Note 257 — The Table. (continued 2)

Times were altered when the curious ballad "These Knights will hack," printed by Mr. Halliwell from Addit. MS. 5832, in one of the Shakespeare Society's publications (Marriage of Wit and Wisdom, &c., p. 144), was directed against the mushroom-knights of James I.:—

"Come all you farmers out of the countrey, Carters, plowmen, hedgers, and all, Tom, Dick, and Will, Ralph, Roger, and Humphrey, Leave of your gestures rusticall. Bidde all your home-sponne russets adue, And sute yourselves in fashions new: Honour invits you to delights; Come all to court, and be made knights. He that hath fortie pounds per annum Shal be promoted from the plow: His wife shall take the wall of her grannam, Honour is sould so dog-cheap now," &c.