Page 77. What song was it I pray? See the Songs, As at Noon, Chevy Chace, Johnny Armstrong, and Troy Town, printed after the most authentic copies in Percy's Reliques of English Poetry. Hawkins. Phillida flouts me, was printed in the Theatre of Compliments. Lond. 1689, 12mo. but it is also to be found in a volume collected by J. Ritson, entitled "Ancient Songs from the time of King Henry the Third to the Revolution." Lond. 1792. 12mo. Art. xi. p. 235. The Editor states in the notice which precedes it, that there is a modern Answer to it by A. Bradley, and that the Song of Come Shepherds, is not known. Page 78. Come live with me, &c. " The notes of various Shakspearian commentators on the Comedy of The Merry Wives of Windsor, contain the principal information now extant concerning this Song; but the propriety of ascribing it to Shakspeare, is also considered in Dr. Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, vol. i. p. 322, where it is printed under the title of The Passionate Shepherd to his Love. Dr. Warburton ascribes it to Shakspeare, perhaps because Sir Hugh Evans, in Act iii. Sc. 1. of the above play, sings four lines of it; and it was printed, with some variations, in a Collection of Poems said to be Shakspeare's, printed by Thomas Cotes for John Benson, 1640. 12mo. It was most probably subsequently to Sir John Hawkins stating the above particulars, that he discovered the following notes of the tune to which these stanzas were sung" in a Manuscript as old as Shak"speare's time." They were first printed to illustrate The Merry Wives of Windsor. Page 79. Sir Thomas Overbury's Milk Maid's Wish. Vide the preceding list, No. 32, in which the following exquisite character is delineated with a simple beauty of language, that is the very counterpart of Walton's own. “A faire and happy Milk-Maid Is a Countrey Wench, that is so farre from making her selfe beautifull by Art, that one looke of hers is able to put all face Physicke out of countenance. She knowes a faire looke is but a Dumbe Orator to commend vertue, therefore minds it not. All her excellencies stand in her so silently, as if they had stolne upon her without her knowledge. The lining of her apparell (which is her selfe) is farre better than outsides of Tissew: for though she be not arrayed in the spoile of the Šilke-worme, shee is deckt in innocency, a far better wearing. She doth not, with lying long abed, spoile both her complexion and conditions; Nature hath taught her, too immoderate sleepe is rust to the Soule: she rises therefore with Chaunticleare her dame's cock, and at night makes the Lamb her Corfew. In milking a Cow, a straining the Teats through her fingers, it seems that so sweet a Milk-presse makes the Milk the whiter or sweeter; for never came Almond Glove or Aromatique oyntment of her palme to taint it. The golden eares of corne fall and kisse her feet when shee reapes them, as if they wisht to be bound and led prisoners by the same hand that fell'd them. Her breath is her own, which sents all the yeare long of June, like a new-made Haycock. She makes her hand hard with labour, and her heart soft with pitty; and when winter evenings fall early (sitting at her mery wheele) she sings a defiance to the giddy wheele of Fortune. She doth all things with so sweet a grace, it seems ignorance will not suffer her to doe ill, being her mind is to doe well. Shee bestowes her yeares wages at next faire; and in chusing her garments, counts no bravery i' th' world, like decency. The Garden and Bee-hive are all her Physick and Chyrurgery, and she lives the longer for't. She dares goe alone, and unfolds sheepe i' th'night, and feares no manner of ill, because she meanes none: yet to say truth, she is never alone, for she is still accompanied with old songs, honest thoughts, and prayers, but short ones; yet they have their efficacy, in that they are not pauled with insuing idle cogitations. Lastly, her dreames are so chaste, that shee dare tell them: only a Fridaies dreame is all her superstition that she conceales for feare of anger. Thus lives she, and all her care is that she may die in the Spring-time, to have store of flowers stucke upon her winding-sheet.' Character 51. sign. L. 7. From the copy in the Library of Sion College, London. Page 85. The choice Songs, &c. The Song of Old Tom of Bedlam will be found in Percy's" Reliques of Ancient English Poetry," vol. ii. p. 356. It is also printed in Playford's "Antidote against Melancholy," 1669, 8vo. ; "and with the Music, composed by H. Lawes, in a work entitled "Choice Ayres, Songs, and Dialogues, to the Theorbo-Lute and "Base-Viol." fol. 1675. Hawkins. In the volume of Ancient Songs already cited, pp. 261, 265, there are two different songs, both called Tom of Bedlam, which are stated to have been taken out of an old Miscellany, entitled "Le Prince d'Amour, or the Prince of "Love.' With a Collection of Songs, by the Wits of the Age. Lond. 1660. 8vo." The Editor adds however, that the above were inserted in the collection in burlesque, on the love of the English for Ballads on the subject of Madness. See Percy's Rel. Anc. Poet. vol. ii. p. 350. In the First Edition, this passage is contained in the Third Chapter; which is entitled "In Chapter 3, are some ob"servations of Trouts, both of their nature, their kinds, and their breeding." 66 Page 100. Aldrovandus, &c. Ulysses Aldrovandus, a great Physician and Naturalist, born at Bologna in 1527; he wrote 120 books on several subjects, and a Treatise "De Piscibus," published last at Francfort, 1640. He died blind in an hospital at Bologna, in great proverty, May 4, 1605. The passage alluded to in the text, is in his " Serpentum et Dra"conum Historiæ," 1640. fol. Page 101. the observation of Du Bartas. Vide No. 7 in the foregoing list, p. 58, col. 2, the last 20 lines. Page 105. Devout Lessius. Leonard Lessius, Professor of Divinity in the College of Jesuits at Louvain; he was born at Antwerp in 1554; and became very famous for his skill in Divinity, Civil-Law, Mathematics, Physic, and History: he wrote several Theological Tracts, and a Treatise entitled Hygiasticon; vide No. 26 in the preceding list, from the 3rd Chapter of which the sentiments in the text were extracted. He died in 1623. Hawkins. Page 108. Mr. Thomas Barker. This person, an account of whom is to be derived only from his writings, appears to have been an Angler by profession, and an experienced Cook of Fish; since he says he had been admitted "into the most Ambassadors' kitchens that had come to England "for forty years, and drest fish for them;" for which, he adds, "he was duly paid by the Lord Protector." He spent a considerable portion of his time, and, it seems, of his property also, in fishing; and in the latter part of his life, he resided in Henry the Seventh's Gifts, some Alms-houses, which stood near the Gatehouse at Westminster. Hawkins. His work on Angling will be found at No. 6 of the preceding list, and the information contained in the text, is at pp. 2 and 15 of the very neat reprint of that tract, published in 1821. Page 114. Holy Mr. Herbert. Vide No. 22 of the foregoing list, p. 80 of that volume. Page 117. Ch. Harvie. The verses with this signature do not appear until the Second Edition; for the dialogue in the First, passes immediately from Herbert's verses to the Beggar's Song, which is there sung by Viator, without the introductory story. It is most probable that the person mentioned above, was a Christopher Harvey, M. A., Vicar of Clifton in Warwickshire; born in 1597, and who lived until about 1663. The same signature also appears to a copy of verses addressed to Walton on his Angler; and that Collection of Poems entitled the Synagogue, is supposed to have been produced by the above mentioned person. Hawkins. Page 117. Dr. Boteler. Dr. William Butler, a celebrated but eccentric Physician, who was born at Ipswich about 1535, and educated at Clare-Hall, Cambridge, of which he became Fellow. He died Jan. 29, 1618, and was buried at St. Mary's Church, Cambridge. Chalmers. Page 118. Hear my Kenna sing a song. It is shewn by the reference to the margin, that Walton wishes to hear Kenna, his mistress, sing the song, "Like Hermit Poor." This song was set to music by Nicholas Laneare, an eminent master of Walton's time;—who, it is said by Wood, was also an excellent Painter; and whose portrait is to be seen in the Music-School at Oxford; and is printed with the notes, in a collection entitled, "Select Musical Ayres and Dialogues," fol. 1659. page 1. The song, as it stands there, appears in the opposite plate. The verses which introduce this song were in all probability the production of Walton, for it may be observed that Kenna is evidently a feminine formation of Ken, the maiden name of his wife. The first three words of the song of "Like Hermit Poor," were used as a proverb or phrase, about, and after the middle of the seventeenth century. Hawkins. Page 121. Our late English Guzman. The very curious volume to which this passage alludes, is entitled, The English Guzman; or the History of that unparalleled Thief James Hind, written by G(eorge) F(idge).” Lond. 1652. 4to. In the King's Tracts. Page 124. Gaspar Peucerus. An eminent Physician and Mathematician, born at Lusatia, in 1525; he married the daughter of Melancthon; wrote many books woes as time cannot re...cure, Where none but Love shall ev. -er find me out, And at my gates and at my gates des -pair shall lin...ger still, To let in death to let in death when love and fortune will. 2 A Gown of grey my body shall attire; My Food, shall be of care and sorrow made; eyes; |