II.THE AGED LOVER RENOUNCETH LOVE.

FOOTNOTES:[682]Bottles formerly were of leather; though perhaps a wooden bottle might be here meant. It is still a diversion in Scotland to hang up a cat in a small cask or firkin, half filled with soot: and then a parcel of clowns on horseback try to beat out the ends of it, in order to show their dexterity in escaping before the contents fall upon them.[683]i.e.Each with a canvas bow-case tied round his loins.[684][Ritson's book.][685]Clym of the Clough, means Clem. [Clement] of the Cliff: for so Clough signifies in the North.[686][attend.][687][companion or wife.][688]Ver. 24.Caerlel, inPC. passim.[689][from this wild wood depart.][690][six o'clock in the morning.][691]V. 35.take, PC.tane, MS.[692][might.][693][glad.][694]Ver. 85. sic MS.shop window, PC.[695][company.][696][from thee.][697][burn.][698][burnt.][699][sooner.][700][in the crowd to run.][701][wild.][702][in a crowd.][703][fiercely.][704]Ver. 151. Sic MS.hye Justice, PC.[705]V. 153, 4, are contracted from the folio MS. andPC.[706][quickly.][707][lusty.][708]Ver. 179.yonge men, PC.[709][condemned.][710][hang.][711]Ver. 190. sic MS.shadowes sheene, PC.[712][vexation.][713]V. 197.jolly yeomen, MS.wight yong men, PC.[714][redeem.][715][unto.][716][hastened.][717][sluggard or stupid fellow.][718][mad.][719]Ver. 38.Lordeyne, PC.[720]i. e.weened,thought(which last is the reading of the folio MS.)——Calais, or Rouen was taken from the English by showing the governor, who could not read, a letter with the king's seal, which was all he looked at.[721][doffed his hood.][722][glad.][723][despoiled.][724]So Ascham in hisToxophilusgives a precept; "The Stringe must be rounde" (p. 149. Ed. 1761): otherwise, we may conclude from mechanical principles, the Arrow will not fly true.[725][hour.][726][inquest.][727]Ver. 105.lowsed thre, PC.[728]V. 108.can bled, MS.[729][went off.][730][pressed.][731]Outhorne, is an old term signifying the calling forth of subjects to arms by the sound of a horn. See Cole'sLat. Dict., Bailey, &c. [Perhaps "a nouthorne," or neat's horn, from nowt, cattle.][732][company.][733][fear.][734]Ver. 148.For of, MS.[735][fight.][736][pike or halbert.][737][burst.][738][abroad.][739]This is spoken ironically.[740][lime tree.][741]Ver. 175.merry green wood, MS.[742][company.][743]Ver. 185. see Part I. ver. 197.[744][might.][745][thought.][746]Ver. 20.never had se, PC.and MS.[747][clear space in a forest.][748][fat hart.][749][without lying.][750]Ver. 50.have I no care, PC.[751]i.e.hie, hasten.[752][pressed quickly.][753][blamed.][754]Ver. 111, 119. sic. MS.bowne, PC.[755][at once.][756][satisfaction.][757][dear.][758][I thank you.][759]Ver. 130.God a mercye, MS.[760][lying.][761][pity.][762][rather.][763][vexeth.][764]Ver. 168.left but one, MS.not one, PC.[765][foresters of the king's demesnes.][766][slain.][767][get them ready instantly.][768]V. 185.blythe, MS.[769]i.e.mark.[770]Ver. 202, 203, 212.to, PC.[771][hazel rods.][772]V. 204.i.e.400 yards.[773]V. 208. sic MS.none that can, PC.[774][an arrow that carries well.][775][trial of skill.][776]V. 222.i.e.120 yards.[777]Ver. 243. sic, MS.out met, PC.[778]V. 252.steedye, MS.[779][nigh.][780][ranger.][781]Ver. 265.And I geve the xvij pence, PC.[782][faith.][783]V. 282.And sayd to some Bishopp wee will wend, MS.[784][absolved.][785]he,i.e.hie, hasten.

[682]Bottles formerly were of leather; though perhaps a wooden bottle might be here meant. It is still a diversion in Scotland to hang up a cat in a small cask or firkin, half filled with soot: and then a parcel of clowns on horseback try to beat out the ends of it, in order to show their dexterity in escaping before the contents fall upon them.

[683]i.e.Each with a canvas bow-case tied round his loins.

[684][Ritson's book.]

[685]Clym of the Clough, means Clem. [Clement] of the Cliff: for so Clough signifies in the North.

[686][attend.]

[687][companion or wife.]

[688]Ver. 24.Caerlel, inPC. passim.

[689][from this wild wood depart.]

[690][six o'clock in the morning.]

[691]V. 35.take, PC.tane, MS.

[692][might.]

[693][glad.]

[694]Ver. 85. sic MS.shop window, PC.

[695][company.]

[696][from thee.]

[697][burn.]

[698][burnt.]

[699][sooner.]

[700][in the crowd to run.]

[701][wild.]

[702][in a crowd.]

[703][fiercely.]

[704]Ver. 151. Sic MS.hye Justice, PC.

[705]V. 153, 4, are contracted from the folio MS. andPC.

[706][quickly.]

[707][lusty.]

[708]Ver. 179.yonge men, PC.

[709][condemned.]

[710][hang.]

[711]Ver. 190. sic MS.shadowes sheene, PC.

[712][vexation.]

[713]V. 197.jolly yeomen, MS.wight yong men, PC.

[714][redeem.]

[715][unto.]

[716][hastened.]

[717][sluggard or stupid fellow.]

[718][mad.]

[719]Ver. 38.Lordeyne, PC.

[720]i. e.weened,thought(which last is the reading of the folio MS.)——Calais, or Rouen was taken from the English by showing the governor, who could not read, a letter with the king's seal, which was all he looked at.

[721][doffed his hood.]

[722][glad.]

[723][despoiled.]

[724]So Ascham in hisToxophilusgives a precept; "The Stringe must be rounde" (p. 149. Ed. 1761): otherwise, we may conclude from mechanical principles, the Arrow will not fly true.

[725][hour.]

[726][inquest.]

[727]Ver. 105.lowsed thre, PC.

[728]V. 108.can bled, MS.

[729][went off.]

[730][pressed.]

[731]Outhorne, is an old term signifying the calling forth of subjects to arms by the sound of a horn. See Cole'sLat. Dict., Bailey, &c. [Perhaps "a nouthorne," or neat's horn, from nowt, cattle.]

[732][company.]

[733][fear.]

[734]Ver. 148.For of, MS.

[735][fight.]

[736][pike or halbert.]

[737][burst.]

[738][abroad.]

[739]This is spoken ironically.

[740][lime tree.]

[741]Ver. 175.merry green wood, MS.

[742][company.]

[743]Ver. 185. see Part I. ver. 197.

[744][might.]

[745][thought.]

[746]Ver. 20.never had se, PC.and MS.

[747][clear space in a forest.]

[748][fat hart.]

[749][without lying.]

[750]Ver. 50.have I no care, PC.

[751]i.e.hie, hasten.

[752][pressed quickly.]

[753][blamed.]

[754]Ver. 111, 119. sic. MS.bowne, PC.

[755][at once.]

[756][satisfaction.]

[757][dear.]

[758][I thank you.]

[759]Ver. 130.God a mercye, MS.

[760][lying.]

[761][pity.]

[762][rather.]

[763][vexeth.]

[764]Ver. 168.left but one, MS.not one, PC.

[765][foresters of the king's demesnes.]

[766][slain.]

[767][get them ready instantly.]

[768]V. 185.blythe, MS.

[769]i.e.mark.

[770]Ver. 202, 203, 212.to, PC.

[771][hazel rods.]

[772]V. 204.i.e.400 yards.

[773]V. 208. sic MS.none that can, PC.

[774][an arrow that carries well.]

[775][trial of skill.]

[776]V. 222.i.e.120 yards.

[777]Ver. 243. sic, MS.out met, PC.

[778]V. 252.steedye, MS.

[779][nigh.]

[780][ranger.]

[781]Ver. 265.And I geve the xvij pence, PC.

[782][faith.]

[783]V. 282.And sayd to some Bishopp wee will wend, MS.

[784][absolved.]

[785]he,i.e.hie, hasten.

TheGrave-digger's song inHamlet, act v. is taken from three stanzas of the following poem, though greatly altered and disguised, as the same were corrupted by the ballad-singers of Shakespeare's time; or perhaps so designed by the poet himself, the better to suit the character of an illiterate clown. The original is preserved among Surrey's Poems, and is attributed to LordVaux, by George Gascoigne, who tells us, it "was thought by some to be made upon his death-bed;" a popular error which he laughs at. (See hisEpist. to Yong Gent.prefixed to hisPosies, 1575, 4to.) It is also ascribed to Lord Vaux in a manuscript copy preserved in the British Museum.[786]This Lordwas remarkable for his skill in drawing feigned manners, &c. for so I understand an ancient writer. "The Lord Vaux his commendation lyeth chiefly in the facilitie of his meetre, and the aptnesse of his descriptions such as he taketh upon him to make, namely in sundry of his Songs, wherein he showeth thecounterfaitactionvery lively and pleasantly."Arte of Eng. Poesie, 1589, p. 51. See anotherSongby this Poet in vol. ii. No. viii.

[Thomas second Lord Vaux, the author of this poem, was born in the year 1510. He wrote several small pieces of the same character which evince taste and feeling, and his contributions to theParadise of Dainty Devicesexceed in number those of Richard Edwards himself, whose name appears upon the original title-page as the chief author. Lord Vaux was a courtier as well as a poet, and was one of the splendid retinue which attended Wolsey in his embassy, in the 19th Henry VIII., 1527, to the Court of France to negotiate a peace. He took his seat in the House of Lords in the 22nd Henry VIII., and two years afterwards, 1532, waited on the king to Calais and thence to Boulogne. He was rewarded with the Order of the Bath at the Coronation of Anne Boleyn, and was also appointed Captain of the Island of Jersey, which office he surrendered in the 28th Henry VIII.]

I loth that I did love,In youth that I thought swete,As time requires: for my behove[787]Me thinkes they are not mete.[788]My lustes they do me leave,5My fansies all are fled;[789]And tract of time begins to weaveGray heares upon my hed.For Age with steling steps,Hath clawde me with his crowch,[790][791]10And lusty 'Youthe' awaye he leapes,[792]As there had bene none such.My muse doth not delightMe, as she did before:My hand and pen are not in plight,15As they have bene of yore.For Reason me denies,'All' youthly idle rime;[793]And day by day to me she cries,Leave off these toyes in tyme.20The wrinkles in my brow,The furrowes in my faceSay, Limping age will 'lodge' him now,[794]Where youth must geve him place.The harbenger of death,25To me I se him ride,The cough, the cold, the gasping breath,Doth bid me to provideA pikeax and a spade,And eke a shrowding shete,[795]30A house of clay for to be madeFor such a guest most mete.Me thinkes I heare the clarke,That knoles the carefull knell;[796]And bids me leave my 'wearye' warke,[797]35Ere nature me compell.My kepers[798]knit the knot,That youth doth laugh to scorne,[799]Of me that 'shall bee cleane' forgot,[800]As I had 'ne'er' bene borne.[801]40Thus must I youth geve up,Whose badge I long did weare:To them I yeld the wanton cup,That better may it beare.Lo here the bared skull;[802]45By whose balde signe I know,That stouping age away shall pull'What' youthful yeres did sow.[803]For Beautie with her band,These croked cares had wrought,50And shipped me into the land,From whence I first was brought.And ye that bide behinde,Have ye none other trust:As ye of claye were cast by kinde,55So shall ye 'turne' to dust.[804]

I loth that I did love,In youth that I thought swete,As time requires: for my behove[787]Me thinkes they are not mete.[788]

My lustes they do me leave,5My fansies all are fled;[789]And tract of time begins to weaveGray heares upon my hed.

For Age with steling steps,Hath clawde me with his crowch,[790][791]10And lusty 'Youthe' awaye he leapes,[792]As there had bene none such.

My muse doth not delightMe, as she did before:My hand and pen are not in plight,15As they have bene of yore.

For Reason me denies,'All' youthly idle rime;[793]And day by day to me she cries,Leave off these toyes in tyme.20

The wrinkles in my brow,The furrowes in my faceSay, Limping age will 'lodge' him now,[794]Where youth must geve him place.

The harbenger of death,25To me I se him ride,The cough, the cold, the gasping breath,Doth bid me to provide

A pikeax and a spade,And eke a shrowding shete,[795]30A house of clay for to be madeFor such a guest most mete.

Me thinkes I heare the clarke,That knoles the carefull knell;[796]And bids me leave my 'wearye' warke,[797]35Ere nature me compell.

My kepers[798]knit the knot,That youth doth laugh to scorne,[799]Of me that 'shall bee cleane' forgot,[800]As I had 'ne'er' bene borne.[801]40

Thus must I youth geve up,Whose badge I long did weare:To them I yeld the wanton cup,That better may it beare.

Lo here the bared skull;[802]45By whose balde signe I know,That stouping age away shall pull'What' youthful yeres did sow.[803]

For Beautie with her band,These croked cares had wrought,50And shipped me into the land,From whence I first was brought.

And ye that bide behinde,Have ye none other trust:As ye of claye were cast by kinde,55So shall ye 'turne' to dust.[804]

FOOTNOTES:[786]Harl. MSS. num. 1703, § 25. [Called in that MS. "TheImage of Death." There is another copy in the Ashmolean Library (MS. Ashm. No. 48.)] The readings gathered from that copy are distinguished here by inverted commas. The text is printed from the "Songs, &c. of the Earl of Surrey and others, 1557, 4to."[787][behoof.][788][meet or fit.][789]Ver. 6.be, PC.(printed copy in 1557.)[790][crutch.][791]V. 10.Crowchperhaps should beclouch, clutch, grasp.[792]Ver. 11.Life away she, PC.[793]V. 18.This, PC.[794]V. 23. So Ed. 1583 'tishedgein Ed. 1557.hath caught him, MS.[795]V. 30.wyndynge-sheete, MS.[796]V. 34.bell, MS.[797]V. 35.wofull, PC.[798]Alluding perhaps to Eccles. xii. 3[799]V. 38.did, PC.[800]Ver. 39.clene shal be, PC.[801]V. 40.not, PC.[802]V. 45.bare-hedde, M. and somePCC.[803]V. 48.Which, PC.That, MS.Whatis etc.[804]V. 56.wast, PC.

[786]Harl. MSS. num. 1703, § 25. [Called in that MS. "TheImage of Death." There is another copy in the Ashmolean Library (MS. Ashm. No. 48.)] The readings gathered from that copy are distinguished here by inverted commas. The text is printed from the "Songs, &c. of the Earl of Surrey and others, 1557, 4to."

[787][behoof.]

[788][meet or fit.]

[789]Ver. 6.be, PC.(printed copy in 1557.)

[790][crutch.]

[791]V. 10.Crowchperhaps should beclouch, clutch, grasp.

[792]Ver. 11.Life away she, PC.

[793]V. 18.This, PC.

[794]V. 23. So Ed. 1583 'tishedgein Ed. 1557.hath caught him, MS.

[795]V. 30.wyndynge-sheete, MS.

[796]V. 34.bell, MS.

[797]V. 35.wofull, PC.

[798]Alluding perhaps to Eccles. xii. 3

[799]V. 38.did, PC.

[800]Ver. 39.clene shal be, PC.

[801]V. 40.not, PC.

[802]V. 45.bare-hedde, M. and somePCC.

[803]V. 48.Which, PC.That, MS.Whatis etc.

[804]V. 56.wast, PC.

InShakespeare'sHamlet, act ii. the hero of the play takes occasion to banter Polonius with some scraps of an old Ballad, which has never appeared yet in any collection: for which reason, as it is but short, it will not perhaps be unacceptable to the reader; who will also be diverted with the pleasant absurdities of the composition. It was retrieved fromutter oblivion by a lady, who wrote it down from memory as she had formerly heard it sung by her father. I am indebted for it to the friendship of Mr.Steevens.

It has been said, that the original Ballad, in black-letter, is among Anthony à Wood's Collections in the Ashmolean Museum. But, upon application lately made, the volume which contained this Song was missing, so that it can only now be given as in the former Edition.

The Banter of Hamlet is as follows:

"Hamlet.'O Jeptha, Judge of Israel,' what a treasure hadst thou?Polonius.What a treasure had he, my Lord?Ham.Why, 'One faire daughter, and no more, the which he loved passing well.'Polon.Still on my daughter.Ham.Am not I i' th' right, old Jeptha?Polon.If you call me Jeptha, my Lord, I have a daughter, that I love passing well.Ham.Nay, that follows not.Polon.What follows then, my Lord?Ham.Why, 'As by lot, God wot:' and then you know, 'It came to passe, As most like it was.' The first row of the pious chanson will shew you more."—Actii.sc.2.

"Hamlet.'O Jeptha, Judge of Israel,' what a treasure hadst thou?

Polonius.What a treasure had he, my Lord?

Ham.Why, 'One faire daughter, and no more, the which he loved passing well.'

Polon.Still on my daughter.

Ham.Am not I i' th' right, old Jeptha?

Polon.If you call me Jeptha, my Lord, I have a daughter, that I love passing well.

Ham.Nay, that follows not.

Polon.What follows then, my Lord?

Ham.Why, 'As by lot, God wot:' and then you know, 'It came to passe, As most like it was.' The first row of the pious chanson will shew you more."—Actii.sc.2.

[A more perfect copy of this ballad was reprinted by Evans in hisCollection of Old Balladsfrom a black-letter broadside, and is included by Child in hisCollection of English and ScottishBallads(vol. viii. p. 198).The wording is rather different in the two versions, and Evans's has two additional stanzas. It does not appear that anything is left out at line 18 of Percy's version, but in place of the stars at line 41 Evans's copy reads—

The wording is rather different in the two versions, and Evans's has two additional stanzas. It does not appear that anything is left out at line 18 of Percy's version, but in place of the stars at line 41 Evans's copy reads—

"A sacrifice to God on high;My promise must be finishéd."]

Have you not heard these many years agoJeptha was judge of Israel?He had one only daughter and no mo,The which he loved passing well:And, as by lott,5God wot,It so came to pass,As Gods will was,That great wars there should be,And none should be chosen chief but he10And when he was appointed judge,And chieftain of the company,A solemn vow to God he made;If he returned with victory,At his return15To burnThe first live thing,* * * * *That should meet with him then,Off his house, when he should return agen.20It came to pass, the wars was oer,And he returned with victory;His dear and only daughter first of allCame to meet her father foremostly:And all the way25She did playOn tabret and pipe,Full many a stripe,With note so high,For joy that her father is come so nigh.30But when he saw his daughter dearComing on most foremostly,He wrung his hands, and tore his hair,And cryed out most piteously;Oh! it's thou, said he,35That have brought meLow,And troubled me so,That I know not what to do.For I have made a vow, he sed,The which must be replenished:40* * * * *"What thou hast spokeDo not revoke:What thou hast said,Be not affraid;45Altho' it be I;Keep promises to God on high.But, dear father, grant me one request,That I may go to the wilderness,Three months there with my friends to stay;50There to bewail my virginity;And let there be,Said she,Some two or threeYoung maids with me."55So he sent her away,For to mourn, for to mourn, till her dying day.

And when he was appointed judge,And chieftain of the company,A solemn vow to God he made;If he returned with victory,At his return15To burnThe first live thing,* * * * *That should meet with him then,Off his house, when he should return agen.20

It came to pass, the wars was oer,And he returned with victory;His dear and only daughter first of allCame to meet her father foremostly:And all the way25She did playOn tabret and pipe,Full many a stripe,With note so high,For joy that her father is come so nigh.30

But when he saw his daughter dearComing on most foremostly,He wrung his hands, and tore his hair,And cryed out most piteously;Oh! it's thou, said he,35That have brought meLow,And troubled me so,That I know not what to do.For I have made a vow, he sed,The which must be replenished:40* * * * *"What thou hast spokeDo not revoke:What thou hast said,Be not affraid;45Altho' it be I;Keep promises to God on high.

But, dear father, grant me one request,That I may go to the wilderness,Three months there with my friends to stay;50There to bewail my virginity;And let there be,Said she,Some two or threeYoung maids with me."55So he sent her away,For to mourn, for to mourn, till her dying day.

InhisTwelfth Night, Shakespeare introduces the clown singing part of the two first stanzas of the following Song; which has been recovered from an antient MS. of Dr. Harrington's at Bath, preserved among the many literary treasures transmitted to the ingenious and worthy possessor by a long line of most respectable ancestors. Of these only a small part hath been printed in theNugæ Antiquæ, 3 vols. 12mo; a work which the publick impatiently wishes to see continued.

The song is thus given by Shakespeare, act iv. sc. 2:—

"Clown.'Hey Robin, jolly Robin. [singing.]Tell me how thy lady does.'Malvolio.Fool——Clown.'My lady is unkind, perdy.'Malvolio.Fool——Clown.'Alas, why is she so?'Malvolio.Fool, I say——Clown.'She loves another.'—Who calls, ha?"

"Clown.'Hey Robin, jolly Robin. [singing.]Tell me how thy lady does.'

Malvolio.Fool——

Clown.'My lady is unkind, perdy.'

Malvolio.Fool——

Clown.'Alas, why is she so?'

Malvolio.Fool, I say——

Clown.'She loves another.'—Who calls, ha?"

Dr.Farmerhas conjectured that the song should begin thus:

"Hey, jolly Robin, tell to meHow does thy lady do?My lady is unkind perdy—Alas, why is she so?"

But this ingenious emendation is now superseded by the proper readings of the old song itself, which is here printed from what appears the most ancient of Dr. Harrington's poetical MSS. and which has, therefore, been marked No. I. (Scil. p. 68.) That volume seems to have been written in the reign of King Henry VIII. and, as it contains many of the Poems of SirThomas Wyat, hath had almost all the contents attributed to him by marginal directions written with an old but later hand, and not always rightly, as, I think, might be made appear by other good authorities. Among the rest this song is there attributed to SirThomas Wyatalso; but the discerning reader will probably judge it to belong to a more obsolete writer.

In the old MS. to the 3rd and 5th stanzas is prefixed this title,Responce, and to the 4th and 6th,Le Plaintif; but in the last instance so evidently wrong, that it was thought better to omit these titles, and to mark the changes of the Dialogue by inverted commas. In other respects the MS. is strictly followed, except where noted in the margin.—Yet the first stanza appears to be defective, and it should seem that a line is wanting, unless the four first words were lengthened in the tune.

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