Stil  vndir  the  leyuis  grene '  or  The 

Murning  Maidin,  cl. 
stockard,  70,  ?  what  bird, 
stonetiuet,  the  bird,  70. 
stoour,  42,  stour,  battle, 
story-books,  lists  of,  xii,  xiv. 
strawberries,  53,  75. 
strawn,  22,  made  of  straw, 
stringed  musical  instruments  in  Eng- 
land, 1656  A.D.,  p.  66. 
Slubbes  on  bear-baiting,  18  ;  football, 

22  ;  ruffs, 
sturgeon,  52.      See  Bahees  Boole,  p. 

238. 


stni'geon  for  dinner,  70. 

sucket,  23,  70,  sweetmeat. 

sugar  plate,  70. 

Sunday  amusements   at   Kenilworth, 

12. 
Sunday  dancing,  12,  68. 
supportasse,  73. 
surfit,  59,  surfeited, 
swymd,  34,  swam. 
Sylvanus's  present  to  Queen  Elizabeth, 

8,  46. 
Sylvanus,  74. 
syluerd,  8,  silvered, 
symmetrically,  50. 
Systirs,  the   thre  veird,  the  tail   of, 

cxlviii. 

tabid  stones,  51. 

tag  and  rag,  25. 

Tamlene,  ^oug,  and  the  bald  Braband, 
the  tale  of  the,  cxlv. 

Tanterveale,  70,  ?  what  bird. 

taperwise,  6. 

tarts,  70. 

teal,  70. 

temperd,  41,  tuned. 

tenny,  39,  tawny. 

Tennyson's  conception  of  Arthur,  xvi. 

tent,  the  large  one  for  Queen  Eliza- 
beth, 5  note,  56. 

Terence  quoted,  57,  61. 

terrace  at  Kenilworth,  48,  75. 

Thalia,  46. 

'  That  day,  that  day,  that  gentil  day,' 
clix. 

'  The  murning  Maidin,'  a  poem,  cl. 

'The  Perssee  and  the  Mongumrye 
met,'  clviii. 

theorbo,  66. 

Thetis,  52. 

Thorn  of  Lyn,  a  dance-tune,  clxiv. 

Thorogood,  Master,  62. 

thread-making,  28  note, 

three,  on,  54. 

thre-futtit  dog  of  Norronay,  the  tala 
of,  cxlii. 

threcden,  38,  made  of  thread. 

tine,  9,  short  prick  or  prong. 

titubate,  24,  s(  umble. 

ton,  13,  one ;  82,  tlie  one. 

tonster,  37,  dipt  round. 

tonsword,  29,  31. 

tooz,  54,  twos. 

trade,  61,  dealing,  course  of  life. 

traded,  61,  carried-on. 

transom,  50. 


INDEX. 


87 


trauera,  17,  traverse,  answer  by  denial, 
treen,  'Zi,  of  tree  or  wood. 
Tresham,  Sir  Thomas,  35. 
tridental,      52,      three-toothed      or 

-pronged, 
trink,  37,  trick,  fashion. 
Triton,  33,  52. 
truelove,  38,  truelover's   knot,  like  a 

qnatrefoil. 
trumpeters,  Leicester's,  6. 
trust,  21,  fastened. 
Tryamoour,  Syr,  the  story  of,  sxix. 
turbot,  70. 

turdion,  a  dance,  clxii-iii, 
turkicock,  70. 

Two  Dreams,  The  Tale  of,  Ixii. 
two  o'clock,  the  hands  of  tlie  Kenil- 

worth  dials  always  pointed  to,  55. 
twynkling,  61,  tinkling  ? 
Tyltyard  at  Kenilworth,  5,  20. 
Tynt,  the  tail  of  the  pure,  cxliv. 

uuderspringing,  53. 

'Undo  your  Dore,'  or  the  Squire  of 

low  Degree,  xxiii. 
Ungrateful  "Widow,  Tale  of  the,  Ixii. 
vplondish,  46,  far  from  London. 

venison  (dead  fallow  deer),  warrants 

for,  70. 
Venetian  sleeves,  10. 
Venus,  44. 
viole,  67. 
violin,  67. 
vioU,  9,  viol. 
Virgil  quoted,  58,  61. 
Virgil's  Life  (the  magician's),  xli. 
Virgilius  and  his  Images,  Tale  of,  Ixi. 
virginals,  60. 
Volfe  (or  Well)  of  the  Varldis  End, 

cxl. 
Volunteers,  Rifle,  clxxiii. 
Vulcan,  44,  52. 
vyse,  55,  76,  pale  blue. 

Wager,  W. ;  extract  on  ballads  from 
his  'The  Longer  thou  liuest,  the 
more  foole  thou  art,'  cxxvii. 

Wallace,  the  poem  of,  cxli. 

vrardens  (a  kind  of  apple)  stewed,  70. 


Warren  and  De  Tabley,  Lord,  65. 

Warwick,  badge  of  tlie  Earls  of,  49. 

Warwick,  the  town,  2. 

Warwick,  musters  of,  in  1574-5,  p.  69. 

wastell,  42,  fine  bread. 

Watson,  Henry  ;  his  englished  '  Ship 
of  Fools,'  Ixxxv,  xci. 

wealks,  52,  whelks.  (See  Babees  Booh 
index.) 

weather  (wetlier),  the  big,  to  be  shown, 
to  the  Queen,  56. 

Wedgenall,  36,  Wedgnock  Park. 

Welsh-harp,  67. 

whii'lpoolz,  52,  ?  the  halena  of  "  The 
Noble  Lyfe,"  Babees  Book,  p.  232. 
That  it  was  a  sort  of  whale,  see 
'Tinet:  m.  The  Wh all  tearmed  a 
Horlepoole  or  Whirlepoole.  Cot- 
grave,'  cited  in  B.  B.  index,  p.  129. 
'  The  Whirle  poole,  a  sea  monster  ; 
Sedenette,  pliyeterre,  horepole,  mu- 
lasse,  tinet;  Un  pesce  mostroso 
del  mare ;  Pece  monstruoso  marina.' 
Howel. 

Wieland's  Oberon,  xvii. 

Wife  lapt  in  a  Morel's  Skin,  Ixiv. 

wigeon,  70. 

wight,  22,  quick,  active. 

William  of  Malmesbury,  61 . 

wine,  spiced,  70. 

wizehardy,  44,  the  opposite  of  fool- 
hardy, wisely  brave. 

Women,  the  Seven  Sorrows  of,  cxiv. 

woorship,  36,  honour. 

Worcester,  44. 

Worceter,  62,  Worcester. 

■worth,  the  meaning  of,  4. 

wrcast,  38,  41,  tuning  hammer. 

wreast,  53,  twist,  turn. 

wyndlesse,  53,  55,  75,  driving  of  deer, 
excursus,  digression. 

Wynkyn  de  •  Worde  on  La  Morte 
Darthur,  xvi. 

wype,  70,  lapwing. 

yeald,  49,  yelled. 

Yooth  and  Charitee,  sketch  of,  cxviii. 

yorne,  68,  whine. 

Ypocras  and  Galienus,  Ixi. 

Ypomedon,  the  romance  of,  cxiii. 


BicHAED  Clay  &  Sons,  Limited 

BREAD   STREET   HILL,    E.C.,    AKD 
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KiAY   5  1908