LATIN SONG BY ANDREW BOORDE.
The life of this "progenitor of Merry Andrew," as he is termed, would, if minutely examined, doubtless prove a curious piece of biography. Wood furnishes many particulars, but some of his statements want confirmation. He tells us that Boorde was borne at Pevensey in Sussex; but Hearne corrects him, and says it was at Bounds Hill in the same county. It then becomes a question whether he was educated at Winchester school. Certain it is that he was of Oxford, although he left without taking a degree, and became a brother of the Carthusian order in London. We next find him studying physic in his old university, and subsequently travelling through most parts of Europe, and even of Africa. On his return to England, he settled at Winchester, and practised as a physician. Afterwards we find him in London occupying a tenement in the parish of St. Giles-in-the-Fields. This appears to have been the period when, in his professional capacity, King Henry VIII. is said to have consulted him. How long he remained in London is uncertain, but in 1541 he was living at Montpelier in France, where he is supposed to have taken the degree of doctor in physic, in which he was afterwards incorporated at Oxford. He subsequently lived at Pevensey, and again at Winchester. At last we find him a prisoner in the Fleet—the cause has yet to be learned,—at which place he died in April, 1549. The following curious relic is transcribed from the flyleaf of a copy of The Breviary of Health, 4to., London, 1547. It is signed "Andrew Boord," and if not the handwriting of the facetious author himself, is certainly that of some one of his cotemporaries:
"Nos vagabunduli,
Læti, jucunduli,
Tara, tantara teino.
Edimus libere,
Canimus lepide,
Tara, &c.
Risu dissolvimur,
Pannis obvolvimur,
Tara, &c.
Multum in joculis,
Crebro in poculis,
Tara, &c.
Dolo consuimus,
Nihil metuimus,
Tara, &c.
Pennus non deficit,
Præda nos reficit,
Tara, &c.
Frater Catholice,
Vir apostolice,
Tara, &c.
Dic quæ volueris
Fient quæ jusseris,
Tara, &c.
Omnes metuite
Partes gramaticæ,
Tara, &c.
Quadruplex nebulo
Adest, et spolio,
Data licencia,
Crescit amentia,
Tara, &c.
Papa sic præcipit
Frater non decipit
Tara, &c.
Chare fratercule,
Vale et tempore,
Tara, &c.
Quando revititur,
Congratulabimur,
Tara, &c.
Nosmet respicimus,
Et vale dicimus,
Tara, &c.
Corporum noxibus
Cordium amplexibus,
Tara tantara teino."
Andrew Boorde's printed works are as follows:
1. A Book of the Introduction to Knowledge, 4to., London, 1542.
2. A Compendious Regiment or Dietary of Health, made at Mountpyller, 8vo., 1542.
3. The Breviary of Health, 4to., London, 1547.
4. The Princyples of Astronomye, 12mo., R. Copland, London, n. d.
Wood tells us he wrote "a book on prognosticks," and another "of urines." The Merry Tales of the Wise Men of Gotham are also ascribed to him, as well as A Right Pleasant and Merry History of the Mylner of Abington, &c.
The origin of the Merry Tales is pointed out by Horsfield, in his History of Lewes, vol. i. p. 239.:—
"At a last, holden at Pevensey, Oct. 3, 24 Hen. VIII., for the purpose of preventing unauthorised persons 'from setting nettes, pottes, or innyances,' or anywise taking fish within the privileges of the Marsh of Pevensey, the king's commission was directed to John, Prior of Lewes; Richard, Abbot of Begham; John, Prior of Mychillym; Thomas, Lord Dacre, and others ... Dr. Boorde (the original Merry Andrew) founds his tale of the 'Wise Men of Gotham' upon the proceedings of this meeting, Gotham being the property of Lord Dacre, and near his residence."
The inhabitants of Gotham in Nottinghamshire have hitherto been considered the "biggest fools in christendom;" but if the above extract is to be depended upon, the Gothamites of Sussex have a fair claim to a share of this honourable distinction.
The quotation from the History of Lewes was first pointed out by your learned correspondent, MR. M. A. LOWER, in a communication to Mr. Halliwell's Archæologist, 1842, p. 129. The investigation of the origin of this popular collection of old Joe Millerisms is of some importance, because upon them rests Dr. Boorde's title to be the "progenitor of Merry Andrew."
EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.