GOE, SOULE, THE BODIES GUEST."
I have a cotemporaneous MS. of this wonderfully-fine poem, that came into my possession with a certain rare bunch of black-letter ballads, printed between the years 1559 and 1597, and all of them unique (of the said bunch, Mr. Editor, more hereafter), which contains two additional verses not to be found in A Poetical Rhapsodie, compiled by Francis Davison, and "printed by William Stansby for Roger Jackson, dwelling in Fleet Street, neere the great Conduit, 1611;" nor in Poems by Sir Henry Wotton, Sir Walter Raleigh, and others, carefully edited by the Rev. John Hannah, M.A., and published by my friend William Pickering in 1845. They are prefaced by the word "Additions." They are written on the same leaf, and in the same quaint hand, and are as follow:
Tell London of their stewes,
Tell marchants of their usury;
And, though it be no newes,
Tell courtyers of theyr lechery;
And if they will reply,
They best deserve the lye.
Let cuckolds be remembred,
I will not dye theyr debtor;
Theire heads beying armed,
Theyl beare the brunt the better;
And if they chaunce reply,
Theyr wives know best they lye.
Having compared this MS. with the poem as it is printed in the above-mentioned volumes (both of which are in my library), I find it contains several variations, not however very important. Though these "Additions," in good taste, expression, and power, do not equal the noble verses that precede them, they are interesting and curious, and well worthy of preservation. After much inspection and inquiry, I have not discovered that they have ever yet appeared in print. The cabinet in which they slept, and the company they kept (undisturbed, it would appear) for more than two centuries, assure me that they have not been published.
If you, Mr. Editor, or any of your many friends desire to see this MS., say so, and you and they shall be welcome. It has been in my possession (unseen) twenty years.
George Daniel.
Canonbury.