Note 198 — INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION.

This sacristan was not quite so flexible as the “Clerke of the Bow bell”, immortalized in Stow’s Survey of London (edit. 1633, p. 269). His duty it was to ring the curfew-bell nightly at nine o’clock; and “this Bel being usually rung somewhat late, as seemed to the young men Prentises, and other in Cheape, they made and set up a rime against the Clerke, as followeth:

“Clarke of the Bow-Bell,

with the yellow locks,

For thy late ringing,

thy head shall have knockes.

“Whereunto the Clerke replying, wrote:

“Children of Cheape,

hold you all still,

For you shall have the

Bow-bell rung at your will.”