FOOTNOTES:
[194] "Talc, in natural history, is a shining, squamous, fissile species of stone, easily separable into thin, transparent scales or leaves."—Chambers's "Dictionary." It was anciently found only in Spain, but since, in several parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. "Some chemists," says the same writer, "and other empirics, have held that talc might be used for many important purposes, and pretend to draw from it that precious oil so much boasted of by the ancients, particularly the Arabs, called oil of talc, which is supposed a wonderful cosmetic, and preserver of the complexion; but the truth is, the word talc, among them, signified no more than an equal disposition of the humours, which keeps the body in good temperament and perfect health. Now, as nothing contributes more than health to the preserving of beauty, this has given occasion to the chemists to search this oil of talc, which is to maintain the body in this disposition, and to engage the ladies to be at the expense of the search."
["Talc is a cheap kind of mineral, which this county (Sussex) plentifully affords, though not so fine as that which is fetched from Venice. It is white and transparent like crystal, full of strekes or veins, which prettily scatter themselves. Being calcined, and variously prepared, it maketh a curious white-wash, which some justify lawful, because clearing, not changing, the complexion."—Fuller's "Worthies," quoted by Gifford (Ben Jonson, iv. 94).]
[195] This was Prynne's celebrated work, entitled, "Histriomastix," &c., which was, by the sentence of the Star Chamber, ordered to be burnt.
[196] The county in which the celebrated Robert Browne (who may be esteemed the head of the Puritans) was beneficed, and afterwards died in gaol, at a very advanced age.
[197] Alluding to the second publication for which Prynne was prosecuted, and sentenced to lose the remainder of his ears. It was entitled, "News from Ipswich, and the Divine Tragedy, recording God's fearful Judgments against Sabbath-Breakers. 4o, 1636." [He published it under the name of Matthew White.]
[198] It appears to have been the custom at this time to work religious and other stories in different parts of the dress then worn. In Beaumont and Fletcher's "Custom of the Country," ii. 3, [Dyce's edit. iv. 422,] Rutilio says—
"Having a mistress, sure you should not be
Without a neat historical shirt."
[199] [This passage is quoted in the editions of Beaumont and Fletcher, to illustrate a passage in the "Custom of the Country," (see below) but it is questionable, perhaps, whether the allusions here are to be taken quite seriously.]
[200] See note to "The Ordinary" [xii., 300.]
[201] See note to "The Ordinary" [xii., 316.]
[202] [An allusion which I cannot explain. It has no connection with Chettle's play.]
[203] Prynne's book, mentioned before.
[204] [See a note in Hazlitt's "Popular Poetry," ii. 153.]
[205] [A curious little illustration of contemporary civic usages.]
[206] Alluding to an automaton, like those at St Dunstan's, Fleet Street. See notes on Shakespeare's "King Richard III.," edit. 1778, p. 113, vol. vii.—Steevens.
[207] [Nares, in his "Glossary," 1859, in v., seems to say that this is the only passage where this phrase occurs. Fortunately it is explained for us. But its origin is obscure.]
[208] [The name given to the women who attended on the chambers in the inns-of-court. It is not obsolete.]
[209] In the third year of James I., rose-rials (or royals) of gold were coined at 30s. apiece, and spur-rials at 15s. each. For Harry-groats, see note to "The Antiquary," post.
[210] So Chapman, in his "Hymn to Hymen," at the end of the "Masque of the Middle Temple and Lincoln's Inn," 1613—
"Let such glances fly,
As make stars shoot to imitate her eye."
—Collier.
[211] [Probably the arras in the room represented some scene in the siege of Troy.]
[212] The art of weaving tapestry was brought into England by William Sheldon, Esq., about the end of the reign of Henry VIII. (See Dugdale's "Warwickshire," p. 584.) In the time of James I., a manufacture of tapestry was set up at Mortlake, in Surrey, and soon arrived at a high degree of excellence. King James gave £2000 towards the undertaking; and Sir Francis Crane erected the house to execute the design in. Francis Cleyn painted for the workmen, and to such a pitch of perfection had the art been carried, that Archbishop Williams paid for the four seasons, worked, I suppose, for hangings, £2500.—(Walpole's "Anecdotes," ii. 21-128.) Mortlake tapestry continued long in repute, and is mentioned in Oldham's Satire in imitation of the Third Satire of Juvenal—
"Here some rare piece
Of Rubens or Vandyke presented is:
There a rich suit of Mortlack tapestry,
A bed of damask or embroidery."
[213] [i.e., Added to.]
[214] The following seems to be the story here alluded to: "But the strangest I have met with in this kinde, is the historie of Eve Fleigen, out of the Dutch translated into English, and printed at London, Anno 1611: who being borne at Meurs, is said to have taken no kinde of sustenance by the space of fourteen yeeres together; that is, from the yeere of her age twenty-two to thirty-six, and from the yeere of our Lord, 1597 to 1611; and this we have confirmed by the testimony of the magistrate of the towne of Meurs, as also by the minister, who made tryall of her in his house thirteene days together, by all the meanes he could devise, but could detect no imposture. Over the picture of this maiden, set in the front of the Dutch copie, stand these Latin verses—
'Meursæ hæc quem cernis decies ter sexque peregit
Annos, bis septem prorsus non vescitur annis
Nec potat, sic sola sedet, sic pallida vitam
Ducit, et exigui se oblectat floribus horti."
Thus rendred in the English copie—
"This maid of Meurs thirty-six yeares spent,
Fourteene of which she tooke no nourishment:
Thus pale and wan shee sits, sad and alone,
A garden's all shee loves to looke upon."
—Hakewill's "Apologie," fol. 1635, p. 440.
In Davenant's "News from Plymouth," act i. sc. 1, the same person is mentioned—
"How? Do you think I bring you tidings of
The Maid of Brabant, that liv'd by her smell;
That din'd on a rose, and supp'd on a tulip?"
[The narrative of Eve Fleigen, above referred to, is appended to an excessively rare tract of eight 4o leaves, printed in 1611, and noticed in Hazlitt's "Handbook," 1867, p. 277.]
[215] Or, as it was more frequently written, tray-trip. This game is mentioned very frequently in our ancient writers, but it is by no means clear what the nature of it was. Mr Steevens considers it as a game at cards; and Mr Tyrwhitt, as a game at tables. In opposition to both, Mr Hawkins was of opinion that it was the same play which is now called "Scotch Hop," the amusement at present of the lower class of young people. In support of this idea, the above passage was quoted by that gentleman. See notes on "Twelfth Night," act ii. sc. 5.
The truth of Mr Tyrwhitt's conjecture will be established by the following extract from "Machiavell's Dogge," 1617, 4o, sig. B.
"But leaving cardes, lett's goe to dice a while,
To passage, trei-trippe, hazarde, or mum-chance,
But subtill mates will simple mindes beguile,
And blinde their eyes with many a blinking glaunce.
"Oh cogges and stoppes, and such like devilish trickes,
Full many a purse of golde and silver pickes.
"And therefore, first for hazard, hee that list,
And passeth not, puts many to a blancke;
And trippe without a treye makes hard, I wist,
To sitte and mourne among the sleepers ranke.
And for mum-chance howe'er the chance doe fall,
You must be mum for fear of marring all."
[See also "Popular Antiquities of Great Britain," 1870, ii. 340.]
[216] Alluding to the quaint speeches anciently delivered by fantastic characters during pageants and processions, such as that of the Lord Mayor, those at the entry of foreign princes, &c. The speakers were usually placed on conduits, market crosses, and other elevated situations.—Steevens.
[217] [According to some, a person who kept a tavern at or near Hoxton, but according to others, a place in that neighbourhood remarkable for selling ale. This is a doubtful matter. The ales of Pimlico, near London, are still famous.] See "Pimlyco, or Runne Red cap, 'tis a mad world at Hogsden," 1609. [As only one copy of it is known, it might be rather difficult to see it.]
[218] [See Dyce's "Shakespeare Glossary," in v. A whiffler was originally a player on a whiffle or fife in a procession, and hence was a name applied to the boys who walked (generally with flags) in the procession on Lord Mayor's Day.]
Bachelors whifflers should properly be young men free of the company. They attend on the Lord Mayor's Day, and are supposed to be out of their apprenticeships the preceding year. They are considered by the company they belong to pretty nearly in the same point of view as a gentleman considers the upper servants he keeps out of livery.—N.
In some companies, I am well informed, the children are named The Whiflers.—Reed (note altered).
[219] See note p. [248] to this play.
[220] [A piece of wit on the part of Plotwell, who meant slyly to insinuate that Timothy was fit to be begged for a fool, a custom which was once common, and does not require explanation.]
[ACT III., SCENE I.]
Bright, Newcut, Plotwell, Roseclap, hanging out the picture of a strange fish.[221]
Bright. 'Fore Jove, the captain fox'd[222] him rarely.
Rose. O sir,
He is used to it: this is the fifth fish now
That he hath shown thus. One got him twenty pound.
New. How, Roseclap?
Rose. Why the captain kept him, sir,
A whole week drunk, and show'd him twice a-day.
New. It could not be like this.
Rose. Faith, I do grant
This is the strangest fish. Yon I have hung
His other picture in the fields, where some
Say 'tis an o'ergrown porpoise; others say
'Tis the fish caught in Cheshire; one, to whom
The rest agree, said 'twas a mermaid.
Plot. 'Slight!
Roseclap shall have a patent of him. The birds
Brought from Peru, the hairy wench,[223] the camel,
The elephant, dromedaries, or Windsor Castle,
The woman with dead flesh, or she that washes,
Threads needles, writes, dresses her children, plays
O' th' virginals with her feet, could never draw
People like this.
New. O, that his father were
At home to see him!
Plot. Or his mother come,
Who follows strange sights out of town, and went
To Brentford to a motion.
Bright. Bid the captain hasten,
Or he'll recover, and spoil all.
Rose. They're here!