Chapter 5

Gifford thinks it probable that most of the annual pageants from 1591 to the death of Elizabeth were produced by Munday (Note on B. Jonson's _Works_, vi. 328). Though Kemp declares here that his "imployment for the pageant was utterly spent," yet Anthony furnished the city shows for 1605, 1611, and (in spite of an attack made on him by Middleton in 1613--see my ed. of Middleton's _Works_, v. 219, note), for 1614, 1615, and 1616.

Except a "Song of Robin Hood and his Huntesmen" in _Metropolis Coronata_, I am not aware that any of Munday's ballads are extant--unless indeed the "ditties" in _The Banquet of daintie Conceits_ may be regarded as such; but there is no doubt that they were numerous, and hence, in the present passage, he is termed the "immediate heyre" of William Elderton. This personage,--who is said to have been, at different periods of his life, an actor, the master of a company of players, and an attorney in the Sheriff's Court, London,--obtained great notoriety by his ballads. See a list of his pieces in Ritson's _Bibl. Poet._: vide also Warton's _Hist. of Engl. Poet._ iv. 40, ed. 4to. His song "The God of love," &c. (of which a puritanical moralization still exists) is quoted in Shakespeare's _Much ado about Nothing_, act v. sc. 2. His _Verses on the Images over the Guild-hall Gate_ may be read in Stow's _Survey_, B. iii. 41, ed. 1720; his ballad of _The King of Scots and Andrew Browne_, in Percy's _Rel. of An. Engl. Poet._ ii. 207, ed. 1794; his _New Yorkshyre Song_, in Evans's _Old Ballads_, i. 20, ed. 1810; and his _Newes from Northumberland_, _The Dekaye of the Duke_, _The daungerous Shooting of the Gunne at the Court_ and _A moorning Diti upon Henry Earl of Arundel_, in _The Harl. Miscell._ X. 267, _seq._ ed. Park. Elderton appears to have ceased pouring forth his doggrel about the time that Deloney began to write. In 1592 he was dead: see Nash's _Strange Newes, Of the intercepting certaine Letters_, &c., 1592, Sig. D. 4. He was nearly as famous for drinking as for rhyming: of two epitaphs on him, preserved by Camden, I subjoin the first:

"Hic situs est sitiens, atque ebrius Eldertonus; Quid dico, hic situs est? hic potius sitis est."

_Remaines--Epitaphes_, 56, ed. 1605.

P. 21, l. 11, mistery.]--art, trade.

P. 21, l. 14, making.]--poetical composition.

P. 21, l. 15, Macdobeth.]--This mention of a piece anterior to Shakespeare's tragedy on the same subject has escaped the commentators.

P. 21, l. 21, the bankside.]--In Southwark, where the Globe and other theatres were situated.

P. 21, l. 29, hoddy doddy.]--A term of contempt, which occurs in B. Jonson's _Every Man in his Humour_, Act iv. sc. 8, _Works_, i. 141, ed. Gifford, and is used by a comparatively recent writer, Swift. See Richardson's _Dict._ in v.

P. 21, l. 30, habber de hoy.]--"A _Hober-de-hoy_, half a man and half a boy." Ray's _Proverbs_, p. 57, ed. 1768.--The word is variously written: see Jamieson's _Et. Dict. of Scot. Lang._ in v. _Hobbledehoy_.

P. 21, l. 30, squall.]--probably, poor effeminate creature. Taylor, the water-poet, describes the rich foolish gallant calling his harlot,

"Ducke, Lambe, _Squall_, Sweet-heart, Cony, and his Doue."

_A Whore_, p. 112.--_Workes_, 1630.

and Middleton, who employs the word several times, seems to use it in the sense of wench: see his _Works_, iii. 55, v. 575. ed. Dyce.

P. 21, l. 32, Derick.]--hang,--the name of the common hangman when this tract was written: he is frequently mentioned in our old plays.

P. 22, l. 6, Mundus Furiosus.]--_Mundi Fvriosi sive P. A. Iansonii Narra[tio]nis Rervm Tota Europa Gestarum, Continvatio ab Anno 1597 vsque ad annum præsentem 1600._ _Coloniæ_, 1600, 8vo.

P. 22, l. 7, Cullians.]--scoundrels.

P. 22, l. 13, this beggerly lying busie-bodies name brought out the Ballad-maker.]--Kemp, I conceive, alludes here to Richard Johnson, who is still remembered by his _Famous Historie of the Seuen Champions of Christendome_, in two Parts, of which the earliest extant edition (_what_ edition the title-page does not indicate) was printed in 1608, 4to. Ritson remarks that this celebrated romance is mentioned in Meres's _Palladis Tamia_ (fol. 268), 1598. _Observ. on Warton's Hist. of Engl. Poet._ p. 23; but I can produce a notice of it anterior to that date from the Stationers' Books:

"20 Aprilis [1596]

"Jo Danter Entred for his copie vnder thande of } the Wardens, A booke Intituled the } famous Hystory of the Seven Champions } of Christiandom, St. George of } vi^d." England, St. Dennys of Fraunce, St. } James of Spayne, St. Anthony of Italy, } St. Andrewe of Scotland, St. Patrick } of Irland, and St. David of Wales, }

"6 Sept. [1596]

"Cuthbert Burby Entred for his copie by assigment } from John Danter, Twoo } bookes, viz. the first pte and second } pte of the vii Champions } vii^d." of Christiandom. Reservinge } the workmanship of the printinge } at all tymes to the said Jo } Danter.... }

(_Liber_ C. fol. 10 b., fol. 13 b.)

Johnson's _Nine Worthies of London: Explaining the honourable Exercise of Armes, the Vertues of the Valiant, and the memorable Attempts of magnanimous Minds, &c._ (a poem somewhat resembling the _Mirror for Magistrates_,) is reprinted in _The Harl. Miscell._ viii. 437, ed. Park. He was also the compiler, and probably in part the author, of _The Crown Garland of Golden Roses_, &c. See Ritson's _Bibl. Poet._

LONDON: J. B. NICHOLS AND SON, PRINTERS, 25, PARLIAMENT STREET.