Character Writings of the Seventeenth Century Part 33

[Footnote 75: _And the clubs out of charity knock him down,_ first edit.]

[Footnote 76: That is, _runs you up a long score_.]

[Footnote 77: This, as well as many other pa.s.sages in this work, has been appropriated by John Dunton, the celebrated bookseller, as his own. See his character of Mr. Samuel Hool, in _Dunton's Life and Errors_, 8vo, 1705, p. 337.]

[Footnote 78: "A prison is a grave to bury men alive, and a place wherein a man for halfe a yeares experience may learne more law than he can at Westminster for an hundred pound."--Mynshul's _Essays and Characters of a Prison_, 4to, 1618.]

[Footnote 79: _In querpo_ is a corruption from the Spanish word _cuerpo_. "_En cuerpo, a man without a cloak_."--Pineda's Dictionary, 1740. The present signification evidently is, that a gentleman without his serving-man, or attendant, is but half dressed:--he possesses only in part the appearance of a man of fashion. "_To walk in cuerpo, is to go without a cloak."--Glossographia Anglicana Nova_, 8vo, 1719.]

[Footnote 80: _Proper_ was frequently used by old writers for comely, or handsome.

Shakspeare has several instances of it:

"I do mistake my person all this while: Upon my life, she finds, although I cannot, Myself to be a marvellous _proper_ man."

--_K. Richard III_. Act I. Sc. 2, &c.]

[Footnote 81: "Why you know an'a man have not skill in the _hawking and hunting_ languages now-a-days, I'll not give a rush for him."--_Master Stephen.

Every Man in his Humour_.]

[Footnote 82: "Ter conatus ibi collo dare brachia circ.u.m: Ter frustra conprensa ma.n.u.s effugit imago, Par levibus ventis, volucrique simillima somno."

--_Virgil_, aen. vi. _v_. 700.]

[Footnote 83: Probably the name of some difficult tune.]

[Footnote 84: Jump here signifies to coincide. The old play of Soliman and Perseda uses it in the same sense:

"Wert thou my friend, thy mind would _jump_ with mine."

So in _Pierce Penilesse his Supplication to the Divele_:--"Not two of them _jump_ in one tale," p. 29.]

[Footnote 85: _Imputation_ here must be used for _consequence_; of which I am, however, unable to produce any other instance.]

[Footnote 86: _Sturtridge fair_ was the great mart for business, and resort for pleasure, in Bishop Earle's day. It is alluded to in Randolph's _Conceited Pedlar_, 410, 1630:--

"I am a pedlar, and I sell my ware This braue Saint Bartholmew or _Sturtridge faire_."

Edward Ward, the author of _The London Spy_, gives a whimsical account of a journey to Sturbridge, in the second volume of his works.]

[Footnote 87: This silly term of endearment appears to be derived from _chick_ or _my chicken_, Shakspeare uses it in _Macbeth_, Act iii.

Scene 2:--

"Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest _chuck_."]

[Footnote 88: The great cross in West Cheap was originally erected in 1290, by Edward I., in commemoration of the death of Queen Ellinor, whose body rested at that place, on its journey from Herdeby, in Lincolnshire, to Westminster, for interment. It was rebuilt in 1441, and again in 1484. In 1584 the images and ornaments were destroyed by the populace; and in 1599 the top of the cross was taken down, the timber being rotted within the lead, and fears being entertained as to its safety. By order of Queen Elizabeth, and her privy council, it was repaired in 1600, when, says Stow, "a cross of timber was framed, set up, covered with lead, _and gilded_," &c.

Stow's _Survey of London_, by Strype, book iii. p. 35. Edit, folio.

Lond. 1720.]

[Footnote 89: This must allude to the play written by Heywood with the following t.i.tle: _The Foure Prentises of London. With the Conquest of Jerusalem. As it hath bene diuerse times acted at the Red Bull, by the Queenes Maiesties Servants_. 410, Lond. 1615. In this drama, the four prentises are G.o.dfrey, Grey, Charles, and Eustace, sons to the _old Earle of Bullen_, who, having lost his territories, by a.s.sisting William the Conqueror in his descent upon England, is compelled to live like a private citizen in London, and binds his sons to a mercer, a goldsmith, a haberdasher, and a grocer. The _four prentises_, however, prefer the life of a soldier to that of a tradesman, and, quitting the service of their masters, follow Robert of Normandy to the holy land, where they perform the most astonishing feats of valour, and finally accomplish the _conquest of Jerusalem_. The whole play abounds in bombast and impossibilities, and, as a composition, is unworthy of notice or remembrance.]

[Footnote 90: _The History of the Nine Worthies of the World; three whereof were Gentiles; I. Hector, son of Priamus, king of Troy. 2. Alexander the Great, king of Macedon, and conqueror of the world. 3. Julius Caesar, first emperor of Rome. There Jews. 4. Joshua, captain general and leader of Israel into Canaan. 5. David, king of Israel. 6. Judas Maccabeus, a 'valiant Jewish commander against the tyranny of Antiochus. Three Christians. 7. Arthur, king of Britain, who courageously defended his country against the Saxons. 8. Charles the Great, king of France and emperor of Germany. 9. G.o.dfrey of Bullen, king of Jerusalem. Being an account of their glorious lives, worthy actions, renowned victories, and deaths._ 12mo. No date.]

[Footnote 91: Those of the same habits with himself; his a.s.sociates.]

[Footnote 92: The _dear year_ here, I believe, alluded to, was in 1574, and is thus described by that faithful and valuable historian Holinshed:--"This yeare, about Lammas, wheat was sold at London for three shillings the bush.e.l.l: but shortlie after, it was raised to foure shillings, fiue shillings, six shillings, and, before Christmas, to a n.o.ble, and seuen shillings; which so continued long after. Beefe was sold for twentie pence, and two and twentie pence the stone; and all other flesh and white meats at an excessiue price; all kind of salt fish verie deare, as fine herrings two pence, &c.; yet great plentie of fresh fish, and oft times the same verie cheape. Pease at foure shillings the bush.e.l.l; ote-meale at foure shillings eight pence; baie salt at three shillings the bush.e.l.l, &c. All this dearth notwithstanding (thanks be given to G.o.d), there was no want of anie thing to them that wanted not monie."

--Holinshed, _Chronicle_, vol. in., p. 1259, a. edit, folio, 1587.]

[Footnote 93: On the 21st of December 1564 began a frost, referred to by Fleming in his Index to _Holinshed_, as the "_frost called the great frost_," which lasted till the 3rd of January 1565. It was so severe that the Thames was frozen over, and the pa.s.sage on it, from London Bridge to Westminster, as easy as and more frequented than that on dry land.]

[Footnote 94: The person who exhibits Westminster Abbey.]