Neither of the ensuing articles, the whole of which are the production of the indefatigable Lydgate, can possibly be assigned to its proper date; and they are therefore arranged in the following order.
1. A Balade sent by a Poursyant to the Shirreves of London, acompanyed with theire Bretherne upon Mayes Daye, at Busshopes Wod, at an honurable Dyner, ech of them bringginge his Dysshe.
This Ballad, which occurs in Ashmole’s Collection of Manuscripts, is introduced from its having been addressed to the Sheriffs of London; but it contains little that is worthy of attention.
2. London Lickpenny.
Of the numerous Ballads composed by ’The Monk of Bury,’ this is perhaps the most curious and the best known; and, from its presenting a great deal of information relative to the Metropolis in the fifteenth century, it is of considerable interest. Two copies exist in MS. in the British Museum; one in the Harleian MS. 367, which is printed in Noorthouck’s and Dr. Pugh’s History of London, as well as in several other works; the other, in Stow’s hand-writing, in the Harleian MS. 542: and as they differ very materially from each other, a copy of each is inserted. To this Ballad, it has been thought right to add another, by the same writer, which has never been before printed, on a very similar subject; namely,
3. Upon the Emptiness of his Purse,—
In which he treats this, perhaps the greatest of all human misfortunes, since it prevents the alleviation of almost all others, with singular address. The subject seems to have been a favourite one with our early poets; for there is a Ballad with nearly the same title by Chaucer; and another is printed in ’The Boke of St. Albans.’
4. On Forked Head Dresses.