NOTES.
Reading edition
“For, O, for, O, the hobby-horse is forgot,”
parallel passages are to be found in various other early dramas. As the admirable scene in Sir Walter Scott’s Abbot, I. ch. xiv. (Wav. Novels, xx.) must be familiar to every reader, a description of the hobby-horse is unnecessary.
“Yet this is nothing; if they looke for fame, And meane to haue an everlasting name Amongst the Vulgar, let them seeke for gaine With Ward the Pirat on the boisterous maine; Or else well mounted keepe themselues on land, And bid our wealthy trauellers to stand, Emptying their full-cram’d bags; for that’s a tricke Which sometimes wan renoune to Cutting Dicke.” Abvses Stript and Whipt, Lib. II. Sat. 2. Sig. P. ed. 1613.
From the following entry by Henslowe we learn that this worthy figured in a play: “Pd. unto Thomas Hewode, the 20th of september [1602], for the new adycions of Cutting Dick, the some of xxs.” Malone’s Shakespeare, (by Boswell,) III. 333.
“1598, Francis Rugg, 2. 1599, Roger Weld. 1600, Alex. Thurston.”
Hist. of Norf. ii. 252.
“7 Maii [1596].
“Tho. Millington Entered for his copie a book called Jack of Newbery So that he haue yt lawfully aucthorised vid.”
(Liber C. fol. 19)
The Gentle Craft, A most merry and pleasant History, not altogether vnprofitable, nor any way hurtfull: very fit to passe away the tediousnes of the long winters euenings, in Two Parts, 1598, 4to., is probably the first edition, for the following entry in the Stationers’ Books seems to relate to it:
“19o Octobris [1597]
“Raphe Blore Entred for his copie vnder thande of Mr. Dix and Mr. Man a booke called The gentle crafte intreatinge of Shoomakers.... vid.”
(Liber C. fol. 25.)
Verses of various kinds are inserted in these novels.
Gifford thinks it probable that most of the annual pageants from 1591 to the death of Elizabeth were produced by Munday (Note on B. Jonson’s Works, vi. 328). Though Kemp declares here that his “imployment for the pageant was utterly spent,” yet Anthony furnished the city shows for 1605, 1611, and (in spite of an attack made on him by Middleton in 1613—see my ed. of Middleton’s Works, v. 219, note), for 1614, 1615, and 1616.
Except a “Song of Robin Hood and his Huntesmen” in Metropolis Coronata, I am not aware that any of Munday’s ballads are extant—unless indeed the “ditties” in The Banquet of daintie Conceits may be regarded as such; but there is no doubt that they were numerous, and hence, in the present passage, he is termed the “immediate heyre” of William Elderton. This personage,—who is said to have been, at different periods of his life, an actor, the master of a company of players, and an attorney in the Sheriff’s Court, London,—obtained great notoriety by his ballads. See a list of his pieces in Ritson’s Bibl. Poet.: vide also Warton’s Hist. of Engl. Poet. iv. 40, ed. 4to. His song “The God of love,” &c. (of which a puritanical moralization still exists) is quoted in Shakespeare’s Much ado about Nothing, act v. sc. 2. His Verses on the Images over the Guild-hall Gate may be read in Stow’s Survey, B. iii. 41, ed. 1720; his ballad of The King of Scots and Andrew Browne, in Percy’s Rel. of An. Engl. Poet. ii. 207, ed. 1794; his New Yorkshyre Song, in Evans’s Old Ballads, i. 20, ed. 1810; and his Newes from Northumberland, The Dekaye of the Duke, The daungerous Shooting of the Gunne at the Court and A moorning Diti upon Henry Earl of Arundel, in The Harl. Miscell. X. 267, seq. ed. Park. Elderton appears to have ceased pouring forth his doggrel about the time that Deloney began to write. In 1592 he was dead: see Nash’s Strange Newes, Of the intercepting certaine Letters, &c., 1592, Sig. D. 4. He was nearly as famous for drinking as for rhyming: of two epitaphs on him, preserved by Camden, I subjoin the first:
“Hic situs est sitiens, atque ebrius Eldertonus; Quid dico, hic situs est? hic potius sitis est.” Remaines—Epitaphes, 56, ed. 1605.
“Ducke, Lambe, Squall, Sweet-heart, Cony, and his Doue.” A Whore, p. 112.—Workes, 1630.
and Middleton, who employs the word several times, seems to use it in the sense of wench: see his Works, iii. 55, v. 575. ed. Dyce.
“20 Aprilis [1596]
“Jo Danter Entred for his copie vnder thande of the Wardens, A booke Intituled the famous Hystory of the Seven Champions of Christiandom, St. George of England, St. Dennys of Fraunce, St. James of Spayne, St. Anthony of Italy, St. Andrewe of Scotland, St. Patrick of Irland, and St. David of Wales, vid.”
“6 Sept. [1596]
“Cuthbert Burby Entred for his copie by assigment from John Danter, Twoo bookes, viz. the first pte and second pte of the vii Champions of Christiandom. Reservinge the workmanship of the printinge at all tymes to the said Jo Danter.... viid.”
(Liber C. fol. 10 b., fol. 13 b.)
Johnson’s Nine Worthies of London: Explaining the honourable Exercise of Armes, the Vertues of the Valiant, and the memorable Attempts of magnanimous Minds, &c. (a poem somewhat resembling the Mirror for Magistrates,) is reprinted in The Harl. Miscell. viii. 437, ed. Park. He was also the compiler, and probably in part the author, of The Crown Garland of Golden Roses, &c. See Ritson’s Bibl. Poet.
LONDON: J. B. NICHOLS AND SON, PRINTERS, 25, PARLIAMENT STREET.