4. 5. 9. a newes. News is now considered plural, but Ned. cites passages from 1566 to 1897 in which it is construed as singular. In the 15th century it had the form newesse, a singular form. 4. 5. 16. For the metre, see notes on 2.5. 44; 1. 1. 28. Where Íle | intreat | you not | to your losse, | be leeve it. 4. 6. 4. For the metre, see note on 2. 5. 44. The Clarke | knowes me and trusts | me. Ha you | the Par son? 4.6. 8. For the metre, see notes on 1. 1. 61; 1. 1. 28. And prevent that. | But take | your Li | cence with you, 4. 6. 10. For the metre, see note on 1. 3. 16. Ile doe it for you, | stay you | with us | at his church, 4. 6. 17. the Projects generall. Jonson here alludes to the system of patents and monopolies which he satirized in The Fox and The Devil is an Ass. In this system there were two agents regularly distinguished-the patentee, sometimes also called the projector, whose part it is to supply the funds for the establishment of the monopoly, and, if possible, the necessary influence at court; and the actual projector or inventor, who undertakes to furnish his patron with various projects of his own device. For Jonson's satire of the projector, see Sir Politick Would-be in The Fox, and Merecraft in The Devil is an Ass. For a discussion of the monopolysystem, see W. S. Johnson's edition of The Devil is an Ass, Introduction, p. lviii. The phrase, Surveyor of the Projects generall, means the examiner or supervisor of the royal patents and monopolies. 4. 6. 19. a right hand. a right hand. For the use of right, meaning, as applied to persons, 'judging, thinking or acting in accordance with truth,' see The Staple of News (Wks. 5. 225): P. jun. Whence have you this news? 4. 6. 26. Noble Parson Palate, Thou shalt be a marke advanc't: here's a peece. 'Here is a string of puns: the mark (12s. 4d.) added to the noble (6s. 8d.) made up the piece,'-G. See also the Glossary. 4. 6. 41. a spic'd excuse. For the use of spiced in the sense of over-nice in matters of conscience, see Chaucer, Prologue 525-6: He wayted after no pompe and reverence, Ne maked him a spyced conscience. Also Bartholomew Fair (Wks. 4. 364): Quar. I remember that too; out of a scruple he took, that, in spiced conscience, those cakes he made, were served to bridals, may-poles, morrices, and such profane feasts and meetings. 4. 6. 47. Doe you heare, Sir? Here is an opportunity for stage-business, the ejaculation which Palate is supposed to have uttered being left to the actor. 4. 6. 48. By an unusual accent the verse may be scanned as regular; No, no, it mát | ters not. | Can you | thinke Sir 4.6. 51. a Poesie. 'It was formerly the custom to engrave mottoes or posies upon wedding, betrothal and other rings, and books of these mottoes were published. One of these, Love's Garland, appeared in 1624, and again in 1674. In the latter year was also published Cupid's Posies for Bracelets, Handkerchers, and Rings, with Scarfes, Gloves, and other things: Written by Cupid on a day When Venus gave me leave to play. By gifts that are with posies sent. -Wheatley, Every Man In p. 159. Jonson alludes to this custom in Every Man In (Wks. 1. 51); Bartholomew Fair (Wks. 4. 424); and Cynthia's Revels (Wks. 2. 358). 4.7.4. would. Requires to (see Abbott, § 329). 4.7.5. shall. Must (see Abbott, § 315). 4.7. II. the Peace maker. Kee. The Pease-dresser. For Pease-dresser, see the Glossary. Jonson made a similar pun on peace and pease in Every Man Out (Wks. 2. 2. 127): Maci. Now pease, and not peace, feed that life, whose head hangs so heavily over a woman's manger! 4. 7. 30. a Secretary Landresse. See the Glossary, s. v. Secretary. 4.7.33. make your Merkat. For the phras, to make merkat, see the Glossary, s. v. Merkat. 4.7.35. At Granam's Crosse? Cross was sometimes used in the sense of market-cross, a monument in the form of a cross occupying a central position in a town or village, used as a centre for markets, meetings, proclamations, etc. Why Granam's Cross, I do not know; possibly for the humorous connotation of granam or granddam. 4.7.36-8. the Deputie... out. The deputy in the City of London is a member of the Common Council, who acts instead of an alderman in his absence.'-NED. The alderman, in English and Irish cities and boroughs, is a magistrate next in dignity to the mayor; properly in London, the chief officer of a ward.'-NED. Questman. 1. One who laid informations, and made a trade of petty law suits.' 2. 'Also a juryman, a person regularly impanelled to try a case.' -Nares. 4.7.44. apparences. See the Glossary; and cf. Chaucer's Franklin's Tale 411-3: For I am siker that ther be sciences, By whiche men make diverse apparences 4.7.45. these shop-lights. These theatre-lights. See note on Ind. 1. 4.7.56. For the metre, see note on 1. 2. 47. 4.7.57. No more | rehearsals; Re | peti | tions The more wee stirre (you know Hazlitt, Eng. Prov., p. 431: 'The more you stir a turd, the worse it will stink.' 4.7.59. What's done, and dead, let it be buried. Cf. Shakespeare, Macbeth 3.2. 12: 'Things without all remedy Should be without regard: what's done is done.' Idem 5. 1.75: 'What's done cannot be undone.' 4. 8. 2. ring the Bels. Besant, London in the Time of the Tudors, pp. 171-2: 'All day long the bells were ringing—' 'twas a city of bells. They rang from cathedral and parish church; from monastery and nunnery; from college of priests and from chapel and from spital. They rang for festivals and fasts; for pageants and ridings; for births and deaths; for marriages and funerals; for the election of City officers; for the King's birthday; for the day and the hour; they rang in the baby; they rang out the passing soul; they rang merrily in honour of the bride; they rang for work to begin and for work to cease; the streets echoed the ringing of bells all day long; for miles round London you could hear with the singing of the larks the ringing of the bells.' 4. 8. 13. a Sonne, and Heire, That shall inherit nothing. 'In English law a bastard still retains certain disabilities. His rights are only such as he can acquire; for civilly he can inherit nothing, being looked upon as the son of nobody, and sometimes called filius nullius, sometimes filius populi. If there be no other claimant upon a inheritance than such illegitimate child, it escheats to the lord.'-Encycl. Brit. 4. 8. 15. For the metre, see note on 2.4. 16. From me at least. | I come | t' invite | your La diship 4. 8. 16. witnesse. A godmother, or sponsor at a baptism; a Puritanical term. Cf. Bartholomew Fair (Wks. 4. 364): Lit. Yes, sir; Zeal-of-the-land Busy. Winw. How! what a name's there! Lit. O they have all such names, sir; he was witness for Win here, they will not be call'd godfathers and named her Win-the-fight. 4. 8. 17. And give it a horne-spoone, and a treene dish. 'Horn spoons fifty years ago were in universal use among Scottish farmers and cottagers. Treen-dish was a wooden bowl.'-C. 4. 8. 18. Bastard, and Beggars badges. Besant's London, P. 371: ' Early in the sixteenth century the City of London began to pass regulations against vagrants. They forbade able-bodied vagrants to beg and citizens to give money to unlicensed beggars in other words, they revived and enforced the old laws. Great strictness was ordered. Vagrants had the letter V fastened on their breasts, and were driven through Cheapside to the music of a basin ringing before them. There was also an officer appointed, called “ Master and Chief Avoyder and Keeper out of this City and the liberties of the same all the mighty vagabonds and beggars and all other suspected persons, except such as wear upon them the badge of the city."" " The laws against the parents of illegitimate children were as severe. Nicholls, History of the English Poor Law 1. 165–6: 'The 18 Elizabeth, cap. 3, is declared to be enacted For some better Explanation, and for some needful Addition to the Statute concerning the Punishment of Vagabonds and Relief of the Poor, made in the 14th year of the Queen's Majesty's Reign." And "First, concerning bastards, begotten and born out of lawful matrimony (an offence against God's law and man's law), the said bastards being now left to be kept at the charge of the parish where they were born, to the great burthen and defrauding of the relief of the impotent aged true poor of the same parish, and to the evil example and encouragement of lewd life." Justices are therefore directed to take order for the punishment of the mother and reputed father of every such bastard child, as well as for the better relief of every such parish, in part or in all; and also for the keeping of every such bastard child, by charging the mother or reputed father with the payment of money weekly, or other needful sustentation, in such wise as they shall think meet.' 4. 8. 23. For the metre, see notes on 1. 3. 41; I. 2. 9. |
