Character Writings of the Seventeenth Century Part 32

[Footnote 45: A hanger-on to n.o.blemen, who are distinguished at the university by gold ta.s.sels to their caps; or in the language of the present day, a _tuft-hunter_.]

[Footnote 46: _If he could order his intentions_, first edit.]

[Footnote 47: Minshew calls a tobacconist _fumi-vendulus_, a _smoak-seller_.]

[Footnote 48: _Cento_, a composition formed by joining sc.r.a.ps from other authors.--_Johnson_. Camden, in his _Remains_, uses it in the same sense. "It is quilted, as it were, out of shreds of divers poets, such as scholars call a _cento_."]

[Footnote 49: _Firing_, first edit.]

[Footnote 50: In the hope of discovering some account of the _strange monster_ alluded to, I have looked through one of the largest and most curious collections of tracts, relating to the marvellous, perhaps in existence.

That bequeathed to the Bodleian, by Robert Burton, the author of the _Anatomy of Melancholy_. Hitherto my researches have been unattended with success, as I have found only two tracts of this description relating to Germany, both of which are in prose, and neither giving any account of a monster.

1. _A most true Relation of a very dreadfull Earthquake, with the lamentable Effectes thereof, which began upon the 8 of December 1612, and yet continueth most fearefull in Munster in Germanie. Reade and Tremble. Translated out of Dutch, by Charles Demetrius, Publike Notarie in London, and printed at Rotterdame, in Holland, at the Signe of the White Gray-hound_. (Date cut off. Twenty-six pages, 4to, with a woodcut.)

2: _Miraculous Newes from the Cittie of Holt, in the Lordship of Munster, in Germany, the twentieth of September last past, 1616, where there were plainly beheld three dead bodyes rise out of their Graves admonishing the people of Judgements to come. Faithfully translated (&c.

&c.) London, Printed for John Barnes, dwelling in Hosie Lane neere Smithfield, 1616_. (4to, twenty pages, woodcut.)]

[Footnote 51: It was customary to work or paint proverbs, moral sentences, or sc.r.a.ps of verse, on old tapestry hangings, which were called _painted cloths_.

Several allusions to this practice may be found in the works of our early English dramatists. See Reed's _Shakspeare_, viii. 103.]

[Footnote 52: _Beller_, first edit.]

[Footnote 53: _Hale_, first edit.]

[Footnote 54: Calais sands were chosen by English duellists to decide their quarrels on, as being out of the jurisdiction of the law. This custom is noticed in an Epigram written about the period in which this book first appeared.

"When boasting Bembus challeng'd is to fight, He seemes at first a very Diuell in sight: Till more aduizde, will not defile [his] hands, Vnlesse you meete him vpon _Callice sands."

The Mastive or Young Whelpe of the olde Dog. Epigrams and Satyrs._ 4to, Lond. (Printed, as Warton supposes, about 1600.)

A pa.s.sage in _The Beau's Duel: or a Soldier for the Ladies_, a comedy, by Mrs. Centlivre, 4to, 1707, proves that it existed so late as at that day. "Your only way is to send him word you'll meet him on _Calais sands;_ duelling is unsafe in England for men of estates," &c. See also other instances in Dodsley's _Old Plays,_ edit. 1780, vii. 218; xii. 412.]

[Footnote 55: Strict devotees were, I believe, noted for the smallness and precision of their ruffs, which were termed _in print_ from the exactness of the folds. So in Mynshul's _Essays,_ 4to, 1618. "I vndertooke a warre when I aduentured to speake in _print,_ (not in _print as Puritan's ruffes_ are set.)" The term of _Geneva print_ probably arose from the minuteness of the type used at Geneva. In the _Merry Devil of Edmonton_, a comedy, 4to, 1608, is an expression which goes some way to prove the correctness of this supposition:--"I see by thy eyes thou hast bin reading _little Geneva print;"_--and, that _small ruffs_ were worn by the puritanical set, an instance appears in Mayne's _City Match,_ a comedy, 4to, 1658.

"O miracle!

Out of your _little ruffe,_ Dorcas, and in the fashion!

Dost thou hope to be saved?"

From these three extracts it is, I think, clear that a _ruff of Geneva print_ means a _small, closely-folded ruff,_ which was the distinction of a nonconformist.]

[Footnote 56: A virginal, says Mr. Malone, was strung like a spinnet, and shaped like a pianoforte: the mode of playing on this instrument was therefore similar to that of the organ.]

[Footnote 57: _Weapons are spells no less potent than different, as being the sage sentences of some of her own sectaries._ First edit.]

[Footnote 58: Robert Bellarmine, an Italian jesuit, was born at Monte Pulciano, a town in Tuscany, in the year 1542, and in 1560 entered himself among the jesuits. In 1599 he was honoured with a cardinal's hat, and in 1602 was presented with the arch-bishopric of Capua: this, however, he resigned in 1605, when Pope Paul V. desired to have him near himself. He was employed in the affairs of the court of Rome till 1621, when, leaving the Vatican, he retired to a house belonging to his order, and died September 17, in the same year.

Bellarmine was one of the best controversial writers of his time; few authors have done greater honour to their profession or opinions, and certain it is that none have ever more ably defended the cause of the Romish Church, or contended in favour of the pope with greater advantage. As a proof of Bellarmine's abilities, there was scarcely a divine of any eminence among the Protestants who did not attack him: Bayle aptly says, "they made his name resound every where, ut littus Styla, Styla, omne sonaret."]

[Footnote 59: Faustus Socinus is so well known as the founder of the sect which goes under his name, that a few words will be sufficient. He was born in 1539, at Sienna, and imbibed his opinions from the instruction of his uncle, who always had a high opinion of, and confidence in, the abilities of his nephew, to whom he bequeathed all his papers. After living several years in the world, princ.i.p.ally at the court of Francis de Medicis, Socinus, in 1577, went into Germany, and began to propagate the principles of his uncle, to which, it is said, he made great additions and alterations of his own. In the support of his opinions, he suffered considerable hardships, and received the greatest insults and persecutions; to avoid which, he retired to a place near Cracow, in Poland, where he died in 1504, at the age of sixty-five.]

[Footnote 60: Conrade Vorstius, a learned divine, who was peculiarly detested by the Calvinists, and who had even the honour to be attacked by King James the First, of England, was born in 1569. Being compelled, through the interposition of James's amba.s.sador, to quit Leyden, where he had attained the divinity-chair, and several other preferments, he retired to Toningen, where he died in 1622, with the strongest tokens of piety and resignation.]

[Footnote 61: _His style is very constant, for it keeps still the former aforesaid; and yet it seems he is much troubled in it, for he is always humbly complaining--your poor orator_. First edit.]

[Footnote 62: "To _moote_, a term vsed in the innes of the court; it is the handling of a case, as in the Vniuersitie their disputations," &c. So _Minshew_, who supposes it to be derived from the French, _mot, verb.u.m, quasi verba facere, aut sermonem de aliqua re habere_. _Mootmen_ are those who, having studied seven or eight years, are qualified to practise, and appear to answer to our term of barristers.]

[Footnote 63: The prologue to our ancient dramas was ushered in by trumpets. "Present not yourselfe on the stage (especially at a new play) untill the quaking prologue hath (by rubbing) got cullor into his cheekes, and is ready to giue the trumpets their cue that hee's vpon point to enter."--Decker's _Gul's Hornbook_, 1609, p. 30. "Doe you not know that I am the Prologue?

Do you not see this long blacke veluet cloke vpon my backe? _Haue you not sounded thrice?_"--Heywood's _Foure Prentises of London_, 4to, 1615.]

[Footnote 64: St. Paul's Cathedral was, during the reigns of Elizabeth and James, a sort of exchange and public parade, where business was transacted between merchants, and where the fashionables of the day exhibited themselves. The reader will find several allusions to this custom in the _variorum_ edition of Shakspeare, _K. Henry IV._, part 2. Osborne, in his _Traditional Memoires on the Reigns of Elisabeth and James_, 12mo, 1658, says, "It was the fashion of those times (James I.) and did so continue till these, (the interregnum,) for the princ.i.p.al gentry, lords, courtiers, and men of all professions, not merely mechanicks, to meet in _St. Paul's _church by eleven, and walk in the middle isle till twelve, and after dinner from three to six; during which time some discoursed of business, others of news." Weever complains of the practice, and says, "it could be wished that walking in the middle isle of _Paul's_ might be forborne in the time of diuine service." _Ancient Funeral Monuments_, 1631, page 373.]

[Footnote 65: In the _Dramatis Personal_ to Ben Jonson's _Every Man in his Humour_, Bobadil is styled a _Paul's man_; and Falstaff tells us that he bought Bardolph in _Pauls_. _King Henry IV_., part 2.]

[Footnote 66: ----"You'd not doe Like your penurious father, who was wont _To walk his dinner out in Paules._"

--Mayne's _City Match_, 1658.]

[Footnote 67: The time of supper was about five o'clock.]

[Footnote 68: Paul's cross stood in the churchyard of that cathedral, on the north side, towards the east end. It was used for the preaching of sermons to the populace; and Holinshed mentions two instances of public penance being performed here; in 1534 by some of the adherents of Elizabeth Barton, well known as _the holy maid of Kent_, and in 1536 by Sir Thomas Newman, a priest, who "_bare a f.a.ggot at Paules crosse for singing ma.s.se with good ale_."]

[Footnote 69: _Dole_ originally signified the portion of alms that was given away at the door of a n.o.bleman. Steevens, note to _Shakspeare_. Sir John Hawkins affirms that the benefaction distributed at Lambeth Palace gate, is to this day called the _dole_.]

[Footnote 70: That is, the contents of his basket, if discovered to be of light weight, are distributed to the needy prisoners.]

[Footnote 71: _Study_, first edit.]

[Footnote 72: The first edition reads _post_, and, I think, preferably.]

[Footnote 73: _Keep for attend_.]

[Footnote 74: _Squeazy_, n.i.g.g.ardly.]